Former President Donald Trump lashed out on social media Sunday against the judge who was assigned to try his case in an indictment charging him with conspiring to remain in power after losing the 2020 presidential election.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was appointed by former president Barack Obama, has handed down some of the toughest sentences to rioters involved with the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, according to The Associated Press.
"There is no way I can get a fair trial with the judge 'assigned' to the ridiculous freedom of speech/fair elections case," Trump posted in all capital letters on Truth Social Sunday morning. "Everybody knows this, and so does she!"
Trump added that his team would be asking for the judge's recusal "on very powerful grounds" and also for the trial to be held outside of Washington, D.C.
Trump's post came just two days after he posted a vaguely threatening message on Truth Social, saying, "If you go after me, I'm coming after you!"
The same day, prosecutors cited his message to Judge Chutkan as they asked her to issue a protective order for evidence in the case, barring Trump or his legal team from sharing certain details with the public. Judge Chutkan gave Trump's team a deadline of 5 pm Monday to respond and denied their request for an extension, as CNN reported.
Trump was indicted Tuesday with four charges of conspiracy and obstruction related to attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. On Thursday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
"Since being charged, Trump has gone after the prosecutor, the judges, and a major witness."
On Friday, he issued his vague warning to anyone who went after him. Then on Saturday, he attacked former Vice President and current rival in the Republican presidential primary Mike Pence, who testified in April to the federal grand jury investigating the election charges and has repeatedly said that Trump asked him to "choose between him and the Constitution," though he has also said he wouldn't rule out a pardon for Trump if elected, according to CNN.
"WOW, it's finally happened! Liddle' Mike Pence, a man who was about to be ousted as Governor [of] Indiana until I came along and made him V.P., has gone to the Dark Side," Trump posted on Truth Social.
Trump denied ever asking Pence to place him above the Constitution and called the former vice president "delusional."
Then, earlier on Sunday, Trump singled out Special Counsel Jack Smith, calling him "deranged" and lambasting "our highly partisan, and very corrupt, department of injustice."
"By our count, since being charged, Trump has gone after the prosecutor, the judges, and a major witness," Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington tweeted in response to the news. "He's also made a vague threat against potential witnesses and jurors. Not mistake for a second what he's trying to do."
