According to ABC News on Thursday, August 3, 2023, Republican senators are attempting to undermine U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was randomly assigned to preside over former President Donald Trump’s trial for his alleged role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham have publicly criticized Chutkan, claiming she is biased against Trump. However, these same senators voted unanimously to confirm Chutkan to the federal bench in 2014.
Cruz accused Chutkan of being “relentlessly hostile” to Trump and claimed she has a reputation for being “far-left.” Meanwhile, Graham argued that “any conviction in D.C. against Donald Trump is not legitimate” because of Chutkan’s alleged bias. He went so far as to say “You can convict Trump of kidnapping Lindbergh’s baby in D.C.” with Chutkan as the judge.
The irony is that Cruz, Graham, and every other Republican senator voted to confirm Chutkan in 2014. She was approved 95-0 for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. None of the Republican senators raised any concerns about Chutkan during her nomination process. In fact, most did not even attend her confirmation hearing.
The attacks on Chutkan likely stem from her tough sentencing of January 6 rioters. In the 11 related cases before her court, she has handed down harsher sentences than federal prosecutors requested in 7 instances. Chutkan has sentenced all 11 defendants to prison time.
Republicans know Chutkan is unlikely to show leniency to Trump in his trial. Beyond criticizing the judge, Trump has also called for moving his trial out of D.C. to somewhere he believes will be more favorable, like West Virginia. However, legal experts say there is no basis to move the venue.