Trump Calls Out 'Anti-Trump Bias' of the Judge Overseeing the Capitol Riot Cases: "Very Biased and Unfair"

A few days ago, the judge presiding over the case against former President Donald J. Trump, for allegedly plotting to subvert the 2020 election, warned him not to break the terms of his release set at his arraignment, including not making "inflammatory statements" that could be interpreted as possibly intimidating witnesses or other people involved in the case. But Trump played with fire when, the very next day, he wrote a series of posts on his social media website, Truth Social, that mostly magnified the criticisms of others directed at the judge, Tanya S. Chutkan.

A huge picture of Judge Chutkan appeared beside text authored by Trump's supporter, lawyer Mike Davis, which erroneously stated that she had "openly admitted she's running election interference against Trump." The former President further stated, “She definitely wants me behind bars," in additional posts and also used the terms "VERY BIASED & UNFAIR." Trump has spent the past eight years testing the boundaries of his opposition to various American institutions; now, he is examining the lines that Judge Chutkan sought to lay out regarding what he can and cannot say regarding the election interference case she is overseeing. He has also targeted witnesses and prosecutorial officials in the criminal cases brought against him, calling special counsel Jack Smith "deranged" and "corrupt," and casting Fulton County's District Attorney Fani T. Willis in a similarly negative light.

According to the New York Times, some legal experts felt that if Trump were a regular citizen and he continued to issue such assaults, he would have been arrested immediately. Moreover, the issue is whether or not Trump will be penalized for this kind of conduct before trial. Attorney Karen Agnifilo, whose career spans three decades and includes stints as the Chief Assistant District Attorney in New York City, said, "He is absolutely, in my view, testing the judge and testing the limits, almost daring and taunting her." Agnifilo also noted that, as a candidate for office, Trump has received preferential treatment from the judges in the cases, despite his outspoken nature.

Judge Chutkan had previously issued a warning to Trump, saying she would do whatever was necessary to prevent him from intimidating witnesses or tainting prospective jurors if he continued to make "inflammatory statements" about the case or persons engaged in it. She also informed his attorneys that in order to preserve the impartiality of the jury pool, she may be compelled to agree with the government's desire to go to trial sooner than they would like. She also said that even as a political candidate, Trump's free speech rights would be subject to the regulations of the court and are "not absolute." She went on to explain that he must adhere to certain restrictions, such as those set out in the protective order she issued regarding the revelation of discovery evidence in the case and the terms of release placed upon him at his arraignment.