Washington, D.C
GOP allies argue Trump can’t get fair trial from Obama appointee in DC
Republican allies of Donald Trump are stepping up their attacks on Washington, D.C., District Judge Tanya Chutkan and the D.C. court itself, arguing it would be impossible for the former president to get a fair trial in the nation’s capital city.
Judge Chutkan’s ruling against Trump two years ago in a legal dispute over handing his presidential records to House investigators and the tough sentences the Obama appointee handed down to Jan. 6 defendants are drawing scrutiny and criticism from Trump’s allies.
Her record of contributing money to former President Obama’s presidential campaigns and the political leanings of D.C.’s residents, who would serve on the jury, are also coming under Republican attack.
A growing number of Republicans say the odds in the D.C. District Court are so stacked against Trump that a guilty verdict would lack legitimacy.
“I don’t think any Republican much less any America-first type Republican could ever expect to have a fair trial in a D.C. setting with a D.C. judge and D.C. jury. It’s all meant to rubberstamp what they already want to see happen,” said Ned Ryun, the founder and CEO of American Majority, a national grassroots conservative group.
“Of course it’s a rigged game. I think any fair-minded person would step back and say, ‘If you really want this to be a legitimate pursuit of justice, you would not be having it in D.C.,’” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair, I don’t think it will be legitimate.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, accused Chutkan of having “a reputation for being far left, even by D.C. District Court standards.”
He noted that she had set aside “numerous federal death penalty cases” and “is the only federal judge in Washington DC, who has sentenced Jan. 6 defendants to sentences longer than the government requested.”
Even Trump’s political rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, came to his defense by arguing that he won’t get a fair trial.
“Washington, DC, is a ‘swamp’ and it is unfair to have to stand trial before a jury that is reflective of the swamp mentality,” he posted on Twitter.
He argued that the “politicization of the rule of law” is causing national decline and pledged “to end the weaponization of the federal government.”
The other federal case against Trump will take place in Florida under District Court Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee. That case involves charges related to Trump keeping classified documents at his estate at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
In the Jan. 6 case, Trump faces charges related in part to the mob of his supporters who invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to interrupt the congressional certification of the Electoral College vote. The mob marched near the District of Columbia District Court served by Chutkan, who was chosen as part of a random draw to preside over the Trump case.
None of this has stopped supporters of Trump from arguing it is unfair for him to be tried there, suggesting they see it as a strong political argument to make as he seeks another win in a GOP presidential primary.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a prominent Trump ally in the House, took aim at Washington’s overwhelmingly Democratic voter registration in her arguments.
“Those are not his peers. Everybody knows this. Everyone knows he has no shot of a fair trial in the Washington, D.C., court system,” she said of the makeup of the District’s jury pool.
“He’s being indicted for saying the election was stolen. You know who else said the election was stolen? Hillary Clinton,” she said, referring to an interview former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave in 2019 in which she dismissed Trump as an “illegitimate president” and accused him of voter suppression.
President Biden carried Washington, D.C., with more than 92 percent of the vote in the 2020 election while Trump won only five percent. Clinton beat Trump in D.C. in 2016 with nearly 91 percent of the vote.
Republican predict that Trump will almost certainly face a guilty verdict in a trial that takes place in Washington, D.C. They say he has a better chance of winning on appeal to the D.C. Circuit Court, depending on the makeup of any appellate panel that rules on his case.
“The likelihood that a D.C. jury will vote to convict Donald Trump is exceptionally high and the facts don’t matter. The laws don’t matter. They hate him,” Cruz said on his podcast, “Verdict.”
“That’s a big part of the reason why the Biden [Department of Justice] wants to bring this case in D.C., which means with a far-left judge and a far-left jury, there is a very real possibility that Donald Trump ends up being convicted,” he said.
Cruz on Thursday retweeted a report that Chutkan had donated money to Obama’s campaigns in 2008 and 2012 before she was confirmed to the federal bench in 2014.
He predicted the conviction wouldn’t stand on appeal and that his case would ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.
Trump on Wednesday called for the trial to be moved to West Virginia, a state he carried with 29 percent of the vote in 2020.
“The latest Fake ‘case’ brought by Crooked Joe Biden & Deranged Jack Smith will hopefully be moved to an impartial Venue, such as the politically unbiased nearby State of West Virginia!” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Republicans are scrutinizing Chutkan’s record on the bench, especially her rulings in cases related to Trump and people who overran the Capitol on Jan. 6.
In December 2021, she gave a five-year prison sentence to a Florida man who dispensed a fire extinguisher in the Capitol and threw it and a wooden plank at Capitol police. At the time, it was the longest sentence imposed on a Jan. 6 defendant.
In another 2021 sentencing, she dismissed the prosecution’s recommendations that a defendant serve a period of home confinement as too light a punishment and instead sentenced the individual to 45 days in jail, proclaiming: “There have to be consequences for participating in an attempted violent overthrow of government.”
Chutkan as the presiding judge will have the power to make hugely important decisions in the case, such as whether an appellate court should hear some of the process arguments before the trial goes to verdict.
She will also have say over the timing of the case and the penalty if Trump is found guilty.
Trump’s legal team has sought to delay the start of his trial in the Southern District of Florida on charges that he violated the Espionage Act and conspired to obstruct the FBI’s efforts to recover classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago residence until after the 2024 election.
Trump faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each of two counts of obstructing the vote certification proceedings.
He also faces a maximum punishment of ten years in prison for conspiring against the right to vote and another maximum of five years incarceration for defrauding the United States.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Members of Tucson’s Jewish Community and their supporters gathered at Reid Park Wednesday afternoon, honoring the lives of a young couple shot and killed in Washington D.C. a week before.
Organizer Tony Zinman says this wasn’t just a vigil but an act of defiance.
“We’re not going to hide,” he said. “We’re not going to cower. We’re going to be out and proud and loud. We’re going to show you that we’re here.”
The group of about 20 circled up, singing and praying while holding battery-powered candles around a picture of Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky.
The two were staffers at the Israeli Embassy. They were fatally shot May 21 leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter says the two were soon-to-be engaged.
“Yaron worked for one of our senior diplomats,” he said. “He did most of the research. He was just a prince of a human being. Sarah worked in our public diplomacy wing, and they were just a beautiful couple together.”
The couple’s memory is inspiring vigils across the country, including the one here in Tucson which brought out Arizona Representative Consuelo Hernandez who says this act shows how dangerous rising antisemitism in the United States can be.
“I’ve witnessed mobs of people show up and yell the same chants as the person who murdered Yaron and Sarah,” she said. “When we continue to live our lives like antisemitism doesn’t exist, it continues to snowball.”
Zinman says it’s everyone’s responsibility to help curb antisemitism.
“If you have Jewish friends, call them, tell you’re there for them and you’re always going to be there for them,” Zinman said.
——
Alex Dowd is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9, where her work combines her two favorite hobbies: talking to new people and learning about the community around her. Her goal is to eventually meet every single person in Tucson. Share your story ideas with Alex via email, alex.dowd@kgun9.com, or connecting on Instagram or X.
2 men shot, killed in Temple Hills
Authorities in Prince George’s County are investigating a deadly double shooting that left two men dead in Temple Hills late Tuesday night.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. – A man has been charged with shooting and killing two teenagers in Temple Hills late Tuesday night.
What we know:
The suspect has been identified as 27-year-old Duan Goddard of Fort Washington. Goddard is currently in custody in Washington, DC, pending extradition to Prince George’s County.
The victims have been identified as 16-year-old Thomas Smith, Jr. of Washington, D.C., and 16-year-old Michael Bassett of Temple Hills.
Deadly shooting in Temple Hills
Prince George’s County Police were in the area of the 5500 block of Haras Place when they heard the sound of gunshots at 9:35 p.m. The officers canvassed the area and located the two teen victims outside an apartment building in the 5200 block of Haras Place.
Police say Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. Bassett died a short time later at a hospital. A third teenager who was with the victims was also shot at but was not struck, according to police.
Goddard is charged with first and second-degree murder and related charges.
We share the best things to do every weekend in The Weekend Scene newsletter – it’s free to subscribe!
AAPI Heritage Month is coming to a close. Watch our special here, then consider stopping by one of the restaurants or cultural centers we highlighted before the month is out.
But as one month-long cultural celebration ends, another — Pride Month — begins. We’ve got our big guide to WorldPride here.
Jazz in the Garden is here! The lottery for this weekend’s concert on May 30 is already closed, but it’s not too late to register for first one in June.
Pools are open, if you’re willing to brave the cold and rain to jump on in. Our own Juliana Valencia tried it, and you can too after picking a spot from our handy dandy pool guide.
If you’re craving ocean air, maybe a semi-spontaneous beach trip is in the cards? There are plenty of sandy spots in driving range from the District. We’ve got a list.
Here’s what to do this weekend in the Washington, D.C. area.
What to do in Washington, D.C.
Shakespeare Theatre Company’s “Frankenstein”: Opens Tues., Klein Theatre in Northwest D.C., $39+
WorldPride Film Festival: Tue.-Thurs., Alamo Drafthouse Cinema – D.C. Bryant Street & Crystal City and Atlas Performing Arts Center
World Pride Black Queer Film Festival: Tue.-Thurs., 6-9 p.m., Blackburn Digital Auditorium at Howard University, free
CiNeMatic – “Coco”: Weds., Alethia Tanner Park, free
District of Pride Showcase: Wed., 7 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, free
Wet and Julie Byrne: Wed., 8 p.m., Union Stage, $33+
Street Fest Art Gallery Openings: Thurs., 5:30-8:30 p.m., Union Market District
Sunset Cinema: Thurs., 7 p.m., Transit Pier at The Wharf, free
First Sips of Summer: Fri., 5-10 p.m., Smoke & Mirrors, $70+
DC Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks: Fri., 8 p.m., Audi Field
National Arboretum extended hours: Fri., Open until 8 p.m., Northeast D.C., free
Washington Mystics vs. New York Liberty (Pride Night): Fri., 7:30 p.m., CareFirst Arena in Southeast D.C., $62+
Jazz In the Garden: Fri., 6-8:30 p.m., National Gallery of Art, free (registration required)
Extraordinary Cinema: The Bourne Identity: Fri., 8:30 p.m., The Reach Lawn at the Kennedy Center, free
Ctrl+Alt+Connect: Spritz Sol Flow: Sat., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Eckington Hall, $58.30
Scavenger Hunt of the Smithsonians: Sat., 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., $20
(D)rafts and (C)rafts: Sat., 1-6 p.m., DC Brau, $10-55
34th Annual Glover Park Day: Sat., 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Guy Mason Recreation Center
Newark Street Community Garden 50th Anniversary Celebration: Sat., 1-3 p.m., Newark Street Community Garden, free
Color Me Calm: An Adult Coloring Experience: Sat., 2-5 p.m., Anacostia Arts Center, $30
An Evening In Paris at the Embassy of France: Sat., 7-11 p.m., Embassy of France, $99+
Jazz In the Heights Festival: Sat.-Sun., Sycamore & Oak, free (reserved tickets)
Project Glow ‘25: Sat.-Sun., RFK Festival Grounds, $105+Crochet Classes with Fairy Ring Fibers: Sun., 11 a.m., Rhizome DC, pay what you wish ($35 recommended)
What to do in Maryland
Metallica M72 World Tour: Weds., 6 p.m., Northwest Stadium Landover, $63-$150
Washington Mystics vs. Indiana Fever: Weds., 7:30 p.m., CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, $101+
Pride Night @ Chesapeake Baysox: Thurs., 5 p.m., Prince Georges Stadium, free
A Taste of Riverworks: Sat., 11 a.m., Poolesville, free
Annapolis Pride Parade & Festival: Sat., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Calvert & Bladen Sts. Annapolis, free
EFFERVESCENT: A Pride Social: Sat., 7-11 p.m., Creative Suitland Arts Center, $17.85
In the Life: A LGBTQIA + Pride Celebration: Sat., noon to 5 p.m., Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex, free
Salute the Sunset: United States Air Force Concert Band: Sat., 7-8 p.m., National Harbor, free
Pride Family Day: Sun., 11 a.m., Glen Echo Park, free
DMG plays Bowies Summer Sunset: Sun., 6 p.m., Allen Pond Park, free
What to do in Virginia
Thursday Night Trivia: Thurs., 6 p.m., The Spot at Belmont Bay, $25 per team
Lake Anne Sunset Paddle: Thurs., 7-8:30 p.m., Lake Anne Boat Dock, $20
Sunset Concert at River Farm Featuring Soulfire: Thurs., 6-8 p.m., American Horticultural Society’s River Farm, $20 parking (free admission)
Chicago the Musical: Fri.-Sun., Capital One Hall, $80+
Fab Fridays Live Music: All Fired Up: Fri., 7 p.m.., Reston Metro Plaza, free
Arlington Pride Vendor Festival: Sat., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Hyatt Regency DCA, free
Nature Journaling Club: Sat., 10 a.m., Del Ray Artisans Gallery, free (bring your own supplies)
Loudon Pride Festival: Sat., 12-6 p.m., Ida Lee Park, $5
Virginia Wine Festival: Sat.-Sun., Tyson’s Corner, $55+
Big Lick Comic Con NOVA: Sat.-Sun., Dulles Expo Center, $25+
Movie at the Mill – ‘Pride & Prejudice’: Sat., 8:30 p.m., Colvin Run Mill, $1016th Annual Taste of Del Ray: Sun., 1-3 p.m., Mount Vernon Recreation Center Fields, $10-$75
Milwaukee Music Premiere: Standstill, ‘Soft Side’
Atlanta’s housing market “at risk” as demand for homes collapses
Roper: To save Nicollet Mall, we need more doors
Colts Confirm Joint Practice, Opposing Coach Reveals More
Paul Skenes Makes Young Pirates Fan’s Day
-
News1 week agoMaps: 3.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern California
-
Culture1 week agoDo You Know the English Novels That Inspired These Movies and TV Shows?
-
Education1 week agoVideo: Columbia University President Is Booed at Commencement Ceremony
-
Politics1 week agoTrump, alongside first lady, to sign bill criminalizing revenge porn and AI deepfakes
-
Education1 week agoHow Usher Writes a Commencement Speech
-
Politics1 week agoExpert reveals how companies are rebranding 'toxic' DEI policies to skirt Trump-era bans: 'New wrapper'
-
World1 week agoDigitisation fronts new Commission strategy to boost EU single market
-
World1 week agoEU reaches initial deal to lift economic sanctions on Syria: Reports