Staff Reports
Elie Honig, a CNN legal analyst, stated that Trump's motion for the recusal of Judge Tanya Chutkan from his case has merit. He noted that the former president's request is longshot, but given the judge's past statements, it's not unreasonable.
The motion for recusal was brought forward due to Judge Chutkan's comments during the sentencing of the individuals who carried out the attack on the US Capitol on January 6. Trump's lawyers claimed that the judge might have been biased against him.
WATCH: CNN's Top Legal Analyst Admits Trump Has Good Reason To Request Judge's Recusalhttps://t.co/ynyhuj3uoy
— ????Josh Dunlap???? ULTRA-MAGA (@JDunlap1974) September 12, 2023
According to the motion, Judge Chutkan made various statements about the Capitol riot defendant, such as saying that those who encouraged and urged her to take action have not been charged. Host Poppy Harlow then discussed the issue, referencing Judge Chutkan's other statements. One of these was about a blind loyalty to one individual.
According to Honig, the judge's statement implied that Trump should have been held accountable for his crimes. He noted that getting a judge to step down from a case is not easy, and recusal requests can only be made based on their past rulings.
Although Trump's lawyers have asked Judge Chutkan to step down from the case, it's not likely to be easy. As a result, they have argued that her past statements about the president could taint the proceedings. In addition, they claim that her harsh sentences against protesters who obstructed official business have raised concerns of bias.
