With all the conflicts of interest afflicting Judge Tanya Chutkan, it’s unclear why she is still the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal lying case. But there she is.
The prosecution requested a protective order after Trump tweeted that he’ll go after anyone who goes after him.
She agreed with the defense’s limited protective order, but it came with a warning.
“Your client’s defense is supposed to happen in this courtroom,” U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan told Trump’s lawyers during a hearing in Washington, D.C., “not on the internet.”
Judge Chutkan declared that, “Mr. Trump, like every American, has a First Amendment right to free speech, but that right is not absolute. In a criminal case such as this one, the defendant’s free speech is subject to the rules. Without a protective order, a party could release information that could taint the jury pool, intimidate witnesses or others involved in some aspect of the case, or otherwise interfere with the process of justice.”
According to CNN, “Chutkan had a pointed exchange with Trump attorney John Lauro about what the 2024 presidential contender should be allowed to say about the evidence that is turned over to him in the case.
“The fact that he is running a political campaign currently has to yield to the administration of justice,” the judge said. “And if that means he can’t say exactly what he wants to say in a political speech, that is just how it’s going to have to be. The defendant’s desire to conduct a campaign, to respond to political opponents, has to yield!”
Jack Smith’s cherry-picked leaks are not addressed by anyone.
At this point, Trump’s lawyer tried to argue that it was impossible for Trump to continue to grow his presidential campaign without discussing the case.
Chutkan replied, “The existence of a political campaign is not going to have a bearing” on how she handles the case. “I intend to keep politics out of this.”
At a rally in New Hampshire on Tuesday, he referred to the special counsel as a “thug” and assured his supporters that he wouldn’t stop talking about the case.
“I will talk about it; I will,” he said. “They’re not taking away my First Amendment rights.”