U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has announced his intention to introduce a resolution in a bid to censure United States District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, citing perceived “open bias and partisanship” in her role.
The move is likely to attract significant attention due to Chutkan’s position as the presiding judge over former President Donald Trump’s case in Washington, D.C.
According to the press release from Rep. Gaetz, Judge Tanya Chutkan was appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia by former President Barack Obama after “donating thousands of dollars to get him elected.”
The press release also alleges that she displayed “support for violent protests that occurred in the summer of 2020” and criticizes her for “handing down multiple tough sentences to non-violent January 6th defendants.”
The release notes a specific incident during an October 2022 sentencing hearing, where Judge Chutkan is said to have “inappropriately lamented that President Donald Trump ‘remains free to this day.'”
Congressman Gaetz expressed strong concern over Chutkan’s actions, stating: “It is deeply concerning that a United States District Court judge would exhibit such blatant political bias from the bench.”
He further drew a contrast between her actions and her responsibilities, commenting, “Judge Tanya Chutkan’s extreme sentencing of January 6th defendants, while openly supporting the violent Black Lives Matter riots of 2020, showcases a complete disregard for her duty of impartiality and the rule of law.”
Gaetz emphasized the expected public reaction to such judicial actions, asserting, “Justice may be blind, but the American people are not – we see Judge Chutkan for her actions, and we rebuke them in the greatest possible sense.”
