Judge in new Trump case donated thousands of dollars to Obama
Former President Donald Trump was back in the headlines this week for being once again indicted by Special Counsel Jack Smith, this time on charges relating to the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill.
According to The Washington Examiner, Trump's case will be presided over by a judge who was appointed by President Barack Obama and donated to his campaign.
A history of giving to Democrats
The newspaper cited campaign finance disclosures as stating that U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan donated a combined total of $4,300 to Obama's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns and victory fund.
Obama isn't the only Democratic candidate that Chutkan has financially supported, with the Examiner reporting that she also gave $250 in 2008 to New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
However, the publication pointed out that there is no record of Chutkan making political donations after the 2012 cycle.
For his part, Trump slammed "nothing more than the latest corrupt chapter in the continued pathetic attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their weaponized Department of Justice to interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election."
Judge ruled against Trump in previous case
Meanwhile, this is not the first case concerning Trump that Chutkan has overseen, as the Examiner noted how she also did so in 2021.
The former president was seeking to prevent the National Archives and Records Administration from providing documents to a House select committee investigating the January 6 riot.
"Plaintiff does not acknowledge the deference owed to the incumbent President's judgment," Chutkan wrote when turning down Trump's request.
"His position that he may override the express will of the executive branch appears to be premised on the notion that his executive power 'exists in perpetuity,'" she added.
Chutkan gave longer January 6 sentences than prosecutors sought
What's more, Fox News pointed out that in seven of the January 6-related cases that she has overseen, Chutkan handed down even harsher sentences to defendants than prosecutors had asked for.
"Every day we are hearing about reports of antidemocratic factions, people plotting potential violence in 2024," Chutkan was quoted as saying when she sentenced a defendant to more than five years behind bars.
"It has to be made clear that trying to stop the peaceful transition of power, assaulting law enforcement, is going to be met with certain punishment," she continued.
"Not staying at home, not watching Netflix, not doing what you were doing before you got arrested," the judge insisted.
