Aug. 18 (UPI) — U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on Friday introduced a resolution seeking to censure the judge hearing the federal felony case alleging former President Donald Trump criminally conspired to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
The Gaetz resolution accuses U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan of “open bias and partisanship in the conduct of her official duties as a judge.”
In the resolution, Gaetz, a Trump supporter, objects to Judge Chutkan saying that comparing the Jan. 6 attack to Black Lives Matter protests is “a false equivalency.” He also objects to the fact that she gave money to former President Barack Obama‘s campaign.
The resolution calls for the judge to be investigated.
The Gaetz resolution comes as Trump supporters have publicly decried the former president’s indictment on 91 felonies, with many taking to social media to post threatening messages and even calls for violence.
Chutkan warned Trump Aug. 11 against making inflammatory statements in the election subversion case.
“The more a party makes inflammatory statements about this case which could taint the jury pool or intimidate potential witnesses, the greater the urgency will be that we proceed to trial to ensure a jury pool from which we can select an impartial jury,” Chutkan said.
Chutkan has had to accept increased security around her since getting the Trump elections subversion case. On Thursday, federal agents arrested a Texas woman for allegedly threatening to kill Judge Chutkan.
According to a Homeland Security affidavit Abigail Jo Shry used a racial slur, called Chutkan a slave and said, “You are in our sights, we want to kill you.”
Gaetz sought a pardon for himself from Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack, according to evidence from the House Jan. 6 committee. It’s unclear why he sought a pardon.