Judge Chutkan Asks Trump If He Wants His Trial Televised
Chutkan asked Trump whether he wants to appear on television when he stands trial in federal court on charges of attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
There are a few strains of thought here. Donald Trump, a former reality TV show star, loves publicity. Still, exposure to the courtroom by television cameras could also reveal the unvarnished truth instead of what he chooses to post on his Truth Social platform. The former President's lead lawyer in the case, John Lauro, previously told CNN that he supported televising the trial. Meanwhile, prosecutors are not keen on the idea.
And would it be Constitutional? If not, maybe we can terminate that part of the Constitution. I hear that Trump's into that. However, Trump would turn the proceedings into a circus.
Reuters reports:
A U.S. judge on Friday asked former President Donald Trump whether he wants to appear on television when he stands trial in federal court on charges of attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington asked Trump's lawyers to give their opinion by Nov. 10 on media requests to broadcast the trial, which is scheduled to begin in March 2024.
In two separate filings, NBC News and a coalition of 19 media organizations and press advocacy groups argue that the public has a right to see an unprecedented trial of a former U.S. president who is also the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination. They argue that a federal rule barring broadcast of criminal proceedings is unconstitutional.
Usually, the four times indicted former President is so predictable, but that's not the case with this decision.
Trump has made extensive comments to TV cameras staked outside a New York state courtroom, where he is currently standing trial on civil business-fraud charges.
Federal courts, unlike many state courts, bar TV cameras and photography in courtrooms. A U.S. judicial panel on Thursday agreed to consider relaxing that broadcast ban, but said any change would not happen until after Trump stands trial in this case and a second criminal trial due to start in May over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
I'd love to watch it live while munching on popcorn, but only if Trump supports it. Mainly because, if it's done against his wishes, he'll claim that he's being victimized.