Judge overseeing Trump 2020 election case donated thousands to Obama

The federal judge overseeing special counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of former President Donald Trump over the 2020 election donated thousands of dollars to elect Barack Obama as president.

D.C. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a 2014 Obama appointee, is presiding over Trump's case after he was indicted Tuesday on four charges related to his alleged involvement in challenging the 2020 election and the subsequent Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Chutkan, 61, contributed nearly $4,300 to Obama's campaign and PAC in 2008 and 2012, Federal Election Commission data shows.

She made the donations while working for the national law firm Boies Schiller Flexner. Chutkan also gave $250 in 2008 to the House campaign of now-Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

Chutkan ruled against Trump in 2021 when he sought to prevent the National Archives from giving documents to the Democrat-led House Jan. 6 Committee.

Additionally, Chutkan is known for handing down the toughest sentences on Jan. 6 defendants, having sent all 11 riot defendants she has delt with in court to time behind bars, according to an analysis from The Associated Press in June. In seven cases, she gave tougher sentences than the Justice Department requested. In four cases, she sentenced defendants to 14 to 45 days in jail even in cases where prosecutors did not seek jail time.

Overall, the 20 judges who have overseen the sentencing of Capitol riot defendants have delt lighter sentences than requested by prosecutors in nearly three-fourths of cases.

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