[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 658 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 658

   Censuring and condemning United States District Court Judge Tanya 
                                Chutkan.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 18, 2023

Mr. Gaetz submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Censuring and condemning United States District Court Judge Tanya 
                                Chutkan.

Whereas United States District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan has exhibited open bias 
        and partisanship in the conduct of her official duties as a judge for 
        the United States District Court for the District of Columbia;
Whereas, for example, in a sentencing related to January 6, on October 4, 2021, 
        Chutkan issued a bizarre rant, opining that ``People gathered all over 
        the country last year to protest the violent murder by the police of an 
        unarmed man . . . to compare the actions of people protesting, mostly 
        peacefully, for civil rights, to those of a violent mob seeking to 
        overthrow the lawfully elected government is a false equivalency and 
        ignores a very real danger that the January 6 riot posed to the 
        foundation of our democracy.'';
Whereas the violent protests of 2020 resulted in numerous injuries to law 
        enforcement, including the firebombing of police vehicles, resulted in 
        serious injuries to law enforcement, first responders, civilians, and 
        property, and resulted in felony convictions and debarments of rioters 
        from practicing law;
Whereas Judge Chutkan's expressed support for the violent protests in the summer 
        of 2020 is conduct unbecoming a judge;
Whereas the defendant before Judge Chutkan on October 4, 2021, was a nonviolent 
        offender who spent merely 12 minutes on Capitol grounds, and who urged 
        others to remain peaceful on January 6, 2021;
Whereas Judge Chutkan's comments raise serious concerns about the fairness and 
        constitutionality of the sentencing of that defendant, or other 
        defendants in cases relating to January 6;
Whereas Chutkan donated thousands of dollars to elect Barack Obama;
Whereas, in a more recent sentencing hearing in October 2022, Chutkan lamented 
        that Donald Trump ``remains free to this day'';
Whereas such partisan commentary by Judge Chutkan has been ongoing and calls 
        into question her fitness as a judge; and
Whereas Chutkan's comments and activities on and off the bench violate all 5 
        canons of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges; namely, calling 
        into question the integrity and independence of the judiciary; 
        presenting impropriety and the appearance of impropriety; failing to 
        perform the duties of the office fairly, impartially, and diligently; 
        engaging in extrajudicial activities inconsistent with the obligations 
        of the office; and engaging in political activity: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) United States District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan be 
        censured and condemned; and
            (2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 
        Representatives shall forthwith initiate an investigation into 
        Tanya Chutkan, for the purpose of gathering evidence relevant 
        to the duties of Congress under article II, section 4 of the 
        Constitution of the United States.
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