The Obama-appointed judge overseeing the Fusion GPS case, Tanya Chutkan, has been unexpectedly removed. The judge replacing her is Richard J. Leon, a George W. Bush appointee.
According to reports, Judge Leon ‘benchslapped’ lawyers for delaying the release of Hillary Clinton records.
POLITICO reports:
A federal judge is lashing out at the State Department for delaying for years in providing responses to Associated Press Freedom of Information Act requests seeking records about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s schedules and her top staffers.
[…[
DOJ lawyers Lisa Ann Olson and Marcia Berman said the agency was prioritizing the public release of the 55,000 pages of [Hillary Clinton-related emails in response to another judge’s order requiring monthly releases of those records.
However, Leon accused Olson of responding with “convoluted gobbledygook” when she insisted that the State Department’s processing of those emails would satisfy the AP’s request for records about Clinton Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin’s transition to a special part-time position at State.
A transcript of the hearing suggests Leon grew angry when Olson said she had no estimate of how many State Department documents were responsive to the request about Abedin’s employment.
“Have it by next week. Have it by next week when we have our hearing. Do you hear me?” the judge snapped.
One swamp creature down, countless more to go.
Redstate reports:
Chutkan was troubling because she was an Obama appointee whose law firm represented Huma Abedin and other Democrat insiders. She’s also the judge who ordered DHS to procure an abortion for a pregnant illegal teen.
Now, for reasons we don’t know, Chutkan has been taken off the Fusion GPS case and the case handed to Judge Richard de Leon. This is the PACER notice (Fusion GPS is the d/b/a of Bean LLC, see the last link) :
Why did this happen? One has to assume that Chutkan’s potential conflicts of interest were demonstrated to be real.
The news comes amid reports Glenn Simpson, co-founder of Fusion GPS, the firm behind the Russia dossier is going to voluntarily speak to the House Intel Committee in a closed-door meeting next Tuesday per his lawyer.
“Reps. Conaway & Schiff announce an agreement w/Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson to return next Tuesday and answer questions from the House Intel Cmte behind closed doors in the ongoing Russia investigation. Subpoena for Simpson will be withdrawn once he appears,” tweeted Fox News reporter Jason Donner.
Reps. Conaway & Schiff announce an agreement w/Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson to return next Tuesday and answer questions from the House Intel Cmte behind closed doors in the ongoing Russia investigation. Subpoena for Simpson will be withdrawn once he appears. pic.twitter.com/4VJGZBPl4K
— Jason Donner (@jason_donner) November 8, 2017
“Fusion GPS Co-Founder Glenn Simpson waiting on the sidelines as his lawyer announces a deal for him to return next Tuesday to speak behind closed doors to House Intel Cmte. Lawyer says Simpson will appear voluntarily & tell the truth,” added Donner.
Fusion GPS Co-Founder Glenn Simpson waiting on the sidelines as his lawyer announces a deal for him to return next Tuesday to speak behind closed doors to House Intel Cmte. Lawyer says Simpson will appear voluntarily & tell the truth. pic.twitter.com/3y5TZX9ykz
— Jason Donner (@jason_donner) November 8, 2017
