Retired California Judge — and Jabot podcast guest — LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, recently appeared on CNN speaking about former President Donald Trump’s legal entanglements. The focus of the discussion was the Federal election interference/January 6th case in Washington D.C. On a significant note, Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled the case to begin on March 4th, a day prior to Super Tuesday primaries.
Trump’s legal team led by Todd Blanche and John Lauro, had a particularly striking reaction to the news. Cordell suggests their approach may actually ‘alienate’ Judge Chutkan. Cordell found it absurd that Trump’s attorneys compared their wish to delay the case to the 1930s case of Powell v. Alabama, where nine Black youths were unjustly not allowed to effectively defend themselves against charges of raping two white women.
Cordell argued that Trump’s attorneys’ comparision was not only inappropriate but also misleading, given that Trump has access to considerable resources to defend himself, including experienced attorneys and a team of investigators. Their move has been described as “stunningly stupid”.
The discussion further criticized the comparison made by Trump’s team as insensitive, considering the case is being headed by a Black, female judge. Delivering a strong verdict on the move, Cordell described their actions as “absurd”.
Find the discussion hosted by CNN, featuring LaDoris Hazzard Cordell in full details here .
Contributions on this coverage came from Above the Law.