Judge in Trump's federal election subversion case rejects defense effort to dismiss the prosecution

The federal judge presiding over the election subversion case against former President Donald Trump has rejected a defense effort to dismiss the indictment on grounds that he was prosecuted for political purposes. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is the first substantive order since the case was returned to her Friday following a landmark Supreme Court opinion last month that conferred broad immunity for former presidents and narrowed special counsel Jack Smith’s case against Trump. Defense lawyers had argued that Trump was mistreated because he was prosecuted even though others who have challenged election results have avoided criminal charges and that the Justice Department launched a prosecution to prevent him from winning reelection. Chutkan rejected the arguments.