A California man accused of opening fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner entered a not guilty plea Monday in federal court in Washington, D.C., denying charges that include an alleged attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump.

Cole Allen, 31, is facing multiple counts stemming from the April 25 incident, including attempted assassination, assaulting federal officers, transporting a firearm across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and using a gun during a violent crime.

If found guilty, Allen could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

His legal team has argued that the case presents a conflict for top federal prosecutors because the shooting took place during the high-profile gala attended by the president and several members of his cabinet. They are seeking to have Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro removed from overseeing the prosecution.

Allen, a former teacher from Torrance, California, has been under suicide watch since the shooting at the Washington Hilton, where authorities say he fired at a Secret Service agent, striking the agent’s protective vest before being taken into custody.

During Monday’s hearing, Allen appeared in court wearing a jail-issued orange uniform and restraints on his wrists and ankles as he approached the bench to formally submit his plea before U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden.

Judge McFadden scheduled the next hearing, a status conference, for June 29. In the meantime, both sides are expected to present arguments regarding whether Pirro or Blanche should step aside from the case.

Defense attorney Eugene Ohm told the court he plans to seek the removal not only of Pirro but of her entire office, asserting that her involvement creates what he described as a “structural appearance of impropriety” due to her “supervisory” position in the matter.

“It’s wholly inappropriate,” Ohm claimed, for Pirro or Blanche to “be making the primary prosecutorial decisions in the case.”

McFadden indicated that such a motion, if successful, could extend beyond senior officials. Addressing Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones, the judge remarked that it “sounds like you’d be out too,” if the defense prevails.

The judge also questioned the defense’s reasoning, pressing Ohm on whether prosecutors intended to call either Blanche or Pirro as witnesses.

Allen’s attorney responded by pointing to Pirro’s longstanding “close” ties to Trump.

Ohm further raised the possibility that Pirro or other administration officials present at the dinner could be identified as potential targets in a future, expanded indictment against his client.

{Matzav.com}