I believe that federal crimes have to be tried in the state (or District) where the crime is alleged to have occurred.
Federal crimes can be prosecuted in any Federal jurisdiction.
Rule 18 of Federal Criminal Procedure only says the same State.
DC ain’t a State, so up to Congress where the trial has to be held.
“The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed”
Would assume his attorneys tried to move it if they could. If it was actually considered to be in Virginia, it would certainly make sense to move to a rural area. But it was probably DC and therefore DC only where he could be tried.
My comment is in opposition to this rule and regardless of current procedure points out that the political composition of the District of Columbia is very much at issue. Even if it means moving to another Federal District court for trial, that should be available - I’m positive that a federal jury in Miami or Tallahassee would be quite different from what he faced in DC.
Then why are all those college admissoon crimes in a Boston courtroom.