Washington, D.C. – Former President Trump has requested that the judge overseeing his hush money trial recuse himself due to his daughter’s involvement with a digital marketing firm that has worked with prominent Democrats. The trial is set to begin in less than two weeks. Last summer, Justice Juan Merchan had rejected a previous motion for recusal, which also mentioned his daughter’s employment.
Trump’s latest attempt for recusal comes after the judge imposed restrictions on his public statements regarding the judge’s daughter and others. Judge Merchan has also expressed frustration with Trump’s last-minute efforts to delay the trial, which will mark the former president’s first criminal trial.
In a 37-page motion, Trump’s lawyers argue that while personal political views might not require recusal, profiting from promoting a political agenda hostile to Trump, including fundraising solicitation based on the case, should. Trump respectfully requests the court to recuse itself.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin in less than two weeks to decide whether Trump tampered with business records to conceal a hush money payment to a porn actress in 2016. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and denies the alleged affair.
Trump and his legal team have consistently criticized Loren Merchan’s employment at Authentic, a progressive digital agency that has worked with the Biden-Harris campaign and other prominent Democrats. The former president’s lawyers point out that clients like Representative Adam Schiff have used Trump’s legal troubles as a fundraising opportunity in their digital marketing.
Last year, Merchan had rejected Trump’s initial recusal motion, which also involved his daughter’s employment and $35 in donations the judge made during the 2020 campaign to the Biden campaign and two liberal-leaning groups. The judge had received guidance from a state ethics advisory committee stating recusal was unnecessary.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, has stated that there are no new circumstances that would warrant reconsidering Merchan’s refusal.
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