Former President Donald Trump is attempting to delay his hush-money criminal trial by demanding a new judge. Trump’s lawyers are urging Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan to step aside from the case, alleging bias and a conflict of interest due to the judge’s daughter being a Democratic political consultant. The trial is set to start on April 15, and it would be the first criminal trial of a former president. Merchan has not yet ruled on this latest request for him to recuse himself from the case.
The defense argues that Judge Merchan’s impartiality may be compromised, given that his daughter’s consulting firm, Authentic Campaigns, has worked with Democratic clients, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. However, the prosecution sees no reason for Merchan to step aside, stating that there is no evidence of a direct financial interest in the outcome of the case. Trump’s legal team also attempted to subpoena materials from NBC related to a documentary about Stormy Daniels, a key prosecution witness, but Merchan rejected this request.
Despite Trump’s efforts to delay the trial, the judge rejected a previous request to postpone it until the Supreme Court rules on presidential immunity claims in another case. The hush money case revolves around allegations that Trump falsified records to conceal payments to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who helped suppress negative stories during the 2016 campaign. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has denied having an extramarital encounter with Daniels, arguing that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.
Trump’s social media posts attacking Judge Merchan and his daughter may have influenced the defense’s decision to seek the judge’s recusal. The defense previously raised concerns about Merchan’s impartiality due to his daughter’s political consulting work and donations she made to Democratic causes during the 2020 campaign. However, Merchan denied the request last August, stating that there were no concrete reasons for his recusal and that he could be fair and impartial in the case. Trump’s lawyers argue that circumstances have changed with Trump’s reelection campaign and Democrats using his legal troubles for fundraising.
In addition to calling for Merchan’s recusal, Trump’s lawyers have questioned the judge’s conduct in giving an interview to The Associated Press last month and using a court spokesperson to deny Trump’s claims about his daughter’s social media activity. The defense is concerned about potential violations of judicial conduct rules and is seeking to cast doubt on Merchan’s impartiality in handling Trump’s case. Trump has also made similar requests for recusals in other cases, including one in Washington, D.C., where the judge dismissed his claims of bias.
The ongoing legal battle over the hush-money case highlights the complex dynamics at play as Trump faces multiple criminal investigations and trials. The defense’s push for a new judge and the judge’s pending decision on this matter could impact the trial schedule and the outcome of the case. As the trial date approaches, Trump continues to challenge the legal proceedings, asserting that the judge’s alleged bias could undermine the fairness of the trial and calling for a recusal to ensure a more impartial handling of the case.
