Trump lawyers demand judge in New York hush-money case step aside
Attorneys argue Juan Manuel Merchan should recuse himself due to conflict of interest from daughter’s work for leading Democrats
Associated Press in New York
Sat 3 Jun 2023 08.48 EDT
amp.theguardian.com
Lawyers for Donald Trump have demanded the judge in the former president’s New York criminal trial, Juan Manuel Merchan, step aside because of what they say is bias and a conflict of interest arising from his daughter’s work for leading Democrats.
In April, Trump pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, arising from his $130,000 payment to the adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed an affair he denies, shortly before the 2016 election.
After his arraignment, Trump complained that Merchan was “a Trump-hating judge” from a family of “Trump haters”.
On Friday, lawyers for Trump alleged that Merchan, a respected jurist in Manhattan criminal court, tipped the scales in two other cases by involving himself in plea negotiations for Trump’s longtime finance chief and requiring him to testify against Trump’s company in exchange for a five-month sentence.
Trump’s lawyers, Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche, also asked Merchan to explain three donations totaling $35 made to Democratic causes in his name in 2020.
Merchan did not respond to inquiries about the donations, which include $15 for Joe Biden’s campaign against Trump, according to federal records. Such contributions are typically prohibited under court rules.
Trump’s criminal case is “historic and it is important that the people of the state of New York and this nation have confidence that the jurist who presides over it is impartial”, Trump’s lawyers wrote in a motion for recusal.
Merchan rejected such a request when Trump’s company was on trial. Trump’s lawyers could be also making a play to raise the issue on appeal. They also submitted 42 pages of what that say is evidence of Merchan’s bias.
The hush-money case continues in state court while Trump’s lawyers seek to transfer it to federal court, which would remove Merchan. A federal judge has scheduled a 27 June hearing.
Merchan has appeared respectful and accommodating in limited interactions with Trump, refusing to issue a gag order even as the ex-president pilloried him, the Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, and others.
At a recent hearing, Merchan said he was “bending over backwards” to make sure he wasn’t stopping Trump having “every opportunity possible to advance his candidacy” for the Republican presidential nomination.
Trump’s recusal motion expands on previous criticism of Merchan.
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Attorneys argue Juan Manuel Merchan should recuse himself due to conflict of interest from daughter’s work for leading Democrats
Associated Press in New York
Sat 3 Jun 2023 08.48 EDT
Trump lawyers demand judge in New York hush-money case step aside | Donald Trump | The Guardian
Attorneys argue Juan Manuel Merchan should recuse himself due to conflict of interest from daughter’s work for leading Democrats
Lawyers for Donald Trump have demanded the judge in the former president’s New York criminal trial, Juan Manuel Merchan, step aside because of what they say is bias and a conflict of interest arising from his daughter’s work for leading Democrats.
In April, Trump pleaded not guilty to the 34 felony charges of falsifying business records, arising from his $130,000 payment to the adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed an affair he denies, shortly before the 2016 election.
After his arraignment, Trump complained that Merchan was “a Trump-hating judge” from a family of “Trump haters”.
On Friday, lawyers for Trump alleged that Merchan, a respected jurist in Manhattan criminal court, tipped the scales in two other cases by involving himself in plea negotiations for Trump’s longtime finance chief and requiring him to testify against Trump’s company in exchange for a five-month sentence.
Trump’s lawyers, Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche, also asked Merchan to explain three donations totaling $35 made to Democratic causes in his name in 2020.
Merchan did not respond to inquiries about the donations, which include $15 for Joe Biden’s campaign against Trump, according to federal records. Such contributions are typically prohibited under court rules.
Trump’s criminal case is “historic and it is important that the people of the state of New York and this nation have confidence that the jurist who presides over it is impartial”, Trump’s lawyers wrote in a motion for recusal.
Merchan rejected such a request when Trump’s company was on trial. Trump’s lawyers could be also making a play to raise the issue on appeal. They also submitted 42 pages of what that say is evidence of Merchan’s bias.
The hush-money case continues in state court while Trump’s lawyers seek to transfer it to federal court, which would remove Merchan. A federal judge has scheduled a 27 June hearing.
Merchan has appeared respectful and accommodating in limited interactions with Trump, refusing to issue a gag order even as the ex-president pilloried him, the Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, and others.
At a recent hearing, Merchan said he was “bending over backwards” to make sure he wasn’t stopping Trump having “every opportunity possible to advance his candidacy” for the Republican presidential nomination.
Trump’s recusal motion expands on previous criticism of Merchan.
Click Above Link To View Full Article
