On Thursday, August 1, 2024, The New York Times reported that former President Donald Trump sent a letter to the judge who oversaw his criminal trial in Manhattan seeking to remove him from the case.
In the letter, Trump claimed Judge Juan M. Merchan had indirect ties to Vice President Kamala Harris through his daughter’s work and argued this constituted an “actual conflict and appearances of impropriety.”
Judge Merchan presided over Trump’s trial in New York earlier this year, where a jury convicted Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made during the 2016 presidential campaign. In the newly disclosed letter, Trump’s legal team cites Loren Merchan’s, the judge’s daughter, “longstanding relationship” with Harris and her past work on political campaigns as a Democratic consultant.
However, these claims of bias have been rejected before. Last year, Judge Merchan refused a similar request from Trump to recuse himself, citing a determination by the state’s advisory committee on judicial ethics that found his impartiality could not reasonably be questioned based on his daughter’s interests. Trump also unsuccessfully tried to remove Judge Merchan before the start of his trial in April.
The letter comes as Judge Merchan is set to rule on post-trial motions from Trump seeking to throw out the jury’s guilty verdict in light of a recent Supreme Court decision expanding presidential immunity. Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office have argued the high court’s ruling does not impact the case. Judge Merchan is also scheduled to sentence Trump for his convictions next month, where he faces up to four years in prison, though a shorter sentence or probation is possible.
During his trial, Trump openly criticized Judge Merchan and his daughter on multiple occasions, resulting in $10,000 in fines for violating a gag order preventing commentary about the judge’s family. The judge has since extended a narrow version of the gag order restricting attacks on prosecutors’ family members until after Trump’s sentencing.
With Kamala Harris now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee facing Trump in the 2024 general election, her criticism of Trump as a convicted felon has intensified. Trump has claimed his conviction was orchestrated by President Biden and Harris for political reasons. According to the letter, Trump argues the gag order hampers his ability to respond to Harris’ attacks.
While Loren Merchan has worked on campaigns for Harris and other prominent Democrats, the nature of her relationship with Harris is unclear. Past work experience listed on an unrelated political firm’s website noted her role managing media for Harris and other campaigns. However, the firm’s CEO declined to provide further comment on their current situation.
Source: The New York Times
