Donald Trump on Friday urged the judge in his “hush money” criminal case to recuse himself due to his daughter’s marketing work for prominent Democrats.
NEW YORK POST
Donald Trump on Friday urged the judge in his “hush money” criminal case to recuse himself due to his daughter’s marketing work for prominent Democrats — the latest in a series of bids to delay a trial set to start in 10 days.
Loren Merchan, the daughter of Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, has a “direct financial interest” in the case due to her work at consulting firm Authentic Campaigns for Trump foes like Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead prosecutor in the Republican’s first impeachment trial, the ex-president’s lawyers argued.
Justice Merchan has denied similar claims made by Trump’s lawyers about his daughter’s job in August 2023, saying there was no evidence to “suggest that the outcome of the case could have any effect on the judge’s relative, the relative’s business, or any of their interests.”
Merchan also noted that he had consulted a New York State’s committee on judicial ethics before deciding to stay on the case.
But Trump’s lawyers argued Friday that the issue should be revisited in light of new circumstances — including that Trump is now the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, which has “cemented his status as a political target of Authentic, Ms. Merchan, and their clients.”
Authentic’s clients have paid the company — which has used “graphics and other content that derided” Trump in marketing materials — more than $18 million since he was indicted on charges of covering up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, the lawyers added.
The company’s clients have included President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the lawyers said.
