Judge Denies Donald Trump’s Latest Bid to Remove Him from Hush Money Case

Donald Trump has once again failed in his attempt to have a new judge assigned to his New York “hush money” criminal case.

Judge Juan M. Merchan rejected Donald Trump’s request for a new judge in his New York “hush money” criminal case. AP

On Wednesday, Judge Juan M. Merchan rejected Trump’s request to recuse himself, calling the demand a “rehash rife with inaccuracies and unsubstantiated claims” regarding the judge’s impartiality.

This decision marks the third time Merchan has dismissed such a request from Trump’s legal team. The former president’s lawyers have argued that Merchan has a conflict of interest due to his daughter’s work as a political consultant for Democratic figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris, now a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.

Trump was convicted in May of falsifying his business records to conceal a 2016 deal to pay off Stormy Daniels to stay quiet about her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with him. AP

A state court ethics panel previously ruled that a judge’s relative’s political activities do not justify questioning the judge’s impartiality.

Merchan has consistently stated his commitment to basing his rulings solely on evidence and the law, not influenced by outside factors.

Trump’s lawyers have previously asked Merchan to overturn the verdict and dismiss the case altogether because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s July ruling on presidential immunity. Getty Images

In his latest ruling, Merchan emphasized that “innuendo and mischaracterizations do not create a conflict” and that recusal is not warranted.

Trump’s legal team, led by attorney Todd Blanche, had argued that with Harris now Trump’s opponent in the presidential race, concerns about the judge’s impartiality have intensified. However, prosecutors have labelled these claims as “vexatious and frivolous,” aimed at relitigating resolved issues.

Trump says all the stories were false, the business records were not, and the case was a political manoeuvre meant to damage his current campaign. Getty Images

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which brought the case, has declined to comment, and Trump’s lawyers have not responded to requests for comment on the ruling.

Trump was convicted in May of falsifying business records to conceal a 2016 payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels. The prosecution argued that this was an attempt to prevent voters from learning about potentially damaging stories during his first campaign. Trump maintains that the allegations are false and views the case as a politically motivated attack on his current campaign.

Trump has indicated plans to appeal the conviction, although appeals cannot be filed until after sentencing. His legal team has also requested Merchan to overturn the verdict and dismiss the case based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limits prosecutions of former presidents for official acts.

Judge Merchan is scheduled to rule on the immunity claim on September 16 and is expected to impose sentencing or take other appropriate actions on September 18. This case is one of four criminal proceedings against Trump, with others involving classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.