Judge in Trump “hush money” case once again rejects recusal effort
Former President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to get the judge presiding over his New York criminal case to recuse himself has been denied.
It was the third time Justice Juan Merchan has rejected Trump’s demands that he step aside from the case. Each effort revolved around claims that the judge was compromised because his daughter works as a Democratic consultant.
Trump’s lawyers first made the request in May 2023, before the case went to trial, arguing that Merchan should step aside because of work Merchan’s daughter had done as a Democratic consultant in support of President Biden.
found Trump guilty on May 30 of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors had argued he orchestrated a scheme while president to hide reimbursements to a lawyer who wired a “hush money” payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election to keep voters from learning about allegations of an extramarital sexual encounter. Trump denied the encounter and pleaded not guilty.
Trump has sought to overturn the conviction, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling on “presidential immunity.” Merchan will rule on that effort on Sept. 6.
If the conviction is not overturned, Trump will be sentenced Sept. 18.
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Source: cbsnews.com