attorneys for Donald Trump asked the presiding judge again upcoming criminal case to turn down the former president’s job, this time on the grounds of “appearing objectionable.”
In a court filing released Friday, Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove argued with the judge. Juan Merchan there is a conflict of interest because of his daughter hwhom worked Since the 2020 election cycle, Equality has been at Authentic, working with various Democratic groups.
“Personal political views may not be grounds for a waiver. However, there is a need to profit from the promotion of a political agenda hostile to President Trump that includes fundraising demands based on this case. Therefore, President Trump respectfully asks the Court to waive,” the filing states.
The movement He was brought to court on Wednesday – just two weeks ago scheduled start A trial by the Manhattan District Attorney on charges that Trump falsified business records related to hush money payments. Trump pleaded not guilty.
Merchan, who allowed Trump’s lawyers to file a motion, rejected a similar argument from Trump’s lawyers last August. In this decisionthe judge said he had approached the state court system’s Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee about his daughter’s hiring.
Committee found The DA’s case “does not involve, directly or indirectly, the judge’s relative or his relative’s business. They are not parties to the case or potential witnesses, and none of the parties or attorneys before the judge are clients of the business. “We see nothing in the inquiry that the outcome of the case could have any impact on the judge’s relative, his relative’s business or any of their interests.”
In a letter earlier this week, the DA’s office told the judge that there had been “no changes” since August that would have caused the judge to change his mind and that Trump’s arguments were “too far fetched.”
“There is nothing new here that would change the Court’s prior finding,” the DA’s office said.
But Trump’s filing claimed a change after the previous decision.
“President Trump now Presumptive Republican nominee and the leading candidate in the 2024 presidential election. His success in the primaries following the court’s ruling on an earlier recusal motion cemented his status as a political target for Democrats and, by extension, his daughter’s company.
While citing the new election outlook as a change that warrants the recusal request, Trump’s attorneys argued against the expanded gag order, making clear in their lawsuit that they believe Mercha should have recused himself in August.
“President Trump’s comments regarding his esteemed daughter are, properly understood, a criticism of the Court’s previous decision not to recuse,” Trump’s lawyers said in the filing.
The new filing also reiterates arguments Trump made in arguing against the expanded gag order, including that the judge gave undue weight to the case when a court spokeswoman pushed back on Trump’s claim that the judge’s daughter used a photo mockup of Trump on social media. Behind bars as a profile picture on X.
The petition does not link Mercha’s daughter directly to fundraising solicitations or other online communications sent by clients of her firm that refer to the New York case.
Trump has done it many times criticized the judge’s daughter In recent weeks, it has appeared on the Internet, including in right-wing news articles and a post shared on social media by a court spokesman, suggesting it was the work of an impersonator. That led to a judge earlier this week expandEng his previous gag order Preventing Trump or his agents from going after witnesses, jurors, court personnel involved in the case, or family members of himself or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Despite the extended gag order, Trump has continued to share the judge’s alleged conflicts on his Truth Social account, including articles criticizing the judge’s daughter and wife on Friday. His campaign also sent out an email blast that included a protest filing and named the judge’s daughter along with her lawyers’ accusations against him.