House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik has filed an ethics complaint against Judge Juan Merchan over an alleged conflict of interest related to her daughter's role at a firm known for representing Democratic politicians.
Merchan, a sitting justice of the New York Supreme Court, is presiding over the unprecedented criminal trial against former President Trump stemming from charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Stefanik, R.N.Y., filed the complaint with the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct, warning that Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts of falsifying business records, faces “a maximum of 136 years in prison.” if found guilty. and said that not only his “interests” are at stake, but “the interests of all Americans are at stake.”
He pointed to Merchan's daughter, who serves as president of Authentic Campaigns, a group that represents Democratic politicians and political action committees.
NY V TRUMP: JUDGE WILL CONSIDER DEFENSE MOTION TO DISMISS AFTER PROSECUTION REMAINS CASE
Former President Donald Trump attends the first day of his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 15. Judge Juan Merchan poses for a photograph in his office on March 14 in New York. (Angela Weiss/AFP via AP, POOL/AP)
Stefanik highlighted how her clients, such as Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., have raised funds from Trump's impeachment and criminal trial. Trump himself has requested that Merchán abstain from the trial due to his daughter's work. Merchan said there was no reason to do so.
Stefanik added that she learned that the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct “privately warned him in July about his illegal political donations to Biden and Democrats in 2020.”
“This private precaution has not deterred Judge Merchán's judicial misconduct, as evidenced by this current complaint,” he wrote. “Judge Merchan appears motivated by Democratic partisanship and financial benefit to his daughter.”
Stefanik said it is “imperative that New Yorkers and all Americans have confidence that justice is being delivered fairly in New York.”
NY V TRUMP: JUDGE WILL CONSIDER DEFENSE MOTION TO DISMISS AFTER PROSECUTION REMAINS CASE
“This is especially true in politically sensitive cases where bias is more likely to rear its ugly head. Here, we are in the middle of a presidential election campaign. The circumstances are unprecedented: President Trump, a former president and likely candidate of a leading party for president, is on trial,” Stefanik wrote. “These procedures are under a microscope.”
On Tuesday, Trump's defense lawyers concluded their case without calling former President Trump to the stand to testify. They called two witnesses, paralegal Daniel Sitko and a former legal adviser to Michael Cohen, Robert Costello, before ending the case. Prosecutors rested their case on Monday.
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo makes opening statements as former President Donald Trump looks on with his attorney Todd Blanche before Judge Juan Merchan during Trump's criminal trial on charges of falsifying business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, at Manhattan State Court in New York City, April 22, 2024, in this courtroom sketch. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)
Merchan dismissed the jury until after Memorial Day.
Stefanik argued that the judge's “clear conflict of interest, based on his adult daughter's financial situation in this unprecedented criminal trial, has severely damaged the court's appearance of impartiality.”
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“Given Judge Merchan's daughter's clientele, and the enormous sums of money these individuals have raised and will continue to raise from President Trump's charges, Judge Merchan's daughter will benefit the more legally jeopardy President Trump is in.” Stefanik said. “She is within the sixth degree of relationship with Judge Merchan; in fact, as his daughter, she falls within the first degree.”
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He added: “A direct application of Section 100.3(e)(1)(D)(iii) requires recusal. Since Judge Merchan has refused to do so, I ask that you investigate his conduct and impose any necessary discipline.”
