Judge Rules There is No Basis for Trump to Recuse Himself from Criminal Case

A New York judge has denied a request for recusal from the criminal case against former President Donald Trump. Judge Juan Merchan ruled on Monday that there was no basis for him to step down from the case, despite Trump’s claims that Merchan was biased against him.

Trump’s lawyers had argued that Merchan should recuse himself because he had previously participated in a case involving Trump’s company, the Trump Organization. They also pointed to Merchan’s daughter’s employment at a progressive digital agency, which they said could create the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Merchan rejected these arguments, saying that they were “without merit.” He noted that he had recused himself from a previous case involving the Trump Organization, but that this case was different because it did not involve the company. He also said that his daughter’s employment at the digital agency did not create a conflict of interest because she had no involvement in the Trump criminal case.

Trump is facing two criminal charges in New York: one for allegedly falsifying business records and one for allegedly conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. The charges stem from a long-running investigation into Trump’s business practices by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has called the investigation a “witch hunt.” He has also filed a number of lawsuits to try to block the investigation, but so far, he has been unsuccessful.

The denial of Merchan’s recusal request is a setback for Trump, but it is not the end of the road for his legal challenges. He could still appeal the decision to a higher court.

The case is scheduled to go to trial in August 2023.