Though it hasn't had much attention in the daily headlines, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's case against former President Donald Trump is still ongoing, and Trump is making moves.
According to Just The News, Trump and his lawyers demanded Friday that the judge handling Bragg's case recuse himself. Trump's legal team pointed to the judge's former role in another Trump-related case involving Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg.
Trump has long insisted he will never be subjected to a fair trial in the Manhattan system.
Trump Demands Judge Recuse Himself in Manhattan DA Bragg's Case https://t.co/pi24R3nbBB 🤨🤨🤨
— ✨NYETENGALE✨ (@nyetengale) June 4, 2023
Just The News noted:
Trump's attorneys submitted a filing to the court pointing to Judge Juan Merchan's past role in a previous case in which he encouraged former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg to cooperate against the former president, before noting the political and financial interest of the judge's daughter in the case's outcome.
Trump's attorneys said that the company where the judges daughter is employed, Authentic Strategies, a left-leaning advertising group, stands to financially profit from the case.
The former president's attorneys believe that the company will use the case to shape how it deals with messaging and advertising for its 2024 election clients.
Trump's legal team went further, asking Judge Merchan about "what appear to be certain political contributions made by [Merchan] to candidate Joe Biden’s Presidential campaign and other political causes so that the defense can assess whether these donations separately warrant [the judge's] recusal."
Presumably, his legal team hopes that pointing out a list of conflicts of interest will bring enough pressure on Merchan to recuse himself, or be removed from the case.
"This case before this Court is historic and it is important that the People of the State of New York and this nation have confidence that the jurist who presides over it is impartial. Most respectfully, the foregoing facts compel the conclusion that Your Honor is not and thus should recuse," Trump's lawyers wrote.
Many on social media applauded Trump's demand for the recusal.
"If the judge is honest, he will," tweeted Jenna Ellis.
Another Twitter user added: "This judge has been bought and paid for by Soros. He should step down and step down now."
Only time will tell if Trump and his legal team win this battle. With the obvious conflicts of interest, it does appear that the judge should recuse himself. Whether he will or not is anyone's guess.
