Donald Trump's legal team filed another motion Friday to demand the recusal of Judge Juan Merchan in the former president's business records trial that's set to begin in less than two weeks.
It's the second motion this week Trump has attempted to get Merchan removed from the case. The first, dated Monday, said that the trial would financially benefit Merchan's daughter, Loren Merchan. Friday's filing was similar, saying "profiting from the promotion of a political agenda" signifies a "basis for recusal."
The filing comes hours after Judge Merchan blocked Trump's subpoena of NBCUniversal over its recent documentary of former porn star Stormy Daniels, the subject of the criminal trial set to start April 15. Merchan said Trump's claims of being damaged by "Stormy" the documentary were "the very definition of a fishing expedition."
Merchan on Monday also expanded the gag order on Trump, declaring Merchan's family off limits.
Trump responded with Friday's filing, which mentions Loren Merchan 23 times, highlighting her work as a Democratic consultant for the firm Authentic Campaigns, where she is a president and co-founder, as well as her many social media posts showing a bias toward Trump.
"Your Honor's daughter, Loren Merchan, has a direct financial interest in these proceedings by virtue of her ownership stake and leadership role at Authentic Campaigns, Inc.," read the filing. "In 2019, Ms. Merchan made public statements during a podcast regarding a conversation with Your Honor that reflect bias against President Trump from both speakers in that exchange."
Merchan rejected another recusal motion, also based on the subject of his daughter's employment, last summer.
Trump is accused of covering up attorney Michael Cohen's $130,000 payment to Daniels for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump in 2006.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and been steadfast in his denials of any affair with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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