Former US President Donald Trump is seeking to have a new judge appointed just days before his hush money criminal trial is scheduled to commence on April 15. In a last-minute attempt to disrupt and delay the proceedings, Trump's legal team is requesting that Manhattan Judge Juan M Merchan recuse himself from the case, alleging bias and a conflict of interest due to his daughter's political affiliations.
Trump's lawyers have accused Judge Merchan of being unfit to preside over the case, pointing to the fact that his daughter is a Democratic political consultant. They argue that this familial connection creates a perception of bias and compromises the fairness of the trial. However, a similar request made last August was rejected by Judge Merchan.
In response to Trump's demand for a new judge, the Manhattan district attorney's office stated that there is no reason for Judge Merchan to step aside from the case. Prosecutors have dismissed the defense's claims of bias, asserting that there is no direct evidence linking Judge Merchan's judicial decisions to his daughter's professional activities.
Meanwhile, Trump's legal team also attempted to obtain materials related to a recent NBC documentary about Stormy Daniels, a key witness in the case. However, Judge Merchan denied their subpoena request, characterizing it as a "fishing expedition" that lacked sufficient legal justification.
This latest development comes after Trump's previous requests for trial delays and judicial recusals were rejected by Judge Merchan. The hush money case revolves around allegations that Trump falsified records to conceal payments to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who facilitated the suppression of negative stories during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
Despite Trump's efforts to challenge the judicial proceedings, the trial is scheduled to proceed as planned on April 15, marking a significant legal showdown as the first criminal trial involving a former US president.
