In his latest bid for recusal, Trump argued that Vice President Kamala Harris’s status as the presumptive Democratic nominee exacerbated the alleged conflict of interest due to the judge’s daughter being a Democratic strategist. However, Justice Merchan dismissed these concerns, stating that the “alleged” ties did not impact the legal analysis.
Court’s Firm Stance Against Recusal
Justice Merchan emphasized that Trump’s attorneys had failed to provide any new or substantiated evidence to warrant recusal, reiterating his previous warnings about the ethical responsibilities of Trump’s legal team.
“This court now reiterates for the third time, that which should already be clear — innuendo and mischaracterizations do not a conflict create,” Justice Merchan ruled, firmly concluding that recusal was “not necessary, much less required.”
Trump’s Recusal Bid Rejection : Next Steps in the Legal Battle
The decision on Trump’s motion to dismiss the case based on presidential immunity, which could have significant implications given the evidence related to Trump’s time in the White House, is still pending. Justice Merchan is expected to rule on this issue two days before the sentencing.
Legal Representation
The New York County District Attorney’s Office is represented by Joshua Steinglass, Christopher Conroy, Susan D. Hoffinger, Matthew Colangelo, and Rebecca Mangold. Trump’s defense team includes Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, and Stephen Weiss of Blanche Law, Susan R. Necheles and Gedalia M. Stern of NechelesLaw LLP, and Steven Yurowitz of Yurowitz Law PLLC.
