The man that dinged Trump's company for $1.6 million is refusing to recuse himself, per a request by Trump's legal team.
Judge Juan Merchan, the same judge that presided over the Trump Organization case that resulted in a maximum allowed fine, will stay in his seat, reported NBC News.
Trump's legal team was trying to use donations made to Democrats and Democrat causes as well as the working status of Merchan's daughter as leverage to have him step down from the case.
Not Happening
Am I really worried about the $35 in donations that Merchan gave to leftist causes? No. They were minimal and we cannot say a man is beholden to a party for $35.
What does concern me is that his daughter works for a marketing company that will make boatloads of cash if Trump winds up being found guilty.
I am also concerned about some statements made by Merchan during the Trump Organization case, as I believe he has it out for Trump. The fact he went for max fine shows that he clearly wants to penalize Trump as much as he possibly can.
Merchan followed the findings from the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics, which is surely loaded with anti-Trumpers, that found, "We see nothing in the inquiry to suggest that the outcome of the case could have any effect on the judge's relative, the relative's business, or any of their interests," reported Fox News.
Merchan, in defending the declination of the recusal, stated, "Defendant has failed to demonstrate that there exists concrete, or even realistic reasons for recusal to be appropriate, much less required on these grounds.
"The speculative and hypothetical scenarios offered by Defendant fall well short of the legal standard."
This case is set to start in March, one of four different trials Trump has slated for the winter and spring, all while the primary race is going on.
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