House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik accused the New York judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial of having a conflict of interest because of his daughter’s ties to Democrat-aligned groups.
Ms. Stefanik, New York Republican, filed an ethics complaint against Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday saying he has a “clear conflict of interest” because his daughter, Loren Merchan, is president of Authentic Campaigns, whose clients are some of Mr. Trump’s biggest opponents.
The congresswoman argued that Judge Merchan’s relationship with his daughter, and drive to see her do well, created a conflict of interest in the courtroom. She called on the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct to open an investigation into his conduct.
“Judge Merchan appears driven by Democrat partisanship and financial gain for his daughter,” Ms. Stefanik wrote in the complaint.
Judge Merchan has come under intense scrutiny from Republicans, and Mr. Trump, because of his daughter’s professional life and its potential to impact his impartially overseeing the trial, which is set to begin jury deliberation Tuesday after the long Memorial Day weekend.
Mr. Trump led the charge in attacking the judge’s daughter on his social media platform Truth Social, and in return was hit with a gag order from Judge Merchan that barred him from making comments about his daughter and family members of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case.
Ms. Stefanik previously called for Judge Merchan to be booted from the trial after the gag order was imposed.
In the new complaint, she argued that under New York law, a judge can be disqualified from presiding over a case if they have a relationship “within the sixth degree” who has an interest that could benefit from the outcome of a trial.
She argued that clients of Authentic Campaigns, including California Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff, who is running for the Senate, have pulled in millions off of fundraising emails that use Mr. Trump’s indictment as an engine to attract donations.
“In other words, the clients of Judge Merchan’s daughter have raked in nearly $100 million and have used President Trump’s indictment — a case over which her father presides — as fundraising fodder,” Ms. Stefanik wrote. “It is common sense that, if these groups make no money, they cannot afford to pay for services provided by individuals such as Ms. Merchan.”
The former president has been charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claimed a sex romp with Mr. Trump.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.