WASHINGTON, D.C. (Texas Insider Report) — Following the recent Fani Willis debacle of hiring her lover to help prosecute former President Donald Trump in Fulton County, Georgia, the Democrat New York State Supreme Court Judge overseeing another Trump-related trial there is now refusing to remove himself for conflicts of interest following news reports disclosing that his daughter is a Political Consultant whose past and present clients include President Joe Biden's 2020 Campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as Congressman now-California Democrat Senate candidate Adam Schiff and others.
And New York Judge Juan Merchan, the Democrat and Biden donor presiding over the so-called “hush money” trial, has now expanded his controversial gag order over Mr. Trump after both he and his attorneys drew attention to the fact that the judge’s daughter has significant connections to prominent Democrats, including President Biden and Vice President Harris – a clear conflict of interest.
Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter, Loren Merchan, is a partner of the Democrat Party political consulting firm called Authentic Campaigns – which has received millions of dollars from numerous high-profile Democrat campaigns while specializing on digital ad placement, fundraising list acquisition, and other digital consulting, according to records reviewed by ABC News,Revealing that Loren Merchan’s clients included the vice president and disgraced Cong. Adam Schiff (D-CA,) journalist Laura Loomer initially broke the story in a post on X, formerly Twitter (at right.)
The firm's past and current clients include:
- President Joe Biden's 2020 Campaign
- Vice President Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign
- Democrat super PAC Senate Majority PAC (SMP,) and
- Rep. Adam Schiff's current Senate and past House campaigns
Authentic Campaigns, FEC disclosure reports show, has been paid:
- nearly $12 million so far in the 2023/2024 Election Cycle,
- $1.7 million by the Senate Majority PAC last year,
- as well as $2.1 million and $7.6 million respectively by the Biden Campaign and the Harris Campaign during the 2020 Election.
In their response filed Tuesday, prosecutors disputed the defense's allegations about the financial conflict between Merchan and his daughter,
"[There] is strong evidence that Authentic has used this case to make money. Those benefits and the ongoing financial interest cannot be ignored," argued Trump attorney Todd Blanche.
He also suggested that Merchan's daughter would "continue to earn money" because developments in Trump's criminal trial create "fodder for fundraising."
“Your Honor’s daughter’s close connection to President Trump’s political adversaries, and her work at, and financial interest in, a firm deeply engrained with Democratic politics raises real and legitimate concerns about this Court’s impartiality,” the attorneys argued.
“The financial well-being of Your Honor’s daughter depends at least in part on the success of Authentic. And Authentic’s business model is one that requires it to attack President Trump and support individuals and causes in direct competition with President Trump,” they added, referring to Loren Merchan’s campaign firm.
“The financial well-being of Your Honor’s daughter depends at least in part on the success of Authentic. And Authentic’s business model is one that requires it to attack President Trump and support individuals and causes in direct competition with President Trump,” they added, referring to Loren Merchan’s campaign firm.
Merchan refused to acknowledge the potential conflicts of interest, and chose to expand his gag order on Trump to include his daughter.
In his ruling, Merchan decreed that Trump is barred from “attacking” his family members – and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s family members.
Trump has previously also been barred from “attacking” witnesses, prosecutors, court staff members, and their relatives — leading numerous Constitutional scholars to criticize Mercan for blatant violations of Mr. Trump's 1st Amendment Rights.
“It is no longer just a mere possibility or a reasonable likelihood that there exists a threat to the integrity of these judicial proceedings,” decreed Merchan in his ruling. "The threat is very real."As another example of the Judge Merchan’s bias against Trump, Loomer also referred to Loren Merchan’s X account, @LorenM426, where the Democrat activist’s profile picture displayed an image of Mr. Trump “behind bars in a jail cell.”
“FEC reports also reveal that Loren Merchan is a frequent @actblue donor to Democrat candidates. This is absolutely a conflict of interest for Judge Merchan who is engaging in Election Interference.
"He should RECUSE HIMSELF from President Trump’s case immediately,” Loomer added.
"He should RECUSE HIMSELF from President Trump’s case immediately,” Loomer added.
The circumstances, however, may ultimately backfire on Merchan and benefit Trump in the so-called “hush money” trial, as it will be easy for Trump to argue bias during a likely appeal, and will confirm Trump's statements to the American people that this trial and others against him are a political persecution – "witch hunts' – rather than legitimate prosecution.
