Donald Trump claims Judge Juan Mercan's family are «notorious Trump haters.»
Donald Trump has made some dramatic accusations of bias against Juan Mercan, the judge presiding over his Manhattan trial.
But what are his claims and do they stand up to scrutiny?
p> Trump claims 1 < p>Sunday night, Mr Trump tweeted on Truth Social, a Twitter-like microblog: (he needs to be replaced!).
On Tuesday, he doubled down: HIS FAMILY ARE THE WELL-KNOWN TRUMP HATES,” wrote he [the capitals belong to him].
«HE HAD AN UNFAIR DISASTER IN THE PREVIOUS TRUMMP CASE, DID NOT ANSWER, GIVED HORRIBLE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE JURY, & IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DISCOVER DURING THE WITCH HUNTING COURT.
“HIS DAUGHTER WORKED FOR KAMALA & NOW BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN. KANGAROO COURT!!!»
Firstly, there is not much hard evidence that Judge Merchan's family harbors a burning personal grudge against the former president that could be described as «hatred».< /p>
The lawsuit appears to be based on his daughter working for Democratic political campaigns and a judge presiding over another trial last year.
Trump claims 2
Last fall, Judge Merchan presided over the prosecution of the Trump Organization, Mr. Trump's real estate firm, for tax fraud.
The trial ended with the company found guilty and fined.
He sentenced Allen Weisselberg, the company's chief financial officer and longtime leader of the Trump Organization, to five months in prison. jail time after he pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to withhold almost $1.8 million in compensation from the tax authorities.
Trump himself was not yet on trial at the time, but his statement that the judge was an «unfair calamity» may be a reference to Judge Merchan's refusal to allow defense attorneys to argue that their clients were targeted because they were associated with Mr. Trump.
“I will in no way allow you to bring a selective prosecution claim or claim that this is some kind of new prosecution,” Judge Merchan said at a pre-trial hearing when a lawyer tried to argue that the defendants were targeted because of their connection to Trump , CBS reported at the time.
He later added that he had «very little patience in court for any matter that is not based on good faith.»
Trump claims 3
The allegations against Lauren Merchan, the judge's daughter, first appeared on the far-right news site Gateway Pundit on Sunday.
The site claimed, citing Ms Merchan's LinkedIn profile, that in 2019 she served as Kamala Harris' «Digital Persuasive Director» for the People, the current White House Vice President's 2019 campaign.
She also was listed as an employee of Authentic Campaigns, a political consulting firm that, according to its website, runs «award-winning online programs for progressive campaigns.» clients.
The Telegraph was unable to immediately verify the authenticity of the LinkedIn page.
There is no evidence that Ms Merchan's employment affects her father's legal decisions.
p>
But Mr. Trump and his family used the report to claim that the judge was chosen as a result of a Democratic conspiracy that also involves Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney.
“Seems appropriate…another link in this parties selected by a democratic show trial. This bullshit never ends guys,» wrote Donald Trump Jr., citing Breitbart's review of the story.
There is no evidence that the DA personally chose the judge or that this is a Democratic conspiracy.
What does Trump's legal team say?
Trump's lawyers don't seem to have a problem with the judge. In fact, they appear to have been openly contradicting their client.
Donald Trump appeared in court in Manhattan on Tuesday. Photo: Elizabeth. Williams/FR42054 AP
Joe Takopina, a criminal defense attorney hired by Trump, told CNN Sunday: «I have no problem with this judge … He has a very good reputation.»
» I think am I that the judge is biased? Of course not,” added Mr. Takopina, speaking with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News.
Other lawyers who have appeared before the Supreme Court Justice describe him as stern but compassionate.
< p>«He's a serious lawyer, smart and even temperamental,» Ron Kuby, a longtime defense attorney in Manhattan, told NBC News. judge. But he always controls the courtroom.”
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