House Judiciary Committee Seeks Documents Tied to Judge Merchant’s Alleged Conflicts in Trump Prosecution
Ahmed Gaber / The New York Times / Redux
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee sent a letter on Thursday to Loren Merchan, the daughter of New York Judge Juan Merchan, requesting documents related to her father’s alleged conflicts of interest in prosecuting former President Donald Trump.
Judge Merchan presided over Trump’s hush money trial earlier this year, despite calls for him to recuse himself due to his daughter’s work for Trump’s political adversaries. Loren Merchan is president of Authentic Campaigns Inc., which the committee claims benefitted from Trump’s prosecution and conviction. Trump was convicted by a Manhattan jury of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels, told AP News.
“In testimony to the Committee, experts have explained how Judge Merchan made several errors before and during President Trump’s trial that violated due process, infringed upon his First Amendment rights, and prevented him from receiving a fair trial,” House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan wrote in the letter. “Among other fundamental errors, Judge Merchan admitted into evidence plainly inadmissible, irrelevant, and prejudicial testimony against President Trump, while limiting President Trump’s ability to rebut it.”
The judge’s refusal to recuse himself has drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle. A left-wing legal analyst cited in the letter stated that Merchan “absolutely should have recused himself.”
The letter also requested documents related to Loren Merchan’s work with the Democratic Party and her ties to Vice President Kamala Harris. Additionally, it asked for all documents and communications related to her company’s work referring to the indictment, prosecution, or conviction of Trump from April 1, 2023, to the present.
The committee stated that these requests are part of their oversight of “politically motivated prosecutions by state and local officials.” Loren Merchan is expected to turn over the requested documents by the close of business on Aug. 8.
