Trump again asks hush money judge to recuse himself less than two weeks before trial starts

Lawyers for Donald Trump have again asked the judge presiding over his upcoming criminal trial to recuse himself from the former president's case, this time citing an "unacceptable appearance of impropriety."

In a court filing made public Friday, Trump attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove contended Judge Juan Merchan has a conflict of interest because his daughter has worked for and has equity in Authentic, which has worked with various Democratic groups, since the 2020 election cycle.

"Personal political views may not be a basis for recusal. But profiting from the promotion of a political agenda that is hostile to President Trump, and has included fundraising solicitations based on this case, must be. Accordingly, President Trump respectfully requests that the Court recuse itself," the filing said.

The motion was filed with the court on Wednesday — just under two weeks before the scheduled start of the trial for charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney alleging that Trump falsified business records related to hush money payments. Trump has pleaded not guilty.

Merchan, who gave Trump's attorneys permission to file the motion, rejected a similar argument by Trump's lawyers in August of last year. In that decision, the judge said he'd sought guidance from the state courts system’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics over his daughter’s employment.

The committee found the DA’s case “does not involve either the judge’s relative or the relative’s business, whether directly or indirectly. They are not parties or likely witnesses in the matter, and none of the parties or counsel before the judge are clients in the business. We see nothing in the inquiry to suggest that the outcome of the case could have any effect