Donald Trump fails in attempt to remove NY judge over Kamala Harris connection

 Former President Donald Trump failed for a third time on Tuesday to have the judge removed from his New York criminal hush money case. Trump argued that Judge Juan Merchan's impartiality was compromised due to the judge's daughter's involvement with Democratic candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump's previous attempts to replace the judge were rejected twice, first in August and then in April. In each instance, Trump claimed that the daughter's work with the marketing agency Authentic Campaigns for Democratic candidates created either a direct conflict of interest or the appearance of one.

This time, Trump pointed to new reasons for seeking the judge's recusal, noting that Harris now leads the Democratic presidential ticket. Trump's legal team argued in a court letter that the judge's daughter has a "long-standing and highly beneficial" relationship with Harris, highlighted by Authentic Campaigns' role as a major vendor for Harris' 2020 presidential campaign.

Judge Merchan affirmed that he supports "zealous advocacy and creative lawyering" but cautioned Trump’s legal team that such advocacy must adhere to professional standards. He criticized the lawyers for relying on arguments filled with "inaccuracies and unsubstantiated claims."

"In keeping with the approach taken throughout this case, this Court will continue to base its decisions on the evidence and the law, free from any undue influence," Merchan stated in his ruling. "Defendant has presented no new information for the Court to review. The arguments put forth are simply reiterations of those already dismissed by this Court and higher courts."

On May 30, Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. The jury concluded that Trump falsified these records as part of a conspiracy to unlawfully influence the outcome of that election.

### Immunity Ruling and Possible Sentencing

When Judge Merchan rejected Trump's recusal motion in April, he referenced the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics, which had already determined that the judge's daughter's work did not reasonably question his impartiality, as Trump’s case was unrelated to Authentic Campaigns.

Merchan is expected to make a ruling in September on a separate motion from Trump, who seeks to overturn his guilty verdict. This request follows the Supreme Court's decision to grant Trump partial immunity in his federal criminal election interference case.

Trump has argued that the Supreme Court's ruling provides additional grounds for Merchan to recuse himself from the New York case.

When Trump's legal team renewed the recusal motion, they argued, "Regardless of intent, decisions by Your Honor regarding the pending Presidential immunity motion and any subsequent sentencing could benefit not only Harris but also the professional ambitions and financial interests of Your Honor’s daughter and Authentic."

If Merchan does not overturn Trump's guilty verdict while ruling on the immunity issue, Trump is slated for sentencing on September 18. Although Merchan has the authority to impose a lengthy prison sentence, legal experts do not anticipate such a severe outcome. It is possible that Trump may face no jail or prison time at all.