In Tuesday’s filings, Trump’s lawyers said Federal
election Commission records showed the firm Merchan’s daughter works for had made millions representing
Democrats since Trump’s first indictment, including from entities that solicited contributions based on the hush money case. “[There] is an unacceptable risk that the Court’s family relationships will influence judicial conduct … It can no longer be ignored that Authentic’s commercial interests are benefitted by developments in this case that harm President Trump’s penal interests and divert his efforts from running his leading campaign for the presidency by requiring him to prepare and sit for trial during the general election,” Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles wrote. “Those benefits and the ongoing financial interest cannot be ignored.” In response, prosecutors vehemently opposed the request, which they said was devoid of facts and based on a “daisy chain of innuendos.” “There is simply nothing new here that would alter this Court’s prior conclusion that nothing about this proceeding will directly benefit Authentic or this Court’s family member, let alone this Court,” Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo wrote.