Judge Merchan rejects second Trump recusal bid as trial starts in DA Bragg case

Judge Juan Merchan on Monday declined to dismiss himself from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecution of former President Donald Trump, doing so for the second time after Trump last year asked him to leave the case.

Bragg has charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with a payment his then-attorney, Michael Cohen, made to Stormy Daniels in 2016. He has pleaded not guilty.

"The defendants’ second motion for recusal is denied," Merchan said Monday on the first day of the trial, according to The Hill.

Earlier this month, Trump asked Merchan to recuse himself in light of his daughter Loren's employment with Authentic, a left-wing organization that boasts both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as clients.

"The Court’s interest in these proceedings by virtue of the close relationship with an immediate relative, and Ms. Merchan’s ongoing receipt of commercial and reputational benefits based on the manner in which Your Honor has conducted these proceedings, requires recusal based on an actual conflict and an unacceptable appearance of impropriety," his attorneys wrote.

Merchan dismissed Trump's first bid for recusal in August of last year, which Trump had also brought over Loren Merchan's employment.

Trump's criticisms of Loren also prompted Bragg's office to ask the judge to expand a gag order against the former president to include the family members of both the DA and the judge. Merchan obliged.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.