The judge now infamous for his role in the politically charged New York case against Donald Trump reportedly received an official “caution” for his ethics violation.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton cited the as-yet-unreleased caution letter to Judge Juan Merchan as proof of the latter’s ethical failure. While a sitting judge, Merchan reportedly donated to Democrats, including Donald Trump’s current Democrat presidential opponent Joe Biden. The latest news is that Merchan was officially cautioned over this ethics failure.
Fitton had originally posted back on May 6, 2023, “Judges are prohibited under ethics rules from donating to political campaigns and organizations. Accordingly, there are legitimate concerns about Judge Merchan's reported political contributions while a sitting judge to Biden and Democratic causes.” Merchan is a dedicated Democrat, it would seem, indicating political bias in the trial of GOP frontrunner Trump.
On May 18, citing Reuters, Fitton further posted on Twitter/X, “UPDATE Judicial Conduct Commission Vindicates Trump: The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct dismissed an ethics complaint with a ‘caution’ to Judge Merchan over his donations to the Biden campaign and other Democratic causes.”
Read Also: Jan. 6 Protester Files Suit, Claims Constitutional Violations From Biden Admin
Unsurprisingly, Fitton noted that “Reports are Judge Merchan has not released the ‘caution’ letter, which he evidently received last summer. This official ethics finding, which can be used against Merchan in any future ethics proceedings, serves to confirm Trump's concerns about Judge Merchan's bias and ethics.” The Judicial Watch president concluded, “This black mark against Judge Merchan for his improper political donations again demonstrates how the abusive trial of Trump is corrupted by politics.”
Related: Just When You Think the Trump Trial Couldn't Get More Corrupt, This Guy Shows Up
Merchan appears to have multiple connections putting his objectivity into question, however. PJ Media’s Victoria Taft reported on how Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), the same who formerly helped Democrats prosecute the first impeachment of then-President Trump, paid the firm of Judge Merchan’s daughter to help him get elected to Congress. And there’s an even more direct connection to the current Trump trial:
This week, we found out that Goldman has been bragging about "prepping" former Trump attorney Michael Cohen "a number of times to prepare him" for his various legal proceedings before the House Intelligence Committee. That was Schiff's committee to Get Trump and frame the president as a Russian secret agent. For years, they kept up this sham to undermine support for the president even when they knew it was a lie… Goldman knows both Michael Cohen and Judge Merchan's kid, the grown adult who must not be named by Donald Trump due to Merchan's unconstitutional gag order on the former leader of the free world.
Ah, nothing like Democrats for incestuous corruption. It’s a small anti-Trumper world after all, and it would seem Judge Merchan should indeed be taken off the Trump case because of his compromised ethics.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member