Judge again rejects Trump's recusal request in hush money case

NEW YORK, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A New York judge who is overseeing the hush money case involving former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied the defendant's demand to recuse himself from the case for the third time, according to a decision posted by the court.

Juan M. Merchan, a judge from the New York County Supreme Court, said the defendant provided nothing new for the court to consider and the counsel only repeated arguments that have been denied by this court or higher courts.

"Innuendo and mischaracterization" do not create a conflict of interest and recusal is therefore not necessary, much less required, said the judge in the decision.

In the latest motion filed on July 31, 2024, Trump's counsel alleged that the relationship between U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and a member of the court's family warrants recusal.

It's reported that Merchan's daughter Loren Merchan worked as a political consultant for prominent Democrats and campaigns including Harris's 2020 presidential run.

Trump's counsel also filed similar motions on May 31, 2023, and April 3, 2024.

Judge Merchan is scheduled to make a ruling on Trump's motion to set aside a jury's verdict on Sept. 6 and will deliver a sentencing on Sept. 18 if a sentence is still necessary.

The sentencing date was postponed from July 11 following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity on July 1.

A jury in New York in late May found Trump guilty of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a bid to hide hush money payments to a porn star in 2016.