Bias against former President Donald Trump by family members of the judge in his New York hush money trial is starting to become evident, according to social media posts by the magistrate’s daughter.
The National Pulse reports that a social media account run by Loren Merchan, daughter of New York Judge Juan M. Merchan, was located on X and shows the former president behind bars in its profile photo. Judge Merchan on Tuesday imposed a limited gag order on President Trump and rebuffed requests by his attorneys to delay the trial even further.
The AP has previously reported that Loren Merchan is a professional political consultant who counts Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) as current or former clients. In 2020, Judge Merchan made several small-dollar donations to Democrats totaling $35 including $15 sent to then-candidate Joe Biden. A state ethics panel has agreed with Merchan’s assertion that he can remain impartial in Trump’s case where he is charged with felonies related to alleged payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Loren Merchan was identified as a “Rising Star” in the 2020 year-end publication for political trade magazine Campaigns & Elections. Her firm, Authentic Campaigns, bills itself as a “full-service digital marketing agency for non-profits and campaigns that unleashes the power of the internet to create lasting and inclusive change” according to a company website.
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Merchan’s company also touts its commitment to diversity among staffers, prominently highlighting that 54.5% of staff as “cis-women” while 36.4% are “cis-men” and 9.1% are “non-binary/gender non-conforming.” Similar stats are made for sexual orientation, disabilities – of which nearly a third of all staff members claim – as well as age, religion, and pronouns.
A trial date has been set for April 15th, pitting President Trump against Alvin Bragg, the progressive Manhattan district attorney who elevated Trump’s charges despite historically downgrading felonies for other offenders who have come before his office. The new gag order imposed by Judge Merchan states that Trump may not direct critical statements toward witnesses, court staff, DA Bragg, or other members of the prosecution. Other gag orders have been opposed by Trump’s team in unison with members of the mainstream media.
The start of President Trump’s first criminal trial comes just weeks after his final rival for the Republican presidential nomination departed the race, securing his path to take on President Biden in November. Other criminal matters, including two federal cases and one in Georgia, have faced a series of procedural delays or been sidetracked by scandalous behavior by prosecutors.
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