Despite Donald Trump’s most vehement and desperate efforts, the scandal-plagued former president was unsuccessful in delaying (permanently, if he’d had it his way) his Manhattan criminal hush money trial — where he stands accused of illegal campaign finances in the form of hush money payments made to his alleged affair partners in an effort to protect his 2016 presidential campaign.
With that failure to delay already tucked firmly under his belt, the ex-president made his way into a Manhattan courtroom this morning, where he saw his first brutal loss within mere moments of his arrival.
In what appeared to be his last-ditch attempt to bring the trial to a screeching halt, Trump’s legal team submitted a motion, demanding that Judge Juan M. Merchan recuse himself from the infamous hush money trial.
As Trump sat “stone-faced,” Judge Merchan briefly reviewed the motion before almost immediately rejecting it.
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The Trump Team motion asserted that Merchan should recuse himself from the notorious case because his daughter worked for a Democratic consulting firm — the very same daughter that Trump has spent weeks publicly attacking on his Truth Social platform and at various speeches and events, resulting in multiple gag orders against him that he continues to repeatedly violate.
Merchan stated that the Trump Team’s motion “does not reasonably or logically” explain why he should be recused from the high-profile case.
“To say that these claims are attenuated is an understatement,” the judge said. “There is no basis for recusal.”
Multiple reports confirmed that, with that, Merchan denied the motion, stomping out what last embers of hope for a delay Donald Trump had left.
CNN’s Paula Reid reported:
Trump appears to be very attentive. Our colleagues say he is looking straight ahead at a screen. Our colleagues also report that he’s biting his bottom lip as the judge rejects his motion for recusal.”
Donald Trump stands accused of falsifying business records to cover up the hush payments made to two women he allegedly had extramarital affairs with. The former president denies all allegations against him.
Featured image via screen capture
