One of the key factors undermining the conviction of former President Donald Trump by a New York jury is the judge’s previous donations to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign and his daughter’s representation of Democrat clients who capitalized on the trial.
In a predictable outcome, the Manhattan jury, situated in a deep-blue enclave, delivered a guilty verdict against Trump on all counts linked to a payment made by his former lawyer to a pornographer as part of a nondisclosure agreement. This episode represents the first instance in American history where a major political party has exploited the legal system to convict its primary political adversary ahead of a contentious election.
Trump is slated to face sentencing on July 11, just a few days before the Republican presidential nominating convention.
Despite efforts by Democrats to portray the trial as fair, it was evidently stacked against Trump from the outset. For instance, the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, had previously contributed to Biden’s 2020 reelection campaign. According to reports, Merchan made donations to Democratic causes, including Biden’s campaign, through ActBlue, an online fundraising platform for Democrats and leftist initiatives.
Throughout the trial, Merchan exhibited hostility towards Trump. He instructed jurors before deliberations that they could return a unanimous guilty verdict without agreeing on the specific crime Trump allegedly committed. This unusual instruction essentially fragmented the jury into three groups, undermining the traditional legal standard for unanimity.
Moreover, Merchan imposed a gag order on Trump and restricted the trial testimony of former Federal Election Commission Chairman Bradley Smith, whose expertise undercut the case presented by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg against the former president.
Financial connections to Democrats extend beyond Merchan to his daughter, Loren Merchan, whose political consulting group represented Democrat clients that fundraised heavily using the trial’s publicity. One notable client is Adam Schiff, known for his involvement in promoting the Russia collusion hoax. Loren previously held a role in Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign.
Earlier this week, Rep. Elise Stefanik filed a misconduct complaint against Merchan, alleging deliberate selection to oversee Trump’s case.
