Judge in Trump hush money case says he will not recuse himself

By Kara Scannell, CNN

(CNN) — The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal trial related to hush money payments said he will not recuse himself from the case, rejecting the former president’s latest attempt to remove him ahead of his sentencing next month.

Trump has repeatedly sought to remove Judge Juan Merchan from the proceedings, citing work the judge’s daughter has done for Democratic campaigns. An advisory committee on ethics previously found no basis for the judge to step aside.

In denying Trump’s motion, the judge wrote, “this court now reiterates for the third time, that which should already be clear – innuendo and mischaracterization do not a conflict create.”

The judge said Trump has offered no new facts to warrant another review. “Counsel has merely repeated arguments that have already been denied by this and higher courts,” Merchan wrote in his decision.

Trump is scheduled to be sentenced next month after a jury convicted him in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to a porn star before the 2016 election.

The conviction made Trump the first former president to be found guilty of a felony and the first major-party presidential nominee to be convicted of a crime in the midst of a campaign for the White House.

Merchan wrote, “As has been the standard throughout the pendency of this case, the court will continue to base its rulings on the evidence and the law, without fear or favor, casting aside undue influence.”

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