The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s case for falsifying business records has been hit with an official ethics complaint.
Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, representing a large district in northern and central New York, announced her complaint on social media platform X. She accused Acting Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan of violating judicial conduct rules due to his family’s financial ties to the trial against Trump.
Stefanik argued that Merchan’s daughter, president of Authentic Campaigns, has a financial interest in the trial’s outcome, creating a clear conflict of interest. She cited court rules stating a judge must recuse themselves if a relative has an interest that could be affected by the proceedings.
Stefanik’s complaint also noted Merchan’s previous private caution from the state Commission on Judicial Conduct for illegal political donations. She emphasized that Merchan’s continued involvement threatens the justice system’s impartiality and called for his removal to ensure fair justice, particularly in politically sensitive cases.
Despite the allegations, Merchan had previously refused to recuse himself, referencing guidance from the state court system’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics.
