Former President Trump asked for several judges to be replaced on Wednesday, before the decision was made on a speech restriction in his hush money case.
Trump criticized Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the New York hush money case, which was the former president’s first accusation. Trump is accused of 34 serious charges of altering business records in relation to reimbursing his then-fixer, Michael Cohen, who paid porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump.
“We have a Manipulated Judge, who is working for the Democrat Party and refuses to end this ‘case,’ which should have never been brought by Soft on Crime Alvin Bragg,” Trump said in a Truth Social post released early Wednesday morning. “Judge Merchan should be immediately replaced, and the Appellate Courts have to take over.”
Trump also criticized New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who oversaw a civil fraud case against the former president, and Judge Lewis Kaplan, who supervised Trump’s defamation trial, in which he was ordered to pay $83.3 million to columnist E. Jean Carroll, in the post.
“That also applies to Corrupt Judge Engoron, who knew I did nothing wrong, and still wrongfully fined me $500 Million Dollars while having no knowledge of Valuation, Finance, or in any way what he was doing,” Trump said.
“Same with Judge Kaplan, who allowed a woman, who I have never met (celebrity photo line does not count!), and know nothing about, to get a lawless judgment of $90 Million Dollars,” he continued. “New York Justice is in shambles, and only the Appellate Courts can save it. A Republican doesn’t stand a chance – This is not Justice…”
Prosecutors working in the Manhattan district attorney’s office have argued the former president has violated Merchan’s speech restriction 10 times. The restriction prevents him from attacking prosecutors, court staff, witnesses and the judge’s family.
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche has argued his client was responding to political attacks.
Merchan said Tuesday he would reserve the decision regarding the alleged speech restriction violations, but noted to Blanche that he was losing credibility after he claimed Trump was “being very careful” not to violate the speech restriction.
