US judge rejects Trump's bid to unseat him in hush money case

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a campaign rally at Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina, August 14, 2024. [AFP]

Donald Trump failed for a third time on Wednesday to force out the judge who is due to sentence him for covering up hush money payments.

Lawyers for the Republican presidential nominee had again argued that the work of Judge Juan Merchan's daughter for a Democrat-leaning organization created a "perceived conflict of interest" and that he should recuse himself.

A jury convicted the former president of 34 felonies in May for covering up payments to silence former adult star Stormy Daniels over an alleged affair.

On September 16, the judge will consider a separate request by Trump's lawyers to overturn the verdict and dismiss the case following a Supreme Court ruling in July on presidential immunity.

Depending on the outcome of that hearing, Merchan has scheduled Trump's sentencing for September 18.

Merchan forcefully rejected Trump's latest bid to have him removed.

"Stated plainly, Defendant's arguments are nothing more than a repetition of stale and unsubstantiated claims," Merchan wrote in the ruling.

"Defense Counsel's reliance, and apparent citation to his own prior affirmation, rife with inaccuracies and unsubstantiated claims, is unavailing. As such, Defendant's motion is again DENIED."

A New York State ethics panel previously found no issue in Merchan continuing to handle the case, and the judge said the "Court will continue to base its rulings on the evidence and the law, without fear or favor, casting aside undue influence."

Despite the ethics ruling, Trump's legal team insisted that work undertaken by Merchan's daughter, which they said included past fundraising efforts for Trump's rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, undermined the judge's independence.

In a tirade on his Truth Social platform, Trump called an order by Merchan limiting his ability to attack the judge's family members "suppression and manipulation of the vote."

Trump, the first former US president convicted of a crime, has been doing everything in his power to delay multiple trials against him until after the November election.

He faces charges in Washington and Georgia related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.