“The judge who oversaw Donald Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial declined for a third time to step aside from the case, rebuking the former president’s lawyers for claiming that the judge had a distant connection to Vice President Kamala Harris that posed a conflict,” the New York Times reports.
“In a 3-page decision dated Tuesday, the judge, Justice Juan Merchan, who has no direct ties to Ms.
Harris, slammed Mr. Trump’s filing seeking his recusal as ‘rife with inaccuracies’ and repetitive.”“On Sept. 16, the judge is scheduled to determine whether to throw out Mr. Trump’s conviction following the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting him broad immunity for official actions as president…”
“If Justice Merchan denies Mr. Trump’s immunity motion, as expected, Mr. Trump could mount an emergency appeal. But if that fails, the judge would then proceed with Mr. Trump’s sentencing on Sept. 18. Mr. Trump faces up to four years in prison, but could receive a far shorter sentence, or even probation.”