BREAKING: Judge Merchan Sued!

New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, overseeing Trump’s “Hush Money Trial,” has been sued by America First Legal (AFL).

America First Legal is suing Judge Merchan for refusing to release his financial disclosures after questions arose about his daughter’s work at a firm that works closely with Democratic campaigns.

The lawsuit comes after AFL sent a demand letter to Merchan to release his financial disclosures.

Under New York state law, judges must make annual financial disclosures, which must be made available to the public upon request.

Juan Merchan’s daughter, Loren Merchan, is the president of Authentic Campaigns, a digital campaign company that has worked with the Biden and Harris campaigns.

/2 Under New York Law, judges are required to file annual financial disclosures, which are required to be made available for inspection upon request.

We previously requested these disclosures on June 6, 2024, and have yet to hear back. https://t.co/635vlnJ1KW

— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) September 5, 2024

/4 Today, we are fulfilling our legal promise and suing to obtain these records.

The public policy behind these rules is plain: to allow parties and members of the public to access conflicts, bias, or prejudice. 

We are proud to fight to obtain these critical records.

— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) September 5, 2024

Here’s what Fox News reported:

America First Legal (AFL) is suing New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan for refusing to turn over his financial disclosures amid questions about his daughter’s work at a Democratic firm, Fox News Digital has learned.

AFL sued Merchan, who presided over former President Donald Trump’s six-week-long trial in New York v. Trump, stemming from the yearslong investigation out of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office. They also sued the New York State Unified Court System’s Ethics Commission.

Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump has appealed the ruling and called on Merchan to overturn the verdict.

The lawsuit comes after the AFL sent a demand letter last week for Merchan’s financial disclosures, threatening legal action. The AFL previously requested those records in June.

Under New York law, judges are required to file annual financial disclosures, which are required to be made available upon request.

“The law is clear that judicial financial disclosures must be released to the public,” AFL Vice President Dan Epstein told Fox News Digital. “New York’s highest court has stated that such disclosures are necessary for parties before the courts to get a fair shake.”

Epstein said the public “needs to know what Judge Merchan is hiding or even if he failed to file financial disclosures at all.”

“This is especially important given the fact that Merchan appears to have engaged in unlawful campaign contributions and is on the precipice of criminally sentencing the former president of the United States,” Epstein said. “Fundamental fairness dictates a resolution of America First Legal’s suit in its favor.”

Loren Merchan sits as the president for Authentic Campaigns — a company that has done political work for top Democrat clients like President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

🚨BREAKING: America First Legal has sued Judge Merchan and the Ethics Commission for illegally concealing Judge Merchan’s financial disclosures from 2018-2024 pic.twitter.com/hZ4VF8Nghy

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 5, 2024

Per AFL:

Today, America First Legal (AFL) sued the Ethics Commission for the New York State Unified Court System and Judge Juan Merchan for refusing to produce Judge Merchan’s financial disclosures from 2018-2024 as required under the law.

Under New York Law, judges are required to file annual financial disclosures, which are required to be made available for inspection upon request. AFL previously requested these disclosures on June 6, 2024, and has yet to hear back.

On August 30, 2024, AFL sent a demand letter to the Ethics Commission for the New York State Unified Court System, threatening legal action should they fail to hand over Judge Merchan’s financial disclosures. Today, AFL is fulfilling its legal promise and suing to obtain these records.

The public policy behind these rules is plain: to allow parties and members of the public to access conflicts, bias, or prejudice.

Statement from Dan Epstein, America First Legal Vice President:

“The law is clear that judicial financial disclosures must be released to the public. New York’s highest court has stated that such disclosures are necessary for parties before the courts to get a fair shake. The public needs to know what Judge Merchan is hiding or even if he failed to file financial disclosures at all. This is especially important given the fact that Merchan appears to have engaged in unlawful campaign contributions and is on the precipice of criminally sentencing the former President of the United States. Fundamental fairness dictates a resolution of America First Legal’s suit in its favor,” said Dan Epstein.