Trump demands new judge days before start of hush-money trial

NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump is demanding a new judge just days before his hushmoney criminal trial is set to begin, rehashing longstanding grievances with the current judge in a longshot, eleventh-hour bid to disrupt and delay the case.

Mr. Trump’s lawyers — echoing his recent social media complaints — urged Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan to step aside from the case, alleging bias and a conflict of interest because his daughter is a Democratic political consultant. The judge rejected a similar request last August.

In court papers made public Friday, Mr. Trump’s lawyers said it is improper for Judge Merchan “to preside over these proceedings while Ms. Merchan benefits, financially and reputationally, from the manner in which this case is interfering” with Mr. Trump’s campaign as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

The trial is scheduled to begin April 15.

It is the first of Mr. Trump’s four criminal cases scheduled to go to trial and would be the first-ever criminal trial of a former president.

Judge Merchan didn’t immediately rule. The decision is entirely up to him.

If he were to exit, it would throw the trial schedule into disarray, giving Mr. Trump along sought postponement while a new judge gets up to speed.

Messages seeking comment were left for a court spokesperson and for Judge Merchan’s daughter, Loren Merchan. The Manhattan district attorney’s office said it sees no reason for Judge Merchan to step aside.

In a separate development Friday, Judge Merchan blocked Mr. Trump’s lawyers from forcing NBC to provide them with materials related to its recent documentary about porn actor Stormy Daniels, a key prosecution witness.