Ethics Panel Dismisses Complaint Against Judge Over Minor Political Donations Amid Trump Trial

Last summer, a state ethics panel dismissed a complaint against Judge Juan M. Merchan of New York, who is currently presiding over former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial related to hush money payments.

The complaint, which centered on minor political donations made by Judge Merchan, was thrown out by the panel. These donations included small-dollar contributions to Democratic political campaigns, such as President Joe Biden’s campaign. In total, Judge Merchan donated $35 in 2020, which included $15 specifically for the Biden campaign and $10 to a group called “Stop Republicans.”

According to state judicial ethics rules, judges are prohibited from making political contributions of any kind. Despite this, Judge Merchan’s donations led to the complaint being filed against him.

Al Baker, a spokesman for the court system, stated, “Justice Merchan said the complaint, from more than a year ago, was dismissed in July with a caution.” However, the commission did not release the letter outlining the caution due to confidentiality rules, and Justice Merchan chose not to make the letter public.

Robert Tembeckjian, the commission’s administrator, explained, “The Commission on Judicial Conduct is governed by a confidentiality statute and cannot comment on nonpublic dispositions.”

The 2024 annual report of the commission highlighted that several New York judges have violated the rule prohibiting political contributions in recent years. These infringements were often met with minimal punishment, as some judges seemed to believe that the rules applied only to official organizations. However, the law clearly states that judges are forbidden from making donations to political campaigns, including contributions for federal office candidacies.

The commission noted, “Like so much of the misconduct the Commission encounters, making a prohibited political contribution is a self-inflicted mistake.”

In addition to the complaint against Judge Merchan, Trump’s legal team also scrutinized the judge’s adult daughter for her work at a Democratic consulting firm. Despite these claims, Justice Merchan declined to recuse himself from the case, and appeals court judges did not intervene.

The trial, now nearing its conclusion, revolves around a $130,000 hush-money payment made to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels during the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels alleges that she had a sexual encounter with Trump, and the payment, made by Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen, was intended to ensure her silence.

Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover up his reimbursement of Cohen, misrepresenting the payments as routine legal expenses. The former president has consistently denied the accusations and has criticized both Justice Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, who brought the case. Trump has claimed that both are Democrats and are colluding against him.