Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing corrupt Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against President Trump could himself face an ethics complaint and investigation for violating New York’s code of judicial conduct.
The New York Code of Judicial Conduct states that sitting judges are prohibited from directly or indirectly engaging in any political activity, including making contributions to political organizations or candidates. Judge Juan Merchan’s three donations to Democrats during the 2020 election could be a violation of this rule.
According to FEC records, Judge Juan Merchan made three donations through ActBlue to Democrats in 2020, which include $15 to Biden for President and $10 each to Progressive Turnout Project and Stop Republicans.
The fundraising platform ActBlue is the payment processor for the majority of Democrats’ political contributions in the 2020 campaign cycle, according to The DC Patriot.
Section 100.5 A judge or candidate for elective judicial office shall refrain from inappropriate political activity: “making a contribution to a political organization or candidate”.
Political Contributions. A sitting judge may not make political contributions at any time, even to a U.S. presidential candidate or to a federal congressional candidate outside of New York State.
Below are screenshots of Judge Juan Merchan’s political contributions via fec.gov:
Breitbart reported:
According to Stephen Gillers, a legal ethics expert and law professor at New York University, such donations are forbidden.
“The contribution to Biden and possibly the one to ‘Stop Republicans’ would be forbidden unless there is some other explanation that would allow them,” Gillers told CNN on Thursday.
Gillers told Breitbart News in an email on Wednesday that violations of the N.Y. Code of Judicial Conduct would be investigated by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct and could potentially result in removal.
“Violations can lead to a warning, private discipline, public discipline and more serious sanctions like removal. Serious discipline (e.g. removal) is decided by the N.Y. Court of Appeals,” he said.
