Quick Hit:

Senator JD Vance (R-OH) has called on the U.S. Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into Judge Juan Merchan for alleged illegal deprivation of President Donald J. Trump's First Amendment rights. Vance argues that Merchan's conduct, including the imposition of a gag order and refusal to dismiss biased jurors, could amount to criminal deprivation of rights violations.

Key Details:

• Senator Vance's call for investigation is based on Judge Merchan's conduct against President Trump, which includes the imposition of a gag order, refusal to dismiss prospective jurors with anti-Trump bias, and barring of exculpatory evidence.
• Merchan's actions could potentially violate 18 U.S. C. §§ 241–42, which criminalize conspiracies to "injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate" others from enjoying their federally protected rights and prohibit any person acting under color of law from depriving individuals of their rights under the Constitution and federal law.
• Merchan's daughter Loren, a fundraiser for Democratic officials and organizations, is considered a potential beneficiary of Merchan's biased rulings, having helped her clients raise $93 million from donors during Trump's trial in New York.

Diving Deeper:

Senator Vance's call for a criminal investigation into Judge Merchan's conduct is a significant development in the ongoing legal battles involving former President Trump. Vance argues that Merchan's actions, including the imposition of a gag order on Trump and refusal to dismiss jurors with clear anti-Trump bias, could amount to criminal deprivation of rights violations under 18 U.S. C. §§ 241–42.

These statutes criminalize conspiracies to "injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate" others from enjoying their federally protected rights and prohibit any person acting under color of law from depriving individuals of their rights under the Constitution and federal law. Vance's letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland suggests that Merchan's conduct could fall under these statutes, warranting a criminal investigation.

Furthermore, Vance points to potential beneficiaries of Merchan's alleged biased rulings, including his daughter Loren. As a fundraiser for Democratic officials and organizations, Loren Merchan helped her clients raise $93 million from donors during Trump's trial in New York, partly by invoking the case and smearing the defendant in solicitation emails.

Prosecutors in the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, including Christopher Conroy, Matthew Colangelo, and Bragg himself, have also been implicated as potential coconspirators. Vance's letter suggests that these individuals may have urged Merchan to deprive President Trump of his First Amendment rights in court filings and oral advocacy.

This call for a criminal investigation into Judge Merchan's conduct adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal saga involving former President Trump, and it remains to be seen how the Department of Justice will respond.