Former President Donald Trump is making a last-minute plea for a new judge just days before his hush-money criminal trial is set to begin. His legal team is raising concerns about Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan's alleged bias and conflict of interest due to his daughter's involvement as a Democratic political consultant. This move comes as Trump aims to disrupt and delay the case.

In court documents made public on Friday, Trump's lawyers argued that it is improper for Judge Merchan to preside over the proceedings while his daughter benefits financially and reputationally from the negative impact it has on Trump's presidential campaign. The trial, scheduled to start on April 15, is the first of four criminal cases against Trump and would mark the first-ever criminal trial for a former president.

Judge Merchan has yet to rule on Trump's request for recusal. If the judge were to step aside, it would cause significant disruption to the trial schedule, granting Trump a much-desired postponement while a new judge familiarizes themselves with the case. The Manhattan district attorney's office has expressed no reason for Judge Merchan to recuse himself, pointing out the lack of evidence linking his daughter's firm to the case.

Loren Merchan, the judge's daughter, is the president of Authentic Campaigns, a political consulting firm that has garnered at least $70 million in payments from Democratic candidates and causes since its establishment in 2018. Among their clients are President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Senate Majority PAC, an influential political committee associated with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

In a separate development, Judge Merchan recently denied Trump's legal team from obtaining materials related to NBC's documentary about porn actor Stormy Daniels, a key witness in the prosecution's case. The judge deemed the defense's subpoena as a "fishing expedition" that did not meet the legal standards for requiring a news organization to provide access to their notes and documents.

Trump's lawyers have also raised concerns about the fairness of the trial due to alleged prejudicial media coverage. However, Judge Merchan has yet to rule on this delay request.

The hush-money case revolves around allegations that Trump falsified records to conceal payments made to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who aided in burying negative stories during the 2016 campaign. Trump, who pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, denies having had a sexual encounter with Stormy Daniels and asserts that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump used his Truth Social platform to attack Judge Merchan and his daughter, insinuating that the judge's rulings were influenced by her consulting interests. Trump's false claims about Lauren Merchan posting a social media photo of him behind bars led the judge to expand the gag order.

In a similar effort in his Washington, D.C. election interference case, Trump requested the recusal of U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, but she found no reason to step aside. Last year, Judge Merchan rejected the defense's request for recusal, stating that an ethics panel determined that his daughter's work did not impact his impartiality. Trump's lawyers contend that circumstances have changed now that he is facing President Biden in a rematch.

As the trial draws near, the courtroom drama continues to unfold, with the decision regarding Judge Merchan's recusal yet to be determined. The former president's legal team continues to fight against what they perceive as biased treatment, while the Manhattan district attorney's office maintains that Judge Merchan should remain on the case.

The trial is set to capture significant attention as it delves into the complexities of presidential immunity and the alleged hush-money scheme. Both sides are preparing for the historic trial, with the former president expressing concerns about a fair and impartial proceeding while his legal team strives to protect his interests.