In a development that could further fuel claims of bias in the ongoing hush-money campaign finance trial involving former President Donald Trump, the judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, has been cautioned by a state ethics panel for making small donations to Democrat-aligned groups during the 2020 election cycle.

The caution comes as the trial enters its fourth week and is likely to be seized upon by Trump and his legal team as evidence of their assertions that Judge Merchan's rulings have been politically motivated. However, the New York state commission on judicial conduct has not disclosed the source of the complaint against Merchan, which relates to a $35 donation made to the Democratic group ActBlue. The donation included $15 earmarked for Biden for President, and $10 each for Progressive Turnout Project and Stop Republicans.

According to Al Baker, spokesperson for the state office of court administration, Judge Merchan acknowledged the complaint, stating that it was dismissed with a caution in July. The commission considers such contributions to be a violation of the rules on prohibited political activity.

In their 2024 annual report, the commission highlighted that several dozen judges had allegedly made prohibited political contributions in recent years, mostly towards candidates for federal office. These contributions are strictly prohibited for judges, including those running for federal office.

The commission's report stated, "Like so much of the misconduct the commission encounters, making a prohibited political contribution is a self-inflicted mistake."

In addition to the caution against Judge Merchan, the commission has also received a complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over a civil business fraud trial involving Trump that resulted in a $454 million fine earlier this year. The complaint, brought by Trump's lawyers, is yet to be adjudicated.

Under commission guidelines, proceedings are typically confidential unless a public censure is issued or the judge decides to make them public.

It is worth noting that Trump has been highly critical of the judges in both cases. In the civil fraud trial, he was censured for making disparaging remarks about Judge Engoron's law clerk, whom he wrongly accused of being Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer's girlfriend. In the ongoing hush-money trial, Trump has drawn attention to Judge Merchan's daughter, who works as a Democratic political consultant.

In response to a motion for Judge Merchan to recuse himself from the case, a separate advisory committee on judicial ethics stated that the political donations did not create an impression of bias or favoritism.

The news of Judge Merchan's cautioned donations comes in the wake of reports from The New York Times revealing that the wife of conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito flew an inverted American flag outside their home following the 2020 election. Alito explained that this action was in response to a Democratic neighbor using a highly offensive insult against his wife.

As the hush-money trial continues, these developments concerning the judges involved have only added to the intense scrutiny and partisan divisions surrounding the case.