On a recent Wednesday, Donald Trump brought attention to a blog post by Laura Loomer, a staunch supporter of the MAGA movement, which scrutinizes the connections between Judge Juan Merchan’s wife and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Trump shared the article titled “More of Judge Merchan’s Anti-Trump Bias Exposed as New York AG Letitia James Employed Merchan’s Wife and The Democrat Attorney’s General Association Paid Loren Merchan’s Authentic Campaigns Company” from Loomer’s blog “Loomered” on his Truth Social platform without adding any personal comments or captions.
This move by Trump raises questions about whether it’s an attempt to circumnavigate the comprehensive gag order that Judge Merchan recently reinforced. This order not only restricts public commentary about jurors, witnesses, and court personnel but also extends to the families of both the judge and the prosecutor involved in the ongoing case.
The expansion of this gag order came after Judge Merchan’s daughter became a direct target of a series of aggressive posts on Truth Social. In her contentious article, Loomer, known for her far-right activism, presents documents that she claims to show Lara Merchan, the judge’s wife, as having been on the payroll of the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
According to Loomer, public records reveal Lara Merchan’s employment in James’ office spanning from 2009 to 2022, noting that James assumed the role of New York AG in 2019. Loomer emphasizes that throughout Lara Merchan’s tenure, the AG’s office was under Democratic leadership.
Attorney General Letitia James has been at the forefront of a significant civil fraud lawsuit against Donald Trump and The Trump Organization, accusing them of inflating asset values to secure favorable loans and transactions. Despite a ruling by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, which found Trump and his associates guilty of fraud, leading to a $454 million disgorgement judgment, Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing and is currently appealing the decision.
It’s important to note, however, that James is not involved in the impending criminal trial set to commence on April 15. The case, often referred to as the “hush money case,” is being prosecuted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
This case levies 34 counts of business record falsification against the former president, related to alleged efforts to suppress information about extramarital affairs with adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal during the 2016 presidential campaign.