Representative Elise Stefanik Lodges Misconduct Complaint Against Judge Juan Merchan

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., has lodged a misconduct complaint against Judge Juan Merchan, alleging that he was not chosen “randomly” to preside over former President Donald Trump’s legal expense trial in New York City.

In a letter sent to the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct on Tuesday, Stefanik called for an investigation into the appointment of Merchan, as reported by The Washington Examiner.

Stefanik pointed out that according to the Uniform Rules for New York State Trial Courts, judges must be assigned in a random manner authorized by the Chief Administrator. She argued that this rule is being disregarded in an effort to convict Trump.

In the letter, Stefanik wrote, “One cannot help but suspect that the ‘random selection’ at work in the assignment of Acting Justice Merchan, a Democrat Party donor, to these cases involving prominent Republicans, is in fact not random at all.” She also sent the letter to Kay-Ann Porter Campbell, the inspector general of the New York State Unified Court System, and requested appropriate disciplinary action if rules were violated.

The complaint questions the repeated assignment of Acting Justice Juan Merchan, a Democrat Party donor, to criminal cases related to Trump and his allies, citing his involvement in other relevant cases in addition to Trump’s legal expense trial.

It remains to be seen if any action will be taken on the complaint as Judge Merchan proceeds with the trial. Rep. Stefanik has previously filed an ethics complaint against Judge Merchan for his potential bias due to his daughter’s consulting work for Democrats.