Trump
stated that the judge's daughter, Loren Merchan, works for prominent Democrats as a political consultant. The Judge Merchan acknowledged in an
August ruling that his daughter heads digital marketing agency Authentic Campaigns, which works with Democratic candidates and non-profits. The judge said that didn't provide a realistic reason for his recusal, citing
the determination by the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics that the case didn't involve Loren Merchan or her business either "directly or indirectly."