Judge assigned to Trump facing impeachment calls from Republicans

Here we go again…

Once more, a judge assigned to a Trump case challenging his presidential powers turns out to be a Democrat loyalist.

Judge Engoron

Donald Trump has a long history of drawing the wrong judge in his cases, dating back to when Democrats were trying to take him out before the election.

At the top of that list is Judge Arthur Engoron, who presided over the civil case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Engoron had donated more than $5,000 to Democrats over the course of his career. Not an earth-shattering amount, but it does show his allegiance.

It also helps explain why Engoron had more or less decided about Trump before the case started, issuing a partial summary judgment before a single piece of evidence had ever been discussed in the courtroom.

Judge Merchan

Judge Juan Merchan was another interesting case, with Merchan presiding over the case brought by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg regarding the Trump hush money payments.

Merchan’s daughter worked for numerous high-profile Democrats, and as this case progressed, it became quite clear she was using the case to drive donor money to her clients.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) was among the Republicans who wanted to see Merchan recused from the case, stating, “As such, the Committee is left with no choice but to resort to compulsory process. Popularly elected prosecutors, such as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, have engaged in an unprecedented abuse of authority by prosecuting a former President of the United States and current nominee for that office.

“Of relevance to the Committee’s oversight is the impartiality of Judge Juan Merchan, the presiding trial judge, due to his refusal to recuse himself from the case in light of his apparent conflicts of interest and biases.”

Judge Amir Ali

Like other judges before him that have been assigned to cases, Judge Ali has a reported history of having donated to Democrat campaigns, including Joe Biden’s. FEC records show that Ali had donated $2,000 to Biden’s 2020 campaign. He also donated to numerous other Democrat candidates via ActBlue.

Ali is presiding over the case brought against Trump by the DNC, challenging Trump’s control over government agencies, such as the FEC. The lawsuit claims, “The extinction of the FEC’s independence—and replacement with the President’s decree—severely harms Plaintiffs by placing the head of the opposing political party in charge of interpreting campaign finance law for the executive branch.”

Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) has now filed impeachment papers against Ali, arguing, “Judge Ali has without merit marginalized the President’s Article II authority, which vests the power to conduct foreign policy in the President of the United States, and has further compromised the President’s fiduciary obligation to review federal agencies and programs. This patent violation of Constitutional precedent—which necessarily precludes an explanation based on ignorance of the supreme law of the land—is entirely inconsistent with serving the United States as a district court judge.”

I wish I could say that I think Ogles’ efforts will pay off, but I doubt that will be the case. He simply does not have the numbers in Congress to pass the impeachment. It will, however, allow the GOP to expose the Democrat operatives on the bench and with a little luck, perhaps it will force Ali to recuse himself from the case.