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Now that former President Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury in connection to a hush-money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, attention will no doubt turn to his arraignment and potential trial.
The judge handling the unusual and historic case is Juan Manuel Merchan, a veteran of the New York court system who has spent more than 15 years on the bench and is no stranger to high-profile prosecutions — particularly those involving Trump and his associates.
This is perhaps Merchan’s most noteworthy case yet, as it’s the first time that a former U.S. president has ever been charged with a crime.
Trump, who denies any wrongdoing, is expected to appear in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday for his arraignment.
The former president has already aired his opinion about the judge presiding over his case, saying in a post on Truth Social last week that Merchan « hates me » and that the judge « railroaded » Trump’s former chief financial officer into pleading guilty in a tax fraud case.Merchan has overseen other cases related to Trump
Last year, Merchan oversaw the closely-watched criminal tax fraud case against Trump’s company, which was ultimately found guilty by a Manhattan jury.
