Trump lashes out at judge who may preside over hush-money case

Former President Donald Trump lashed out on social media Friday at the New York City judge who is expected to preside over his arraignment next week in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, claimed Justice Juan Merchan “railroaded” former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg, who is currently serving time on Rikers Island after pleading guilty to a slew of tax fraud charges. 

“The Judge ‘assigned’ to my Witch Hunt Case, a ‘Case’ that has NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE, HATES ME. His name is Juan Manuel Marchan, was hand picked by Bragg & the Prosecutors,” Trump wrote, misspelling Merchan’s name. 

A spokesperson for New York State Courts told The Post the District Attorney’s Office “absolutely” does not hand pick judges for a given case.  

Trump continued that Merchan “is the same person who ‘railroaded’ my 75 year old former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, to take a ‘plea’ deal (Plead GUILTY, even if you are not, 90 DAYS, fight us in Court, 10 years (life!) in jail.”

He added: “He strong armed Allen, which a judge is not allowed to do, & treated my companies, which didn’t “plead,” VICIOUSLY. APPEALING!”

As part of his guilty plea in the tax fraud case, Weisselberg testified against the Trump Organization at trial last year – but reportedly did not cooperate with District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s grand jury probe. 

Sources told the post that Merchan is scheduled preside over Trump’s arraignment — which is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. next Tuesday — on charges connected to hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, though it is possible that could change.

Merchan presided over the trial in Manhattan Supreme Court, which ended in a conviction of two Trump Organization companies on a number of charges for criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. 

Merchan is a seasoned jurist who has more than 16 years on the bench who grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens after moving to New York from Colombia with his family when he was 6 years old, the New York Times reported. 

He earned a degree from Baruch College and graduated law school at Hofstra University. After law school, he served stints as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan and as an attorney in the State Attorney General’s office, according to the report. 

Then-mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed him to the bench in Bronx Family Court in 2006. He graduated to a position as an acting justice in State Supreme court. 

Trump was indicted on some 30 counts by a grand jury in Manhattan Thursday for allegedly falsifying business records related to a hush-money payment made to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. 

The indictment was filed under seal and the exact details of the charges are not known.