Trump trial judge's political donations raise concerns over impartiality.

A former prosecutor has raised concerns about the judge overseeing Former President Trump's criminal case, Judge Juan Merchan, having made political donations to progressive groups in the past, calling it "troubling optics." Federal Election Commission reports show that in 2020, Merchan made contributions to the Biden for President campaign committee, the Progressive Turnout Project, and its subsidiary political action committee called Stop Republicans. The former prosecutor warned that political donations from judges are an ethical conundrum and can hurt public perception of the trial.