Former Trump lawyer William Brennan said Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the New York financial bribery case involving former President Trump, is a “professional” and “a pleasure” to work with.
Trump has frequently targeted Merchan before and during the hush money trial, lashing out and saying he is conducting an unfair process.
But Brennan praised the judge during an appearance on Fox News’ “Reports from America” on Monday, offering a stark contrast to Trump’s comments.
Brenan described Merchan and Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office, each as “professionals” in their comments Monday.
“As a lawyer who has traveled this country for three and a half decades trying criminal cases, it is a pleasure to work for him. And, frankly, that prosecution team, several of those people, Steinglass was one of them, our case. He’s a professional. It’s much easier when the judge is professional and the prosecution team is professional,” he said.
Brennan is a former Trump Payroll Corporation lawyer who also represented Trump during his second impeachment trial. He also said at the beginning of the interview that Merchan treated him “very well” while arguing before him in a previous payroll tax case.
“I am not the president’s lawyer in this case. I had the opportunity to represent the president in his second impeachment and a payroll tax case before this judge. But in my personal opinion, Judge Merchan treated me very well,” Brennan told Fox News.
“He was a gentleman, he’s smart, he works hard and I don’t really work – it’s above my pay grade to get into political issues. I have no political agenda,” he added.
Trump is charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements made to his former fixer, Michael Cohen, for making a payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep silent about an alleged affair. The former president denied all irregularities and the case.
Trump has frequently targeted Merchan over the case, saying before the trial began that the judge is “crooked” and criticizing him for imposing a gag order on him.
Merchan issued a gag order against Trump before the trial, barring him from hurling insults at witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff or the judge’s family. The gag order does not prevent Trump from criticizing Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Merchan ruled on Monday that Trump violated the gag order for 10th time, warning that additional violations could result in a prison sentence for the former president.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
