WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Senator JD Vance (R-OH) called on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to open a criminal investigation into Judge Juan Merchan for his illegal deprivation of President Donald J. Trump’s First Amendment rights. In his letter, Senator Vance argues Judge Merchan’s conduct against President Trump, including his imposition of a gag order, his refusal to dismiss prospective jurors who harbored obvious anti-Trump bias, and his barring of exculpatory evidence, could amount to criminal deprivation of rights violations under 18 U.S.C. §§ 241–42.
