On Wednesday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) issued a subpoena to the political consulting firm where Loren Merchan, the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan, serves as the company’s president. The subpoena was sent to Michael Nellis, the founder and CEO of Authentic Campaigns Inc., after the firm “declin[ed] to comply voluntarily with the Committee’s oversight,” including failing to provide any requested documents.
Jordan initiated the investigation into Loren Merchan earlier this month, asserting that her role at the progressive political consulting firm raises potential “conflicts of interest” for her father. Judge Merchan is overseeing the criminal case against Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump in New York, where Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records.
“If Authentic Campaigns provides services to President Trump’s political adversaries, and Authentic Campaigns stands to benefit financially from President Trump’s criminal trial, it creates — at a minimum — the appearance of a conflict of interest for Judge Merchan, who several experts have said should have recused,” Jordan told Blaze News. “After all, he donated to President Biden, imposed an unconstitutional gag order on President Trump, prevented an expert defense witness from providing fulsome testimony, and told the jury they didn’t have to reach a unanimous decision.”
Authentic Campaigns Inc. raised at least $93 million in campaign donations for two of its Democratic clients, in part by sending solicitation emails mentioning Trump’s New York trial. Judge Merchan has consistently rejected attempts by Trump’s legal team to remove him from the case.
In an August letter to Loren Merchan, Jordan wrote, “Experts have raised substantial concerns with Judge Merchan, your father, refusing to recuse himself from President Trump’s case despite your work on behalf of President Trump’s political adversaries and the financial benefit that your firm, Authentic Campaigns Inc., could receive from the prosecution and conviction.”
“At a minimum, there is a perception that you and Authentic Campaigns could profit considerably from President Trump’s prosecution in a forum overseen by your father,” Jordan stated.
Jordan gave Loren Merchan until August 8 to produce “all contracts and invoices” and “all documents and communications” related to campaign work for President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Democratic National Committee, starting from 2023. She was also asked to provide the committee with all political campaigns referencing Trump’s New York case, and all communications between her employers and her father or his staff regarding the case.
In the subpoena notice to Nellis, the House Judiciary Committee accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) of “engag[ing] in an unprecedented abuse of authority by prosecuting a former President of the United States and current nominee for that office.”
“Of relevance to the Committee’s oversight is the impartiality of Judge Juan Merchan, the presiding trial judge, due to his refusal to recuse himself from the case in light of his apparent conflicts of interest and biases.”
Jordan also noted that Nellis has worked, and appears to continue to work, for Harris’ campaign. Nellis, however, has denied claims that the company is currently contracted with Harris’ campaign or the Democratic National Committee.
In response, Nellis posted the subpoena on social media, labeling it as “another abuse of power, aimed at promoting a baseless right-wing conspiracy theory that links our company, Authentic, to Donald Trump’s fraud trial.”
“Let us be clear: these allegations against our company are completely false and purely politically motivated,” Nellis continued. “This is a blatant attempt to intimidate us and divert attention from Donald Trump’s conviction. We refuse to be bullied, and we will not allow House Republicans or MAGA extremists to spread lies about our work. We remain steadfast in our mission and are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our friends and family during this time.”
