Judge in Trump's hush money case declines to recuse himself for a third time

• Trump was convicted in May for falsifying business records in connection with a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels over an alleged sexual encounter.
• The jury's verdict made Trump the first former president convicted of a felony in U.S. history. He has sought to have the conviction tossed.

Driving the news: Trump's lawyers had argued Merchan should step aside over his daughter's affiliation with a political consultancy that worked for Vice President Kamala Harris' 2020 presidential campaign.

• They have argued in legal filings that it constituted a conflict of interest, Reuters reported.
• Trump's team had raised similar claims in two previous unsuccessful requests to get Merchan to recuse himself.
• In his ruling dated Tuesday, Merchan described the defense's claims as "rife with inaccuracies" and had "merely repeated arguments that have already been denied by this and higher courts."

What they're saying: "This Court now reiterates for the third time, that which should already be clear — innuendo and mischaracterizations do not a conflict create," he wrote. "Recusal is therefore not necessary, much less required."

What's next: Merchan is scheduled on Sept. 16 to rule on a request from Trump to throw out his guilty verdict in light of the Supreme Court's ruling that presidents have immunity for "official acts."

• Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in the case on Sept. 18.

Go deeper: Judge overseeing Trump's hush money case declines to recuse himself