Judge in Trump case donated $15 to BIDEN

State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over former President Donald Trump's hush-money case, gave President Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign a $15 donation.

NBC News reported late Wednesday that Merchan gave a small dollar donation to the Democrat on July 26, 2020. 

A day later, he gave two left-leaning groups Stop Republicans and Progressive Turnout Project donations of $10 each. 

While it's not uncommon for judges to give money to political candidates, the revelations will help Trump characterize Merchan as a 'Trump-hater' - as Trump was running against Biden at the time of the donation - as he did Tuesday night at Mar-a-Lago after spending the day in criminal court. 

Trump's targeting of Merchan and his family - including a daughter who works in Democratic politics - has the judge under heightened protection. 

State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over former President Donald Trump's hush-money case, gave President Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign a $15 donation 

Earlier this week The New York Daily News reported that Merchan had received dozens of death threats since Trump's highly public court battle. 

During Tuesday's court proceeding Merchan asked the former president and current presidential candidate to tone it down, after he encouraged supporters to 'protest!' as the indictment hung over Trump's head. 

Instead, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago and blasted Merchan and his wife and daughter during an event in the Florida estate's ballroom surrounded by supporters and press. 

'I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign and a lot of it,' Trump charged from the podium at his Florida home and resort.

Merchan's daughter Loren, 34, is president and partner of a progressive digital form called Authentic campaigns, where she's worked for a number of Democratic causes and campaigns. 

She was the digital director for Harris' short-lived 2020 presidential bid.  

'I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign and a lot of it,' Trump charged from the podium at his Florida home and resort

Merchan's 34-year-old daughter Loren (right) works for consulting firm Authentic Campaigns, which counts, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Biden-Harris campaign, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Rep. Adam Schiff among its past clients 

Merchan was at the center of negotiations in 2021 that led to the Trump Organization's longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg pleading guilty to charges that he skipped out on taxes over big-dollar perks he took in from the company - like Manhattan apartments, a car and school tuition.

On Friday, Trump declared on social media that Merchan 'HATES ME' and is the same person who 'railroaded' my 75-year-old former CFO, Weisselberg, to take a 'plea' deal.' 

Weisselberg, who received a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying against the Trump Organization, is spending his five-month sentence at Rikers Island in Queens and is expected to be released on April 19.

After Weisselberg testified, Merchan said he was particularly struck by Weisselberg's wife receiving a one-time $6,000 payment from the company for a no-show job so that she would qualify for Social Security, even as her husband was making a lot of money.

'So many Americans work so hard with the hopes that they may someday benefit from their contributions to Social Security,' the judge said.

Merchan said he would have imposed a 'stiffer sentence' if he hadn't already agreed to the five-month plea deal.