Steve Bannon’s upcoming criminal fraud trial in New York has undergone a judicial reassignment, with a new judge set to preside over the case separate from the judge who handled Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Judge Juan Merchan, originally assigned to Bannon’s trial, has been reassigned due to scheduling conflicts, according to the office of court administration.
The reassignment places Bannon’s trial under the oversight of Judge April Newbauer, with his first appearance scheduled for July 23. This change comes as Bannon faces charges related to alleged fraud in the “We Build the Wall” campaign, where he stands accused of money laundering, conspiracy, and fraud related to fundraising efforts for a US-Mexico border wall. Despite the trial’s initial scheduling challenges, proceedings are set to proceed under Judge Newbauer, while Bannon concurrently faces imprisonment for defying a congressional subpoena in a separate case.
