Former United States President, Donald Trump’s attempt to secure a new judge for his hush money case has been denied as the case moves closer to a crucial ruling and possible sentencing next month.

AP reports that Judge Juan M. Merchan on Wednesday rejected a third request from the Republican presidential nominee’s lawyers to recuse himself from the case.

The lawyers argued that Merchan has a conflict of interest due to his daughter’s role as a political consultant for prominent Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign.

Astate court ethics panel previously determined that Merchan could remain on the case, stating that a relative’s independent political activities do not provide a reasonable basis to question the judge’s impartiality.

Merchan has consistently maintained his ability to handle the case fairly.

However, with Harris now opposing Trump in this year’s presidential election, Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche argued in a letter last month that the defense’s concerns have become “even more concrete.”

Prosecutors have dismissed these claims as “a vexatious and frivolous attempt to relitigate” the issue.