The New York judge presiding over the state’s civil fraud case against Donald Trump rejected the former president’s request for a mistrial, saying it was “utterly without merit.”

Judge Arthur Engoron on Friday rejected claims that his principal law clerk was biased against Trump, whose defense team has complained is constantly conferring with the judge to make it appear they were co-judging the case.

“As I have made clear over the course of this trial, my rulings are mine and mine alone,” Engoron said. “There is absolutely no ‘co-judging’ at play.”