Gee, what could go wrong…. A 92-year-old Clinton-appointed judge, Alvin Hellerstein, will be running the Maduro trial in New York. Anyone else see any problems with this? BREAKING: The Maduro case is heading to a Clinton-appointed judge. Meet Alvin Hellerstein — 92 years old, appointed by Bill Clinton, and a judge who has ruled against Trump in the past. Now this judge is set to oversee one of the most explosive international criminal cases in… pic.twitter.com/Ta8ARBGzlc — Tony Lane (@TonyLaneNV) January 4, 2026 Here is a full bio for the Judge, including his deep Democrat ties and history of anti-Trump rulings: Full Biography of Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein Alvin Kenneth Hellerstein was born on December 28, 1933, in New York City, making him 92 years old as of January 2026. He grew up in a Jewish family and has been an active member of the Orthodox Jewish community throughout his life, including serving on the board of the Jewish Theological Seminary and other religious organizations. Education and Early Career Hellerstein earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College in 1954 and his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 1956, where he was an editor of the Columbia Law Review. After law school, he served as a law clerk for Judge Edmund L. Palmieri of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 1956 to 1957. Following his clerkship, Hellerstein entered private practice, joining the law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in New York City, where he worked from 1957 to 1998 (with a brief interruption for military service). He served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1960, attaining the rank of first lieutenant in the infantry. Private Practice At Stroock, Hellerstein became a partner and specialized in complex litigation, including antitrust, securities, and commercial disputes. Notably, during his time in private practice, he performed some legal work for Donald Trump and his businesses in the 1980s and 1990s, though this was limited and did not create a conflict of interest in later cases involving Trump. Judicial Appointment and Tenure In 1998, Hellerstein was nominated by Democratic President Bill Clinton to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, vacated by Judge Louis L. Stanton. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 21, 1998, and received his commission on October 22, 1998. Hellerstein assumed senior status on January 30, 2011, but has remained active on the bench, handling a reduced caseload while continuing to preside over high-profile matters. He is known for his extensive experience in complex civil litigation, including overseeing thousands of lawsuits related to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, where he managed compensation claims for victims’ families and first responders. Hellerstein has also handled major fraud, antitrust, and international cases, earning a reputation as a no-nonsense, efficient jurist who emphasizes settlement and procedural fairness. Democratic Ties Hellerstein’s primary tie to the Democratic Party stems from his appointment by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, in 1998. This nomination came during Clinton’s second term, and Hellerstein was supported by New York Democratic Senators Charles Schumer and Daniel Patrick Moynihan during his confirmation process. There are no records of Hellerstein making significant political donations, holding partisan offices, or engaging in overt political activism. However, his appointment by a Democratic president and his rulings in certain cases have led some critics to label him as having liberal or Democratic leanings, particularly in civil liberties and immigration matters. For instance, he has ruled against government secrecy in cases involving the CIA and ACLU challenges, though he has also sided with the government in other national security disputes. No other explicit Democratic affiliations, such as party membership or endorsements, are documented in public sources. Notable Rulings Against Trump Hellerstein has issued several rulings in cases involving President Donald Trump that were unfavorable to Trump’s positions, contributing to perceptions of bias among some conservative commentators. Key examples include: Denial of Hush-Money Case Transfer (2023): In July 2023, Hellerstein rejected Trump’s request to move his New York state criminal hush-money case (involving payments to Stormy Daniels) to federal court. He ruled that the allegations pertained to Trump’s personal life and campaign activities, not official presidential duties, and thus did not warrant federal jurisdiction. This kept the case in state court under Judge Juan Merchan. (Note: A federal appeals panel later ruled in November 2025 that Hellerstein erred by not fully considering certain issues in Trump’s request, though this did not reverse the outcome.) Presidential Immunity in Hush-Money Case (2024): Hellerstein ruled that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity did not apply to Trump’s hush-money conviction, as the conduct involved was not part of official presidential acts. Blocking Use of Alien Enemies Act (2025): In a 2025 ruling, Hellerstein invalidated President Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport Venezuelan nationals en masse, deeming it unconstitutional and an overreach of executive authority in immigration enforcement. Judicial Philosophy These rulings align with Hellerstein’s broader judicial philosophy, which often emphasizes constitutional limits on executive power and procedural due process. However, he has also ruled in favor of Trump-related interests in other contexts, such as allowing him to continue in certain proceedings despite past legal connections. Overall, Hellerstein’s docket reflects a mix of outcomes, but his decisions in Trump cases have fueled debates about judicial impartiality in polarized political environments.