MINNEAPOLIS — Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods, Clemens Foods, Seaboard Foods, Triumph Foods and Agri Stats — all defendants in an antitrust lawsuit for pork price fixing — filed for a recusal of a federal judge’s recent court rulings on April 28.

The defendants argued that US District Judge John Tunheim’s recent Daubert and summary judgment opinions were biased after the group made allegations against one of the law clerks having potential conflicts of interests.

“The law is clear … recusal is required if a judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned by the average person on the streets who knows the relevant facts,” the defendants said. “A law clerk’s conduct, moreover, can be imputed to a judge. This is particularly true where, as here, the clerk assisted with substantive decisions.”

According to the court filing, the clerk in question has worked for three different firms suing protein companies for antitrust violations in relation to Agri Stats.

Additionally, the clerk has a pending offer of employment from one of the leading plaintiffs’ firms in the Agri Stats antitrust cases, according to the defendants.

Other allegations of conflict by the defendants include the clerk announcing that one of his former employers was suing Agri Stats and explicitly identifying the case on social media. According to the motion, the clerk “publicly embraced” the plaintiffs’ attorneys in the courtroom immediately following the oral argument on the Daubert motions.

“The bell cannot be unrung,” the defendants wrote. “That is especially so in this high-profile litigation involving tens of millions of purchasers that threatens devastating consequences for the pork industry.”

Last week, three of the pork processors agreed to pay a total of $64 million to settle claims that the companies conspired to manipulate pork prices for consumers and other purchasers. Specifically, Tyson agreed to pay $50 million, Clemens agreed to pay $10 million and Triumph Foods agreed to pay $4 million.

With those settlement agreements, the case surmounted to more than $180 million in relief. Previous settlements were made with JBS USA, Smithfield Foods, Hormel Foods and Seaboard Foods.

Many of these pork lawsuits date back to 2018 when the plaintiffs alleged the companies engaged in a price-fixing scheme to raise pork prices.