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The Morning Rundown™

Judge rejects Trump request to dismiss defamation lawsuit: June 30 rundown


A federal judge ruled writer E. Jean Carroll is allowed to continue on with her second defamation lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, and the NFL is cracking down on its players violating the league’s sports betting rules. These stories and more highlight the rundown for Friday, June 30, 2023.

Judge rejects Trump request to dismiss E. Jean Carroll lawsuit

A federal judge has rejected a request from former president Trump to dismiss a second defamation lawsuit brought against him by Carroll. She was awarded $5 million back in May after Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation.

After the verdict, Trump doubled down on his innocence at a CNN  town hall, prompting Carroll to file the second defamation lawsuit. This time, Carroll is seeking $10 million in damages.

Trump had tried to get the latest defamation lawsuit thrown out on the grounds that he is entitled to absolute presidential immunity, his statements were not defamatory, and that his statements were opinion protected by free-speech rights. Trump countersued Carroll earlier this week, claiming she has libeled him by continuing to insist that he raped her even after a jury found otherwise in the original verdict.

Russian general detained following Wagner rebellion

A Russian general has been detained in response to the recent Wagner Group rebellion. Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of the Russian group of forces fighting in Ukraine, hasn’t been seen since the start of the rebellion when he posted a video urging an end to it. It isn’t clear where Gen. Surovikin is being held, or if he has been charged with anything.

Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has spoken positively of Surovikin, while criticizing other Russian military leaders. This week, The New York Times reported that U.S. officials believe Surovikin had advanced knowledge of Prigozhin’s plan to stage the rebellion.

U.S., Netherlands impose semiconductor regulations 

The U.S. and the Netherlands announced they will be restricting their semiconductor chips from being made in China. It’s part of an effort to prevent the technology from being used to strengthen China’s military.

Starting in September, Dutch machines that make advanced processor chips will be required to have an export license before they can be sold overseas. With the change, China’s access to equipment that can be used in military technology will be largely out of reach.

The Netherlands said the new regulations are in the best interest of national security. The Biden administration made a similar move back in October,  imposing their own export controls and urging others to follow suit.

Hundreds arrested in French police shooting protests

Thousands of protesters have swept the streets of France for a third night following the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old that was captured on video. More than 600 people were arrested Thursday, June 29. More than half of those arrests took place in and around Paris.

On Tuesday, June 27, police conducted a traffic stop resulting in the killing of a 17-year-old boy. Video that surfaced on social media shows two officers, a gun drawn, and as the 17-year-old attempts to drive away, an officer is seen firing his gun. 

NFL suspends 4 players for sports betting

In its latest effort to crack down on players violating its gambling policy, the NFL suspended Indianapolis Colts cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and defensive end Rashod Berry at least through the entire 2023 season. Following the suspensions, the Colts waived both players from their rosters.

Free agent defensive end Demetrius Taylor received the same punishment from the NFL. Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Nicholas Petit-Frere received a six-game suspension for betting on non-NFL games at team facilities.

Petit-Frere said all of his sports betting was done legally. But since he made them at team facilities, he was reprimanded by the league.

Thursday’s suspension come after the NFL suspended five other players for similar violations back in April.

Travis Scott not be criminally charged for Astroworld concert deaths

A Texas grand jury has determined rapper Travis Scott will not be held criminally responsible for a crowd rush at a music festival that killed 10 people. Scott was performing at Astroworld in November of 2021 when a crowd of about 50,000 people began pushing toward the stage.

Victims between the ages of 9 and 27 all died from compression-asphyxia. More than 2,400 other concert-goers required medical treatment.

Hundreds of lawsuits accused Scott of negligence.  Following the grand jury’s decision, a lawyer for Scott said he is ready to look forward.

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KARAH RUCKER: 

COMING UP — 

A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS RULED THAT WRITER E. JEAN CARROLL IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE ON WITH HER SECOND LAWSUIT AGAINST TRUMP —

WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT FIRING BACK WITH A LAWSUIT OF HIS OWN.

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AND —

THE N-F-L IS CRACKING DOWN ON ITS PLAYERS VIOLATING THE LEAGUE’S SPORTS GAMBLING RULES.

WHICH STARS WERE CAUGHT — AND WILL NO LONGER BE PLAYING IN THE 2023 SEASON.

{THE RUNDOWN OPEN}

{ANCHOR}

[KARAH NAME SUPER]

THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS. 

BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

 

JUDGE REJECTS TRUMP REQUEST TO DISMISS E. JEAN CARROLL LAWSUIT

 

A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS REJECTED A REQUEST FROM FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TO DISMISS A SECOND LAWSUIT BROUGHT AGAINST HIM BY WRITER E. JEAN CARROLL.

 

CARROLL WAS AWARDED FIVE MILLION DOLLARS AFTER TRUMP WAS FOUND LIABLE FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AND DEFAMATION LAST MONTH.

AFTER THE VERDICT — TRUMP DOUBLED DOWN ON HIS INNOCENCE AT A C-N-N TOWN HALL — PROMPTING CARROLL TO FILE THE SECOND DEFAMATION LAWSUIT — THIS TIME SEEKING 10 MILLION IN DAMAGES.

 

TRUMP HAD TRIED TO GET THIS ONE THROWN OUT ON THE GROUNDS THAT HE IS ENTITLED TO ABSOLUTE PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY — HIS STATEMENTS WERE NOT DEFAMATORY — AND THAT HIS STATEMENTS WERE OPINION PROTECTED BY FREE-SPEECH RIGHTS.

 

EARLIER THIS WEEK — TRUMP COUNTERSUED CARROLL — CLAIMING SHE HAS LIBELED HIM BY CONTINUING TO INSIST THAT HE RAPED HER — 

EVEN AFTER A JURY FOUND OTHERWISE IN THE ORIGINAL VERDICT.

 

RUSSIAN GENERAL DETAINED FOLLOWING WAGNER REBELLION

 

NEW FALLOUT — A WEEK AFTER THE WAGNER GROUP STAGED A REBELLION AGAINST RUSSIA. WE’VE NOW LEARNED A RUSSIAN GENERAL HAS BEEN DETAINED IN RESPONSE.

 

GENERAL SERGEI SUROVIKIN — THE DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE RUSSIAN GROUP OF FORCES FIGHTING IN UKRAINE — HASN’T BEEN SEEN SINCE THE START OF THE REBELLION — WHEN HE POSTED A VIDEO URGING AN END TO IT.

IT ISN’T CLEAR WHERE SUROVIKIN IS BEING HELD — OR IF HE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ANYTHING.

 

WAGNER GROUP CHIEF YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN HAS SPOKEN POSITIVELY OF SUROVIKIN — WHILE CRITICIZING OTHER RUSSIAN MILITARY LEADERS.

THIS WEEK — THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED THAT U-S OFFICIALS BELIEVE SUROVIKIN HAD ADVANCE-KNOWLEDGE OF PRIGOZHIN’S PLAN TO STAGE THE REBELLION.

 

U.S., NETHERLANDS IMPOSE SEMICONDUCTOR REGULATIONS 

 

THE U.S. AND THE NETHERLANDS ARE RESTRICTING THEIR SEMICONDUCTOR-CHIPS FROM BEING MADE IN CHINA – IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT THEIR TECHNOLOGY FROM BEING USED TO STRENGTHEN CHINA’S MILITARY.

 

DUTCH MACHINES THAT MAKE ADVANCED PROCESSOR CHIPS WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN EXPORT LICENSE BEFORE THEY CAN BE SOLD OVERSEAS STARTING IN SEPTEMBER.

 

BY DOING THIS –CHINA’S ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT THAT CAN BE USED IN MILITARY TECHNOLOGY WILL BE LARGELY OUT OF REACH.

THE NETHERLANDS SAID THE NEW REGULATIONS ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF NATIONAL SECURITY.

 

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MADE A SIMILAR MOVE BACK IN OCTOBER — IMPOSING THEIR OWN EXPORT CONTROLS AND URGING OTHERS TO FOLLOW SUIT.

 

HUNDREDS ARRESTED IN FRENCH POLICE SHOOTING PROTESTS

 

THERE IS UNREST IN THE COUNTRY OF FRANCE AS THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS HAVE SWEPT THE STREETS FOR A THIRD NIGHT FOLLOWING THE FATAL POLICE SHOOTING OF A 17-YEAR-OLD THAT WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO.

 

MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED ON THURSDAY AS THE PROTESTS HAVE BECOME UNRULY –MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE ARRESTS TAKING PLACE IN-AND-AROUND PARIS. BUILDING HAVE BEEN SET ABLAZE, DOZENS OF CARS SET ON FIRE, MARCHES HAVE REPORTEDLY TURNED VIOLENT, AND FIREWORKS THROWN AT POLICE SETS THE SCENE OF FURY RAGING IN THE STREETS OF FRANCE.

 

ON TUESDAY – POLICE CONDUCTED A TRAFFIC STOP RESULTING IN THE KILLING OF A 17 YEAR OLD MALE. VIDEO THAT SURFACED ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHOW TWO OFFICERS — A GUN DRAWN — AND AS THE 17 YEAR OLD DRIVER ATTEMPTS TO DRIVE AWAY —

AN OFFICER IS SEEN FIRING HIS GUN. 

 

NFL SUSPENDS 4 PLAYERS FOR SPORTS BETTING

 

THE NFL IS CRACKING DOWN ON PLAYERS VIOLATING THE LEAGUE’S GAMBLING POLICY – SUSPENDING THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CORNERBACK ISAIAH RODGERS AND DEFENSIVE END RASHOD BERRY AT LEAST THROUGH THE ENTIRE 2023 SEASON.

FOLLOWING THE SUSPENSIONS — THE COLTS WAIVED BOTH PLAYERS FROM THEIR ROSTERS.

 

FREE AGENT DEFENSIVE END DEMETRIUS TAYLOR RECEIVED THE SAME PUNISHMENT FROM THE NFL.

 

TENNESSEE TITANS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN NICHOLAS PETIT-FRER” ALSO RECEIVED A SIX-GAME SUSPENSION FOR BETTING ON NON-NFL GAMES AT TEAM FACILITIES.

PETIT-FRERE SAID ALL OF HIS SPORTS BETTING WAS DONE LEGALLY – BUT SINCE HE MADE THEM AT TEAM FACILITIES – THAT’S WHY HE WAS REPRIMANDED BY THE LEAGUE.

 

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE LEAGUE CRACKING DOWN ON GAMBLING —

SUSPENDING FIVE OTHER PLAYERS BACK IN APRIL.

 

NATHANIEL GROW | ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS LAW: “The league views these gambling issues as a significant threat to the integrity of their competition, that the league does not want players betting on their own games, whether they’re betting on their team to win or on their team to lose, either way that raises a variety of concerns.”

 

TRAVIS SCOTT NOT BE CRIMINALLY CHARGED FOR ASTROWORLD CONCERT DEATHS

 

A TEXAS GRAND JURY HAS DETERMINED RAPPER “TRAVIS SCOTT” WILL NOT BE HELD “CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE” FOR A CROWD RUSH AT A MUSIC FESTIVAL THAT KILLED 10 PEOPLE.

 

SCOTT WAS PERFORMING AT ASTROWORLD IN NOVEMBER OF 2021 WHEN A CROWD OF ABOUT 50,000 PEOPLE BEGAN PUSHING TOWARD THE STAGE. VICTIMS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 9 AND 27 ALL DIED FROM COMPRESSION-ASPHYXIA.

 

MORE THAN 2,400 OTHER CONCERT-GOERS REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT.

HUNDREDS OF LAWSUITS ACCUSED THE RAPPER ON STAGE OF NEGLIGENCE.

FOLLOWING THE GRAND JURY’S DECISION – A LAWYER FOR SCOTT SAID SCOTT IS READY TO LOOK FORWARD.

 

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