Supreme Court immunity ruling sends most of Trump case back to lower courts
The Supreme Court ruled Monday, July 1, that presidents are entitled to absolute immunity from prosecution for actions that fall within their constitutional duties and presumptive immunity for official acts. However, justices ruled there is no immunity for unofficial acts.
The 6-3 decision was split along ideological lines. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion and was joined by Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh; Justice Barrett joined in part. Justice Sotomayor wrote the dissent which Justices Kagan and Jackson joined.
This case was brought forward by former President Donald Trump in an attempt to throw out special counsel Jack Smith’s four count indictment. Trump is charged with conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He moved to dismiss the case, arguing he had presidential immunity.
The Supreme Court’s decision does not dismiss the case. Instead, the justices are sending most of it back to the district court to determine whether the alleged actions are official or private. The court outlined how some of the former president’s conduct should be categorized.
For instance, the justices ruled that Trump is immune from prosecution for allegedly pressuring the acting attorney general to open an investigation into voter fraud.
A district court will have to decide whether Trump is immune for attempting to pressure then-Vice President Pence to reject certain state’s electoral votes during the certification process.
“The indictment’s allegations that Trump attempted to pressure the Vice President to take particular acts in connection with his role at the certification proceeding thus involve official conduct, and Trump is at least presumptively immune from prosecution for such conduct,” the justices wrote.
“The question then becomes whether that presumption of immunity is rebutted under the circumstances. It is the Government’s burden to rebut the presumption of immunity.”
However, Trump’s lawyers admitted during oral arguments that other actions alleged in the indictment are private. So the following line of questioning from Justice Barrett may prove consequential.
Barrett: “Petitioner turned to a private attorney who was willing to spread knowingly false claims of election fraud to spearhead his challenges to the election results, private?”
Trump Attorney D. John Sauer: “As alleged, I mean we dispute the allegation, but that sounds private.”
Barrett: “Petitioner conspired with another private attorney who caused the filing in court of a verification signed by petitioner that contained false allegations to support a challenge.”
Sauer “That also sounds private.”
“Today’s decision to grant former Presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the Presidency,” Justice Sotomayor wrote in her dissent. “It makes a mockery of the principle … that no man is above the law. Relying on little more than its own misguided wisdom about the need for ‘bold and unhesitating action’ by the president, the Court gives former President Trump all the immunity he asked for and more.”
Republican support for Trump immunity claims lower than Colorado ballot case
Republican support for Donald Trump’s presidential immunity case is far lower than it was for his Colorado presidential ballot case. That’s according to amicus briefs filed with the Supreme Court.
Two senators and 26 representatives, all Republicans, signed on to amicus briefs supporting Trump’s claim that he’s immune from prosecution for actions he took as president. The signees include some of Trump’s most loyal supporters including Reps. Byron Donalds, Fla., Lauren Boebert, Colo., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ga.
The amount of support is a significant drop from the 42 senators and 136 representatives who signed on to support Trump in the Colorado ballot case. In addition, the ballot case included every member of leadership from both chambers; only one member of leadership signed on to the immunity briefs.
No federally elected officials filed an amicus brief opposing Trump’s immunity claim.
The deadline to file amicus briefs in Trump v. United States was March 19, and the justices are set to hear oral arguments on April 25.
The justices are being asked to answer the following question: “Whether and if so to what extent does a former president enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office.”
The two briefs filed in support of Trump were filed by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and 26 representatives, and the other by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., on behalf of himself and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
”The Framers were keenly aware of the pitfalls of ancient democracies and republics like Rome, where the political prosecution of Caesar for his official actions ultimately led to the civil war that ended the Roman Republic,” the brief filed by Marshall said.
“The Framers ultimately adopted a mechanism of political accountability for an independent presidency by granting the powers of impeachment, removal, and disqualification to Congress and Congress alone,” the brief continued.
If the justices rule in Trump’s favor, it would end special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution of the former president.
Trump is charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, conspiring to disenfranchise voters, and conspiring and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding for his actions surrounding the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol building.
The justices already ruled in Trump’s favor in the Colorado ballot case and he went on to win the state’s primary.
President Biden meets with Alexei Navalny’s family ahead of major sanctions on Russia: The Morning Rundown, Feb. 23, 2024
President Biden meets with the family of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny as the U.S. prepares to impose hundreds of sanctions on Russia. And AT&T reveals what was behind the massive outage that left thousands without phone service. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
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President Biden meets with Alexei Navalny’s family ahead of major sanctions on Russia
On Friday, Feb. 23, the United States is expected to announce more than 500 sanctions against Russia, just a day shy of the second anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The sanctions are also in response to the Kremlin’s role in the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. On Thursday, Feb. 22, President Joe Biden met with Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, and the couple’s daughter in California.
Aleksey Navalny was a fearless advocate for his beliefs who died unbroken by the tyranny he opposed. He fought corruption, inspired millions and never wavered in his insistence on free expression, the rule of law, and a Russia that is accountable to the people and not a dictator.…
“This morning, I had the honor of meeting with Alexei Navalny’s wife and daughter,” Biden told reporters after the meeting. “As to state the obvious, he was a man of incredible courage. And it’s amazing how his wife and daughter are emulating that. We’re going to be announcing the sanctions against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, who was responsible for his death.”
U.S. officials said some of the sanctions will target those directly involved in Navalny’s death. Reports say many of the sanctions will be aimed at Russia’s defense sector.
4 charged in connection to raid of boat where 2 Navy SEALs died
Four foreign nationals have been charged in connection to a U.S. raid last month that resulted in two Navy SEALs losing their lives. According to the Justice Department, the four men, all with Pakistani identification on them, were allegedly transporting Iranian-made weapons on Jan. 11 when the Navy intercepted their small, unflagged vessel in the Arabian Sea near the coast of Somalia.
U.S. officials said one of the SEALs slipped into the water while boarding the vessel, and the other jumped in to try to save him. Both were declared dead ten days later after an extensive search. In a press release announcing the charges, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the flow of weapons from Iran to Houthi rebel forces in Yemen threatens Americans and partners in the region.
CENTCOM Status Update on Missing U.S. Navy Seals
We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing U.S. Navy SEALs have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased. The search and rescue operation for the two Navy SEALs reported… pic.twitter.com/OAMbn1mwK8
“Two Navy SEALs tragically lost their lives in the operation that thwarted the defendants charged today from allegedly smuggling Iranian-made weapons that the Houthis could have used to target American forces and threaten freedom of navigation and a vital artery for commerce,” Monaco said.
Prosecutors have dismissed Trump’s immunity claim as “frivolous,” stating the alleged conduct occurred after he left the White House. They also accuse him of actively obstructing government efforts to recover the documents. In June, Trump pleaded not guilty to 40 criminal counts. His trial is set to start in May.
Thousands of AT&T customers affected by major cellular outage Thursday
Calls, texts, and even 911 calls were not going through for AT&T customers in a major cellular outage that swept across cities, including San Francisco, on Thursday, Feb. 22. During the confusion, emergency services in some cities reported being overrun with calls of people testing whether they had service or not.
We are aware of an issue impacting AT&T wireless customers from making and receiving any phone calls (including to 911).
We are actively engaged and monitoring this.
The San Francisco 911 center is still operational.
“Please do not do this. If you can successfully place a non-emergency call to another number via your cell service then your 911 service will also work,” Massachusetts State Police said in a post on X.
The cellular company reported some customer outages mid-morning; by noon, some turned into 58,000 incidents being reported, according to a CNBC report. AT&T said it restored service to all affected customers on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 22.
Many 911 centers in the state are getting flooded w/ calls from people trying to see if 911 works from their cell phone. Please do not do this. If you can successfully place a non-emergency call to another number via your cell service then your 911 service will also work. #outage
But with the increasing threats of cyberattacks, everyone is wondering what happened. In a statement on the company’s website, AT&T said not to worry; the outage was not the result of a cyberattack; instead, it was caused by “the application and execution of an incorrect process used,” as the company said it was trying to expand its network.
Vice cutting hundreds of jobs, no longer publishing content to website
The changes came less than a year after Vice filed for bankruptcy and was then sold for $350 million to a group of lenders. Vice’s CEO said the digital outlet will now look to partner with established companies to distribute its content while emphasizing its social channels.
Odysseus becomes first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in over 50 years
“All stations, this is mission director on IM-1,” Mission Director Tim Crain said. “We’re evaluating how we can refine that signal and dial in the pointing for Odysseus. What we can confirm without a doubt is our equipment is on the surface of the moon, and we are transmitting. So congratulations IM team. We’ll see how much more we can get from that.”
Today, for the first time in half a century, America has returned to the Moon 🇺🇸.
On the eighth day of a quarter-million-mile voyage, @Int_Machines aced the landing of a lifetime.
The spacecraft Odysseus became the first moonlander launched by a private company to make the 239-thousand-mile trip successfully.
“What an outstanding effort,” Intuitive Machines CEO Stephen Altemus said. “I know this was a nail-biter, but we are on the surface, and we are transmitting. And welcome to the moon.”
Though, as expected, mission control initially lost contact with the spacecraft as it descended, Intuitive Machines was then able to detect a faint signal later confirming Odysseus was upright and starting to send back data. The team is now working to receive the first images from the moon.
NASA, which paid the company $118 million to deliver several experiments, hailed the landing a major achievement as it looks once again to send astronauts to the moon later in the 2020s.
Federal appeals court rejects Trump’s presidential immunity claim
On Feb. 6, a federal appeals court ruled former President Donald Trump is not immune from prosecution on the basis of “presidential immunity.” Trump has been arguing he can’t be charged for actions related to Jan. 6 since he was still president at the time — an argument the three-judge panel rejected.
“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said in the ruling. “But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as president no longer protects him against this prosecution.”
This ruling involves Trump’s 2020 federal election interference case. Special counsel Jack Smith is hoping to begin the trial in March, however, Trump has previously suggested he would immediately appeal if the ruling was not in his favor. This would likely leave the case to the Supreme Court to decide on whether Trump can or cannot be charged. The high court has the ability to fast-track the case, however, it could potentially delay the trial.
“IF IMMUNITY IS NOT GRANTED TO A PRESIDENT, EVERY PRESIDENT THAT LEAVES OFFICE WILL BE IMMEDIATELY INDICTED BY THE OPPOSING PARTY,” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social ahead of the ruling. “WITHOUT COMPLETE IMMUNITY, A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY FUNCTION!”
New Jan. 6 video shows lawmakers clearing hall just before rioters appear
Three years after the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, new videos are still emerging. Security camera footage from Punchbowl News shows just how close rioters were to lawmakers during the breach of the Capitol building.
House Democrats in safety hoods can be seen frantically storming out of the third-floor gallery of the Capitol, guided to safety by a U.S. Capitol police officer. Thirty seconds later, three rioters rush the same hallway, narrowly missing an encounter with the lawmakers.
Rep. Annie Kuster, D-N.H., one of the members who escaped, had access to the security video for over a year. According to Punchbowl News, Kuster chose not to release it for security reasons and due to the Jan. 6 Committee’s jurisdiction. However, after Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson released all of the Jan. 6 footage, Kuster believed it was time the video was seen.
The new footage came just before a speech from President Joe Biden on Friday, Jan. 5, where he outlined what he believes is at stake in the next election.
“Whether democracy is still America’s sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time. And it’s what the 2024 election is all about,” Biden said.
Administration officials say the address will serve as a “dire warning” about the threat Biden believes former President Donald Trump poses to American democracy.
Trump will also hold a campaign event this week. He will appear in Iowa Friday, over a week ahead of the state’s leadoff Republican caucuses on Jan. 15.
The former president has downplayed the attack on the Capitol, saying he will pardon those convicted of crimes during the riots if he wins another term.
Hundreds of individuals have already been convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 attack. The convictions include members of far-right extremist groups, former police officers, an Olympic gold medalist and active-duty U.S. Marines.
Washington, D.C.’s federal courthouse remains flooded with cases from the riots. There are guilty plea hearings and sentencings still pending. The ongoing saga represents the largest criminal investigation in American history, and the hunt for suspects continues to this day.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves went over the latest criminal prosecutions and the ongoing search for suspects Thursday during a press conference on the riots.
“With nearly 900 people convicted to date of crimes committed on Jan. 6, 2021, we are at a point in our prosecutions where thousands of photographs, videos and communications have been accepted by courts,” Graves said. “The public’s help is still needed though. More than 80 people are wanted and unidentified for acts of violence at the Capitol.”
Hundreds of individuals already charged in the riots await a Supreme Court decision which will determine if charges of obstruction of an official proceeding include disrupting the certification of the 2020 election, as it relates to rioters storming the Capitol chambers.
The Supreme Court could overturn the charges, including the charge against Trump.
Around 300 people are charged with “obstruction of an official proceeding” related to Jan. 6, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
During a rally in Coralville, Iowa, on Wednesday, Trump railed against the charges by U.S. special counsel Jack Smith and his push to get the matter to the Supreme Court, saying it was politically motivated. The former president also implied immunity.
“And now they’re fighting like hell because they want to try and get a guilty plea from the Supreme Court of the United States, which I can’t imagine, because you have presidential immunity, but strange things happen,” Trump said. “But they want to get that because that’s the only way they’re going to win the election.”
At least two defendants in the Jan. 6 case had their sentences delayed as they await a decision by the Supreme Court. More revelations on Thursday also suggest the scope of the assault on officers at the Capitol may have been greater than previously thought.
According to CNN, the DOJ believes the number of officers injured during the Capitol riots is larger than the 140 reported.
Graves said it is “likely the largest single-day, mass assault of law enforcement officers in our nation’s history.”
“The 140 numbers undercount the number of officers who were physically injured, let alone those who have suffered trauma as a result of the day’s events,” Graves said.
Dozens of people believed to have assaulted law enforcement on Jan. 6 have yet to be identified, according to Graves. The U.S. attorney said the statute of limitations is five years, meaning anyone who assaulted an officer would have to prosecuted by Jan. 6, 2026.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Biden will hold his speech on Saturday, Jan. 6. The correct date is Friday, Jan. 5. The video and written article have been updated to reflect this correction. SAN regrets the error.
10 Americans, fugitive released in prisoner swap with Venezuela: The Morning Rundown, Dec. 21, 2023
Ten Americans and a fugitive are released from Venezuelan custody as part of a prisoner exchange between the two countries. And two media giants begin talks about a potential merger. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023.
10 Americans, fugitive released from Venezuelan custody in prisoner swap
Ten Americans imprisoned in Venezuela have been released as part of a prisoner swap between the two countries on Wednesday, Dec. 20. The White House said six of the Americans were wrongfully detained, and they are now back on U.S. soil.
As we welcome home our fellow citizens, I must also remind all Americans of the long-standing warning against traveling to Venezuela. Americans should not travel there.
President Biden
The deal also included the return of a fugitive known as “Fat Leonard.” Malaysian businessman Leonard Francis fled to Venezuela in 2022 while under house arrest in San Diego after pleading guilty to what is considered to be one of the biggest bribery scandals in U.S. Navy history.
Francis admitted he offered more than $500,000 in cash bribes to Navy officials so they could steer business to his company in Asia. Also, as part of the prisoner exchange, the U.S. freed Alex Saab, a close ally of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who was charged with money laundering in Florida in 2019.
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The swap is the latest agreement between the two nations. In October, the U.S. lifted some sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry after the country’s government promised to open its 2024 presidential election to opponents of Maduro.
“As we welcome home our fellow citizens, I must also remind all Americans of the long-standing warning against traveling to Venezuela,” President Biden said in a statement following the prisoner swap.” Americans should not travel there.”
Israel says 3 hostages can be heard on video days before accidental shooting
More evidence is being uncovered after three hostages were mistakenly killed by Israeli troops last week in Gaza. The Israeli military said late Wednesday, Dec. 20, that the voices of the three hostages could be heard on video that was recorded approximately five days before the shooting but recovered a few days after.
The military said the video, which has not been released, was captured on a GoPro camera attached to one of its dogs. The dog was sent into a building and was killed by Hamas militants, but the camera kept recording. Israel’s military said its soldiers killed the militants inside the building, and that allowed the hostages to escape. Days later, the three hostages were shot dead by Israeli troops after being mistaken as a threat. The military said it will soon release the results of its investigation into the accidental killing, which it said violated its rules of engagement.
The death of the three hostages prompted renewed calls for a pause in the fighting from many in Israel as well as nations like the United States. On Wednesday, Dec. 20, Hamas leaders arrived in Egypt to talk of another temporary cease-fire and a deal for Hamas to release more Israeli hostages in exchange for imprisoned Palestinians in Israel.
Judge blocks California law banning guns in public places
On Wednesday, Dec. 20, a federal judge blocked a California law that would ban carrying firearms in public places starting on Jan. 1. U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney wrote in his ruling that the law violates the Second Amendment and would “unconstitutionally deprive” people with concealed carry permits of their right to defend themselves and their families.
The law was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in September and would have prohibited guns at places like public parks, playgrounds, zoos, churches, and banks. Judge Carney called the law “repugnant to the Second Amendment and openly defiant of the Supreme Court.”
Meanwhile, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state will appeal the judge’s ruling, adding it “would endanger communities by allowing guns in places where families and children gather.”
Trump asks Supreme Court to stay out of immunity dispute for now
“Haste makes waste” is what former President Trump’s attorneys wrote to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Dec. 20, asking for SCOTUS to let the debate over presidential immunity play out in the lower courts first. The debate revolves around special counsel Jack Smith’s case against the former president, charged with a “criminal scheme” to overturn the 2020 election results.
The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request. This is an extraordinary case.
Jack Smith
Trump’s team argues he cannot be prosecuted for trying to overturn the election and that former presidents cannot face criminal charges for conduct related to their official responsibilities. Last week, Jack Smith urged the high court to rule on Trump’s claim in an expedited manner before lower courts have a chance to rule on it so as not to delay the trial; Smith said the issue is of high public importance.
“The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request,” Smith wrote. “This is an extraordinary case.”
Trump’s team contends this issue must play out in the lower courts first before the Supreme Court steps in. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and a trial date is set for March 4th for now. If Trump is reelected on Nov. 5, he could seek to pardon himself of any federal crimes.
Warner Bros. Discovery in talks to merge with Paramount
According to multiple reports, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount are in talks of a potential merger. As first reported by Axios, sources say the CEOs of the two companies met over lunch on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at Paramount’s New York City headquarters for several hours, where they discussed the possible deal. The merger between the two media giants would mean combining their streaming services, Max and Paramount+, to compete better with Netflix and Disney+.
Paramount would bring its TV assets like CBS and Nickelodeon to join WBD’s operations, which include CNN and HBO. On the movie front, Warner Bros. Pictures has the DC Universe and Lord of the Ring film franchises. Paramount’s properties include Mission Impossible and Star Trek.
The deal could mean WBD buying Paramount or its Paramount company, National Amusements. Sources said both options are on the table.
‘2024’ display arrives in Times Square for New Year’s Eve ball drop
With only a few days left in the year, New York City is getting ready to ring in 2024, and on Wednesday, Dec. 20, one crucial part of the city’s tradition arrived in Times Square. The numerals “2024” were delivered after the lighted display took a coast-to-coast road trip from California that began earlier this month, covering more than 2,800 miles.
The numbers were tested, ensuring they’d light up the sky when the ball dropped and the clock hit midnight on New Year’s. Before being raised atop Times Square on Friday, Dec. 22, the numerals will remain on display for visitors to see up close.
House Republicans formally authorize Biden impeachment inquiry: The Morning Rundown, Dec. 14, 2023
House Republicans have formalized their impeachment inquiry into President Biden. And, Meta’s latest attempt at fact checking social media posts is facing criticism. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Dec. 14.
House Republicans vote to authorize impeachment inquiry into President Biden
House Republicans called for Wednesday’s, Dec. 13, vote after the White House challenged subpoenas sent by the committees, calling them illegitimate without a formal House vote to authorize the investigation. Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said voting in favor of the resolution does not mean the president will be impeached.
“We’re not going to prejudge the outcome of this,” Johnson said. “We can’t because, again, it’s not a political calculation. We’re following the law and we are the rule of law team. And I’m going to hold to that as my commitment.”
Hours before the vote, the president’s son, Hunter Biden, defied a subpoena for a closed-door deposition. Instead, he spoke to reporters outside the U.S. Capitol, where he repeated his offer to testify in a public hearing while criticizing the House GOP and defending his father.
“Let me state as clearly as I can,” Hunter Biden said, “my father was not financially involved in any of my business, not as a practicing lawyer, not as a board member of Burisma, not in my partnership with a Chinese private businessman, not in my investments at home nor abroad, and certainly not as an artist.”
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said he plans to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress. Straight Arrow News’ political correspondent Ray Bogan has a full report on Hunter Biden’s comments here.
Senate passes $886 billion defense with pay raise for troops
The bill also establishes a new training program in Taiwan, and it includes the creation of a special inspector general for Ukraine to address concerns on whether American dollars are being spent as intended.
The bill does keep in place the Pentagon’s rule that allows for travel reimbursement for service members going out of state for an abortion, a policy that House Republicans were looking to remove. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 87-13. Now, the bill heads to the House.
Jake Sullivan heads to Israel to meet with Netanyahu
According to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, over the next two days, Sullivan will discuss with Israeli officials “efforts to be more surgical and more precise” in their strikes in Gaza “to reduce harm to civilians.”
Sullivan is also expected to discuss the return of hostages taken by Hamas. Eight Americans are among the more than 100 hostages still being held by the terrorist group in Gaza. On Wednesday, Dec. 13, President Biden met with the families of the American hostages. Kirby said the president was “moved by their stories, by the love they feel, by the hope that they still harbor.”
Biden promised the family members they would be kept informed every step of the way as the U.S. works to get their loved ones home.
Judge orders a pause in Trump’s election interference case
Special Counsel Jack Smith argued against an all-out pause trying to keep the case on track for a March 4 trial. The order handed down by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan could delay the start of the trial and is now at the mercy of the appeal process timeline.
After the ruling, the appeals court set deadlines for briefs to be filed in the next couple of weeks in an effort to expedite the process. Still, prosecutors worry the case could be paused for some time, including until after the next presidential election.
Trump’s legal team called the decision a “a big win for President Trump and our rule of law” and accused Special Counsel Jack Smith of using the trial as a strategic way to interfere in the 2024 presidential election in support of President Joe Biden.
Trump has been brought on federal charges for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election. He has pleaded not guilty.
Meta fact-checking feature sparking censorship concerns
A new fact-checking feature that Meta quietly launched on Instagram has raised concerns over censorship. A meta spokesperson said the company is allowing users to control the algorithm, adding that the feature allows users to customize whether they see more or less fact-checked content in their feed.
The spokesperson also said that the feature has been rolled out after listening to what users want, “a greater ability to decide what they see on our apps.”
Still, the feature is facing criticism. In the last few days, some pro-Palestinian accounts have criticized the function and said that Instagram is trying to censor their content. The fact-checking feature was launched on Facebook in May, but it is unclear when it was set in motion on Instagram, though a Meta blog post about the feature was updated on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
FCC approves proposal to ban cable early termination fees
For cable subscribers thinking of cutting the cord, the Federal Communications Commission just approved a proposal to eliminate early termination fees. The FCC on Wednesday, Dec. 14, voted 3-2 on partisan lines to ban cable and satellite companies from charging what the agency’s chairwoman described as “junk fees.”
According to findings by consumer reports in 2019, cable companies could make an estimated $28 billion a year on fees. The FCC will now solicit public feedback on its proposal before taking a final vote on the rules.
“It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s claims of immunity be resolved by this court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected,” Smith wrote, adding, “The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request. This is an extraordinary case.”
“Crooked Joe Biden’s henchman, Deranged Jack Smith is so obsessed with interfering in the 2024 Presidential Election with the goal of preventing President Trump from retaking the Oval Office, as the President is poised to do, that Smith is willing to try for a Hail Mary by…” pic.twitter.com/hTkzKFZIPU
US responds to mayday call after Iran-backed Houthi rebels attack ship in Red Sea: The Morning Rundown, Dec. 12, 2023
The U.S. responds to another attack in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. And, one toy company announces major cuts to its workforce during the holiday season. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023.
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According to the U.S. Central Command, the tanker was attacked by an anti-ship cruise missile launched from the Houthi-controlled area of Yemen. The vessel’s owner confirmed no injuries on board, but the ship suffered damage and caught fire. The company said the tanker was on its way to Italy, though the Houthis claim it was bound for Israel.
Central Command said while there were no U.S. vessels in the vicinity at the time of the attack on the Norwegian ship, the USS Mason responded to the tanker’s mayday call and provided assistance.
SCOTUS agrees to consider special counsel’s request to rule on Trump’s immunity
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition from special counsel Jack Smith concerning the federal election interference charges against former President Donald Trump. The special counsel is asking the justices to weigh in on whether or not the former president has immunity from being prosecuted.
“It is of imperative public importance that respondent’s claims of immunity be resolved by this court and that respondent’s trial proceed as promptly as possible if his claim of immunity is rejected,” Smith wrote. “The United States recognizes that this is an extraordinary request. This is an extraordinary case.”
In October, Trump’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the case, claiming the former president has “absolute immunity” from being prosecuted for actions allegedly committed while he was in office. The judge overseeing the case rejected Trump’s motion.
Trump’s lawyers notified the district court last week that he would be appealing and asked that the proceedings be paused.
Hours after Smith filed his petition, the Supreme Court agreed to consider the request on an expedited basis, giving Trump until Dec. 20 to submit a response.
Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two, said she needed an abortion after her fetus was diagnosed with a genetic condition that would likely end in a miscarriage or stillbirth. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox in her lawsuit, said the window for an abortion is closing as she is more than 20 weeks pregnant.
According to court documents, doctors told the Dallas mother that the pregnancy was unlikely to end with a healthy baby, adding that having two prior cesarean sections, this pregnancy could have severe complications for her life and future fertility.
On Friday night, Dec. 8, the Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked the lower court’s decision. In its ruling on Monday, Dec. 11, the state’s highest court said Cox’s situation did not provide sufficient grounds for an exception to the ban.
Google argues that its fees have been lowered to compete with Apple’s app store, adding in a statement that “this is not the behavior of a monopolist.” In January, the court will begin work on what remedies to implement.
The latest cuts are expected to be completed within 18 to 24 months. Hasbro said the layoffs were necessary as the company tries to rebound from a slowdown in sales following historic highs during pandemic lockdowns. Research firm Circana said U.S. toy sales this year were down 8% through September.
‘Harry Potter’ book sells for $69,000 at auction
It may have been some wizardry or just plain luck when a woman found a first edition copy of a “Harry Potter” book in a bargain bin at a shop in Scotland 26 years ago. At the time, it only cost her about $12. Now, that same book has just been sold at auction for $69,000.
According to Hanson Auctioneers, there were just 500 copies printed in the first run of “Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone,” 300 went to schools and libraries, and 200 were sent to bookshops.
ACLU says gag order on Trump violates his First Amendment rights
Former President Donald Trump has an unlikely ally in his appeal to remove a gag order. The American Civil Liberties Union said a gag order on Trump is unconstitutional.
“Trump retains a First Amendment right to speak, and the rest of us retain a right to hear what he has to say,” the ACLU brief said.
Trump was issued a gag order in his federal 2020 election case in Washington and his civil fraud trial in New York. The civil fraud trial in New York has already gotten the former president in trouble.
In that civil fraud trial, Judge Arthur Engoron decided Trump violated the order twice and fined him $5,000 for the first offense and $10,000 for the second.
The ACLU is arguing the gag order in his federal case is overbearing to the point they believe it’s violating Trump’s right to free speech.
The concept of a gag order is controversial. Those against gag orders often argue it violates the First Amendment while proponents say it serves as protection of the Sixth Amendment — the right to a fair trial. Whether a gag order is issued or not comes down to the discretion of a judge.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, overseeing his federal trial, imposed a gag order on Trump to prevent him from talking or posting online about special counsel Jack Smith, prosecutors and the court. Chutkan argued it could sway future jury members in the case.
“This case is already one of the most talked-about trials of all time,” the ACLU stated. “There may never have been a better-known criminal case in American history, or a better-known defendant. With that in mind, to the extent that the court’s order seeks to prevent future statements from affecting the impartiality of the potential jury pool, the order seems unlikely to make much of a difference.”
The ACLU is a nonprofit human rights organization. According to AllSides, an independent organization that rates media bias, the ACLU leans left in its policy agendas and is a known critic of former President Trump.
“No modern-day president did more damage to civil liberties and civil rights than President Trump,” ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said. “But if we allow his free speech rights to be abridged, we know that other unpopular voices — even ones we agree with — will also be silenced.”
The gag order for Trump’s federal case has been temporarily lifted while the court decides what to do next.
In New York, the gag order is active and Judge Arthur Engoron has threatened potential imprisonment if Trump continues to violate his gag order. Trump has been highly critical of the courts, the justice system and indictments against him. The gag order places limits on his criticism of the courts that has so far lit a fire under Trump’s base.