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- 🇺🇸 Smith Gets Denied. Trump Gets a Gift.
🇺🇸 Smith Gets Denied. Trump Gets a Gift.
Plus, double womb twins.
Good morning, and happy Wednesday. For the first time in 47 years, the Adams County SPCA kennels are empty because all of its animals have been adopted, and strays have been reunited with their families, the organization shared.
Plus, Thirty-two-year-old Kelsey Hatcher welcomed two beautiful baby girls into the world last week, delivering fraternal twins at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital. But unlike typical twins, the newborns came from two separate wombs.
Also, repair your youth with today's sponsor.
TRENDING
Right: A More Actively Managed Decline? Lee Harris, American Prospect
Right: Will Biden Quit the Presidential Race? Gregg Jarrett, FOX News
Right: Will the Guardians of the Narrative Win? Roger Kimball, American Greatness
Left: A Sad Reminder That Many Towns in the US Are Left Behind, Jessa Crispin, The Guardian
Left: Dear Republicans: Please Impeach Biden, Paul Waldman, MSNBC
Left: Could RFK Jr. Be the Next Ross Perot? Andrew Prokop, Vox
QUICK CLICKS
Swatting Incidents, Migrant Caravan, Navalny Speaks
US: FBI says it’s investigating after reports of violent threats to Colorado judges in Trump case (CNN)
US: What to know about the recent swatting incidents against members of Congress (The Hill)
US: Reparations gained historic momentum in 2023 because of California’s efforts (NBC News)
US: Massive migrant caravan heading to US-Mexico border is largest in over a year, may balloon to up to 15K people, activist warns (New York Post)
World: Sweden moves a step closer to NATO membership after Turkey’s parliamentary committee gives approval (AP)
World: Yemen's Houthis claim responsibility for Red Sea container ship attack (Reuters)
World: Alexei Navalny speaks out after being found in Arctic prison colony (USA Today)
World: Health workers struggle to prevent an infectious disease 'disaster in waiting' in Gaza (NPR)
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2024
Smith Gets Denied. Trump Gets a Gift.
Last Friday, the Supreme Court declined the request from Special Counsel Jack Smith to issue a judgment on former President Donald Trump’s claim that he is immune from prosecution over his actions in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
Reporting from the Right: Supreme Court dodges decision on Trump presidential immunity claims in 2020 election case (The Washington Examiner)
Reporting from the Left: Supreme Court rejects Jack Smith’s request for justices to quickly hear Trump immunity dispute (CNN)
From The Flag: In August, the Department of Justice charged Trump with four crimes related to the 2020 election and the Capitol riot. Although Trump's legal team tried to have the case dismissed based on claims of presidential immunity, this was rejected by the federal judge. The case went to appeal, with Smith making an unusual move to seek Supreme Court intervention, bypassing the federal appeals court. Smith argued that waiting for the appeals court would delay the March court date, crucial for deciding if Trump stands trial. Some suggest the Supreme Court’s decision will likely cause a trial delay during the 2024 election season.
RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT
What Comes Next? Plus: The Left’s Lawfaring Agenda Blocked
This is not exactly the “win” many believe it is, and it’s certainly not the end of the road for Smith or Trump.
Following the Court’s decision, Trump’s lawyers are reemphasizing that he is immune from prosecution over his actions as president.
“The left’s legal assault on Trump is a threat to the institution — and that’s by design.”
What to Make of the Supreme Court’s Refusal to Expedite Consideration of Trump’s Immunity Claim, Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review: “It is being hailed by the Trump team, which opposed it, as a victory. Fair enough, but it is not much of a win for the former president. Indeed, I believe it will result in a more rapid disposition of the immunity claim against him. That, however, is of less moment now because the immunity issue has been overtaken in importance by the obstruction issue. … Neither the government nor the public has a right to a speedy trial. The Constitution guarantees that right only to the accused, and Trump has waived it as defendants facing complex cases (to say nothing of multiple complex cases, with dozens of charges) typically do. The public interest is in a just resolution of the case, not a prompt one. … Furthermore, the interest of Smith and his Biden administration superiors in a speedy trial is entirely political. Federal prosecutors are supposed to wall their cases off from political considerations. Smith’s haste to try to get a conviction before the election is unseemly…”
Trump Asks Appeals Court to Dismiss Election-Interference Case, Sadie Gurman, The Wall Street Journal: “ Lawyers for former President Donald Trump asked a federal appeals court late Saturday to throw out the case that he illegally sought to undo his 2020 election loss, reiterating his argument that those efforts fell within the ambit of his official duties as president. … The government has until Dec. 30 to file a response. Arguments before the D.C. Circuit are set for Jan. 9, and the losing party will then likely appeal to the Supreme Court. Despite that expedited appeals schedule, the Supreme Court’s action Friday—and the prospect that it will have to consider the case after all—increase the chances that the former president’s trial on charges that he interfered in the election will be delayed beyond its scheduled March 4 start date. Any major delay would thrust the trial into the center of the 2024 campaign season or even push it past the election.”
One more opinion piece from the Right: Sandbagging the Supreme Court, Kimberley A. Strassel, The Wall Street Journal
LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT
A Christmas Gift for Trump
“The ruling potentially aids the former president’s attempts to delay his election subversion trial due to begin in March.”
“Trump wants to run out the clock on his criminal trials. The Supreme Court just gave him a significant assist.”
“It’s a major win for Trump, whose lawyers have consistently been accused by Smith of utilizing any delay tactic they can to push back Trump’s four criminal indictments…”
Trump’s “Absolute Immunity” Defense (For Now), Jack McCordick, Vanity Fair: “The Supreme Court rejected a request from Special Counsel Jack Smith on Friday to issue an expedited ruling on whether former president Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution, allowing a lower court to continue reviewing the issue. The nation’s highest court’s decision could result in unintended consequences by boosting the GOP frontrunner’s attempts to delay his trial in his federal election subversion case until after the 2024 election. The ruling came without explanation and did not include any noted dissents. … There’s a good chance that the court’s refusal to rule on the case on Friday won’t be its final word. The case is now proceeding to a federal appeals court, with oral argument scheduled for the second week of January. Both Trump and Smith can appeal the lower court’s ruling back to the Supreme Court after the decision. … The former president, who has grudgingly acknowledged that he’s facing at least $100 million in legal fees across various criminal cases, also used the Supreme Court’s decision to raise money for his legal defense.
In a big victory for Trump, the Supreme Court tells Jack Smith to go away, Ian Millhiser, Vox: “It’s a tremendous victory for Trump, as his criminal trial for his attempt to remain in office after losing that election is currently on pause until this immunity question works its way through the appellate process. Trump’s strategy since special counsel Jack Smith brought a pair of federal indictments against him earlier this year has been to try to delay his trials as much as possible. If Trump is elected president this November, he will gain command and control over the Justice Department, and can order it to drop the criminal charges against him. …Friday’s Supreme Court order advances Trump’s goal of delaying his trial into oblivion. … Indeed, the implications of Trump’s arguments are breathtaking. If Trump is right that former presidents cannot be prosecuted for criminal acts they committed using their authority as president, then a future president would be immune from prosecution if they ordered the FBI to, say, assassinate a political rival — or a Supreme Court justice, for that matter — and an FBI agent carried out this premeditated murder on the president’s orders. And yet, the justices decided not to remove a serious impediment to Smith’s efforts to prosecute Trump.”
One more opinion piece from the Left: Supreme Court Hands Trump a Big Win in His Election Fraud Case Josh Fialo, The Daily Beast
FLAG THIS
Conviction Could Cost Trump
Earlier in December, a poll from The Wall Street Journal indicated that in a matchup between Trump and Biden, Trump leads by four percentage points, 47% to 43%. But if Trump is convicted, there is a five-point swing, giving Biden a slim lead, 47% to 46% (The New York Times).
Which completed statement do you believe is more true: "The cases against Trump are... |
POWERED BY NATIVEPATH
Collagen loss as you age results in weaker joints, wrinkles, and a decline in overall vitality. Replenishing collagen can restore your vibrancy and power, and the journey starts now. With the power of NativePath’s Grass-Fed Collagen Powder, their premium formula absorbs rapidly, rebuilding strength and enhancing beauty from within. Simply add 2 scoops to your daily routine and witness the transformative effects.
What are the other benefits?
Support Bone Density: Say goodbye to fractures and hello to strong bones.
Promote Joint Strength: Move with ease and bid adieu to joint pain.
Accelerate Healing: Recover quickly and rediscover your agility.
Revive Skin Elasticity: Reduce wrinkles, welcome youthful skin
Don't miss out on this game-changing chance to embrace the power of collagen today. You deserve to feel and look your best, and now it's within reach with NativePath.
WATERCOOLER
Darwin’s Voyage, Digital Key, Century of Debt
On This Day in 1831: British naturalist Charles Darwin sets out from Plymouth, England, aboard the HMS Beagle on a five-year surveying expedition of the southern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Visiting such diverse places as the Galapagos Islands and New Zealand, Darwin acquired an intimate knowledge of the flora, fauna, and geology of many lands.
The Verge: Digital car keys are here. Are we ready?
Ars Technica: The Math of Brewing a Better Espresso
Today I learned that that it took Germany 92 years to pay off its WW1 debt, around $500 billion in today’s money.
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