Wednesday briefing: Trump’s immunity claim in court
Is Trump immune from criminal prosecution?
During a hearing in Washington yesterday, judges expressed deep skepticism about Donald Trump’s claiming he was immune from charges of conspiring to undermine the 2020 election. Trump’s lawyers argued that he should not be prosecuted because the charges stem from actions he took as president.
The three-judge panel of the federal appeals court bombarded one of Trump’s lawyers with tough questions about the immunity claims. Trump – who is on track to win the Republican presidential nomination – was there but did not speak.
One judge seemed less than convinced that Trump upheld his constitutional duty to preserve the integrity of the election as he sought to overturn his loss.
“I think it is paradoxical to say that his constitutional duty to ensure that the laws are faithfully executed allows him to violate criminal law,” said Judge Karen Henderson, the only Republican appointee.
Be here five takeaways.
The issue of immunity is likely to reach the Supreme Court, where another crucial question is already being heard whether Trump can be removed from the state ballots. The pace and outcome of the immunity question will be critical in deciding when and whether Trump will go to trial in the election interference case, scheduled for March. It can also help determine the timing of his three other criminal cases.
That timing could have a major impact on the 2024 presidential race, as a recent poll showed almost a quarter of his followers believe he should not be the Republican nominee if he is found guilty of a crime. “In a close race, even if only a small portion of voters refuse to vote for a felon, it can be decisive,” says our top political analyst. has proposed.
A ‘frightening’ future: one of the judges asked whether a president can be criminally charged for ordering American soldiers to kill a rival. Trump’s lawyer said prosecution would only be possible if the president had first been found guilty in an impeachment trial.
In his response, the lawyer representing the government warned of “an extremely frightening future” if a president could order the military to kill a rival and then escape criminal liability.
Background: Here’s one timeline of Trump’s pattern of pressure to overturn the 2020 election.
The hottest year ever recorded
Last year was – by far – the warmest year on Earth in a century and a half. Month after month, Global temperatures soared past records.
Scientists also said that 2023 appears to be one of the warmest in at least 100,000 years. And this year it could be even warmer.
“There were simply no cities, no books, no agriculture or domesticated animals on this planet the last time temperatures were this high,” said an EU scientist. Researchers are trying to understand whether 2023 portends many more years in which heat records will not only be broken, but broken.
Greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of global warming. But El Niño, the recurring weather pattern, didn’t start until mid-year — meaning it may not have been the main cause of abnormal warmth, scientists said. This year it could be possible.
Election disinformation will reach new heights in 2024
False stories and conspiracy theories have become a global threat, with about half of the world’s population preparing to vote in major elections this year. It is a crucial moment for rampant disinformation.
Foreign influence campaigns focus on polarizing domestic issues. AI has boosted propaganda efforts and distorted perceptions of reality. And major social media companies have scaled back security measures and downsized election teams ahead of contests that will shape the way the world is governed for decades.
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Asiatic-Pacific
For months, someone – or something – had been tidying up a pensioner’s workbench in Wales behind him and putting all sorts of things into a small box. So he set up a night vision camera to capture the helper.
‘Behold,’ he said, ‘I have a video of the mouse.”
ARTS AND IDEAS
52 places to go
Every year the Travel Desk offers a list of travel destinations. This year’s list includes an elephant rehabilitation program in Kenya, monoliths carved from the sea in Quebec and a lesser-known home to masterpieces in Italy.
Here are some more choices:
Mustang, Nepal: This ancient Himalayan kingdom is a bastion of traditional Tibetan culture, preserved for centuries by its remoteness. Visitors can take wilderness treks through mountain ranges and visit the well-preserved medieval fortress of Lo Manthang.
Yamaguchi, Japan: It is called the Kyoto of the West, but this compact city has considerably less ‘tourist pollution’. Rurikoji Temple is a national treasure, and Yamaguchi’s winding streets are lined with pottery kilns, chic coffee shops, and counter-only restaurants.
New Zealand, by train: Road tripping with a camper is a free-spirited traveler’s dream. But an easier and more sustainable way to travel is by train, which can take you past volcanic peaks, world-class vineyards and dolphin pods.