Alvin Bragg’s decision to prosecute Trump for alleged hush payments is a politically motivated stunt that defies legal logic. The payments may have been unethical, but they were not illegal. Bragg’s creative reinterpretation of the law to turn a misdemeanor into a felony is a blatant abuse of prosecutorial discretion.
Former President Donald Trump has accused President Joe Biden of pushing for a ban on TikTok and warned of potential consequences for younger voters. The House of Representatives passed a bill that would give ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, nine months to divest its U.S. operations or face a ban. If the bill passes the Senate, Biden has indicated he will sign it into law. TikTok has argued that a ban would violate First Amendment rights, and the White House has stated it prefers to ensure American ownership of the app to protect sensitive data. Trump has suggested that a TikTok ban would benefit Facebook, whose parent company Meta he has criticized.
In the New York criminal trial of Donald Trump, prosecutors allege that payments made by his then-personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels were an attempt to suppress potentially damaging stories about Trump’s extramarital affairs during the 2016 presidential election. Legal experts argue that this could constitute election interference.
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s delayed action on a security assistance bill for Ukraine has had dire consequences. Despite its eventual passage, the six-month delay has resulted in more Ukrainian casualties, land ceded to Russia, and a weakened U.S. image as an ally. Johnson’s cowardice in submitting to Trump’s pressure bears historical responsibility for these outcomes.
The first criminal trial against a former US president commenced this week in New York after four days of jury selection. Former President Donald Trump faces charges of falsifying business records with the intent to defraud. The jury will hear opening statements today, followed by the prosecution’s case. The trial is expected to adjourn mid-afternoon for Passover.
