Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Friday, April 26, 2024. Finally a Friday! I’m Bill Thomas, and today, we’re exploring some major headlines, including a pivotal Supreme Court case on presidential immunity, Donald Trump’s strategy for the upcoming big election amid legal challenges, concerns about election integrity, and Jerry Seinfeld’s critical take on the movie industry’s relevance.
Supreme Court Indicates Trump Immunity Stance
The Supreme Court appears doubtful about former President Donald Trump’s claim to absolute criminal immunity, yet is still considering giving presidents some level of immunity.The conservative justices might send the case back to a lower court for a more critical view into President Trump’s actions, both as president and private citizen. This might slow his trials down in Washington and other places, which may end up helping him, strategically.
The debate is about whether to dismiss charges against President Trump for his activities before Jan. 6, 2021.
The justices are trying to define which presidential actions should be protected by immunity. They are also taking a look at history and trying to determine what the Founding Fathers’ original intentions were with regard to presidential power.
A key issue is whether a president could commit serious crimes without being punished. The justices talked about extreme cases like ordering the military to assassinate someone or selling nuclear secrets to a foreign power. They’re concerned that too much immunity could lead to more illegal activities by future presidents.
The justices are working now on setting new rules for when a president can claim immunity, focusing on how believable and reasonable the president’s actions are. This decision could significantly influence the rules about what a president can or cannot do without facing legal consequences.
The Supreme Court will likely increase the protections for presidents, but not as much as President Trump wants. The outcome could affect his current legal challenges and could also set an important precedent for future presidential immunity cases. The final decision is expected in June, and the decision may well change how presidential immunity is interpreted in the future.
Outspoken Billionaire Says He’s Considering Voting for Trump
Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman said on X that he’s considering voting for Donald Trump in the 2024 election.Mr. Ackman is the CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management and often speaks out about diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at top U.S. colleges.
He said Wednesday that he voted for Joe Biden in 2020, but now he’s open to voting for President Trump again, just like he did in 2016.
It’s still not clear whether Mr. Ackman will donate to President Trump’s campaign or if he might support a third-party candidate like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump Says He Will ‘Make a Play’ to Win New York in 2024 While He’s on Trial
President Trump is eyeing a win in New York for the upcoming election, a state usually dominated by Democrats. He’s confident about his campaign’s chances there and also claims to be ahead in important swing states.During a campaign stop in Manhattan Thursday, the former president drew cheers from union workers who chanted, “Four more years.”
Meanwhile, President Trump is also facing a huge legal battle in Manhattan, where he’s on trial in the “hush-money” case.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged the former president with 34 counts of falsifying business records, which are related to alleged payments made to adult actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Mr. Bragg is charging President Trump under a law that allows the prosecution to elevate the counts from misdemeanors to felonies if the fraud was conducted to conceal another crime.
President Trump has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers argue these were just typical legal fees. They’re also questioning former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen’s credibility as a witness. The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.
Trump Advisers Meadows, Giuliani Among 18 Indicted in Arizona Election Case
In Arizona, a grand jury has indicted 18 Republicans, including well-known figures like Rudy Giuliani and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. They’re charged with conspiracy, fraud, and forgery for submitting a document to Congress that claimed Donald Trump won Arizona in the 2020 election.The court documents indicate that a “prior US president,” probably referring to Donald Trump, might also be involved, but he was not formally indicted.
This case revolves around what are termed “fake electors” from seven states who claimed to be contingent electors and declared their support for President Trump. Specifically, in Arizona, 11 people are facing nine felony charges each. The indictment includes text messages and emails, which mention President Trump’s allies including Mr. Meadows and Mr. Giuliani.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, said on April 24: “These are serious indictments, but this is the first hurdle the state must pass in our constitutional criminal justice system.”
The charges stem from an incident where these 11 Republican electors signed a certificate stating President Trump had won Arizona. This certificate was ignored by Congress.
These “fake electors” filed a lawsuit in 2020, alleging that manipulation of election software and other fraud in the state resulted in violations of the U.S. Constitution and state election laws. The lawsuit also claimed that more than 412,000 votes were cast illegally in the state’s 2020 general election.
The attorney general’s office began its investigation several months after Ms. Mayes took office. Arizona is the fourth state to bring charges against individuals involved in a scheme of “fake electors” following the 2020 election.
Jerry Seinfeld Says ‘Movie Business Is Over’ Amid Directorial Debut
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has made his directorial debut with the new Netflix film “Unfrosted.” While excited about the project, Mr. Seinfeld shared some critical views on the movie industry while he was out promoting his new picture.He feels that movies no longer hold the cultural significance they once did, describing the industry as being in a state of crisis, filled with confusion and disorientation.
He told GQ magazine in an interview on April 22: “Everyone I know in show business, every day, is going, ‘What’s going on? How do you do this? What are we supposed to do now?'”
Despite these challenges, Mr. Seinfeld appreciates the team he worked with on the film.
Mr. Seinfeld, who has had a long and successful career in stand-up comedy, suggests that people are turning toward the authenticity found in comedy and stand-up.
He isn’t too worried about the state of the industry, thanks to his decades of incredible success.
In “Unfrosted,” he stars in a comedic biopic about the invention of the Pop-Tart, joined by other well-known actors. The movie is set to premiere on Netflix on May 3.
Now, we’re almost out of time, so that’s going to be our final story on the Friday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief!
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Finally, as we do each and every day, we end today’s program with a very “notable” quote.
It was President Abraham Lincoln who said: “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.”
“Honest Abe” was our 16th president. He issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, led the country through its greatest crisis, the Civil War, and was on the verge of victory when he died. And if you ever needed anything from the top shelf, this is the president you’d turn to. Lincoln remains the tallest person ever to serve as president: he stood 6 foot, 4 inches tall. If my math is correct, that’s 193 centimeters.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas. Have an incredible Friday, make each day count, and we’ll see you right back here tomorrow for the weekend edition of The Epoch Times News Brief. Have a phenomenal day!
