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America's Other Wild Trial Begins

America's Other Wild Trial Begins

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
April 17, 2024

Good Wednesday morning. Two baseball legends have passed away. Carl Erskine, who won the 1955 World Series with the Brooklyn Dodgers before becoming an advocate for people with developmental disabilities, died at 97. And Whitey Herzog, a Hall of Famer who helped build the 1969 Miracle Mets before managing the St. Louis Cardinals to a championship in 1982, died Monday at 92.

In Today’s Brief

Armed Forces: Recruiting boosts
Israel: Reported Iran plan
Trump: Jury selection drama
Powell: Resets interest rate expectations
Sesame Street: Writers may strike

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Boston spectacle

Former President Donald Trump's hush money trial is not the only fascinating legal event kicking off this week in the Northeast.

What happened: Jury selection in Karen Read's high-profile murder trial began yesterday in Dedham, Massachusetts. She is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, in 2022; prosecutors allege he died after Read hit him with her SUV during a blizzard.
Controversies and conspiracies: Read has professed her innocence and claims she is the victim of a cover-up. Her defense attorneys allege O'Keefe was killed at a part inside the house Read dropped him off at, and his body was then dragged outside by other cops to frame Read. The case has engulfed the surrounding communities, sparking Facebook pages with convoluted theories and muckraking local journalism, creating challenges to form an impartial juror.
Big picture: The claims of Read's legal team seem far-fetched, but some evidence that supports her cause has emerged (along with evidence that contradicts her arguments). The investigation into O'Keefe's death is the subject of an active federal probe. Over 150 total witnesses could be called and the trial may last over two months; it will be televised.

2) Here we go again

Mike Johnson's days as Speaker of the House may be numbered.

They have the votes: Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie has pledged to co-sponsor Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's threatened resolution to oust Johnson. Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher is set to resign his office on Friday, cutting the Republican majority in the chamber to one vote. So Greene and Massie alone could take Johnson out via a motion to vacate by this weekend.
Defiant stance: Massie called for Johnson's resignation, citing his support for the reauthorization of FISA and decision to put Ukrainian military aid on the floor. Johnson dismissed the idea as "absurd" and indicated he will continue with his plan to pass four separate bills separating aid for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and a combination of other items before pulling them together to send to the Senate.
Big picture: If GOP rebels make a move on Johnson, he will need Democratic votes to keep the gavel. Some House Democrats have indicated they would save Johnson after declining to bail out former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. But Johnson would need to work with them, and there is no indication he is ready to do so.

3) Campus antisemitism

There is a renewed focus on alleged antisemitism on college campuses as the end of the school year approaches and the war in Gaza drags on.

Hearing today: Columbia University President Minouche Shafik will testify on campus antisemitism today before the same House committee that hosted a hearing last December that led to the resignations of Harvard President Claudine Gay and Penn President Elizabeth Magill amid intense criticism. Shafik is expected to condemn antisemitism and Hamas, but acknowledge free speech concerns.
Speech canceled: USC has canceled a commencement speech by valedictorian Asna Tabassum, who is Muslim and has expressed pro-Palestinian views, including a link on a personal social media account to a website that calls for the "complete abolishment" of Israel. The school said Tabassum's address was nixed due to "substantial risks" to campus safety. Tabassum has accused the school of "caving to fear and rewarding hatred."
Big picture: The Anti-Defamation League said it tabulated almost 9K antisemitic incidents nationwide last year, a 140% increase from 2022 and the most ever logged since it began its count in 1979. Over 5K incidents occurred between Oct. 7 -- when Hamas attacked Israel -- and the end of the year.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

The Air Force and Army are expected to meet recruiting goals this fiscal year after several years of shortfalls. But the Navy is expected to miss its targets again despite improvements; the Marine Corps has consistently hit targets (More)
The Supreme Court appears divided on whether Jan. 6 rioters faced proper federal charges. Several conservative judges expressed skepticism during oral arguments, while liberal justices seemed inclined to let the charges stand (More)
The House delivered articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate. The trial will likely be dismissed today without conviction, but some debate may be permitted (More)

World News

The U.S. does not expect Israel to strike Iran directly after last weekend's foiled attack. The Israelis will reportedly focus on proxy forces outside of Iranian territory (More)
Venezuela will close its embassy and consulates in Ecuador to protest the host nation's recent raid of the Mexican embassy. Honduras has also recalled its top diplomat from the country (More)
Copenhagen's famed Old Stock Exchange caught fire. Half of the 17th-century building was destroyed, including its iconic spire; many priceless paintings and valuables were saved (More)

Campaign News

Seven of 12 jurors were selected in former President Trump's New York hush money trial. Judge Juan Merchan admonished Trump for reacting to a prospective juror and said he will not tolerate intimidation (More)
Skydance Media CEO David Ellison donated almost $1M to President Joe Biden's re-election campaign. Ellison is in talks to buy Paramount Pictures' parent company; his father is Oracle CEO and Republican donor Larry Ellison (More)
Trump's pledge to leave abortion rights to the states has allowed many allied candidates to soften their stances. Some Democrats fear this could boost the GOP this election cycle (More)

Business & Markets

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell conceded sticky inflation will delay interest rate cuts. Major indexes closed mixed on the comments (Dow +0.17%, Nasdaq -0.12%, S&P 500 -0.21%).
United Airlines reported a $124M loss in Q1. The airline blamed a three-week grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9s in its fleet after the midair Alaska Airlines blowout incident (More)
Red Lobster may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The seafood restaurant chain may look to restructure debt driven by labor costs and leases (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Sesame Workshop writers voted unanimously to authorize a strike against the nonprofit group that produces Sesame Street. A work stoppage could begin Friday when the writers' contract expires (More)
Congress is poking around a joint sports streaming platform planned by Disney, FOX and Warner Bros. Discovery. House Democrats have asked the companies' CEOs address anti-competitive concerns (More)
Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the Champions League semifinals. Today's Arsenal-Bayern Munich and Manchester City-Real Madrid matches will determine the other semifinalists (More)

Quick Hitters

Feel Good: An Illinois police officer pulled over a man driving without a license. His plates were also expired. But when the cop found out the man was headed to a job interview, he gave him a lift.
New Idea: Gerard Sutton, an Australian professor, ophthalmologist and biotech entrepreneur, believes he can cure blindness for millions. He claims he has technology to mass produce transplant corneas.
Take Note: Yes, the decaffeination of coffee beans involves a carcinogen. But that does not necessarily mean a decaf cup is dangerous.
Be Safe: Over 250K speakers designed for kids have been recalled due to fire risk. The Yoto Mini Speaker's battery could overheat and create a flame.
Life Hack: Do you struggle to make small talk with strangers? These three icebreakers are surefire tactics to help you get through your next social outing if needed.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes”

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