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Trump's Federal Cases Are Over

Trump's Federal Cases Are Over

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
November 26, 2024

Good Tuesday morning. Here is a look at how Thanksgiving dinner has evolved. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

Menendez Bros. Resentencing delayed
Lebanon: Ceasefire deal
Trump: Tariff announcement
Macy’s: Accounting issue
Formula 1: New team

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Court adjourned

President-elect Donald Trump is off the federal hook (for now).

The news: Special Counsel Jack Smith requested a federal judge dismiss all 2020 election interference charges against Trump. The charges against the president-elect for mishandling classified documents have also gotten the heave-ho.
Rubber stamp: U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan granted the motion, but dismissed the case without prejudice. That means -- theoretically -- Trump could be charged again in the future. Smith said the prosecution's view of the president-elect's alleged crimes has not changed, but that the circumstances surropunding his trial have.
Key context: It is long-standing Department of Justice policy that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted. The U.S. Constitution also states a president should not be "unduly encumbered." Smith was also facing challenges regarding the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity; the election interference case would have hinged on whether Trump could act criminally as a private citizen while holding the presidency.
Big picture: Trump celebrated the move. He still faces state charges in Georgia and New York (and a hush money conviction in that state), but those cases will likely be dismissed or shelved for the duration of his term.

2) Alarming accident

A cargo plane operated by a Kremlin-targeted company crashed in Lithuania, sparking concern and speculation.

The news: A DHL jet -- a Boeing 737 -- went down about a half-mile away from Vilnius Airport, crashing into a residential area in a suburb of the capital city. Three people survived, but one of the pilots was killed. There was no indication of any in-flight issue before the crash; the cause is under investigation.
Key context: U.S. and European officials believe Russia may have targeted DHL logistics hubs with sabotage operationsthat included hiding incendiary devices in packages. The crashed flight originated from a German hub where a bomb previously detonated. The Kremlin is accused of carrying out an array of hybrid warfare acts on the continent in recent months and there were fears it was testing whether it could expand to the U.S. and Canada with the DHL sabotage.
Big picture: If Russia is connected to the incident, it would mark a significant escalation. DHL is a German company, the plane was built by an American company and Lithuania is a member of NATO. It also comes amid reports the Kremlin is now trying to enlist Yemen's Houthi rebels to fight in Ukraine.

3) Motion spiked

A federal judge intervened in the controversy that has roiled collegiate women's volleyball this fall.

Catch up: San Jose State's Division-1 program has been engulfed in a firestorm due to allegations a member of the team is transgender. Athletes at several schools, including SJSU's team co-captain, have filed a federal lawsuit alleging their Title IX rights are being violated. Several of San Jose's Mountain West Conference rivals have refused to take the court and forfeited league matches.
The news: A U.S. District Court judge in Denver denied an emergency motion barring the athlete from this week's conference tournament. San Jose State and the athlete have not commented on the allegations. The judge ruled teams thatforfeited were aware of the conference's rules on transgender athletes and found those bylaws were followed.
Big picture: San Jose State finished second in the league standings thanks to six forfeit victories and automatically qualified for the tournament semifinal round. It needs two wins to earn an NCAA Tournament bid; at least one match will be against an opponent who forfeited in the regular season.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

Erik and Lyle Menendez had their resentencing hearings delayed until January. The brothers, who infamously killed their parents in 1989, could eventually be released from California state prison, but incoming Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman plans to review their case (More)
A Texas bill would reclassify abortion drugs as controlled substances. A similar Louisiana law has been criticized by doctors, who say it unnecessarily complicates the use of the drugs to treat health conditions unrelated to pregnancy (More)
The father of a missing Hawaii woman died of suicide in Los Angeles. Ryan Kobayashi had been in the city searching for Hannah Kobayashi, who disappeared earlier this month under suspicious circumstances after missing a connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport (More)

World News

An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire agreement is reportedly imminent. A deal could be announced today; officials representing Lebanon, France and the U.S. expressed optimism a pact was on the verge of being completed (More)
Over a dozen people were missing after a tourist diving boat sank in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt. Twenty-eight of the vessel's 44 passengers and workers were rescued with 16 unaccounted for; at least two Americans were reportedly aboard (More)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will lead the Social Democrats in February's snap elections. There was speculation Defense Minister Boris Pistorius would bid to replace him atop the center-left party after its governing coalition collapsed (More)

Political News

President-elect Trump said he will impose a 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico, a move spurred by the neighboring countries' failure to enforce their borders; he also said he will place additional tariffs on China. The tariffs on Canada and Mexico would negate the USMCA free trade deal, so the announcement could be a negotiating tactic (More)
Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly open to seeking the presidency again in 2028. She is also contemplating a 2026 gubernatorial run in California -- as is former Olympic champion and reality television star Caitlyn Jenner (More | More)
A majority of Americans support Trump's post-election transition process, according to a new poll. A CBS/YouGov survey found 59% of respondents approve of his cabinet picks and policy proposals; only 44% of Democrats said they are motivated to oppose the president-elect (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed higher yesterday as Wall Street reacted positively to Scott Bessent's Treasury Secretary nomination. The Dow Jones had a record close (Dow +0.99%, Nasdaq +0.27%, S&P 500 +0.30%).
Macy's Q3 results will be delayed after discovering intentionally manipulated accounting entries. A former employee allegedly hid up to $154M in expenses from 2021 to earlier this month, going undetected by internal auditors; the intent of the scheme is unclear (More)
Elon Musk's Neuralink Corp. will test technology for paralyzed people to operate a robotic arm with a device implanted in the brain. Any approved device remains years away; the company currently has a brain device in at least two humans (More)

Entertainment & Sports

General Motors/Cadillac will be Formula 1's 11th team starting in 2026 as the circuit expands to 22 competitors. Racing legend Mario Andretti will be an advisor to the Cadillac team (More)
Two U.S. Senators asked FIFA to deny Saudi Arabia the 2034 Men's World Cup due to human rights issues. The international governing body is expected to approve the unopposed bid next month; Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin and Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, both Democrats, are the dissenting voices (More)
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie will reportedly sell off about 8% of the NFL team. The minority partners will buy in at an $8.1B valuation, over $2B more than what the Washington Commanders were sold for in 2022; Lurie will still control 85% of the club (More)

Quick Hitters

Feel Good: A British family adopted an adorable puppy. Ollie then proceeded to dig up $8K worth of ancient coins during his first walk.
Holiday Help: Cooking a turkey does not need to be a mysterious endeavor. Here is everything you need to know about brining.
Go Deep: The battle for internet privacy is currently being waged in New Jersey, where a law that resulted from a tragic murder could have significant national ramifications.
Take Note: Exhaustion at work can cause people to struggle to control emotions. Researchers found long hours can lead to "ego depletion," which makes it harder to moderate behavior.
Life Hack: People who treat their weekends like they are on vacation tend to be happier, according to an expert. The approach allows you to snap out of a routine and be more present.

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