Judge Lewis Kaplan denied former President Donald Trump's request for a new trial in the civil case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of sexual assault in the mid-1990s. The jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation and awarded Carroll $5 million in damages, which Kaplan ruled was justified. The ruling is a major victory for Carroll and a reminder that no one is above the law.
Posts published in “Politics”
Women in Texas are suing the state for clarity on exceptions to its strict abortion laws, after being denied care during their failed pregnancies. The lawsuit, brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights, is the first of its kind since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. The women are seeking a preliminary injunction to allow lifesaving care for women in the state, and two of the women involved in the lawsuit spoke about the impact of Texas' abortion law at the hearing. A ruling is expected soon.
Russia launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure on Wednesday, causing extensive damage and wounding at least 12 people. Ukraine's air force was able to shoot down 37 out of 63 targets, and the international community has condemned the attack and called for an immediate ceasefire. The attack has raised tensions between Russia and Ukraine to a new level.
Private 2nd Class Travis King has become the first known American detained in North Korea in nearly five years after crossing the heavily fortified inter-Korean border on Tuesday. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has confirmed that King crossed the border "willfully and without authorization". North Korea has yet to comment on the incident, which has raised tensions between the two countries and is being closely monitored by the U.S. government.
Illinois Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the state's decision to end the use of cash bail, making Illinois the first state in the nation to do so. The ruling overturns a lower court's opinion that the law was unconstitutional and has been met with praise from those who have long argued that cash bail unfairly affects people of color. The ruling has been met with opposition from prosecutors and sheriffs, but the court's ruling stands and Illinois is now the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail.
Lev Parnas, a key figure in the Ukraine scandal, has warned Republicans in the House Oversight Committee that they will never find any evidence of wrongdoing by Joe or Hunter Biden. In a 10-page letter, Parnas outlined his own efforts to seek negative information about the Bidens from Ukrainian sources and said he had not found any evidence of criminal activity. He urged the committee to end their investigation and focus on other matters. The hearing is expected to shed light on the Trump administration’s efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating the Bidens.
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution expressing support for Israel and rejecting antisemitism. The resolution was introduced in response to Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal's comments calling Israel a “racist state” and was adopted on a 412 to 9 vote. The resolution is a reminder of the strong relationship between the United States and Israel and the commitment to work together to promote peace and security in the region.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently appeared on CNN's Jake Tapper show to discuss his plan to "rip wokeness from the military" in order to increase enlistment. Critics have argued that the real issue is fear of death or PTSD, not "wokeness," and DeSantis defended those who cannot define the term. His willingness to engage with traditional media is a positive step forward, but it remains to be seen how effective his plan will be.