The Full Belmonte, 8/14/2023
Trump vs. mobster law
Fulton County (Ga.) District Attorney Fani Willis in her chambers in Atlanta last week. Photo: Megan Varner/The Washington Post via Getty Images
“President Trump's next potential indictment — his fourth, expected as soon as this week — could be grounded in a law typically used against mobsters.
Why it matters: Georgia's expansive racketeering law — RICO — could end with pardon-proof charges against Trump and more than a dozen associates, Axios' Sareen Habeshian and Zachary Basu report.
Fulton County (Ga.) District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to begin presenting her case to a grand jury early this week.
Two potential witnesses — former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and independent journalist George Chidi — said on social media that they've been called to testify tomorrow.
Catch me up: The sweeping, years-long investigation began after Trump asked Georgia's top election official to ‘find’ nearly 12,000 votes on Jan. 2, 2021 — an explosive conversation caught on tape.
Willis has obtained texts and emails directly connecting members of Trump's legal team to a breach of voting software in Coffee County, Ga., in January 2021, CNN reports.
Legal experts point to three big consequences of Willis' expected use of the state's RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) statute:
The stiff penalties associated with RICO charges are a big incentive for co-defendants to seek deals in return for new evidence. Some Trump allies and supporters have already been informed by the D.A.'s office that they are targets of the investigation, including Rudy Giuliani and GOP electors who falsely ‘certified’ Trump as Georgia's 2020 victor.
Since these would be state charges, a presidential pardon wouldn't free Trump. ‘If he were to win the presidency or if a Republican sympathetic to him were to win ... the president of the United States can't pardon or can't dismiss,’ said Anthony Michael Kreis, a law professor at Georgia State University.
While the federal judiciary — and New York courts — are averse to televising criminal proceedings, Georgia courts are more transparent, Kreis notes. Georgia could end up being the only Trump trial broadcast to the world.” [Axios]
Maui rescue teams search ruins
“Communities began looking ahead to a long recovery from last week’s crushing wildfire that demolished a historic Maui town and killed at least 96 people and destroyed over 2,000 residential buildings.
The search for the dead is far from over and that the death toll probably would rise, Maui Police Chief John Pelletier warned.
•No official cause of the Lahaina fire has been determined, but several factors appear to have conspired to create the largest natural disaster in state history.
•Locals are questioning whether residents were given warning as the wildfire swept through. There are also questions about whether the area had the resources to help people, including enough firefighters.
•Rebuilding Maui won't be easy: The fire left behind a stench of noxious fumes, toxic debris and particulate matter that could make people sick.” [USA Today]
Hano Ganer looks through the ashes of his family's home on Malolo Place in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii.
PATRICK T. FALLON, AFP via Getty Images
Lack of confirmed military leaders due to abortion protest
“Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, has been nominated to take over as chief of naval operations after the current leader steps down on Monday. But her historic appointment hasn't been finalized due to Sen. Tommy Tuberville's hold of military promotions that began in February. The Alabama Republican has held up more than 200 military promotions for senior military jobs that require Senate confirmation, arguing that some Department of Defense abortion policies − such as provisions on paid leave and traveling expenses − violate federal law.” Read more at USA Today
•”Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley says we 'have to stop demonizing' women who have abortions.” [USA Today]
Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., speaks at Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 2, 2023.
Jose Luis Magana, AP
Pennsylvania house explosion kills five, including child
“Five people, including a child, are dead after a house exploded in Pennsylvania Saturday morning, destroying three structures and damaging several other houses, authorities said. First responders said there were people trapped under debris, two houses on fire, multiple homes damaged. It appeared ‘as if one house had exploded,’ said officials, who are still investigating the cause of the incident. Rafal Kolankowski, who lives a few houses away, said the explosion broke his windows and knocked him and his wife to the ground: ‘It looks like a bomb hit our neighborhood.’” Read more at USA Today
Two firefighters stand on the debris around the smoldering wreckage of the the three houses that exploded near Rustic Ridge Drive and Brookside Drive in Plum, Pa., on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023.
Samuel Long, AP
LGBTQ teachers face ramped up attacks and threats of 'indoctrination'
“As teachers across the country begin the 2023-2024 school year, they face a number of anti-LGBTQ+ education laws and ramped-up attacks by conservatives. While some members of the right, such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, have attacked LGBTQ+ teachers for ‘indoctrinating’ students, many teachers say that narrative is harmful and inaccurate. Instead, queer teachers say they are just trying to exist and do their jobs while making their students feel safe and respected.” Read more at USA Today
Police raid weekly paper
The offices of the Marion County Record in Marion, Kan. Photo: John Hanna/AP
“A police department in Marion, Kan., is accused of violating First Amendment protections after officers raided a weekly paper and the home of its co-owner, Axios' Sara Fischer writes.
30+ major news organizations and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press condemned the seizure of computers from the Marion County Record, in a letter yesterday to the chief of the Marion Police Department.
The paper said the raid contributed to the death of its 98-year-old co-owner, who collapsed the next day — "[s]tressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief."
What happened: The Marion County Record said police seized computers and staff's file servers and phones in Friday's raid on the family-owned paper's office. Co-owner and editor Eric Meyer's phone, computers and internet router were taken during a search of his home after a search warrant was issued and signed by a local judge.
The raids occurred following a complaint from restaurant owner Kari Newell, who accused the paper of illegally obtaining and disseminating information on a drunken driving conviction against her, according to a nonprofit news site, the Kansas Reflector.
The Marion County Record said it obtained the information legally from a tip, and used public online records to verify details. The paper decided against publishing the information and instead contacted police. It did report on Newell confirming the conviction during a city council meeting.
The other side: Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody told Axios in an emailed statement: ‘I believe when the rest of the story is available to the public, the judicial system that is being questioned will be vindicated.’” [Axios]
A boy rides along Main Street past wildfire damage, Aug. 11, 2023, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
U.S. NEWS
Lahaina residents worry a rebuilt Maui town could slip into the hands of affluent outsiders
“A fast-moving wildfire that incinerated much of Maui’s compact coastal settlements last week has multiplied concerns that any homes rebuilt there will be aimed at attracting affluent outsiders seeking a tropical haven. That would turbo-charge what is already one of Hawaii’s gravest and biggest challenges: the exodus and displacement of Native Hawaiian and local-born residents who can no longer afford to live in their homeland. Read more.
Why this matters:
Tuesday’s wildfire has killed at least 96 people, becoming the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in a century. Maui County estimates over 80% of the more than 2,700 structures in the town were damaged or destroyed and 4,500 residents are newly in need of shelter.
The median price of a Maui home is $1.2 million, putting a single-family home out of reach for the typical wage earner. Sterling Higa, the executive director of the non-profit Housing Hawaii’s Future said the town is host to many houses that have been in the hands of local families for generations, but it’s also been subject to gentrification.
Residents with insurance or government aid may get funds to rebuild, but those payouts could take years and it may not be enough to pay rent or buy an alternate property in the interim. Many on Kauai spent years fighting for insurance payments after Hurricane Iniki slammed into the island in 1992 and said the same could happen in Lahaina, Higa said.” [AP News]
POLITICS
Rising political threats take US into uncharted territory as 2024 election looms
“Last week’s confrontation that ended with FBI agents fatally shooting a 74-year-old Utah man who threatened to assassinate President Joe Biden was just the latest example of how violent rhetoric has created a more perilous political environment across the U.S. Read more.
Why this matters:
Threats against public officials have been steadily climbing in recent years, creating new challenges for law enforcement, civil rights and the health of American democracy. The Capitol Police last year reported that they investigated more than double the number of threats against members of Congress as they did four years earlier.
The threats are not simply an issue of national discourse coarsening. Experts warn the escalating rhetoric can be precursors of political violence, especially as the 2024 election and former President Donald Trump’s trials draw closer. Lone attackers acting impulsively, rather than mass violence such as the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, are the greatest worry, said Javed Ali, a former senior FBI counterrorism official now at the University of Michigan.” [AP News]
WORLD NEWS
Two years after fall of Kabul, tens of thousands of Afghans are in limbo waiting for U.S. visas
“When the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan in August 2021 it airlifted out more than 70,000 Afghans who helped the war effort by working with the U.S. government and military, or as journalists and aid workers now at risk under the Taliban. But two years later, many more are still waiting to be resettled. Read more.
Why this matters:
The American airflift in August 2021 allowed for many Afghans to gain entry to the U.S. under a provision known as humanitarian parole -- but many more are still waiting. An Association of Wartime Allies report said at the current rate it would take 31 years to process them all.
Many of the applicants who fled Afghanistan have destroyed documents during the Taliban takeover because they worried about reprisals. Now they need them to prove their case. In the meantime, they are running through personal savings, living in limbo and in exile.” [Axios]
“Here we are again, with another presidential primary that has turned Argentine politics upside down.
Like four years ago the unexpected happened, and Javier Milei, the eccentric right-wing populist and admirer of former US President Donald Trump, now has a real shot at leading the nation.
In a stronger-than-expected showing yesterday, Milei captured more than 30% support in the ballot to choose who can run for the presidency, against about 28% for the two candidates combined of the pro-business opposition Juntos por el Cambio and 27% for the ruling Peronist coalition.
The fact that Milei individually got more votes than the country’s two main coalitions shows how his attacks on the political establishment are resonating with an electorate frustrated by rampant inflation and a looming recession. His ideas range from scrapping the central bank and replacing the peso with the dollar to legalizing the sale of human organs.
Yet the result is just the first step in what’s a long and uncertain electoral process.
With a three-way race now expected in the Oct. 22 first-round election, a runoff is likely to be needed in November to pick a president. And the fact the three leading political groups captured almost 86% of the combined votes leaves little space to garner new support, making the forecasting of a result more difficult.
In the meantime, the economy threatens to pour even more uncertainty on the race in the weeks until the vote.
The government is running out of options to avoid a currency devaluation, and the $44 billion agreement with the International Monetary Fund is also at risk of collapsing, making the job of Sergio Massa, the economy minister who’s a presidential candidate for the Peronists, almost impossible.
One thing is clear: Milei has taken politics in Argentina in a novel direction”. — Juan Pablo Spinetto [Bloomberg]
Milei celebrates the primary results with his sister, Karina, in Buenos Aires. Photographer: Alejandro Pagni/AFP/Getty Images
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“A forced inspection by the Russian navy on a Turkish cargo vessel threatened shipping in the Black Sea, Ukraine said, sending wheat prices higher. A Russian warship opened fire and then sent helicopter-borne troops to board the dry-cargo vessel Sukru Okan yesterday. It later allowed the ship to resume its journey to the Ukrainian Danube port of Izmail.” [Bloomberg]
“Kremlin economic aide Maxim Oreshkin blamed the central bank for contributing to a plunge in the ruble, an unusual rebuke made public just moments before the Russian currency broke through 100 to the dollar for the first time since March last year.” [Bloomberg]
“The one universal impact of climate change, felt in every corner of the planet, is an uptick in temperatures. Take this summer in the northern hemisphere, which has likely been humanity’s hottest, and 2023 is on track to be the warmest year in recent history. To visualize how climate change drives warming year-round, scientists often use what’s called a shifting bell curve, but the change doesn’t mean all days get slightly warmer. Instead, the coldest days get less cold, and the hottest days get hotter. These changes drive pronounced climate consequences.” [Bloomberg]
“Boost production of missiles: That was the message from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over the weekend as he toured plants making weapons to strike America’s allies, ahead of a summit of the leaders of Japan, South Korea and the US this week. It was Kim’s second such visit in about a week, placing a spotlight on the security threat posed by his country as the Biden administration seeks help to deter his nuclear ambitions.” [Bloomberg]
Kim during his visit to a military factory. Source: KCNA
“Niger’s self-declared military leadership vowed to prosecute deposed President Mohamed Bazoum while saying it’s also prepared to reopen talks with a West African regional economic bloc that has demanded the junta cede power. The coup leaders plan to charge Bazoum with ‘high treason and undermining the internal and external security of Niger,’ Agence France-Presse reported.” [Bloomberg]
“Ecuador’s presidential candidates tried to distinguish themselves in a bumpy debate yesterday, marked by the absence of a replacement for slain candidate Fernando Villavicencio. While no-one dominated the evening, polls conducted after Villavicencio’s killing last week have shown Jan Topic, an anti-crime hard-liner, gaining ground against leftist Luisa Gonzalez ahead of the Aug. 20 election.” [Bloomberg]
“Iran said last week’s deal with the US on the release of prisoners and frozen funds could lead to diplomacy in other areas including its nuclear program.” [Bloomberg]
“Japan is preparing for its second typhoon in a week, with airlines canceling flights and rail operators halting some operations.” [Bloomberg]
“China’s economic recovery is being weighed down by a worsening property slump, with the latest data likely to show little sign of a rebound in growth.” [Bloomberg]
“A Hong Kong court overturned one of two convictions for seven top democracy activists, including media mogul Jimmy Lai, over an unauthorized protest in 2019, a narrow victory for the city’s beleaguered opposition.” [Bloomberg]
“Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took political responsibility for last week’s decision to impose a 40% tax on banks’ extra profits, a move that wiped out an initial $10 billion in market value.” [Bloomberg]
Musk's Napoleon complex
This text exchange between Elon Musk (green) and Mark Zuckerberg (gray) was posted by Walter Isaacson.
“Walter Isaacson — who'll be out 30 days from now with "Elon Musk" — tells me Musk has studied the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte for leadership insights.
‘He likes military history,’ Isaacson said. ‘And he believes there are lessons that apply to corporate life.’
‘For example,’ Isaacson continued, ‘he believes that wherever Napoleon was, that's where his armies would do best. So he liked to show up late at night on the assembly lines at Tesla and SpaceX,’ where Musk is CEO.
In an incident recounted in the book, Musk said after spending an hour under a Starship booster being built at the SpaceX Boca Chica launch site in Texas: ‘If they see their general on the battlefield, they will be more motivated.’
‘I learned that by reading about Napoleon,’ he added.
At night, Musk likes to listen to Dan Carlin's ‘Hardcore History’ podcast.
Isaacson posted a screenshot of a text exchange between Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, making it clear that the physical fight they've discussed won't happen any time soon.
Musk texted Isaacson the screenshot at 4:44 a.m. in New Orleans, where Isaacson lives.
On the outlook for a mano a mano fight, Isaacson says: ‘I don't make predictions when it comes to Musk! But it seems unlikely.’
The author added: ‘I obviously think that this whole cage match idea is completely ridiculous.’” [Axios]
Bills safety Damar Hamlin makes 'remarkable' return
“Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his return to the football field on Saturday, seven months after suffering a cardiac arrest during a January game. Hamlin made his debut in the Bills' preseason opener win against the Indianapolis Colts, making a fourth-down tackle in the first quarter.” Read more at USA Today
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin waves to fans after an NFL preseason football game against the Indianapolis Colts in Orchard Park, New York, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023.
Adrian Kraus, AP