The Full Belmonte, 9/16/2023
UAW members on the picket line on Friday outside of the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich.
PHOTO: SYLVIA JARRUS FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
United Auto Workers members walked out at several of GM, Ford and Stellantis’s more profitable plants in a targeted action that the union said could ratchet up.
“Though more restrained than some expected, the move marks the first time in the UAW’s 88-year-history that it is targeting all three Detroit automakers at once ( read for free). Contracts covering about 146,000 factory workers expired at 11:59 p.m. ET yesterday. Wage increases are among the sticking points. Executives at the three companies said they had made lucrative bargaining proposals. Economists expect the strike’s impact to be modest—if limited to a few locations and resolved quickly. Otherwise, it could stymie economic growth, curtail employment and increase inflation. President Biden said he plans to send in senior officials to help. Negotiations are paused today while UAW officials spend time with members on the picket lines.” [Wall Street Journal]
Jack Smith seeks gag order on Trump
On Friday afternoon, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan unsealed filings revealing the government’s week-old request.
“The defendant's past conduct ... amply demonstrates the need for this order," prosecutors wrote. | Scott Olson/Getty Images
“Special counsel Jack Smith is asking a judge to issue a gag order against Donald Trump, prohibiting him from attacking prosecutors, the judge or potential witnesses who may testify in his federal criminal trial stemming from his effort to subvert the 2020 election.
‘The defendant’s past conduct, including conduct that has taken place after and as a direct result of the indictment in this case, amply demonstrates the need for this order,’ prosecutors wrote, adding that Trump’s past salvos had already resulted in harassment of potential witnesses.
On Friday afternoon, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan unsealed filings revealing the government’s week-old request, arguing that Trump is undermining the fairness of the proceedings through “disparaging and inflammatory attacks” on prosecutors, witnesses and the judge in the case.
Given Trump’s penchant for bombastic public statements and for using his social media accounts to settle political scores, a clash like the one now playing out in front of Chutkan has seemed inevitable, particularly as the number of criminal cases Trump faces has risen to four.
Trump lashed out on his social media network Truth Social soon after news of the request broke, writing: ‘So, I’m campaigning for President against an incompetent person who has WEAPONIZED the DOJ & FBI to go after his Political Opponent, & I am not allowed to COMMENT? They Leak, Lie, & Sue, & they won’t allow me to SPEAK?’
While any gag order limits a defendant’s First Amendment rights, Trump’s situation is unique as he is mounting a campaign to return to the White House and is intent on using the criminal cases as part of his effort to energize his political base.
But in their new request, prosecutors say Trump’s posts amount to more than a mere breach of decorum because his public vitriol has a history of unleashing harassment by Trump followers. The prosecution specifically cited Trump’s attacks on his former cybersecurity aide Chris Krebs, Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman and former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan as examples of figures who faced threats as a result of being singled out by the former president on social media.
Earlier Friday, a federal appeals court also unsealed records showing that the same team of prosecutors had fought in court to block Twitter from telling Trump about a pending search warrant — worrying that informing him could ‘precipitate violence’ or enable him to attack and intimidate witnesses.
Taken together, the government’s filings over a period of several months present an extraordinary picture of a former president as a uniquely dangerous threat to the courts, the justice system and those who would align against him in his four criminal cases. They say he uses that platform — primarily Truth Social and TV interviews — to spread knowing lies about his critics and the court process in ways that stoke the fury of his followers, some of whom feel compelled to act in his name.
In the Chutkan filings, the Justice Department attorneys also pointed to Trump’s repeated incendiary attacks on Smith himself, another special counsel prosecutor Jay Bratt and on Chutkan. They accused Trump of spreading a ‘knowing lie’ by accusing Bratt of meeting with President Joe Biden White House officials when he was in fact conducting a ‘routine’ interview of a career military official stationed at the White House.
Prosecutors also repeatedly complained about Trump’s pointed criticism of the city that is home to those expected to decide his guilt or innocence in the case, Washington, D.C., and his public suggestions that any jury that is seated in the capital will be biased.
‘No way I can get a fair trial, or even close to a fair trial, in Washington, D.C.,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social last month. ‘I am calling for a federal takeover of this filthy and crime-ridden embarrassment to our nation. ... The federal takeover is very unpopular with potential area jurors, but necessary for greatness, & for all the world to see!’
Last month, at the first hearing Chutkan held in the case, the judge warned that Trump could face consequences if he sought to inflame passions related to the prosecution.
‘The fact that he’s running a political campaign has to yield to the orderly administration of justice,’ Chutkan told Trump lawyer John Lauro at the Aug. 11 hearing, which the defendant was excused from attending. ‘If that means he can’t say exactly what he wants to say about witnesses in this case, that’s how it has to be.’
‘Even arguably ambiguous statements from parties or their counsel, if they can be reasonably interpreted to intimidate witnesses or to prejudice potential jurors, can threaten the process,’ Chutkan added. ‘I will take whatever measures are necessary to safeguard the integrity of these proceedings.’
Earlier this week, Trump’s attorneys filed a motion asking Chutkan to step aside from the case, arguing that her past comments in other Jan. 6-related cases indicate she’d concluded Trump was guilty or at least deserved to be charged. Prosecutors are opposing the effort to recuse her.
Trump’s lawyers have asked her to rule on that issue before considering any other motion in the case.” [POLITICO]
Trump says he would testify that he didn’t order Mar-a-Lago video deleted
“In an NBC News Exclusive interview, former President Donald Trump denied ordering a Mar-a-Lago staffer to delete surveillance video at the center of the special counsel investigation into his alleged handling of classified documents.
‘That's false,’ Trump told ‘Meet the Press’ moderator Kristen Welker, in his first broadcast interview since leaving office.
When asked whether he would testify to that under oath, Trump said, ‘Sure, I’m going to — I’ll testify.’
‘But more importantly, the tapes weren’t deleted,’ he added. ‘In other words, there was nothing done to them.’ The indictment does not allege the footage was actually erased….” Read at NBC News
Twitter turned over 32 of Trump’s direct messages to special counsel
“We’re also learning today that Twitter turned over 32 of Donald Trump’s direct messages to special counsel Jack Smith earlier this year, according to newly unsealed court documents.
Smith’s office executed a secret search warrant for Trump’s Twitter account earlier this year, as part of his federal election interference investigation.
After news of the warrant broke in August, Trump called it a ‘major ‘hit’ on my civil rights,’ on his social media site.” [NBC News]
“Large and dangerous” Hurricane Lee on path for New England
“The outer bands of Hurricane Lee are approaching southeastern New England this afternoon, and it is expected to be a ‘large and dangerous’ storm when it reaches the region, forecasters said.
Lee is now a Category 1 storm located about 340 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, and moving north-northeast at 18 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.
The current forecast shows Lee approaching the coast of New England and Atlantic Canada through Saturday. It’s expected to make landfall in Atlantic Canada Saturday night into Sunday.
States of emergency have been declared in Massachusetts and Maine ahead of the storm, and coastal towns on Long Island are also preparing for potential impacts.
One town along the New Jersey shore is threatening to fine people anywhere from $100 to more than $1,000 if they’re caught swimming in the ocean as Lee approaches.” [NBC News]
US military orders new interviews on the deadly 2021 Afghan airport attack as criticism persists
“The Pentagon's Central Command has ordered new interviews of service members who were at the Kabul airport when suicide bombers attacked during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The decision, according to officials, does not reopen the investigation.” Read More at AP News
Jury clears 3 men in the last trial tied to the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
“A jury acquitted three men Friday in the last trial connected to a plan to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. They were the last of 14 men to face charges in state or federal court. Nine were convicted, and now five have been cleared.” Read More at AP News
Ready, Set, Debate
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech during a joint press conference with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Kyiv on March 8.Roman Pilipey/Getty Images
“Final preparations are underway as foreign leaders arrive in New York City for this year’s United Nations General Assembly, set to begin on Sept. 19. Everything from the bloc’s relevance to international conflict to climate change is on the table. But next week’s global summit is just the beginning of high-stakes talks.
U.S. officials confirmed on Thursday that President Volodymyr Zelensky, following his U.N. address, will add a surprise trip to Washington to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden and members of the U.S. Congress. This will be Zelensky’s second trip to the U.S. capital since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and it comes amid the Biden administration’s efforts to approve $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Kyiv’s war effort—something Republicans on Capitol Hill have so far refused to entertain. Zelensky has made few trips abroad since the war with Moscow began—not even attending last year’s U.N. summit in person. He was instead granted special permission to speak via video.
Zelensky’s aims for this year’s bloc meeting are twofold: to gather support for his 10-point peace proposal and to find solutions to Ukraine’s food security crisis. Regarding the former, building allies has become increasingly difficult following Russia’s efforts to court nations in the global south. And for the latter, Russia’s decision to leave the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July and impose a de facto blockade on shipments passing through its waters has dwindled Ukraine’s food supplies in recent months.
Ukrainian officials have also hinted at the potential for a special U.N. Security Council session to discuss the war. However, even if a special session occurs, the likelihood of it securing tangible results remains slim—not least because Russian President Vladimir Putin is not attending the summit, sending Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in his place. ‘The U.N. is still at the core of multilateralism and rule-based order, and yet the impression one gets from the Security Council in particular is that it is not fully fit for purpose anymore,’ Rein Tammsaar, Estonia’s ambassador to the United Nations, told Foreign Policy.
In February and March 2022, more than 140 countries in the U.N. General Assembly passed two resolutions condemning Moscow’s attack. But apart from demonstrating broad international consensus against the war, the resolutions did little to solve the crisis.
Zelensky’s schedule and Putin’s absence are not the only decisions turning heads in New York. Neither Chinese President Xi Jinping nor his foreign minister, Wang Yi, will attend this year’s summit. Instead, Beijing will send Vice President Han Zheng, who holds a mostly ceremonial role. Xi’s absence could impact Washington’s ability to organize his upcoming attendance at the Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in San Francisco in November.
Other big no-shows include French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This makes Biden the sole leader of the Security Council’s permanent five to attend.” [Foreign Policy]
“The road to Bakhmut. Ukrainian forces secured another key counteroffensive victory on Friday after troops reclaimed the eastern village of Andriivka from Russian control. According to Kyiv’s military officials, Moscow suffered heavy casualties and equipment losses in the fight. By establishing a new foothold in the region, experts predict that Ukraine could now be preparing to advance on Bakhmut’s southern flank.
Recapturing Bakhmut would end the fiercest, longest battle since Russia first invaded Ukraine. Although Bakhmut holds minimal strategic significance, images of fighting there have made the small city symbolically important to both sides.” [Foreign Policy]
“Concerns over potential weapons deals between Moscow and Pyongyang increased on Friday following North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s tour of a Russian aircraft factory. Since Kim crossed into Russia on Tuesday, the autocratic head of state has toured advanced weapons and technology sites, including rocket launch pads at the Vostochny Cosmodrome spaceport, as well as met with Putin.
According to the Kremlin, no new agreements have been signed during Kim’s visit. However, the North Korean leader visiting any foreign country is a rare enough event that it suggests closer bilateral relations to come. This could mean anything from Russia supplying food aid to North Korea to Moscow sharing satellite research in exchange for North Korean armaments.” [Foreign Policy]
“Overwhelmed. Libyan officials are struggling to address the sheer number of deaths caused by mass flooding in Derna, which began on Monday following Storm Daniel’s destruction of two dams. On Thursday, locals estimated that at least 11,300 people had been killed, more than 7,000 residents had been wounded, and a further 10,100 others remained missing. Derna city officials predict the death toll could reach 20,000 people, a fifth of the city’s population.
Search and rescue efforts remain underway, with many teams provided as part of international relief efforts. Reports indicate burials are being held in mass graves. Aid groups continue to call on the local government to distribute food, clean water, and medical supplies. However, Libya’s chaotic political situation has made humanitarian efforts difficult to execute.” [Foreign Policy]
”China’s Defense Minister Is Being Removed From Post, U.S. Officials Say - Li Shangfu, who hasn’t appeared in public since late August, is the latest of several senior Chinese officials to disappear without explanation.” [Wall Street Journal]
“Wells Fargo’s former head of retail banking avoided prison for misleading regulators investigating one of the biggest banking scandals in modern US history, as a judge imposed a sentence of three years of probation. Carrie L. Tolstedt, 63, the only Wells Fargo executive to be charged in the fake-accounts scandal of 2016, had pleaded guilty to obstruction of a bank examination by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.” [Bloomberg]
Carrie Tolstedt Photographer: Louis Lanzano/Bloomberg
“The US Internal Revenue Service plans to hire 3,700 employees to help fuel its efforts to target large corporations and complex partnerships. President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act set aside tens of billions of dollars for the IRS to intensify its enforcement of tax cheats. The Friday announcement followed agency news last week that it would open examinations for 75 of the largest US partnerships by the end of this month.”” [Bloomberg]
TikTok is hit with $368 million fine under Europe’s strict data privacy rules
“European regulators slapped TikTok with a $368 million fine on Friday for failing to protect children’s privacy, the first time that the popular short video-sharing app has been punished for breaching Europe’s strict data privacy rules.” Read More at AP News
Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, known for his inflated forms, has died at age 91
“Renowned Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, whose depictions of people and objects in plump, exaggerated forms became emblems of Colombian art around the world, has died. He was 91.” Read More at AP News
“The family who inspired the Oscar-winning movie ‘The Blind Side’ said they never intended to adopt former NFL star Michael Oher when he was in high school, and denied profiting off his name, in a new court filing.” [NBC News]
“Hollywood’s striking writers will meet with studio negotiators to resume talks next week, the studios said.” [NBC News]
THE WEEK IN CULTURE
Fernando BoteroMartin Bureau/Agence France-Presse
“Fernando Botero’s paintings and sculptures of overstuffed generals, bishops, prostitutes and housewives made him one of the world’s best-known artists. He died at 91.” [New York Times]
“Nicki Minaj hosted the MTV Video Music Awards. She also performed in a medley celebrating 50 years of hip-hop. See memorable moments from the night” [New York Times].
“The Rolling Stone magazine co-founder Jann Wenner said his decision to feature only white men in his book on rock’s ‘masters’ was unintentional and about ‘my personal interest and love of them.’” [New York Times]
“Sean Combs released his first solo album in 17 years, which the Times pop critic Jon Caramanica called ‘modern and engaged.’” [New York Times]
“Bill Maher said his weekly HBO show would return despite the writers’ strike, which includes members of his own staff.” [New York Times]
“A public-relations expert examined the divorce announcement of Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner.” [New York Times]
“Ashton Kutcher stepped down as chairman of a nonprofit he co-founded to combat child sexual abuse. He had drawn criticism for seeking leniency for his former co-star Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape.” [New York Times]
“The breakout Mexican singer-songwriter Peso Pluma postponed concerts in the U.S. while the authorities investigate whether a drug cartel made threats against him.” [New York Times]
“Aerosmith postponed six shows of its farewell tour after the lead singer, Steven Tyler, sustained vocal cord damage, CBS News reports.” [New York Times]
“’NSYNC will release its first new song in over 20 years for the ‘Trolls Band Together’ soundtrack, Pitchfork reports.” [New York Times]
“The acclaimed playwright who wrote the script from which the 2016 movie ‘Moonlight’ was adapted will be the next director of Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.” [New York Times]
“Amanda Gorman and Cynthia Erivo were among the performers at the opening of the Perelman Performing Arts Center at the site of the World Trade Center.” [New York Times]
“A Polish singing competition is facing criticism after two contestants performed in blackface, imitating Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé.” [New York Times]
“The New York Philharmonic has received a $40 million donation, the largest endowment gift in the orchestra’s 181-year history.” [New York Times]
“Authors, playwrights and composers who are not U.S. citizens will soon be eligible for the Pulitzer Prizes for the first time.” [New York Times]
“Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness set to divorce after 27 yearsThe Wolverine star says in a statement he and Deborra-Lee Furness will now ‘pursue our individual growth’.
Read more at BBC