Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Saturday, June 8, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, and today, we’re covering some really intriguing stories, from a Florida high court decision to a major lawsuit that Meta is facing. Also, we’ll take a look at protests at the RNC and how the conviction of former President Donald Trump is affecting his youngest son, Barron Trump, as well as at some of the gifts afforded to Supreme Court justices.
Florida Supreme Court Upholds DeSantis’s Suspension of Orlando Prosecutor
The Florida Supreme Court is supporting the decision of Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend Monique Worrell, who was serving as the state attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit.In August 2023, the governor issued an executive order to remove Ms. Worrell, saying that she was “neglecting her duties to faithfully prosecute crimes in her jurisdiction.” Ms. Worrell, a member of the Democratic Party, has called this move a “political hit job,” and her party said the governor had “gone too far.”
The governor’s executive order contained 15 pages of allegations against Ms. Worrell, including her decisions not to prosecute a misdemeanor drug charge against a man who later killed three people, to release a suspect who then shot two police officers while already on probation for another offense, and to prevent assistant state attorneys from seeking harsher sentences in child pornography cases.
The court examined the governor’s authority to suspend, saying that the governor had proper grounds for his action and that he provided various factual allegations related to Ms. Worrell’s job performance. They upheld the suspension, pointing out her neglect of duty and incompetence.
While the majority of the court agreed with the decision, Justice Jorge Labarga dissented, stating that the accusations against Ms. Worrell were too vague to allow her a fair defense.
Ms. Worrell was elected in 2020 with about 67 percent of the vote in the 9th Judicial Circuit.
Court Rules Meta Must Face Lawsuit Over Fraudulent Ads
A federal appeals court has ruled that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, must now face a lawsuit alleging it allowed fraudulent ads from Chinese companies on its platform.Christopher Calise and Anastasia Groschen sued Facebook in 2022 after they bought items advertised on the website. Mr. Calise never received the car engine assembly kit he bought, and Ms. Groschen was sent a puzzle instead of the toddler activity board she ordered. They accuse Facebook of profiting from these ads, saying that the company is not only accepting but also soliciting ads from scammers. They also said that the company breached its contract with users by not effectively policing harmful activity on its site.
The entire case was previously dismissed by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, who ruled that the claims were barred by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which grants immunity to publishers that offer “interactive computer services” for content created by others.
But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the decision. U.S. Circuit Judge Ryan Nelson, writing for the majority, said Meta failed to prove that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects it from the plaintiffs’ contract-related claims. He explained that these claims don’t treat Meta as a publisher, because Meta has a contractual duty separate from its role as a publisher after the company promised to combat scam advertisements.
The appeals court has sent the case back to Judge White, a decision which is applauded by the plaintiffs’ attorney, who said that discussions of a more narrow application of the law are “encouraging.” Meta has yet to comment on the ruling.
Protesters Sue Milwaukee to Be Allowed to Demonstrate Closer to RNC Venue
A coalition of activist groups has filed a lawsuit against the City of Milwaukee, alleging that a special event ordinance prevents them from being seen and heard by the Republican National Convention (RNC) attendees.The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), on behalf of the Coalition to March on the RNC, which comprises about six dozen organizations, argues that the ordinance establishes a security zone around the RNC venue, which makes it harder for them to get their message across to the participants of the convention.
The complaint alleges that certain aspects of the ordinance violate their First and 14th Amendment rights by restricting their expression and assembly.
The protest coalition alleged that the city had not responded to its parade permit applications, filed in September last year and January this year, after being told their April 2023 application was too early.
It was just a few months ago in March that the city adopted the special event ordinance, which included the establishment of a 90-square-block security footprint, an area with limited pedestrian and vehicular access.
City officials had met with the litigants and held discussions to resolve the matter hours before the lawsuit was filed, promising a fair chance for public expression while ensuring the safety of those attending the convention.
The group is now demanding a judicial declaration that the city’s failure to process their parade permit application was unconstitutional and is seeking to have the ordinance itself overturned.
For its part, the RNC sent a letter to the U.S. Secret Service in April, asking officials to keep protesters farther back from the convention venue than had been originally planned because the existing plan created “an elevated and untenable safety risk to the attending public.”
The Secret Service has indicated that security plans are still being finalized.
Protesters have raised similar concerns and filed lawsuits challenging restrictions around the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which is coming up in August.
‘It’s Not Easy’: Trump Provides Update on Son Barron After Trial Verdict
The former president discussed his New York criminal trial with Dr. Phil and explained that the proceedings have been very hard on his youngest son, Barron.Former President Trump praised Barron as an excellent student who has been accepted into several colleges. He spoke highly of Barron’s resilience and character, noting that Barron often refrains from discussing the trial to protect his father from additional stress.
Former President Trump emphasized the toll the trial has taken on Melania and his family, particularly criticizing the allegations as baseless.
At an event in Arizona, he appealed to higher courts, including the Supreme Court, to take action regarding his case.
Despite being convicted, former President Trump remains a formidable figure in political polls; a recent survey in Georgia showed him ahead of President Joe Biden by five points, and his lead increased slightly when other candidates were considered.
After his recent felony conviction, the Trump campaign also reported a significant increase in campaign donations.
It’s a campaign we’re all keeping a close watch on, and don’t forget, the first big presidential debate is coming up on June 27.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Amends Disclosure to Include Gift Trips
We’ll start with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who has updated his financial disclosure form to include two trips that were previously omitted. These trips, sponsored by billionaire Harlan Crow, occurred in 2019—one to Bali, Indonesia, on July 12, and another to Monte Rio, California, also in July. Critics have earlier highlighted Justice Thomas’s omissions of gifts, but in 2023, his attorney clarified that the only gift reported that year was two photo albums valued at approximately $2,000.Additionally, several justices reported income from teaching positions and book royalties. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson disclosed reimbursements for several trips, including a commencement speech at Boston University. She also reported receiving artwork valued at $12,500 and concert tickets from Beyoncé. According to the nonprofit organization Fix the Court, Justice Thomas received the most gifts among the justices.
The Supreme Court’s ethics code mandates that justices must disclose gifts and reimbursed travel. Fix the Court has criticized the current practice regarding gift acceptance and has advocated for stricter regulations.
The weekend is here and we’re pretty much out of time, so we’ll wrap things up and make that one our final story for the Saturday edition (the weekend edition) of The Epoch Times News Brief.
Jerry Hatfield says, “keep up the good work.”
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*(Don’t forget the News Brief Motto): We’re portable, affordable, and we’re always on-demand.
And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap things up with a very “notable” quote:
It was the great inventor Thomas Edison who said: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
Edison is a guy who never gave up. Some of his inventions include the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera. If you’re going to the movies this weekend, be sure to thank Thomas Edison—he made it possible.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas. We appreciate you starting your day with us, have a great weekend, and we’ll see you right back here next time for another edition of The Epoch Times News Brief! Have an incredible day today. Bye for now.
