Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Saturday, June 1, 2024. A brand new day and a brand new month! I’m Bill Thomas, and today, we take a look at former President Donald Trump’s reaction to his felony conviction, the Secret Service’s stance on his protection, Sen. Joe Manchin’s departure from the Democratic Party, and a call for a federal civil rights probe into Daniel Perry. Also, if you took ill after getting the COVID jab, the government might have some money for you.
Trump Speaks Out After Conviction, Vows to Appeal
The former president has responded to his felony conviction for falsifying business records in New York. He called the trial “very unfair” and said that his team will appeal the case.He said yesterday at Trump Tower, “If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone.”
President Trump criticized the judge overseeing the case and the gag order placed on him, and he alleged that the White House was involved.
He said: “This is a scam. This is a rigged trial ... this is a rigged judge,” adding that a specific election expert wasn’t allowed to testify on certain matters related to the trial.
President Trump also touched on the illegal immigration crisis and other campaign-related issues.
In response, the Biden campaign said the presumed GOP nominee is “consumed by his own thirst for revenge and retribution.” Biden–Harris communications director Michael Tyler said in a statement: “America just witnessed a confused, desperate, and defeated Donald Trump ramble about his own personal grievances and lie about the American justice system, leaving anyone watching with one obvious conclusion: This man cannot be president of the United States.”
President Biden told reporters before delivering a speech on the Middle East, “The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed.”
He also said: “Donald Trump was given every opportunity to defend himself. It was a state case, not a federal case.”
Shortly after the conviction, President Trump’s campaign announced that it raised close to $35 million from small-dollar contributors. The donation webpage even crashed due to the overwhelming support. Several Republican officials, including Mitch McConnell and Susan Collins, defended President Trump and criticized the prosecution as politically motivated.
President Trump’s sentencing is set for July 11, just before the Republican National Convention. Even if incarcerated, President Trump could still campaign and take office if he wins in November.
The former president faces three other criminal prosecutions, but this New York verdict might be the only one handed down before the election.
President Trump has pleaded not guilty in all four cases, which he says are politically motivated.
National polls show him in a tight race with President Biden, and some Republicans have said in an earlier poll that they would not vote for him if he’s convicted of a felony.
US Secret Service Reacts to Trump’s Criminal Conviction
The U.S. Secret Service says that President Trump’s conviction will not impact their duty to protect him. The agency said in a recent statement to The Epoch Times that “our security measures will proceed unchanged.” The Secret Service did not elaborate or provide more details in the statement.Early in May, the agency responded to questions about how the Secret Service would respond if President Trump were jailed. They said that they must provide protection for government leaders, including former presidents, but they did not answer a question about whether a Secret Service agent could be stationed in a cell with the former president.
President Trump’s lead attorney Todd Blanche argues against imprisonment due to the former president’s age and clean record. The maximum sentence for the conviction is four years, and the sentencing is scheduled for July 11.
Even if he’s locked up, President Trump could still campaign and take office if he wins in November. He will not be jailed, though, ahead of his sentencing.
Joe Manchin Leaves Democratic Party, Registers as Independent
Sen. Joe Manchin from West Virginia announced yesterday that he has left the Democratic Party to become an independent. He wrote on social media that he’s committed to bringing the country together, and he criticized both the Democratic and Republican parties for abandoning West Virginia and the nation in favor of partisan extremism.Mr. Manchin’s departure doesn’t change Democratic control of the Senate. He’ll join independent Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who both caucus with the Democrats.
Mr. Manchin has been in the Senate since November 2010. He’s been critical of President Biden’s green energy policies but supported the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included climate-related measures. He also played a key role in preventing the Democrats from abolishing the filibuster, which requires 60 votes for most legislation to proceed to a final vote in the Senate.
Although he had explored the idea of a third-party run, he said it wasn’t the right time. Mr. Manchin has declined to endorse President Biden’s reelection campaign, saying that the president has moved too far to the left.
Mr. Manchin has chosen not to run for reelection this year, and it’s expected that his seat will likely go to the GOP with the election of Gov. Jim Justice. Previously, he also ruled out a presidential run, but he expressed his intention to support a candidate who can “bring this country together.”
Democrat AGs Demand Federal Civil Rights Probe of Daniel Perry
New York Attorney General Letitia James and 13 other Democrat attorneys general have asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to start a federal criminal civil rights investigation into Daniel Perry. Mr. Perry was recently pardoned by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott after being sentenced to 25 years in prison for shooting Garrett Foster, an armed, Black Lives Matter (BLM) protester, during a 2020 protest.The attorneys general argue that Mr. Perry’s actions were racially motivated and violated federal civil rights laws. They also believe that even if Texas law provides a defense for Mr. Perry’s actions, it doesn’t prevent federal prosecution based on racial motivations.
Mr. Perry has maintained he acted in self-defense when he shot Mr. Foster. According to Mr. Perry’s attorneys, Mr. Perry was working as a ride-share driver on the night of the shooting and had turned onto a street where Mr. Foster and dozens of other protesters were marching. Mr. Foster approached Mr. Perry’s car carrying an AK-47 rifle and began to raise the rifle toward Mr. Perry.
The key controversy is whether Mr. Foster pointed his gun at Mr. Perry and threatened his life or whether Mr. Perry fired without provocation. A jury found Mr. Perry guilty of murder, and he was later sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Texas law permits the use of force when necessary to protect oneself against another’s unlawful force. Mr. Abbott pardoned Mr. Perry after a recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Mr. Perry served 372 days before being released. Mr. Abbott also criticized Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza for alleged misconduct in the prosecution.
US Government Confirms COVID-19 Vaccine Caused Severe Fever
The federal government will now offer compensation for individuals who experienced high fevers after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. This is the first time officials have confirmed that the vaccine can cause severe fever, which, in rare cases, can be fatal.While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledges that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 shots may cause fevers or chills, they do not specifically warn about severe fever reactions.
People with injuries from COVID-19 vaccines can try to get compensation only through the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP). So far, only 12 people have been reimbursed through this program, which covers injuries like heart inflammation, severe allergic shock, and syncope. There are 38 pending cases, mostly related to myocarditis.
Compensation from the CICP covers medical expenses and lost income, and in cases of death, family members may receive survivor benefits. However, the program has a significant backlog, making it difficult for individuals to get compensation. A number of people have shown that doctors diagnosed them with vaccine injuries but were still spurned by the program.
The CICP covers COVID-19 vaccines and drugs under a Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act declaration. A 2023 lawsuit alleged the program violates Americans’ constitutional rights, including the right to due process, noting that there’s no way to find out the identities of the people who decide on applications or seek relief from the courts.
Hey, the weekend is here and we’ve all got tons of stuff to tend to, so let’s wrap things up and make that one our final story on the Saturday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
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And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap things up with a very “notable” quote:
It was the legendary playwright George Bernard Shaw who said: “People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.”
And nobody did it better than GBS.
George Bernard Shaw wrote more than sixty plays, and in 1925, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas. We appreciate you spending a bit of your weekend with us, enjoy the remainder of your day, and we’ll see you right back here next time for another edition of The Epoch Times News Brief! Have a sensational day today. Bye for now.
