Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, we have some very pressing stories to share with you today, and here’s what you need to know.
Both vice presidential candidates have agreed to a debate, former President Donald Trump is asking for a delay in sentencing, and the federal government announces Medicare drug price cuts. Also, a proposal will appear on the ballot in a Southern state allowing local police to make arrests on its border with Mexico, and five people have been arrested in connection with the death of a famous TV star.
Vance and Walz Agree to Oct. 1 Debate
A highly anticipated debate between Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is set to take place on Oct. 1 in New York City after both vice presidential candidates agreed to CBS’s invitation. The network had initially offered four dates for the debate: Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, and Oct. 8.Walz, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee, accepted the invitation for Oct. 1, while Vance agreed to that date and also accepted another debate proposed by CNN for Sept. 18.
It remains unclear if Walz will agree to the CNN debate on Sept. 18. Vance said earlier this week that he wants to debate Walz multiple times. He also said that it’s important for the American people to see the candidates discuss their views.
While criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for her lack of media availability since she became the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, Vance has been proactive in engaging with the media, including three separate interviews on Sunday morning news programs.
Historically, both of the major parties’ presidential and vice presidential nominees have participated in debates. Currently, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Harris have agreed to a debate on Sept. 10. The Trump campaign has proposed two more debates in September, while the Harris campaign announced the vice president would participate in a second debate in October.
Trump Seeks Sentencing Delay in Manhattan Criminal Case Until After Election
Earlier this week, Trump’s attorneys wrote a letter to New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, saying that the sentencing for his business records case, scheduled for Sept. 18, should be delayed until after the Nov. 5 presidential election.The letter gives a number of reasons why Trump is asking for the adjournment, including the fact that early voting begins before Sept. 18, while highlighting alleged conflicts related to Merchan’s past affiliations and potential biases.
The letter points out that Merchan’s daughter was involved in political campaigns, which could cast doubt on the impartiality of the sentencing process, especially in the context of an ongoing congressional inquiry.
The request for adjournment also raises questions about Trump’s claim of presidential immunity following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in July. The delay is necessary, the attorneys say, for Trump to assess potential appellate options in response to the upcoming ruling on whether his conviction should be vacated.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Alvin Bragg, has not yet responded to the request for adjournment.
Just to refresh your memory, Bragg had charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records as part of an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election, and a jury found Trump guilty in May. This is the first time in U.S. history that a former president has been convicted of a crime.
Federal Government Announces Medicare Drug Price Cuts
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has successfully negotiated lower prices for 10 of the most expensive and widely used drugs covered under Medicare, which will save $6 billion for the program in 2026. Nearly 9 million of the 54 million people with Medicare Part D coverage were given the 10 drugs that are the subject of the price reductions.You should know, the selected drugs include blood thinners, diabetes medications, and treatments for heart failure and autoimmune diseases, which accounted for $56.2 billion in Medicare spending last year alone.
Negotiations with drug companies were led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and are expected to save billions and reduce out-of-pocket costs for those on Medicare. CMS says that it will choose 15 drugs for price negotiation for 2027 and another 15 drugs for 2028, with plans to select up to 20 drugs annually after that.
The White House said in a statement yesterday that the negotiations were made possible thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, which gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. President Joe Biden and Harris praised the negotiations as a victory over Big Pharma’s influence on drug pricing.
Proposal to Allow Local Police to Make Arrests Near Border Will Appear on Ballot in Arizona
Earlier this week, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a proposal will appear on the November ballot. The court rejected a challenge to the proposition and said the measure complies with the single-subject rule in the state constitution.The proposal being discussed is known as Proposition 314 and was passed by the Arizona House of Representatives in June.
If endorsed by voters, the proposition would make it a state crime to cross the Arizona–Mexico border from anywhere outside of an official port of entry and authorize Arizona state and local police to arrest those who cross the border illegally.
It would also authorize deportation and impose penalties for selling fentanyl that results in death. Also, it requires some government agencies to use a federal database to verify whether or not a noncitizen is eligible to receive benefits.
Opponents argue that the proposal unconstitutionally encompassed more than a single subject, including immigration enforcement, the fentanyl crisis, and the regulation of public benefits. They say that the measure is discriminatory, and could lead to racial profiling. For their part, supporters of the measure say it is necessary to enforce existing laws, and they criticize the federal government for failing to do enough to stem illegal border crossings.
Proposition 314 will now appear on the ballot, awaiting voter approval.
5 People Arrested in Connection to Actor Matthew Perry’s Overdose Death
Five individuals, including two doctors and a personal assistant, have been arrested in connection with the 2023 overdose death of actor Matthew Perry, most famous for his co-starring role on the hit TV show, Friends.According to U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada, the defendants face charges including conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death, maintaining drug-involved premises, altering and falsifying records related to a federal investigation, and multiple other drug trafficking counts. One defendant could potentially face a 120-year sentence, while another faces life in prison.
The lead defendants are Jasveen Sangha, known as “The Ketamine Queen,” and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, known as “Dr. P.” Sangha is accused of maintaining a drug-involved premise and distributing ketamine, among other counts, while Plasencia faces seven charges related to distributing ketamine and two for altering and falsifying documents.
According to the indictment, Sangha’s distribution of ketamine on Oct. 24, 2023, directly led to Perry’s death.
A person identified as Eric Fleming allegedly worked with Sangha and other conspirators to supply ketamine to Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and he has already pleaded guilty. Iwamasa also pleaded guilty and admitted to repeatedly injecting Perry with ketamine, including on the day of his death.
Another person identified as Dr. Mark Chavez has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine that led to Perry’s death.
Sangha, allegedly known for her illegal drug sales from her North Hollywood residence, reportedly continued to distribute ketamine despite being aware of its dangers.
You should know that the Los Angeles Police Department says that they are investigating Perry’s death alongside the DEA and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The defendants were arraigned at the United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles yesterday.
To refresh your memory, Perry was found unresponsive in a pool at his home in October 2023, with his death attributed to high ketamine levels, drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine. He had been receiving ketamine therapy for depression and anxiety.
And now, looks like our time is just about up for today, so we’re going to call it a wrap for the Friday edition of The Epoch Times News Brief.
Thanks for sharing some time with us today, and please invite your friends, family, co-workers, and even some perfect strangers to join our always-expanding News Brief family. As you know, we are very inclusive and everyone is welcome to drop in, take a break, and scope out the program.
Dr. B checked in to let us know he’s enjoying the News Brief, and we also heard from Gail and Dave who are getting briefed daily in Warrenville, just West of Chicago—and Route 59 runs right through the middle of town.
*(Don’t forget the News Brief Motto): We’re portable, affordable, and always on-demand.
And finally, as we do each and every day on this program, we wrap everything up with a very notable quote, and this one comes to us from a stunning musician, Brian Wilson, who said: “Summer means happy times and good sunshine. It means going to the beach, going to Disneyland, having fun.”
Brian Wilson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys, one of the greatest bands of all time.
Before we go, today is National Roller Coaster Day. Legendary coasters include X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, and Maverick at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas.
Thank you for making us your one-stop source for a concise, accurate, and unbiased daily synopsis of many of the news stories you need to know about.
Enjoy the remainder of your fabulous Friday, and we’ll see you right back here tomorrow for the Saturday edition (the weekend edition) of The Epoch Times News Brief. Let’s all continue to watch out for one another, and have a superb day today! Bye for now.
