Good morning, and welcome to the Epoch Times News Brief for Thursday, March 14, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas.
Georgia Judge Dismisses 6 Charges in Trump Election Case
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled on March 13 on demurrers brought by former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants in their case.The judge struck six counts from the 41-count indictment, including charges related to a phone call President Trump made to the Georgia secretary of state. The indictment originally charged 19 defendants, but four have taken plea bargains. All defendants were charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and with additional counts. A decision is expected soon on a motion to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting the case.
The judge’s ruling quashed charges 2, 5, 6, 23, 28, and 38 from the indictment, which were related to soliciting officials to violate oaths of office. The remaining charges include a RICO charge for Mark Meadows and multiple counts for President Trump, Rudy Giuliani, Ray Smith III, Robert Cheeley, and John Eastman.
The judge said that the pleading deficiencies do not apply to the acts listed in the RICO charge as part of an alleged conspiracy. He also explained that the six dismissed charges were too vague and lacked essential detail.
The judge did not dismiss all the challenged charges and allowed the prosecutors to seek indictment for the six counts that were struck. The state is also allowed to seek a review of the judge’s decision.
Secret Service Agent Blocked Trump From Going to Capitol on Jan. 6: Driver
During the events of Jan. 6, 2021, President Trump expressed a desire to go to the U.S. Capitol after his speech, but a Secret Service agent blocked him from doing so, according to a newly disclosed account.The agent who was driving the vehicle told a U.S. House of Representatives panel that President Trump “was pushing pretty hard to go,” but Robert Engel, President Trump’s lead Secret Service agent, explained that they didn’t have a plan in place and needed to reassess the situation at the White House.
President Trump felt it would be fine because he was not concerned about the people at the Capitol, describing them as being his supporters, according to the driver. However, he didn’t assert his authority as the president to override the agent’s decision. Instead, he was taken back to the White House, where he was informed about the violence unfolding at the Capitol.
The driver of the vehicle communicated the situation to other agents and they were told they wouldn’t be going to the Capitol. The decision was made after a meeting between Mr. Engel and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows or his deputy. President Trump mentioned in an interview that he understood the decision and there was no argument.
There have been conflicting accounts regarding President Trump’s reaction to not being taken to the Capitol: Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House official, claimed he became irate and lunged for the wheel, while both Mr. Engel and the driver refuted this claim.
The select committee investigating the events of Jan. 6 obtained a transcript of the driver’s testimony but did not release it, along with other transcripts, when it disbanded in late 2022.
GOP Group Launches $50 Million Campaign to Prevent Trump 2024
A Washington-based anti-Trump political group has launched a $50 million election campaign to prevent President Trump from winning a second term.The Republican Voters Against Trump campaign aims to reach moderate Republican and Republican-leaning voters in key swing states by featuring testimonials from former Trump supporters who have decided not to vote for him again, according to the Republican Accountability PAC in a March 12 press release. The group believes that these voters played a decisive role in the 2020 election and could hold the key to the 2024 presidential election.
The campaign will showcase over 100 video testimonials from one- and two-time Trump voters who have concerns about the Jan. 6 Capitol breach and the criminal cases against him. In the 2020 race, the anti-Trump PAC ran a similar campaign that featured over 1,000 video testimonials.
President Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has dismissed them as efforts to hinder his 2024 presidential run.
The anti-Trump PAC plans to run ads across various platforms including television, streaming, radio, billboards, and digital media, and is targeting six states for the campaign. The group was founded by Republican strategist Sarah Longwell and is backed by billionaires such as Reid Hoffman and Seth Klarman.
The campaign comes at a time when President Trump is leading the polls against President Biden, with 44 percent of registered voters indicating their support for President Trump in the 2024 election. President Trump also enjoys greater support among his party members compared to President Biden. Among President Trump’s 2020 voters, 90 percent said they would vote for him again.
Following his recent victories on Super Tuesday, Republican lawmakers have rallied behind him. President Trump has also challenged President Biden to a debate on key issues, stating that he is willing to participate anytime, anywhere.
$50 million against President Trump’s 2024 run. A bold move showing deep divides. Will it sway voters?
Biden Signs Bill Package With Ban on Mask Mandates Tucked Inside
President Biden signed a $460 billion spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. Included in the bill was Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-Ohio) legislation, known as the “Freedom to Breathe Act,” which bans federal mask mandates from the Department of Transportation. This law prohibits the Transportation Department from using federal funds to enforce mask mandates in passenger airlines, buses, rail, and other transportation programs until fiscal year 2024.Mr. Vance filed the legislation as an amendment to an appropriations bill, which was successfully passed. He hailed the bill’s passage as a victory for personal freedom and a step toward common sense and individual liberty.
The legislation was introduced in response to calls for mask mandates from public health officials. Republican senators, including John Thune, John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis, Ted Budd, and Eric Schmitt, co-sponsored the bill. Mr. Vance initially sought unanimous approval for the bill but faced objection from Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who argued that local officials should have health care options available to them.
The bill received support from the Air Marshal Association, which described it as common-sense legislation. The association highlighted the diversion of federal air marshals from their national security mission to enforce mask mandates and address non-compliant passengers. The president of the Air Marshal Association, John Cassaretti, emphasized the increase in violence on aircraft and attacks on aircrews due to masking requirements.
Costco Now Sells Packs of Silver Coins Online as Well as Gold Bars
Costco has started to sell silver coins online, a move confirmed by the company’s finance chief, Richard Galanti.The website currently offers a 2024 1-ounce American Eagle Silver Coin in a pack of 20, and a 1-ounce Canada Maple Leaf Silver Coin in a pack of 25 (although the latter is currently sold out). Costco’s e-commerce sales have risen 18.4 percent this quarter, largely due to increased demand for gold and silver bullion, appliances, and gift cards.
In addition to silver coins, the company has also been selling gold bars, with sales exceeding $100 million in the last quarter. The surge in sales of precious metals is being driven by rising gold and silver prices and the potential for inflation. Analysts predict that gold prices will continue to rise due to Federal Reserve easing and a weaker dollar, while silver is expected to catch up to gold’s recent performance.
However, Costco’s overall revenue has fallen below estimates due to a shift in the fiscal calendar and deflating gasoline prices. Nevertheless, the company experienced a 5.8 percent increase in comparable sales in the second quarter, largely driven by demand for consumables and groceries.
Costco’s jumping into silver coins. A sign of the times? Precious metals are in the spotlight.
That’s today’s roundup.
If you’re celebrating a birthday today, you’re in good company.
You are celebrating your birthday with legendary actor Michael Caine, born on this day in 1933 (91).
One of the greatest musicians of all time, Quincy Jones was also born on this day in 1933 (also 91).
Albert Einstein was born on this day in 1879 in Germany, and he died April 18, 1955, in Princeton, New Jersey. A physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity and won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect, Einstein is generally considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century.
And finally, we recently heard from Zahn who writes in to say that he loves the audio News Brief and he says it fits in splendidly with his schedule. Don’t stop!
Lisa in Canton, Georgia, says thanks for the audio News Brief. “I don’t know how I missed it this long but I just saw the link today and it’s wonderful!!” (Actually, Lisa, this is only our second week, so thanks for being here and please share the News Brief with your friends, family, and co-workers!)
And one last comment comes from Yael, who says, “I can’t listen to the fake reading aloud, but today I heard a real newscast or it at least felt that way.” Thanks, Yael. We are real people sharing real stories with people just like you.
That wraps up today’s episode of the Epoch Times News Brief. I’m Bill Thomas, and it’s been a pleasure bringing you the news and insights that matter most. Join us again next time as we continue to explore the stories shaping our world.
Stay safe, stay informed, and have a great day!
