Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Friday, May 3, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, and today, we’re diving into a handful of dramatic and crucial news stories, from the unexpected death of a Boeing whistleblower to updates in the ongoing Manhattan Trump trial. Also, we have stories involving fraternity brothers at a university, heated debates over gun laws, and important food safety recalls.
Boeing Supplier Whistleblower Dies Suddenly
Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at a Boeing supplier, passed away at the age of 45 in a hospital in Oklahoma City after struggling with a sudden, fast-spreading infection.Mr. Dean worked for Spirit AeroSystems and was one of the first to allege that his company had ignored manufacturing defects on Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft. He’s the second whistleblower to die recently after the death of John “Mitch” Barnett, who was found dead in a vehicle from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound” on March 9, the day he was scheduled to appear in court.
Mr. Barnett talked about an experience in 2012 when he claimed to have identified roughly 300 defects at Spirit AeroSystems, but that inspectors sent after him were given limited time and lauded for finding fewer issues.
Mr. Dean had previously made a formal complaint to the Federal Aviation Administration, accusing Spirit AeroSystems of serious and gross misconduct with quality control management. He was fired by the company, prompting him to lodge a further complaint with the Department of Labor.
His aunt told the Seattle Times that he became ill and went to the hospital because he was having trouble breathing just over two weeks ago. She said that he was intubated, developed pneumonia, and then developed a serious bacterial infection. He passed away earlier this week.
Both whistleblowers were represented by the same law firm in South Carolina. A lawyer for Mr. Dean told the Seattle Times that he didn’t want to speculate about the close timing and circumstances of the two deaths, noting it was a “difficult set of circumstances” and the firm’s thoughts were with Mr. Barnett and Mr. Dean’s families.
Stormy Daniels Lawyer Denies Payment Was ‘Hush Money’ in Trump Trial
Keith Davidson, a lawyer who was involved in the negotiations for agreements between former President Donald Trump and two women, pushed back on prosecutors’ claims that it was a “hush-money” payment during a court appearance Thursday.Mr. Davidson, who negotiated agreements related to adult performer Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, and model Karen McDougal, disputed Manhattan prosecutor Joshua Steinglass’s language.
He said in court: “It wasn’t a ‘payout’ and it wasn’t ‘hush money.’ It was consideration in a civil settlement.”
President Trump’s attorney, Emil Bove, pressed Mr. Davidson’s understanding of extortion law and his previous actions involving soliciting money to suppress embarrassing stories.
Mr. Davidson testified that he had never met President Trump, nor had he ever been in the same room as him until he began his testimony in court earlier this week. He also said that he was unfamiliar with the Trump Organization’s record-keeping practices, although he did receive some emails from Mr. Cohen’s company email address.
Mr. Bove appeared to emphasize that President Trump was not directly involved in the negotiations and that Michael Cohen, President Trump’s lawyer at the time, independently handled the payment issues and his testimony isn’t relevant to the charges at hand.
While prosecutors claim that President Trump falsified business records in connection with these payments, his lawyers argue that these were routine legal fees and that no crime was committed.
The former president himself has suggested that the trial is politically motivated to derail his 2024 campaign and criticized the judge for imposing a gag order on certain participants in the case. President Trump said earlier, “They don’t want me on the campaign trail.”
The trial is set to continue, requiring President Trump’s presence, with the jury hearing testimony four days a week for at least another month.
Frat Brothers Rush to Save American Flag
At the Chapel Hill campus, two students took quick action to safeguard the U.S. flag, which was replaced with a Palestinian flag by pro-Palestinian protesters who were “preparing to destroy” the U.S. flag.Members from the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, along with other fraternity brothers, formed a blockade, holding up and protecting the U.S. flag from the angry protesters.
The two students—Guillermo Estrada and Alex Jones—said that their decision to protect the flag was motivated by respect for U.S. military service members, rather than taking a stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Despite facing insults and bottles and rocks thrown at them by the protesters, they stood their ground for an hour to defend the flag.
The incident captured national attention after photos of the fraternity members defending the flag were widely circulated. A GoFundMe campaign raised over $300,000 to celebrate their bravery and commended them as heroes who stood against anti-Semitism, hatred, and Marxism. The fraternity brothers expressed their appreciation for the freedoms and opportunities available in the United States, and pride in their American identity.
This event is part of a series of pro-Palestinian protests that have been taking place on college campuses across the country, with some incidents escalating into violence.
26 States Sue Federal Government Over New Rule
In a significant legal challenge, attorneys general from 26 U.S. states have initiated lawsuits, attempting to stop a rule from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that redefines “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms.Under the new regulation, almost every transfer of firearm ownership would require at least one party to have a Federal Firearms License and involve a criminal background check—and that even includes private sales.
President Joe Biden has called for expanding the criminal background check requirement since his election back in 2020. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland signed the new rule on April 10, and it goes into effect on May 10.
The attorneys general argue that the new rule defies the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedures Act. They assert that it disrupts long-standing legal precedents that have allowed private individuals to buy, sell, or trade firearms without governmental oversight.
The legal challenge involves multiple states, Second Amendment advocacy groups, and private citizens as co-plaintiffs. As of now, neither the ATF nor the White House has issued a statement regarding these lawsuits.
Nationwide Recall for 16,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Over E. Coli Concerns
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a recall for over 16,000 pounds of raw ground beef potentially contaminated with E. coli.Symptoms of E. coli infection can range from diarrhea and stomach cramps to vomiting and nausea, with the elderly and young children being particularly vulnerable.
Fortunately, there have been no reported illnesses linked to this recall so far, according to the USDA.
The recall was issued by Pennsylvania-based Cargill Meat Solutions, which distributes meat around the country. The USDA’s announcement says the possibly affected beef was shipped to Walmart stores nationwide. The raw ground beef items were produced on April 26 and April 27. The products in question don’t have the “Cargill” name and are instead branded under the “All Natural” label. They have the USDA mark of inspection on the front of the product label and the establishment number “EST 86P” printed on the back of the product label.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to eat them and to either throw them away or return them to the store where they were purchased for a refund.
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Finally, as we do each and every day on the News Brief program, we wrap things up with a very “notable” quote.
It was the great American poet Robert Frost who said: “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”
Interesting facts: President John F. Kennedy awarded Frost the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal in 1960 for his contribution to the culture of the United States, and he’s one of only four individuals to have also won four Pulitzer prizes for his poetry collections. A very accomplished gentleman.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas, thank you so much for joining us today, and we’ll see you right back here tomorrow for the weekend edition of the Epoch Times News Brief. It’s Friday, so have a stellar day today!
