Thursday, July 9 top news briefs
Hello, it is Thursday, July 9. Here are today’s top news briefs.
Supreme Court says NYC prosecutors can view Trump financial records
The Supreme Court ruled today that prosecutors in Manhattan can obtain President Donald Trump’s financial records. The Manhattan District Attorney has subpoenaed 8 years of Trump’s financial records as a part of an investigation on hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. The DA’s subpoena was opposed by Trump, prompting a legal battle and now the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that prosecutors can view the documents, but it won’t be made public because the investigation involves a secret grand jury. So we’ll see what impact it has on that case. There was a separate but related case on whether House Democrats could view Trump’s financial records as a part of a Congressional investigation, but the Supreme Court declined to make a decision, sending it back to the lower courts, so that legal battle will continue. The Supreme Court expressed concern that Congress might abuse this power to harass Trump or future presidents. The Manhattan DA was authorized because it has to do with a criminal case. President Trump tweeted that this is all a “political prosecution” and that it was unfair to his presidency or administration.
Seattle man charged with vehicular homicide
In Seattle, a 27-year-old man named Dawit Kelete was charged with vehicular homicide after he allegedly drove into a protest on Interstate 5 last weekend. The protesters were a part of a “Black Femme March” group and used their vehicles to block the highway as protesters walked on the highway on foot. Authorities said at 1:35 a.m. on Saturday morning, Kelete drove his Jaguar sedan up a ramp the wrong way, then drove at high speeds on the shoulder, and hit two protesters. A 24-year-old individual, Summer Taylor, died at a hospital, while the second person was hospitalized in serious condition. This is just one of several news stories in recent days of cars plowing through protesters.
Florida reports record number of Covid-19 deaths
Today Florida reported 120 deaths related to coronavirus, which CNN said is a new single-day record for the state. The previous high was on April 28 when 83 deaths were reported. Florida has had over 4,000 deaths and 232,000 current total cases. There are 48 hospitals in Florida that have reached their ICU capacity.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said we are in the middle of the first wave of Covid-19. He said he is not thinking about a “second wave” because we are “knee-deep” in the first wave and that we have never gotten out of it. He said the virus is a very complex situation because it affects people in so many different ways, sometimes causing no symptoms but sometimes causing death. He said the virus is “spectacularly transmissible.”
The Ivy League, which includes elite universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, said they would postpone the upcoming college football season due to concerns with coronavirus. All the other fall sports will also be postponed.
“Black Lives Matter” mural painted in front of Trump Tower
A large yellow mural with the words, “BLACK LIVES MATTER” was painted on Fifth Avenue in New York City directly in front of Trump Tower. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said “Let’s show Donald Trump what he does not understand. Let’s paint it right in front of his building for him.” Trump objected to the planned mural last week, saying it would take away the value of Fifth Avenue and would cause more tension with New York’s law enforcement. There was a delay with the mural, but now it’s painted. It is the second “Black Lives Matter” mural painted outside of Donald Trump’s residence — with the first being in Washington, D.C. in front of the White House.
George Floyd said “I can’t breathe” almost 30 times
George Floyd told Minneapolis police officers that he “couldn’t breathe” almost 30 times, according to transcripts of body camera footage that was just released as a part of the criminal court proceedings against the four police officers who are accused of murder or aiding and abetting. Floyd told officers that he doesn’t want to be placed in a police car because he has claustrophobia and anxiety. He told officers that he would do anything. At one point Floyd said, “Tell my kids I love them. I’m dead.” Officer Derek Chauvin, the one who kneeled on his neck, said, “You’re doing a lot of talking.” Floyd then said, “Mama, I love you. I can’t do nothing.” Chauvin said, “Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk.” Floyd’s last three words were, “Please. Please. Please.” Another officer, Thomas Lane, asked if Floyd should be placed on his side, but Chauvin said no.
Michael Cohen back in federal prison
Michael Cohen is now back in federal prison. A NBC News reporter said there were pictures that show Cohen at a restaurant in Manhattan outside of his home. Cohen was serving a three-year sentence based on financial crimes and hush-money payments to two women who claimed they had affairs with Donald Trump. Cohen was released early in May due to Covid-19 concerns and was supposed to stay in home confinement. The New York Post published an image of Cohen sitting with his wife and two other people at a restaurant that was around the corner from his apartment. So now he’s back in prison.
That’s all the news for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light!
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/08/us/dawit-kelete-seattle-protest-driver-charges.html
https://heavy.com/news/2020/07/dawit-kelete/
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/09/nyregion/blm-trump-tower.html