August 13, 2023 - Your Weekend Digest
Worst natural disaster in Hawaii, indictments coming in Georgia this week, and more in today's digest
Today is August 13, 2023, and here are three stories you missed from this weekend. If you enjoy my content and want to support my work, please consider becoming a monthly paid subscriber for more exclusive content!
1) Worst Wildfire in the Past 100 Years
The Maui wildfire is officially the worst wildfire in the United States in the past 100 years. As of this post, the official death toll stands at 93. This wildfire is officially the 5th deadliest in U.S. history and the worst since the 1918 Cloquet fire in Minnesota. Maui officials are preparing for this number to increase in the coming days as the true extent of the fire’s destruction is not yet known.
According to initial reports, over 2,000 structures have been destroyed on the island, with the current damage estimate to exceed 6 billion dollars. Over 1,000 Maui residents remain displaced and are currently living out of shelters on the island. Although firefighters have made progress to contain the wildfires, the fires remain burning. If you or a loved one is interest in helping those impacted by the fires recover, consider making a contribution here.
2) Georgia Indictments Could Come this Week
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will present her case concerning election interference in Georgia to a grand jury this week. New reporting shows that Willis has evidence, in the form of text messages, that Donald Trump’s team was behind a voting systems breach in Coffee County, Georgia. DA Willis is considering bringing several different charges, anywhere from solicitation to interfere with an election all the way to racketeering related charges. Reporting suggests that DA Willis will bring up to twelve indictments in the coming weeks, with Donald Trump at the top of the potential list.
Significantly, the Guardian has reported that Willis has enough evidence to charge racketeering in her investigation into election interference in Georgia. Racketeering charges were made famous by prosecutors who brought cases against organized crime. Unlike in many of these cases, however, the racketeering charge in Georgia is much more expansive.
To pursue a racketeering charge, DA Willis needs to demonstrate the existence of an enterprise and multiple qualifying crimes. These qualifying crimes must be predicated on a pattern of racketeering activity. In this instance, DA Willis is focusing her efforts on statutes concerning computer trespass and influencing witnesses. This reporting, coupled with the news that she has evidence of a breach of voting machines in Coffee County, would be enough to charge a RICO case. Stay tuned for more.
3) Update on Russia’s Illegal Invasion
Overnight, Ukraine launched another attack on the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russian-occupied Crimea to mainland Russia. As of this morning, traffic on the bridge has been temporarily suspended. Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defense has claimed that it repelled three more drone strikes on mainland Russia, two near Belgorod, and the third near the Kursk region. One month ago, President Zelensky proclaimed that the war will reach Moscow’s doorsteps. With the increase of drone attacks on Russia, Ukraine is fulfilling its promises.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the southeast has led to incremental, yet significant success as Ukraine as been able to slowly take back parts of the land Russia has occupied. In addition, as a result of increased Russian' strikes, seven people were killed in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region. One of these individuals was a child under the age of seven. Russia’s war of aggression against civilians, especially children, continues without fail. If anyone questions why we should continue supporting Ukraine, send them this video:
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