December 28, 2023 - Daily Digest
December 28, 2023 - Daily Digest
Gypsy Rose Blanchard released as Nikki Haley faces blowback for recent comments
Today is December 28, 2023, and here are the top stories you may have missed over the past couple of days. On a more personal note, I am getting married in just two weeks and will be likely be sending out less content until after January 15th to take some time off to finish planning and spending newlywed time with my fiancé. In any event, I wanted to thank each and everyone of you for your support during the past year, and I am excited to see where 2024 takes us. If you enjoy my content and want access to more, exclusive content or to support my work, please consider becoming a paid, monthly subscriber by clicking the link below:
1) Donald Trump’s Legal Troubles Continue As His Presidential Hopes Hinge On the United States Supreme Court
The Colorado Republican Party has filed its appeal of the Colorado Supreme Court's decision to remove Donald Trump from the state's primary ballot. When issuing its original decision, the Colorado Supreme Court found that Trump violated the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause, yet stayed the decision pending a likely appeal and decision by the United States Supreme Court.
In the petition for certiorari filed with the Supreme Court, the Colorado Republican Party makes three primary arguments: (1) the office of President does not fall within the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause; (2) whether section 3 is self executing such that it does not require prior Congressional authorization; and (3) the Colorado Supreme Court's decision violates the 1st Amendment as it takes away the party's right of Association under the 1st Amendment.
The brief was filed by Jay Sekulow, the current head of the American Center for Law & Justice, and former personal attorney for Donald Trump. It is expected that Trump will also file a petition for writ of certiorari, at which point the Supreme Court will likely consolidate the matters. This latest petition comes after the Michigan Supreme Court rejected an appeal to remove Trump from the state's primary ballot. Due to the conflict amongst the states, it is highly likely that the Supreme Court will decide the merits of this case given the conflicting opinions now released.
2) Jack Smith Presses Forward With Criminal Prosecution Despite The Current Stay
With a possible March 4th trial date on the horizon, Special Counsel Jack Smith has filed a motion in limine seeking, among other things, to bar Donald Trump from arguing that he was selectively prosecuted by the Biden Administration due to his status as a current opponent in the 2024 election. In this latest motion, Smith asserts that Trump should not be able to sow disinformation in the courtroom, allowing the trial to turn into a circus-like atmosphere.
The motion continues by arguing for the exclusion of several possible arguments that Trump's team may put forth. Among these arguments include the fact that undercover officers were present during the January 6th insurrection, that there was foreign influence leading up to and on January 6, 2021, and that the insurrection occurred due to a failure of preparation by government agencies. These arguments, according to the Special Counsel's team, are wholly irrelevant to the charges currently asserted against Donald Trump, and allowing such allegations into the trial would distract any jurors from the issues they must decide.
Finally, the motion seeks to preclude Trump's team from eliciting improper evidence concerning his state of mind, along with improper privileged testimony.
As it currently stands, the case is stayed pending a decision by the D.C. Circuit, and likely the United States Supreme Court, on whether Donald Trump is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution. Despite the stay, the Special Counsel's team continues to follow the district court's deadlines in an effort to keep the case on track for a possible March 4th trial date, in the event the appellate courts deny Trump's appeal attempt. Trump's attorneys have already signaled that they will not participate in the litigation of the case until after the immunity issue is decided, so do not expect them to file a response to the motion. Because of the stay, do not expect the district court to decide the motion until after the appellate courts issue their decisions.
3) Nikki Haley Faces Backlash For Comments About The Civil War
Last night, during a town hall in New Hampshire, Nikki Haley was asked a question about what she believed started the Civil War. While most people would likely say slavery, Haley failed to mention slavery and instead went on a long diatribe about government control and individual liberties. Since making the statement, Haley has been lambasted in the media, by both opponents of her campaign, but also Republicans who believe that Haley’s answer was tone deaf at best. Watch her full answer for yourself here.
4) Gypsy Rose Blanchard Released From Prison
Gypsy Rose Blanchard has officially been released from Missouri state prison after serving 8 years of a 10 year sentence. Previously, Blanchard was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to the second degree murder of her mother. This case took the nation by storm as Blanchard’s mother had a condition known as munchausen by proxy, which is a condition where Blanchard’s mother believed that Gypsy Rose was suffering from illness even when she was not. Due to her mother’s condition, Gypsy Rose underwent multiple treatments for several illnesses, being forced to take medications and undergo procedures even though she was completely healthy as a child. When Gypsy Rose became an adult, she met her boyfriend at the time who led the effort to murder Gypsy Rose’s mother and “free” Gypsy. As a result, Gypsy was sentenced to ten years in prison due to her mother’s actions while raising her, while her boyfriend was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the crime.