January 26, 2024 - Daily Digest
Today is January 26, 2024 and here are all the stories you may have missed from earlier today. If you enjoy these daily recaps and want to have access to more, exclusive content or want to support my work, then consider becoming a monthly subscriber by clicking the link below.
1) Donald Trump Ordered To Pay $83 Million
Former President Donald Trump has been ordered to pay E. Jean Carroll over $83 million dollars in damages for spreading lies about her while he was still President of the United States. Trump was ordered to pay $18.3 million in compensatory damages for damaging Carroll’s reputation, and another $65 million in punitive damages. This verdict will send a message to Trump and his associates to refrain from making defamatory statements. The next steps in the case are relatively simple. The Judge will now confirm the judgment amount and issue a final judgment in the case. Trump and his attorneys will likely appeal the decision, but to appeal the decision, Trump will have to post a bond in the amount of the final judgment. From a first examination of the case, it does not appear as though there are any legitimate grounds for appeal. Either way, Carroll is likely to receive a substantial monetary award from Trump.
2) International Court Of Justice Calls On Israel To Prevent Civilian Casualties, Stops Short Of Calling For Ceasefire
This morning, the International Court of Justice issued a ruling on South Africa's claims that Israel has been committing violations of the Genocide Convention during its military campaign in Gaza. The Court ruled that it has jurisdiction over South Africa's claims, while denying Israel's request to dismiss the claims. In its ruling, the Court determined that it is plausible that some acts taken by Israel in Gaza may violate the Genocide Convention, but that the Court could not determine whether a violation has actually occurred at this stage. This vote was 15-2, with two judges voting against the determination that some acts may constitute a violation.
Despite the ruling, the Court stopped short of ordering all of the provisional measurers requested by South Africa. Specifically, the Court declined to order a ceasefire in Gaza, and instead ordered Israel to limit civilian casualties, comply with the international laws of war, preserve any evidence of war crimes in Gaza, and provide a report to the Court in one month. At the same time, the Court ordered Hamas to immediately release all remaining civilian hostages in its custody. It has now been over 100 days since the October 7th attacks and Hamas currently has over 100 innocent hostages in its custody.
This latest ruling comes as the two sides near a possible agreement to temporarily end the conflict and allow for the release of hostages. There has been reporting that Israel and Hamas are close to a possible deal that would see the release of all Israeli hostages, in phases, during a thirty-five day pause in hostilities. In exchange, Israel would release an agreed upon number of Palestinian prisoners currently being held in Israeli prisons.
In response to today's ruling, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: “Like every country, Israel has an inherent right to defend itself. The vile attempt to deny Israel this fundamental right is blatant discrimination against the Jewish state, and it was justly rejected.”
3) United States Economy Grows At Strong Pace, Defying Expectations Again
Once again, the United States economy has defied expert predictions and is growing at a faster rate than expected. The United States Department of Commerce reported that the U.S. GDP grew at a 3.3% rate during the fourth quarter of 2023. This number, while lower than the 4.9% growth the economy saw during the third quarter, beat expert predictions, which believed the economy would grow at a 1.5% rate in the final quarter of 2023. Additional metrics also demonstrated the robust growth of the economy. Consumer spending grew at a 2.8% rate while business spending grew at a 1.9% rate, up from 1.4% during the third quarter.
For months, experts told the American public to expect a recession in 2023 or 2024. These fears prompted many to question the Biden Administration's economy policies. However, not only have these recession fears subsided, but the economy is growing at a strong pace than experts currently predict. This latest news demonstrates the strength of the President's Bidenomics economic agenda, especially during an election year where the leading Republican candidate for President, Donald Trump, has openly said he would like to see an economic collapse.
The soft landing of the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic looks more apparent than ever. Once again, the President's policies are working.
4) Greg Abbott Defies Supreme Court Order As Civil War Trends Online
Days after the United States Supreme Court vacated an injunction issued by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and allowed federal officials to remove razor wire placed by Texas officials along the Texas/Mexico border, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that he would, in essence, not be complying with the Supreme Court's decision and would continue to lay razor wire in the Rio Grande River. Previously, Texas Governor Greg Abbott instituted immigration policies that many decried as cruel and inhumane, as the policies included placing razor wire in the Rio Grande River along the border. As a result of the physical impediments, like the wire, there have been reports of migrants being injured – and even killed – as they attempt to cross into Texas.
The Biden Administration ordered Texas to remove all physical impediments from the border, which Texas initially declined. The case eventually made it to the federal court system and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction preventing the Administration from requiring Texas to remove the barriers. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court vacated this injunction, siding with the Biden Administration.
Despite the Supreme Court's decision, Abbott has decided to take the extraordinary step to defy the decision, and continue placing razor wire and other physical barriers along the border. In a statement released late last night, Abbott argued that he would be invoking Texas' constitutional authority to supersede any federal statute or decision, that he would be declaring an invasion under Article 1 of the United States Constitution, thereby invoking Texas' right to self defense against migrants coming across the border.
Following this statement, many politicians across the country called for President Biden to federalize the National Guard to take over operations along the border. United States Representative Joaquin Castro stated: “It’s clear that Governor Abbott is trying to use them to interfere with the enforcement of US law. National Guard troops cannot be used in that way. I think that, at this point, the president has no choice but to consider federalizing the Texas National Guard."
To federalize the guard, President Biden would have to invoke the Insurrection Act and order federal troops to mobilize and remove the barriers placed along the border. Such a decision would be at the sole discretion of President Biden and would be historic. The most recent time the national guard was federalized was in the 1950s when then President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued an order mobilizing the Arkansas National Guard to enforce a Supreme Court ruling on desegregation.
Abbott's statement has also prompted many online to question whether this was the beginning of a civil war. As of this post, the term "civil war" was trending on Twitter, with many calling Abbott's actions precursors to a conflict.
While this dispute between Texas and the federal government will not lead to a civil war, the next several days will be telling to see how far the Biden Administration is willing to go to enforce the Supreme Court's decision to vacate the 5th Circuit's injunction on the border.