July 21, 2023 - Your Evening Digest

Possible racketeering charges for Trump, tensions between Russia and Poland rise, and much more

It’s July 21, 2023 and here is all of the news you missed today. If you enjoy this content, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support my work!

1) Fulton County DA Fani Willis Has Enough Evidence to Bring Racketeering Charges

In significant news, The Guardian has reported that Fulton County District Attorney Fani 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. Specifically, she is probing the likely breach of voting machines in Coffee County, Georgia by individuals who were paid by Trump’s former attorney, Sidney Powell. Charges are expected in this investigation sometime in the next three weeks. Stay tuned for more.

2) Grand Jury Investigation of Jack Smith Nearing Charging Decisions

A federal grand jury investigating Donald Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021 met again today at a Washington, D.C. Courthouse. Earlier this week, Donald Trump received a target letter from the Special Counsel notifying him that he is a target of the grand jury’s investigation. Although new reporting suggests that the grand jury will be hearing from more witnesses in the coming weeks, it is very likely that charging decisions related to Donald Trump come sooner rather than later. One key point, it is likely the Department of Justice will move to charge Donald Trump before DA Fani Willis does, so be sure to keep a close watch as the grand jury continues its wide ranging investigation.

3) Trial Date Set for Trump

In other Trump-related news, Judge Aileen Cannon has set a trial date in the Trump classified documents case. The Department of Justice requested the trial be held in December 2023, while Trump’s attorneys asked for an indefinite postponement until after the November 2024 election. Today, Judge Cannon ruled that Trump’s trial will begin on May 20, 2024, more than 5 months before the 2024 election. This ends up being a win for the Special Counsel and the Department of Justice as it is likely Trump will be tried, and potentially convicted, prior to the election.

4) Tensions Between Russia and Poland Rise

Tensions are rising fast between Russia and Poland, with many becoming nervous of whether Russia is planning on a future invasion. This morning, Vladimir Putin issued a veiled threat to Poland. He stated: "The Western territories of today's Poland are a gift of Stalin to the Poles. Our friends in Warsaw forgot about it, we'll remind them." Putin further accused Poland of having increased “territorial ambitions” on the territory of the former USSR, and that any aggression against Belarus would be considered an aggression against Russia.

During this same time, Poland announced that it will be moving troops further to the east as the threat from the Wagner Group in Belarus steadily increases. Germany has also announced that it will stand with and defend Poland in the event of an invasion by Wagner fighters from Belarus. Poland is a member of NATO, so any invasion would likely trigger Article 5, requiring all NATO countries, including the United States, to defend Poland’s territorial sovereignty.

One important note, while making his veiled threats, Putin conveniently forgets that Stalin captured Poland in 1939, slaughtered thousands of Polish residents, and occupied the country until 1989. In any event, tensions are rising this morning between the two countries, and this situation is one worth keeping an eye on.

5) Turkey Backs Ukraine

After Russia pulled out of the Black Sea grain deal and targeted a grain warehouse overnight in Ukraine, Turkey has backed Ukraine’s efforts to restore the Black Sea grain deal. In a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Zelensky said he coordinated efforts on the grain deal and thanked his Turkish counterpart "for the fruitful meeting" held in Istanbul earlier this month as well as for Turkey's "principled position regarding [Ukraine’s] NATO membership." Despite what many people thought at the beginning of the war, Turkey has become a strong proponent of Ukraine.

6) President Biden Makes Major Appointment

President Biden has picked a female admiral to lead the Navy. If confirmed, Admiral Lisa Franchetti will be the first woman to serve as a member of the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. She will serve a four year term and replace chief of Naval Operations Admiral Mike Gilda, whose four-year term will end later this fall. Congratulations to Admiral Franchetti.