March 4, 2024 - Daily Digest

Trump will remain on the ballot

Today is March 4, 2024, and here are the critical stories that you may have missed from today. If you enjoy this content and want access to more, exclusive content or to support my work, then consider becoming a monthly subscriber below:

1) Supreme Court Rules That Trump Should Remain On The Ballot

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump can remain on the presidential primary ballot. This appeal comes after the Colorado Supreme Court determined that Donald Trump violated the 14th Amendment's insurrection clause, barring him from the state's primary ballot. Following the Colorado decision, several other states including Maine and Illinois removed Trump from the ballot. Today's decision, however, overturns the decision of those states and will keep Trump on the Presidential primary ballot. 

The justices, in a unanimous, per curium decision to keep Trump on the ballot, agreed with Trump that Congress, not the states, should decide whether or not Section 3 should be enforced. As a result of the ruling, Trump will remain on the primary ballot one day before the super Tuesday primary elections. This decision will have wide ranging impacts for future presidencies and sets up what will likely be a Trump versus Biden rematch in November.

2) France Makes History

France has made history as the first country to enshrine the right to an abortion in its constitution. Lawmakers voted earlier today to surpass the 3/5ths majority requirement to amend the country’s constitution and enshrined the right by a vote of 780 in favor and just 72 voting against. This push in France came after the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs decision last year. French lawmakers have made clear that the right to choose is a critical part of the country’s fundamental rights. More countries are expected to follow suit.

3) Trump Attacks DeSantis After Losing To Nikki Haley In DC Primary

Donald Trump suffered a major loss last night in Washington, D.C. where Nikki Haley earned 62% of the vote, defeating Trump by nearly 30 points. As a result, Haley earned all 19 of the District's delegates at the Republican convention later this year. In response, Trump was livid (as expected). In his first posts on Truth Social following Haley's big win, Trump called Haley "Birdbrain" and attacked Ron DeSantis, calling him "DeSanctus" for one of the first times since DeSantis dropped out of the Republican primary. 

Previously, Trump said that he would have to retire his nicknames for Ron DeSantis after DeSantis dropped out and endorsed Trump. That sentiment did not seem to last long as Trump decided to attack both Haley and DeSantis after losing the first primary contest of 2024. Last night's loss should serve as a major warning sign for Trump as Trump has run this year as a de facto incumbent for the Republican Party. Despite his near universal name recognition, Trump has lost more than 30% of the vote in nearly every primary contest thus far and just lost his first primary by more than 30 points, demonstrating his significant vulnerabilities as we head into November's election. If he wanted to shore up Republican support, attacking DeSantis was not the way to do it. 

4) Allen Weisselberg Pleads Guilty

The former Chief Financial Officer for the Trump Organization, Allen Weisselberg, has entered a guilty today after negotiations with Manhattan prosecutors concerning Weisselberg's alleged perjury during the recent Trump civil fraud trial held in New York. Weisselberg turned himself in to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office this morning and appeared in a courtroom shortly thereafter where he entered his guilty plea. Weisselberg plead guilty to two criminal perjury charges for lying on the witness stand during Trump’s recent civil trial. Weisselberg will now be sentenced to five months in New York state prison later this year.

This latest plea comes just months after Weisselberg was released from New York jail after pleading guilty to tax fraud related charges. Weisselberg served 100 days in the Rikers Island jail after his prior plea. One important note, as part of this latest plea, Weisselberg is not expected to testify against Donald Trump in Trump's upcoming criminal trial which is scheduled to begin on March 25th.