Today’s edition of quick hits.
* In Georgia: “A Georgia appeals court on Wednesday paused the criminal case accusing Donald Trump of seeking to subvert the 2020 election while it considers the former president’s bid to disqualify lead prosecutor Fani Willis, a court order showed. The order prevents the sprawling case against Trump and 14 co-defendants from moving toward trial while Trump appeals a judge’s ruling allowing Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, to remain on the case.”
* In related news: “Manhattan prosecutors urged a judge Wednesday to keep Donald Trump ’s gag order in place in his hush money criminal case at least until the former president is sentenced in July, opposing a defense request that the restrictions be lifted following his felony convictions last week.”
* A Capitol Hill fight worth watching: “House Republicans approved a veterans’ funding bill on Wednesday that would limit abortion access for troops and veterans, setting up another partisan clash with Democrats in the Senate and the White House ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the government.”
* The crusade continues: “Top House Republicans on Wednesday sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department recommending President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden and brother James Biden be charged with making false statements to Congress.”
* Our ongoing climate emergency: “The rate Earth is warming hit an all-time high in 2023 with 92% of last year’s surprising record-shattering heat caused by humans, top scientists calculated. The group of 57 scientists from around the world used United Nations-approved methods to examine what’s behind last year’s deadly burst of heat.”
* The latest Jan. 6 prison sentence: “A Donald Trump supporter who assaulted law enforcement officers with bear spray and a metal whip — and who was arrested thanks to a woman’s sting operation on the dating app Bumble — was sentenced to just over six years in prison on Wednesday.”
* An important international gathering in France: “United States President Joe Biden will mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in France this week as he tries to demonstrate steadfast support for European security at a time when some allies fear Donald Trump threatens to upend American commitments if he wins another term in the White House.”
See you tomorrow.
