Breaking Overnight: Trump Indicted Again; Groundbreaking Climate Ruling
Latest legal developments out of Georgia and Montana
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Good morning,
Let’s start with the breaking news overnight as former president Donald Trump and 18 allies were indicted in Georgia, accused of illegally scheming to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The 98-page document lists 41 different crimes committed by the 19 people named in the indictment.
Trump is charged with leading a criminal conspiracy and faces 13 counts, including:
violating the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act,
soliciting a public officer to violate their oath,
conspiring to impersonate a public officer,
conspiring to commit forgery in the first degree,
conspiring to file false documents.
Also named in the lawsuit are former NYC mayor & White House attorney Rudy Giuliani (13 counts), former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows (2 counts), former White House attorney John Eastman (9 counts), and former campaign attorney Sidney Powell (3 counts).
The indictment, which follows a 2.5 year investigation by prosecutor Fani Willis, lays out 8 ways the defendants obstructed the election including lying, creating fake electors, harassing election workers and hacking voting machines. It goes through 161 separate acts of a criminal conspiracy. Willis says the defendants have until August 25th to surrender to authorities.
Zoom out: This is now the 4th criminal indictment in 5 months to be brought against Trump, and the second just this month to allege that he tried to illegally overturn the results of the vote. All four cases are set to go to trial in the next year, while he is also campaigning to be re-elected.
More details to come on Instagram throughout the day in Wednesday’s newsletter and podcast.
Mosheh, Jill, & Courtney
🎙The Mo News Podcast: Latest on the search and recovery operations in Maui, new homeless numbers and why ex-NFL player Michael Oher of ‘The Blind Side’ is taking the Tuohys to court.
🗞 MONTANA’S HISTORIC CLIMATE RULING
In the first ruling of its kind, a judge in Montana has ruled in favor of a group of young climate activists who sued the state for violating their right to a “clean and healthful environment” — and the outcome could have a major impact for cases across the country.
CATCH ME UP
Earlier this summer, 16 Montana residents ranging in age from 5 to 22 years old brought the nation’s first-ever youth-led climate lawsuit to trial in Held v. State of Montana. They argued that a Montana law which prevents the state from considering the climate impact and mining projects hurts the environment.
In their testimony, they argued Montana must asses how its inaction on emissions is helping fuel climate change and posing damaging risks to their state’s environment — one known for its nature and wildlife. They argued the effects will only accelerate unless more action is taken.
Their stories hit close to home. Many of the plaintiffs detailed the implications they have personally suffered as a result of climate change.
A 15-year-old described how intense wildfire smoke has worsened his asthma, making him feel like “a prisoner in his own home.”
22-year-old Rikki Held, who the lawsuit is named after, testified about how extreme weather has hurt her family’s ranch.
MONTANA’S COUNTER
The state argued that its greenhouse gas emissions are minuscule compared to global output.
The state has a long history of coal mining dating as far back to its founding (it’s even depicted in the state seal, which is pictured on the state flag).
It is home to the largest recoverable coal reserves in the country and the state has never denied a project.
But, Montana also recognizes how much of its beauty lies in its environment. It’s one of few states that have environmental orders outlined in its Constitution… which is exactly why the judge ruled Montana was acting in violation of its own Constitution.
THE RULING
The court determined that Montana’s failure to consider climate change violates its own clause in the state constitution guaranteeing its citizens the right to a “clean and healthful environment.” So, while the ruling will not prevent the use of fossil fuels, it will undo that state law prohibiting the consideration of fossil fuel pollution in new projects. Montana plans to appeal the ruling.
❝
“Plaintiffs have a fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment, which includes climate as part of the environmental life support system.”
— District Court Judge Kathy Seeley
It’s a big — and rare — victory for climate advocates who are turning to the court system and judges for causes they care about, instead of their lawmakers. A report last month found the total number of climate change court cases has more than doubled since 2017. But youth-led climate lawsuits in the U.S. have faced an uphill battle. That same report found at least 14 cases have been dismissed.
THE CHALLENGE REMAINS
Still, not even the heat, floods, or record ocean temps are enough to convince everyone that the climate change threat is real — and imminent. Florida just approved a new curriculum for its 3 million public school students that will challenge the idea of man-made climate change, including comparing climate activists to Nazis and falsely claim that wind and solar power pollutes the planet.
⏳ SPEED READ
🚨NATION
📌 Hawaii braces for Tropical Storm Greg as it gains speed in the Pacific, spinning spinning closer to the islands reeling from historic wildfires (FOX WEATHER)
📌 More Americans are ending up homeless at a record rate (WALL STREET JOURNAL)
📌 Hundreds of government employees in San Francisco told to work from home due to the high levels of crime in the area (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE)
📌 Passenger recounts harrowing American Airlines flight that dropped 20,000 feet in minutes (NBC)
📌 Former FBI official says he was blocked from interviewing Hunter Biden in 2020 (REUTERS)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
📌 Russia’s currency falls to weakest level since the early days of the Ukraine War (CNBC)
📌 North Korea’s Kim orders sharp increase in missile production, days before U.S.-South Korea drills (AP)
📌 Up to 25 people trapped under a collapsed temple in northern India as heavy rains kill at least 41 people (CNN)
📌 Niger coup leaders say they will prosecute former president for “treason” (AP)
📱BUSINESS & TECH
📌 Amazon adds AI-generated review summaries so you don’t have to read the comments (THE VERGE)
📌 U.S. gas prices climb to highest level in nearly 10 months (CNN BUSINESS)
📌 Restaurants say heat waves, smoke have hurt their outdoor dining business (WALL STREET JOURNAL)
📌 CNN overhauls programming lineup, aiming to lift ratings (NEW YORK TIMES)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
📌 The Blind Side’s Michael Oher alleges his adoption was a lie, and that the Tuohy family instead tricked him into signed a document that gave them legal authority to make business deals in his name (ESPN)
📌 Netflix begins testing video games on platform (THE VERGE)
📌 'Girl Math' is the latest financial trend going viral on TikTok where purchases under $5 don't count and big-ticket items should be measured by their cost per wear (INSIDER)
📌 Boozy brew: Dunkin’ launches spiked iced coffee and teas (PEOPLE)
🗓 ON THIS DAY: AUGUST 15
1769: Napoleon Bonaparte of France was born. He would go on to lead France on a historic conquest of Europe that ultimately led to his exile (twice).
1947: After three decades, the Indian independence movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi, achieved its goal as a free and independent India was established, ending nearly 200 years of British rule.
1969: The Woodstock Music festival began in an upstate New York town called Bethel. With the country deep into the Vietnam War, a conflict many young people at the time opposed, and in the midst of the civil rights movement, Woodstock was an opportunity for people to escape into music and spread a message of unity and peace.
2001: Astronomers announced the discovery of the first solar system outside our own. They had discovered two planets orbiting a star in the Big Dipper.
2021: The Taliban takes over Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, after the catastrophic U.S. exit