Trump Prosecutor Fani Willis Defends Herself In Fiery Hearing

Written By Guest User

Senate proposes new social media law for kids; Congress considers plans to stop price-gouging

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up!

 
 

Good morning,

Some Apple Vision Pro buyers are saying thank you, next.

  • Apple gives customers 14 days to return products, and we’re close to two weeks since launch. Many people have taken to social media to say they returned the virtual reality headset because it caused headaches and motion sickness. Some say it was too heavy and uncomfortable to wear.

  • The $3,500 headset is one of the most expensive on the market.

People are still praising the technological advances — think 3D movies and seamless multitasking. Apple hoped the technology could set a revolution in how people live and work, but clearly, comfort is key.

We’ll be off for Presidents Day on Monday. We’ll see you back here on Tuesday.

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

⚖️ GEORGIA DA IN TRUMP CASE TAKES THE STAND

 

Georgia DA Fani Willis and prosecutor Nathan Wade testifying 2/15/24.

 

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took the stand in her own defense Thursday to fight allegations that her romantic relationship with a prosecutor should disqualify her from prosecuting former president Donald Trump.

REMIND ME AGAIN: Willis is the DA who brought the state election interference criminal charges against Trump. She’s accused of having an improper affair with the special prosecutor she hired in the case, Nathan Wade.

  • The judge needs to decide whether their relationship constitutes a financial conflict of interest, or the appearance of one, which could also be grounds for dismissal.

    • The judge could kick Willis and/or Wade off the case, or even dismiss the case entirely. The trial was slated to start before the November election.

  • On the line— Willis’s entire professional reputation—and potentially the whole case against Trump and his co-defendants.

Background: After a three year investigation, Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted in August on racketeering charges for a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 president election results in Georgia. Four defendants have taken plea deals so far. The rest are pleading not guilty.

HER DAY IN COURT
Last month, details of the romantic relationship surfaced in a motion filed by Trump co-defendant Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer and White House aide.

In fiery testimony, Willis said their romantic relationship started AFTER she hired Wade in 2021. However, Willis’ former friend and coworker said the relationship actually started earlier, in 2019. (Wade was married until 2021.)

  • The motion accuses Willis of paying Wade more than $650,000 for his work. Wade then used some of those funds to pay for vacations for both of them, leading to a potential conflict of interest.

    • Both Willis and Wade have denied a conflict of interest.

  • In a court filing, Willis said in a sworn affidavit that she and Wade were friends and professional peers prior to 2021.

  • Then, a romantic relationship began after November 2021, when she hired Wade to work on the Trump case. Wade said it began in early 2022. They say it ended during the summer 2023, before Trump was indicted in Georgia.

CASH IS KING
Wade paid for multiple vacations the two took together while they dated. However, she claims she reimbursed him for those trips. How? With cash.

  • Here’s Willis explaining why there is no paper trail (including ATM withdrawals) for her cash reimbursements. She says she typically keeps thousands of dollars at home— on advice from her father.

  • Willis accused a defense attorney of spreading “lies” and that the focus should be on Trump and his co-defendants’ racketeering cases.

📱 SENATE TO PASS BIG TECH REGULATION OVER KIDS’ ONLINE SAFETY

Meta CEO Zuckerberg apologizes to families during Senate hearing. Via: CNN.

The Senate is poised to pass the most significant tech regulations in decades. The Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, expands protections for children online and makes big tech “exercise reasonable care” in preventing harm to kids online.

It comes just over two weeks after CEOs from tech giants testified before Congress on the matter. President Biden has voiced support for the bipartisan measure, but its future is uncertain in the House.

SAFEGUARDS FOR KIDS
If passed, KOSA would require online platforms (like social media sites, video game platforms and messaging apps) to take “reasonable measures” to stop harm — from harassment, depression, eating disorders, to predatory marketing — to kids.

  • It would require companies to automatically set privacy settings to the max for users under 18.

  • It would also “limit design features that encourage or increase the frequency, time spent, or activity of minors” on the platforms — like notifications, autoplay videos, and rewarding time spent online.

WHY NOW?
Legislation to prevent harm to kids have been years in the making. KOSA was introduced in 2022 and co-sponsored by several Republicans and Democrats. However, dozens of human rights and LGBTQ+ groups pushed back on the bill over concerns that enforcers could over-moderate private communications and prevent access to resources for members of marginalized groups.

  • Yesterday, more than 60 senators, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), signed onto a revised version of the bill that seven LGBTQ+ rights groups said lessens “the risk of it being misused to suppress LGBTQ+ resources or stifle young people’s access to online communities.”

What spurred congressional action? Parents. The Washington Post reports that the parent groups, who held signs and pleaded for action during the tech CEOs’ hearing, “played a key role in securing additional Senate backers.”

  • At the hearing, Snap and X supported the bill, while META and TikTok did not.

📈 LAWMAKERS ATTEMPT TO STOP COMPANIES FROM OVERCHARGING SHOPPERS

Lawmakers want to hold businesses accountable for inflating prices without justification — or price gouging. It comes as consumers are still feeling the impacts of inflation, and prices rose higher than expected last month.

BILLS BILLS BILLS
Nearly half of 2023’s inflation spikes can be linked to corporate profits, a recent study found. Prices for consumers have risen by 3.4% over the past year, but costs to producers have risen only 1%. The Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024 wants to stop that.

  • The bill would allow the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and states to ban price hikes deemed excessive at any point in the supply chain.

  • The target: big brands “that brag about exploiting American consumers.”

  • Look at diapers: Over the year, the cost for the main ingredient in diapers, wood pulp, dropped by 25%, but the price of a box of nappies in 2023 was $21.90 — up from $16.54 in 2019.

  • Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a co-sponsor of the bill, says, “Giant corporations are squeezing American families for fatter profits. It’s time to give the Biden administration stronger tools.”

So far, the bill only has Democratic backing. It will need to gain some GOP support if it’s going to make its way to President Biden’s desk.

ACROSS INDUSTRIES
From military contractors to pharmaceuticals, senators say companies hid behind supply chain issues during the pandemic to continue to justify their price gouging.

 

⏳ SPEED READ

 
 

🚨NATION

📌 Trump thinking about delivering the official GOP State of the Union response (NBC NEWS)

📌 Former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens’ role in Ukraine business, undercutting GOP impeachment inquiry (CNN)

📌 Bombshell Testimony: Special Counsel Robert Hur set for March 12 testimony on Biden classified docs probe (AXIOS)

📌 US government set to auction off a Russian oligarch’s yacht currently costing taxpayers $600K a month (NY POST)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Israeli forces storm the main hospital in southern Gaza, saying hostages were likely held there (AP)

📌 Venezuela expels UN Human Rights Office (AP)

📌 Greece becomes first Orthodox country to legalize same-sex marriage (BBC)

📌 After call with Biden, Israeli PM Netanyahu says Israel won’t be pressured into accepting a Palestinian state (TIMES OF ISRAEL)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 OpenAI just revealed new software that lets you create realistic video by simply typing a descriptive sentence (CNBC)

📌 Trump Media's merger with DWAC gets regulatory nod — Trump could get a stake worth $4 billion (CBS NEWS)

📌 Reduce, reuse, redirect outrage: How plastic makers lied about recycling (NPR)

📌 People who live alone are more depressed than those who don’t, survey finds (AXIOS)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 CNN looks to slash budgets, multi-million dollar salaries with a new around of cuts (THE WRAP)

📌 Iowa's Caitlin Clark sets NCAA women's scoring record (NY POST)

📌 Jennifer Lopez announces first tour in 5 years (NBC NEWS)

📌 The 2024 Met Gala theme has been announced — along with four superstar co-chairs (CNN)

📌 Met Gala under fire for naming TikTok CEO co-chair (THE HILL)

📌 Meryl Streep returning for ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 4 (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

🎉 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN’ WKND

Guest User
Previous

Russia Arrests Navalny Mourners, Won't Let Family Recover His Body
Next

What We Know About Russia's Anti-Satellite Space-Based Nuclear Weapons