Trump’s White House chief of staff argues he acted in capacity as federal officer and that case should be moved to federal court. Plus, has humanity finally broken the climate?
Good morning.
The sprawling 41-count indictment of Donald Trump and 18 other defendants in Fulton county had its first test yesterday as Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, took the stand before a federal judge over his request to move his Georgia election interference case from state to federal court.
Meadows testified for nearly three hours before the court broke for lunch, defending his actions as Trump’s chief of staff while avoiding questions regarding whether he believed Trump won in 2020.
Meadows faces two felony charges, including racketeering and solicitation of a violation of oath by a public officer. But Meadows argued that he acted in his capacity as a federal officer and thus is entitled to immunity – and that his case should be heard before a federal judge.
Meadows swiftly filed a motion to move his case to the federal US district court of northern Georgia after Fani Willis, the Fulton county district attorney, handed down her indictment.Republicans give $101m to sports arena as myriad needs loom over Louisiana
Louisiana lawmakers have faced backlash for using some of their spring legislative session’s final moments not to address some of their state’s myriad needs – but instead to grant the multimillion-dollar wish of the state flagship university’s championship-winning women’s basketball coach.
Poverty, poor education and insufficient healthcare have loomed over Louisiana for decades and have earned the state the country’s lowest rankings in each category, according to the US News and World Report. Louisiana ranks 50th – last – in crime and economy, 49th in infrastructure and 46th in education when compared with the rest of the country, the report says.
However, despite these jarring numbers, the budget approved by the Republican-dominated state legislature slated $101m to a foundation that financially supports Louisiana State University athletics – and it was earmarked to renovate the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, est known these days for hosting the women’s basketball team’s home games.
The last-minute line funding renovations at the facility nicknamed the PMAC came at the request of Kim Mulkey, the women’s basketball team’s head coach, who is known for her flamboyant fashion sense as well as her outspokenness about the venue’s need for repairs. But giving fees and self-generated revenue from the state to the private foundation in question would also be illegal, Louisiana’s Democratic governor, John Bel Edwards, has said recently.
