Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Events from Around the World.

 

CNN obtained the tape of the Trump 2021 conversation about classified documents. This tape was from the 2021 meeting in Bedminster, New Jersey. President Donald Trump discussed holding secret documents that he didn't declassify. Scholars believe that the Trump tape's showing Trump's words is in violation of the Espionage Act. The recording is part of the evidence that Special Counsel Jack Smith has in his indictment of Donald Trump. Smith is accusing Trump of mishandling classified information. The tape has a moment when Trump seems to indicate that he was holding a secret Pentagon document with plans to attack Iran. Trump talks on the tape for 2 minutes. Trump and his aides joked about Hillary Clinton's emails after the President said that the document was "secret information." Trump called the document "highly confidential." Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts related to the charge of mishandling classified documents kept at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. This is certainly a new development in the indictment, and Trump has shown his corruption in far-reaching ways for years and decades.



The Supreme Court ruled against giving state legislatures unchecked control over federal elections. The justices opposed the concept of an "independent state legislature" that can possibly overthrow the voices of the people. That theory was utilized by Trump supporters in the 2020 election in trying to steal that election. That theory would restrict the power of state courts to review certain election laws. This case was against the aim of Republicans in North Carolina fighting for a congressional district map that would favor their own GOP candidates. GOP extremists wanted to use the theory to theoretically overthrow election results via the state legislatures. The Justices ruled in a 6-3 vote that the North Carolina Supreme Court was acting within its authority in saying that the map constituted a partisan gerrymander under the state Constitution. Voting rights advocates and Democrats have praised the decision. President Barack Obama has agreed with the decision in the decision as the independent state legislature theory can harm democracy and end checks and balances in our governmental systems. These are shockingly good news involving the issue of voting rights. State legislatures have no right to appoint their own Presidential electors via fiat. We have rules for a reason.


The recent events of Ukraine and Russia are some of the most bizarre events of the entire war. What happened was the Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led a temporarily insurrection in Russia over claiming that some Russian generals killed some of his Wagner forces (the Russian generals deny this allegation). The Wagner forces once ruled over Rostov, Russia. After traveling north to Moscow, Prigozhin said that he is standing down. He said that he established an agreement with Russia, and he will go into Belarus. Belarus is a nation that is allied with Russia and Putin's agenda. The Wagner convoy is turning back in late June of 2023. Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to punished those behind the armed uprising calling the uprising as treason. This was the most significant challenge to Putin's power in decades. The Russian state said that the case of Prigozhin will be dropped, and the Wagner leader will be sent into exile in Belarus (whose leader is the fascist Alexander Grigoryev Lukashenko). Other questions occur about this insurrection about will the Ukrainian military forces have a military advantage or not? In Ukraine, President Volodymir Zelensky claimed that Putin was afraid of Wagner's actions. Ukraine continues its counteroffensives in many directions. Putin said that amnesty will come to those Wagner forces who participated in Russia. Prigozhin had a hero's welcome in Rostov, Russia with many Russians celebrating him. Prigozhin and Putin obviously aren't heroes. They are both authoritarian extremists who have illegally invaded the nation of Ukraine.


There are many lessons from the failed coup in Russia. The insurrection was led by the reactionary Evgeny Prigozhin, the Russian Wagner mercenary force chief. The deal to end the coup was made by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Priogozhin, and the Russian Secret Service (FSB). Prigozhin is forced to live in Belarus. The situation shows the vulnerability of the Putin regime. Putin wants the Wagner military force because the Wagner military are desperate and ruthless in their illegal fighting against Ukraine. Previously, Putin accused Priogzhin of acting in treason. Putin made the lie that Russia is repelling neo-Nazis and their patrons when Zelensky is Jewish in Ukraine. Prigozhin was angry over claiming that Defense Minister Shoigu wasn't waging the war aggressively enough. This comes during Ukraine's start of its counteroffensive. Putin and Prigozhin represent the social class of the oligarchy filled with criminality, corruption, and hatred of the working class. Putin always denounced the 1917 Russian Revolution as he is pro-Czar. Ukraine should be independent and free. Russia shouldn't be a pro-NATO puppet state or continue to be Putin reactionary regime either.


Five or six Secret Service agents have testified before the January 6th grand jury according to sources. This is important as Secret Service agents have a first eyewitness episode of what took place. The Secret Service will probably give information about how Trump wanted to go back to support the insurrectionists at the U.S. Capitol. The grand jury will decide whether to indict former President Donald Trump for his alleged role in the January 6th, 2021. Special counsel Jack Smith is continuing his investigation. Cassidy Hutchinson gave a sworn testimony to the January 6th committee in Congress. She said that Trump wanted Secret Service agents to drive him to the Capitol to join the terrorists, but Trump tried to grab the car's steering wheel and then reached for the clavicles of the driver (Secret Service agent Bobby Engel). Trump denied his story. Time will tell what the Secret Service agents saw Trump did during that situation.


By Timothy








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