Top Points:
Supreme Court's Immunity Ruling on Trump: The Supreme Court's decision in Trump v. United States remands Trump's Jan. 6-related case back to the district court with instructions to reassess the proceedings based on presidential immunity. This ruling narrows the scope of the indictment and may lead to another grand jury issuing a superseding indictment.
Bob Good Loses Primary to Trump-Backed John McGuire: In a closely-watched primary, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good lost to Trump-endorsed state Sen. John McGuire by 374 votes. The primary was marked by issues of loyalty to Trump, with Good being portrayed as disloyal despite his eventual endorsement of the former president.
Bookmarks: Key Legal and Political Developments: The Supreme Court declined to hear several gun-related cases, including an Illinois ban on "assault weapons." Rudy Giuliani has been disbarred and faces RICO charges after disputing the 2020 election results. Harvard University is under scrutiny by the House for its handling of student protests during a speech by Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng. Arizona Republicans' efforts to prevent non-citizens from voting are blocked by lawsuits. The U.S. commits an additional $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine, bringing the total to $175 billion since 2022.
Full Report:
The Supreme Court’s recent immunity decision in Trump's Jan. 6-related case has significant implications. The case has been remanded to the district court in Washington, with instructions to reconsider its proceedings based on the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity.
In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court affirmed that presidents enjoy a presumption of immunity for official acts and absolute immunity for actions within their constitutional authority. The district court must now assess whether prosecuting Trump for his alleged attempts to influence the vice president's certification process intrudes on the Executive Branch's authority. Trump is considered “presumptively immune” from prosecution for these actions.
The indictment against Trump is expected to narrow significantly as the district court applies the Supreme Court’s ruling, which may lead to another grand jury issuing a superseding indictment. District Judge Tanya Chutkan may hold an evidentiary hearing with witnesses to clarify Trump's actions on and before Jan. 6, 2021. She will also need to distinguish between Trump’s official and unofficial actions to determine the scope of his immunity.
The district court will also consider Fischer v. United States, another Supreme Court decision, which impacts one of the laws applied in Trump’s indictment. The pre-election trial seems unlikely, especially if Trump files an interlocutory appeal over the district court's application of the Supreme Court’s ruling. This appeal could return to the Supreme Court, potentially delaying proceedings further.
If Trump wins re-election in 2025, he is expected to drop the Washington case. Even if the case proceeds to trial, it's uncertain how successful Special Counsel Jack Smith will be with a narrowed indictment. The Supreme Court also held that juries cannot consider evidence concerning presidents’ official acts.
— Sam Dorman, The Epoch Times
Good Loses Primary
In a major upset of the 2024 election cycle, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-Va.) lost to Trump-backed Virginia state Sen. John McGuire by 374 votes. The Virginia Department of Elections announced the results on July 2, two weeks after the closely-watched primary election. Good is the first Republican House incumbent to lose to a non-incumbent primary challenger this year.
However, a recount is likely as Virginia law allows for one if the vote difference is 1 percent or less. Good has announced he will seek a recount and conduct a full investigation, stating his legal team is ready to observe the process.
The primary was largely defined by loyalty to Trump. Good had initially endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president but switched to Trump after DeSantis dropped out. Trump and McGuire portrayed Good as disloyal to the presumptive Republican nominee. Despite Good's subsequent endorsement of Trump, the damage was deemed irreversible by Trump in a Truth Social post.
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) supported McGuire, calling him “conservative and effective.” Good was also one of eight Republicans who joined Democrats in ousting former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
A super PAC affiliated with the Republican Main Street Partnership spent over $450,000 to defeat Good, according to Open Secrets. Despite the primary loss, the seat is expected to remain in GOP hands as Good won reelection in 2022 with 57.6 percent of the vote.
— Jackson Richman, The Epoch Times
Bookmarks
The Supreme Court refused to hear several gun-related cases, including an Illinois ban on “assault weapons.” Justice Clarence Thomas expressed interest in reviewing the case in the future.
Former N.Y. Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been disbarred for disputing the 2020 election results and faces RICO charges. He has filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $148 million in damages for defaming two Georgia election workers.
Harvard University faces questions from the House of Representatives after removing student protesters from a speech by Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng. Lawmakers are investigating if Harvard coordinated with the Chinese government for event security.
Republicans in Arizona are attempting to prevent non-citizens from voting in the 2024 election but face lawsuits from voting rights groups. District Judge Susan Bolton has blocked laws requiring proof of citizenship to vote and reporting non-citizen voter registrations.
The United States will provide an additional $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine, bringing the total spending on the war in Ukraine to approximately $175 billion since February 2022.
— Stacy Robinson, The Epoch Times
Original Story by Epoch Times Staff, The Epoch Times
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