Former President Trump and his 18 co-defendants had been scheduled to enter their pleas today in the Georgia election case — but they all waived the right to an in-person arraignment and instead entered not-guilty pleas beforehand.
But, there’s another update today: Two of the defendants, Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell, have requested to sever their cases from the others. Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee will hear that request at 1 p.m. EDT today. Keep in mind: The prosecutor is hoping to try all 19 defendants together. (The Hill)
Who is Powell?: “Powell, who was part of Trump’s legal team that boosted his claims of widespread election fraud after his loss to Biden, is charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit election fraud, conspiracy to commit computer theft, trespass and invasion of privacy and conspiracy to defraud the state.” (From NBC News’s Charlie Gile and Summer Concepcion)
Who is Chesebro?: “Chesebro, a former Trump campaign attorney who helped craft the fringe legal theory behind the so-called “fake electors” scheme to overturn the 2020 election, pleaded not guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges in the case last week.” (NBC) |
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It’s Wednesday. <– That’s mostly a reminder for me. For most of yesterday, I thought it was Monday. Anyway, yesterday was a big night in tennis! 20-year-old American tennis player Ben Shelton beat fellow American Francis Tiafoe last night in the U.S. Open, making him the youngest American male to reach the semifinals since 1992, according to ESPN (!) 🎾
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.
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Most voters are concerned about President Biden’s age as the 2024 presidential election campaign ramps up, according to a NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll released Tuesday. Specifically: More than 80 percent of respondents are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the president’s age. About 63 percent felt the same way about former President Trump.
Biden, 80, is the oldest president in U.S. history, and if reelected, he will be 86 years old by the end of his second term. The Hill’s Niall Stanage pointed out that the next oldest president was President Reagan, who was 77 years old at the end of his second term. How age could be on full display: In 2020, campaigns were able to cut back on travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But a taxing season of exhausting campaign travel in 2024 could highlight Biden’s age. One caveat: If Trump is Biden’s general election opponent, the age contrast may matter a little less. Trump is just three years younger than him. Read more: “Questions over Biden’s age are getting sharper” (The Hill) |
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➤ NOT THAT I WOULD EXPECT HARRIS TO SAY ANYTHING DIFFERENT, BUT: |
Vice President Harris dismissed polling showing voters’ concerns over President Biden’s age.
Harris told The Associated Press: “I see him every day. A substantial amount of time we spend together is in the Oval Office, where I see how his ability to understand issues and weave through complex issues in a way that no one else can to make smart and important decisions on behalf of the American people have played out.”
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➤ SPEAKING OF BIDEN’S HEALTH: |
President Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Tuesday after first lady Jill Biden tested positive for the virus on Monday. He plans to wear a mask indoors around others for the time being. |
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The former leader of the right-wing Proud Boys group, Enrique Tarrio, was sentenced on Tuesday to 22 years in prison (!) for plotting the events that resulted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
This is the longest sentence so far: Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and Proud Boy Ethan Nordean separately received 18-year sentences. (The Hill) |
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➤ WILL THIS CHANGE TRUMP’S DEMEANOR TOWARD THESE FAR-RIGHT LEADERS?:
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CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked The New York Times’s Maggie Haberman whether former President Trump will change his mind about potential pardons, given that “domestic terror” is involved.
Haberman’s opinion: “He’s been fundraising to try to help some of the defendants in Jan. 6-related cases. I don’t think that this will have him adjust anything.” She continued: “[He] sees political advantage in continuing to say that he might pardon people. He thinks that it rallies his supporters.” More from their conversation
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To quote Thomas Jefferson in ‘Hamilton’: |
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🎵 “So what’d I miss? What’d I miss?” 🎵 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is back on the campaign trail after taking a pause to respond to Hurricane Idalia’s impact in his state. The good news: He has been praised for his response to the storm.
The bad news: He returns to a tough campaign season. A recent Wall Street Journal poll shows former President Trump’s lead over DeSantis has nearly doubled since April. The full poll Republican candidates’ next big opportunity to shine: The next GOP debate will happen on Sept. 27 in Simi Valley, Calif. Where DeSantis stands in the GOP primary field, via The Hill’s Julia Manchester |
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➤ THIS NEW REPORTING IS NOT GREAT FOR RON:
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“DeSantis built a massive network of big donors. Many have ditched him,” report Politico’s Alex Isenstadt and Jessica Piper.
For context: “Of the 50 donors who gave at least $160,000 in the years leading up to his 2022 reelection campaign, only 16 — less than a third — provided funds to the super PAC Never Back Down, which can receive unlimited contributions, through the end of June. Eight other major donors gave directly to his presidential campaign but not the super PAC.” (Politico)
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➤ JUST ANNOUNCED — MIKE PENCE SITDOWN:
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NewsNation’s chief Washington anchor Leland Vittert is interviewing former Vice President Pence during a town hall event next week. Details |
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🌊 The next storm to worry about: Tropical Storm Lee is strengthening in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to be an “extremely dangerous” hurricane by the weekend. It’s too early to know where it could impact. Map of its projected path
⚽️ The Spanish soccer coach was fired: “The Spanish women’s soccer team appointed its first ever female head coach after her predecessor was fired on the same day amid ongoing fallout over an unwanted kiss given by soccer chief Luis Rubiales to a player at the Women’s World Cup final.” (CNN)
🔎 A major monopoly trial is coming up: The Justice Department’s antitrust case against Google will head to trial. The New York Times primer on the monopoly case
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Well, this is both absurd and hilarious: |
A dispute between Spectrum and The Walt Disney Company means that customers are no longer able to watch ESPN. Tennis star Daniil Medvedev admitted in an interview that he has been using a pirate website to watch U.S. Open matches in his hotel.
“I don’t know if it’s legal or illegal, but I have to find a way because I cannot watch it on TV. So I go to internet and … how you call it, pirate websites or something, so I watched tennis there. I had no other choice.” Watch Medvedev’s explanation
Update: According to CNN Business, “An ESPN spokesperson said Tuesday they were working on getting Medvedev access to the ESPN+ app, which is streaming the matches.” More on the dispute |
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The Senate is in. The House is out. President Biden is in Washington, D.C., and Vice President Harris is in Indonesia.
Today: Harris is in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. 10 a.m. Biden received his daily briefing. 11:30 a.m.: Two Senate votes. Today’s Senate agenda
1 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters. 📺 Livestream
2:15 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks on the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA). 📺 Livestream 2:15 p.m.: Two more Senate votes.
2:30 p.m.: A Senate Homeland Security subcommittee hearing on asylum law. 📺 C-SPAN livestream 5:15 p.m.: Two more Senate votes.
Sept. 12: The House returns. House calendar
All times Eastern. |
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📝 Hey PR folks, know of any events with livestreams?: If you know of an event that will be livestreamed, please feel free to email me with the link to be included in this section. cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com |
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🍨 Celebrate: Today is National Coffee Ice Cream Day!
🧸 Need a good laugh?: A 6-year-old boy used Alexa’s voice commands to order nearly $1,000 in toys on Amazon, including a $500 hot tub. I have tears in my eyes from laughing at the audio conversation he had with Alexa. Listen to his voice commands — incredible
🥚 What a cool story: A woman packing eggs at a factory in 1951 wrote a short note on one to see if anyone would respond. It worked, 72 years later! The crazy part to me: The egg dried out, but never rotted. The full Washington Post story
🧥 Thrifting advice: The Huffington Post’s Julie Kendrick spoke with professional thrifters for tips of how to find the best items. Full read 💔 Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are getting divorced: Jonas Brothers singer Joe Jonas and “Game of Thrones” star Sophie Turner are getting divorced after four years of marriage. (People) |
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