July 2, 2024 2:08 am
A legal action was filed against Washington County on Monday for the actions taken by the Washington County Board of Elections to disallow ballot curing in the most recent primary election held last April. Seven voters, The Center for Coalfield Justice and the Washington Branch of the NAACP were represented by the ACLU of Pennsylvania, the Public Interest Law Center and Dechert, LLP stating the decision made by the board of elections, that is made up of the three county commissioners, disenfranchised 259 county voters by not allowing the county elections department to contact voters who voted by mail and had correctable errors with their ballots. The decision to not allow curing is a reversal of previous protocol that allowed the department to contact voters about their mistakes and address the errors. One of those voters, Bruce Jacobs, says “I wish county officials had respected me, as an American with the fundamental right to vote, and given me a chance to address my error.” The lawsuit, Center for Coalfield Justice et al v. Washington County Board of Elections, has been filed in the Washington County Court of Common Pleas. The plaintiffs argue that the county violated the voters’ procedural due process rights. Lawyers will soon file a preliminary injunction motion to hasten the decision making process to ensure appellate courts have time before voting begins to review the issue.
July 1, 2024 5:29 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans have filed a lawsuit against Attorney General Merrick Garland for the audio recording of President Joe Biden’s interview with a special counsel in his classified documents case. The legal action Monday asks the courts to enforce their subpoena and reject the White House’s effort to withhold the materials from Congress. The lawsuit filed by the House Judiciary Committee marks Republicans’ latest broadside against the Justice Department as partisan conflict over the rule of law animates the 2024 presidential campaign. The legal action comes weeks after the White House blocked Garland from releasing the audio recording to Congress by asserting executive privilege.
July 1, 2024 10:40 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has extended the delay in the Washington criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he plotted to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss, all but ending prospects he could be tried before the November election. In a historic ruling Friday, the justices said for the first time former presidents can be shielded from prosecution for at least some of what they do in the Oval Office. The justices have ordered lower courts to figure out how to apply the decision to Trump’s case rather than do it themselves. The outcome means additional delay before the Republican ex-president could face trial. Trump has denied doing anything wrong.
July 1, 2024 5:10 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers have sent a letter to the Manhattan judge in his hush money criminal case seeking permission to file a motion to set aside the verdict. The letter to Judge Juan M. Merchan cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling earlier Monday and asked the judge to delay Trump’s sentencing while he weighs the high court’s decision and how it could influence the New York case. The Associated Press obtained the letter Monday night. The lawyers argue that the Supreme Court’s decision confirmed a defense position that prosecutors should have been precluded from introducing some evidence they said constituted official presidential acts.
July 1, 2024 5:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden warns that a Supreme Court ruling granting presidents broad immunity from prosecution would make an unchecked Republican Donald Trump “more emboldened to do whatever he wants” if he regains the White House in November’s election. Biden has been under intense pressure after his disastrous debate performance against Trump last week. He urged Americans on Monday to think carefully about their election decision and signaled he had no intention of dropping out of the race. Biden’s effort to reset his campaign following his performance, which spooked donors and stirred up major Democratic anxiety, has been looking a lot like his past attempts to keep the focus squarely on Trump’s misdeeds and shortcomings.
July 1, 2024 5:07 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s family has used a Sunday gathering at Camp David to urge him to stay in the race and keep fighting despite his dreadful debate performance. Some family members criticized the way Biden’s staff prepared him for the faceoff. That’s according to four people familiar with the discussions. Biden spent the day sequestered with first lady Jill Biden, his children and grandchildren at the presidential retreat in Maryland. It was a previously scheduled trip for a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz for the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
July 1, 2024 5:06 am
(AP) – A Palestinian health official says Israel has released 55 Palestinians it detained from Gaza, including the director of the territory’s main hospital. Mohammed Abu Selmia was detained in November when Israeli forces raided Shifa Hospital. Palestinian media aired video following his release Monday. Abu Selmia accused Israeli authorities of mistreating Palestinian detainees. Israeli authorities have denied such allegations. Israel accuses militants of sheltering in hospitals and using them for military purposes. Palestinian health officials say Israeli raids recklessly endanger civilians by forcing several hospitals to shut down or reduce services. Hospitals can lose their protection under international law if they are used for military purposes.
July 1, 2024 5:04 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — For the first time, North Korean officials have been seen wearing lapel pins with the image of leader Kim Jong Un. That’s another sign the North is boosting his personality cult to the level bestowed on his late father and grandfather. North Koreans are required to wear pins over their hearts which for decades bore images of either the country’s founder, Kim Il Sung, or his son Kim Jong Il, or both. The pins are part of a state-sponsored mythology surrounding the Kim family which treats Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il like gods. State media published photos showing officials wearing Kim Jong Un pins for the first time on Sunday.
July 1, 2024 5:02 am
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Boeing has announced plans to acquire key supplier Spirit AeroSystems for $4.7 billion. It says the move will improve plane quality and safety. Boeing previously owned Spirit, and the purchase would reverse a longtime Boeing strategy of outsourcing key work on its passenger planes. That approach has been criticized as problems at Spirit disrupted production and delivery of popular Boeing jetliners. Concerns about safety came to a head after the January blowout of a panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) over Oregon.
July 1, 2024 4:59 am
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey says President Joe Biden is able to run a strong race and serve a second term in the Oval Office. Casey on Monday stood by his close ally in the critical battleground state following a disastrous debate performance. Casey has stayed quiet about Biden’s performance before making his first public appearances since Thursday night’s debate. Casey acknowledges that Biden had a bad debate, but says voters are more concerned about issues like abortion, labor and voting rights and the fate of democracy. Casey, who is also seeking reelection, wouldn’t elaborate on why he thinks Biden is fit. Casey’s opponent, Republican David McCormick, accuses Casey of lying about Biden’s fitness.
