On immediately’s episode of the 5 Issues podcast: Mark Meadows testifies Georgia election name ‘a part of my position’ below Trump
USA TODAY Justice Division Correspondent Bart Jansen explains why former White Home Chief of Workers Mark Meadows argues his Georgia costs ought to be moved to federal courtroom. Plus, Idalia brews within the Gulf of Mexico, USA TODAY Congress and Campaigns Reporter Ken Tran talks about ‘Bidenomics’ and why not all Home Democrats are on board with touting Biden White Home financial insurance policies, this yr’s gubernatorial election in Kentucky may resolve the way forward for voting rights for 1000’s of former felons, and ‘Wealthy Males North of Richmond’ has caught on as a conservative anthem. However its singer feels some have missed the message.
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Taylor Wilson:
Good morning. I am Taylor Wilson, and that is 5 Issues that you must know Tuesday, the twenty ninth of August 2023. At this time, Mark Meadows and his pushed to maneuver costs from Georgia to federal courtroom. Plus, the most recent on Idalia because the storm strikes towards Florida, and what a governor’s election in Kentucky might imply for the way forward for voting rights for former felons.
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Mark Meadows, Donald Trump’s former White Home chief of employees, testified yesterday as he continues his push to maneuver his prison racketeering costs from courtroom in Georgia to federal courtroom. I spoke with USA TODAY Justice Division Correspondent Bart Jansen for extra. Bart, thanks for hopping on.
Bart Jansen:
Thanks for having me.
Taylor Wilson:
Trump’s former White Home chief of employees Mark Meadows is a outstanding co-defendant on this Georgia case. Bart, as a refresher, what is the indictment really say about him and what he is been charged with?
Bart Jansen:
The indictment’s fairly slender, coping with Mark Meadows as a excessive profile a determine as he was within the Trump White Home. He was the chief of employees, so he calls himself type of a site visitors cop of what points get to Trump, what conferences are scheduled, how lengthy they final, all that type of stuff. Nicely, one of many issues that he organized was the January 2nd, 2021 name to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. And this was the decision the place Trump requested Raffensperger to search out him 11,780 votes, which was what number of he wanted to win the state. In order that has been taken to be an invite to election fraud, and we’ll should see how the prison case performs out. However Meadows organized the decision and he led off the decision. He participated within the name. So he was charged within the total indictment with a part of the racketeering, a part of being this overarching prison group, however the one particular cost in opposition to him is solicitation of a public official to violate his oath of workplace. And that is a reference to the decision principally asking Raffensperger to betray his workplace.
Taylor Wilson:
A listening to was held yesterday surrounding Meadows. What did that listening to heart on, Bart?
Bart Jansen:
Nicely, Meadows is asking to maneuver his costs from Fulton County Superior Courtroom in Atlanta, Georgia to Federal Courtroom in Georgia. And if he have been to get to federal courtroom, he is additionally asking the federal courtroom to dismiss the costs. As a result of below each the transferring the case, and in contemplating the case on the federal stage, Meadows is arguing that he was simply finishing up his duties of workplace, and that there’s a provision within the Structure known as the Supremacy Clause and there’s federal legislation principally barring or hindering states type charging federal officers in order that state stage folks cannot intrude with the federal authorities unnecessarily. It stems from a Civil Warfare period legislation to not have states principally nonetheless making an attempt to retaliate in opposition to federal officers making use of federal coverage. However so, on this case, Mark Meadows is saying, “I used to be Chief of Workers. I’m performing the duties that Trump is assigning me. They’re wide-ranging duties.” It’d sound odd, lining up a name with a Secretary of State as a part of your White Home duties, however Meadows is testifying that that is the type of wide-ranging portfolio that he held on the White Home.
Taylor Wilson:
What impression might this resolution on whether or not to maneuver Meadows’ costs to federal courtroom have on different co-defendants on this case?
Bart Jansen:
At the very least 5 of the co-defendants within the case – there’s Meadows, there is a former Assistant Lawyer Normal named Jeffrey Clark, and there are three of the Republican alternate electors from Georgia – have all made comparable requests to maneuver their instances to federal courtroom. I do not consider they’ve but filed the paperwork like Meadows has to ask the federal courtroom then to dismiss their costs, however I feel they no less than assume that they might get a greater listening to in federal courtroom. Once more, every of them arguing that as a result of they have been serving in a federal put up that they deserve safety from state stage costs. So every of these electors is saying, hey, they have been chosen as electors for whoever the Republican nominee was in March of 2020, lengthy earlier than there was a dispute concerning the election, they usually’re every saying successfully they have been federal officers, too. In order that they’re on the sidelines proper now, ready to see how this case involving Meadows works out. Meadows is extensively thought-about one of the best take a look at case to see if they’ll transfer these instances to federal courtroom.
Taylor Wilson:
Bart Jansen covers the Justice Division for USA TODAY. Thanks, Bart.
Bart Jansen:
Thanks for having me.
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Taylor Wilson:
Idalia continues to maneuver into the Gulf of Mexico and is forecast to hit Florida’s west coast as a robust hurricane tomorrow morning. Life-threatening flooding, a large storm surge and powerful winds are anticipated alongside Florida’s Gulf Coast, in keeping with the Nationwide Hurricane Heart. A number of Gulf counties started evacuations yesterday for coastal communities and low-lying areas, and extra evacuations are anticipated. A state of emergency has additionally been declared by Governor Ron DeSantis for 46 of the states 67 counties.
Idalia is predicted to push a storm surge as excessive as 12 ft in some areas if it makes landfall at excessive tide, in keeping with the Hurricane Heart. Storm surge flooding, when water ranges rise abruptly alongside the seaside and coastal waterways, is among the biggest threats to life and property throughout a hurricane and has been a number one reason behind hurricane associated deaths within the U.S. in keeping with the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And the Hurricane Heart discovered that storm surge was the deadliest hazard throughout Hurricane Ian final yr, claiming 41 lives.
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President Joe Biden continues to tout his so-called Bidenomics insurance policies as the explanation for a thriving financial system, however not all Home Democrats are snug along with his financial message. I spoke with USA TODAY Congress and Campaigns Reporter Ken Tran to be taught extra. Ken, thanks for making a while for us.
Ken Tran:
Thanks for having me.
Taylor Wilson:
First off, Ken, what are we speaking about after we use the phrase Bidenomics?
Ken Tran:
So, Bidenomics is what President Joe Biden has been touting as his financial agenda. It is a slogan for, actually, all his legislative victories in Congress and what are objectively fairly good financial numbers. We’re seeing inflation has been cooling from its document highs final yr. We’re seeing fairly low unemployment charges, and we’re seeing total excessive shopper confidence. So simply by the numbers, Biden ought to have so much to brag about.
Taylor Wilson:
The White Home has argued that this financial agenda and different legislative wins have fueled this thriving financial system. Ken, what insurance policies do they level to as causes for this success?
Ken Tran:
So a type of legislative victories was final summer season when Congress handed the Inflation Discount Act. A significant a part of that was lowering prescription drug costs, or what it aimed to do, and in addition lowering the deficit. And in addition lots of it was local weather change initiatives, making an attempt to advertise inexperienced vitality whereas on the similar time combating local weather change just like the Biden administration has promised. One other a part of that was additionally the CHIPS and Science Act, which aimed toward boosting home manufacturing of laptop chips.
Taylor Wilson:
Ken, why may this strategy, touting Bidenomics, have flaws?
Ken Tran:
So, Bidenomics may not be one of the best promote for some voters on the bottom as a result of whereas the numbers are good, it is not a lot comfort if you cannot make hire, for instance, otherwise you’re struggling to get sufficient groceries to feed your loved ones. In New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, Congressman Chris Pappas, a Democrat, he is been fairly cautious with bragging or touting Biden’s legislative wins. A number of what he instructed me was that he was simply much more centered on listening to constituents, and he instructed me particularly that it is not about taking a victory lap. He mentioned there’s nonetheless extra work to do, particularly as a result of if you are going to brag about one thing just like the Inflation Discount Act and the way it’s reducing the federal government deficit, a voter may not care about that if, for instance, they simply cannot make ends meet.
One voter I talked to, she was at a roundtable dialogue occasion with Congressman Pappas, she instructed me that she simply grew to become a mom of three, which is already fairly tough. When she had her second youngster, they needed to refinance their residence to afford childcare as a result of the price range was simply that tight. They usually had an sudden third youngster, which made them should… They’d to purchase a brand new home to have sufficient house to only accommodate three kids. They should take care of childcare and in addition simply the entire price of a brand new home, which is fairly latest. Her youngster is simply just some months outdated. She instructed me the price of meals is simply going up, and she or he simply would not depart the grocery retailer for lower than $300 per week.
Taylor Wilson:
Wow. So that you talked about Congressman Chris Pappas and his constituents. How do different Democratic lawmakers really feel about touting Bidenomics to constituents?
Ken Tran:
Positive. So different Democrats, whereas they may not brag or tout concerning the financial system as a lot because the president, they assume that no less than they need to be giving him some credit score of their residence districts. So, Rep Eric Sorensen, the Democrat from Illinois and in addition a primary time period lawmaker, he says that though there’s extra work to do, there ought to nonetheless be some credit score given to the president as a result of these legislative victories are very monumental. One in every of them is the Inflation Discount Act, for instance. He instructed me that he is enjoying lots of offense and even when he is speaking with Republican constituents, he is telling them the advantages that that invoice is giving to them almost about clear vitality, for instance, or simply lowering the deficit.
Taylor Wilson:
All proper. Ken Tran, nice perception for us as at all times. Thanks a lot.
Ken Tran:
Thanks for having me.
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Taylor Wilson:
Just like the final two governor elections in Kentucky, whoever wins this yr might decide whether or not tens of 1000’s within the state who’ve accomplished a felony sentence could have the appropriate to vote over the subsequent 4 years. Kentucky is one in all simply three states the place folks convicted of a felony can solely have their voting rights restored by actions of the governor. However a pair of govt orders lately have affected the appropriate to vote for a lot of of them. Former Democratic Governor Steve Beshear, simply earlier than leaving workplace, issued an order in 2015 permitting no less than 100,000 individuals who had totally accomplished their felony sentences for non-violent or non-sexual crimes to file a type to revive their voting rights.
That transfer was then rescinded by former Republican Governor Matt Bevin. However one in all Democratic Governor Andy Beshear’s first acts as governor in 2019 was to problem an identical order to that of his father’s, this time mechanically restoring the appropriate to vote for a least 140,000 Kentuckians. And the quantity of people that have had their voting rights restored because of the order has now grown to greater than 190,000, in keeping with his administration. Beshear now finds himself in a aggressive reelection race in opposition to Republican Lawyer Normal Daniel Cameron, elevating questions on the way forward for voting rights for former felons. Cameron has been non-committal on whether or not he would rescind Beshear’s voting rights order. The election is about for this November. You’ll be able to learn extra with a hyperlink in immediately’s present notes.
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Wealthy Males North of Richmond. The viral nation track has turn into a shock hit with thousands and thousands of followers. The track from Oliver Anthony has traces like, “These wealthy males north of Richmond, Lord is aware of all of them simply need to have whole management.” And it is particularly caught traction with conservative politicians and pundits. It was even cited because the lead query within the first Republican presidential main debate final week as candidates have been requested why it was having such a second. Nonetheless, the singer himself is annoyed that it is turn into such a one-sided calling card. In a teary 10-minute video final week, he mentioned that he is politically centrist and mentioned, “It was humorous seeing my track on the presidential debate as a result of I wrote that track about these folks.”
Nonetheless, it might’t be denied that the track has resonated with the American proper. And it is seeing unprecedented success. It retained the highest spot on the Billboard Scorching 100 for a second week, nearly exceptional for an unsigned and beforehand unknown artist. And it presently has 46 million views on YouTube. Its success, together with the shock field workplace haul of the film Sound of Freedom, in addition to coordinated makes an attempt to limit entry to sure books, converse on to ways in which conservative voices are not keen to cede the cultural excessive floor because the nation strikes towards one other election. Some have criticized Sound of Freedom, which dives into youngster intercourse trafficking, for not directly stoking far-right conspiracy theories. It is within the prime 10 on the U.S. field workplace this yr, beating out main Hollywood movies like the most recent Indiana Jones and Mission Not possible movies. Joel Penney, a professor and writer on popular culture mentioned, “There’s completely been extra of a concerted effort within the conservative world to push into popular culture as one in all their large battlegrounds.”
Thanks for listening to five Issues. When you just like the present, please subscribe and depart us a ranking and evaluation on Apple Podcasts. And when you have any feedback, you may attain us at podcasts@usatoday.com. I am again tomorrow with extra of 5 Issues from USA TODAY.