Southern Progressives

Moving to the left one post at a time

National News:

Trump's day in court as criminal defendant: What to know

For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant. Donald Trump surrendered to authorities on Tuesday to appear on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election. Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges. Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy. Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-charged-what-to-know-b633d9ac29fc0ab8144f7e8a9bf65895

Trump embraced at Mar-a-Lago after pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts

The latest news and updates on Trump’s arraignment in Manhattan and speech at Mar-a-Lago after pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-indictment-live-updates-former-presidents-arraignment-expected-t-rcna77705

Opinion | Understanding the Red State Death Trip

Politics probably explain America’s poor life expectancy.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/03/opinion/red-state-life-expectancy-death.html?unlocked_article_code=ySMV2GMP5W3MEaA1oex_yOa8Ttj546gNy8wpKo2RNzZISoMQneljM-9h09lYV0075sQszN3VYTTG5UGkAdIbqsMd-b_tuW0wyQc_sbEXn3APyYc2RCsjpePYoCYnxcyctVzGyDsIoIBL8_lqVtvjHyrKkzmk2Qix2YTtyvNbNXY9ZrfYBefDrmAFHcLA8yUOSy1tT59pV8es55C2TVUXUlKToLqcJSOj8Yu0uFxK1QGTKj6Bw8mPB1ruyS-WwcRO2DhAq7epqV-gUD46VBdWu6q2wGkGbjhgITTHBK_bZpBCpdKs6z3omI_a2Qf2oIovuRoSRwT1ZDQKtqhyxEArVDvgpU1JvYnQ-w&smid=url-share

State News:

Tennessee House moves to expel 3 Democrats after gun protest

Tennessee Republican lawmakers have taken the first steps to expel three Democratic members from the GOP-dominant House for their role in a recent gun control protest at the state Capitol. Resolutions were filed Monday against Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. They led chants from the House floor with supporters in the gallery last Thursday. The resolution declared the three had participated in “disorderly behavior” and “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives.” Expelling lawmakers is an extraordinary action inside the Tennessee Capitol. Just two other House members have ever been ousted from the chamber since the Civil War.

https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-expulsion-gop-lawmakers-1c4793ba0552c07aa0dc3949c5f76ea9

Embattled rep files charges against Republican in House melee – Tennessee Lookout

Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones,led a police report late Monday against a Republican Rep. Justin Lafferty for grabbing his phone and pushing him.

https://tennesseelookout.com/2023/04/04/embattled-rep-files-charges-against-republican-in-house-melee/

Trump v. The Rule of Law

Today’s spectacle was watching Donald Trump board his plane and prepare to fly back to New York to face the charges a grand jury voted to level against him. But it was private citizen Trump on the runway, waiting in line for other planes to take off ahead of his, a reminder that he is president no more and that beyond the Secret Service detail that will continue to protect him, he is no longer entitled to any special deference. He is private citizen Trump.

https://open.substack.com/pub/joycevance/p/trump-v-the-rule-of-law?r=2cuzj&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Local News:

The Athens City Council voted in a called meeting last night to

offer the job of City Manager to Debbie Wallace, an Athenian who is the

daughter of the late Larry Wallace of Athens. Mayor Steven Sherlin and

City Attorney, Stephen Hatchett, will negotiate an employment package

with Ms. Wallace and present it to the council at their next regular meeting on April 18th, for their consideration and possible approval.

The Arts:

Bill Freeman is Southern Progressive Newsletter

If you would like to support what news I bring to progressives in McMinn County, buy me a coffee so I will have the energy to keep on going.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calabash52M

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