Here are this week’s SWAJ Research Links, compiled by SWAJ Team Member Mark Kurth.
National Inquiries
Prosecutors in Trump's criminal case say they have recording of Trump and a witness
The document lists the dates of 34 instances between Feb. 14, 2017 and Dec. 5, 2017 when he allegedly falsified records.
In a section devoted to electronic evidence that will be turned over, a prosecutor for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office indicated they have disclosed to the defense a "recording of a conversation between defendant and a witness."
The section also indicates prosecutors intend to disclose recordings of calls between witnesses and others.
Prosecutors have recording of Trump discussing sensitive Iran document
The audio features Trump describing a multi-page document that he claims is about possibly attacking Iran, expressing a desire to share that information with others but also making some kind of acknowledgment that he shouldn’t do so, the people said.
Some People Deserve to Starve: A Biblical View of Work and Welfare
“Christians are supposed to be at the tip of the spear in alleviating poverty, especially when it comes to other believers. That doesn’t mean, however, that we are under any obligation to help indolent bums. Such people are not entitled to our generosity. They have chosen the path of poverty.”
Republicans are spending millions on turnout operations that are deeply flawed, insiders say
The large-scale voter contact effort that conservatives have put at the center of their political operations in recent years is plagued with issues, according to more than a dozen people who’ve worked in GOP-aligned field operations and internal data obtained by NBC News. Those issues include fraudulent and untrustworthy data entries, akin to what occurred in Nevada, as well as allegations of lax hiring practices and a lack of accountability.
States Fights
Texas House impeaches Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton
Paxton has been a fierce defender of former president Donald Trump and a defiant opponent of the Biden administration, but his impeachment came at the hands of fellow Texas Republicans, who have long controlled all three branches of state government.
Many of the allegations that form the basis of the articles of impeachment surfaced in 2020, when Paxton’s top aides accused him of abuse of office to benefit a wealthy donor. They reported their concerns to the F.B.I., which began an investigation, although no charges were filed. Four of the aides were fired and filed suit alleging retaliation.
‘Numbers Nobody Has Ever Seen’: How the GOP Lost Wisconsin
In the aftermath, even Republicans here are acknowledging that the state has now shifted leftward, and abortion has a lot to do with that. The end of Roe v. Wade last year effectively reinstated Wisconsin’s 19th-century abortion ban, which is already being challenged — and those challenges will likely be decided by the state Supreme Court. That’s why Protasiewicz campaigned heavily on protecting abortion rights, and the election turned almost entirely on the issue.
Ron DeSantis’ New Target: 8-Year-Old Kids of Asian Descent
In 2021, there were nearly 45.3 million immigrants living in the U.S. In 2018, 1 in 6 Texas residents and 1 in 5 Florida residents were immigrants. However, various bills have been introduced in Alabama, Florida, Texas, and across the country during the 2023 legislative session that would prevent some immigrants from buying property, including Alabama H.B. 379, Texas S.B. 147, and Florida bills H.B. 1355 and S.B. 264. Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed S.B. 264 into law, and it will go into effect on July 1, 2023. In addition to making a mockery of the Constitution and causing 8-year-olds to wonder why they’re being targeted, these measures will make immigrants susceptible to hate crimes and abuse. The bills will have devastating consequences for people’s livelihoods and safety.
Vocal Locals
New York man indicted on murder charge after 20-year-old woman was shot and killed when car turned in wrong driveway
Monahan is accused of shooting at a vehicle full of passengers, including 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis, when they accidentally turned into his driveway while looking for a friend’s house last month in Washington County, roughly 55 miles north of Albany.
Petition to remove Hernando Co. school board member for Disney movie complaint hits 18K names
The Hernando County school board member, Shannon Rodriguez, allegedly filed a complaint with the Florida Department of Education against fifth grade teacher Jenna Barbee for streaming "Strange World," a 2022 Disney movie that features an out, gay character.
Two Christian college employees used pronouns in their email signatures. Then they were fired
Zelaya and Wilmot talked about their termination in a 50-minute video uploaded to YouTube the week they were fired. Sitting side by side and holding their termination letters in their hands, Zelaya and Wilmot explained that they added identifiers to their emails for practical purposes: Their uncommon first names often caused them to be misgendered in email correspondence, and they also recognized an industry-wide shift toward using identifiers in emails, at conventions or during job interviews.
The bigger pieces were deeper, they said. Using identifiers could foster conversations with students and others in the Houghton community, and they marked Zelaya and Wilmot as “safe people” on campus.