Trump's Incredible $355 Million Fine - The Monday AM Quickie 2/19/24
Happy Presidents' Day. Over here the newslettering never rests. -Jacob
Sunset Lake CBD is brought to you by long-time MR listeners and fans of the show. They know how crazy buying CBD online can be and that’s why they want to be your one-stop CBD shop. Unlike some companies, Sunset Lake CBD grows everything that they infuse into their products and will provide you with certified test results with every order.
Still unsure? Email or call and speak to a real person— they can help walk you through the process and recommend the right product for you. They want to make buying CBD stress-free! Visit www.sunsetlakecbd.com and let them help you find that peace of mind. Enter code “leftisbest” (that’s one word) at checkout for 20% off every order.
Subscribe to the AM Quickie's NEW paid newsletters here!
THE BIG NEWS
Judge Orders Trump to Pay $355 Million – Plus Interest
Trump's civil fraud case in New York is rambling toward a conclusion – pending appeals – as Judge Arthur Engoron ordered former president Donald Trump on Friday to pay more than $355 million in fines. The total, with interest, may top $450 million, according to the New York Times. The penalty calls for a monitor to oversee the Trump Organization and bans Trump from heading a business in New York state for three years, which may represent a blow to Trump's ego as much as it does to his ability to operate in the financial capital of the world. Trump called the fine "ridiculous... a $355 million fine for doing a perfect job."
The ruling isn't quite the death penalty for the Trump Organization that was hoped for by some, but it's a pretty severe consequence for the former president, one that could possibly wipe out all of his cash. He also owes some $88 million to the writer E. Jean Carroll. And the independent monitor overseeing Trump's companies will essentially be running them – not Donald Trump, not his sons.
"This is a venial sin, not a mortal sin," wrote Judge Engoron in his decision. "Defendants did not commit murder or arson. They did not rob a bank at gunpoint. Donald Trump is not Bernie Madoff. Yet, defendants are incapable of admitting the error of their ways."
That sounds like a congenital liar who's facing 91 felony charges.
MORE STORIES TO WATCH
Plastics Industry Lied for Decades About Recycling
A new report reveals that the plastics industry has known for decades that recycling is not economically viable and that other claims around the efficacy of recycling have been overblown or outright lies. "The industry’s misconduct continues today," according to the report, which suggests that chemical, gas, and plastics companies may have conducted fraud on a massive scale. The "plastic waste crisis," says the Center for Climate Integrity, is another environmental crime that big oil has knowingly perpetrated, and covered up, for more than a half century.
Will Putin Get Away With Navalny's Murder?
On Friday, the Russian government reported the death of Alexei Navalny, the jailed anti-corruption campaigner and political challenger to President Vladimir Putin. Navalny had been poisoned, harassed, surveilled, and eventually jailed on trumped-up charges by the Russian government, so his death wasn't necessarily a surprise, but it was shocking in its brazenness. Navalny's widow accused Putin of murdering her husband, and according to one independent Russian newspaper, Navalny's body arrived at a hospital covered in bruises. As "Putin's most formidable critic," Navalny was considered one of the few democratic hopes for Russia. It's unlikely that democracy campaigners and foreign governments will be able to do much to hold Putin accountable for his death.
QUICKEST QUICKIES
- Trump Supports a 16-Week Abortion Ban Former President Donald Trump has privately told people that he supports a 16-week abortion ban, which has been reported as a concession to social conservatives. In an indication of how seriously Trump takes the issue, he apparently told a friend that 16 weeks appealed to him because it was a nice round number. via The New York Times.
- Drones Allow Ukraine to Strike Deep Into Russia New drone technologies are allowing Ukrainian forces to challenge Russia's air superiority. They're also worrying NATO allies and exciting defense contractors. via Bloomberg.
- Jim Biden Traded on His Brother's Name In Healthcare Business Jim Biden, brother of President Joe Biden, repeatedly invoked his more famous sibling's name in his healthcare consulting work, which included financing the expansion of a healthcare firm that went bankrupt. The president isn't accused of any wrongdoing. via Politico.
- Sinclair Dominates Airwaves With Panic Over Crime, Drugs, and Homeless People Sinclair Broadcasting, the arch-conservative media company that owns 185 local TV stations across the country, has filled out its menu with a diet of right-wing hysteria. In the process, the network has become deeply influential in local media markets and a boon to Trump. via Washington Post.
SOME NUMBER
41 percent
That's how much the crime clearance rate dropped for California police agencies between 1990 and 2022, according to a new report. In short, cops are solving fewer and fewer crimes while citizens are paying ever more in taxes for law enforcement. In San Francisco, the clearance rate has fallen to 6.7 percent. Proponents of the report argue that the problem isn't funding or empowerment of police; it's that police aren't doing their jobs – and perhaps aren't the solution to crime at all.
ON THE SHOW TODAY
2/19: Happy Monday! Emma speaks with Abdul Alkalimat, professor of African American Studies & library and information science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, to discuss his book The History of Black Studies.
DON'T MISS MR CLIPS
Elon Musk Keeps Humiliating Matt Taibbi
If there's an easy lesson here, it's never get in bed (professionally!) with an insane billionaire.
What a Palestinian American Doctor Saw in Gaza
A doctor who tended to Palestinian casualties in Khan Younis talks about the devastation wrought by the Israeli military campaign.
PARTING WORDS
"There’s nothing in your brain that says, ‘OK, stop now, you’re done. You’ve won your money back, you can put this behind you. There was just something in my brain that made me keep going."
-- From a psychiatrist who became addicted to online gambling apps and found herself unable to quit, leading to her losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. With the explosion in sports and online gambling in recent years, many Americans have found themselves tempted by easy-to-use apps that, using coercion, giveaways, and other inducements, have hooked untold numbers of people.
Quickie Discount Code Corner
Hey check it out! Stuff on sale!
ExpressVPN: Stop handing over your personal data to the Big Tech monopoly that mines your activity and sells your information. Protect yourself with the VPN I trust to keep me safe online. Visit https://ExpressVPN.com/majority. That’s https://ExpressVPN.com/majority to get three extra months free.
Ritual: Essential for Men is a quality multivitamin from a company you can actually trust. Get 40% off your first month for a limited time at https://ritual.com/ MAJORITY. This offer is only available through January 31st. Start Ritual or add Essential For Men to your subscription today.
ZBiotics: Go to https://zbiotics.com/MAJORITY to get 15% off your first order when you use MAJORITY at checkout. You can also sign up for a subscription using my code - so you can stay prepared no matter the time or occasion. ZBiotics is backed with 100% money back guarantee so if you’re unsatisfied for any reason, they’ll refund your money, no questions asked.
Henson Shaving: Henson Shaving is giving my audience a 2-year supply of blades for FREE. Just go to https://HENSONSHAVING.com/MAJORITY, That’s https://HENSONSHAVING.com/MAJORITY. Add a razor and 100-pack of blades to your cart, then enter code MAJORITY to get the blades for free.
Shopify: Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/majority. Go to https://shopify.com/majority now to grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in.
LiquidIV: Revive yourself for the New Year. Grab your Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Sugar-Free in bulk nationwide at Costco or get 20% off your first order when you go to https://liquidiv.com/majorityrep at checkout. That’s 20% off your first order when you shop better hydration today using promo code MAJORITYREP at https://liquidiv.com.
Nutrafol: Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to https://Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code TMR. Find out why over 4,000 healthcare professionals recommend Nutrafol for healthier hair.
Sunset Lake CBD: Sunsetlakecbd is a majority employee owned farm in Vermont, producing 100% pesticide free CBD products. Use code Leftisbest and get 20% off at http://www.sunsetlakecbd.com.
CozyEarth: IF you’ve never tried Cozy Earth, I've got awesome news! You can SAVE up to 35% off Cozy Earth right now! But hurry... this offer won't last. Go to https://CozyEarth.com and enter mypromo code MAJORITY REPORT at checkout for up to 35% off on your first order! That's https://CozyEarth.com promo code MAJORITY REPORT.