BRIGHT readers have spoken!
Could You Make It Through Trump Trial Jury Selection?
Jury selection began for former President Trump’s trial in New York City this week. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records during his 2016 campaign. Fox News reported that prospective jurors must answer 42 questions on work history, political affiliations, and media consumption.
Could you make it on the jury? Some of the questions are doozies and they must be Manhattan residents and answer aloud. The court also allows follow-up questions may be asked based on responses. So, that gives you an idea of what the jury will look like.
Fox News reported that the first day of the alleged “hush money” trial in New York saw intense moments. As expected, Trump labeled the trial as “political persecution,” denouncing it as an “assault on America.” Prosecutors sought fines for Trump's alleged gag order violations. The judge upheld his decision not to show the "Access Hollywood" tape to jurors. Additionally, Trump criticized the judge's decision barring him from attending his son's graduation and upcoming Supreme Court hearing.
Fox News has a live update as the trial progresses here.
UPDATE: Jury Selection Process in Trump Trial Just Hit Another Snag (Townhall)
Poll: Americans More Stressed, Sleeping Less
A Gallup poll reveals a concerning, but unsurprising trend: Americans are sleeping less and experiencing higher stress levels. The poll found that 57% say they need more sleep. Sleep deprivation has risen since 2013, affecting 36% of women and 48% of men. Younger women are particularly affected, with only 27% reporting adequate sleep. Stress levels are also escalating, with 49% saying they are frequently stressed, also higher among younger women. This decline in sleep and increase in stress could significantly impact health.
Over the last few nights I’ve been using BRIGHT sponsor Holistic Goddess’ DreamEase and having good results with 7-8 hours of solid sleep per night. It also helps to go to bed early since I’m usually up by 5 a.m. for BRIGHT! Check out Holistic Goddess and be sure to use code BRIGHT for 10% off. Also, I’ll have an interview with HG founder Steph Coulson soon!
White House: U.S. Won’t Participate in Response to Iran’s Attack on Israel
Over the weekend, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps launched 300 drones and missiles at Israel from Iran and its proxy locations. Israel said they were able to intercept 99% of the projectiles with help from the infamous Iron Dome. The attacks on Israel mark Iran’s first direct military assault on Israel.
On Sunday, Iran issued a warning to Israel and the U.S., threatening a larger attack if either retaliates against its missile and drone strike on Israel over the weekend. Major General Mohammad Bagheri stated that U.S. bases could be targeted if they support Israel. The Epoch Times reported on the White House’s statement:
The United States will not participate in a counter-strike against Iran should Israel choose to retaliate for an attack on its territory last night, according to the White House.
“We’re committed to defending Israel. We would not be a part of any response they do. That’s a very consistent [U.S.] policy,” the senior administration official told reporters during a call on Sunday.
Comments came after some media reports stated earlier that President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would not support retaliatory action against Iran during a phone call on Saturday.
Axios reported that according a White House official, President Biden told Prime Minister Netanyahu, '“You got a win. Take the win.”
Axios added, “The official said that when Biden told Netanyahu that the U.S. will not participate in any offensive operations against Iran and will not support such operations, Netanyahu said he understood.”
RELATED:
How Biden's Failed Policies Led the Way for Iran's Attack (Townhall)
Iranian general whose assassination triggered weekend attack on Israel helped plan Oct. 7: report (New York Post)
Senate Swift to Block Mayorkas Impeachment, Not Border
As expected, the Democrat-led Senate swiftly dismissed two articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. House impeachment managers didn't get to present their case, as proceedings concluded in one afternoon. As mentioned in Wednesday’s BRIGHT, Mayorkas was accused of willfully disregarding immigration laws and obstructing oversight. Republicans, seeking a full trial, failed to garner support. Senate Majority Leader Schumer asserted the articles were unconstitutional, leading to their dismissal.
More from The Daily Wire:
Schumer then moved to effectively discard each of the articles on the view that they were unconstitutional because they failed to rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors. He used a point of order, which the Senate glossary says is a “claim made by a senator or representative from the floor that a rule of the Chamber is being violated,” that led to a vote to kill each article of impeachment.
Republicans sought to prolong the proceedings after Schumer made each point of order, offering an assortment of motions that included moving to a closed session and adjourning the court of impeachment for weeks or months, but each one got voted down.
“Our colleagues know that we are obligated to take these proceedings seriously,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said before introducing one of the motions. He added, “This process must not be abused. It must not be short-circuited. History will not judge this moment well.”
Despite objections and attempts to prolong the process by Republicans, the trial was ultimately dismissed by a 51-49 vote.
We knew it would go this way, but hopefully Democrats in swing states will have to answer for why they couldn’t be bothered to even hear the evidence about the crisis on the border.
Supreme Court to Hear Case That Could Free J6ers
The Supreme Court will hear a case with implications for the 2024 election and potentially reduce sentences for January 6 rioters. Pajamas Media reported that the case focuses on the definition of “corruptly” and “otherwise" in obstruction charges, which led “to an overly broad interpretation of the statute,” according to the defense who say it led to prosecutorial overreach. The SCOTUS ruling could impact Trump's legal exposure, as some charges hinge on this statute. Speculation surrounds conservative justices' stance, with textualists possibly supporting broad interpretation.
Pajamas Media noted, “Prosecutorial overreach has become a way for the government to expand the definition of what's illegal without congressional approval. Whether enough of these conservative justices want to rein in the government's power will be the decisive factor for both [Trump] and the J6 rioters.”
Dinner and a Movie
I usually rely on my boyfriend to pick weekend movies since he’s a pop culture and movie expert. However, this week I learned that he’s never seen Dirty Dancing all the way through, so it’s my pick!
It’s still a little too early for watermelon (“I carried a watermelon”) season in Texas, but I will share one of my favorite ways to use watermelon — Watermelon Gazpacho. It cuts the acidity of a tomato-only recipe and I love it with feta cheese and mint rather than dill.