Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Saturday, April 27, 2024. I’m Bill Thomas, and today, we’ve got a handful of intriguing topics, including updates on former President Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial, proposed tax hikes, faculty protests at a university in Texas, and very important safety concerns in aviation.
Trump ‘Hush Money’ Trial Witness’s Testimony Contradicts FBI Report
In President Trump’s criminal trial, David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, admitted that there are discrepancies between his current testimony and the statements he made to the FBI back in 2018.Mr. Pecker stuck to the story he gave in court. He said: “The FBI notes that someone is writing down here could be wrong.” He also said, “I know what the truth is, I can’t state why this was written here.”
The defense also pointed to inaccuracies and contradictions in Mr. Pecker’s account regarding a third-party agreement and statements attributed to President Trump.
Mr. Pecker clarified that a meeting at Trump Tower in 2015 did not cover the strategy of “catch and kill” or discuss financial arrangements. But he testified that he came up with a plan with the former president and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen to help Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016, a point prosecutors are using to argue possible election interference.
The trial centers on accusations that hush money payments were made to Stormy Daniels and involves 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. President Trump has denied all allegations of misconduct.
Trump Responds to Main ‘Hush Money’ Trial Witness’s Claims
The former president praised Mr. Pecker, the first witness in his “hush money” trial, calling him a “nice guy.”Mr. Pecker testified in court last week that he had been involved in purchasing and concealing stories that could have harmed President Trump’s image, but he refused to deal with adult performer Stormy Daniels’s allegations. He told jurors this week that he remembers saying that he “didn’t want to be involved in this.”
President Trump has maintained he’s not guilty of any of the charges, denouncing the trial as a “political witch hunt.”
Mr. Pecker specifically mentioned on Thursday that the former president was unaware of any reimbursements to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who had paid Ms. Daniels $130,000.
President Trump’s legal team argues that the payments were simple legal expenses and they challenge the credibility of Mr. Cohen, saying that he has currently made a career out of criticizing the former president in the media.
Mr. Pecker also testified about acquiring rights to a story from former model Karen McDougal, but clarified that President Trump never told him to purchase that story.
The proceedings are shadowed by significant security measures, which President Trump criticized on Truth Social.
He wrote: “I’m at the heavily guarded Courthouse. Security is that of Fort Knox, all so that MAGA will not be able to attend this trial, presided over by a highly conflicted pawn of the Democrat Party.” Earlier this week, he called on his supporters to peacefully protest the trial against him.
Despite the charges, a conviction in this trial would not stop President Trump from running for president again, but if he’s found guilty, he could not pardon himself because this is a state case.
Each charge is punishable by up to four years in prison, although it’s not clear if the judge would seek to put him behind bars.
Group Issues Major Warning on Federal Agency’s Proposed Tax Increase
A policy group issued a warning this week about the U.S. Department of Treasury’s proposed budget under President Joe Biden, saying it could lead to significant tax increases for some Americans, especially those who pay taxes on capital gains. The proposed changes would raise the capital gains tax rate to a record 44.6 percent, which is the highest since the tax was created back in the 1920s.According to John Kartch, who’s with the policy group, Americans for Tax Reform, President Biden’s budget plans to increase taxes by around $5 trillion over the next decade. Mr. Kartch warned that “the combined federal-state capital gains tax exceeds 50 percent in many states.” He said that Californians would potentially face a rate as high as 59 percent.
The group has expressed concerns, calling the plan potentially disastrous for the economy, especially given the current high inflation and interest rates.
President Biden has also hinted that if he is reelected, parts of the Trump-era Tax Cuts and Jobs Act might expire next year, which could mean larger tax bills for many Americans.
Erica York, senior economist and research director at the Tax Foundation, a leading tax policy organization, gave two specific examples to show how the tax policy would affect Americans. She said people earning $30,000 a year could see their taxes increase by about $250 in 2026, while a married couple with two children who earn $165,000 would have to pay about $2,500 more.
However, the White House has indicated that if President Biden wins another term, tax cuts would continue for individuals earning less than $400,000 a year.
Republicans have proposed a measure to make the capital gains and individual tax provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, in an effort to provide stability and relief for families and businesses.
This ongoing debate over tax policies continues to be a hot topic, which highlights how tax policies affect various income groups in the country.
UT–Austin Faculty Condemn School President for Arrests of Pro-Palestinian Protesters
A faculty group has called for another protest at the University of Texas in Austin after university president Jay Hartzell enforced school rules when hundreds of students walked out of class on Wednesday afternoon to occupy the campus in protest of Israel’s strikes in Gaza.Mr. Hartzell said that while he supports peaceful protests, he doesn’t allow actions that disrupt classes.
He wrote in a statement on Wednesday night: “The group that led this protest stated it was going to violate Institutional Rules. Our rules matter, and they will be enforced. Our University will not be occupied.”
The UT–Austin chapter of the American Association of University Professors criticized Mr. Hartzell for allowing police to be deployed to the campus. The group called on faculty members to cancel classes and join a protest at the university’s main tower on Thursday.
This comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has called for expelling students involved in the protests, stating that he won’t tolerate anti-Semitism in the state.
This incident is part of a wider increase in anti-Semitic events at universities across the country.
At UT–Austin, a public information officer confirmed to The Epoch Times that the Travis County Sheriff’s Office booked 57 people into jail as a result of the university protest.
Planes Almost Collide at 2 Major Airports as Boeing Probe Advances
The U.S. Justice Department is contemplating a criminal case against Boeing, as various airplane incidents since January are being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These incidents have ranged from runway collisions and equipment malfunctions to failures in communication with air traffic controllers. Increased public scrutiny has fallen on Boeing following reports of issues with its aircraft.At the same time, there’s mounting criticism of the FAA’s hiring practices and its operations of Air Traffic Control, especially after several near-misses between aircraft.
Many people have been criticizing the FAA for placing diversity above safety in its recruitment. Pandemic-driven retirements have also led to a shortage of experienced controllers, while distractions and budget constraints are proving to be a real challenge for the agency.
The FAA has been investigating dozens of airplane incidents since January but it hasn’t specifically responded to the claims regarding its focus on diversity in hiring.
Also, don’t forget to tell a couple of people you know about our program and help us spread the message, because as you know, we’re really trying to grow the show.
Finally, as we do each and every day, we end this program with a very “notable” quote. It was Babe Ruth, the baseball legend, who said, “Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” You’ve got to step up to the plate.
Babe Ruth was also called the Bambino, and he struck out 1,330 times. However, he wrapped up his career with 714 home runs. That record stood until April 8, 1974, when Atlanta Braves outfielder Hank Aaron hit his 715th home, on his way to a career total of 755.
Who doesn’t love a good baseball game! I’d give anything for a Dodger Dog, some peanuts, and Cracker Jack.
For all of us here at The Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas. Have an incredible Saturday and thanks for joining us for the weekend edition of The Epoch Times News Brief. Have a great day!
