Hunter Biden Trial, New Immigration Policies, and More
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Fresh on the heels of a landmark jury verdict convicting former President Donald Trump of 34 felony counts, the political landscape has not stopped spinning this week.
From more out of Trump's legal battles to a major reversal on immigration policy from the Biden administration, here is a look at the top political headlines for the week.
Georgia Court Pauses the Election Subversion Case Against Trump
In what is a significant political victory for former President Donald Trump, a Georgia appeals court has indefinitely paused the election subversion conspiracy case against Trump and several additional co-defendants.
The decision is good news for Trump as he looks to push back his legal battles until after the 2024 presidential election.
The Wednesday filing by the Georgia Court of Appeals is another signal that Trump will not face trial in the state until well after the election.
The court filed a decision that the subversion case will be on hold until a panel of judges decide if Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be disqualified. This issue is slated to come by March 2025.
The defendants in the subversion case have been working to disqualify Willis due to a romantic relationship that she had with the special prosecutor hired to take on the case.
Biden Administration Releases New Immigration Policies
In a major reversal of past policy, the administration of President Joe Biden unveiled revised immigration policies that went into effect at midnight on Wednesday.
Biden detailed the parameters of the executive action Tuesday at the White House.
In his address, Biden said that he was forced to rely on the powers of executive action after Congress failed to work together to pass a widespread immigration package earlier in the year.
The revised poliices put a cap on access to asylum for migrants coming into the U.S. from Mexico.
The latest rules are the strictest yet enacted by the Biden team at the border as his administration works to tackle one of the most troublesome political issues heading into the busy campaign season.
Critics of the new policies say that the restrictions do not go far enough to address the growing crisis.
Conversely, advocates for the rights of immigrants caution that the stricter rules will endanger some of the most vulnerable populations while making the border more dangerous.
Third Day of Hunter Biden Trial Wraps Up
The third day of the trial for Hunter Biden wrapped up on Wednesday after explosive testimony from both the president's son's ex-wife and his ex-girlfriend. The meat of the trial centers on whether Hunter Biden purchased a firearm while he was battling a drug addiction.
It only took one day for the jury to be seated, translating to opening remarks getting started on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Derek Hines has reminded the jury that Hunter Biden is not being tried for his drug use but for lying about the concurrent purchase of a gun while on drugs on a federal background check.
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Meanwhile, defense attorney Abbe Lowell is working to convince the jury that the prosecution team needs to prove that Hunter Biden purposefully violated the law.
Hunter Biden's ex-wife, Kathleen Buhle, took to the witness stand on Wednesday to testify about the scale of the drug addiction.
Also on Wednesday, the salesman who sold the gun to Hunter Biden in October of 2018 testified that he witnessed him fill out the federal form connected to the charges in falsifying his drug use.
This is the first time in American history that the child of a sitting president is on trial. The president has not been in the courtroom in Wilmington, Delaware. However, first lady Dr. Jill Biden has been there to support her stepson.
While Hunter Biden has admitted to being addicted to alcohol and crack cocaine in the past, he has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and Dr. Anthony Fauci Appear on Capitol Hill
It was also a busy week on Capitol Hill. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appeared in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday for a five-hour long hearing.
House Republicans asked Garland about his various work across criminal cases against Hunter Biden and Donald Trump.
The GOP is asserting that the U.S. Department of Justice is being politicized against their party. During Tuesday's hearing, Republicans criticized Garland's appointment of Jack Smith as special counsel looking into Trump's wrongdoings.
It was Dr. Anthony Fauci that appeared before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Monday, giving information about how the U.S. responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) was also asked about the suspected origins of the coronavirus.
Fauci was put in the hot seat by several GOP committee members on a number of topics related to COVID-19.
Fauci said that he believed that the nation and its health agencies are better prepared to combat another pandemic.
However, he said that he recommended that the federal government and local officials work on improving communication between various agencies as that was a significant hindrance during the pandemic.
NYPD Reportedly Planning to Revoke Trump's License to Carry a Gun
It was reported on Wednesday that the New York City Police Department (NYPD) is planning to revoke the license of Donald Trump to carry a firearm.
The former president's concealed carry license was suspended in April of 2023 after he was indicted on criminal charges in the state of New York.
Just prior to this suspension, two of the three firearms licensed in his name were handed into the NYPD. The third weapon was lawfully moved to his home state of Florida.
Trump could be in violation of several laws at the state and federal level if he is still in possession of the third firearm in Florida due to his conviction of 34 felony charges on May 30, 2024. It is unlawful for a convicted felon to possess a gun.