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Trump just got a huge 62% discount on his bond. That's extremely rare, legal experts say. 2024-03-25 20:56:08+00:00 - An appeals court massively reduced Trump's bond in his civil fraud trial Monday. It was a rare turn of events, legal experts told Business Insider. But Trump will continue to rack up interest, and will end up owing far more if he loses his appeal. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Advertisement An appellate court decision reducing former President Donald Trump's bond to $175 million was a win for the former president — and certainly a rare one, according to legal experts. After being ordered to pony up his $454 million judgement following his New York civil fraud trial last month, Trump had told the court he could not secure a bond for that amount. But the former president was tossed a last-minute lifeline Monday when an appeals court ordered a whopping 62% reduction in the size of the bond. He has 10 days to pay up. Neil Pedersen, the owner of surety bond agency Pedersen & Sons, told Business Insider that in his company's 30-year history, he and his employees have handled thousands of bonds. Advertisement In that time, he's only heard of roughly a couple dozen instances when a New York appeals court reduced an appeal bond — and those involved far lower judgments. "It's extremely rare," Pedersen said. Appellate judges are reluctant to let the losers of lawsuits essentially offer IOUs — instead of a collateral-backed bond — while an appeal progresses, experts explained. Related stories Should Trump lose his appeal down the road, he'll owe the full amount almost immediately. And New York Attorney General Letitia James will be left chasing him for the remainder. Advertisement Eric Snyder, the bankruptcy chair of Wilk Auslander LLP, who routinely enforces judgments in New York, told BI he's never seen a bond get reduced like this. The court might feel comfortable that Trump will be able to pay the judgment if he loses his appeals, Snyder said. He added that Trump wouldn't easily be able to sell shares in his properties given a prospective buyer would see a record of the judgment. Plus, Trump Tower is in New York — making it within reach of the Attorney General's power if payment comes due. Snyder added that the court's decision to reduce Trump's bond could suggest that it may later lower the total penalty he'll owe. Advertisement "It might be an indication it'll get reduced on appeal," he said. While the lowered bond buys Trump time, he'll still owe the entire sum if he loses on appeal. As part of Monday's decision, Trump is required to file a full appeal argument in time for the court's September 2024 session. And for every day that passes, the amount owed will continue to accrue interest — to the tune of roughly $112,000 per day. That means Trump could end up owing New York well over a half-billion dollars when all is said and done, Pedersen said. Advertisement "Once his appeals are exhausted, he'll only have five to ten days to satisfy the judgment, or whatever amount of the judgment is affirmed," Pedersen said. Following a three-month trial, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron found Trump and other Trump Organization executives liable for the nearly half-a-billion dollar penalty last month. Engoron found they had conspired to inflate the value of their real estate assets to dupe lenders. Speaking to reporters Monday, Trump applauded the appellate court's decision to lower his bond. "It will be my honor to post," he said, adding that it would be in "cash."
Two firms say Foot Locker wins from a strategy shift at Nike. We're not so sure 2024-03-25 20:45:00+00:00 - Wall Street sentiment toward Foot Locker is warming up after Nike recently said it would focus more heavily on wholesale partnerships — a domain the athletic shoe retailer is a key player in. We still have reservations. Two research firms upgraded Foot Locker shares over the past week: Evercore ISI went to buy from hold Monday, a move that follows an update from Citi to hold from sell, on Friday. Both argued that Nike's return to selling merchandise through department stores and retailers is a major catalyst for Foot Locker. It also marks a sharp reversal for Nike, which has spent years focused on direct-to-consumer digital sales. These upgrades helped lift FL shares nearly 6% Monday to roughly $25 apiece. The stock is still down 17% year to date. FL YTD mountain FL stock performance year-to-date. "I'm thrilled because it's been a very weak stock," Jim Cramer said Monday on CNBC. "But that's about Nike being more aggressive. Nike did not have a good quarter, and I think there's a recognition that maybe their product line needs to be refreshed entirely." Jim raised concerns about Nike's leadership position in sports apparel after the company issued a disappointing outlook for the current quarter as it looks to replace some shoe lines and battles increasing competition. "I thought Nike was sad. Nike's been a leader. A lot of people [say], 'Don't worry. Nike comes back. Don't worry.' I felt worried. I felt that if they have to start embracing Foot Locker more, eh, man, if that's the strategy. Wow," Jim said. Nike saying it wants to do more business with Foot Locker is a positive development. During its fiscal third quarter webcast, Nike emphasized its wholesale partners' ability to help "scale our innovation and newness in physical stores and connect our brands in the path of the consumer." "We think we've got the right partners," Nike added. "Our focus is on our current partners right now and elevating the experience of our brand with them." While there's "no guarantee" that Foot Locker will benefit from Nike's pivot, Citi said, increased allocation of Nike products at Foot Locker "would be a positive" for sales and margins over time. The analysts see the risk-reward tradeoff on FL as "more balanced." Evercore ISI turned "more confident" on Foot Locker after it gathered positive takeaways from meeting with the FL's management team. After the company aggressively scaled down its inventory "FL is now chasing demand again for the first time in 18 months," the analysts said. Foot Locker's "Lace Up" strategy executed by CEO Mary Dillon, hired in September 2022 to put the business on a path toward sustainable profit growth, has been taking longer than we anticipated. But the analysts believe "the most difficult challenges are now in the past. "With broken inventories now improved and multi-faceted new growth initiatives coming online, FL has pivoted back to share gains in each of the past 4 months," the analysts wrote. Foot Locker also confirmed it has "also now gained share in the U.S in February," they added. The firm estimates Foot Locker can return to stable low-to-mid-digit sales growth in the second half of 2024 while recapturing lost merchandise margin from 2023. Additionally, they said Foot Locker can achieve its operating margin target of 8.5% to 9% before 2028. Analysts slightly increased their earnings per share estimates for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to $1.75 and $2.40, up from their previous $1.70 and $2.35. We have a small position in the portfolio that we're keeping for now. The company may be in a better position to improve profitability now that it has cleared out a lot of its inventory and as it makes space for more Nike products. We maintain our 4 rating on the stock. (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long FL. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. People walk past the damaged entrance to a Foot Locker shop of a in Dublin on November 24, 2023, following a night of protests. Violence that erupted in Dublin after three children were injured in a knife attack was of a level not seen for decades, Ireland's police commissioner said on Friday. Paul Faith | Afp | Getty Images
See Kim Jong Un showing off a new tank 2024-03-25 20:44:11+00:00 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was seen riding in a tank during military exercises this month. North Korea held exercises involving tanks and air and amphibious combat units. The US and South Korea also held joint military drills, including counter-nuclear operations. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Advertisement North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was seen riding in a tank during military exercises earlier this month in a show of force likely meant to counter the US-South Korea military exercises his regime has repeatedly denounced. Kim talked tough after the photo ops and brought along the person speculated to be a likely successor in North Korea's authoritarian dynasty.
Jeff Yass just bought Trump. Here’s what he stands to gain. 2024-03-25 20:42:24+00:00 - Billionaire investor Jeff Yass is playing his Trump card. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Friday that the right-wing megadonor and major TikTok investor is a part owner of the company that merged with Donald Trump’s media company, which owns Truth Social, the former president’s struggling social media platform. The head-scratching deal stands to add billions of dollars to Trump’s net worth. Yass’ name recently started popping up in news reports after Trump denounced legislation in Congress that could ban TikTok unless the social media outlet is sold from its China-based parent company. This was a major reversal of Trump’s previous opposition to TikTok and came after Yass met with Trump in Florida, with the backdrop of the former president’s mounting legal fees only adding to suspicion that Yass essentially could be purchasing a presidential candidate. Trump claimed afterward that he hadn’t spoken with Yass about TikTok, and Yass is a major backer of efforts to promote school privatization, so I guess it’s possible that the right-wing billionaire didn’t say a thing about one of his most prominent investments. (Yass recently declined a request for comment from NBC News.) But it certainly looks like Trump is under Yass’ thumb now. It also looks like TikTok — or at minimum, one of its key investors — has just tried to one-up other social media companies in Big Tech’s ongoing battles over influence in Washington. Two years ago, The Washington Post revealed that Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, had waged a behind-the-scenes pressure campaign that involved trying to get media outlets and lawmakers to scrutinize TikTok more heavily. And although Meta can’t take total credit, that effort does seem to have helped get us to the present-day scenario, with a possible TikTok ban under consideration at the federal level and several other bans enacted at the state level. With Trump, Yass appears to be employing the oligarchic approach to protecting an investment: transfer heaps of cash to a desperate presidential candidate and hope they do your bidding.
Tencent Is Looking to Fill Nvidia’s Gap in China’s Chip Market 2024-03-25 20:41:00+00:00 - Key Points Now that Nvidia is ousted from the Chinese market, other names in the nation are circling a potential $7 billion gap to be filled. Tencent stands at the top of the list to take over in its newest A.I. model, reportedly among the best in the world. The stock stands head and shoulders above peers, triple-digit upside could lie ahead for investors. 5 stocks we like better than Bank of America The United States and China have been in an ongoing conflict over technology. Every week seems to bring a new ban on what China can and cannot use in terms of chip and semiconductor technology. In an attempt to control potential national security risks and China's technological advancements, Nvidia Co. NASDAQ: NVDA has been asked to stay out of the Chinese market. This leaves a potential $7 billion gap to be filled by other players in the nation. Companies like Huawei are starting to take on the responsibility of bringing China's artificial intelligence capabilities up to international standards. Still, the more prominent players like Tencent Holdings Ltd. OTCMKTS: TCEHY could take most of the weight. Get Bank of America alerts: Sign Up At least, that’s what Wall Street thinks today, as investors soon find out what the expectations are for this stock. Price targets and earnings per share (EPS) projections suggest Tencent could come out ahead of peers like Alibaba Group NYSE: BABA. China Is Not Alone After hitting a five-year low, the CSI 300 index (China's S&P 500) attracted some U.S. investors to look for opportunities in Chinese stocks. Among these, Ray Dalio and Michael Burry have been buying up some more typical names. As a macro investor, Dalio took the exchange-traded fund (ETF) route in the iShares MSCI China ETF NASDAQ: MCHI. This ETF offers investors an annual dividend yield of 3.6%, higher than the yields on Chinese 10-year government bonds of 2.3%. Historically, whenever stocks pay a higher yield than the ‘risk-free’ government bonds, investors worldwide come flocking in to buy up potentially undervalued equities. This is the case today, as Burry found his value proposition in Alibaba and JD.com Inc. NASDAQ: JD. Being left to its own devices, Asia’s powerhouse must now find ways to keep up with the A.I. race. And if Nvidia’s chips can’t fill it, then it looks like a 469% upside in Tencent’s $210 consensus price target might do it. Other Avenues Aren't the Same Investors who think investing in Chinese stocks is too risky might have to leave some money on the table. Micron Technology Inc. NASDAQ: MU is a U.S. name with some high exposure to the Chinese chip market, but the market doesn’t think it has what Tencent can bring to the table. Analysts at Bank of America Co. NYSE: BAC think Micron stock could go as high as $120 a share, which is barely a single-digit upside from today’s prices. Investors can also look at this by investing in Alibaba. However, that stock has close ties to Huawei, which could pose a threat to those who invest from the U.S. Trading at 74% of its 52-week high price, Tencent poses a potentially better opportunity than Micron stock, which trades at 96% of its 52-week high. More than that, forward P/E ratios show Tencent trading at a 38% discount to Micron. A 10.4x forward P/E versus a 16.8x valuation is only the beginning. On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Tencent is the clear discount again. A 3.8x multiple falls 41% below Micron’s 6.4x, implying the market has yet to realize the value in Tencent’s potential revenue increases from cloud computing and A.I. capabilities. In fact, Tencent’s Hunyuan LLM A.I. model is reportedly now among the world’s best. As China seeks to close its technological gap with the U.S., Tencent could become the go-to platform for building this much-needed infrastructure. Tencent’s Ceiling is Much Higher The stock appears cheap enough for management to buy it in bulk. Tencent announced a $12.8 billion share buyback program, representing up to 4% of the company’s market capitalization. Typically, a vote of confidence and share buybacks from management can be taken as a two-way message. Implying that the stock is cheap and expected to rally shortly, Tencent’s management understands the opportunity to fill Nvidia’s gap. The stock’s all-time high of $97 a share was touched when the U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed) lowered interest rates in 2021. If history is to repeat itself, a potential new round of interest rate cuts could again send Tencent to its former glory. As the technology stock mania has yet to have a contagion effect in overseas markets, contrarian investors can find double or even triple-digit upside by siding with China’s top pick for an A.I. revolution. Before you consider Bank of America, you'll want to hear this. MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Bank of America wasn't on the list. While Bank of America currently has a "Moderate Buy" rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys. View The Five Stocks Here
NBC News Faces Rebellion Over Hiring of Former Republican Party Chair 2024-03-25 20:36:56+00:00 - Leadership at NBC raced to contain an escalating revolt on Monday as some of the country’s best-known television anchors took the extraordinary step of criticizing their network on its own airwaves for hiring Ronna McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, as a political analyst. One day after Chuck Todd stunned executives by denouncing Ms. McDaniel’s appointment on “Meet the Press,” Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski opened their MSNBC show, “Morning Joe,” with a lengthy criticism of Ms. McDaniel, calling her “an anti-democracy election denier” and urging their bosses to reconsider her employment. “We’ve been inundated with calls this weekend, as have most people connected with this network, about NBC’s decision to hire her,” Mr. Scarborough said. “We weren’t asked our opinion of the hiring, but, if we were, we would have strongly objected to it for several reasons.” Hours later, the star MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace all but accused her employer of enabling authoritarianism by granting Ms. McDaniel a platform. She told her viewers that NBC News, “wittingly or unwittingly,” had signaled to “election deniers” that they could spread falsehoods “as one of us, as badge-carrying employees of NBC News, as paid contributors to our sacred airwaves.”
Bruised, Beaten Terror Suspects Arrive in Court After Moscow Attack 2024-03-25 20:31:43+00:00 - Four suspects in the Moscow Crocus City Hall terror attack showed up to their court hearing bruised and beaten. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the incident, but Putin implied Ukraine's involvement.
Trump's Truth Social to start trading under the ticker "DJT" on Tuesday 2024-03-25 20:21:00+00:00 - Former President Trump's bond reduced to $175M Former President Trump's bond reduced to $175M 01:46 Former President Donald Trump's Truth Social will begin trading under the ticker "DJT" on Tuesday, putting the real estate tycoon — and his initials — at the helm of a publicly traded company once again. Trump Media & Technology Group, whose main asset is the social media service Truth Social, said in a statement Monday that the ticker symbol will be active tomorrow, following its merger with a so-called blank-check company, also known as a special purchase acquisition company (SPAC). SPACs are shell companies created to take a private business public without going through an initial public offering. In the case of Trump's media business, the shareholders of the SPAC, called Digital World Acquisition Corp., voted Friday in favor of the merger, ushering in the next step of taking the new Truth Social company public without an IPO. The merged company officially changed its name to Trump Media & Technology Group after the deal was completed on Monday, the statement said. The eponymous symbol "is so on brand" for Trump, noted Kristi Marvin, chief executive of SPACInsider.com, a service that provides news and data about the SPAC industry. Shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp. jumped $8.56, or 23%, to $45.50 in early afternoon trading on Monday. The company could begin trading under the DJT ticker with a valuation of $5 billion or more, based on the Digital World Acquisition Corp. stock price. That's a heady market capitalization for Truth Social's parent company, which booked $3.3 million in revenue for the first nine months of 2023, a regulatory filing earlier this year showed. To be sure, plenty of tech companies have gone public while in the red, yet typically investors want to see that a business can grow its user base and ramp up sales quickly by appealing to a broad range of advertisers. Truth Social, which doesn't release its user numbers, had roughly 5 million active members in February, according to research firm Similarweb estimates. By comparison, Reddit, which went public last week, had about 73.1 million daily active users last year, while revenue jumped 21% to $804 million in 2023, it reported last month ahead of the IPO filing. Previous DJT ticker: From IPO to penny stock It's also not the first time that Trump has overseen a publicly traded company with the ticker DJT. The previous iteration of the DJT ticker occurred in 1995, when Trump took his Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts public in an IPO. The idea was to raise money in the public markets that would help Trump expand his casino businesses, according to the New York Times' account of the IPO. The shares initially performed well, increasing from its IPO price of $14 to a high of $35 a share soon after. But the stock plunged over the next few years, eventually trading for pennies, according to the Washington Post. Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2004.
Lawsuit by Elon Musk's X was an attempt to punish free speech, judge rules 2024-03-25 20:15:24+00:00 - A US judge threw out a suit X filed, saying it was about "punishing the defendants for their speech." It had sought millions in damages from a research group that found a rise in hate speech on X. X CEO Elon Musk has said a similar "thermonuclear" lawsuit is about "protecting free speech." NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Advertisement A lawsuit that Elon Musk's X filed last year against a research group was thrown out Monday, with US District Judge Charles Breyer saying, "This case is about punishing the Defendants for their speech." In its complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, X argued that the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate violated the platform's terms of service in gathering data for reports that documented a significant increase in hate speech on X following Musk's takeover. The company claimed the CCDH was responsible for "tens of millions of dollars" in damages due to lost advertising revenue and the expense of internal investigations. But Breyer wrote "there can be no mistaking" that the real motive of the suit was to bully X's critics into silence. Advertisement The decision cited a survey that found "social media researchers have canceled, suspended or changed more than 100 studies about X" as a result of Musk's policies as CEO. Related stories When asked for comment on the decision, the press email for X replied, "Busy now, please check back later." Musk has previously said he's a "free speech absolutist" and that his "thermonuclear" lawsuits against media-watchdog groups are about "protecting free speech." In his scathing dismissal, Breyer said the CCDH exercising its First Amendment rights was the fundamental issue, despite X's attempt to sidestep it with arguments about data privacy and security. Advertisement In its complaint, X was seeking payment for advertising revenue it said it lost because of the CCDH's reports, but it stopped short of contesting any of the facts in those reports. "It is apparent to the Court that X Corp. wishes to have it both ways," Breyer wrote, "to be spared the burdens of pleading a defamation claim, while bemoaning the harm to its reputation, and seeking punishing damages based on reputational harm." In a footnote, he added: "If there is any question about the 'punishing' part, X Corp. filed a similar suit, not before this Court, in November of 2023 against Media Matters, another non-profit media watchdog, for 'reporting on ads from major brands appearing next to neo-Nazi content.'" In a statement, the CCDH's CEO and founder, Imran Ahmed, said the lawsuit was part of Musk's "loud, hypocritical campaign of harassment, abuse, and lawfare designed to avoid taking responsibility for his own decisions." Advertisement "We hope this landmark ruling will embolden public-interest researchers everywhere," he added, "to continue, and even intensify, their vital work of holding social media companies accountable for the hate and disinformation they host and the harm they cause."
What you missed: 5 key moments from Trump's Monday in court for hush money case 2024-03-25 20:04:00+00:00 - Donald Trump’s defense team failed to persuade Judge Juan Merchan to add more time to the clock before the start of the trial in Trump’s New York hush money case, the former president shaking his head in apparent frustration during Monday's hearing as the judge set a date next month for the start of jury selection. There was little to ease Trump’s mood inside the courtroom where the defense pleaded for time to parse the 170,000 pages of documents in the case handed over to them more than a week earlier. The case relates to a $130,000 payment from former Trump fixer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels, who said she had an affair with Trump, to allegedly buy her silence during the 2016 presidential campaign. The DA alleges Trump falsified business records to obscure the money used to repay Cohen for those payments. Seated behind prosecutors in the courtroom was the top prosecutor who brought the case against Trump, District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The morning may have been a bit of a roller coaster for the former president. In a separate court Monday, Trump earned a major reprieve for the bond he was supposed to deliver as part of the civil case he lost. Here's what happened on Monday in Trump's legal cases: An April 15 trial date Merchan set April 15 for jury selection to begin, three weeks away, setting in motion the start of a trial that Trump’s attorneys had hoped to delay further. Trump was livid In the courtroom, Trump didn't hide how he feels about the case. Before entering the courtroom, he called it "a witch hunt” and “a hoax.” He furrowed his brow. He watched the judge press his defense counsel as the attorney argued for more time to review discovery documents. And he grew increasingly frustrated as the defense failed to persuade the judge that more time was needed to review documents in the case. Wearing a navy suit and red tie, Trump sat between his attorneys, his eyes bloodshot. But Trump didn’t have to be here to watch Merchan as the judge cited parts of the defense brief and prosecutors’ submissions before pressing his attorneys about the timing of their decision to raise their discovery concerns. When the trial begins, he will be required to attend each day. Bragg’s office had urged the judge not to delay the trial, arguing that just 300 of the 170,000 documents turned over by federal prosecutors are relevant to Trump’s defense. Merchan said the charge by Trump's lawyer was not convincing. “Why did you wait until two months before trial? Why didn’t you do it in June or July?” Merchan said. As Merchan spoke, Trump leaned back from the defense table and narrowed his gaze. Exiting the courtroom at the start of a 45-minute recess, Trump scowled and furrowed his brow. The optics inside the courtroom Three Secret Service agents watched over the former president in the courtroom, drawing more attention to the historic nature of the case. Exiting the courtroom at the end of the hearing, Trump mouthed "thank you" twice to a group of five women seated in a back row. It was unclear if the women were supporters of the former president. Asked, one of the women said no. But Trump had appeared to recognize the group, locking eyes with them as he left for the day. Earlier, as Bragg walked through the courtroom to take his seat behind the prosecutors’ bench, one of the women appeared to heckle him quietly. Judge pressed Trump's lawyers In a series of rapid-fire exchanges, Merchan pressed Todd Blanche over the defense’s claims over the number of documents they needed to review, and prosecutors for Bragg disputed that they were “actively suppressing discovery,” as Trump’s team has alleged. Blanche, Trump’s lead attorney, turned in circles as the judge pressed him to answer exactly how many documents relevant to the case the defense needed to review. “Give me your best estimate. I realize you’re still going through it,” Merchan said. “I mean thousands,” Blanche responded. “Thousands.” Merchan urged Blanche to settle on a firm number. “2,000? 20,000?” he said. “Tens of thousands is the answer, your honor,” said Blanche. Trump watched the arguments closely, whispering to the attorneys around him after the back-and-forth grew heated, and Blanche, his attorney, returned to the table. At one point, Trump seemed to pass a message to Blanche, before his attorney stood to press the issue further with the judge, citing the Mueller probe, the Access Hollywood tape, and more. “We want to be accurate, every document is important,” Blanche insisted. Merchan was unpersuaded by the defense’s arguments. “It’s odd that we’re even here, and that we’ve taken this time,” he said. Returning from recess, Merchan ruled that the DA’s office was not at fault for the late production of documents and had made “diligent, good faith efforts” to provide the materials to the team. From the defense table, Trump shook his head. Trump scored a win in his fraud case Trump scored a victory outside Merchan’s courtroom when a state appeals court ruled that he and his co-defendants in a New York civil fraud case could post a lower bond, slashing it from $464 million to $175 million and delaying any possible move by Attorney General Letitia James to seize his assets.
FTX estate selling majority stake in AI startup Anthropic for $884 million, with bulk going to UAE 2024-03-25 20:01:00+00:00 - In this photo illustration, Anthropic logo is seen on a smartphone screen. Bankrupt crypto exchange FTX has struck a deal with a consortium of buyers to sell the majority of its stake in artificial intelligence startup Anthropic for $884 million, according to a filing submitted late Friday to a Delaware court. The document, dated March 22, lists a mix of buyers, with the largest stake going to ATIC Third International Investment Co., an enterprise aligned with Mubadala, a sovereign wealth fund in the United Arab Emirates. That group is purchasing nearly $500 million worth of Anthropic shares. Multiple sovereign wealth funds were reportedly clamoring for a piece of FTX's Anthropic stake. Sources told CNBC on Friday that Saudi Arabia was specifically ruled out over national security concerns. The kingdom has been sinking billions of dollars into tech investment funds to try to capture talent from the UAE and to diversify away from oil. The second-biggest buyer in the Anthropic transaction is Jane Street, the quantitative trading firm where FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried worked before venturing out on his own. Caroline Ellison, the ex-CEO of FTX's sister hedge fund Alameda Research, also previously worked at Jane Street. The firm is purchasing shares worth almost $100 million. Jane Street's head of quantitative research, Craig Falls, has also proposed to personally buy around $20 million worth of shares. Venture fund HOF Capital, the Ford Foundation and funds managed by Fidelity Management are others on the list of nearly two dozen buyers. The sales are not yet final and must be cleared by Judge John Dorsey, who is overseeing FTX's bankruptcy case in Delaware. Should it be approved, the sale would collectively account for nearly two-thirds of FTX's shares in Anthropic.
Tension between the US and Israel boil as UN ceasefire vote passes and Netanyahu vows to push ahead with Rafah offensive 2024-03-25 19:50:31+00:00 - The UN passed a vote calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, with the US abstaining for the first time. Netanyahu cancelled meetings with Biden officials in response, further damaging US-Israel relations. Negotiations around Rafah are crumbling, with Netanyahu saying troops will invade without US help. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time. Advertisement The divide between the US and Israel is deepening after the United Nations passed a ceasefire vote, a first for the international body after multiple failed attempts. The result of the UN vote was met with a fiery response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cancelled high-priority meetings with the White House about plans for an upcoming Rafah offensive. Although there have been riffs, recent developments represent likely the greatest fracture in US-Israel relations since the war began last October. Tensions began to boil over Sunday night, when Netanyahu publicly threatened to cancel the White House meetings before the UN vote, demanding the US veto the ceasefire resolution. Part of Netanyahu's complaint against the resolution, his office said, was the call for a ceasefire wasn't tied to an agreed release of Israeli hostages from terror group Hamas. Later the next morning, the UN Security Council passed the resolution, calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza. 15 members voted in favor, while the US abstained from the vote — a seemingly notable shift from its previous position. Advertisement The move led Netanyahu to see his threat through and cancel an Israeli delegation's trip to Washington DC later this week to talk with White House officials about alternative plans for a Rafah offensive. US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in Tel Aviv, Israel on October 18, 2023. Photo by GPO/ Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images "The United States has abandoned its policy in the UN today," Netanyahu's office said in a statement posted on X. "Just a few days ago, it supported a Security Council resolution that linked a call for a ceasefire to the release of hostages," which China and Russia vetoed "partly" because they oppose such a deal, his office added. Prior to the Monday vote, the UN Security Council had failed multiple times to pass a call for a ceasefire in the deadly conflict that has devastated much of Gaza. The US had vetoed several attempts, saying such a move could be wrong while Israel and Hamas carefully negotiate hostage releases. It also proposed its own resolution last week, which China and Russia both vetoed. Related stories "Regrettably," Netanyahu's office said, "the United States did not veto the new resolution, which calls for a ceasefire that is not contingent on the release of hostages. This constitutes a clear departure from the consistent US position in the Security Council since the beginning of the war." Advertisement "In light of the change in the US position, Prime Minister Netanyahu decided that the delegation will remain in Israel," his office added. The White House responded shortly after, saying on Monday afternoon it was "very disappointed" that Netanyahu had cancelled the trip but would continue working on the release of Israeli hostages. Israel continues to deploy soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles near the Gaza border in Sderot, Israel on October 14, 2023. Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images At a press briefing on Monday afternoon, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the White House was "perplexed" by Netanyahu's sudden cancellation of the meeting, noting that the resolution passing didn't reflect a change in US policy towards Israel or the war. "Number one, it's a non-binding resolution, so there's no impact at all on Israel and Israel's ability to continue to go after Hamas," Kirby said. "It does not represent a change at all in our policy," he added, and it is "very consistent with everything that we've been saying we want to get done here." Advertisement "And we get to decide what our policy is. The Prime Minister's office seems to be indicating through public statements that we somehow changed here. We haven't," Kirby told reporters, adding that "it seems like the prime minister's office is choosing to create perception of daylight here when they don't need to do that. So, again, no change in our policy." The trip to Washington, requested by President Joe Biden, was set to be a high-stakes meeting, as Israeli and American officials were planning to discuss alternatives to an Israeli ground offensive into Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where around 1.4 million Palestinians have crowded since being displaced from the rest of the strip. US officials fear that such a ground offensive could result in mass civilian casualties, adding to the already dire humanitarian crises facing Palestinians in the city. Aftermath of the overnight Israeli bombardment west of the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on March 16, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas. AFP via Getty Images Although the meeting has now been cancelled, it remains unclear how effective it would've been in the first place. Just Sunday evening, Netanyahu stressed that Israel would invade Rafah even if it had to do so without US assistance, a defiant message coming after Vice President Kamala Harris warned that there would be "consequences" on the table if Israel carried out its ground invasion. Advertisement Although the US has staunchly supported its ally's efforts, even in spite of repeated international calls for a ceasefire and growing criticism against Biden and Netanyahu's handling of the war, there have been recent signs of disagreements between the two. There have been some conflicting statements in the past, and the US has at times raised certain concerns, but tensions between the US and Israel are now notably more public and vitriolic than they've been since the war began last October, when Hamas invaded and launched attacks against Israel, killing some 1,200 people, injuring thousands more, and taking over 250 hostage. Israel's response to those attacks last October has been a full-scale war against Hamas in Gaza, which has resulted in widespread destruction and killed more than 32,000 people, mainly women and children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.
What is ISIS-K, the terror group linked to the Moscow concert hall bombing? 2024-03-25 19:47:00+00:00 - When discussing the biggest threats facing the United States these days, U.S. intelligence officials invariably mention China and Russia, then often segue to cyberattacks, pandemics and climate change. Islamic extremist terrorism, which animated American foreign policy and defense strategy for a decade and a half after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has receded as a top-tier concern. The attack that killed 133 people in a Moscow concert hall Friday is a reminder, however, that the terrorism threat still looms. The group that claimed credit, an offshoot of ISIS called Islamic State in Khorasan, or ISIS-K, has eclipsed the once-fearsome core ISIS organization in Iraq and Syria as perhaps the most dangerous terrorist organization, U.S. officials and outside experts say. “It’s becoming more of a regional actor,” said Daniel Byman, a counterterrorism specialist at Georgetown University. “It claimed responsibility for the attack in Iran in January, and now we have this devastating attack in Moscow.” The Iran attack was a double suicide bombing that killed almost 100 people at a memorial for the Revolutionary Guard commander Qassem Soleimani. U.S. officials say ISIS-K also was responsible for the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 American service members and 170 Afghan civilians. Although U.S.-backed fighters five years ago drove the core ISIS from its so-called caliphate in Syria and declared victory, the remnants of the group remained. ISIS-K is believed to be active in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, and appears to have aspirations to attack Europe and the U.S., American officials say. According to a July 2023 report to the United Nations Security Council, ISIS-K counts 4,000 to 6,000 members on the ground in Afghanistan, including fighters and their relatives. To be sure, even if most of the U.S. public has largely stopped thinking about groups like ISIS, American defense officials have not. Gen. Michael Kurilla, who heads U.S. Central Command, told a House committee last week that ISIS-K “retains the capability and the will to attack U.S. and Western interests abroad in as little as six months with little to no warning.” He also warned that core ISIS members are languishing in Syrian detention camps. “Over 9,000 detainees across 27 different detention facilities in Syria,” Kurilla said. “We need to repatriate those detainees to either face prosecution or reintegration, rehabilitation, back into their societies.” The good news, from the American perspective, is that the U.S. appears to have significant intelligence insights into the plans and intentions of ISIS-K. U.S. officials warned both Iran and Russia that ISIS-K was poised to attack in those countries before the fact. Putin rejected the warning, but the the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a public statement warning Americans to stay away from concert halls. “That’s pretty impressive,” Byman said. “It shows that U.S. counterterrorism capabilities remain an important factor. If they are trying to do something in Europe or the United States, there is at least a reasonable chance U.S. intelligence might be able to detect it.” Still, American officials worry that, while they may detect planning that involves a number of terrorists, they cannot guarantee they will discover a plot that involves sending one or two people into the U.S., or one that involves a lone extremist who is already in the country. Islamic State in Khorasan was founded in 2015 by breakaway members of the Pakistani Taliban. It includes people of Afghan and Pakistani origin, as well as Central Asians. The group is now at war with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which puts it under pressure. “I would say that ISIS-K poses a bit of a larger threat, but they are under attack from the Taliban regime right now,” Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, told senators earlier this month. “And it’s a matter of time before they may have the ability and intent to actually attack the West at this point.” A number of ISIS-K plots in Europe have been disrupted, Byman said, including with a wave of arrests of people from Central Asia in Germany and the Netherlands in July. In January, Turkish officials say two masked members of ISIS-K attacked and killed a person at a Catholic Church in Istanbul. Russia, which invaded Afghanistan in the 1980s, crushed a rebellion in Muslim-majority Chechnya in the 1990s and backed the Syrian government against ISIS in the 2010s, has long been a target of jihadis, experts say. “By attacking Russian targets, ISIS-K in part seeks to deter further Russian involvement in the Middle East,” wrote terrorism experts Sara Harmouch and Amira Jadoon. “But also, such attacks provide high publicity for its cause and aim to inspire its supporters worldwide.”
Lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X against nonprofit CCDH thrown out by judge on free speech grounds 2024-03-25 19:32:00+00:00 - A federal judge in California dismissed a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk's X against the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, writing in a judgement Monday that the "case is about punishing the Defendants for their speech." X sued the research group in July, accusing it of implementing a "scare campaign" to drive away advertisers. The company also accused CCDH of improperly accessing data from the platform and selectively picking posts to "falsely claim" that X is "overwhelmed with harmful content." The suit followed studies published by CCDH in which the British firm, which tracks hate speech and online misinformation, found an increase in antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate speech on X after Musk took over the company, formerly known as Twitter, in late 2022. Judge Charles Breyer in the Northern District of California wrote in his ruling that while X claimed the case was about breach of contract and unlawful data scraping, it was clearly about speech. "Sometimes it is unclear what is driving a litigation, and only by reading between the lines of a complaint can one attempt to surmise a plaintiff's true purpose," Breyer wrote. "Other times, a complaint is so unabashedly and vociferously about one thing that there can be no mistaking that purpose. This case represents the latter circumstance. This case is about punishing the Defendants for their speech."
Adding features, such as an outdoor TV or pizza oven, can help sell your home for over $10,000 more, research finds 2024-03-25 19:15:00+00:00 - If your home boasts certain trendy outdoor features, you may be able to sell it for more in today's market. At the top of the list is outdoor TVs, which may help raise the home sale price to 3.1% more than expected, representing a $10,749 boost based on the average home, according to new research from Zillow. These sets have weatherproofing features to help them withstand exposure to precipitation and extreme temperatures, and can cost significantly more than standard indoor sets. Other backyard features that may push sale prices higher include having an outdoor shower, which may help push sales up 2.6%; a bluestone patio, which is tied to a 2.3% increase; she shed, 2%; pizza oven, 1.9%; and outdoor kitchen, 1.7%. The results come from Zillow's analysis of sale premiums for 359 features across one million home sales for 2023. "This year was really all about the backyard features," said Zillow home trends expert Amanda Pendleton. "It embodies this new lifestyle people want post-pandemic, where their social life is centered around their home, and specifically their yards," she said.
Tennessee Company Hired Children to Operate ‘Dangerous’ Machinery, Officials Say 2024-03-25 18:47:43+00:00 - A Tennessee manufacturer has been fined nearly $300,000 for employing children as young as 14 to operate “dangerous machinery” and requiring them to work more hours than the law allows, federal regulators said. Tuff Torq Corp., which manufactures outdoor-power-equipment components for brands that include John Deere, Toro and Yamaha, must pay a civil penalty of $296,951 and follow federal child labor laws in the future, the Labor Department said in a statement on Monday. The company must also set aside $1.5 million in profits related to the employment of the 10 children who were found to be working at its factory in Morristown, Tenn. That money, the Labor Department said, “will be used for the benefit of the children employed illegally.” A department spokesman said the children were as young as 14. The judgment was entered in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee after the Labor Department’s wage and hour division found that Tuff Torq had employed several children to perform dangerous jobs.
Families in Massachusetts overflow shelters will have to document efforts to find a path out 2024-03-25 18:47:00+00:00 - BOSTON (AP) — Families staying in overflow shelter sites in Massachusetts will soon have to document each month their efforts to find a path out of the overflow system, including looking for housing or a job, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday. Beginning May 1, families will have to be recertified monthly to remain eligible to stay in the state-run overflow sites. They will need to show what steps they’ve taken to work toward independence, including applying for work authorization permits, participating in a workforce training program, submitting job applications, taking English classes or searching for housing, according to the administration. Healey said the requirement is critical as a means of accountability. “It’s important as we look to manage this responsibly,” she told reporters Monday. Healey acknowledged there could be good reasons why certain individuals are not able to fulfill the requirements, but warned those who aren’t putting in the effort could lose their place in line for the state’s shelter system. “If they don’t have a good reason for not fulfilling requirements then they will lose their spot,” she said. “The whole idea of this is to divert people from our emergency shelter system, to get them on a different path.” The policy does not apply to sites operated by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, a charitable organization. Immigrant advocates say they’re worried the new regulations will complicate the lives of homeless migrants who are already focused on leaving the shelter system. “We are deeply concerned that forcing families to reapply for emergency shelter each month will create unnecessary red tape, sow confusion, and ultimately, place more families on the street,” said Elizabeth Sweet of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition. State and federal officials should instead focus on providing community service organizations the resources they need to support arrivals in pursuing work authorization, long-term housing and case management services, she said. Massachusetts has been grappling with the growing influx of homeless migrant families seeking shelter. The state’s Emergency Assistance family shelter system serves homeless families with children or pregnant women. Less than half of families in EA are new arrivals to Massachusetts, officials said. Last fall, the administration announced that the system could no longer safely or responsibly expand and set up a waiting list. Families who qualify for emergency shelter and are on the waiting list are eligible to stay at the state’s overflow or safety-net sites, currently providing shelter for about 200 families. The administration also announced Monday that it will be opening a new overflow shelter site next month in Chelsea at the former Chelsea Soldiers’ Home. The site is vacant and is eventually slated to be demolished. At full capacity, the Chelsea site will be able to accommodate approximately 100 families. The announcement comes after the Massachusetts Senate last week approved limits on how long homeless families can stay in emergency state shelters as part of an $850 million plan to fund the system at the center of the migrant crisis. Under the bill approved late Thursday by a vote of 32-8, the state would limit maximum stays to nine months with the possibility of 90 more days for veterans, pregnant women and people who are employed or enrolled in a job training program. Currently, there are no limits on the time a family can spend in emergency housing. A bill already passed by the House would provide funding covering the rest of the 2024 fiscal year that ends June 30 and part of 2025. The two bills are expected to go to a conference committee to hammer out a single compromise bill before it’s shipped to Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s desk for her signature.
Mega Millions jackpot hits $1.1 billion — and the big winner could face these costly pitfalls 2024-03-25 18:46:00+00:00 - The Mega Millions jackpot grew to more than $1.6 billion on Aug. 9, 2023. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images State taxes can be hefty "None of these winners think about taxes until they have a third of it going right to Uncle Sam and the state government," said Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago-based lawyer who has represented several lottery winners. None of these winners think about taxes until they have a third of it going right to Uncle Sam and the state government. Andrew Stoltmann Lawyer Eight states — including California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming — don't levy income taxes on lottery winnings. However, you must redeem the winning ticket in the state where you bought it, meaning an out-of-state purchase in a high-tax state could trigger a bigger bill. But the annuity payout could save on future state taxes, depending on where you choose to live, Stoltmann said. The annuity includes an initial sum followed by 29 annual payments. Sign and secure the ticket Lottery winners have a set timeline to come forward and collect their money — and some prizes have gone unclaimed. "Sign your ticket, take photos and scans and then secure it," said Michael Whitty, partner at law firm Smith, Gambrell and Russell, who has also advised past lottery winners. Mega Millions says it's critical to "protect yourself" by signing the back of your ticket. Otherwise, anyone who holds the winning ticket can file a claim to collect the proceeds. Alternatively, there may be ways to protect your privacy by claiming the prize money via a trust or limited liability corporation. Regardless, you should consult an attorney first. Avoid a 'legal catfight' on shared tickets You could also have winning ticket issues when pooling money with friends or co-workers, according to Stoltmann. "The nastiest legal catfights happen when a group of people buy a ticket together" and one person claims they bought the winning ticket alone, he said. You should always have a "basic written agreement" that outlines who purchased the tickets, the numbers on those shared tickets and how the group will split the money if there's a winner, Stoltmann said. watch now
Maine fishermen caught more fish in 2023, thanks to a hunger relief program and COVID funds 2024-03-25 18:45:28+00:00 - PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine fishermen bucked yearslong, industrywide trends last year and caught more fish, a development regulators and industry members said shows the impact of COVID-19 relief funds. Maine has long been a leader in catching groundfish, which are bottom-dwelling species of fish such as cod and flounder that are often used in seafood staples such as fish and chips. The New England groundfishing industry has been in decline for decades due in part to past overfishing of key species and difficulty rebuilding those stocks. But Maine’s groundfishermen had a stronger year than most in 2023, according to state data released earlier this month. The catch of haddock more than doubled to more than 500,000 pounds (226,796 kilograms), and the catches of Atlantic cod, witch flounder and Atlantic halibut were all up significantly. The increase in catch, as well as a more stable price, reflects investments the state made in critical infrastructure such as the Portland Fish Exchange, an auction house, said Patrick Keliher, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources. The state received COVID-19 relief funds via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for that work and other improvements, he said. Federal money also supported the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program, which buys fish to support food banks and schools. “It’s important work and a positive story; fishermen were able to keep working, critical infrastructure has been maintained, and fresh, healthy Maine seafood went to schools and families in need,” Keliher said in a statement. Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, an industry nonprofit group, launched the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program in part to help the groundfish industry survive the COVID-19 pandemic. The program began with a goal of donating 100,000 meals and is now over 1.3 million, said Ben Martens, executive director of the association. The success of the program has helped buoy the groundfish industry through a challenging time, Martens said. “What we have been able to do is provide a little bit of stability on the market side with Fishermen Feeding Mainers,” Martens said. “We are connecting these fishermen and these fish into our food system.” The long-term trends for the American groundfish industry are still dire. The nationwide catch of Atlantic cod has fallen from more than 28 million pounds (12.7 million kilograms) in 2002 to just over a million pounds (453,592 kilograms) in 2022. The industry must contend with warming oceans, changing ecosystems, tight fishing quotas and foreign competition in the marketplace. As American catch of cod and haddock have fallen, imports from countries such as Iceland and Norway have become more common in U.S. fish markets.
Taylor Greene goes off half-cocked on Mike Johnson, but she may be playing Russian roulette 2024-03-25 18:29:19+00:00 - Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., made a motion to vacate House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., as speaker last Friday, effectively putting him on notice. But she may want to check her math a little more carefully before following through on her threat. Following last Friday’s approval of a government spending bill that funds programs up to this fall, Greene has called for Johnson’s removal over what she deems his insufficient loyalty to the MAGA movement. Specifically, she’s accused him of defying a House Republican rule that requires bills be given 72 hours of review before authorizing a vote. But her motion to vacate seems to be just an intimidation tactic — at least, so far. As NBC News reported: [Greene] didn’t formally trigger the vote, but it now hangs over Johnson’s head as a warning sign if he steps out of line with her again. If she activates it, the House would have to vote within two legislative days, requiring a simple majority to evict Johnson. It reopened the wounds of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster last October and the three weeks of chaos as they tried to replace him. Since the bill was announced, Greene has spent much of her time railing against Johnson both on her social platforms (she tweeted Monday that “Johnson can NOT be Speaker of the House”) and on conservative media. During an appearance on Steve Bannon’s podcast last Friday, Greene suggested that other Republican lawmakers who supported the bill would pay a price with their constituents. “[T]hey’re going to go back home for our two-week recess over Easter, and they are going to be absolutely obliterated by their districts,” Greene said. But her rhetoric has been confusing. On Friday, Greene told Newsmax she doesn’t want to "throw our House into chaos" (though her half-cocked motion is already causing dissension in the Republican caucus). After filing the motion last week, she told the press it was meant as a "more of a warning than a pink slip" for Johnson, suggesting she was using it to merely keep him in check. On Newsmax over the weekend, Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett said he’d talked to Greene and “she’s not moving with it — it’s just there, and it’s in place, and she can pull the trigger when she wants to.” There are some reasons why Greene may want to avoid actually following through on her threat by bringing the motion to vacate. The GOP majority in the House is set to shrink even further when Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher steps down in mid-April. And as my colleague Steve Benen wrote, Greene may want to hold her fire because it's unclear what Democrats would do if the motion to vacate is put to a vote: They could either vote to oust Johnson and fuel the chaos Greene claims she wants to avoid, or, as some Dems have suggested, they could support Johnson if he agrees to allow a vote on aid for Ukraine. The uncertainty of the outcome may deter the Georgia rep from moving forward. And will she want to risk the gun blowing up in hand if she does decide to pull that trigger?