Random News: March 31, 2023

DISCLAIMER: Zak's Random News is very random and doesn't cover many things, and not everything may be accurate, because I'm just some guy. Go find a real news source.

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Good morning. It’s March 31, 2023, and if you can believe it, it’s a Friday once again! A couple things have happened…

• Donald John Trump, the 45th President of the United States of America, has been indicted for a crime, or possibly a number of crimes. It's the first time in American history a current or former president faces criminal charges.
• The indictment of Trump by a Manhattan grand jury has been filed under seal and will be announced in the coming days. The charges are not publicly known at this time.
• There have been unofficial reports that Trump is facing 34 counts of crimes involving falsification of business records.
• We do know that the Manhattan district attorney’s office has been investigating the former president in connection with his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates to the 2016 presidential election.
• The money paid by Trump to Daniels via his fixer/attorney Michael Cohen was made through the Trump Organization, and he labeling the payments as legal fees.
• We also know that it’s a misdemeanor in New York to make that kind of misrepresentation on financial documents, and if the misrepresentation is in furtherance of another crime—which the district attorney alleges in this case—it is a felony in New York and carries a prison sentence of up to four years.
• Trump’s criminal defense attorney Joe Tacopina said Trump will likely be arraigned early next week. It’s being reported the date will be Tuesday April 4. He will be required to surrender in-person at the New York district attorney’s headquarters in Lower Manhattan. Once there, he’ll be booked, fingerprinted, get a mug shot, and so on.
• Tacopina also stated that the former president was initially asked to turn himself in to authorities in New York on Friday (today), but that more time was needed, as the Secret Service needs to coordinate his surrender in New York.
• Trump released a deranged blathering word-salad statement yesterday after the indictment became public. Sources say that despite Trump’s own incorrect prediction of being arrested last week, he was totally caught off guard by the indictment.
• Figures.
• I seriously doubt that Trump will decide not to comply with the indictment, in which case he would have to be forcibly extradited. I mean, I can hope this will happen, but it almost certainly won’t. Right?
• If it did, though, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul would send a written extradition demand to Florida Gov. DeSantis, who would then be legally obligated to verify the indictment before ordering Trump’s extradition from Florida.
• Snort. Hee hee.
• After he’s booked, Trump will be required to attend an arraignment hearing in front of a New York judge, who will read all charges aloud. It’s at this point that Trump would be required to enter a formal plea; he’s expected to plead not guilty.
• Trump will then be released until his court date. New York law dictates people indicted on nonviolent felony charges can be released on their own recognizance, without bail, unless they’re considered a flight risk.
• Hmm. Welp.
• By the way, the MAGA world isn’t taking it well. Some are calling for everything from open civil war to immediate arrests of all Democrats and more. It’s the typical rational, well-thought-out stuff you expect from people who thought they were going to win a coup on January 6, 2021.
• Some better takes, though, from others… 
• “If we are to be a nation of laws, then we must apply the law equally and to everyone, regardless of their station. Few nations have lived up to this ideal, and our own country has often fallen far too short. But if we are to have justice, if we are to have a rule of law that is meaningful and protective of our democracy, we must hold the rich and powerful to account, even when those persons hold high office — perhaps most importantly, when they hold high office. To do otherwise, because holding a president accountable is controversial or provocative, will not bring order, but breed disorder, and disrespect of the law.” - Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
• So, that’s a fluid situation and I’m sure we’ll be updating as it progresses.
• Moving on…
• Yesterday morning, over a thousand people coalesced at the Tennessee Capitol and into its halls, where they crowded into its marble rotunda and lined the chamber galleries.
• They were there to protest the utter lack of any response by legislators in the state to curb gun violence, and chanted "Gun Reform Now!” repeatedly as lawmakers filed into the House chamber.
• A Fox News poll this week asked people how they felt about a potential Biden executive order requiring background checks on all gun purchases. The result was Approve 74%, Disapprove 24%.
• Today, March 31, is Transgender Day of Visibility. The holiday celebrates transgender people and raises awareness of discrimination they face worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society. It was founded by transgender activist Rachel Crandall of Michigan in 2009.
• In case you were unaware, transgender is the “T” in LGBTQIA+.
• I can’t imagine the bravery required, especially in this political environment, to live your true life openly. I am fortunate enough to be friends with a number of transgender and nonbinary people, and my life is more rich having seen their perspective.
• I also have a surprisingly large number of friends who have transgender children, and it’s difficult to witness the 100% justifiable concern they have for how the world will treat them as they grow up.
• And now, The Weather: “Left Behind” by pecq
• Severe storms are expected to sweep across some central and southern states beginning this afternoon, bringing the threat of several strong tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds to nearly 90 million people across 21 states.
• Stay safe, my people.
• From the Sports Desk… the Women’s NCAA Final Four games are today. South Carolina (1) will face Iowa (2), while LSU (3) plays Virginia Tech (1). I’ll note that I called Virginia Tech and South Carolina before this all started, which isn’t much of a prediction since they were both top seeds.
• Today in history… Ferdinand Magellan and fifty of his men came ashore to present-day Limasawa to participate in the first Catholic mass in the Philippines (1521). The Long Parliament presents the Humble Petition and Advice offering Oliver Cromwell the British throne, which he eventually declines (1657). The Kingdom of Great Britain orders the port of Boston, Massachusetts closed pursuant to the Boston Port Act (1774). The Eiffel Tower is officially opened (1889). The Vienna Concert Society rioted during a performance of modernist music by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, Alexander von Zemlinsky, and Anton von Webern, causing a premature end to the concert due to violence (1913). Daylight saving time goes into effect in the United States for the first time (1918). The Motion Picture Production Code is instituted, imposing strict guidelines on the treatment of sex, crime, religion and violence in film, in the U.S., for the next thirty-eight years (1930). The Dominion of Newfoundland joins the Canadian Confederation and becomes the 10th Province of Canada (1949). Remington Rand delivers the first UNIVAC I computer to the United States Census Bureau (1951). The Soviet Union launches Luna 10 which later becomes the first space probe to enter orbit around the Moon (1966). Selena is murdered by her fan club president Yolanda Saldívar at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, TX (1995). Netscape releases Mozilla source code under an open source license (1998).
• March 31 is the birthday of mathematician/philosopher René Descartes (1596), composer Joseph Haydn (1732), writer Mary Abigail Dodge (1833), businessman Alfred E. Hunt (1855), boxer Jack Johnson (1878), poet Octavio Paz (1914), labor union leader/activist Cesar Chavez (1927), NHL player Gordie Howe (1928), fashion designer Liz Claiborne (1929), actress Shirley Jones (1934), songwriter/producer Herb Alpert (1935), politician Barney Frank (1940), guitarist Hugh McCracken (1942), actor Christopher Walken (1943), guitarist/songwriter Mick Ralphs (1944), actor Gabe Kaplan (1945), US vice president Al Gore (1948), actress Rhea Perlman (1948), guitarist/songwriter Angus Young (1955), NHL player Pavel Bure (1971), actor Ewan McGregor (1971), and comedian/musician Kate Micucci (1980).

A brief editorial note. Am I happy Trump was finally indicted? Sure, definitely, but not for the reasons you might assume. I like to believe I live in a country where no one is above the law. I would want anyone who allegedly committed crimes to be investigated and either charged or not, and to receive a fair trial by the due process we have in place to try and have some semblance of a fair judicial system. I don’t care who it is or what their alleged crime is. Trump is just a man, like any other man, and neither he nor anyone else should be immune to the laws to which every other citizen must adhere. Justice and equality are two of the most important aspects of living in a fair and free society, and frankly I don’t give a shit who gets upset about it and what they do as a result. Enjoy your day.