Random News: April 12, 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 April 12, 2023, and it’s a Wednesday. I’m about to pack some bags and head down to Orange County, and it’s likely the next time I post these bullets will be Sunday, but for now, let’s look at what’s happening…

• Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a lawsuit yesterday against Republican House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH). Jordan has been attempting to interfere with the criminal investigation of Donald Trump’s falsification of business records.
• Jordan tried to subpoena former Assistant DA Mark Pomerantz. He wants Pomerantz to sit for a deposition as part of the Judiciary panel's investigation into the indictment of Trump. The former president pleaded not guilty last week to 34 felony counts related to his role in hush money payments made toward the end of his 2016 presidential campaign.
• Bragg says Jordan’s interference in the legal proceeding would cause “imminent irreparable harm if the secret and privileged material is compelled to be disclosed."
• "Chairman Jordan’s subpoena is an unconstitutional attempt to undermine an ongoing New York felony criminal prosecution and investigation. As our complaint details, this is an unprecedented, illegitimate interference by Congress that lacks any legal merit and defies basic principles of federalism."
• I agree!
• Memphis-area officials will meet in a few hours to decide whether to reinstate Justin J. Pearson to the Tennessee Legislature after Republicans expelled him last week for protesting gun violence on the chamber floor.
• Democrats hold a 9-4 majority on the 13-seat Memphis board. A simple majority is required.
• Let’s go Justin.
• Here’s something total weird and gross. Ready?
• A law in Kentucky prohibits law enforcement from destroying confiscated guns — even when they have been used in crimes. Instead, those firearms — including the AR-15-style rifle used in Monday’s shooting at Old National Bank — are required to be sent to Kentucky State Police, which then auctions the weapons to gun dealers.
• That’s right. They’re going to auction the fucking AR-15 that this asshole used to kill those poor people at the bank in Louisville. And some sick fuck is going to buy it and use it again.
• These disgusting perverted ammosexuals. I have no words. 
• The Louisville mass shooter legally bought his AR-15-style rifle at a local gun dealership just six days before he used it to kill five of his colleagues. Neither Kentucky nor Tennessee, sites of two recent mass shootings, have strong laws that would allow investigation into a would-be killer who wants to purchase a weapon.
• In Kentucky, any person 21 or older who is eligible to lawfully possess a firearm can carry a concealed deadly weapon. It’s doubtful that it’s going to change no matter how many innocent lives are taken as a result of the state’s lawmakers not caring about its people.
• Moving on.
• Do you know who Abe Fortas was?
• He was a Supreme Court justice. By all accounts, he was a pretty good guy, and Lyndon B. Johnson had wanted to elevate him to the Chief Justice role.
• But in 1969, Fortas accepted a $20,000 retainer from the family foundation of Wall Street financier Louis Wolfson. At the time, it was not specifically illegal for SCOTUS justices to accept outside income, and others did as well.
• Even so, in order to avoid apparent impropriety, Fortas returned the money the same year and received no further payments. However, Wolfson was under investigation for securities violations at the time.
• As a result, people wanted Fortas to be impeached. He ended up resigning from the Court to avoid the scandal of being forcibly removed.
• Why am I telling you all of this? Because what Fotas did was very minor compared to what current justice Clarence Thomas has done in regard to accepting gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from Texas billionaire and GOP megadonor Harlan Crow.
• Much like the Fortas/Wolfson controversy, Harlan Crow has had a personal interest in cases decided by Thomas, most notably being the ‘Citizens United’ decision.
• That’s why Democratic senators are calling for the Supreme Court to investigate Justice Clarence Thomas for failing to disclose these gifts from Crow. The Senate Judiciary Committee announced they will hold a hearing on Supreme Court ethics. The panel also warned of legislation if the court does not resolve this issue on its own.
• And now, The Weather: “When Can I” by Buzzy Lee
• A fire that started Tuesday afternoon at a recycling plant in Richmond, IN was emitting toxic smoke and has forced evacuation orders for about 2,000 people as it is expected to burn for days.
• Looks horrific. Huge black plume of burning plastic. Ugh.
• From the Sports Desk… the Los Angeles Lakers continued an improbable run in a typically weird-ass way last night, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-102 in overtime to grab the 7th seed in the Play-In tourney. They had the game won in regulation until Anthony Davis fouled a guy with 0.1 seconds left, and still managed to win.
• Securing the 7th seed in the East, the Atlanta Hawks upset the Miami Heat 116-105.
• Today in history… The Union Flag is adopted as the flag of English and Scottish ships (1606). The Civil War begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, SC (1861). Confederate forces kill most of the African American soldiers that surrendered at Fort Pillow, TN (1864). President William McKinley signs the Foraker Act into law, giving Puerto Rico limited self-rule (1900). Sir Frank Whittle ground-tests the first jet engine designed to power an aircraft, at Rugby, England (1937). U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in office; Vice President Harry S. Truman becomes President upon Roosevelt's death (1945). The polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, is declared safe and effective (1955). The first launch of a Space Shuttle takes place (1981). Harold Washington is elected as the first black mayor of Chicago (1983). United States President Bill Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a civil lawsuit (1999). 
• April 12 is the birthday of politician Henry Clay (1777), playwright Alexander Ostrovsky (1823), photographer Imogen Cunningham (1883), actress Dorothy Cumming (1894), singer-songwriter Hound Dog Taylor (1912), singer/ukulele player Tiny Tim (1932), pianist/composer Herbie Hancock (1940), actor Ed O’Neill (1946), author Tom Clancy (1947), comedian/TV host David Letterman (1947), singer-songwriter/guitarist Pat Travers (1954), actor Andy Garcia (1956), singer-songwriter/guitarist Vince Gill (1957), singer-songwriter Amy Ray (1965), actress Shannen Doherty (1971), actress Claire Danes (1979), and politician Tulsi Gabbard (1981).

So, here’s the deal. I will definitely not be able to do these bullets while I’m at my trade show for the next few days. I simply won’t have time or the mental bandwidth to research and write them, and especially not on an iPad. However, there’s a possibility that I may be able to deliver a bit of news each day in an alternate way. Regardless, I trust that you’ll figure out a way to remain informed and aware. Enjoy your day.