Dear Friends,
As you undoubtedly now know, Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of business fraud in New York City last week. Just before his indictment was announced, I was invited back to Fox LiveNOW to discuss what was coming down the pike… and where I once again had a chance to remind viewers that “no one is above the law, not even a former President.” You can see the interview here.
Also, after Trump’s arraignment, I had the chance to sit down with Canadian Ben O’Hara-Byrne of “A Little More Conversation” to talk about the implications of an indictment for a presidential candidate.
Beyond Trump, I wanted to share an exciting development about a man named Richard Glossip, who I wrote about back in 2015 for the Huffington Post. Despite compelling evidence of innocence, Glossip has spent decades on Oklahoma’s death row. Last week, the Oklahoma Attorney General finally asked a court to overturn Glossip’s conviction. I hope the Court quickly grants the motion. Glossip has been on death row since 1997, and he has come within hours of execution for crimes he did not commit. His freedom and exoneration are long overdue.
My final two cents are devoted to the two black Tennessee Congressmen — Justin Jones and Justin Pearson — who were expelled from state congress for peacefully protesting (a third white Congresswoman also protested but narrowly avoided being expelled). The Tennessee House vote essentially nullifies the electoral will of the nearly 150,000 people who voted for Jones and Pearson. It also eviscerates fundamental constitutional rights. Although I’m disgusted and alarmed by the un-democratic actions of the Tennessee legislature (that’s democratic with a “small d”), I’m inspired by the willingness of Jones and Pearson to peacefully stand with their constituents. Perhaps their actions can inspire us all to speak up wherever and whenever we face injustices.
For those that celebrate, I wish you a peaceful Passover/Ramadan/Easter season.
Take good care,
Jessica
P.S My take on Trump’s indictment went global…I was featured on the front page of the Daily Amader Shomoy, a national Bengali newspaper!
