Page 4 - aruba-today-20240802

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 2 august 2024
Donald Trump’s gag order remains in effect after hush money

conviction, New York appeals court rules

By MICHAEL R. SISAK Matthew Colangelo, was
Associated Press biased because he was a
NEW YORK (AP) — Two Justice Department official
months after his felony con- under President Joe Biden,
viction, Donald Trump still a Democrat. Trump is un-
isn’t allowed to say every- able to air those grievances
thing he wants about his himself because of the gag
historic hush money criminal order. Trump’s lawyers have
case. After a New York ap- made several efforts to have
peals court upheld his gag the gag order lifted.
order on Thursday, he won’t Their latest fight landed in the
be for a while. state’s intermediate appeals
The state’s mid-level appel- court the Appellate Division,
late court denied the Repub- one rung up from Merchan’s
lican former president and trial court level after they
current nominee’s latest bid struck out with the state’s
to lift the restrictions, swat- top court. The Court of Ap-
ting away a last-minute argu- peals last month declined to
ment that he’s being unfairly hear Donald Trump’s gag or-
muzzled while Vice President der challenge, finding it did
Kamala Harris, his likely Dem- not raise “substantial” con-
ocratic opponent, pits herself stitutional issues that would
as an ex-prosecutor taking warrant immediate interven-
on a “convicted felon.” Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaking during a campaign tion. Merchan imposed the
rally in Harrisburg, Pa., Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
A five-judge panel ruled that Associated Press gag order in March, restrict-
trial Judge Juan M. Merchan ing Trump from comment-
was correct in keeping parts wrath in the past. In June, tial immunity ruling. He said return to the White House. ing about witnesses, jurors
of the gag order until Trump Merchan lifted a ban on he plans to rule on Sept. 6. In a copy of the prospec- and others connected to
is sentenced because the Trump publicly commenting Trump lawyer Todd Blanche tive filing provided to The the case, after prosecutors
case is still pending and his about witnesses and jurors in and a spokesperson for the Associated Press, Blanche raised concerns about his
conviction doesn’t constitute the case, and he has always Manhattan district attorney’s wrote that Harris’ recent en- habit of attacking people
a change in circumstances been free to speak directly office declined to comment try into the presidential race involved in his legal matters.
that would warrant lifting it. about the judge and Man- on Thursday’s ruling. had given the matter new The judge soon expanded it
“The fair administration of jus- hattan District Attorney Alvin The ruling came a day after urgency and that “it is un- to prohibit comments about
tice necessarily includes sen- Bragg, an elected Democrat Blanche tried to file papers conscionable that Harris can his own family after Trump
tencing,” the judges wrote. whose office prosecuted the asking the appeals court speak freely about this case, lashed out on social media
The gag order bars Trump case. Trump is scheduled to to immediately lift the gag but President Trump cannot.” at the judge’s daughter and
from speaking out about be sentenced on Sept. 18, order. With its decision im- The defense also revived made false claims about her.
members of the prosecution but the case and the gag or- minent, the court rejected complaints that Merchan has During the trial, the judge
team, court staffers or their der could be terminated be- the filing, which had called a “glaring conflict of inter- held Trump in contempt of
families, including Merchan’s fore that if Merchan grants a the restrictions an “uncon- est” because his daughter, court and fined him $10,000
daughter, a Democratic po- defense request to throw out stitutional, election-interfer- Loren, worked for Harris’ 2020 for violations, and he threat-
litical consultant who has his conviction in light of the ing” muzzle on Trump’s free presidential campaign and ened to jail him if he did it
been the target of Trump’s Supreme Court’s presiden- speech while he seeks to that one of the prosecutors, again. q

Emergency fuel waiver issued for four Midwest states to alleviate

soaring gas prices after storms

Associated Press
The Environmental Protection Agency is issuing an emergency fuel waiver to help allevi-
ate gasoline shortages in four Midwest states after the shutdown of an refinery in Illinois.
Exxon Mobil shut down its refinery in Joliet, Illinois, last month after a power outage when
tornadoes and severe storms swept through the region. Power has been restored, but
it can take weeks to restart a facility like the Exxon Mobil refinery about 40 miles outside
of Chicago, which can produce about 9 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel per
day.
In addition to Illinois, the waiver was approved by the EPA for Wisconsin, Indiana, and
Michigan.
Federal rules mandate the sale of low Reid Vapor Pressure gasoline during the summer
months because a higher RVP evaporates more easily and can add to ozone pollution
and smog. That is what is being waived temporarily, along with reformulated gasoline
requirements for the four states. Reformulated gasoline is blended to burn more cleanly
than conventional gasoline and to reduce pollutants in the air.
The waiver will continue through Aug. 20.
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sign is seen outside the Gas prices in the four states spiked higher after the storms and all have gasoline that
Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center, Feb. costs more than $3.45 a gallon, according to AAA. In Illinois, it’s approximately $4 a gal-
17, 2023, in Cincinnati. lon, which is currently among the highest in the country. Gas prices in California and
Associated Press Washington are over $4 a gallon, where higher gas prices are more typical.q