Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of February 26

Yesterday the Supreme Court decided to hear Trump's appeal regarding his claims of absolute immunity. There is virtually no chance Trump will prevail, of course, but he will have succeeded in furthering his actual goal: delaying his DC trial for as long as possible, likely until after the election. The Supreme Court could have heard this case months ago when the Justice Department petitioned the Court for certiorari before judgment. It would have been unusual, but this is the rare case where timeliness is essential. Instead the Court decided to make itself complicit in Trump's gamesmanship of the judiciary.

• "In Taking Up Trump’s Immunity Claim, Supreme Court Bolstered His Delay Strategy." The New York Times. (gift link)

Alabama legislature passes bills to protect IVF after controversial court ruling (Axios)

• The legislation provides "civil and criminal immunity for death or damage to an embryo to any individual or entity when providing or receiving goods or services related to in vitro fertilization."

• The bill also provides retroactive protection.

Look closely at the voter defection numbers and compare the candidates before reaching a conclusion

In Trump-being-Trump news:

• "Trump Media co-founders sue company, alleging a scheme to dilute shares." The Washington Post. (gift)

To summarize the facts as alleged:

• Two former contestants from The Apprentice pitch Donald Trump on a Trump-branded social media company (Truth Social).
• In exchange for his branding and presence, Trump would own 90% of the company and 78 million shares, worth ~$3.5 billion (yes, this is incredibly depressing); the two co-founders would own 8.6% of the company and 7 million shares, worth ~$339 million; and a lawyer managing the deal would own the remaining 1.4%.
• The two co-founders leave the company amid disputes with leadership.
• Now that the company is about to go public, the company has increased the total amount of shares from 120 million shares to 1 billion shares. (The lawsuit describes this as an "11th hour, pre-merger corporate maneuvering" tactic.)
• However, the co-founders would still receive the same fixed 7 million shares, which would now be worth "only" tens of millions of dollars. The lawsuit alleges that the newly minted shares would be issued to Trump, his associates, and his children.

So yeah, Trump continues to screw over his business associates. Hear me play the world's smallest fiddle for the fools who indulged America's worst President. And as if to prove the universe abhors justice, this merger could be a real landfall for Trump, making the recent civil cases against him look like peanuts in comparison.

• "Trump Media’s Impending Merger May Give Him a Financial Lifeline." The New York Times. (gift)

Interview with Santos replacement on how to be an effective politician and what the Democrats should do to be competitive in swing districts

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/02/tom-suozzi-comeback-advice-democrats-00144523

Trump’s White House Was ‘Awash in Speed’ — and Xanax (Rolling Stone)

Under Trump, the White House Medical Unit was “like the Wild West,” and staffers had easy access to powerful stimulants and sedatives, sources tell Rolling Stone