Beltway Insider: Biden Legacy, Trump/Guilty Verdict, Pelosi Injured, Germany Elections/Massacre, France Rape Trial

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 22 December 2024 10:17

Written by Janet Walker

President Biden has continued to use the last thirty days of his term to build his political legacy, appointing a record number of justices across all courts who remain committed to the rule of law and the Constitution.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com for the period ending December 22, 2024, decreased by 0.1% to 37.3% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased by 0.02% to 56.2% of those polled. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.

Beltway Insider: Biden’s Legacy, Trump/Time Mag, ABC, DeSantis, Macron, Alex Jones/Newtown

Biden Legacy Judicial

President Biden announced this week, he will leave the judicial system in a much stronger position after appointing the 235^th federal judge during his term. Under his direction he has appointed one Supreme Court Justice, 45 Circuit Court Judges, and 187 District Court Judges, and two judges to the Court of International Trade.

In addition to appointing the most racially and ethically diverse group of justices, Biden said of the Justices, "They shape the everyday lives of Americans, preserving our freedoms and defending our liberties. They hear cases and issue rulings on whether Americans can cast their ballots, whether workers can unionize and make a living wage for their families, and whether children can breathe clean air and drink clean water."

NY Judge Refuses to Toss Trump Verdict

New York State Justice Juan Merchan refused to grant President-elect Trump's petition to have the guilty verdict vacated, in a ruling released this week. The latest development in Mr. Trump's criminal prosecution and felony conviction, upholds the judicial process and while it serves the people, it is doubtful Mr. Trump, who will remain a convicted felon, even as he assumes to office of the presidency, will see the inside of a prison cell, anytime soon.

The Supreme Court of the United States, five of whom lean conservative, and three of whom were appointed by the former president, ruled the official acts of a president cannot be prosecuted. In 2016, prior to Mr. Trump's election, he had his former fixer attorney Michael Cohen pay and adult film star to lie about their alleged sexual encounter. Trump then fraudulently falsified his records. His attorney's argued these actions, before he became president, should be immune from prosecution, because of the June 2024 ruling by the Supreme Court. The decision was as polarizing as many recently rendered decisions of the conservative court.

Post-presidency Trump was indicted, tried and convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records. With federal monies at his disposal and the freedom to act with impunity under the protection of immunity, Trump will not even need to pay his attorneys with his own funds, as the taxpayers will be charged as he continues to appeal the conviction until it lands in the Supreme Court where the verdict will undoubtedly play in his favor.

Merchan will render his decision whether to sentence trump immediately, or postpone sentencing until January 2029, after Trump has completed his second term.  

Former President Donald J. Trump Found Guilty on All Counts

Trump Appoints Ambassadors

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated three supporters as Ambassadors. Former NFL Football player Herschel Walker was named Ambassador to Barbados; The Apprentice creator Mark Burnett, has been appointed as Special Envoy to the U.K., and Billionaire and Reality Show creator Tilman Fertitta, has been appointed Ambassador to Italy.

First daughter, Ivanka Trump-Kushner's father-in-law, Charles Kushner, also a convicted felon who was pardoned by the former president in his first term, has been appointed as Ambassador to France. Mr. Trump has nominated Kimberly Guilfoyle, a one-time paramour of his son Donald Trump, Jr., to the diplomatic post in Greece.

"Trump is hardly the first US president to introduce miscast nominees. Barack Obama's chosen envoy to Norway, George Tsunis, withdrew his nomination in 2014 when a Senate confirmation revealed embarrassing ignorance about the country and its political system. Tsunis was subsequently nominated as ambassador to Greece - where he currently serves - by Joe Biden," The Guardian reported.

As each of the potential diplomats needs to be schooled on the country, it's customs, history and current foreign relations, the possibility of round two choices may be in the works.

Germany Government Face No Confidence

The unsettling shift across the European continent has reached Germany, as German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz's government, this week received a no confidence vote effectively dissolving parliament and activating, for the fourth time in the last half century, early elections.

Germany's Christian Democratic Union, (CDU) led by former investment banker, Friedrich Merz, is polling a strong second, and is expected to secure victory after the elections in February 2025. The CDU Party, once led by long-time chancellor Angela Merkel. Merz's CDU agenda has been released and describes a Germany that focuses more on domestic issues, including immigration and asylum, welfare, unemployment, and defense.

Domestic Issues, Pensions, Immigration, Asylum

"For years, the German economy was the powerhouse of the European Union. But competition from China, a weakening of demand for exports, the end of cheap energy from Russia and years of underinvestment have all contributed to stagnation. Big-name German companies have been announcing big cuts — including Volkswagen, which is contemplating its first domestic plant closures in the carmaker's 87-year history," The Washington Post reported.

Merz's CDU manifesto proposes sweeping changes to the nation's social services systems and unemployment benefits, providing a minimum monthly benefit for the unemployed, and working to develop a greater placement network for the unemployed. Merz has also categorically denied accusations that his government wants to cut pensions, as suggested by Chancellor Scholz, in his "Turning Point" speech to parliament.

War in Ukraine

Arab Spring, the War in Syria, and now the Ukraine War have increased immigration and asylum seekers over the past fifteen years, to the entirety of the European continent, and the upcoming elections will allow the voice of the people to decide which government's policy on immigration they prefer.

"Among other measures, the CDU is now calling for a tighter asylum policy and a de facto freeze on asylum admissions at the border. These policies may be difficult to implement, as European-wide rules imposed under the Geneva Convention say that EU countries have an obligation to examine asylum applications once an applicant is on European soil," Euronews.com reported.

As the snap elections will bring many issues to the forefront including the investment in Ukraine, as each party has continued to voice support for Ukraine, however Chancellor Scholz has suggested that some missiles would serve to aggravate the current situation while Merz is wholeheartedly supportive of more aggressive weaponry in the fight against continued Russian aggression.

Germany has been the second largest supplier of weapons, behind the United States, and as the United States foreign policy may shift with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has repeatedly said that he would allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to do whatever he wants. Building a stronger Germany, and in turn supporting a stronger Ukraine may be the only solution.

World News: French President Macron Faces No Confidence Vote, PM Out

Christmas Market Massacre

A Saudi dissident, who immigrated to Germany in 2006, has been charged with five counts of murder, including a nine year old child, and 200 counts of attempted murder in the Friday vehicle massacre at the Magdeburg Christmas Market, 80 miles from Berlin.  

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who visited the scene, said "40 of the survivors "are so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them. [. .  .] "What a terrible act it is, to kill and injure so many people with such brutality," reported The Washington Post.

The driver of the vehicle, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, 50, a physician, was on Saudi Arabia's watchlist. Saudi officials said they repeated warned the German government of al-Abdulmohsen as recently as September 2024. His social media postings provided credibility to the Saudi government's suspected rage, especially toward the German government's immigration policy and treatment of asylum seekers.

al-Abdulmohsen was arrested at the scene.

Nancy Pelosi Injured in Fall

Former Speaker of the House, California Representative Nancy Pelosi, tripped on the last step of a marble staircase, in Luxembourg, Germany, fracturing her hip.

"House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) explained that the Democrat was almost down the staircase at the Grand Ducal Palace when she took a painful tumble. "I was right next to her. She likes to wear high heels — very high. She was on one of her last steps on this marble staircase that didn't have a railing and she lost her footing and fell to the ground," McCaul told reporters after the incident," reported The New York Post.

Pelosi posed for the picture, where she is seen, smiling, with her left knee bent. After the picture she was taken to the Hospital Kirchberg in Luxembourg for examination where it was determined she would need hip replacement surgery. She was treated at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Landstuhl Army Base. Pelosi has since returned to her home in San Francisco, California.

World News: Diplomatic Transformation and the Illusion of World Peace

Coronavirus Total

The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens should receive at least one shot of an updated COVID-19 vaccine, annually.  The death toll from Covid-19 has dramatically decreased, as has transmission of the virus. Even as confirmed new cases continue each week, fewer are dying from the newer variants.

For the seven days ending December 22, 2024, the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases reported by The World Health Organization increased by 53,111 confirmed cases totaling 777,026,543. The total worldwide death toll increased by 756 to 7,078,481 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated December 8, 2024, from The World Health Organization).

Justice Watch: And They Got Away With It (Part 4)

France Rape Trial

Dominic Pelicot, 72, was found guilty is repeatedly drugging and recruiting dozens of men online to rape his wife, Gisele, over a twenty-year period in a French court. Pelicot, who admitted in open court he was a rapist, was sentenced to twenty years, the maximum sentence allowed by French law.

The case sent shockwaves around the world, for many reasons, most importantly the courage of the prosecutors in France and the courage of the victim, Gisele, 72, in wanting a public trial so that the world could see the depravation of humanity.

Pelicot freely admitted he crushed up sedatives and put them in his wife's food, which would render her unconscious for up to seven hours, during that time he would film the men, he recruited from online forums, raping his wife.

He was caught after several women reported him for trying to film up their skirts. The Police seized his electronics and uncovered the shocking evidence.  

"I was relieved to see that all the accused had been convicted and, secondly, surprised by certain decisions and by the lack of severity (...) of certain decisions," said Catherine Le Magueresse, a legal expert whose work looks at feminist criticism of law and sexual violence. "Today the average sentence for rape is around 11 years and a few months, so that means that we are below the average sentence handed down, even though we have been constantly told that this was an extraordinary trial and that the way in which the accused had raped was particularly despicable," Reuters reported.

Justice Watch: Jealousy, Greed, and The Seven Deadly Sins – The Victim X Story Pt.3

The case is eerily similar to a Hudson County, New Jersey case, where the homeowner and her gal pal roommate drugged the third Christian housemate and recruited men, and allegedly women, some from her employment and church, to repeatedly rape her. When the victim returned from the hospital, entering the condo the homeowner remarked, "I don't know why she reported this rape when she didn't report the others."

Unlike that case, Pelicot received justice. Justice is doubtful in the United States, rape is the crime of choice because of the low prosecution rate and there is too much money to be made when there are affluent or monied rapists.

For more information on President Joe Biden: Whitehouse.gov.

Sources: Various © Articles covered by Copyright protection.

Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade.  A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays, "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and the International Federation of Journalists.