Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Apr. 2, 2024 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

N.Y. Judge Widens Gag Order Against Trump After Posts Attacking His Daughter

Following several attacks on his daughter by former President Donald Trump, Judge Juan Merchan expands his gag order in the hush money trial to include family members.

Hope Hicks, who served as Trump’s press secretary and communications director in the 2016 campaign, is expected to be called as a witness in the New York hush money trial that begins on April 15, a source tells MSNBC. Since leaving her post as a top White House adviser in 2018, Hicks has testified before the New York grand jury investigating Trump’s payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, as well as before the House Jan. 6 select committee.

Here are the latest legal developments facing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for 2024.

Trump Posts $175 Million Bond In New York Fraud Case

Former President Donald Trump and co-defendants in his New York civil fraud case have posted a bond of $175 million, according to a court filing Monday by an insurance company.

The posting brings to an end a six-week ordeal in which Trump scrambled to fend off possible seizure of property or assets stemming from a $464 million judgment by a judge who found he gained hundreds of millions through a yearslong fraud scheme targeting banks and insurers. Trump was required to post bond to avoid enforcement of the judgment pending his appeal.

RFK Jr. Argues That Biden Is A Bigger Threat To Democracy Than Trump

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. argued Monday that President Joe Biden is a greater threat to democracy than former President Donald Trump.

His argument made on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” centered around being blocked on social media platforms during the Biden administration, which he labeled as an effort to “censor political speech” and undermine the First Amendment.

“I can make the argument that President Biden is the much worse threat to democracy, and the reason for that is President Biden is the first candidate in history – the first president in history that has used the federal agencies to censor political speech, so to censor his opponent,” he said.

"The Backlash Is Real": Behind DEI's Rise And Fall

Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, was the hot thing in corporate America a few years ago. Now: not so much.

The business community, long averse to political risks or controversies, backed away from DEI programs over the past two years in the wake of widespread attacks from lawmakers, high-profile rich guys and conservative activists like former Trump aide Stephen Miller.

Companies that never cared much about DEI, or that fear lawsuits over programs, are using the moment to back away. Others are sticking with these efforts but doing it quietly.

Caitlin Clark Leads Iowa Win In LSU Rematch To Reach Final Four

In a game that lived up to the hype -- a rematch of the 2023 women's NCAA tournament championship game -- only one star from a year ago could move on to the Final Four. And that is the biggest star of college basketball this season: Caitlin Clark.

For the second year in a row, Clark had a legendary Elite Eight performance, leading her No. 1 seed Iowa Hawkeyes to a 94-87 victory over defending national champion LSU, the No. 3 seed in the Albany 2 Regional.

Clark had 41 points, 12 assists and 7 rebounds, breaking even more records in what has been a record-shattering senior season. She was named the regional's Most Outstanding Player.

Young Wisconsin Progressives Lead The Latest Protest Vote Against Biden Over Gaza

President Joe Biden may have the 2024 Democratic nomination sewn up, but his critics on the left are still aiming to use an upcoming primary in a key battleground state to send him a message.

Young voters in Democratic strongholds such as Madison and Milwaukee were critical to Biden’s victory in Wisconsin — and the Electoral College overall — in 2020, and they want to make clear to the president that he can’t take them for granted this time around. The Listen to Wisconsin campaign’s goal is to convince 20,000 voters to cast their Democratic primary ballots for “uninstructed,” which was roughly Biden’s margin of victory over then-President Donald Trump in the state four years ago.

Wisconsin Voters To Decide On GOP-Backed Ballot Measures That Would Affect How Elections Are Run

Wisconsin voters will head to the polls Tuesday to decide on two low-profile yet controversial constitutional amendments backed by Republicans that would change how elections are run in the pivotal battleground state.

One measure would ban the use of private funds in election administration — which conservatives often refer to derisively as "Zuckerbucks" — while another seeks to clarify the role of an election worker.

Trump To Go After Biden On The Border And Crime When He Visits Battleground Michigan And Wisconsin

Donald Trump is expected on Tuesday to attack President Joe Biden over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border when he visits Wisconsin and Michigan, both critical battleground states in the 2024 election.

Trump will first appear in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to deliver a speech about what his campaign calls “Biden's Border Bloodbath.” He will then hold a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on the day the state holds its presidential primaries.

President Joe Biden To Visit Madison

President Joe Biden is planning to travel to Madison next week.

According to a release from The White House, President Biden will visit Wisconsin on Monday, April 8. He plans to talk about lowering costs to Americans.

Vernon County Man Sentenced To 11 ½ Years For Trafficking Methamphetamine And Fentanyl

Stanley J. Holte, 34, Coon Valley, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 11 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Holte pled guilty to this charge on January 16, 2024.

On June 12, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Holte and his co-defendant Julia Lloyd in Coon Valley. Holte was pulled over after being observed leaving the residence. Officers searched Holte and his car and found a large quantity of cash, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Officers arrested Lloyd at the residence, where they found additional quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. In total, officers seized just under five pounds of methamphetamine, over an ounce of fentanyl, and almost $50,000 in cash. Lloyd and Holte were later interviewed and admitted to trafficking significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.