Trumped up charges? Former president Donald Trump indicted for felony criminal charges, the first U.S president to have criminal charges

On March 30, former president Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury. The indictment, which was unsealed on April 2, includes a series of criminal charges from evidence uncovered in an investigation of payments made to cover up an affair that Trump was having in 2016. There are 34 felony counts. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and claims the case against him is politically motivated. 

Trump’s alleged affair was with adult film star Stormy Daniels, and a multitude of payments were made to not only her but others who had knowledge about the affair to ‘keep quiet.’ 

According to NPR, Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 dollars in 2016, which Trump repaid in monthly checks. Trump allegedly falsified business records to make the payments, which is a felony in New York. 

The “hush money” is especially a problem as the case ties those actions and several other actions to cover Trump’s ‘scandals’ with Trump’s presidential campaign at the time. According to the New York Times, the next court hearing will be on Dec. 4.

By Lulu Vitulo, Managing Editor

Double-Standards: How a taunt overshadowed a win

Despite being seen as the MVP of the NCAA women’s college basketball national championship, sophomore Angel Reese of LSU found herself at the center of a controversy after a taunt that eventually overshadowed the entire game.

After defeating Iowa 102 – 85, Angel Reese made a gesture toward Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, pointing at her ring finger and waving her hand in front of her face, a taunt not unfamiliar with anyone who has ever watched a competitive sport. Despite this, and despite the fact that Caitlin Clark had made the same gesture only a week before toward her own opponents, Reese faced heavy criticism from people on Twitter who called her sportsmanship disrespectful and unsportsmanlike, though in words that certainly garnered no respect themselves. This was seen as a double standard by Reese’s supporters, who pointed out that Clark had made the same gesture to her own opponents, and that the criticism of Reese was misogynoir. Clark, who is white, did not face any criticism for her actions, all the more confusing when Reese’s critics spoke about “sportsmanship in women’s sports.” However, despite the backlash, Angel Reese and her team also had an outpouring of support from Meg Linehan, Shaquille O’Neal and Caitlin Clark herself.

By Marjorie Smedley, Opinions Editor

Tennessee’s House of Representatives expelled two out of three Democratic representatives for their outcry for gun control

Democratic state representatives Justin Pearson, Gloria Johnson and Justin Jones started a non-violent protest at the statehouse during a meeting discussing gun control following the Nashville shooting at Covenant School in Nashville.

Tennessee’s House expelled Jones and Pearson, two of the state’s youngest African-American members but didn’t expel Johnson, who is white. Following the protest, House member Cameron Sexton compared the protest to the Capital Insurrection on Jan.6. During the legislative meeting about the expulsion of Pearsons and Jones, Rep. Andrew Farmer denouces the protestee’s “lack of decorum.”

“Just because you don’t get your way, you can’t come to the well, bring your friends, and throw a temper tantrum with an adolescent bullhorn,” Farmer said. 

Pearson’s speech from March 30 went viral on TikTok and Twitter, gaining support from people and other democratic lawmakers.

“You, who celebrate July 4, 1776, pop fireworks and eat hot dogs, you say to protest is wrong because you spoke out of turn. Because you spoke up for people who are marginalized. You spoke up for children who won’t ever be able to speak again,” Pearson said. 

On April 11, in a unanimous vote of 36-0, Jones was reinstated by the Nashville Metropolitan Council and was resworn into the Tennessee House of Representatives. Lawmakers are gathering to vote on reinstating Pearson Wed. April 12.

By Adwa Umoya, Social Media Editor 

Deadly tornadoes sweep through the midwest and south

States in the Midwest and the South got hit with tornadoes that killed more than 30 people in Illinois, Central Arkansas and Eastern Iowa on April 3. According to CNN at least 50 tornadoes touched down in those areas. 

Many houses were destroyed and power was out for several hours, and for many people for more than a day. These storms had been ranked A level 4 risk meaning “widespread and intense,” CNN reported.

According to NPR, “the storms tore a path through Arkansas’ capital and also collapsed the roof of a packed concert venue in Illinois, stunning people throughout the region with the scope of the damage.”

By Mikayla Mills, staff writer