Politics and Current
Stephen A. Smith slammed as ‘idiot’ for claiming ‘Black people identify with Trump’ over his legal struggles
Stephen A. Smith sparked outrage on social media last week after appearing on Fox News and accusing Democrats of politicizing the criminal justice system against Donald Trump, suggesting that the timing of his criminal hush money trial was staged to disrupt the 2024 election. and sabotage of the previous president’s office. possibilities of regaining the Oval Office.
But that wasn’t the worst of what he needed to say, as the controversial ESPN host compared Trump’s current legal woes to the long history of racism and struggles faced by tens of millions of Black Americans and their ancestors.
Smith made controversial remarks during Sean Hannity’s April 18 prime-time news show, arguing that Democrats were pushing for Trump’s trial to start before the election with a purpose to nail the GOP front-runner and pave the best way for President Joe Biden’s re-election in November.
“First of all, I have voted Democrat all my life, but I am completely disgusted by what I see,” said Smith, who has turn into famous for expressing his loud and contradictory views.
This time was no different, as Smith told the conservative audience that Democrats were pursuing the hush money agenda because otherwise they would not have the opportunity to stop Trump’s rising popularity within the polls, especially amongst black voters.
“They have clearly politicized this issue with Donald Trump because they can’t come up with a strategy to counterbalance the momentum that he has clearly gained,” Smith said in that shameless moment. “It looks like this is their strategy, but let me tell you, it’s not working. It doesn’t work at all.”
However, before the primary of Trump’s 4 criminal trials begins on Monday in Manhattan, a poll conducted by Yahoo News/YouGov showed Trump holding only a slim lead over Biden after an earlier double-digit lead that had all but evaporated in recent weeks, while Biden gained ground to force a virtual tie with Trump at 44 percent in mid-April.
Smith later sparked much more outrage when he compared Trump’s legal situation to the struggles of black people throughout history, which Smith said made Trump more attractive to black voters.
“In Donald Trump’s statement a few weeks ago where he talked about hearing that Black people found him relatable because what he was going through was similar to what Black Americans have been through. He wasn’t lying,” Smith said confidently. “He spoke the truth. When you see law enforcement, the court system, and everything else being used against him, it’s something that Black people across the country can relate to.
“With some of our historic, iconic figures, we have seen this happen throughout society. So no matter your race or ethnicity, we stand with you as you suffer because we know you do. And that’s what he expressed.”
Smith’s defense of Trump drew swift rebukes from a number of prominent Black activists, including Bishop Talbert Swan, a Massachusetts pastor known for his outspokenness on issues related to racial justice and social equality, who sharply criticized Smith for his “irresponsible remarks.”
“Stephen A. Smith appears on Fox News, anti-Black and white supremacist assault, and compares Donald Trump, who was prosecuted for paying a porn star to hide money, with historical, Black, civil rights and freedom fighter figures like Martin Luther King Jr. “Malcolm leader of the Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ. – he wrote on the platform X
“Stephen, you should be ashamed and ashamed of yourself,” he added.
Later in the interview, Smith tried to save face by insisting he did not support a second Trump term, saying, “I need him to lose” – a complete reversal from his earlier statement in which he sharply criticized Democrats and expressed support for the Republican leader.
“And honestly, it doesn’t bother me that it doesn’t work because I may not be a supporter of Donald Trump, but I want him to lose the right way.”
Smith’s apparent attempt to clarify his position did little to erase the controversy sparked by his earlier comments, which appeared contradictory and unclear.
These remarks left many social media users literally scratching their heads after the commentator said he wanted Trump to lose the election “the best way,” meaning without Democratic meddling and interference.
“I actually don’t understand why anyone would take heed to anything Stephen A. Smith has to say about politics,” one user wrote along with a meme of Nene Leakes from Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta, rolling her eyes. “I don’t want his opinion on sports.”
Another user X tagged Smith, claiming the commenter had his opinions “right.” But I have the right to be horrified by his idiotic opinions – especially the racist opinions that say that black people sympathize with and identify with accused criminals. I will no longer watch any show on ESPN that he hosts or stars in. He is reprehensible.”
“Supporting a white guy who hates black people? Can someone explain this sensibly to me? What a great sale,” another X user chimed in.
Smith’s support for Trump was troubling as Trump continued to repeat racist whistles on the campaign trail, stirring controversy and energizing his supporters while lashing out at the Black court officials overseeing his numerous criminal and civil cases, making them targets of his endless political attack . complaints.
Trump’s self-proclaimed enemies include New York Attorney General Letitia James, who recently won a multimillion-dollar civil claim against Trump’s businesses; U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over Trump’s impeachment on federal election interference charges; and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who charged Trump with 34 crimes related to the “financial silence” scheme involving former adult film star Stormy Daniels.
All court clerks are black.
In February, Trump sparked another such firestorm after referring to President Biden as a “very nasty and cruel racist” during a speech at the Black Conservative Federation’s annual gala in South Carolina.
After the speech, members of the Biden campaign wasted no time in criticizing Trump for pandering to the Black community, while accusing the former president of intentionally stoking racial tensions.
In a statement after the speech, Vice President Kamala Harris sharply criticized Trump, calling him a hypocrite and dishonest.
“The audacity of Donald Trump to speak to a room full of black voters during Black History Month as if he were not a proud poster for modern racism,” Harris fumed. “This is the same man who falsely accused the Central Park 5, questioned George Floyd’s humanity, compared his own impeachment trial to a lynching, and caused the unemployment rate for Black workers to skyrocket during his presidency.”
Harris then twice highlighted Trump’s true disregard for the Black community.
“Donald Trump has been showing Black Americans his true colors for years: an incompetent, anti-Black tyrant who holds us in such low esteem that he dined publicly with white nationalists a week after announcing his 2024 candidacy.
“In November, no matter how many disingenuous voter engagement events he attends, Black Americans will show Donald Trump that we know exactly who he is,” Harris added.
Shortly thereafter, Georgia state senator Raphael Warnock criticized Trump for always targeting black women in his speeches, while defending Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her involvement in the romance scandal.
“I’m never surprised when I see Donald Trump attacking women, especially black women,” the Georgia Democrat told Jake Tapper in a March interview. “That’s who he is.”
Smith, on the other hand, had nothing negative to say about Trump and at times appeared to express admiration for the former president, who has been accused of bigotry by many other prominent black leaders.
Instead, Stephen A. told Hannity that he didn’t think it was the right time to hold Trump accountable despite the long time that had passed since the alleged transactions involving him. But Smith, in the same breath, emphasized his strong desire for Trump to lose in November.
“I want him to lose because you have better ideas and present your arguments to the American people better than he does. That’s why I want him to lose,” Smith said. “I don’t desire him to lose the best way they’re attempting to make him lose.”
Meanwhile, Trump faces a complete of 88 criminal charges, including 34 within the hush money indictment that accuses him of using campaign funds to hide an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels before his 2016 election.
The case alleges that Trump unlawfully altered business records by reimbursing his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the quantity of the payment to Daniels, concealing the scandal from voters and helping seal Trump’s shock victory eight years ago.
It is unclear whether any of the remaining criminal cases will go to trial before November because Trump was the primary president in history to face criminal charges, accused of election fraud on the state and federal levels and illegally keeping secret documents after leaving office.
Politics and Current
Trump says he cannot guarantee that tariffs will not raise prices in the US and does not rule out retaliation
WASHINGTON (AP) – Donald Trump he said he couldn’t guarantee that his promised rates regarding key US foreign trade partners there will be no raise prices for American consumers and again suggested that some political rivals and federal officials who handled court cases against him must be imprisoned.
The president-elect also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere in a wide-ranging interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday.
Trump often mixed declarations with reservations, at one point warning that “everything is changing.”
Take a have a look at a few of the issues covered:
Trump wonders whether trade penalties could raise prices
Trump threatened widespread trade penalties but said he didn’t imagine it economists’ predictions that the additional costs of imported goods for U.S. businesses would result in higher domestic prices for consumers. He broke his promise that American households would not pay more for purchases.
“I can not guarantee anything. “I can’t guarantee tomorrow,” Trump said, apparently opening the door to accepting the reality that import fees typically operate once goods reach the retail market.
That’s a special approach from Trump’s typical speeches during the 2024 campaign, when he presented his decisions as a surefire approach to curb inflation.
In the interview, Trump defended the tariffs in general, saying the tariffs “make us rich.”
He announced that on the first day of his term in January he would impose a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada unless those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs equivalent to fentanyl into the United States. He also threatened to impose tariffs on China to force the country to limit fentanyl production.
“I just want to have a level, fast but fair playing field,” Trump said.
Trump suggests revenge against his opponents without claiming to have an interest in revenge
He has made conflicting statements about how he would approach justice after winning the election, although he was convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and charged in other cases with handling national security secrets and efforts to overturn his loss to a Democrat in 2020 Joe Biden.
“Frankly, they should go to jail,” Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power.
The president-elect has emphasized his case that he could use the justice system against others, including special counsel Jack Smith, who prosecuted the case involving Trump’s role in the siege on January 6, 2021. Trump confirmed his plan to pardon convicted supporters for the role they played in the riot, saying that he will take these actions on his first day in office.
As for the idea of revenge triggering potential criminal prosecutions, Trump said: “I actually have every right to accomplish that. I’m a top law enforcement officer, you recognize that. I’m the president. But that doesn’t interest me.”
At the same time, Trump named lawmakers on the House special committee that investigated the rebel, citing Rep. Bennie Thompson, R-Mississippi, and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.
“Cheney was behind this… as was Bennie Thompson and everyone on this committee,” Trump said.
Asked specifically whether he would direct his administration to pursue the cases, he replied “No” and suggested he did not expect the FBI to quickly investigate his political enemies.
But at one other point, Trump said he would go away the issue to Pam Bondi, his pick for attorney general. “I want her to do whatever she wants,” he said.
Many leading Democrats have taken such threats, no matter Trump’s inconsistencies, seriously enough that Biden is considering issuing a blanket, preventive pardon to guard key members of his outgoing administration.
Trump appeared to backtrack on his campaign rhetoric calling for an investigation into Biden, saying, “I have no intention of going back to the past.”
Swift motion is coming on immigration
Trump has repeatedly mentioned his guarantees to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport tens of millions of people who find themselves in the U.S. illegally as a part of a mass deportation program.
“I think you have to do this,” he said.
He has suggested that he would try to make use of executive motion to finish “birthright” citizenship, under which individuals born in the U.S. are considered residents – although such protections are provided for in the Constitution.
Asked specifically about the future of people that were delivered to the country illegally as children and have been protected against deportation in recent years, Trump said: “I want to work something out,” indicating he may look to Congress for an answer.
But Trump also said he “don’t want to break up families” with mixed legal status, “so the only way not to break up the family is to keep them together and send them all away.”
Trump commits to NATO, setting conditions, but criticizes Putin and Ukraine
Trump, long a critic of NATO members for not spending more on their very own defense, said he would “absolutely” remain in the alliance “if they pay their bills.”
Pressed on whether he would withdraw if he was dissatisfied with allies’ commitments, Trump said he wanted the United States to be treated “fairly” on trade and defense issues.
He wavered on NATO’s priority of containing Russia and President Vladimir Putin.
Trump suggested that Ukraine should prepare for less U.S. help to defend against Putin’s invasion. “Probably. Yeah, probably. Sure,” Trump said about Washington cutting aid to Ukraine. Separately, Trump did called for a right away ceasefire.
Asked about Putin, Trump initially said he had not spoken to the Russian leader since last month’s election, but then insisted: “I haven’t spoken to him lately.” Trump said under pressure, adding that he didn’t need to “impede negotiations.”
Trump says Powell is protected at the Fed, but Wray is not at the FBI
The president-elect has said he has no intention, at the least for now, of asking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down before the end of Powell’s term in 2028. Trump said during the campaign that presidents must have more to say on Fed policyincluding rates of interest.
Trump has not provided any job guarantees to FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose term ends in 2027.
Asked about Wray, Trump said, “Well, it seems pretty obvious” that if the Senate confirms Kash Patel as Trump’s nominee select the head of the FBI, then “he’s going to take another person’s place, right? Someone is that this person you’re talking about.
Trump is absolute on Social Security, not abortion and medical insurance
Trump promised that the government’s efficiency efforts under Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy would not threaten Social Security. “We do not affect social safety, except that we make it more effective,” he said. He added that “we’re not raising the age or anything like that.”
He didn’t speak in much detail about abortion or the long-promised amendment to the Affordable Care Act.
On abortion, Trump continued its inconsistencies and said he “probably” won’t try to limit access to abortion pills, which currently cause most abortions, in keeping with the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. But when pressed on whether he would commit to the position, Trump replied: “Well, I agree. That is, do things change. I think they are changing.”
A repetition of his line Debate on September 10 v. Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump again stated that he had “concepts” for a plan to switch the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which he called “lousy health care.”
He added that any version of Trump would supply insurance coverage for Americans with pre-existing health conditions. He did not explain how such a project would differ from the establishment or the way it could fulfill his desire for “better health care for less money.”
Politics and Current
St. Day Louis Marks Wesley Bell in honor of the first black prosecutor
December 6 in St. Louis has officially been declared Wesley Bell Day to honor the county’s first black prosecutor.
According to Local leaders held a celebratory event at the St. County Department of Justice. Louis, after which County Executive Sam Page made a press release. Bell made history along with his appointment to this position, which he has held since 2019.
He called the recognition “a great honor” that belongs to the community he serves.
“For me, this is a testament to the men and women of the St. County Prosecutor’s Office. Louis, who wake up every day with the idea of public safety, with the idea of treating our victims with the dignity and respect they deserve, and keeping this region safe. In this way, it is a great honor for us,” he said.
Bell took over as St. County prosecutor. Louis after defeating longtime Democratic incumbent Bob McCulloch in the primary. After McCulloch’s controversial decision to not prosecute the officer who fatally shot Black teenager Michael Brown in 2014, Bell ran a campaign that prioritized criminal justice reform. His platform included community policing and progressive marijuana policies that were passed shortly after taking office.
During his tenure, Bell established the Diversion Commission and the Incident Review Unit. The unit enables people wrongly convicted to submit a request to the prosecutor to reconsider their case. Bell sees the measure, a first in the nation, as a step toward criminal justice reform.
But Bell will transcend local politics to assist his St. Louis on a national scale. He was recently elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Missouri’s 1st District.
“This job, and my future job, is about work,” he added. “It’s about representing the interests of my constituents. People here in this region.
Although Bell will proceed to serve St. Louis in a distinct capability, the race to appoint his successor continues, and the escalating dispute between Page and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson continues. Page has already announced his selection of the next prosecutor, but the GOP leader said he plans to make the nomination.
Politics and Current
68-year-old black Georgia man knocked to the ground and brutally arrested at a red light fights for justice after three-year legal nightmare
It’s taken greater than three years, but Jeffrey Lemon finally got his day in court.
A 68-year-old Black man was arrested in Georgia under questionable circumstances in 2021 after Clayton County sheriff’s deputies threw him to the ground and put a knee on his back after he was accused of running a red light in suburban Atlanta County.
He was charged with obstruction and red light violations, in addition to possession of a small amount of marijuana, which police present in a pipe in the trunk of his automobile after his arrest. He ended up spending two nights in jail.
But the case dragged on for greater than three years until his attorney filed a motion for a speedy trial last month. The trial is scheduled to start Monday, and Lemon hopes prosecutors will drop the case without forcing a trial.
“I hope they throw everything away, but it’s a corrupt system, so I don’t know what to expect,” Lemon told Atlanta Black Star in a phone interview.
Lemon also said he was offered a plea deal late Thursday wherein prosecutors would drop the marijuana and red light charges if he pleaded guilty to the obstruction charge, but he declined to take the deal because he plans to file a lawsuit if he’s cleared of all charges. .
Arresting deputies Jon House and Demetrius Valentine each resigned after the incident, but House, who initiated the traffic stop, was rehired three months later.
“The arrogance I experienced from Officer J. House and Sgt. Valentine… completely disregarded me as a human being,” he wrote in a letter wherein he presented his version of the arrest.
Lemon’s arrest got here a month after the death of Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill was accused faces federal charges after he was accused of tying pretrial detainees to a restraint chair for hours in violation of their civil rights. Hill was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison in March 2023, but he was released after serving lower than a 12 months.
Throughout this time, nonetheless, Lemon’s case has remained pending, which he believes is because the officers try to cover up their illegal behavior and prevent him from filing a lawsuit.
Arrest
The incident occurred on May 27, 2021, when Lemon was driving his Camaro on Valley Hill Road and noticed a Clayton County sheriff’s deputy behind him, who turned out to be House.
He stated that he was in the left inside lane and needed to enter the right outside lane to make a right turn in front of him, nonetheless, when he stopped his automobile at a red light, the deputy pulled the patrol automobile next to him into the right lane.
He said the deputy then refused to move forward when the light turned green, stopping Lemon from entering the lane.
Lemon said he waited a few seconds, hoping the deputy would move, but then moved to the next intersection when it became clear the deputy was not going to move.
He testified that when he turned right at the next intersection, the light turned green, but the deputy stopped him and accused him of running a red light.
Lemon told the deputy that he didn’t run the red light, but gave him his license, but the deputy began accusing him of trying to avoid him, and that is when he realized the deputy was trying to escalate the interaction, and as he tried to call his daughter and friend, but he didn’t. they replied.
He then called 911 because he feared for his life when the deputy began accusing him of things he didn’t do, and that is when House called for backup.
Valentine arrived and threatened to taser him if he didn’t get out of the automobile, so he complied under duress, which occurred when Valentine tackled him to the ground and House put his knee on his neck.
“I felt humiliated,” he said. “For the guy to come up and not try to have any dialogue. He just immediately walked up and said, “Get your ass on the ground before I kick you.”
He said that when he was arrested, he was on his way to rent a latest house, so he had $1,800 in money with him, but authorities didn’t allow him to use the money to bail, forcing him to stay in jail for two days.
“They didn’t want to take the money, so I had to carry it in my shoe throughout my stay in prison,” he said.
He said the aggressive arrest put him in a state of so-called cervical stenosis, where he’s currently in constant pain and has already spent hundreds of dollars on medical bills.
Report
The House deputy describes the arrest in a very different light, stating in his report that he became suspicious when Lemon failed to stop at the intersection after the light turned green, believing he was doing all the pieces in his power to avoid being stopped.
He further claimed that as Lemon moved forward, turning right, he ran a red light and that is when House stopped him.
However, this claim contradicts his initial claim because if Lemon was truly trying to avoid being stopped, he would never have run a red light knowing the deputy was behind him.
House also claimed that he began to fear for his life after he noticed a knife in the center console of Lemon’s vehicle and then called for backup and ordered him out of the automobile, but Lemon stated that the knife was never there.
“There was no knife,” Lemon said. “I would like to see their list of things they faraway from my automobile. This will show there was no knife.
House stated in his report that he found pot in the trunk while taking a listing of things in the automobile, which he ordered confiscated. He also claimed that “evidence was dropped in the sheriff’s office room,” but didn’t specifically mention the alleged knife placed in the room.
Valentine resigned two weeks later without explanation, according to personnel records obtained by Atlanta Black Star. He was then hired by the nearby Fairburn, Georgia Police Department the following month.
Personnel records obtained from the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office show House resigned in November 2021 because he was dissatisfied with “a change in the mission of this agency that does not align with my personal goals.”
House was then hired by the nearby Riverdale Police Department, only to resign from the job three months later because “the city-provided health insurance is expensive and does not provide adequate health care for my family,” according to a resignation letter obtained by Atlanta. Black Star.
He was then rehired by the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office in March 2022 and stays employed.
Lemon believes there may be body camera and dash cam video that might prove his innocence, but when Atlanta Black Star asked public authorities for any available footage of the arrest, the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office said “no records exist” ” regarding arrest.
“That sounds like another lie,” Lemon said.
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