A judge will hear arguments for and against dismissing the classified documents charges against Donald Trump. Experts consider what a TikTok ban in the U.S. could look like. And a “superbloom” may soon erupt in Southern California.
Here’s what to know today.
Trump attorneys to fight for dismissal of classified docs charges
Donald Trump is expected to appear at a hearing in Florida today, where his attorneys will argue to dismiss the federal criminal case involving his handling of classified documents on the grounds that the Presidential Records Act bars his prosecution.
The 1978 law governs the preservation of information during and following a presidency, but a president’s personal records are excluded from the act’s requirements. Trump, who has denied all wrongdoing in the case, has claimed that he should be shielded from prosecution because classified presidential records “can be transformed into ‘personal’” records by removing them from the White House.
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Trump’s attorneys will also discuss a second motion to dismiss the case on the theory that the main statute used against Trump is unconstitutionally vague as it applies to presidents and can’t be used against him.
Special counsel Jack Smith has asked U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to reject Trump’s claims. During the all-day hearing, Cannon is also expected to push back the trial date, which was originally scheduled for May 20.
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What’s next for the TikTok bill
A bill that could result in TikTok being banned in the U.S. is headed to the Senate after it passed 352-65 in the House, with one representative voting present. But senators aren’t expected to act as quickly as representatives did because there is less urgency to vote on the bill, and senators have different theories about how to address national security concerns over TikTok’s China-based…
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