Vox: The Summer Zervos sexual assault allegations and lawsuit against Donald Trump, explained

Zervos’s defamation suit could put Trump’s whole presidency at risk.
By Anna North Mar 26, 2018

“Summer Zervos is one of many women who has been subjected to unwanted sexual touching by Donald J. Trump.”

So begins the defamation lawsuit filed by Zervos, a restaurant owner and former contestant on The Apprentice, who says Trump sexually assaulted her in 2007 and then called her a liar when she spoke out about it in 2016.

Zervos’s case centers on a disturbing account of sexual assault, an important distinction from two other high-profile legal cases involving women and Trump. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal (who is suing the company that publishes the National Enquirer) say they had consensual affairs with Trump.

Zervos scored a victory recently when a New York Supreme Court judge ruled that her suit could go forward, rejecting the Trump team’s argument that a sitting president can’t be sued in state court. “No one is above the law,” the judge responded. Trump’s lawyers have announced they will appeal the decision.

The potential implications of the Zervos case are huge. When Paula Jones sued Bill Clinton for sexual harassment 20 years ago, the Supreme Court set the precedent that a sitting president can’t push off a federal case until after he leaves office. Clinton’s perjury in a deposition in that case ultimately led to his impeachment.

[...]

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/26/17151766/summer-zervos-case-trump-lawsuit-sexual-assault-allegations

Parkland students guest edit Guardian US

[A Guardian series of stories under one link]

Students from the Eagle Eye, Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school's news magazine, guest edit our US edition.

The Guardian has invited student journalists from Parkland, Florida's high school newspaper, The Eagle Eye, to direct our coverage of the March for Our Lives gun violence protest. Throughout the weekend you’ll find exclusive features, interviews and live reports from the ground.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/parkland-student-takeover

MJ: Republicans Declare War on the Courts After Rulings That Threaten Their Majorities

In crucial swing states, Republicans are trying to nullify court orders they don’t like.

Ari Berman Mar. 26, 2018

On Thursday, a judge ruled that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker must hold special elections this spring to fill two vacant state legislative seats that some Republicans fear could flip to the Democrats. But instead of scheduling new elections, Wisconsin Republicans came up with a different plan: They would convene a special legislative session to change the law governing special elections so they wouldn’t have to hold them before November.

Walker had a “plain and positive duty” to hold the elections, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Josann Reynolds, who was appointed by Walker in 2014, ruled on Thursday. She instructed Walker to issue an order within a week scheduling the elections.

But the next day, Walker threw his support behind the plan to change the election law. “It would be senseless to waste taxpayer money on special elections just weeks before voters go to the polls when the Legislature has concluded its business,” Walker said in a statement. “This is why I support, and will sign, the Senate and Assembly plan to clarify special election law.”

Democrats immediately denounced the move, saying Republicans were going to extraordinary lengths to avoid holding an election for two legislative seats previously held by Republicans that have been vacant since December. “Even for Republicans in Wisconsin, this would be a stunning action to keep citizens from exercising their right to vote,” said former Attorney General Eric Holder, who leads a Democratic group that sued Walker on behalf of Wisconsin voters in the two districts. “They appear to be afraid of the voters of Wisconsin.”

[...]

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/03/republicans-declare-war-on-the-courts-after-rulings-that-threaten-their-majorities/

EFF: How Congress Censored the Internet

By Elliot Harmon
March 21, 2018

In Passing SESTA/FOSTA, Lawmakers Failed to Separate Their Good Intentions from Bad Law

Today was a dark day for the Internet.

The U.S. Senate just voted 97-2 to pass the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA, H.R. 1865), a bill that silences online speech by forcing Internet platforms to censor their users. As lobbyists and members of Congress applaud themselves for enacting a law tackling the problem of trafficking, let’s be clear: Congress just made trafficking victims less safe, not more.

The version of FOSTA that just passed the Senate combined an earlier version of FOSTA (what we call FOSTA 2.0) with the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA, S. 1693). The history of SESTA/FOSTA—a bad bill that turned into a worse bill and then was rushed through votes in both houses of Congress—is a story about Congress’ failure to see that its good intentions can result in bad law. It’s a story of Congress’ failure to listen to the constituents who’d be most affected by the laws it passed. It’s also the story of some players in the tech sector choosing to settle for compromises and half-wins that will put ordinary people in danger.

Silencing Internet Users Doesn’t Make Us Safer

SESTA/FOSTA undermines Section 230, the most important law protecting free speech online. Section 230 protects online platforms from liability for some types of speech by their users. Without Section 230, the Internet would look very different. It’s likely that many of today’s online platforms would never have formed or received the investment they needed to grow and scale—the risk of litigation would have simply been too high. Similarly, in absence of Section 230 protections, noncommercial platforms like Wikipedia and the Internet Archive likely wouldn’t have been founded given the high level of legal risk involved with hosting third-party content.

[...]

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/03/how-congress-censored-internet

The Cut: The Most Powerful Moments From The March For Our Lives

In more than 800 cities across the world, people are joining in March For Our Lives rallies to deliver in unison a cogent message to lawmakers, the National Rifle Association, and 2nd Amendment advocates: Never again should a student die in a school shooting.

https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/march-for-our-lives-2018-the-most-powerful-moments.html

Vox: March for Our Lives in photos

Thousands of students gathered in the nation’s capital to protest for gun control and safer schools.
By German Lopez and Christina Animashaun Mar 24, 2018, 2:01pm EDT

On Saturday, thousands of Americans rallied in Washington, DC, and across the country in the March for Our Lives, a stand against gun violence and in support of new restrictions on firearms.

The countrywide protests are an attempt to get Congress to finally take some action. For years, the side opposing gun restrictions — with the backing of powerful groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) — has generally dominated Congress.

https://www.vox.com/2018/3/24/17159442/march-for-our-lives-rally-photos

MJ: Hundreds of Thousands of People Are Marching Against Gun Violence Today

It’s the largest demonstration for gun control in US history.

Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the US—and even the world—are planning to take part in over 800 rallies and marches scheduled for Saturday to protest the epidemic of gun violence in the United States and to call for stricter gun control measures. The “March For Our Lives” in Washington, DC, and companion protests worldwide, were organized by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, after the mass shooting there on February 14 took 17 lives. Organizers are expecting 500,000 people in Washington, DC, alone.

The high school students, including Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg, are leading a new wave of activism around this issue. Though Florida enacted new gun control restrictions after the shooting (along with a measure to arm teachers), Congress has done nothing. The National Rifle Association also reportedly persuaded President Donald Trump not to push for tougher gun regulations.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/03/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-marching-against-gun-violence-today/

Guardian: March for Our Lives: hundreds of thousands demand end to gun violence live

1.54pm 13:54

Ryan Deitsch, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas, is on stage challenging the notion we should arm teachers with guns.

Instead, he says, teachers need to be armed with school supplies. And students need to be armed with facts and education.

He’s also challenged the notion that the school walk out protests have disrupted education.

“We are done hiding,” Deitsch said. “We are done being full of fear.”

“This is the beginning of the end. From here, we fight.”

He, like so many other people to take the stage today, is focusing on the midterm elections and voter registration.

“Register, educate, vote.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2018/mar/24/march-for-our-lives-protest-gun-violence-washington

The Most Powerful Moments From The March For Our Lives

Source: NY Mag: The Cut

In more than 800 cities across the world, people are joining in March For Our Lives rallies to deliver in unison a cogent message to lawmakers, the National Rifle Association, and 2nd Amendment advocates: Never again should a student die in a school shooting.

Read more: https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/march-for-our-lives-2018-the-most-powerful-moments.html