Morning Headlines - Monday, Apr. 3, 2023 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

'Believe It Or Not' Trump Confirms He Will Appear In Court In NYC Tuesday Following Indictment

The former president said he will leave his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida at midday, arriving later in the day in New York and spending the night at Trump Tower in Manhattan.

He will then attend his arraignment at 2:15pm ET tomorrow, before returning to Florida to make a statement from Mar-a-Lago at 8:15pm ET.

Barricades and riot control equipment have already been set up in the Big Apple as cops brace for the former president's arrival on Monday afternoon - and the outraged protests his indictment proceedings may bring.

Plurality Of The Public Supports Trump Indictment: Poll

A plurality of Americans think former President Donald Trump should have been charged by a Manhattan grand jury with a history-making indictment, yet a near equal amount believe that the charges against him are politically motivated, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.

According to the poll, 45% think Trump should have been charged with a crime in this case, whereas 32% don't think so and 23% say they don't know.

Democrats are, unsurprisingly, rallying behind the grand jury's decision.

Almost nine in 10 Democrats (88%) think Trump should have been charged in the investigation by the Manhattan D.A.

McDonald’s Reportedly Temporarily Shuts Its U.S. Corporate Offices Ahead Of Layoffs

McDonald’s Corp is temporarily closing its U.S. offices this week as it prepares to inform corporate employees about its layoffs as part of a broader company restructuring, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

In an internal email last week to U.S. employees and some international staff, McDonald’s asked them to work from home from Monday through Wednesday so it can deliver staffing decisions virtually, the report said. It is unclear how many employees will be laid off.

“During the week of April 3, we will communicate key decisions related to roles and staffing levels across the organization,” the Chicago-based company said in the message viewed by the Journal.

Ex Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson Running For President

Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) will run for president in 2024, becoming the latest Republican to launch a campaign for the White House via an announcement on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.

Hutchinson, who served as Arkansas governor from 2015 to 2023, is the fourth Republican to announce a campaign. Former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and venture capitalist Vivek Ramaswamy are already in the race.

"I'm going to run for President of the United States," Hutchinson told ABC News' Jonathan Karl. "The reason -- I've traveled the country for six months. I hear people talk about the leadership out of our country, and I'm convinced that people want leaders that appeal to the best of America and not simply appeal to our worst instincts."

This Is One Of The Worst Times To Buy A Car In Decades. Here’s Why

It has almost never been as hard to buy a new or used car in the United States as it is today, despite improving supply issues and inflation beginning to steady.

Vehicle transaction prices — the price you actually end up paying after any dealer discounts or markups — have been climbing higher and faster since 2020 than any other point in more than 35 years, according to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The consumer price indexes for both new and used cars — the average changes in vehicle transaction price over time — are much higher than they were four years ago in 2019.

‘The Dominating Issue’: Judicial Election Will Decide Fate Of Abortion In Wisconsin

At stake on 4 April is control of the Wisconsin supreme court, which will ultimately decide the fate of the 1849 ban (a challenge is already working its way through state courts). The seven-member supreme court will likely hear consequential cases over voting disputes ahead of the 2024 election in Wisconsin, a key presidential battleground. The outcome of the election could determine whether Wisconsin’s state legislative districts last for another decade or are replaced. Republicans drew the lines and the districts are so heavily distorted in their favor that it is essentially impossible for Democrats to ever take control of the legislature.

That perfect storm of issues has caused a record amount of money – around $30m – to flood the race. Daniel Kelly, a conservative, and Janet Protasiewicz, a liberal, are both vying to replace retiring conservative justice Patience Roggensack. Conservatives currently have a 4-3 majority on the state court, so whoever wins the race will determine control of the bench.

NBC's Chuck Todd On Wisconsin Supreme Court Race And Trump Indictment

One day- two historic moments.

Donald Trump is likely to be in court Tuesday to face criminal charges. A first ever for American president.

Tuesday is also Election Day in Wisconsin for the most expensive State Supreme Court race in American history.

TMJ4's Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson talked about the week's big stories with NBC moderator of Meet the Press Chuck Todd.

The two historic events on April 4 will take place hundreds of miles apart, but there's a common thread emerging with an unhealthy perception of the politicization of the judicial system from both sides of the political divide.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidates Make Final Push In Hotly-Contested Campaign

Candidates for Wisconsins hotly contested open Supreme Court seat made their final push for votes over the weekend, before a backdrop of the first-ever criminal indictment of a U.S. president.

Justice Dan Kelly maintained a packed schedule of appearances across the state over the weekend, with appearances in churches, community spaces and GOP offices from Fond du Lac to Eau Claire.

Judge Janet Protasiewicz, who has been ill, canceled a planned appearance in Madison on Saturday. Instead, surrogate campaigners, including former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, went on the stump on her behalf in Madison, Milwaukee and Waukesha.

Wisconsin Senate Election Could Give GOP Impeachment Power

A special election to fill an open Wisconsin Senate seat will determine whether Republicans gain a supermajority that would allow them to impeach Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and other office holders as well as move the GOP a step closer to overriding gubernatorial vetoes.

Voters on Tuesday will pick Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin or Republican state Rep. Dan Knodl to represent Milwaukee’s northern suburbs. The seat has been under Republican control for decades but came open in November after longtime incumbent Alberta Darling chose to retire after 30 years in the Senate. Evers scheduled a special election to fill the position to coincide with the state’s spring Supreme Court election.

The stakes are huge. A Knodl win would give Republicans 22 votes in the chamber, enough to override gubernatorial vetoes if the state Assembly also votes to do so and enough to convict civil officers in impeachment trials.