Jury selection to begin in Hunter Biden federal gun trial
Another historic trial begins on June 3, this time Hunter Biden — the son of the president of the United States — faces charges. And in Mexico, a woman is elected president for the first time in the country’s history. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, June 3, 2024.
Jury selection to begin in Hunter Biden federal gun trial
Just days after Donald Trump became the first former president to be found guilty on felony charges, President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, will be making history. Jury selection is set to begin in the federal gun case against him on Monday, June 3, making him the first child of a sitting president to go on trial.
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Hunter Biden is facing three felony charges in connection with a 2018 gun purchase.
Hunter Biden is charged with lying to a federally licensed gun dealer, making a false claim on the application used to screen firearms applicants when he said he was not a drug user — at the time he was admittedly battling addiction — and illegally owning a gun for 11 days.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Hunter Biden has said he feels he’s been unfairly targeted by the Justice Department after a deal with prosecutors that would have resolved this case and a separate case into his taxes was thrown out by a judge.
Republicans decried that deal as “special treatment” because it would have had Hunter Biden plead guilty to only misdemeanor offenses to resolve tax crime charges against him and led to a “diversion agreement” on the gun charges.
Under that agreement, if Hunter Biden had stayed out of trouble for two years, those charges would have been dropped.
Hunter Biden’s separate tax trial, in which he is accused of failing to pay more than a million dollars in taxes, is set to begin in September.
Trump launches TikTok account, sits down with Fox after guilty verdict
Days after being found guilty in his criminal trial in New York, former President Donald Trump made his first public appearance over the weekend, launched his own TikTok account and sat down for an interview with Fox News.
Trump attended the Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday, June 1, where he was cheered on by thousands at the Prudential Center. During the event, Trump launched his TikTok account, quickly amassing over 3 million followers. His post from the UFC event has garnered over 60 million views since it was posted.
While president, Trump had advocated for banning TikTok in the U.S., a stance he has since reversed. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, who signed a bill in April that could lead to TikTok being banned, also launched his own account earlier this year.
In his Fox News interview that aired on Sunday, June 2, Trump discussed the possibility of facing jail time or house arrest, stating he is “OK with it,” though he questioned whether “the public would stand for it.” Trump was convicted of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 presidential election and has denied any wrongdoing.
During the interview, Trump also commented on his political rivals following the verdict, stating, “And I say it and it sounds beautiful — my revenge will be success.”
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11.
Mexico elects its first female president
In a historic landslide victory, Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected the first female president of Mexico, as well as the first Jewish person to hold that position.
Sheinbaum is a climate scientist and the former mayor of Mexico City.
According to the latest data, she received between 58 and 60 percent of the vote, the highest vote percentage in Mexico’s history.
“For the first time in 200 years of the republic, there will be a woman president and she will be transformative,” Sheinbaum wrote in Spanish on social media.
California ‘Corral Fire’ now 50% contained, evacuations lifted
California firefighters have achieved significant progress in controlling a wildfire that burned thousands of acres in San Joaquin County, located about 60 miles east of San Francisco. The blaze, known as the Corral Fire, burned about 14,000 acres.
Thousands of residents who had been evacuated due to the wildfire’s threat have been allowed to return to their homes.
Authorities, including teams from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — a key center for nuclear weapons science and technology where the fire initially broke out — are investigating the cause of the blaze that began on Saturday, June 1.
Officials say the fire poses no threat to the lab.
Sally Buzzbee steps down as Washington Post’s executive director
The Washington Post announced a major change in its leadership on Sunday, June 2. After three years, Sally Buzbee is stepping down as executive editor, marking the end of her tenure as the first woman to hold the position in the newspaper’s 144-year history.
Under her leadership, the Post won several Pulitzer Prizes but also experienced significant declines in audience and revenue.
Matt Murray, former editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal, will succeed Buzbee as executive editor. He is set to hold this position through the 2024 presidential election. Following the election, the Post plans to reorganize its newsroom.
Murray will head a new division focused on social and service journalism, while Robert Winnett, currently deputy editor of the Telegraph Media Group, will take over as the leader of the Washington Post’s core news coverage.
Michael Jordan autographed card sold for $2.92 million
More than two decades after Michael Jordan retired from the NBA, he’s still setting records. Over the weekend, a 2003-2004 Upper Deck autographed Michael Jordan card was sold at auction for nearly $3 million, marking the highest price ever paid for a Jordan card.
The card is especially valuable because it includes an NBA logo patch from a game-used jersey worn by Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls. The auction house has described it as the most sought-after Jordan card ever produced.
Despite this record for a Jordan card, it falls short of the overall record for a sports card. That record is held by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card, which sold for $12.6 million.
Tags: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Department of Justice, Donald Trump, Gun laws, Guns, Hunter Biden, Income tax, Joe Biden, Mexico, New York, New York City, Tax Fraud, Tax returns, Taxes, TikTok, Trump investigations, Trump Organization, U.S.-Mexico Border
[KARAH RUCKER]
ANOTHER HISTORIC TRIAL BEGINS TODAY — THIS TIME THE SON OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES FACING CHARGES
AND — IN MEXICO — A WOMAN IS ELECTED PRESIDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE COUNTRY’S HISTORY
THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.
TODAY IS MONDAY, JUNE 3RD.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I’M KARAH RUCKER.
JUST DAYS AFTER DONALD TRUMP BECAME THE FIRST FORMER PRESIDENT TO BE FOUND GUILTY ON FELONY CHARGES… PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S SON, HUNTER, WILL BE MAKING HISTORY TODAY.
JURY SELECTION is SET TO BEGIN IN THE FEDERAL GUN CASE AGAINST HIM, MAKING HIM THE FIRST CHILD OF A SITTING PRESIDENT TO GO ON TRIAL.
HUNTER BIDEN IS FACING THREE FELONY CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH A 20-18 GUN PURCHASE.
HE’S CHARGED WITH LYING TO A FEDERALLY LICENSED GUN DEALER…
MAKING A FALSE CLAIM ON THE APPLICATION USED TO SCREEN FIREARMS APPLICANTS WHEN HE SAID HE WAS NOT A DRUG USER — AT THE TIME HE WAS ADMITTEDLY BATTLING ADDICTION.
AND he’s charged with ILLEGALLY HAVING a GUN FOR 11 DAYS.
HE’S PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES.
HUNTER BIDEN HAS SAID HE FEELS HE’S BEEN UNFAIRLY TARGETED BY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT — AFTER A DEAL WITH PROSECUTORS THAT WOULD HAVE RESOLVED THIS CASE *AND* A SEPARATE CASE INTO HIS TAXES WAS THROWN OUT BY A JUDGE.
REPUBLICANS DECRIED THAT DEAL AS “SPECIAL TREATMENT” — BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE HAD HUNTER BIDEN PLEAD GUILTY TO ONLY MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES TO RESOLVE TAX CRIME CHARGES AGAINST HIM… AND LED TO A “DIVERSION AGREEMENT” ON THE GUN CHARGES.
UNDER THAT AGREEMENT — IF HUNTER BIDEN HAD STAYED OUT OF TROUBLE FOR TWO YEARS, THOSE CHARGES WOULD’VE BEEN DROPPED.
HUNTER BIDEN’S SEPARATE TAX TRIAL — IN WHICH HE IS ACCUSED OF FAILING TO PAY MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS IN TAXES — IS SET TO Begin IN SEPTEMBER.
DAYS AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY IN HIS CRIMINAL TRIAL IN NEW YORK – FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SPENT THE WEEKEND MAKING HIS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE SINCE THE VERDICT, STARTING HIS OWN TIKTOK ACCOUNT AND SITTING DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS.
TRUMP STOPPING BY THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT IN NEWARK (NEW-ERK) NEW JERSEY ON SATURDAY NIGHT – AS THOUSANDS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE PRUDENTIAL CENTER CHEERED ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT.
TRUMP TAKING THAT MOMENT TO LAUNCH HIS NEW TIKTOK ACCOUNT – AMASSING OVER 3 MILLION FOLLOWERS AS OF THIS MORNING.
HIS UFC VIDEO has more than 60 MILLION VIEWS SINCE IT WAS POSTED.
WHILE AS PRESIDENT — TRUMP SOUGHT FOR THE U.S. TO BAN TIKTOK – HE HAS SINCE CHANGED HIS MIND.
MEANWHILE — PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SIGNED A BILL IN APRIL THAT COULD SEE TIKTOK BEING BANNED IN THE COUNTRY – THOUGH his campaign LAUNCHED AN ACCOUNT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
TRUMP ALSO SAT DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS THAT AIRED ON SUNDAY – WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FACING JAIL TIME OR HOUSE ARREST – TRUMP REPLIED HE IS “OK WITH IT” — but says — HE IS NOT SURE “THE PUBLIC WOULD STAND FOR IT.”
IN THE INTERVIEW — TRUMP WAS ASKED ABOUT HIS POLITICAL RIVALS IN THE WAKE OF THE VERDICT.
“AND I SAY IT AND IT SOUNDS BEAUTIFUL—MY REVENGE WILL BE SUCCESS….COUNTRY CAN COME TOGETHER.”
trump’s SENTENCING IS SET FOR JULY 11TH.
IN A HISTORIC LANDSLIDE VICTORY – CLAUDIA SHEINBUAM (SHANE-B-OW-M) HAS BEEN ELECTED THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO – AS WELL AS THE FIRST JEWISH PERSON TO HOLD THAT POSITION.
SHEINBAUM IS A CLIMATE SCIENTIST AND THE FORMER MAYOR OF MEXICO CITY.
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA – SHE RECEIVED BETWEEN 58 AND 60 PERCENT OF THE VOTE – THE HIGHEST VOTE PERCENTAGE IN MEXICO’S HISTORY.
IN A STATEMENT IN SPANISH ON SOCIAL MEDIA – SHEINBAUM WROTE “FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 200 YEARS OF THE REPUBLIC, THERE WILL BE A WOMAN PRESIDENT AND SHE WILL BE TRANSFORMATIVE.”
CALIFORNIA FIREFIGHTERS HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN PUTTING OUT A WILDFIRE THAT SCORCHED THOUSANDS OF ACRES On SUNDAY.
OFFICIALS SAY THE CORRAL (CORE-AL) FIRE — STARTED IN SAN JOAQUIN (wah-KEEN) COUNTY ABOUT 60 MILES EAST of SAN FRANCISCO SATURDAY AND CONSUMED 14-THOUSAND ACRES.
THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS WHO WERE EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMES IN THE FIRE’S PATH HAVE SINCE BEEN ALLOWED TO RETURN.
INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT STARTED THE FIRE — WHICH BROKE OUT NEAR THE LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL LABORATORY, ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S KEY CENTERS FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
OFFICIALS SAYING THE FIRE THOUGH PRESENTED NO THREAT TO THE LAB.
THERE WAS A MAJOR SHAKEUP AT ONE OF THE NATION’S BIGGEST NEWSPAPER BRANDS ON SUNDAY NIGHT – THE WASHINGTON POST ANNOUNCING – AFTER THREE YEARS — SALLY BUZZBEE IS STEPPING DOWN FROM HER POSITION AS EXECUTIVE EDITOR.
BUZBEE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD THAT ROLE IN THE PAPER’S 144-YEAR HISTORY. DURING HER TIME – THE PAPER HAS WON PULITZERS – BUT HAS ALSO SEEN A DRAMATIC DROP IN AUDIENCE AND REVENUE.
THE POST SAYING FORMER WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITOR IN CHIEF MATT MURRAY WILL REPLACE BUZBEE AS EXECUTIVE EDITOR – AND HE’LL REMAIN IN THAT POSITION UNTIL THE 20-24 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
AT THAT TIME THE POST WILL THEN SPLIT THEIR NEWSROOM.
MURRAY WILL LEAD A NEW DIVISION DEDICATED TO SOCIAL AND SERVICE JOURNALISM.
AND ROBERT WINNETT – THE DEPUTY EDITOR OF THE TELEGRAPH MEDIA GROUP – WILL BE BROUGHT ON TO LEAD THE WASHINGTON POST’S CORE NEWS COVERAGE.
FINALLY THIS MORNING – IT’S BEEN MORE THAN 20 YEARS SINCE MICHAEL JORDAN OFFICIALLY RETIRED FROM THE NBA, BUT THAT DIDN’T STOP HIM FROM BREAKING ANOTHER RECORD THIS PAST WEEKEND.
A 2003-2004 UPPER DECK AUTOGRAPHED MICHAEL JORDAN CARD SOLD AT AUCTION FOR nearly 3 million DOLLARS – THE HIGHEST PRICE PAID FOR A JORDAN CARD IN HISTORY.
THE CARD INCLUDES AN NBA LOGO PATCH THAT WAS PART OF A JORDAN GAME-USED JERSEY WHEN HE PLAYED FOR THE CHICAGO BULLS.
THE AUCTION HOUSE CALLING THE CARD – THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER JORDAN CARD EVER PRODUCED.
WHILE THAT MAY BE THE CASE — THE PRICE WAS WELL BELOW THE RECORD FOR A SPORTS CARD – THAT TITLE STILL BELONGS TO THE 1952 TOPPS MICKEY MANTLE CARD THAT SOLD FOR 12 POINT 6 MILLION DOLLARS.
THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS MONDAY.
WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.
UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!
