[KARAH RUCKER]

President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing in his New York criminal hush money trial has been postponed indefinitely… with no future date yet in sight.

Judge Juan Merchan postponed the sentencing scheduled for next week in order to allow both sides more time to present arguments related to potentially dismissing the case.

A jury convicted Trump in May on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in order to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep her alleged affair with Trump quiet before the 2016 election. He is the first sitting or former president to have been found guilty on felony charges.

Trump’s lawyers have asked to dismiss the case, citing the President-elect’s upcoming term in the White House, and a Supreme Court ruling in July giving a president wide immunity from prosecution.

It’s the latest delay for a sentencing first scheduled for July 2024. Trump’s presidential campaign and legal complications from the Supreme Court ruling have led Judge Merchan to rule in favor of delays.

Trump’s defense lawyers now have until December 2nd to present their argument for dismissing the case after prosecutors said they were ok with a delay. Prosecutors will have a week to respond, and have said they recognize a sentencing may need to occur after Trump leaves office in 2029.

Their filing says “The People deeply respect the Office of the President, are mindful of the demands and obligations of the presidency, and acknowledge that Defendant’s inauguration will raise unprecedented legal questions.”

President-elect Trump is set to be sworn in on January 20th. The defense wants Trump’s charges to be dismissed, also saying a sentencing after Trump leaves office would be too long to wait.

For Straight Arrow News, I’m Karah Rucker.

And to stay on top of the latest developments, download the Straight Arrow News app.

A BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED BY SENATE REPUBLICANS –

THAT COULD BE THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING ONE OF PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES COME TRUE.

A BILL – TO DISMANTLE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

SOUTH DAKOTA SENATOR MIKE ROUNDS INTRODUCED “RETURNING EDUCATION TO OUR STATES ACT” –

A BILL THAT WOULD NIX THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, DISBURSE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND PROVIDE FEDERAL FUNDS STRAIGHT TO THE STATES –

WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY HAVING THE POWER TO WITHHOLD FEDERAL GRANTS IF STATES MISUSE THE FUNDING.

ROUNDS SAYING –

“The federal Department of Education has never educated a single student, and it’s long past time to end this bureaucratic Department that causes more harm than good. We all know local control is best when it comes to education.” 

“Local school boards and state Departments of Education know best what their students need, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.”

THE PITCH TO DISMANTLE THE DEPARTMENT PICKED UP STEAM AFTER TRUMP MADE IT PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN FOR RE-ELECTION.

“We spend more money per pupil than any other country by far and yet we’re at the bottom of the list out of 40, we’re ranked about number 40 and i’m going to close the department of education and move education back to the states and we’re going to do it fast.”

TRUMP ISN’T THE FIRST TO HAVE AMBITIONS TO END THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN EDUCATION.

THE IDEA HAS BEEN FLOATED SINCE THE DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED IN 1979.

FORMER PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN AND FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BOB DOLE BOTH WANTED TO GET RID OF THE DEPARTMENT.

BUT STEPS TO DO SO – ARE EASIER SAID THAN DONE WITH SLIM GOP MAJORITIES IN THE INCOMING CONGRESS.

THE SENATE TYPICALLY NEEDS 60 VOTES FOR A BILL TO PASS.

MEANING IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRATS –

SOMETHING THAT SEEMS UNLIKELY GIVEN STRONG OPPOSITION FROM THE PARTY –

WHO SEES THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS ESSENTIAL FOR ENSURING EQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

CONGRESSMAN BOBBY SCOTT – A RANKING DEMOCRAT ON THE “HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE” SAYS –

“I am staunchly opposed to President-elect Trump’s education agenda which seeks to abolish the Department of Education, eliminate funding for low-income and rural K-12 schools, scrap the expansion of school meals, and make it more difficult for student borrowers to repay their loans.”

ROUNDS ACKNOWLEDGED THERE ARE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS HOUSED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT –

AND LISTED 25 SUCH PROGRAMS THAT WOULD BE REDIRECTED TO OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.

WHILE HE’S PUSHING A BILL IN THE SENATE –

KENTUCKY CONGRESSMAN THOMAS MASSIE SAYS HE WOULD BRING FORTH LEGISLATION TO ABOLISH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN THE HOUSE –

WITHIN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS” OF THE NEXT CONGRESSIONAL SESSION.

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OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THE ISLAND COMMUNITY OF NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS SINCE THIS SUMMER.

NOW LOCALS ARE OBJECTING TO ANOTHER WIND FARM SET TO BE BUILT NEARBY.

BUT LEGAL EXPERTS BELIEVE THE TOWN ULTIMATELY MAY NOT HAVE MUCH OF A SAY IN THE MATTER.

BACK IN JULY, A TURBINE FAILURE AT THE VINEYARD WIND FARM CAUSED DEBRIS TO WASH UP ON NANTUCKET BEACHES FOR WEEKS.

RESIDENTS VOICED THEIR DISPLEASURE OVER THE INCIDENT AT THE TIME-

AND WITH ANOTHER OFFSHORE WIND PROJECT READYING TO BE BUILT NEAR THEIR ISLAND-

LOCALS ARE AGAIN SHARING THEIR GRIEVANCES.

“These wind projects are a detriment to our island … We bear the burden visually and environmentally, and we get none of the benefit of this energy except to pay higher energy rates.”

THE INCOMING PROJECT, KNOWN AS SOUTH COAST WIND, WILL CONSIST OF 149 TURBINES, EACH STANDING OVER A THOUSAND FEET TALL.

DEVELOPERS SAY THAT ONCE COMPLETED, THIS OFFSHORE WIND FARM IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER MORE THAN A MILLION HOMES.

HOWEVER, MANY NANTUCKETERS WHO SHOWED UP TO A RECENT PUBLIC FORUM WANT TO STOP THIS RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT-

URGING THE TOWN’S LEADERSHIP TO DO SO.

“I’m all for alternative energy, but let’s do it right. Let’s stop pushing these projects forward and say, well, we have to accept them.”

DESPITE THE LOCAL PUSHBACK, ATTORNEYS FOR THE TOWN SAY SOUTH COAST WIND IS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD-

WITH OR WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT.

TELLING PEOPLE AT THE MEETING THERE IS NO APPEAL OR LITIGATION THAT COULD CHANGE THE TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT OR STOP ITS CONSTRUCTION.

“Any appeals or litigation that the town engages in does not change the timeline or the course of permitting for South Coast wind … this would move forward while any appeal from the town of Nantucket was going on.”

NANTUCKET’S LEGAL COUNSEL IS ADVOCATING FOR THE TOWN TO INSTEAD WORK WITH THE BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT TO FIND AN ACCEPTABLE TRADE OFF.

BOEM HAS ALREADY OFFERED NANTUCKET A TOTAL SUM OF 150,000 DOLLARS TO COVER MITIGATION EFFORTS RELATED TO THE WIND FARM’S CONSTRUCTION.

BUT MANY RESIDENTS OF THE ISLAND DON’T FEEL THAT’S ENOUGH.

“I mean, we talked about the $150,000 that’s a joke.”

“Money is not enough. There isn’t enough money to make up for this.”

THE TOWN’S LAWYERS WARN THAT NANTUCKET IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO NEGOTIATE WITH BOEM-

AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO NOT ENGAGE AT ALL, THAT WOULD LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO APPEAL THE AGENCY’S PERMIT APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT IN THE FUTURE.

UNDER THIS ADVICE, NANTUCKET’S SELECT BOARD HAS INDICATED IT WILL DECIDE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS WHETHER AND HOW TO RESPOND TO BOEM’S MITIGATION OFFER.

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SERVICE MEMBERS IN OUR NATION’S ARMED FORCES MIGHT MAKE FUN OF THEIR EMERGENCY AND ON-THE-GO RATIONS… BUT IT LOOKS LIKE BEARS DON’T HAVE THE SAME QUALMS.

THE U-S MILITARY STOCKPILES “MEALS READY TO EAT” – BETTER KNOWN AS M-R-Es.

THEY’RE FULL MEALS THAT CAN BE EATEN QUICKLY AND EASILY BY JUST TEARING OPEN A BAG – SO EASY, APPARENTLY… EVEN A BEAR CAN DO IT.

RECENTLY, HUNGRY BEARS BROKE INTO A STORAGE ROOM AT JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON IN ALASKA– WHICH IS FITTINGLY NICKNAMED J-BEAR – AND HELPED THEMSELVES TO A READY-TO-EAT FEAST.

AND IT’S NOT JUST FOOD THE BEARS SEEM TO BE AFTER AT THE BASE…

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH – A YOUNG BEAR WAS SPOTTED INSIDE A HUMVEE AT A MOTOR POOL BUILDING.

BASE OFFICIALS SAY THE RESPOND TO ABOUT 600 BEAR-RELATED CALLS A YEAR… BUT IT’S VERY RARE FOR THE ANIMALS TO GET INSIDE THE BUILDINGS.

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