Trump indicted on charges related to hush money payments: March 31 rundown

RAY BOGAN: COMING UP, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN INDICTED. WHEN WILL HE TURN HIMSELF IN? WHAT ARE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SAYING? WE’LL TELL YOU ALL THAT. 

PLUS, AN ORCA WHALE THAT’S BEEN IN CAPTIVITY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS IS GOING HOME TO SEE HER MOTHER IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW IT’S BEING MADE POSSIBLE, AND LET YOU HEAR FROM THE NFL OWNER THAT’S MAKING IT HAPPEN. 

THE DAILY RUNDOWN STARTS RIGHT NOW. THIS IS STRAIGHT-ARROW NEWS.BRINGING YOU UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.

I’M RAY BOGAN. 

DONALD TRUMP INDICTED FOR HUSH MONEY PAYMENT

CROWDS FORMED OUTSIDE DONALD TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO HOME ON MARCH 30,, AFTER THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS INDICTED BY A MANHATTAN GRAND JURY. HE’S EXPECTED TO BE ARRAIGNED ON TUESDAY. 

THE CASE AGAINST TRUMP SURROUNDS HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS MADE TO PORN STAR STORMY DANIELS WHICH PROSECUTORS WANT TO PROVE WAS MADE TO BENEFIT HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, AND WAS THEREFORE AN ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION. 

TRUMP REACTED QUOTE: “THE DEMOCRATS HAVE LIED, CHEATED AND STOLEN IN THEIR OBSESSION WITH TRYING TO ‘GET TRUMP,’ BUT NOW THEY’VE DONE THE UNTHINKABLE — INDICTING A COMPLETELY INNOCENT PERSON IN AN ACT OF BLATANT ELECTION INTERFERENCE,”

THE REACTION IN WASHINGTON HAS LARGELY FALLEN ALONG PARTY LINES. 

SPEAKER EMERITA NANCY PELOSI SAID IN A STATEMENT: “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW, AND EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL TO PROVE INNOCENCE.  HOPEFULLY, THE FORMER PRESIDENT WILL PEACEFULLY RESPECT THE SYSTEM…”

REPUBLICAN SENATOR THOM TILLIS SAID: “THIS INDICTMENT DOESN’T PASS THE SMELL TEST. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ALREADY LOOKED INTO THE FACTS AND DECIDED THERE WAS NO CASE TO BE MADE AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP. THIS IS THE SAME DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO IS NOTORIOUS FOR LETTING VIOLENT CRIMINALS OFF THE HOOK IN MANHATTAN…CONGRESS HAS EVERY RIGHT TO INVESTIGATE THE CONDUCT AND DECISION-MAKING OF THE MANHATTAN D.A.’S OFFICE.”

WE HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH A NEW YORK ATTORNEY JERRY GOLDFEDER WHO SAYS IT’S LIKELY DONALD TRUMP WILL BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY BY THE JUDGE AND JURORS BECAUSE HE’S A FORMER PRESIDENT. TO SEE GOLDFEDER’S EXPLANATION AS TO WHY, CHECK OUT THE INTERVIEW AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.COM. 

BIDEN TO VISIT MISSISSIPPI STORM VICTIMS

PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE FIRST LADY WILL TRAVEL TO ROLLING FORK, MISSISSIPPI TODAY TO VIEW THE DAMAGE AND MEET WITH VICTIMS OF THE DEADLY TORNADOES THAT HIT THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND. AT LEAST 25 PEOPLE DIED AND THE DAMAGE STRETCHED FOR 100 MILES. PRESIDENT BIDEN IS EXPECTED TO REAFFIRM FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL RESIDENTS THERE. 

GWYNETH PALTROW WINS SKI CRASH LAWSUIT

A JURY DECIDED ACTRESS GWYNETH PALTROW IS NOT AT FAULT FOR A 2016 COLLISION AT A UTAH SKI RESORT. SHE HAS BEEN AWARDED $1 WHOLE DOLLAR. EYE DOCTOR TERRY SANDERSON SUED PALTROW FOR $300,000. HE BROKE 4 RIBS AND GOT A CONCUSSION AFTER THE CRASH. 

BUT PALTROW TOOK TO THE WITNESS STAND AND SAID IT WASN’T HER FAULT AND SHE WAS STUNNED WHEN SHE FELT QUOTE “A BODY PRESSING AGAINST ME AND A VERY STRANGE GRUNTING NOISE.” PALTROW SAID IN A STATEMENT AS TO WHY SHE WENT TO TRIAL AND DIDN’T SETTLE: “I FELT THAT ACQUIESCING TO A FALSE CLAIM COMPROMISED MY INTEGRITY.” 

PALTROW WAS GRILLED ON THE WITNESS STAND BY SANDERSON’S LAWYERS WHO ASKED TOUGH QUESTIONS INCLUDING: ARE YOU GOOD FRIENDS WITH TAYLOR SWIFT? AFTER THE VERDICT CAME IN, PALTROW WALKED OVER TO THE MAN WHO SUED HER, TAPPED HIM ON THE SHOULDER AND SAID SIMPLY – I WISH YOU WELL. 

57-YEAR-OLD ORCA GOING BACK TO WILD

A 57-YEAR-OLD ORCA NAMED LOLITA WHO CURRENTLY LIVES IN THE MIAMI SEAQUARIUM IS GOING TO BE BROUGHT HOME TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TO BE WITH HER NEARLY 100-YEAR-OLD MOTHER. 

IT WILL BE AN EXTRAORDINARY TEAM EFFORT. THEY WILL FLY THE 5,000 POUND WHALE TO AN OCEAN SANCTUARY BETWEEN WASHINGTON STATE AND CANADA. SHE WILL LIVE IN A LARGE NET UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF TRAINERS AND VETERINARIANS WHILE SHE REBUILDS HER STRENGTH AND LEARNS HOW TO CATCH FISH. 

LOLITA WAS ORIGINALLY CAPTURED DURING ONE OF THE MANY ORCA ROUND UPS IN THE 1970S AND HAS BEEN PERFORMING FOR CROWDS EVER SINCE. 

HER TRIP HOME IS BEING MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO THE THEME PARK’S OWNER, AN ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP, AND THE OWNER OF THE INDIANAPOLIS COLTS JIM IRSAY. 

JIM IRDAY | OWNER, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: “I know Lolita wants to get to free waters. I don’t care what anyone says. She’s lived this long to have this opportunity. And my only mission is I’m a three year old boy that sees a whale that he loves, that wants to help this whale get free.” 

THE TRIP COULD ULTIMATELY COST UP TO $20 MILLION DOLLARS AND TAKE ABOUT 18 TO 24 MONTHS TO FINALIZE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE SEAQUARIUM WILL NO LONGER USE LOLITA IN SHOWS. 

MLB UMPIRE CALLS FIRST AUTOMATIC BALL

WELL, IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG. IN FACT IT ONLY TOOK :20 SECONDS. A BASEBALL UMPIRE CALLED AN AUTOMATIC BALL ON CUBS PITCHER MARCUS STROMAN YESTERDAY FOR A PITCH CLOCK VIOLATION. 

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME A PITCHER WAS PENALIZED UNDER THE NEW RULE, WHICH MANDATES THE PITCH MUST BE THROWN IN :15 SECONDS WITH NO ONE ON BASE OR :20 SECONDS WITH A MAN ON. BATTERS MUST BE SET BEFORE THE CLOCK HITS 8 SECONDS. 

IT’S ONE OF MULTIPLE RULE CHANGES IN THE MLB THIS YEAR INCLUDING LARGER BASES AND NO DEFENSIVE SHIFT. 

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW JUST HOW SERIOUS THE MLB IS ABOUT THE PITCH CLOCK, DURING A SPRING TRAINING GAME BETWEEN THE RED SOX AND BRAVES, AN UMPIRE CALLED AN AUTOMATIC STRIKE ON A BATTER FOR NOT BEING SET IN THE BOX IN TIME. BUT IT WAS A FULL COUNT, BASES LOADED AND TWO OUTS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH, ENDING THE GAME. ALL THE BATTER AND ANNOUNCER COULD DO WAS LAUGH. 

NCAA FINAL FOUR TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

PLACE YOUR BETS AND THROW OUT YOUR BRACKET, BECAUSE THE NCAA FINAL FOUR IS THIS WEEKEND. ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN. THE WOMEN PLAY TONIGHT. LSU AND VIRGINIA TECH START AT 7, IOWA AND SOUTH CAROLINA PLAY AT 9. THE MEN GO TOMORROW. FLORIDA ATLANTIC AND SAN DIEGO STATE START AT 6, TIP OFF FOR MIAMI UCONN IS AT 8:40. 

THANKS FOR WATCHING THE DAILY RUNDOWN.

WE’RE ON A MISSION TO BRING BACK TRUSTWORTHY JOURNALISM BY SERVING YOU — NOT AN AGENDA. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MORE OF OUR WORK AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK MONDAY!

UNTIL THEN I’M RAY BOGAN. HAVE A SAFE DAY AND A GREAT DAY.