US to get first high-speed train; Witnesses take stand in Trump trial

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Good morning,

If you’re reading this with a cup of coffee in-hand, you are increasingly in good company. 67% of US adults now say they’ve had a coffee in the past day, up from 50% 20 years ago.

☕️ The most popular coffee drink: Drip coffee.
- But, in the past week, 18% of US adults surveyed had a latte. Espresso shots and cappuccinos, the National Coffee Association found, were next.
Notably, that may help explain why only 26% of Americans are getting the recommended eight hours of sleep.

Have a good one — we’re enjoying ours!

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

⚖️ SUPREME COURT APPEARS TO SIDE WITH CITY’S BAN ON HOMELESS CAMPS

*The US 2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report. Via: HUD.*

The conservative majority of the Supreme Court appeared to side yesterday with a small city in Oregon that has banned homeless people from sleeping or camping in public spaces. Homeless rates have spiked in recent years, and the ruling could have major implications across the country.

THE CASE
A group of homeless people in Grants Pass, Oregon, a city of about 40,000 (600 of whom are unhoused), asked the courts to intervene after the city started enforcing the bans, despite having NO public shelters.

The ordinances prohibited people from sleeping outside with blankets, pillows, or cardboard boxes. Violators face fines of at least $295 (more if it wasn’t paid), and could get banned from parks or face jail time if caught again.
The question is whether those laws violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment, which a lower court found.

THE ARGUMENTS
Lawyers for the plaintiffs cited a 1962 Supreme Court decision which said a California law criminalizing drug addiction – as opposed to drug possession – was cruel and unusual punishment. The status of being a drug addict (or alcoholic, etc.) cannot be a crime.

The plaintiffs argued the city is punishing them for being involuntarily homeless (arguing it’s a state of being) and not for specific actions.
- Liberal Justice Elena Kagan noted that homelessness is a status, like drug addiction, and that “sleeping in public is kind of like breathing in public.” The other two liberal justices noted that the law targets unhoused people, not people who fall asleep while sunbathing.
The city argued that growing encampments are unhealthy and unsafe — and that there are restrictions on camp sites across the US. They say that they are not targeting the state of homelessness, just regulating behavior.
- It appears the six-seat conservative majority may be inclined to defer to local officials to determine things like homeless policy. Chief Justice John Roberts said “municipalities have competing priorities,” be it homeless shelters or lead pipes, and that cities should be able to decide what it prioritizes — not justices.
- The court’s decision is set to be released on the case in late June or early July.

THE NUMBERS
People experiencing homelessness jumped 12% from 2022-2023. Over 650,000 people in the US are unhoused on any given night – with roughly 40% of them not having adequate shelter.

NPR reports that no matter which way the justices go, homeless rates in America are not declining anytime soon: “Many places simply don't have enough shelter beds for everyone. And more importantly, they don't have nearly enough permanent, affordable housing. The city of Grants Pass is short by 4,000 housing units; nationally, the deficit is in the millions.”

📌 TRUMP’S HUSH MONEY TRIAL KICKS-OFF

Opening arguments in former President Trump’s criminal trial concluded yesterday, and both sides agree that Trump tried to influence the 2016 election — how he did it is up for interpretation.

“Hush money” payments made before the 2016 election, the prosecution said, were “election fraud.” Meanwhile, Trump’s lawyer asserted, “there is nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy.”

The prosecution is tying the case to the election — saying payments made to silence alleged infidelity should have been campaign expenses, not a legal retainer to Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen. Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up payments. He has pleaded not guilty.

HERE WE GO
An attorney from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office argued that “Trump orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election. Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over and over and over again.”

The defense argued that "Trump wanted to protect his reputation, his family and his brand. That is not a crime;" telling the jury, he had a “complete lack of knowledge.”
- Lawyers also called the prosecution’s key witnesses — Cohen and adult-film actor Stormy Daniels, who received the $130,000 payment — unreliable because they have profited from the story. Both have written books. Both are expected to take the witness stand.

TO THE STAND
The prosecution called David Pecker as the first witness yesterday and he is set to be back today. He’s the former CEO of the parent company of the National Enquirer, which bought the rights to stories without intending to publish them — called “catch-and-kill.” He allegedly helped broker the deal with Daniels.

BUT FIRST: The judge will hear prosecutors’ arguments that Trump violated a gag order by sharing links on social media that target people involved in the trial. They want him to be held in contempt of court.

🚊 LA TO VEGAS HIGH SPEED TRAIN BREAKS GROUND

The US is set to get its first true high-speed rail line, which will reach speeds of 186 mph. Brightline West — the private company building it — predicts millions of customers will board the train between the Los Angeles area and Las Vegas when construction is set to finish in 2028 (in time for the Summer Olympics in LA!).

The aim: Take the four-six hour drive between the two cities and cut it down to 2 hours.
- 🚨 But, as some LA-based Mo News members pointed out, LA traffic could still mean it takes an hour or more to reach the southern California hub in Rancho Cucamonga.

WHERE WE’RE GOING
The Biden administration has pumped billions of dollars into getting faster trains across the nation.

The five higher-speed rail projects taking shape in the US. Via: Washington Post.

In September, Brightline West’s sister company expanded service in Florida from Miami to Orlando International Airport with trains going up to 125 mph. While Amtrak’s Acela from DC to Boston can technically do up to 150 mph, it typically goes no faster than 60 mph due to 100-year old tracks. A planned upgrade to that line is delayed, and costing $$.

Behind the struggles: Massive red tape and the cost. Voters approved a line linking LA and San Francisco in 2008, but the plan tripled cost estimates (to $105 billion) and has been disrupted by routing disputes. A French company working on the California rail line said recently that it was easier to complete work in northern Africa, because it is actually less politically dysfunctional than the US.

✔︎ Mo News Reality Check: Even with the new train, the US is no where near the top fastest trains in the world (which go from 217 to 268 mph).

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Police arrest anti-Israel supporters at encampment on Yale University plaza (NBC NEWS) NYPD in riot gear arrest dozens at NYU (NY POST)

📌 Suspect arrested after break-in at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' home (ABC NEWS)

📌 Biden unveils $7 billion for rooftop solar in Earth Day message (REUTERS)

📌 Supreme Court to decide if Biden administration can regulate 'ghost guns' (USA TODAY)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Israeli military intelligence head resigns over October 7 terror attack failure (FOX NEWS)

📌 The U.K.'s plan to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda has cleared Parliament (NPR)

📌 Europe is the fastest-warming continent, at nearly twice the average rate, report says (NBC NEWS)

📌 Poland "ready" to host NATO nuclear weapons (CBS NEWS)

📌 Israel yet to offer proof UN staff in Gaza have ties to Hamas (BLOOMBERG)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Clothing store Express, a mall favorite, has filed for bankruptcy (NPR)

📌 Donald Trump set to receive $1.25 billion worth of Trump Media stock in DJT earnout bonus (CNBC)

📌 TikTok says it will fight US ban or forced sale after bill passes (GUARDIAN)

📌 The FAA will require more rest for air traffic controllers (NPR)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger face backlash after demolishing a historic home to build a mega-mansion (NY POST)

📌 Mary J. Blige, Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, A Tribe Called Quest and Foreigner get into Rock Hall (NBC NEWS)

📌 Kid Cudi breaks foot after jumping off Coachella stage (TMZ)

📌 Dominic West relates to King Charles infidelity scandal after 'The Crown' star's drama with Lily James (FOX NEWS)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: APRIL 23

1969: After the murder of politician Robert F. Kennedy, assassin Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to the death penalty. However, the sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1972 after California abolished the death penalty. He still remains in prison.
1985: The Coca-Cola Company introduced reformulated Coca-Cola, referred to as ‘New Coke.’ It was widely panned, and the previous version of Coke was brought back as “Coca-Cola Classic” less than three months later.
2004: ’13 Going on 30’ starring Jennifer Garner premiered in theaters.
2005: The first YouTube video, titled ‘Me at the zoo,’ was uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim after a visit to the San Diego Zoo.