Will Trump be Arrested?
It began with Trump stating Friday on Truth Social that he was going to be arrested on Tuesday (3/21). It was not a formal notice but obtained from purported leaks from NY DA Alvin Bragg’s office. Bragg apparently received enough pushback that he responded saying his office would not be intimidated. A new witness, former NY Mayor Giuliani’s attorney Robert Costello, testified on Monday about the veracity of former Trump attorney and lynch pin in this case, Michael Cohen. Details of his testimony have not been made available as yet. The testimony likely played a role in delaying the case.
Prominent Republicans in DC, including Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have chastised Bragg’s ‘political investigation’ and are pursuing an investigation of Bragg’s office.
While the initial claim was an arrest was to be made Tuesday, it appears unlikely now that will happen, but Trump could be indicted sometime this week. Will Trump be the first US President ever to be arrested?
Who Pays for Bank Bailouts?
This is the fundamental question - who ends up paying for all the depositors in these failed banks? The FDIC is the federal government, which is ultimately the taxpayer, and covers up to $250,000 in deposits. But over 80% of the deposits in Silicon Valley Bank, the catalyst of this crisis, were above the FDIC limits. However, the Biden Administration has signaled that it and all other banks will have their deposits covered. Per the linked article, this means that $18T of deposits are to be insured. Might this require printing money and exacerbating inflation even further?
ESG: Good or Bad?
The Idaho State Treasurer, Julie Ellsworth, has been a strong opponent of Environmental Social Governance (ESG). ESG is a means of rating companies on how they impact the environment (through emissions, for example), how they treat their employees, and how they are managed (executive pay, donations, diversity). The ranking may have good intentions, argues Ellsworth, but there is no objective standard or body that defines these terms.
There are 3 bills that Ellsworth is promoting that would limit the use of ESG in Idaho. These are House Bills 189, 190, and 191. All three bills passed the House with large majorities but only 191, which directly prohibits the State from using ESG in deciding contracts, has made its way through the Senate and is on its way to the Governor.
Are Abortion Laws Causing Maternity Care to Suffer?
Bonner General Hospital announced on Friday that they will discontinue Obstetrical services in May. They cite the loss of Pediatrician coverage, a decrease in births, and specifically call out the Idaho Legislature for introducing and passing bills that pose possible criminal prosecution of physicians providing ‘standard care’. Others have suggested that vaccine mandates and masking policies have seen an exodus of healthcare workers in general.
Legislation Crunch Time
This was supposed to be the last week of the legislative session, however, many bills and appropriations are still working through the system. The following is an update on prominent bills after Monday’s activity:
HB292: Property tax relief passed the Senate and is on the way to the Governor for signing.
HB 24: The ‘Launch’ bill providing $8500 to high school graduates will be read in the Senate. If it passes the Senate, it will certainly be signed by the Governor.
HB 334: This is the Medicaid budget provided by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC). It was narrowly rejected by the House and will now return to JFAC for revision. This practically guarantees that the legislature will not be finished this week.
HB 138: This bill sailed through the House until IDGOP Chair Dorothy Moon took exception to moving the primary date back to May (from March). It is now awaiting a hearing on the Senate floor.
HB 314: AKA the ‘Library’ bill passed the House. This would prohibit certain materials from being made available to minors. Germane to this bill was a hearing before the Ada County Commissioners Monday evening as to whether a measure will appear on the November ballot to dissolve the Meridian Library over the matter of inappropriate materials being accessible to minors.
SB 1161: This Education Savings Account (ESA) bill followed an earlier bill (SB 1038) which died on the Senate floor. This bill has passed the Senate and on Monday, it was moved to the House Education committee.
Democrat Debrief
Items addressed by the legislature this week:
Support education budget being approved and passed
Support property tax relief with one significant concern - the ‘poison pill’ that would eliminate the March election that schools need for bonds
Support grants for parks improvement, water treatment and other infrastructure project
Concern for childcare grants not funded yet but hopeful that will change this next week