Fani Willis had a make-or-break day—and Aaron Rodgers has some thoughts on...buildings

 

Support our nonprofit journalism

March 15, 2024 Let's start with the biggest news of the day. Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who came under intense scrutiny, as well as racist and sexist attacks, over her romantic relationship with a top deputy, can continue to oversee the Georgia criminal prosecution of Donald Trump—as long as the former romantic partner steps aside. My colleague Pema Levy reports on Judge Scott McAfee's ruling today, which rejected allegations that the affair created "an actual conflict of interest" to support calls for Willis' removal. (McAfee said the relationship did establish an "appearance of impropriety.") Willis has yet to comment on the decision but it seems likely she'll accept the terms; stepping down herself would essentially kill the case against Trump. What exactly is the case, again? I don't blame you if you need a refresher. Here's Pema with the key context: Willis had spent three years building her case against Trump. It began shortly after Trump’s infamous phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in January 2021, in which Trump demanded that Raffensperger find the votes Trump needed to eek out a win in the state. A special grand jury heard testimony for six months before recommending indictments. Willis then brought the case to a different grand jury that, last August, handed up a massive racketeering indictment against Trump and 18 co-defendants. Four have since pleaded guilty.  Ah, right! This is the case with all the mug shots. Gotcha.  Moving on, my colleague Tim Murphy has a must-read post on one of the few athletes I know by name: Aaron Rodgers. He, of Shailene Woodley romantic partner fame, was in the news this week for two reasons. First, Rodgers is reportedly being considered for the role of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate. CNN also reported on his alleged history of telling people that the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting was staged. These are two repulsive reasons to be in the headlines. But Tim reports on the little-noticed theory Rodgers pushed this week while attempting to clean up those Sandy Hook allegations. Enjoy. —Inae Oh

Advertisement

Fani Willis Can Remain in Charge of Trump Prosecution in Georgia A judge rejected the effort to disqualify the Fulton County DA—so long as prosecutor Nathan Wade steps down. BY PEMA LEVY

MOJO MUST-LISTENS BY REVEAL Mother Jones and The Center for Investigative Reporting have joined forces! Subscribe to the Reveal podcast for in-depth investigative journalism at its finest. Each episode brings to light untold stories and critical issues, with meticulous research and compelling storytelling. Stay informed and engaged with the world around you. Subscribe today and never miss an episode of Reveal, where truth and storytelling meet.

Justice Ginsburg's family decries bestowing RBG award on Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch BY DAVID CORN AND ALI BRELAND The Crumbleys have been convicted. Black parents will likely pay a price, too. BY NIA T. EVANS It’s not just Sandy Hook. Aaron Rodgers has some very strange thoughts about...buildings. BY TIM MURPHY New EPA rule cracks down on toxic chemical that sterilizes medical equipment BY LYLLA YOUNES excerpt:  Ethylene oxide emissions from the warehouses where medical equipment is stored after sterilization are a growing concern. After fumigation, these items can carry traces of the chemical that evaporate for days or weeks afterward. Officials in Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division found that this off-gassing can create substantial concentrations of the chemical in the air, and a recent Grist investigation revealed that dozens of workers at one warehouse in Lithia Springs experienced nausea, headaches, rashes, and seizures after being exposed to these fumes on the job. The EPA’s new regulations do not cover such emissions, an omission Brown called “unfortunate.”  “There’s still a lot more work to be done,” he said of the new rule. “But this is a good step in terms of stricter emission controls and new emission controls that did not exist before.”

Advertisement

"They would throw me into a cage and treat me like an animal." What Alaska foster kids were up against inside Universal Health Services facilities. AS TOLD TO JULIA LURIE

MOTHER JONES MEMBERSHIP UPDATE An important update on our finances We’re falling behind our online fundraising goals—and we can’t sustain coming up short on donations month after month. It is impossibly hard in the news business right now, and the crisis facing journalism and democracy isn’t going away anytime soon.   Neither is Mother Jones. Which is exactly why, despite the challenges we face, we just took a big gulp and joined forces with the Center for Investigative Reporting, which creates the amazing podcast and public radio show Reveal and other investigative projects.   It’s going to be hard making it all work, and we simply can’t afford to fall behind our fundraising targets month after month. If you can part with even just a few bucks, please support Mother Jones and investigative journalism with an urgently needed donation today. And thank you so much to everyone who recently has. We’re grateful. Donate

Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by forwarding it to a friend or sharing it on Facebook and Twitter.

Donate Donate Monthly Subscribe www.MotherJones.com PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755