In an effort to connect with current events off the Hill — locally, domestically, and abroad —
The Spectator
will periodically publish a news recap that seeks to inform the Hamilton community on the basics of contemporary issues.
Trump’s Lawyer arrested
On April 9, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the offices of Michael D. Cohen, the personal lawyer of President Donald Trump. While they did not specify specific charges, the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York did confirm that Cohen is under federal criminal investigation. Agents seized a variety of tax records and email correspondence, particularly those relating to Cohen’s payment to Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress with whom President Trump is alleged to have had an affair
Attack on Syria
On April 14, following a chemical weapons attack purported to have been launched by the military of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the United States, United Kingdom, and France launched military strikes targeting chemical weapons related facilities in Syria. In Douma, the city in which the attack occurred, investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons were blocked from interviewing residents and taking samples. The Organization blamed Syrian forces, while Russia, whose forces have supported the regime of President al-Assad, blamed the United Nations for the delay.
New York gubernational primary
In the New York State gubernatorial Democratic primary, Cynthia Nixon, an actress and education activist who has never held elected office, has made significant gains on incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo. While Cuomo still leads Nixon by a 58 percent to 27 percent margin, the latest polls represent a significant change from the 66 percent to 19 percent discrepancy that was reported last month. Nixon, who earned her fame as an actress on the television show
Sex and the City
, gained an endorsement this week from the Working Families Party, a small but influential progressive group.
Russian Journalist dead
Maxim Borodin, a Russian journalist who had been investigating paramilitary groups with ties to the Russian state who were active in Syria and Ukraine, died after falling five stories from his apartment balcony. While the Interior Ministry in the Sverdlovsk Region has indicated that foul play was unlikely, as the apartment was locked from the inside, many fear Borodin’s work, which put him at odds with some powerful organizations, led to his death. Borodin specifically was investigating the Wagner Group, which some have described as a private military company. The company came to the attention of the world when several of its employees were killed by a U.S. strike in Syria on Feb. 7, 2018.
Presidential South American trips
President Trump cancelled a long-awaited trip to South America this week to oversee the American response to the chemical attack in Syria. Vice President Mike Pence is currently traveling on Trump’s behalf. The main purpose of the visit to South America was to attend the eighth Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru. The trip was also set to include a stop in Bogota, Colombia.
Facebook in Congress
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg testified before several Congressional committees for close to eleven hours on a variety of topics. A significant amount of time was devoted to covering data sharing between Facebook and Cambidge Analytica, Russian election interference, and more basic questions about how Facebook functions, including about its’ business model.
A time for (official) peace
Ahead of a summit next week between North Korean premier Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-In, the leaders of both countries are preparing to declare an end to the official state of war that has existed on the peninsula since the Korean War began in 1950. While a truce was signed in 1953, an official peace treaty was never signed between the two countries, and they technically remain at war. The summit comes before talks between the North Korean leader and President Donald Trump, which is scheduled for late May or June.
