January 1, U.S. Appeals Court Orders Judge to Dismiss Case Against Former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn

This Day in History | 1876

Native American forces led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeat the U.S. Army troops of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in the Battle of the Little Bighorn near southern Montana’s Little Bighorn River.

Good morning Middle Americans, 

Gen. Michael Flynn is basically a free man this morning after the Washington D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals told the federal judge presiding over Flynn’s case, Emmett Sullivan, to drop the charges against Flynn, as the Department of Justice suggested. Where does Flynn goe from here? That’s a good question. 

While it appears there was no noose found in Bubba Wallace’s garage, the State Department is also warning that White Supremacy is on the rise, not only here in the U.S., but also across Europe. Sec. Pompeo also issued a revised warning about ISIS. Despite the fall of the Caliphate, and the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakar Al Baghdadi, the threat has not been eliminated.  ISIS’s influence remains a problem, and has continued to spread from Iraq and Syria to northern Africa and even into Asia. 

Here’s a sign of the times. A semi-pro soccer team in Tulsa Oklahoma is going to start playing “This Land Is Your Land” instead of “The Star Spangled Banner”. I’m sure most of you understand the significance of the change. But in case you don’t, one is a song about the U.S. flag weathering an assault by the British during the War of 1812. The other is a song about a communist utopia. 

You’ll never guess which American car company finished last, when it comes to reliability? Tesla. Yep. Tesla. As cool as those electric cars may be, they don’t seem to live up to the hype. At least according to a new quality survey from the folks a J.D. Power. Hat tip to [checks notes]  Dodge for taking the number one ‘quality’ American car maker. 

Read all about it. 

-Fraser Dixon

U.S. Appeals Court Orders Judge to Dismiss Case Against Former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn

(CNBC) – A federal appeals court Wednesday ordered a judge to dismiss the charge against President Donald Trump’s former national security advisor Michael Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents.

The 2-1 ruling by the panel of appellate judges stressed the power of the Department of Justice, which has sought to drop its prosecution of Flynn, to make criminal charging decisions given its status as part of the executive branch.

The ruling came in response to a request for a so-called writ of mandamus, or judicial directive, from Flynn’s lawyers.

The defense attorneys asked the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit after the trial judge did not promptly grant the Justice Department’s highly unusual motion to dismiss the case.

Instead, Judge Emmet Sullivan appointed a lawyer, former federal judge John Gleeson, to make arguments to him about why the case should not be tossed out. Sullivan also said he would consider arguments for or against the dismissal request from third parties not connected to the case.

Appeals court Judge Neomi Rao, in the decision for the majority Wednesday, wrote that the case is about whether a trial court judge can prolong a criminal case and appoint a so-called friend of the court such as Gleeson as a legal advisor after prosecutors have “explained why a prosecution is no longer in the public interest.””On that, both the Constitution and prior legal cases are clear: he may not,” wrote Rao, who was appointed by Trump.

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White Supremacist Terrorism ‘On the Rise and Spreading,’ State Dept. Says in New Report

(ABC News) – The threat of racially or ethnically motivated terrorism, especially white supremacist terrorism, is “on the rise and spreading geographically,” according to a new report by the State Department, as the threat from ISIS and other radical Islamist terror groups evolves.

The annual report, released Wednesday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, details by country and terror organization the threats emanating around the world.

While 2019 saw some banner accomplishments in counter terrorism, according to Pompeo, like the killing of ISIS’s founding leader and the fall of its caliphate, the threat of terrorism has morphed and expanded to new regions, especially the Sahel in northern Africa.

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Tesla Ranks Dead Last in Latest Auto Quality Survey

(NBC News) – Dodge became the first U.S. brand to nab the number one spot in the latest annual quality survey from J.D. Power — with Tesla ranking dead last.

The California-based automaker scored worst out of all 32 brands covered by the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, which measures the problems motorists face during the first 90 days of ownership. With an average 250 problems per 100 vehicles — or 250 PP100, as Power terms it — its owners reported nearly twice as many issues as did those buying Dodge models.

That poor showing echoes widespread concern about quality problems that have long nagged Tesla, and comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed it is investigating a problem that can cause the touchscreens on 63,000 Model S sedans to fail. Those screens are used to operate a variety of vehicle functions, including climate control.

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For Tulsa Soccer Team, “The Star Spangled Banner” is Out – “This Land is Your Land” Is In

(KJRH) – Tulsa Athletic team announced they are changing the opening song at all home matches to ensure an inclusive environment for athletes, supporters and the community.

Tulsa Athletic is a part of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and an American soccer team in Tulsa. Tulsa Athletic plays in the NPSL’s Heartland Conference and plays all home matches at Veterans Park in Tulsa.

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