April 17, 2004

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-LEFT LEANING SOURCES

ABC7
— Trump hush money criminal trial day 2 adjourns after 7 jurors are chosen; 11 more still needed – AP
https://abc7chicago.com/former-president-donald-trump-returns-to-court-after-first-day-of-his-hush-money-criminal-trial-ended-with-no-jurors-picked/14675030/
— Here’s what we know about first 7 jurors seated in Trump’s hush money criminal trial – Peter Charalambous and Lucien Bruggeman (COMMENT: They all were asked where do they get their news from. Thank you for getting your Illinois government/political news/commentary from GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. What do you say to my critics/opponents who crow that they do not read my newsletters? What do you say to my critics/opponents who discourage everyone from reading my newsletters?)
https://abc7chicago.com/donald-trump-new-york-hush-money-trial-jurors-heres-what-we-know-about-first-7-jurors-seated-in-trumps-nyc-criminal/14676970/
— Historic impeachment articles against Alejandro Mayorkas sent to Senate; Will there be a full trial? – Lauren Peller and Alexandra Hutzler
https://abc7chicago.com/alejandro-mayorkas-impeachment-charges-house-speaker-mike-johnson-immigration-laws/14674100/

NBC5
— Naperville schools lock down, residents asked to shelter in place after shooting
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/naperville-schools-lock-down-residents-asked-to-shelter-in-place-after-shooting/3412440/
— As cases surge, volunteer ‘child advocates’ needed in Kane County
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/as-cases-surge-volunteer-child-advocates-needed-in-kane-county/3412424/

CBS2
— Chicago officials want more local organizations to manage city’s 18 migrant shelters – Sabrina Franza
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-migrant-shelter-changes/

FOX32
— Chicago Teachers Union reveals contract demands
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTi-53DrdnE
— Chicago students receive college assistance from Chick-fil-A (COMMENT: What college assistance did your receive from your employers? I received none except for a token $100 per course from GAO for the 14 graduate evening financial markets and trading courses that I took at IIT 1992-1997.)
https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/chicago-students-college-assistance-chickfila

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
— First 7 jurors are chosen for Trump’s hush money criminal trial; 11 more still needed – AP
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/16/trump-hush-money-trial-day-2/
— NPR suspends editor who criticized his employer for what he calls an unquestioned liberal worldview – AP (COMMENT: To retaliate against me for my complaining about their political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination, my Democrat superiors in the federal government wasted my career and forced me retire in 1997 when I was 49 years old.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/16/npr-suspends-editor-who-criticized-his-employer-for-what-he-calls-an-unquestioned-liberal-worldview/
— Oberweis Dairy files for bankruptcy after failing to find a buyer – ROBERT CHANNICK (COMMENT: I should write a book about Republican candidates who ran against Oberweis and their political consultants, major donors, fundraisers, pollsters, campaign managers, campaign staff members, and campaign volunteers who blamed me the most and who blamed my GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters the most for their problems and for Oberweis’ problems. I would focus on those who took the most/biggest adverse actions against me. I would focus on those a) who unsuccessfully tried to get the Illinois Center Right Coalition (ICRC) to censure me in 2006, b) who successfully threw me off the ICRC Steering Committee in 2007, c) who ended my TAPROOT Republicans of Illinois chairmanship in 2012, and d) who ended my role as the Republican fundraiser for Wheaton Independence Day parades and fireworks in 2021. Oberweis ran for U.S. Senate in 2002, 2004, and 2014; Illinois Governor in 2006; U.S. Congress in 2008 and 2020; and Illinois Senate in 2012 and 2016.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/15/oberweis-dairy-bankruptcy/
— Oberweis Dairy notifies state of potential layoffs as part of bankruptcy filing. – ROBERT CHANNICK
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/16/oberweis-dairy-layoffs-bankruptcy/
— Lawsuit alleging rampant racism at Chicago Water Department cleared for trial. – JASON MEISNER (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran the federal government for almost 30 years, they ever-increasingly discriminated against their few remaining Republican employees, and especially against those like me who were conservative, White, male, older, non-veteran, Protestant, German American, and/or had ancestors who had been in America for a long time.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/16/lawsuit-alleging-rampant-racism-at-chicago-water-department-cleared-for-trial/
— Chicago police problems start with poor hiring and training – Paul Vallas (COMMENT: While I worked for the Democrats who ran GAO’s Chicago office 1980-1997, all those who they hired and/or promoted over me were Democrats who a) had less work experience than I had, b) had less education than I had, c) had no professional certifications or fewer than I had, and/or d) had no professional license like the one I had. Overwhelmingly, they were minority, female, and/or younger than me.)
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/17/opinion-police-training-dexter-reed-shooting/

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
— CTU seeking most ‘ambitious’ demands ever in new contract, wants bargaining done in public. The current contract expires this summer. On top of raises for staff, the union wants help for unhoused students and more dual-language education. – Sarah Karp
https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2024/04/16/chicago-teachers-union-has-ambitious-goals-for-new-contract
— Oberweis Dairy plans to close plant, lay off 127 workers. The company, known for its ice cream stores and milk packaged in glass bottles, recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. – Amy Yee
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024/04/16/oberweis-dairy-plans-close-plant-layoff-127-workers
— Antisemitic acts in Illinois and nation at worst levels ever, Anti-Defamation League says – David Struett
https://chicago.suntimes.com/religion/2024/04/16/antisemitism-anti-defamation-league
— Many Chicago Public Schools students struggle with illiteracy. The consequences are devastating. – Taal Hasak-Lowy
https://chicago.suntimes.com/other-views/2024/04/15/reading-literacy-low-income-chicago-students-illiteracy-high-dosage-tutoring-taal-hasak-lowy-op-ed
— Shooting in Naperville leaves 1 wounded, prompts school lockdowns. Officers responded about 1:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of Leach Drive, where they found one person with a gunshot wound. The assailant fled on foot.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2024/04/16/shooting-in-naperville-leaves-1-wounded-prompts-school-lockdowns

DAILY HERALD
— Oberweis Dairy laying off workers after filing for bankruptcy – Susan Sarkauskas
https://www.dailyherald.com/20240416/business/oberweis-dairy-laying-off-workers-after-filing-for-bankruptcy/
— Only 1 in 3 U.S. adults think Trump acted illegally in New York hush money case
https://www.dailyherald.com/20240416/nation-and-world-politics/only-1-in-3-u-s-adults-think-trump-acted-illegally-in-new-york-hush-money-case-ap-norc-poll-shows/

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS
— Oberweis Dairy to lay off workers following bankruptcy filing – Corli Jay
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/retail/oberweis-dairy-lay-workers-following-bankruptcy-filing
— How Oberweis Dairy wound up in bankruptcy court
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/retail/oberweis-dairy-bankruptcy-filing-lays-out-companys-troubles

SPRINGFIELD STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
— New data shows nearly every Illinois county see a decrease in population from 2020-2023 – Claire Grant
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2024/04/15/census-data-illinois-sees-another-drop-in-population-from-2020-2023/73165712007/

CHAMPAIGN/URBANA NEWS GAZETTE
— Biden visits his Pennsylvania hometown to call for more taxes on the rich and cast Trump as elitist – AP
https://www.news-gazette.com/news/nation-world/biden-visits-his-pennsylvania-hometown-to-call-for-more-taxes-on-the-rich-and-cast/article_52159cbd-7e9c-517b-87ab-33e62ed7e2ba.html

CENTRAL ILLINOIS PROUD
— Democrats say “Trump looks to weed out jurors over political social media posts.” (COMMENT: They all were asked where do they get their news from. Thank you for getting your Illinois government/political news/commentary from GOPUSA ILLINOIS newsletters. What do you say to my critics/opponents who crow that they do not read my newsletters? What do you say to my critics/opponents who discourage everyone from reading my newsletters?)
https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/hill-politics/trump-looks-to-weed-out-jurors-over-political-social-media-posts/

WQAD
— American public divided on Trump’s political future amidst hush money case
https://www.wqad.com/video/news/national/american-public-divided-on-trumps-political-future-amidst-hush-money-case/526-e3e46d62-dc05-4cf6-81fb-c103375f5c82

FOX ILLINOIS
— Hush money trial the first of several politically charged cases involving Trump – AUSTIN DENEAN
https://foxillinois.com/news/beyond-the-podium/hush-money-trial-first-of-several-politically-charged-cases-involving-former-president-donald-trump-gag-order-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-2024-election

KFVS
— IL House passes banning discrimination based on reproductive health decisions (COMMENT: I should write a book about my Democrat GAO superiors who punished me the most because a) my wife and I gave up trying to have children without trying IVF, b) we did not adopt, and c) we did not become foster parents.)
https://www.kfvs12.com/2024/04/17/il-house-passes-banning-discrimination-based-reproductive-health-decisions/

BLOCK CLUB CHICAGO
— Democrats ever-increasingly push more pot.
https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/04/16/how-to-celebrate-4-20-in-chicago-a-cannabis-carnival-dank-deals-and-more/

CWB CHICAGO
— Target’s anti-shoplifting camera program is illegal, attorneys claim, seeking $1K to $5K damages per visit for Illinois customers
https://cwbchicago.com/2024/04/targets-anti-shoplifting-camera-program-is-illegal-attorneys-claim-seeking-1k-to-5k-damages-per-visit-for-illinois-customers.html

POLITICO ILLINOIS
— National Democratic Party leaders visiting Chicago hammered home a message Tuesday: It’s time to brag about President Joe Biden’s accomplishments. – SHIA KAPOS (COMMENT: Democrats have had great success promoting poverty, crime, dependency on government and charity, LGBTQ, abortion, illegal immigration, booze, gambling, pot, and other vices, diminishment of Second Amendment rights, patronage, political affiliation discrimination, reverse discrimination, and age discrimination.)
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/illinois-playbook/2024/04/17/dems-say-we-should-be-bragging-00152728

CAPITOL FAX
— Afternoon roundup
https://capitolfax.com/2024/04/16/isabel%e2%80%99s-afternoon-roundup-71/

FROM ILLINOIS CENTER-RIGHT LEANING SOURCES

DUPAGE POLICY JOURNAL
— Democrats on Downers Grove Village Council vote to remove sole Republican library board member, Bill Nienburg
https://dupagepolicyjournal.com/stories/657766629-democrats-on-downers-grove-village-council-vote-to-remove-sole-republican-library-board-member-bill-nienburg

JOHN KASS
— Dexter Reed as Media Alchemists Build a Martyr
https://johnkassnews.com/dexter-reed-and-the-media-alchemists/

CENTER SQUARE ILLINOIS
— Illinois legislator pushes to end ‘ageist’ mandatory driving tests for seniors – Catrina Petersen
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_34ebc808-fc40-11ee-9a07-9705cc355d8d.html
— ADL: Chants of ‘death to America’ telegraphs troubling protests ahead of DNC – Greg Bishop
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_e391fbce-fc19-11ee-9275-9393ef143e53.html
— Illinois Senate measure allowing police to address squatters advances – Greg Bishop
https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_ad7295f8-fc3c-11ee-9047-93a22ddbe386.html

MCHENRY COUNTY BLOG
— State Elections Board Calls for Removal of Personal Voter Information Published by McHenry Times and Other Internet Publications
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/17/state-elections-board-calls-for-removal-of-personal-voter-information-published-by-mchenry-times-and-other-internet-publications/
— Syverson Bill to Catalogue Job Training Programs Heads to House
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/17/syverson-bill-to-catelogue-job-training-programs-heads-to-house/
— Pritzker Asks Legislature to “Trust Me” Yet Again
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/17/pritzker-asks-legislature-to-trust-me-yet-again/
— Mahady v. Reick Financial Stats: $19,300 v. $23,300
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/17/mahady-v-reick-financial-stats-19300-v-23300/
— NPR Critique Raises Hackles of Whistle Blower’s Bosses
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/17/npr-critique-raises-hackles-of-whistle-blowers-bosses/
— IL-11: Jerry Evans Reports First Quarter Fundraising Results
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/16/fecq1/
— Pro-Hamas Protests: Florida v. Illinois
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/16/pro-hamas-protests-florida-v-illinois/
— Academic Study Backs McLaughlin Position on Eliminating Grocery Sales Tax Without Reimbursing Municipalities
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/16/academic-study-backs-mclaughlin-position-on-eliminating-grocery-sales-tax-without-reimbursing-municipalities/
–LaHood Reports Big Bucks in Campaign Fund
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/16/lahood-reports-big-bucks-in-campaign-fund/
— Feds Go After Thornton Township Supervisor/Dalton Mayor Patronage Worker in “Ongoing Federal Investigation”
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/16/feds-go-after-thorton-township-supervisor-dalton-mayor-patronage-worker-in-ongoing-federal-investigation/
— Legislators, AARP Roll Out Driving Statistics for Those over 75 Years Old Showing Them More Safe That for Younger Motorists
https://mchenrycountyblog.com/2024/04/17/legislators-aarp-roll-out-driving-statistics-for-those-over-75-years-old-showing-them-more-safe-that-for-younger-motorists/

WIREPOINTS
— Illinois education officials keep trying to hide their failures behind excuse of “higher test standards” – Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
https://wirepoints.org/illinois-education-officials-keep-trying-to-hide-their-failures-behind-excuse-of-higher-test-standards-wirepoints/
— Wilmette protects government speech…but not free speech.
https://wirepoints.org/wilmette-protects-government-speech-but-not-free-speech-wirepoints-on-am-560-chicagos-morning-answer/

ILLINOIS REVIEW
— Chicago Cubs Co-Owner, Former Trump RNC Finance Chair Todd Ricketts Endorses Dr. Eric Wallace for Cook County GOP Chairman (COMMENT: Wallace is challenging incumbent Sean Morrison. Who are the candidates running to serve as the chairman of your Republican county party organization?)
https://www.illinoisreview.com/illinoisreview/2024/04/exclusive-chicago-cubs-co-owner-former-trump-rnc-finance-chair-todd-ricketts-endorses-dr-eric-wallace-for-cook-county-gop-chairman.html

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-RIGHT LEANING SOURCES

WASHINGTON TIMES
— DHS is monitoring 617,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records – Stephen Dinan
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/apr/16/dhs-is-monitoring-617000-illegal-immigrants-with-c/
— Mayorkas feuds with GOP as Senate begins long-delayed impeachment – Ramsey Touchberry and Stephen Dinan
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/apr/16/alejandro-mayorkas-feuds-with-gop-as-senate-begins/

NEW YORK POST
— Anti-Israel protesters are disrupting our way of life and have to stop causing chaos – Paul du Quenoy
https://nypost.com/2024/04/16/opinion/anti-israel-protesters-are-disrupting-our-way-of-life-and-have-to-stop-causing-chaos/

AMAC
— Illegals Instructed To Vote Biden For Border NGO To ‘Stay Open’
https://amac.us/newsline/elections/illegals-instructed-to-vote-biden-for-border-ngo-to-stay-open/

AMERICAN GREATNESS
— The Teachers’ Unions Are More Political than Ever. They still may advocate for teachers, but politicking is now their main focus. – Larry Sand
https://amgreatness.com/2024/04/17/the-teachers-unions-are-more-political-than-ever/

AMERICAN THINKER
— Can Chicago protect the people going to the convention? – Silvio Canto, Jr.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/04/can_chicago_protect_the_people_going_to_the_convention.html
— The Deep State’s Accelerating Attacks On Trump Show A Consciousness Of Guilt – Ron Wright
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/04/the_deep_state_s_accelerating_attacks_on_trump_show_a_consciousness_of_guilt.html
— Stormy double standard – Michael Letts
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2024/04/stormy_double_standard.html
— Hamas Wants The Land of Israel, But It Also Wants Much More Than That – Sha’i ben-Tekoa
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/04/hamas_wants_the_land_of_israel_but_it_also_wants_much_more_than_that.html
— Karl Marx Conquers American Medicine – John Dale Dunn, M.D.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/04/karl_marx_conquers_american_medicine.html

AMERICAN WIRE NEWS
— Over 1,000 mostly male, military age African migrants flood NYC City Hall to demand better perks – Tom Tillison (COMMENT: What perks did your ancestors get when they immigrated?)
https://americanwirenews.com/over-10000-mostly-male-military-age-african-migrants-flood-nyc-city-hall-to-demand-better-perks/

AMERICAN MILITARY NEWS
— 1,300 illegal immigrants swarm NYC’s City Hall (COMMENT: New York City today, your municipality tomorrow.)
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2024/04/videos-1300-illegal-immigrants-swarm-nycs-city-hall/

BLAZE
— Gov. Whitmer proposes $8M for attorneys for asylum-seeking immigrants, 97% of whom are reportedly in the US illegally – CORTNEY WEIL
https://www.theblaze.com/news/gov-whitmer-proposes-8m-for-attorneys-for-asylum-seeking-immigrants-97-of-whom-are-reportedly-in-the-us-illegally

DAILY SIGNAL
— After Discovery of ‘Vote for Biden’ Flyers in Mexico, Mayorkas Can’t Say How to Stop Illegal Aliens From Voting – Fred Lucas
https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/04/16/after-discovery-of-vote-for-biden-flyers-in-mexico-mayorkas-cant-say-how-to-stop-illegal-aliens-from-voting/

FOX NEWS
— Dem Chicago alderman warns ‘we are not taking care of our own’ as city approves $70M for migrants. $70M request comes after Mayor Brandon Johnson’s initial $150M allocation for migrant funding. – Stephen Sorace
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-chicago-alderman-warns-we-are-not-taking-care-our-own-city-approves-70m-migrants
— Denver mayor boasts ‘shared sacrifice’ is required to make city ‘welcoming’ for migrants. Denver slashed nearly $46 million from their budget last week to deal with spiraling migrant crisis. – Kristine Parks
https://www.foxnews.com/media/denver-mayor-boasts-shared-sacrifice-required-make-city-welcoming-migrants
— The left is using a tactic that would make Putin proud. Ingraham says liberals only allow one mindset.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/laura-ingraham-left-using-tactic-would-make-putin-proud

MRC TV
— Illegal Aliens Rally Outside NYC City Hall, Demanding Housing & Jobs – BRITTANY M. HUGHES (COMMENT: New York City today, your municipality tomorrow.)
https://www.mrctv.org/blog/brittany-m-hughes/illegal-aliens-rally-outside-nyc-city-hall-demanding-housing-jobs

NEWSMAX
— Illegals a Net Drain on, Not a Boost for, US Economy – Michael Busler
https://www.newsmax.com/finance/michaelbusler/illegal-migrant-immigrant/2024/04/16/id/1161205/

PJ MEDIA
— NGOs in Mexico Are Encouraging Illegals to Vote for Biden – KEVIN DOWNEY JR.
https://pjmedia.com/kevindowneyjr/2024/04/16/flyers-in-mexico-encourage-illegals-to-vote-for-biden-n4928214

POST MILLENNIAL
— California moves to create ‘genealogy office’ to determine who gets reparations. Reparations would be limited to “descendants of a free Black person living in the United States prior to the end of the 19th century.” – Jarryd Jaeger
https://thepostmillennial.com/california-moves-to-create-geneology-office-to-determine-who-gets-reparations

WESTERN JOURNAL
— Hundreds of African Immigrants Flock to NY City Hall to Complain That Living Conditions Are ‘Not What They Were Expecting’ – Michael Schwarz (COMMENT: New York City today, your municipality tomorrow.)
https://www.westernjournal.com/hundreds-african-immigrants-flock-ny-city-hall-complain-living-conditions-not-expecting/

FROM NATIONAL CENTER-LEFT LEANING SOURCES

NEW YORK TIMES
— New Migrants Get Work Permits. Other Undocumented Immigrants Want Them, Too. – Miriam Jordan and Lydia DePillis (COMMENT: Anticipate/expect that Democrat and RINO employers will ever-increasingly replace their employees who are citizens of America with illegals.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/15/us/migrants-work-permits-undocumented.html

MSN
— Illegal immigration toll on taxpayers hits $150 billion
https://www.msn.com/en-sg/entertainment/news/illegal-immigration-toll-on-taxpayers-hits-150-billion/ar-BB1lIrAT

YAHOO
— Democrat and RINO leaders complain about “The mountain of paperwork to apply for asylum.” I should write about the paperwork that was required for my ancestors to immigrate legally and to become citizens.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mountain-paperwork-apply-asylum-221310542.html

CITY COUNTY OBSERVER
— Republican Assembly of Indiana Southwest Endorses A Slate Of 20 Candidates For Precinct Committeemen (COMMENT: I am in the process of hand-delivering the results of the March 19, 2024 Republican primary election to each of the Republican homes in my DuPage County Milton Township Precinct 59 in Wheaton in which at least one voted in the election.) .
https://city-countyobserver.com/rains-endorsement-a-slate-of-20-candidates-for-precinct-committeemen/

WABASH VALLEY
— $1B in medical debt could be wiped for Illinoisans under proposed statewide program – Theodora Koulouvaris (COMMENT: What has helped you avoid medical debt? For me, it has been my always having health insurance. Because always having health insurance has always been a top priority for me, I have taken and kept many bad jobs that my critics/opponents, their operatives, and their dupes would never stoop to take.)
https://www.mywabashvalley.com/illinois-capitol-news/1b-in-medical-debt-could-be-wiped-for-illinoisans-under-proposed-statewide-program/
(FROM THE ARTICLE: Hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois could see their medical debt eliminated. . .About 100 million people across the country are burdened with medical debt. In Illinois, around 14 percent of the state’s population has medical debt in collections. . .A plan included in the proposed budget aims to tackle those expensive medical bills. For the upcoming fiscal year, the proposed budget would set aside $10 million to get rid of $1 billion in medical debt for nearly 340,000 low income people. It would be part of a four year plan to wipe $4 billion in medical debt for more than one million people in Illinois. . .A program like the one the governor proposed in his budget is already in place in Cook County. They’ve been able to get rid of nearly $350 million in medical debt for about 200,000 people.)

POLITICO
— On Day 2, Trump met some of his jurors. His lawyers met their social media accounts. – ERICA ORDEN
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/16/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-selection-day-two-00152704
(FROM THE ARTICLE: In a fitting move for a defendant whose public persona has been crafted in large part by his social media behavior, Trump’s lawyers have mined the depths of prospective jurors’ social media accounts for potential signs of bias in their years-old comments and memes. Several of them were cut on Tuesday after the judge examined their prior posts. Merchan dismissed one man after Trump lawyer Todd Blanche presented a social media post in which the juror wrote, “Good news!! Trump lost his court battle on his unlawful travel ban!!!” along with a suggestion to “lock him up.” In other instances, however, Merchan refused Blanche’s effort to kick off certain prospective jurors, including one whose husband shared a post suggesting that the comic book team “The Avengers” unite against Trump. Though Trump himself said little during the day’s events, he earned himself his first reprimand from Merchan. “Your client was audibly uttering something,” Merchan told Blanche after he had finished questioning a prospective juror. “I won’t tolerate that,” Merchan said. “I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear.” Merchan instructed Blanche to tell Trump to stop his antics. As Merchan spoke, Trump sat slumped in his seat, as though he were sitting in a lounge chair.)