Former President Donald Trump delivers his testimony in the civil fraud trial. And WeWork, once valued at $47 million, files for bankruptcy. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023.
Donald Trump testifies in civil fraud trial
Former President Donald Trump took the stand on Monday, Nov. 6, in his $250 million civil fraud trial in New York, where he spoke out against the attorney general who is suing him, his eldest sons, and his company. He sparred with the judge at times, who warned the former president about the length and content of his answers, telling Trump, “This is not a political rally.”
During his testimony, Trump disputed the attorney general’s claims that he lied on financial statements to banks and insurers and inflated the values of his properties to get better loans and business deals.
The former president distanced himself from the financial statements at the heart of the attorney’s general case and said he would “authorize and tell people to give whatever is necessary for the accountants to do the statements,” adding that on occasion, he would have “some suggestions” about the results.
As for the financial statements themselves, Trump argued that banks “didn’t find them very relevant.”
During his roughly four hours on the stand, Trump suggested his net worth is more than what was on the statements and that the attorney’s general office undervalued his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort.
In response to his testimony, Attorney General Letitia James said Trump can engage in distractions, but the evidence supports her fraud claims.
The former president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, is scheduled to testify on Wednesday, Nov. 8. Donald Trump, the current GOP frontrunner for the 2024 presidential election, is set to take the stand again in four criminal cases next year; he, however, is not expected to be present at the third Republican presidential primary debate Wednesday, Nov. 8, in Miami.
Five candidates have qualified for that debate: former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
Voters head to polls for election day 2023
Today is Election Day in America, and while we are just under a year away from the presidential election, voters across the country will be making decisions that could impact next year’s race. Here are a few to look out for:
In Ohio, voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to protect access to abortion services. They will also vote on whether to legalize recreational marijuana for adult use.
In Virginia, all 40 state senate seats and 100 state house seats are on the ballot, which could lead to Republicans having complete control of the state government for the first time in a decade; this would give a path for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to enact his proposals on abortion, education, and other policies, as reports say the governor may be to considering late entry into the 2024 presidential race.
The major race in two states is for governor, as Republican Gov. Tate Reeves looks for a second term in Mississippi and Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear seeks another term in Kentucky.
In Texas, 17 candidates are vying to become the next mayor of Houston, and residents of Uvalde will elect a new mayor for the first time since the May 2022 school shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
Pennsylvania residents will vote to fill a vacant seat on the state supreme court, and Philadelphians will decide on a new mayor. New York’s general election has voters deciding on various races, including the New York City Council. And Colorado voters will decide on two proposals involving tax revenue.
Health Ministry: 10,000 have been killed in Gaza
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said more than 10,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its strikes on the territory following the terror attacks that left more than 1,400 dead, adding that more than 4,100 children are among the dead in Gaza.
President Biden has previously said he had no confidence in figures provided by the agency run by Hamas. Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said on Monday, Nov. 6, that the number of the dead is in the “thousands.”
On Monday, Nov. 6, the United Nations called once again for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire. With the U.N. Secretary-General saying Gaza is becoming a “graveyard for children.”
Speaking to ABC News on Monday, Nov. 6, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his stance that there would only be a cease-fire if Hamas released the 200-plus hostages.
Jury finds Colorado officer not guilty in Elijah McClain’s killing
On Monday, Nov. 7, a jury found Colorado police officer Nathan Woodyard not guilty of manslaughter in the killing of Elijah McClain, an unarmed 23-year-old Black man who died after an altercation with police in 2019.
Woodyard, who has been suspended from the force without pay since 2020, is the last of three officers to stand trial for the killing of McClain after he had been restrained using a chokehold and injected with a sedative by paramedics.
In October, a jury found Officer Randy Roedema guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault, while that same jury delivered a not guilty verdict for Officer Jason Rosenblatt, who had been charged with manslaughter and assault.
Though McClain’s killing has brought sweeping police reforms in Colorado, his death initially did not receive much attention, with local prosecutors originally not filing charges against the officers. That changed after May 2020, when George Floyd was killed at the hands of police.
The state attorney general’s office, guided by the governor, then filed charges against the three officers and two paramedics who are set to stand trial later this month.
WeWork files for bankruptcy
Late Monday, Nov. 7, WeWork, the office-sharing company, announced it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company said it intends to trim “non-operational” leases.
WeWork, which Japan’s Softbank backs, was once valued at $47 billion in 2019, the same year it attempted but failed to go public, which led to the ouster of its founder Adam Neumann.
After eventually going public two years later, at a reduced valuation of $9 billion, the company faced roadblocks with the pandemic leading to hybrid and work-from-home options.
Shares of WeWork have dropped approximately 98% this year alone.
While WeWork leases millions of square feet of office space in 777 locations across 39 countries, the bankruptcy filing affects only WeWork’s sites in the U.S. and Canada.
Gannett hires Taylor Swift reporter
There is an update on the largest newspaper chain in the country’s search for a Taylor Swift reporter. After a couple of months, Gannett has found its man.
Bryan West, a 35-year-old Emmy-winning journalist from Arizona, has now moved to Tennessee, where he began working on Monday, Nov. 7, covering all things Taylor Swift.
When the newspaper chain, which owns USA Today, announced the job opening in September, it was met with criticism from some journalists who called the role a fan position and one that took away jobs from other reporters after the company made significant cuts last year.
Michael A. Anastasi, Gannett’s vice president of local news and the Editor of The Tennessean, told Variety this move is part of the company’s “transformation strategy” to better serve all its communities in the future.
West said he’ll have fun with the role while also focusing on Taylor Swift’s impact on society and the music industry. Gannett is still searching for a Beyoncé reporter.