Legal scholar breaks down Trump criminal referrals

+ a year of environmental disasters US Edition - Today's top story: What the criminal referral of Trump means – a constitutional law expert explains the Jan. 6 committee action [View in browser]( US Edition | 20 December 2022 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot launched its live hearings in June 2022 with dramatic visuals and quick soundbites that appeared to be a better fit for Hollywood than C-SPAN. So it seemed appropriate that the committee wrapped up its work last night with the flair of an Aaron Sorkin-produced television drama. The bipartisan committee recommended that the Department of Justice charge former president Donald Trump with at least four crimes, including conspiring to defraud the U.S. “This is HISTORY!” a colleague wrote to me as we were quickly working to get our story live. But as constitutional scholar Margaret M. Russell explains, [making history only scratches the surface of what these criminal referrals mean](. “I think it makes a strong argument in the public sphere for the prosecution of Trump, which is what a lot of people have been waiting for,” she writes. “It doesn’t guarantee a prosecution, but it spells out – I think meticulously – why Trump is included in this and at the forefront.” Also today: - [Everything you need to know about the shortest day of the year]( - [Why Americans’ personal savings rate is near an all-time low]( - [A deep dive into Black mermaid fiction]( Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor The Jan. 6 House Committee announced four recommended charges against Donald Trump, including conspiracy to defraud the US. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images [What the criminal referral of Trump means – a constitutional law expert explains the Jan. 6 committee action]( Margaret M. Russell, Santa Clara University The House Committee’s criminal referrals show that the proceedings are not just about a historical record – they argue that Trump should be held accountable for four criminal charges. Politics + Society - [Even if Jan. 6 referrals turn into criminal charges – or convictions – Trump will still be able to run in 2024 and serve as president if elected]( Stefanie Lindquist, Arizona State University A House panel made four criminal referrals in relation to Donald Trump’s alleged role in the attack on the Capitol. Convictions might make him an unpalatable candidate but wouldn’t bar him from running. - [The Jan. 6 committee makes its case against Trump, his allies and their conspiracy to commit an insurrection: Five essential reads]( Howard Manly, The Conversation The US select congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol has wrapped up its nearly two-year probe of that day’s violent but unsuccessful insurrection. 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Ethics + Religion - [Why winter solstice matters around the world: 4 essential reads]( Molly Jackson, The Conversation The dead of winter, when the longest night of the year takes place, has also traditionally been celebrated as a time of renewal and reverence. - [How an American magazine helped launch one of Britain’s favorite Christmas carols]( Maura Ives, Texas A&M University ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ is now a treasured Christmas classic, but it didn’t start life that way – not in the UK, at least. Arts + Culture - [Disney’s Black mermaid is no breakthrough – just look at the literary subgenre of Black mermaid fiction]( Jessica Pressman, San Diego State University These literary works ask readers to rethink the histories of these half-human sea creatures and their role in society today. Science + Technology - [Chickenpox and shingles virus lying dormant in your neurons can reactivate and increase your risk of stroke – new research identified a potential culprit]( Andrew Bubak, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus People with an active case of shingles have up to an 80% higher risk of stroke than those without. The increased risk is highest for patients under 40. Economy + Business - [Americans’ personal savings rate is near an all-time low – an economist explains what it means as a potential recession looms]( Arabinda Basistha, West Virginia University Americans are saving just over $2 of every $100 in disposable income after setting aside historically high amounts of cash during the pandemic. Health + Medicine - [This course teaches students how to connect with older adults to forge intergenerational bonds and help alleviate loneliness and isolation]( Jeremy Holloway, University of North Dakota Social isolation and loneliness in aging adults have been linked to numerous physical and mental health ailments. Teaching students how to listen deeply to older people can lessen those effects. From our international editions - [Climate change can be beaten - why some scientists are hopeful]( - [COVID: what we know about new omicron variant BF.7]( - [5,700 years of sea-level change in Micronesia hint at humans arriving much earlier than we thought]( Today's graphic [A chart showing the white and Black death rates in America from 1910 to 1930.]( From the story, [1918 flu pandemic upended long-standing social inequalities – at least for a time, new study finds]( - - More of The Conversation: Like this newsletter? 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