Untangling Trump's complex legal battles

+ shrooms to pharma pipeline US Edition - Today's top story: Do federal or state prosecutors get to go first in trying Trump? A law professor untangles the conflict [View in browser]( US Edition | 9 June 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( It’s hard to keep track of the various mounting legal woes facing former president Donald Trump. News broke last night that Trump is now the first former or sitting president to face federal criminal charges, stemming from allegedly withholding classified documents after he left the White House. He is also facing criminal charges in New York and is the subject of another criminal investigation in Georgia. So which case gets priority and moves forward before the others? There’s no precedent for a [legal maze like the one presently unfolding](, writes University of Virginia criminal law scholar Darryl K. Brown. “Nothing in the U.S. Constitution or federal law dictates that, say, federal criminal cases get priority over state cases, or that prosecutions proceed in the order in which indictments are issued,” he explains. But in some other high-profile cases, federal charges have taken precedence over ones issued at the state level. And in Trump’s case, the federal charges are likely to carry longer potential sentences than the state offenses. Also today: - [Surprise Supreme Court ruling reaffirms landmark civil rights law]( - [Colonialism and capitalism haunt crowded trains in India]( - [Got a lotta love for news? Put it to the test with our quiz]( [[Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter.](] Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in New Hampshire on April 27, 2023. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images [Do federal or state prosecutors get to go first in trying Trump? A law professor untangles the conflict]( Darryl K. Brown, University of Virginia If a person – in this case, the former president of the United States – is charged by federal and state prosecutors, or prosecutors in different states, at the same time, which case goes first? Politics + Society - [Supreme Court rules in favor of Black voters in Alabama and protects landmark Voting Rights Act]( Rodney Coates, Miami University At a time when state legislatures are enacting laws that restrict who, when and where people can vote, the US Supreme Court ruled to protect voting rights. - [Why a federal judge found Tennessee’s anti-drag law unconstitutional]( Mark Satta, Wayne State University The law passed by Tennessee legislators that banned many drag performances violated the First Amendment. 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Crawford, Pace University ; Emily Gold Waldman, Pace University Three scholars who are writing a book about menopause and the law suggest ways to protect women experiencing it. Health + Medicine - [Drawing, making music and writing poetry can support healing and bring more humanity to health care in US hospitals]( Marlaine Figueroa Gray, University of Washington Art, music and poetry therapy can help patients feel more optimistic and less isolated as well as to embrace the uncertainty that comes with illness. Ethics + Religion - [Never mind Cleopatra – what about the forgotten queens of ancient Nubia?]( Yasmin Moll, University of Michigan The way many Americans think about racial identity today is hard to map onto the complex history of ancient Egypt and ancient Nubia. - [Pat Robertson’s lasting influence on American politics: 3 essential reads]( Kalpana Jain, The Conversation Pat Robertson, founder of the global Christian Broadcasting Network, blended religion into American politics and played an important role in the Republican Party. Podcast 🎙️ - [Beauty procedures from manicures to cosmetic surgery carry risk — and the reward of a better life]( Nehal El-Hadi, The Conversation; Daniel Merino, The Conversation Being beautiful can improve a person’s quality of life and emotional wellbeing. But sometimes, there is a risk of harm — from exposure to cancer-causing UV light, to cheap cosmetic procedures. From our international editions - [What Ukraine dam breach means for the country’s counteroffensive and aid deployment]( - [South Africa’s power crisis will continue until 2025 - and blackouts will take 5 years to phase out]( - [Friday essay: ‘All I am is literature’ – Franz Kafka’s diaries were the forge of his writing]( The Conversation Quiz 🧠Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( The breach of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine has raised the risk for safe operation of which nuclear plant, Europe's largest? - A. Zharrudigorby - B. Zaporizhzhia - C. Zhazhagabor - D. Zapruderfilm [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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