Trump indictment puts U.S. in 'murky' territory

+ giant cars endanger pedestrians; Henrietta Lacks' cells US Edition - Today's top story: The most serious Trump indictment yet – a criminal law scholar explains the charges of using ‘dishonesty, fraud and deceit’ to cling to power [View in browser]( US Edition | 2 August 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( In the Trump-dominated politics of our times, the word “unprecedented” has been overused – but necessary. Never before has a U.S. president been twice impeached. Never before has a former president been criminally indicted. And, as of late yesterday, never before has a former president been charged with crimes against the very essence of U.S. democracy – the peaceful transfer of power. I sometimes joke that my past six years as a journalist covering politics can be summed up in the image of me standing in front of the TV, watching the news, and asking, "Have we ever seen anything like this?" That yesterday’s indictment was historic does not mean it was unexpected, and the politics editors at The Conversation were ready to respond with a list of stories we rolled out last night and many more we will publish in the coming days. Today’s stories include a primer on the charges, by Gabriel J. Chin, a criminal law expert at the University of California, Davis. Chin walks through the individual charges, showing that “while Trump is facing multiple other charges, this indictment contains [the most serious charges he has faced thus far](.” In her story, legal scholar Stefanie Lindquist from Arizona State University asks, “Can the former president boycott his trials?” Attending his trials would compromise Trump’s “ability to campaign vigorously for the Republican nomination and the presidency,” she writes in her exploration of whether it’s possible for [Trump to legally skip his many days in court](. And finally, historian Maurizio Valsania, an expert on the early American founders, provides perspective on how those leaders thought about giving up power. Bottom line: They knew when it was time to go. “They dreaded the idea that public opinion would censor them as [self-serving and cunning operators](,” he concludes. Also today: - [Why old homes feel hotter than the thermostat suggests]( - [Where the "x" in "solve for x" came from]( - [Charities are engaging much less in advocacy]( [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Naomi Schalit Democracy Editor Special Counsel Jack Smith announces the second federal indictment of Donald Trump on Aug. 1, 2023. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin [The most serious Trump indictment yet – a criminal law scholar explains the charges of using ‘dishonesty, fraud and deceit’ to cling to power]( Gabriel J. Chin, University of California, Davis A grand jury indicted Donald Trump on conspiracy and obstruction charges related to his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Former U.S. President Donald Trump on June 13, 2023, after being arraigned in Miami. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images [Trump indicted in Jan. 6 case – but his 3 upcoming trials may not keep him off the campaign trail]( Stefanie Lindquist, Arizona State University Donald Trump has been indicted for crimes in connection with his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A legal scholar looks at the law to determine whether he can boycott his upcoming trials. Politics + Society - [George Washington knew when it was time to go, unlike Trump, because the founders worried about the judgment of history]( Maurizio Valsania, Università di Torino When America was young, its leaders had no trouble retiring from public service and public life. That’s not universally true now. Environment + Energy - [Ever-larger cars and trucks are causing a safety crisis on US streets – here’s how communities can fight back]( Kevin J. Krizek, University of Colorado Boulder Cars are getting bigger on US roads, and that’s increasing pedestrian and cyclist deaths. A transport scholar identifies community-level strategies for making streets safer. - [Why homes often feel warmer than the thermostat suggests – and what to do about it]( Jonathan Bean, University of Arizona Thermostats don’t tell the whole truth about heat, particularly in older homes. Science + Technology - [What are HeLa cells? A cancer biologist explains]( Ivan Martinez, West Virginia University The immortal cancer cells of Henrietta Lacks revolutionized the fields of science, medicine and bioethics. And they still survive today, more than 70 years after her death. - [X marks the unknown in algebra – but X’s origins are a math mystery]( Peter Schumer, Middlebury How did the letter x get its enduring role as a symbol of the unknown? A mathematician explains why it’s hard to say for sure. Economy + Business - [Nonprofits may engage in advocacy and limited lobbying, but few do so – new research]( Lewis Faulk, American University; Heather MacIndoe, UMass Boston; Mirae Kim, George Mason University A nationally representative survey found that the share of nonprofits aware of their right to support or oppose legislation has fallen by more than half in the past 20 years. Trending on site - [What happens if someone dies in space?]( - [Trans youth are significantly more likely to attempt suicide when gender dysphoria is met with conversion therapy than with hormone treatment]( - [Laughter can communicate a lot more than good humor – people use it to smooth social interactions]( Today's graphic 📈 [A map of the United States that highlights regions where a large number of older adults face extreme heat. These regions include the northeast, west coast and southeast.]( From the story, [Extreme heat is particularly hard on older adults – an aging population and climate change put ever more people at risk]( - - 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? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Spoutible]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](