Judge Juan Merchan has made a significant ruling, ordering President-elect Donald Trump to appear for sentencing in the New York hush money case on January 10, 2025. This date is notably just ten days before he is scheduled to be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. The judge’s decision includes an option for Trump to make a virtual appearance, allowing him to continue his preparations for taking office without major disruptions.

This decision follows months of intense legal discussions and debates about whether a president-elect should face sentencing in a state court case. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had pushed for more delays, proposing that the sentencing be postponed indefinitely during Trump’s presidency. However, Judge Merchan dismissed these suggestions, emphasizing that closing this case is necessary to maintain the integrity of the judicial process.

Judge Merchan set Trump's sentencing just 10 days before his inauguration. pic.twitter.com/qlrcz8pPQc

— Daily x Digest (@xserveddaily) January 3, 2025

The origins of this case trace back to Trump’s conviction in May 2024 on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records concerning alleged hush money payments during the 2016 election campaign. Trump’s defense team challenged this verdict with several motions, citing what they described as “unlawful” actions by the prosecution and procedural errors. Despite these challenges, Judge Merchan upheld the jury’s unanimous decision, highlighting the importance of adhering to the rule of law.

In addressing concerns raised by Trump’s defense regarding presidential immunity and transition period pressures, Judge Merchan stated that “the sanctity of a jury verdict and deference accorded to it is a fundamental principle in our Nation’s jurisprudence.” He further clarified that presidential immunity does not extend to a president-elect.

Merchan also noted that while no determination on sentencing would be made prior to hearing from all parties involved, he indicated an inclination against imposing incarceration—a sentence allowed by conviction but one deemed impractical by prosecutors.

According to reports, Republican Representative Virginia Foxx – the Republican chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee – fell on the marble staircase at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. As stated by Capitol staff and press, this happened between the second and third floors.

Rep. Virginia Foxx slipped and fell as she was walking down a marble staircase outside the House chamber this afternoon. Spox for the 81-yo says she suffered several cuts but was looked over by medical personnel and the attending physician and that "everything seems to be okay." pic.twitter.com/Jebe6AIDES

— Kenny Beck (@kennybeckWXII) January 3, 2025

As reported by Trending Politics:

Eyewitness accounts described a concerning scene as Foxx, 81, was attended to by Capitol medical personnel on the steps, with visible bleeding from what appeared to be injuries to her face. John Parkinson of ABC News shared updates from the scene, noting Foxx was holding her nose as she received aid but was conscious and communicative throughout the ordeal.

As news of the fall spread, Capitol Police worked to clear the area, ensuring Foxx received prompt medical attention.

🚨Just in: Virginia Foxx has fallen on one of the grand staircases on the GOP side of the chamber. She is bleeding and is being attended to on the steps by Capitol medical personnel. She is 81 years old.

Via: Chad Pergram pic.twitter.com/gWfd91O1NW

— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) January 3, 2025

After her accident, Foxx posted to social media to let supporters and colleagues know how she was doing. She wrote, “Thank you to everyone for your prayers – just a few small cuts and I’m doing just fine.” The congresswoman joked, “I’m a mountain woman, and we’re tougher than a $2 steak.”

A Foxx spokesperson said. “[Foxx] slipped while walking down the marble staircase outside the House chamber, after walking up to talk to her family in the gallery. After being helped to her feet, and looked over by medical personnel, she proceeded on her own to the Attending Physician’s office to get treated for a few individual cuts. Everything seems to be okay.”

CNN has unveiled a new camera angle capturing the explosion of a truck near the Trump hotel, adding another layer to this unfolding story. The investigation has revealed that Matt Livelsberger was discovered with two firearms in his possession—a handgun and a rifle. According to ABC News, these weapons were legally acquired just this past Monday.

A special ops military member needed to buy weapons just days before he allegedly killed himself and blew up a truck? Hmmmm.

CNN releases new camera angle of the Trump hotel truck explosion.

Investigators say Matt Livelsberger was found with two firearms, a handgun and a rifle. The weapons were purchased legally on Monday. (ABC News)

Livelsberger allegedly shot himself in the head. A .50-caliber… pic.twitter.com/r6nBu45qys

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 5, 2025

Authorities suggest that he ended his life within the brief 17-second window between arriving at the hotel and the subsequent explosion of the truck. However, in the new footage, Livelsberger appears to be awake and moving – head fully intact – a split second before the explosion happens. This blows holes in the theory that he took his own life with the .50-caliber Desert Eagle found at his feet.

So they said he used his dome for target practice with a desert eagle… but that seems to be not the case here. As you can see, he has a fully intact head here. To the right is what a desert eagle does while being used. pic.twitter.com/uGiGQ9YRzF

— The Ðoge Ambassador (@dogeofficialrep) January 5, 2025

Further insights from ABC News indicate that Livelsberger had been receiving mental health support over the past year, shedding light on possible struggles he might have faced.

As thing continue to unfold, it would appear the facts continue to raise more questions than they are answering.

Chuck Schumer recently faced direct criticism for allegedly covering up President Biden’s declining mental sharpness. During an interaction with NBC’s Kristen Welker, Schumer was confronted about this issue but chose to deflect the question, urging Americans instead to “salute” Biden.

Salute?? Are you kidding me?? And where was this energy from the likes of Welker and other journalists for the last four years?

At one point, Welker aired a clip of Schumer criticizing Republicans for what he termed “right-wing propaganda” concerning reports on Biden’s mental health. In response to these allegations, Schumer quickly shifted the narrative by asserting that President Biden had “stepped down on his own.”

NEW: Chuck Schumer gets called out to his face for covering up Biden’s declining mental acuity, deflects and demands that Americans “salute” Biden.

Where was this energy from Kristen Welker *during* the Biden presidency?

Welker played a clip of Schumer blasting Republicans for… pic.twitter.com/npQMn9KeQg

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 5, 2025

Welker said, “Obviously, there has been a lot of focus on President Biden’s role in this. You were, obviously, in close contact with President Biden well before the public tuned into that debate that ultimately led to him stepping down. I want to play you a little bit of something you said last year. Take a look.”

She then played a clip of Schumer stating in 2024, “I talked to President Biden regularly, sometimes several times in a week or usually several times in a week. His mental acuity is great. It’s fine. It’s as good as it’s been over the years, and this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong.”

Welker pressed, “What do you say that you and top Democrats misled them about President Biden’s mental acuity?”

Schumer declared, “Look, we didn’t. Let’s look at President Biden. he’s had an amazing record. The legislation we passed, one of the most significant groups of legislation since Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, putting 235 judges of record. He’s a patriot. He’s a great guy, and when he stepped down he did it on his own because he thought it was better not only for the Democratic Party for America, we should all salute him. We should all salute him.”

Vice President-elect J.D. Vance recently underwent a minor sinus surgery at George Washington Hospital following his Senate swearing in on Friday.

On Friday, Fox News reported that Vance Spokesperson William Martin said, “The Vice President-elect is having long-planned, minor sinus surgery and will be back at work tomorrow.”

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has emerged as a late and leading contender to succeed Vice President-elect JD Vance in the Senate, three Republicans familiar with the process say. https://t.co/ETTkaodvTR

— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 3, 2025

Daily Mail reports:

He underwent the procedure at George Washington University Hospital, about three miles from the Capitol.

The Ohio Senator remains in that office until the inauguration, when he will assume the vice presidency and the seat will be left to an appointment by Republican Governor Mike DeWine.

‘I was proud to stand with ⁦@berniemoreno⁩ and ⁦@DaveMcCormickPA⁩ as they were sworn in to the US Senate. Congrats to them and to all of our new senators!’ Vance wrote on social media afterwards.

I was proud to stand with ⁦@berniemoreno⁩ and ⁦@DaveMcCormickPA⁩ as they were sworn in to the US Senate. Congrats to them and to all of our new senators! pic.twitter.com/nnQFFsbNiA

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 3, 2025

Senator Majority Leader John Thune recently appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” where he was asked about the feasibility of deporting everyone in the United States who is here illegally. Host Kristen Welker brought up this topic by recalling a conversation with President-elect Donald Trump, who had emphasized that his mass deportation plan was a top priority.

Welker asked, “Let’s talk about the Republicans’ agenda. When I spoke to President-elect Donald Trump he said his mass deportation plan was his top priority. He wants to deport everyone who is here illegally. Do you support that plan to deport everyone who is here illegally?”

Thune replied, “Well I think certainly there are categories, people who have committed crimes. There are over a million people that the current administration had targeted for deportation. So I think that we have to take seriously the fact that there are a lot of people in this country today, over 10 million who came in over the last four years under the current administration’s policies, and many of whom are not here for good reasons. We know we apprehended people on the terrorist border on the watch list, and you have gang members and cartel members and all of the above. As we think about what those next steps are and, the first thing is securing that border and making sure that we change the incentive struck are so people are incentivized to come here illegally which they have been for the last four years. And do everything to ensure that the border personnel, the ICE agents and border agents have the resources that they need to do their job. Some of that means physical barriers, some of it is technological barriers, et cetera, and those will require resources, and some will require deportation of certain people who are here illegally.”

Welker pushed, “In 2016, you said deporting everyone here illegally was not realistic. Have you changed your mind?”

Thune responded, “Again, I think you start, this will be, obviously, a process, and it will take resources obviously to get people to leave the country. We’ll have to make sure the administration has the resources they need to enable them to do that. Is it realistic to deport everybody? I mean, there are a lot of people in this country who are here illegally, but I think they have identified already, and anybody who has committed a crime in the country ought to be on the list, and there are about a million, 1.4 million, I think, on the current administration’s list of people that need to be deported. So start with that, and then we will go from there, and we’ll figure it out. I think the administration, when they take office, these are decisions that obviously that they’ll have to make.”

In the ongoing battle to maintain law and order, it’s often those who wear the badge who step into perilous situations to protect citizens. This bravery was exemplified by off duty Agent Matthew Murray of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On the night of December 27th, Murray’s courage was on full display as he attempted to deescalate a violent altercation outside a bowling alley in Riverview, Florida, which tragically resulted in his permanent paralysis.

JUST IN: Off-duty ATF agent paralyzed after being shot in the neck trying to stop a fight while leaving a bowling alley with his family 'WE DON'T GIVE A F-CK ABOUT YOUR KIDS'

18-year-old Christopher Smith was arrested seven hours after the shooting and faces charges of attempted… pic.twitter.com/55HrHuYHEA

— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) January 3, 2025

Western Journal reports:

Murray, along with his wife, children, and a few family friends, had just walked outside the building when they noticed two men and a woman fighting.

Murray stepped in to break it up, identifying himself as law enforcement.

“It was automatically people trying to start a fight and my husband trying to deescalate it right from the start,” testified Murray’s wife, Courtney Murray. “Right as we walked out the door. It’s like we walked into an ambush almost.”

“He was telling them just to go home,” she continued. “He said ‘you guys just need to leave.’ He said ‘we have kids,’” according to the Tampa Bay Times.

She reported also hearing someone say,  “I don’t give a f**k about your kids.”

Christopher Smith, the 18-year-old who allegedly shot Murray, claimed to investigators that the agent at some point had hit him in the shoulder.

“(Smith) stated that he blacked out and shot (Murray) once,” Det. Keaton Bruce of Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office testified at the hearing.

Police arrested Smith at a nearby home hours after the incident but have still not located the firearm.

Despite claiming self-defense, Smith’s history or lack thereof could not sway the judge from denying bond. Meanwhile, Agent Murray’s heroism remains overshadowed by his current battle with paralysis in intensive care.

Rapper 2 LOW managed to shoot himself during a live recording of the “1 on 1 W/ Mike D” podcast.

The shocking incident occurred as OG 2 LOW was sharing an engaging story when a sudden “pop” interrupted him. It was soon revealed that a firearm had accidentally discharged in his pocket, injuring his leg. Although not life-threatening, this mishap sent shockwaves through social media, with footage rapidly spreading across platforms.

“Who got shot?” host Mike D asked in disbelief before confirming OG 2 LOW was the only one injured. Despite the unexpected turn of events, the rapper remained composed and assured fans of his well-being. The room fell silent before the podcast resumed.

https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1875649204724609107

Many were quick to compare this incident to former NFL player Plaxico Burress’s infamous 2008 nightclub shooting. Both cases underscore the ongoing debate about gun safety—a debate Republicans argue should focus on personal responsibility rather than restrictive regulations.

As clips went viral on Twitter and Instagram, memes emerged—some relieved by the minor injury, others criticizing OG 2 LOW for carrying a weapon during an interview. “How does that even happen?” one Twitter user questioned. “This ain’t the first time a celeb shot themselves, but it’s the most shocking.”

The incident reignited discussions on gun safety. While some called for stricter regulations on public firearm possession, others emphasized the importance of training and responsible ownership—principles Republicans consistently advocate.

Following the accident, OG 2 LOW and Mike D reassured fans of their safety. “Right now, man, we’re just being grateful that everyone is safe, everyone is good,” OG 2 LOW stated amidst the chaos.

Mike D attempted to lighten the mood by saying, “We had to take a small break. We had a pop, a moment, you know what I’m saying? It’s never happened on ‘1 on 1 with Mike D.’ But tonight, with my brother Tulo, every time we get together, we make history. So, I guess we just made history, y’all.”