Palin’s COVID delays trial
An unvaccinated former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin tested positive for COVID -19 Monday, forcing a postponement of a trial in her libel lawsuit against The New York Times.
The Republican’s positive test was announced in court just as jury selection was set to begin at a federal courthouse in New York City.
Palin claims the Times damaged her reputation with an opinion piece penned by its editorial board that falsely asserted her political rhetoric helped incite the 2011 shooting of then-arizona U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords. The newspaper has conceded the initial wording of the editorial was flawed, but not in an intentional or reckless way that made it libelous.
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff said the trial can begin Feb. 3 if Palin, 57, has recovered by then.
Palin, a one-time Republican vice presidential nominee, has had COVID-19 before. She’s urged people not to get vaccinated, telling an audience in Arizona last month that “it will be over my dead body that I’ll have to get a shot.”
When he first announced that Palin had gotten a positive result from an at-home test, Rakoff said: “She is, of course, unvaccinated.”
Additional tests in the morning also came out positive, Palin’s lawyer told the court.
“Since she has tested positive three times, I’m going to assume she’s positive,” the judge said.
Rakoff said that courthouse rules would permit her to return to court Feb. 3, even if she still tests positive, as long as she has no symptoms. If she does have symptoms, she can be looked at on Feb. 2 by a doctor who provides services to the courts, he said.
Palin’s case survived an initial dismissal that was reversed on appeal in
2019, setting the stage for a rare instance that a major news organization will have to defend itself before a jury in a libel case involving a major public figure.
— Associated Press
Ulvaeus’ show seeks source of ABBA magic
ABBA’S Björn Ulvaeus is launching a radio show on Apple Music, with hopes of figuring out why his songs like “Mamma Mia” and “Dancing Queen” have stayed stuck in the heads of so much of the world for so many decades.
The guitarist, singer and cosongwriter from the Swedish supergroup will host the “Björn from ABBA and Friends’ Radio Show” on Apple Music Hits starting Monday.
The limited series includes music and conversations with Ulvaeus’ friends and collaborators, starting in the first episode with his fellow producer, songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nile Rodgers.
Ulvaeus and Rodgers talk about the secrets of hit-making and why ABBA’S music has remained in the public consciousness.
“I have long wanted to ask some emotionally intelligent as well as intellectual people who know about ABBA about why they think our songs have lasted for such a long time — almost 40 years — because I don’t understand it myself,” the 76-year-old Ulvaeus said.
The show comes amid a major ABBA renaissance. Ulvaeus and bandmates Agnetha Fältskog, Annifrid Lyngstad, and Benny Andersson released their first new music together in four decades in November on the album “Voyager.” And in May, a series of holographic live shows are set to begin, created by the group and George Lucas’ specialeffects company, Industrial Light & Magic.
— Associated Press
Avenatti cast as thief and generous at trial
California lawyer Michael Avenatti stole nearly $300,000 in book proceeds from porn star Stormy Daniels ,a prosecutor told jurors as the once high-flying attorney’s third criminal trial in two years began Monday.
Avenatti has insisted he is innocent of wire fraud and aggravated identify theft charges and his lawyers say he is likely to testify during the trial in Manhattan federal court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Rohrbach told jurors that Avenatti lied repeatedly to steal nearly $300,000 from Daniels, whom Avenatti represented in 2018 in lawsuits against ex-president Donald Trump.
“This is a case about a lawyer who stole from his client, a lawyer who lied to cover up his scheme. That lawyer is the defendant Michael Avenatti,” Rohrbach said as he pointed at the 50year-old on trial.
Defense attorney Andrew Dalack said his client didn’t steal any money, and had a fee agreement to share any money from the book deal.
“This has no business in federal criminal court,” Dalack said. “And Mr. Avenatti is not guilty.”