Editor’s Note: This listicle is part of a weekly series by The Ball State Daily News summarizing five stories from across the United States. All summaries are based on stories published by The Associated Press.
Updates on the President Donald Trump’s impeachment inquiry, the investigation into Trump’s tax returns, the Supreme Court hearing two LGBT rights cases, an update on the General Motors strike and a suit against federal immigration agents make up this week’s five national stories.
AP’s key findings about Ukraine gas deal Trump allies sought
A circle of businessmen and Republican donors touted connections to President Donald Trump and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to install new top management at Ukraine gas company Naftogaz for profits while Giuliani was pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. After the election of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Energy Secretary Rick Perry took up the effort to install a friendlier management team at the company.
Read more: Trump impeachment inquiry
Judge says New York prosecutors can see Trump’s tax returns
A federal judge ruled that New York City prosecutors can see President Donald Trump’s tax returns for investigation into matters including the payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and a Playboy centerfold. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero rejected Trump’s attempt to keep his financial records under wraps, calling his claim of immunity from criminal proceedings “extraordinary” and “an overreach of executive power” at odds with the Constitution.
Read more: Trump Investigations
Supreme Court takes up cases about LGBT people’s rights
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in two of the term’s most closely watched cases over whether federal civil rights law protects LGBT people from job discrimination, its first on LGBT rights since Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement and replacement by Justice Brett Kavanaugh. A decision is expected by early summer 2020. The issue is whether Title VII in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that bars discrimination in employment because of sex covers LGBT people.
Read more: U.S. Supreme Court
Contract talks continue as GM strike enters fourth week
Contract talks aimed at ending a 22-day strike by the United Auto Workers against General Motors continued Monday after United Auto Workers union bargainers rejected a company offer on Sunday. In a letter to members, UAW Vice President Terry Dittes cast doubt on whether there will be a quick settlement in the contract dispute, which sent 49,000 workers to the picket lines on Sept. 16, crippling GM’s factories.
Read more: Strikes
Suit says feds using immigration marriage interviews as trap
Six couples filed a class action accusing federal agents of luring families to marriage interviews in Baltimore, only to detain the immigrant spouse for deportation. The American Civil Liberties Union says a growing number of officers have “cruelly twisted” the rules by detaining immigrant spouses after marriage interviews. It is pursuing a similar complaint in Massachusetts and says dozens of detentions have happened at field offices in five other states.
Read more: Immigration