It’s borderline unimaginable that it took this long‚ but finally‚ at long last‚ Luke Skywalker met his mother. Which is to say‚ Mark Hamill met Natalie Portman at the Golden Globes this year. We all get to share in this moment because Hamill posted about it on Twitter: Now I have finally met my "mother"‚ thanks to the @goldenglobes. pic.twitter.com/lkRZQgmLmp — Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) January 8‚ 2024 You cannot see Portman’s feet here‚ but as she is quite diminutive‚ she must be wearing some serious heels. (Padme’s other child was more like her in height‚ at least.) As basically everyone knows‚ Hamill played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars universe‚ and Portman played Padmé Amidala‚ senator from Naboo and the mother of Luke and Leia (Carrie Fisher). Hamill had previously met his “father‚” Hayden Christensen‚ who plays Anakin Skywalker up to and through his transformation into Darth Vader. A full family reunion‚ alas‚ can never happen‚ as Fisher died in 2016. Of all of these actors‚ only Christensen is still working in the Star Wars universe‚ having appeared in 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and last year’s Ahsoka. A second season of Ahsoka was just announced‚ but it is not yet clear who will be returning. Does Anakin have more words of advice for his former padawan? Or was that World Between Worlds moment a one-time thing? You can‚ of course‚ get your fill of Star Wars on Disney Plus. And you can follow Mark Hamill on the site formerly known as Twitter‚ where he is‚ at all times‚ a gem. I can finally cross this off my "to-do" list.#BetterLateThanNever pic.twitter.com/3rmfEiA3tv — Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) December 28‚ 2020

Head below for the full list of young adult SFF titles heading your way in January! Keep track of all the new SFF releases here. All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher. Release dates are subject to change.   January 2 Sky’s End — Marc J Gregson (Peachtree Teen) Exiled to live as a Low‚ sixteen-year-old Conrad refuses to become heir to his murderous uncle. But Meritocracy is a harsh and unforgiving rule on the floating island of Holmstead‚ and when his ailing mother is killed by monstrous gorgantauns‚ Conrad cuts a deal to save the only family he has left. To rescue his sister from his uncle’s clutches‚ Conrad must enter the Selection of the Twelve Trades. Hunter‚ the deadliest of all the Trades‚ gains a fresh recruit with Conrad. Now he must endure vigorous training‚ manipulative peers‚ and the Gauntlet—a brutal final test that yields riches and status to whichever skyship crew kills the most gorgantauns. Forced to serve in the lowest of stations and unseen by all‚ Conrad overhears whispers of rebellion in the dark. Conrad had never known anything existed below the toxic black clouds of the Skylands… until now. A Fragile Enchantment — Allison Saft (Wednesday Books) Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family‚ Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland. But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties‚ unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself‚ Kit Carmine‚ is prickly‚ abrasive‚ and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer‚ an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous gossip columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry‚ promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep‚ but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of‚ and a love she never thought possible. Dark Star Burning‚ Ash Falls White (Song of the Last Kingdom #2) — Amélie Wen Zhao (Delacorte) The Demon Gods have risen. Skies’ End has fallen to the colonizers. And Lan and Zen have chosen sides. But they will not fight together. Though Lan inherited the power of the Silver Dragon‚ she understands the path she must take. She believes the Demon Gods to be the cause of war‚ conflict‚ and turmoil‚ and that the future of the Last Kingdom depends on their being eliminated forever. Worse‚ she knows that if the Elantians manage to bind one of the legendary beings‚ their army will be unstoppable. To save her kingdom and her people‚ Lan will need to find the only mythical weapon capable of destroying the Demon Gods: the Godslayer. Zen is sure that the only way to free the Last Kingdom is to use the power of the Demon Gods. When he bound the Black Tortoise‚ he paid the ultimate price: to inherit its strength‚ he will forfeit his body‚ his mind‚ and his soul. Yet one Demon God is not enough against the might of the colonizers. In the ruins of the northern Mansorian lands slumbers a magical army of demonic practitioners capable of facing off against the Elantians—but Zen must find the Seal to awaken them to fight by his side. At the center of both Lan’s and Zen’s journeys is one city: Shaklahira‚ a former stronghold of the Imperial Court that vanished without a trace when the Elantians invaded. Its location is a mystery‚ and both are sure that it holds the answers they need‚ but the past it hides might be more dangerous than anything they’ve faced yet. The battle for the Last Kingdom rages on. But to win the war‚ Lan will have to decide: Can she face the boy she loves again? And when she does‚ can she kill him to free her people?   January 9 Somewhere in the Deep — Tanvi Berwah (Sourcebooks Fire) Seventeen-year-old Krescent Dune is buried under the weight of her dead parents’ debt and the ruinous legacy they left behind. The only way she can earn enough money to escape her unforgiving island is by battling monstrous creatures in an underground fighting pit. After a fight goes terribly wrong‚ she’s banned from the pits. Now hopeless‚ she is offered a deal: in exchange for the erasure of her debts‚ she must join and protect a hunting party for a rescue mission deep within the mining caves beneath the island. Krescent is determined to keep her head down and fulfill her role as the dutiful bodyguard‚ even though she is trapped underground with her childhood enemy and a company of people who would gladly kill her if they knew who her parents were. As they come across creatures she believed only existed in legends‚ it becomes clear they are in far more danger than she could have imagined. But someone doesn’t want her to make it out alive. And she’ll have to figure out who before she’s left alone… in the dark. The Lost Ones (Dark Ascension #2) — Lauren De Stefano (Disney-Hyperion) Before Captain Hook became Never Land’s villain‚ there were two siblings seeking a home. James and Marlene have always felt out of place in their humdrum fishing village‚ longing to escape the quiet lives their parents envision for them. But when Marlene’s birthday wish transports them both to an unsettling‚ magical paradise called Never Land‚ they discover an unexpected alternative: the chance to stay forever with the charismatic Peter and his Lost Boys. As the twins delve into the island’s violent secrets‚ their actions reignite a conflict between the fractured Lost Boys—and for the first time in their lives‚ James and Marlene find themselves at odds. With a war brewing and their memories slipping away every minute they spend in Never Land‚ they must choose whether to stay or go. But even if the twins stand together‚ Never Land—and Peter—won’t allow them to leave so easily. How far are James and Marlene willing to go to chart their own destinies? And if the price for freedom is losing their true selves—and each other—is it worth the cost?   January 16 So Let Them Burn — Kamilah Cole (Little‚ Brown Books for Young Readers) Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago‚ she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies‚ the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now‚ at seventeen‚ Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors. When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit‚ Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister‚ Elara‚ forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister. As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path‚ and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire‚ both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives‚ as well as the fate of their world. A Place for Vanishing — Ann Fraistat (Delacorte) The house was supposed to be a fresh start. That’s what Libby’s mom said. And after Libby’s recent bipolar III diagnosis and the tragedy that preceded it‚ Libby knows she and her family need to find a new normal. But Libby’s new home turns out to be anything but normal. Scores of bugs haunt its winding halls‚ towering stained-glass windows feature strange‚ insectile designs‚ and the garden teems with impossibly blue roses. And then there are the rumors. The locals‚ including the mysterious boy next door‚ tell stories about disappearances tied to the house‚ stretching back over a century to its first owners. Owners who supposedly hosted legendary masked séances on its grounds. Libby’s mom refuses to hear anything that could derail their family’s perfect new beginning‚ but Libby knows better. The house is keeping secrets from her‚ and something tells her that the key to unlocking them lies in the eerie‚ bug-shaped masks hidden throughout the property. We all wear masks—to hide our imperfections‚ to make us stronger and braver. But if Libby keeps hers on for too long‚ she might just lose herself—and everyone she loves. Beasts of War — Ayana Gray (Nancy Paulsen Books) Once a prisoner to Fedu‚ the vengeful god of death‚ Koffi has regained her freedom‚ but she is far from safe. Fedu will stop at nothing to hunt her down and use her power to decimate the mortal world. Koffi knows when Fedu will strike: during the next Bonding‚ a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event. To survive‚ Koffi will have to find powerful new allies quickly‚ and convince them to help her in the terrible battle to come. Once a warrior-turned-runaway‚ Ekon has carved out a new life for himself outside Lkossa‚ but the shadows of his past still haunt him. Now‚ alongside unexpected friends‚ Ekon tries to focus on getting Koffi to the Kusonga Plains before the next Bonding. If he fails‚ Koffi will be consumed‚ either by her own dangerous power‚ or the terrible fate Ekon is doing everything he can to prevent. Ekon devotes himself to protecting Koffi‚ but the lingering threats from his own past are more urgent than he knows. As Koffi and Ekon race to the Kusonga Plains—and try to garner the help of Eshōza’s ancient gods along the way—they must face a slew of dangerous beasts old and new. In the end‚ destiny may unite Koffi and Ekon for the last time—or tear them apart for good. Evergreen — Devin Greenlee (Entangled Teen) ll seventeen-year-old Quill wants is a break from the family business. Flowers‚ plants‚ the generations-old garden. What he wouldn’t give for a taste of the outside world. Normalcy. But his mom won’t let him out of the house‚ telling him he’s just not ready…All because he’s a dryad. Well‚ not just any dryad‚ but a male dryad—the first ever. And unlike everyone else in his family‚ he hasn’t a lick of magic. Just a shock of green hair‚ matching green eyes‚ and a growing frustration that there’s an entire world out there waiting to be discovered. Until the night when the outside world—specifically his new neighbor—discovers him. Liam Watson lives in a culture filled with electronics‚ mobile devices‚ and social media—where there is no magic or even the belief in it. And as much as Quill finds Liam irritating (he’s so cute it’s annoying)‚ he can’t help himself. Now Quill’s getting a taste of the outside world and of Liam…and he wants more. But all is not well in this magical‚ urban garden‚ and someone—or something—is changing the very essence of it. And wherever Quill goes‚ the danger grows. A Drop of Venom — Sajni Patel (Rick Riordan Presents) Sixteen-year-old Manisha is no stranger to monsters—she’s been running from them for years‚ from beasts who roam the jungle to the King’s army‚ who forced her people‚ the naga‚ to scatter to the ends of the earth. You might think that the kingdom’s famed holy temples atop the floating mountains‚ where Manisha is now a priestess‚ would be safe—but you would be wrong. Seventeen-year-old Pratyush is a famed slayer of monsters‚ one of the King’s most prized warriors and a frequent visitor to the floating temples. For every monster the slayer kills‚ years are added to his life. You might think such a powerful warrior could do whatever he wants‚ but true power lies with the King. Tired after years of fighting‚ Pratyush wants nothing more than a peaceful‚ respectable life. When Pratyush and Manisha meet‚ each sees in the other the possibility to chart a new path. Unfortunately‚ the kingdom’s powerful have other plans. A temple visitor sexually assaults Manisha and pushes her off the mountain into a pit of vipers. A month later‚ the King sends Pratyush off to kill one last monster (a powerful nagin who has been turning men to stone) before he’ll consider granting the slayer his freedom. Except Manisha doesn’t die‚ despite the hundreds of snake bites covering her body and the venom running through her veins. She rises from the pit more powerful than ever before‚ with heightened senses‚ armor-like skin‚ and blood that can turn people to stone. And Pratyush doesn’t know it‚ but the “monster” he’s been sent to kill is none other than the girl he wants to marry.   January 23 The Summer Queen (Buried and Bound #2) — Rochelle Hassan (Roaring Brook Press) As a new coven‚ Aziza‚ Leo‚ and Tristan faced evil and triumphed. All that’s left is to put their lives back together‚ a process complicated by the fallout from painful secrets‚ the emotional and physical scars they now carry‚ and the mysteries that still haunt them. But with the approach of the solstice comes the arrival of strange new visitors to Blackthorn: the Summer Court‚ a nomadic community of Fair Folk from deep in Elphame. They’ve journeyed to the border between the human world and fairyland‚ far from their usual caravan route‚ to take back something that belongs to them—something Leo’s not willing to lose. Refusing to give up without a fight‚ he makes a risky deal with the Summer Court’s princess and regent. The challenge she proposes sends Coven Blackthorn into the farthest‚ wildest reaches of Elphame. But when you play games with the Fair Folk‚ even winning has a cost. Destroy the Day (Defy the Night #3) — Brigid Kemmerer (Bloomsbury YA) Prince Corrick is out of options. Held captive by the vicious Oren Crane‚ he’s desperate to reunite with Tessa‚ but will need to ally with the rebel leader Lochlan‚ who until now wished him dead. An unlikely but deadly pair‚ Corrick and Lochlan must plot their next moves carefully… An island away‚ Tessa Cade is heartbroken and angry. Grieving Corrick‚ and unsure how to find a way back to Kandala‚ she doesn’t know who to trust. Until Rian—the man she trusts least—makes an offer: aid in a plot to finally oust Oren Crane and see what the future holds. Meanwhile in Kandala‚ Harristan is dethroned and on the run. He’s struggling to unite the rebels in his fractured kingdom‚ but he finds support—and maybe more—in unexpected places. Can Harristan be the king his people need? Can Corrick and Tessa find their way back to each other? As outside threats loom and the fires of revolution burn from within‚ time is running out to save their kingdom. Not Dead Enough — Tyffany D. Neiheiser (Viking Books for Young Readers) Charlotte survived the car crash that killed her boyfriend Jerry‚ but that night‚ everything changed. Charlotte wants desperately to get back to “normal‚”—whatever that means now— and start reconnecting with friends she hasn’t spoken to in months. And she’s trying to work through her PTSD with the help of her therapist‚ only she can’t tell the truth about Jerry or what really happened the night he died. Just when Charlotte thinks she might be moving on‚ someone starts sending her threatening messages claiming to be Jerry‚ saying things only he would know. But it can’t really be Jerry because there’s no such thing as ghosts. The cold spots in her room must be a draft and the noises she hears must be the house creaking. There has to be a logical explanation for all of it. Because if ghosts are real‚ then Jerry came back for her—just like he always said he would. Into the Sunken City — Dinesh Thiru (HarperTeen) For Jin Haldar‚ this life is nothing new—ever since her father died in a diving accident‚ she’s barely made ends meet for her and her younger sister‚ Thara. Enter Bhili: a drifter who offers Jin and Thara the score of a lifetime—a massive stash of gold hidden in the sunken ruins of Las Vegas. Jin knows it’s too dangerous. She stopped diving after her father’s accident. But when her sister decides to go‚ Jin’s left with only one choice: to go with her. A ragtag crew is assembled—including Jin’s annoyingly hot ex-boyfriend. From there‚ a high-stakes heist ensues that’s beyond even Jin’s wildest fears. Crumbling ruins‚ sea beasts‚ corsairs‚ and a mysterious figure named João Silva all lie in wait. To survive‚ Jin will have to do what she promised herself she’d never do again: dive.   January 30 The Dark Fable — Katherine Harbour (Bloomsbury YA) Evie Wilder is an orphan who has gone through most of her life unnoticed… until she’s caught up in a dramatic heist and captures the attention of the Dark Fable. They have chosen her for a reason: she can turn invisible. This skill would make Evie a treasured asset to the legendary group of thieves known for spiriting away obscure and occult artifacts. Evie cannot resist their allure and is eager to join this newfound family. But she discovers there are more skeletons in the Dark Fable’s past than she could have ever imagined. And these secrets might be the answer to her own tragic past. No one is who they seem to be and the price of uncovering the Dark Fable’s cryptic history just might be fatal. A Reckless Oath (Witch’s Dice #2) — Kaylie Smith (Disney-Hyperion) After the heart-wrenching death at the end of book 1‚ Calla and the other witches are sent reeling. Still stuck in the deadly Neverending Forest‚ the group must decide their next steps as the Fates’ War looms near. Calla‚ torn between past allegiances and new circumstances‚ finds herself pushing away the one person who can unlock her future. With the still-beating heart in her hand‚ Amina is finally able to return to her home in the Land of the Valkyries. But when she finds that everything she left behind has irrevocably changed in the six years she’s been gone‚ she turns her sights to revenge on the one who banished her all those years ago: the Valkyrie Queen. Meanwhile‚ everyone’s favorite siren‚ Delphine‚ has been dragged down into the depths of the sea‚ and is imprisoned by the ruthless Siren leader. As past lovers turn into enemies and former foes into allies‚ Delphine must navigate the dangerous court and her play her part until she’s able to escape and return to the surface. The Invocations — Krystal Sutherland (Nancy Paulsen Books) Zara Jones believes in magic because the alternative is too painful to consider—that her murdered sister is gone forever and there is nothing she can do about it. Rather than grieving and moving on‚ Zara decides she will do whatever it takes to claw her sister back from the grave—even trading in the occult. Jude Wolf may be the daughter of a billionaire‚ but she is also undeniably cursed. After a deal with a demon went horribly wrong‚ her soul has been slowly turning necrotic. It’s a miserable existence marred by pain‚ sickness‚ and monstrous things that taunt her in the night. Now that she’s glimpsed what’s beyond the veil‚ Jude’s desperate to find someone to undo the damage she’s done to herself. Enter Emer Byrne‚ an orphaned witch with a dark past and a deadly power‚ a.k.a. the solution to both Zara’s and Jude’s problems. Though Emer lives a hardscrabble life‚ she gives away her most valuable asset—her invocations—to women in desperate situations who are willing to sacrifice a piece of their soul in exchange for a scrap of power. Zara and Jude are willing‚ but they first have to find Emer. When Emer’s clients start turning up dead all over London‚ a vital clue leads Zara and Jude right to her. If a serial killer is targeting her clients‚ Emer wants to know why—and to stop them. She strikes a tenuous alliance with Zara and Jude to hunt a killer before they are next on his list‚ even if she can’t give them in return what Zara and Jude want most: a sister and a soul. These Deadly Prophecies — Andrea Tang (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers) Being an apprentice to one of the world’s most famous sorcerers has its challenges; Tabatha Zeng just didn’t think they would include solving crime. But when her boss‚ the infamous fortuneteller Sorcerer Solomon‚ predicts his own brutal death—and worse‚ it comes true—Tabatha finds herself caught in the crosshairs. The police have their sights set on her and Callum Solomon‚ her murdered boss’s youngest son. With suspicion swirling around them‚ the two decide to team up to find the real killer and clear their own names once and for all. But solving a murder isn’t as easy as it seems‚ especially when the suspect list is mostly the rich‚ connected‚ and magical members of Sorcerer Solomon’s family. And Tabatha can’t quite escape the nagging voice in her head asking: just how much can she really trust Callum Solomon? Nothing is as it seems in this quick-witted and fantastical murder mystery.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is‚ without a doubt‚ one of the most anticipated games this year‚ and it will conclude numerous storylines. One character from the Yakuza series fans hope to see is Goro Majima‚ and here’s if he’ll be featured in the game. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth – Is Goro Majima in the game? Fans of the Yakuza series are all too familiar with Majima‚ as one of the main protagonists from Yakuza 0 has been featured in nearly every Yakuza game to some degree. Whether players take control of the powerful fighters themselves or play alongside them in one of the many mini-games‚ they go hand in hand with the many jobs Majima occupies. While Infinite Wealth will focus heavily on Kiryu and Ichiban‚ in the leadup to the game’s release‚ they did briefly showcase Majima‚ indicating that he’ll be in the game to some extent. There hasn’t been any indication players will be able to play as Majima th...

Any Dungeons &; Dragons fan knows how addicting collecting dice is. In Baldur’s Gate 3 you can do the same with mods‚ so here’s a list of the 10 best dice mods! From simple color swatches to fantastic 3D designs‚ modders have pushed the limit of what is possible with real dice. Here are some incredible dice you should add to your game. Baldur’s Gate 3: 10 best dice mods Image: Koriik on NexusMods Dice Set Expansion I’ve put this first just because I think it’s the basic dice set that everyone should at least have. Dice Set Expansion comes with an extensive 14 dice skins that are mostly basic recolors. What stands out most are the unique sets‚ like Eldathyn Green with a green base and purple shadows. Then there’s Myrkulyte Mariner that’s a deep blue with hints of orange. Image: MentalHygiene on NexusMods Cute Dice Collection Sometimes you just want things to look cute‚ and thi...

Buckshot Roulette is the first breakout indie hit of 2024‚ but the mind behind this lethal game of chance is also behind some other great horror titles. Have you finished Buckshot Roulette and want to check out more games like it? You’re in luck. Buckshot Roulette was developed by one person‚ an indie developer named Mike Klubnika. Klubnika makes experimental horror games and primarily distributes them on itch.io‚ a website dedicated to unique indie games from solo creators and small teams. If you’ve already played Buckshot Roulette‚ then you should be familiar with the site. Related: How to download and play Buckshot Roulette While Buckshot Roulette requires a small payment of $1.20 to download‚ most of Mike Klubnika’s other games are completely free to play. The only exception is Unsorted VHS‚ a collection of short horror experiences styled after found footage. This collection costs $2‚ but it’s well worth the asking price si...

Mike Schwartz debuts as the new co-host of WIZARDS to join Adam for a discussion of the Marvel Knights launch titles through an interview with Kevin Smith‚ Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti. Plus‚ an exploration CONTINUE READING... The post WIZARDS The Podcast Guide To Comics | Episode 86 appeared first on The Retro Network.

In what may turn out to be the most pivotal election case since Bush v. Gore‚ the U.S. Supreme Court issued a short order on Jan. 5 granting the request by former President Donald Trump asking the court to overturn the Colorado state Supreme Court’s Dec. 19 decision disqualifying him from appearing on the state’s presidential primary ballot. The U.S. Supreme Court moved with unprecedented speed; Trump filed his petition for certiorari on Jan. 3‚ and the court granted the appeal only two days later. The case has been put on what‚ for the Supreme Court‚ is a “rocket docket.” Trump’s brief and any amicus briefs supporting the former president in Trump v. Anderson have to be filed by Jan. 18; the challengers’ brief and amicus briefs supporting Trump’s removal have to be filed by Jan. 31. Trump’s reply brief is due on Feb. 5‚ and oral arguments will be held on Feb. 8.  There is no doubt that getting into the Supreme Court for the Feb. 8 oral argument will be the hottest ticket in town since either the Dobbs case overturning Roe v. Wade or the case challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare‚ when people started lining up the night before at the court’s location behind the U.S. Capitol. The court is also sure to be flooded with amicus briefs on both sides‚ given the key importance of this case to the 2024 election. In fact‚ just before the court issued its order late in the afternoon on Jan. 5 accepting the case‚ 27 states‚ led by the attorneys general of Indiana and West Virginia‚ Todd Rokita and Patrick Morrisey‚ filed an amicus brief on Trump’s side urging the court to take the case as soon as possible to “head off the chaos that the Colorado decision will produce” and “erase a standardless political judgment” that violates the Constitution. The chaos the states warn about is very real given that there are more than a dozen of these challenges underway in different states. Moreover‚ like Colorado‚ the Maine secretary of state has also disqualified Trump from her state’s ballot‚ while other states like Minnesota and Michigan have rejected these challenges. One thing to keep in mind: Trump will remain on the presidential primary ballot in Colorado despite the Colorado court’s 4-to-3 decision declaring that Trump was disqualified pursuant to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. In its Dec. 19 order‚ the Colorado court said that if review was sought in the U.S. Supreme Court by Jan. 4—the date the Colorado secretary of state had to certify the candidates’ names on the presidential primary ballot—the secretary would “be required to include President Trump’s name on the 2024 presidential primary ballot until the receipt of any order or mandate from the Supreme Court.” Since Trump filed his petition on Jan. 3 and the Supreme Court did not immediately reject it by the Jan. 4 deadline‚ his name will appear on the ballot. As I have previously explained‚ there are numerous reasons‚ both constitutional and statutory‚ why the Colorado court’s decision was wrong. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment‚ which was aimed at preventing members of the Southern Confederacy who had engaged in insurrection and rebellion from serving in the federal or state governments‚ does not apply to Trump because he was never an “officer of the United States‚” a precondition for the application of Section 3. The Supreme Court has previously held that an “officer of the United States” is a term that only applies to individuals appointed to posts within the executive branch‚ not those elected. Furthermore‚ Congress has not passed any legislation providing a means to enforce Section 3‚ and there are serious questions of whether Section 3 is even still legally viable because of two amnesty acts passed by Congress in 1872 and 1898. The first in 1872 removed all “political disabilities” imposed by Section 3 with certain exceptions related to the Civil War‚ and the second in 1898 got rid of those remaining exceptions with no language preserving the disqualifications of Section 3 for future cases. Additionally‚ Trump has never been convicted or even charged with insurrection or rebellion‚ and was‚ in fact‚ acquitted of “incitement of insurrection” by the Senate after his second impeachment. Thus‚ there are numerous reasons for the court to overturn the Colorado court’s misinterpretation and misapplication of the 14th Amendment‚ a decision that effectively disenfranchised the almost 4.5 million registered voters in Colorado whose right to make their own choice about who should be a candidate for president was stolen by four judges. If the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t overturn this misguided decision‚ millions of voters in other states will be similarly disenfranchised‚ striking a devastating blow to the democratic process. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Trump’s Ballot Disqualification Case Reaches Supreme Court appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Allegations about District Attorney Fani Willis’ “improper” relationship with the special prosecutor could have serious ramifications for her racketeering case against former President Donald Trump‚ legal experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. The attorney for a Trump co-defendant filed a motion Monday alleging Willis not only hired the man she was romantically involved with‚ Nathan Wade‚ as special prosecutor in her racketeering case against Trump‚ but also signed off on “lucrative” compensation that exceeded her own salary‚ which Wade in turn used to finance cruises and vacations he took with Willis. The allegations are serious and could potentially undermine the case‚ legal experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The motion paints a picture of a prosecution that has a structural problem‚” Georgia-based criminal defense attorney and legal analyst Philip Holloway told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “It’s basically built upon using a special prosecutor who‚ if this turns out to be true‚ was not appointed and hired‚ if you will‚ in the correct legal way.” Willis‚ who allegedly did not obtain permission from Fulton County to hire a special prosecutor‚ used funds she lobbied for to clear a backlog of cases that stacked up during COVID-19 to contract with Wade‚ according to the filing made on behalf of co-defendant Michael Roman. “When you put all this together‚ it amounts to a bad faith use of her authority as district attorney‚” Holloway told the Daily Caller News Foundation‚ adding this could culminate in a due process violation that “will justify not only disqualifying her‚ but potentially having the entire case dismissed.” Regardless‚ Holloway said it could take months for the process to play out and “certainly is going to kick the case out‚ to a minimum‚ sometime in 2025.” Wade has been paid nearly $1 million in legal fees since he was appointed‚ according to the motion. The motion alleges the couple traveled to such places as Napa Valley‚ California; Florida; and the Caribbean. Wade also allegedly “purchased tickets for both of them to travel on both the [Norwegian] and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.” “If true‚ this would not only be a gross display of unethical conduct and horrific professional judgment‚ but it would also subject Ms. Willis to potential criminal charges of receiving kickbacks from a paid contractor and theft of honest services‚” John Malcolm‚ vice president for The Heritage Foundation’s Institute for Constitutional Government and former deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division‚ told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “If the court’s inquiry substantiates these allegations‚ the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office should be disqualified from continuing its involvement in the case and the matter should be referred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution and to the Georgia Bar for disciplinary proceedings.” (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) Emory University School of Law professor Jonathan Nash told the Daily Caller News Foundation that it is “premature to say where this might lead.” “For one thing‚ the motion provides no actual evidence of either an inappropriate personal relationship between Willis and Wade‚ or any improper financial relationship‚” he said. “The issues raised in Michael Roman’s motion are serious‚ and Scott McAfee—the Fulton County Superior Court judge assigned to the case—should conduct a thorough inquiry‚” Malcolm said. The filing does not provide concrete evidence‚ instead stating that “sources close to both the special prosecutor and the district attorney have confirmed they had an ongoing‚ personal relationship.” Ashleigh Merchant‚ Roman’s lawyer‚ told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she reviewed the case file for Wade’s divorce proceedings‚ which the motion explains were later sealed. A spokesperson for Willis told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday that the district attorney will answer the allegations “through appropriate court filings.” Ultimately‚ the allegations necessitate a hearing before McAfee‚ where Merchant will have to prove the motion’s claims‚ Holloway said. “I’ve known this lawyer for at least 20 years‚ and she is known to be very thorough‚” he told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Willis’ personal entanglements are just one piece of the puzzle. Wade’s billing statements included in the motion reference two meetings with President Joe Biden’s White House before the indictment. If nothing else‚ this adds “gasoline to the fire” accusing Willis of prosecuting the former president for partisan reasons‚ Holloway told the Daily Caller News Foundation. The House Judiciary Committee launched an investigation into Willis in August to determine whether she coordinated with Biden’s Department of Justice when bringing charges against Trump. Willis shot back in a September letter to Chairman Jim Jordan‚ R-Ohio‚ that his intrusion into Georgia’s sovereignty is “offensive and will not stand‚” claiming he “lack[s] a basic understanding of the law.” “We are aware of these damning allegations and are looking into all avenues as to what comes next‚” Russell Dye‚ spokesperson for Jordan‚ told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Could Allegations About Fani Willis’ ‘Improper’ Romantic Relationship Sink Her Racketeering Case Against Trump? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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