Slipping Through the Cracks: Kamala Harris Throws in the Towel as DOJ Considers Letting Trump Off the Hook

Host) This is ‘Global Village Today’, which brings you important news from various countries around the world. Let’s find out what’s happening at this moment with reporter Kim Jeong-woo.

Host) What news is there today?

Reporter) Yes. Vice President Kamala Harris, the US Democratic presidential candidate, acknowledged defeat and accepted the results. Vice President Harris said he would help ensure a peaceful transfer of power. The U.S. Department of Justice is considering ending federal criminal charges against former President Donald Trump, who won the presidential election as the Republican candidate. On the 5th, the day of the U.S. presidential election, a caravan of approximately 3,000 migrants departed from southern Mexico toward the U.S. border. Lastly, we continue with the news that the head of Myanmar’s military government visited China for the first time since the 2021 coup.

Host) Today in the world, first, news of the US presidential election. Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged defeat in a speech?

Reporter) That’s right. Vice President Harris gave a speech on the afternoon of the 6th at the Howard University campus in Washington, DC. Vice President Harris said in a speech at her alma mater that we must accept the results of this presidential election. Let’s listen to the speech for yourself.

“Now, I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I get it. But we must accept the results of this election. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”

Reporter) Yes. “I know you are feeling and experiencing many emotions, but we must accept the results of the election,” Vice President Harris said. Vice President Harris also said that he had previously called President-elect Trump to congratulate him and “told President-elect Trump that he would help with the peaceful transfer of power.”

Host) Are you saying that you will clearly admit defeat and cooperate in the transfer of power?

Reporter) That’s right. But he declared he would not give up the “fight” that fueled his campaign. Vice President Harris again.

“I will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions and aspirations. Where the women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not have. Their government telling them what to do.”

Reporter) Yes. “We will never give up the fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams, ambitions and aspirations, where American women are free to make decisions about their bodies and where the government is not telling them what to do,” Vice President Harris emphasized. .

Host) Is there anything that President-elect Trump said about the phone call between President-elect Trump and Vice President Harris?

Reporter) Yes. Spokesperson Steven Cheung, head of public affairs, issued a statement saying that the two had a polite conversation on the 6th, focusing on national unity. He also said, “President Trump recognized Vice President Harris’s strength, professionalism, and perseverance during the election, and the two leaders agreed on the importance of national unity.”

Host) President Joe Biden, who will leave the White House in January next year, also issued a statement after Vice President Harris’ speech?

Reporter) That’s right. “What America saw today was Kamala Harris, whom I know and deeply respect,” President Biden said in a statement. He also evaluated Vice President Harris as leading a historic campaign under special circumstances. President Biden emphasized, “Vice President Harris will continue to fight with purpose, determination, and joy, and will continue to be a champion for all Americans.”

Host) President Biden also spoke on the phone with President-elect Trump?

Reporter) Yes. The White House reported that President Biden congratulated President-elect Trump over the phone on the 6th. It is also said that President Biden invited President-elect Trump to the White House. Spokesperson Stephen Cheng said the two would meet soon. President Biden is scheduled to address the public at 11 a.m. Eastern time on the 7th.

Host) There are still procedures that must be completed until President-elect Trump takes office on January 20th next year, right?

Reporter) That’s right. On the 17th of next month, the electoral college of each state gathers and votes to elect the president and vice president. Additionally, on January 6th next year, the federal Senate and House of Representatives will hold a joint session to tally the results of the Electoral College votes and officially declare the President and Vice President-elect.

Host) Vice President Harris plays an important role in the proceedings taking place in Congress on January 6th next year, right?

Reporter) That’s right. The Vice President is originally the President of the Senate. The Senate President leads the Electoral College vote certification process, which takes place in the House plenary room. At this event, the Vice President presides, collects the results of the Electoral College votes, and officially declares who the President and Vice President-elect are.

Host) After the 2020 presidential election, there was a conflict between then-Vice President Mike Pence and President Trump over this procedure, right?

Reporter) Yes. At the time, President Trump pressured Vice President Pence not to attend the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021. However, Vice President Pence rejected that request and proceeded with the procedure at a joint meeting. However, this procedure was halted due to the invasion of the Federal Capitol by supporters of then-President Trump. Then it resumed the next day (the 7th) and ended. At this event, Vice President Pence declared current President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as the President and Vice President-elect.

U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C.

Host) Today in the global village, let’s hear one more news about the US presidential election. President-elect Trump is being indicted on several criminal charges. There’s news that the federal Department of Justice is considering closing these cases?

Reporter) That’s right. Several media outlets, including NBC News and CNN, reported on the 6th, citing sources, that Special Prosecutor Jack Smith is discussing with the federal Department of Justice a plan to end the criminal prosecution case against President-elect Trump before he takes office.

Host) What was the content of the special prosecutor’s indictment against President-elect Trump?

Reporter) Yes. Special Counsel Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022. He criminally indicted President-elect Trump last year on two charges. One was the charge that President-elect Trump had conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and that he had illegally leaked and kept top secret documents upon leaving the White House.

Host) But why are you ending the prosecution of the case that was in progress?

Reporter) Yes. The media explained that this was due to an old interpretation of the Federal Justice Department that a sitting president cannot be indicted or criminally punished. In a memo on the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974, the Justice Department pointed out that indicting a sitting president would be an unreasonable interference with the performance of his office. At the same time, he expressed the opinion that impeachment is the only appropriate way to deal with a president who is in office.

Host) But isn’t President-elect Trump indicted in other cases besides these?

Reporter) Yes. In addition to being indicted at the federal level, he is also being indicted in New York and Georgia. In New York state, he was charged with unlawful conduct to silence his sex scandal. In Georgia, he is accused of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election there.

Host) In New York State, an actual trial was held and a jury verdict was reached, right?

Reporter) That’s right. He was found guilty on all 34 charges in May. If a guilty verdict is reached, the judge will impose a sentence. President-elect Trump’s sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for July. The judge postponed the sentencing to November 26 to avoid misunderstanding that it would affect the presidential election.

Host) So what kind of sentence can be given at the trial on the 26th?

Reporter) Yes. Originally, it was said that each charge could result in up to four years in prison. However, the Associated Press pointed out that it is unlikely that President-elect Trump will be imprisoned, considering his imminent return to the White House. In addition, Claire Finkelstein, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, told AFP, “If it involves a prison sentence, there is a high possibility that there will be probation.”

Host) What is the current status of the Georgia trial?

Reporter) Yes. In the Georgia case, the trial has virtually been halted because it was revealed that the investigating prosecutor and the local prosecutor who appointed him had an inappropriate relationship.

Migrants take a break while moving from Wistla, Mexico to the U.S. border on the 6th.

Host) Global Village Today, we will continue to look at one more news from within the United States. A large number of Central and South American migrants are heading to the southern border of the United States?

Reporter) That’s right. A caravan of approximately 3,000 migrants is moving toward the southern border of the United States. Reuters reported that the migrant caravan departed for the United States from Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico’s southernmost state, on the 5th.

Host) The 5th was the US presidential election day.

Reporter) That’s right. On the day when Americans headed to the polls to choose the next president between Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, numerous immigrants from Mexico began moving with the dream of entering the United States. Immigration issues, including the U.S. southern border issue, were one of the major issues in this U.S. presidential election.

Host) The caravan procession to come to the United States has been going on for the past few years, right?

Reporter) That’s right. Originally, caravan refers to a group of merchants or pilgrims moving in a group in the desert. A procession of Central and South American migrants heading to the United States in groups of hundreds to thousands is called a caravan. In recent years, caravans have been used by tens of thousands of migrants to cross Mexico.

Host) But why do migrants move in groups like this?

Reporter) This is for safety. Because large groups move at the same time, the risk of robbery, rape, or kidnapping is relatively low. Additionally, caravans are mainly used by people who cannot afford to pay brokers to help them enter the United States. Roy Murillo, a migrant from Honduras, told Reuters, “It’s scary to travel alone with my family,” and said he comes in caravans because cartels, or gangs, try to kidnap or kill him.

Host) Is the caravan departure point safe?

Reporter) They say that’s not the case. Tapachula, Chiapas, is a place where immigrants from South America gather to form caravans. Tapachula has been said to be one of the most violent cities in Mexico in recent months. Authorities’ statistics show that migrants are often targets of organized crime.

Host) But didn’t former President Trump win the US presidential election? Now he is the president-elect. President-elect Trump has shown a very hard-line stance on immigration issues, right?

Host) That’s right. That stance began during President-elect Trump’s first term. He signed an executive order on immigration one week after taking office in 2017. This executive order, named the ‘Travel Ban’, banned the entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days. Also, the following year, the so-called ‘zero tolerance principle’ was applied and measures were implemented to separate families caught illegally crossing the border into the United States.

Host) What immigration policy will President-elect Trump implement in his next term?

Reporter) During his campaign, President-elect Trump said that if elected, he would restore the hard-line immigration policies he implemented in his first term and push for new restrictions. They announced plans to launch the largest-ever effort to deport illegal immigrants from the U.S.-Mexico border. He said he would deploy the National Guard and, if necessary, federal troops for the plan. He said detention centers could also be set up to process people eligible for deportation. However, if the plan is actually pursued, there is a possibility that it may face legal challenges.

Host) President-elect Trump also mentioned something about immigration status?

Reporter) Yes, they announced that they would abolish the ‘birthright citizenship’ system, which automatically grants citizenship to immigrant children born in the United States. However, this may violate the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which states that “any person born in the United States is a citizen of the United States.” President-elect Trump also announced that he would reimplement the ‘travel ban’, which sparked several legal battles during his first term.

On the 6th, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar’s military regime, meets with Chinese Premier Li Chang and shakes hands in Kunming, Yunnan Province, southern China.

Host) Today in the global village, we will finally look at news from Asia. The head of Myanmar’s military government visited China?

Reporter) That’s right. Myanmar Supreme Commander Min Aung Hlaing visited China on the 5th. Supreme Commander Hlaing, who visited China with a large delegation of government officials and businessmen, attended the Mekong River Basin Summit held in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China for two days on the 6th and 7th. Supreme Commander Hlaing met with Chinese Premier Li Chang, who is presiding over the summit, on the 6th.

Host) What words were exchanged between Supreme Commander Hlaing and Prime Minister Li Chang?

Reporter) Yes. Supreme Commander Hlaing said, “The door to peace is always open if the rebels really want it.” He also emphasized, “They must do what is necessary instead of prioritizing their own needs and expectations.” Premier Li Qiang said, “China supports Myanmar in advancing political reconciliation and transformation.”

Host) Isn’t Supreme Commander Hlaing the person who took power through a coup?

Reporter) That’s right. Myanmar’s military government seized power through a coup the following year in February 2021, claiming that the general election in November 2020, which was won by a landslide victory by the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was fraudulent. Since then, clashes with ethnic minority rebel coalitions have continued. This is the first time Supreme Commander Hlaing has visited China since the 2021 coup.

Host) Did Supreme Commander Hlaing receive an invitation from China?

Reporter) That’s right. The BBC evaluated that although it was not at the level of a state visit, China’s invitation to Supreme Commander Hlaing was significant. China is Myanmar’s important ally, border neighbor, and Myanmar’s largest trading partner. In particular, this visit attracts attention in that it took place as China strengthened its support for the Myanmar military government, which is under attack by rebels.

Host) Does it seem like China is in a position to support the military government rather than the rebels?

Reporter) Yes, as the rebel coalition became active along the border with China, China began to worry about a threat to its strategic and business interests in Myanmar. Therefore, efforts are being made to suppress the rebels. China tried to broker a ceasefire in January, but rebel forces launched new attacks in June. Then, China became dissatisfied with the ongoing war and took pressure measures such as blocking the border and cutting off electricity to Myanmar.

Host) Isn’t the Myanmar government receiving criticism from the international community?

Reporter) That’s right. Myanmar is being shunned by Western countries due to human rights violations and other reasons. Excluding attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, Russia is the only place Supreme Commander Hlaing has visited overseas since 2021.

Host) But the Chinese government has maintained a cooperative relationship with the Myanmar military?

Reporter) Yes, but the rebels are in the position that the military must step down from Myanmar. They also expressed dissatisfaction with Supreme Commander Hlaing’s visit to China. A spokesperson for the National Unity Government (NUG), the interim government of Myanmar’s democratic camp, issued a video statement saying, “The people of Myanmar want stability, peace, and economic growth. “It is Min Aung Hlaing and his group who are destroying these things,” he said. He added that he was concerned that Supreme Commander Hlaing’s visit to China “may unintentionally create misunderstandings about the Chinese government among the people of Myanmar.”

Host) What did the Myanmar military say about Supreme Commander Hlaing’s visit to China?

Reporter) Myanmar state-run MRTV reported that Supreme Commander Hlaing will attend three meetings held at the summit between the Mekong River basin countries on the 6th and 7th, and will also meet with Chinese government officials to discuss “the friendship between the two governments and peoples, the economy, and various other matters.” “We will discuss ways to strengthen the field,” he said.

Host) Global Village concludes today. This was reporter Kim Jeong-woo.