Random News and Notes 13 May

On this date in 1846, the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly votes in favor of President James K. Polk’s request to declare war on Mexico in a dispute over Texas. Following the war that led to the formation of the short-lived Republic of Texas, the US shied away from annexation talks over the threat of war with Mexico. But in 1844, President John Tyler restarted negotiations with the Republic of Texas, culminating with a Treaty of Annexation. That treaty was not ratified right away due to political considerations in Washington, but the door of annexation had been opened. Shortly before leaving office and with the support of President-elect Polk, Tyler managed to get the joint resolution passed on March 1, 1845. Texas was admitted to the Union on December 29.

Mexico did not declare war over the annexation, but relations – particularly about the borders – remained tense. In July 1845, President Polk ordered troops into disputed lands that lay between the Neuces and Rio Grande rivers. After negotiations to resolve the dispute failed, Polk asked Congress to declare war on Mexico.

After nearly two years of fighting, peace was established by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed on February 2, 1848. The Rio Grande was made the southern boundary of Texas, and California and New Mexico were ceded to the United States. In return, the United States paid Mexico the sum of $15 million and agreed to settle all claims of U.S. citizens against Mexico.

We start today’s news in Gastonia NC where prosecutors have cleared a cop in a shooting that occurred back in January. The incident happened at Jakob’s Food Mart in Gastonia. Derrick Terrell Manigault, 43, threatened another customer multiple times and brandished a realistic replica gun during a dispute. Undercover officers, there checking underage alcohol sales, saw him as an immediate threat and shot him four times.

Gaston County DA Travis Page cleared them on May 8, ruling the actions justified since Manigault presented the replica as real, creating reasonable fear. “The Constitution does not require police to gamble with their lives in the face of a serious threat of harm.”

Manigault’s wife Rebecca Insley called him a gentle giant and seeks further justice because of course she does.

Several of our staffers here at MVAP are from the DelMarVa region, so this story is for them. It seems there is a dude who drives people’s cars across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge for $40 a pop. Steven Eskew has been ferrying people and their cars across the bridge for a couple of decades. He makes between 30 and 40 5 minute trips a day. You do the math. . .

I have admittedly only driven that span a few times, but I have been on far, far scarier bridges in my day. The southern Grand Island bridge in Western NY comes to mind.

President Trump is in Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi. He landed in the Chinese capitol earlier today for a two day state visit.

He brought top officials, family like Eric and Lara Trump, and 17 CEOs including Elon Musk, Tim Cook, and Jensen Huang to push U.S. economic deals amid tensions over trade, tech, Taiwan, and Iran. Talks with Xi Jinping start Thursday, focusing on tariff cuts, AI, semiconductors, and market access.

I did not follow this trial when it occurred, but the South Carolina Supreme Court just vacated the verdict in the Alex Murdaugh murder case. The court ruled that former Colleton County Clerk Rebecca Hill improperly influenced jurors during Murdaugh’s 2023 trial by commenting on his testimony and urging them not to be fooled by the defense. Hill’s actions, including calling his testimony ‘epic’ and warning against his credibility, violated his right to an impartial jury, and prosecutors couldn’t prove otherwise. Murdaugh, convicted of killing his wife Maggie and son Paul at their Moselle property in 2021, will get a new trial in Colleton County.

Although no new trial date is set; he’ll stay imprisoned on separate financial crime sentences.