Pinnacle Consulting Group Inc. (PCGI) is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Founded in 2004 by Chad Walker and Peggy Dowswell, the Loveland company has become known for its expertise in district management, finance, facilities operations, and capital infrastructure project management. As PCGI enters its next chapter, Walker and Dowswell are transitioning leadership to longtime employees Jason Woolard, Brendan Campbell and Amanda Castle, according to a news release. “It has been an incredible journey growing PCGI into what it is today,” Walker said in the release. “We are excited for Jason, Brendan and Amanda to bring fresh energy and perspective as they lead the company forward.” Jason Woolard, chief executive officer, will focus on expanding PCGI’s services into Utah and strengthening its presence across Colorado. Brendan Campbell, chief financial officer, will oversee financial management and the integration of new technologies, and Amanda Castle, chief operations officer will focus on operational excellence. “We are honored to continue the vision Chad and Peggy established,” Woolard said in the release. “Our goal is to build lasting relationships with our clients while expanding into new markets. This transition marks an exciting step forward for PCGI.” Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning (FCHA) is holding its Annual Free Furnace Giveaway, with nominations being taken through Nov. 29. “Winters in Northern Colorado can be harsh, and no one should have to endure them without a dependable heating system,” Glenn Frank, president of Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning, said in a news release. “Our Annual Free Furnace Giveaway isn’t just a tradition — it’s a heartfelt way to give back to the community that has supported our family for generations. By providing warmth and comfort to a family in need, we hope to spread joy and make the holiday season a little brighter.” Community members can nominate a family or individual who could benefit from a new furnace at fortcollinsheating.com/about/furnace-giveaway . After reviewing the nominations, FCHA will select a winner to receive a brand-new furnace with professional installation — completely free of charge. The new system will be installed in time to ensure the family has a warm and comfortable home by Christmas. Julian’s in Fort Collins is inviting the community to enjoy its Holiday Christmas Town Window Display. Presented in partnership with Dr. Ed Siegel, the display is on loan from the collection of local artist Louise Cutler. The holiday display is inspired by Cutler’s childhood memories of Chicago’s iconic department store window displays, according to a news release. Determined to bring that same sense of wonder to her own children, she began creating her own miniature holiday town. She hand-painted many of the town’s figures to represent a multicultural world, ensuring her Christmas Town reflects the community she wishes to see, the release stated. The founder of Julian’s, Julian Siegel, was born in Poland in 1898 and emigrated to the United States as a teenager, later moving to Fort Collins in the 1920s. His first shop, at 114 S. College Ave., introduced Fort Collins to modern amenities, including the town’s first fluorescent lights, the release said. He eventually expanded to 137 S. College Ave., where the shop still stands today. As a community leader, Siegel founded and led local initiatives, from creating a new Boy Scout troop with teacher Jean Irish to chairing what is now United Way. A champion for inclusivity, he also persuaded Fort Collins restaurant owners to remove “White Trade Only” signs during WWII, making a significant stand for equality in the town. • Dream Finders Homes will begin sales in December at Farmstead in Berthoud. Available in the first phase will be 123 single-family homesites located on 50- and 60-foot lots, along with townhomes. Single-family home designs range from 1,700 to 3,572 square feet, and two townhome designs range from 1,375 to 1,448 square feet. dreamfindershomes.com . • Governor’s Summer Job Hunt – an annual initiative to drive youth employment – has named Colorado Youth Outdoors as the winner of its 2024 Young Employer Award. “We love our younger staff members,” Bob Hewson, the CYO chief executive officer, said. “CYO is often their first job; it’s an honor to help prepare them for future jobs, interviews and careers.” In addition to employing youths directly, CYO has also partnered with the Larimer County Economic and Workforce CareerRise program to host its annual Spring Employment Event — a job fair for teens. • Imagine Zero of Weld County has been chosen by Mike Shaw Subaru Greeley as part of Subaru’s Share the Love Event, an annual charitable campaign by Subaru of America. The dealership will donate a set amount for every new Subaru sold or leased during the event. Mike Shaw Subaru Greeley chose to partner with Imagine Zero of Weld County because of their shared commitment of bringing community together to prevent suicide through education, awareness and advocacy. To find out more about Imagine Zero of Weld County, visit imaginezerosuicideweld.org • Blue Frog Roofing Ltd. of Berthoud won a federal contract award for $1,338,454 from the U.S. Army, Omaha, Nebraska, for district warehouse roof replacement. • Three inventors, including Bruce A. Liikanen of Berthoud, have been awarded a patent (No. US 12141443 B2, initially filed May 10, 2022) for “Dynamic temperature compensation in a memory component.” • Woodward Inc. of Fort Collins has been assigned a patent (No. US 12140669 B2, initially filed March 25, 2022) developed by seven inventors, including Gregory Warren Pulley of Loveland, for “Ratio metric position sensor and control system.” • Big Deal Company announced the promotion of Carrie Kaufman to chief communications officer. She has been with the company for 10 years. • Aim Transportation Solutions’s founder, chairman and CEO, Tom Fleming, has been named to the 2024 Top Most Loved CEOs List. mostlovedworkplace.com/most-loved-workplaces-for-ceo. • Coan, Payton & Payne LLC has hired Brad Yatabe for its attorney team. He will work primarily out of the Fort Collins office and represent clients across Northern Colorado. His legal practice focuses on real estate development, general real estate matters, and associated business transactions. He has experience in navigating local government land use and zoning processes and with local elected and appointed bodies regarding entitlements, variances, permitting, appeals and historic preservation matters. • Human Bean Northern Colorado Toy Drive: through Dec. 1 customers can bring new and unwrapped gifts for young children and teens to any of the 10 drive-thru locations. Customers who bring in a donation with a value of $10 or greater will receive a voucher for a free 20-ounce drink to be used in January 2025. Toys will be donated to Serve 6.8 of Loveland, Santa Cops of Weld County and Life Stories, based in Greeley. humanbeannortherncolorado.com . • Innovation After Hours – Showcase and Graduation of the Life Science Incubation Program: 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia, Fort Collins.. Free, register at innosphereventures.org/events . • Guest Barista Day: Thursday Dec. 5, Human Bean Northern Colorado, 405 E. Main St., Windsor. Human Bean will donate 10% of sales made at the Windsor location to Finally Home, a nonprofit that serves to equip foster, adoptive and kinship families. Representatives from Finally Home will be on site at 9-11 a.m. to talk to customers about their mission. Cash donations also will be accepted for the nonprofit. humanbeannortherncolorado.com. The Reporter-Herald strives to include newsworthy business briefs for its readers each Sunday. The focus of business briefs is on Northern Colorado businesses, not business promotions. The items we consider for briefs include: • New businesses. • Business relocations. • Business closings. • New contracts. • Anniversaries (divisible by five). • Mergers and acquisitions. • New owners, employees or promotions of employees. • Manufacture of new products. • Business organization meetings, workshops, seminars or classes meant for networking or education. • Open houses related to newsworthy events (new business, anniversary, new owners, renovations, new management, etc.). • Awards or other recognition. • Donations to charities. • Earnings. Press releases are welcome. The Reporter-Herald reserves the right to edit information submitted for publication. Pictures of individuals involved in the event are welcome, but publication is not guaranteed. Information is due by noon Wednesday for publication in the following Sunday’s business section. Information can be emailed to news@reporter-herald.com . For more information, contact the Reporter-Herald newsroom, 970-635-3636, news@reporter-herald.com . — Reporter-Herald staff
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TORONTO, Dec. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clear Blue Technologies International Inc. (TSXV: CBLU) (FRANKFURT: OYA) (OTCQB: CBUTF) (“ ” or the “ ”) today announces that as a result of strong support from its secured lenders, its shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees and convertible debenture holders and other creditors and investors, it has initiated a proposed package of financial restructuring which should position the company well to embrace the opportunities in front of it in 2025 and beyond. The Package consists of the following: “Clear Blue is strongly positioned to address North American and African Telecom and Smart City opportunities. It is a leader in its target markets and now has 4 proven products, each with strong growth potential. The last 3 years of Covid, war, inflation, interest rate hikes and related events have held the Company back from being able to capitalize on this opportunity. As a result of this financial restructuring, the Company can now move forward and focus on the opportunity in front of it,” said Miriam Tuerk, Co-Founder and CEO of Clear Blue. “A community builds a company, and the Clear Blue community has stepped forward at this stage to support the Company in a big way. We cannot thank everyone enough for their contribution and willingness to work together to achieve this milestone.” Details of the above are provided below: The Company will be entering into debt settlement agreements with certain debenture holders and other creditors to settle an aggregate of approximately $8.77 million indebtedness that will be converted into units of the Company, with each unit comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant at a price per common share of $0.03, with each warrant exercisable for 24 months at a strike price of $0.05 (the “ ”). If $8.77 million indebtedness is settled then an aggregate of 292,438,847 common shares and 272,503,847 warrants will be issued on closing. The completion of the Shares for Debt Transactions is subject to a number of conditions, including the approval of the TSXV. Upon finalizing agreements with all creditors, the Company will issue a subsequent news release outlining the precise amount of debt settled and the number of units issued on closing. Alongside the Shares for Debt Transaction, the Company has also initiated a non-brokered private placement on identical terms to the Shares for Debt Transaction, with units of the Company to be issued comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant at a price per common share of $0.03, with each warrant exercisable for 24 months at a strike price of $0.05 (the “ ”, and together with the Shares for Debt Transaction, the “ ”), for gross proceeds of up to $2 million. The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. If the maximum of $2 million is raised, an aggregate of 66,666,666 common shares and 66,666,666 warrants will be issued on closing the Private Placement. The Company also announces a plan to proceed with a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of six (6) pre-consolidation shares for each one (1) post-consolidation share (the “ ”). The Company believes that the Consolidation is in the best interests of shareholders as it will allow the Company to complete the Transactions in accordance with abiding by TSXV policies as well as enhance the marketability of the common shares. Accordingly, the Company plans to hold a special meeting of shareholders on or around the beginning of March 2025, prior to which time an information circular will be sent to shareholders containing additional details pertaining to the Consolidation. No fractional shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. Any fractional shares resulting from the Consolidation will be rounded down to the next whole common share. The initial closings of the Transactions are expected to occur on or before December 31, 2024, or such other date as the creditors, investors and the Company may agree upon, and are subject to the completion of formal documentation and the Company receiving all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSXV. The securities issued pursuant to the Transactions will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the issuance date in accordance with applicable securities laws. Insiders may participate in the Transactions and the participation of insiders will be considered a related party transaction subject to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“ ”). The Company intends to rely on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under subsections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that no securities of the Company are listed on specified markets and the fair market value of the debt being settled by interested parties does not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. Additionally, the Company announces that it entered into a promissory note dated September 30, 2024, pursuant to which, Miriam and John Tuerk, directors and officers of the Company, collectively loaned the Company the principal amount of $994,704 (the “ ”). The Loan is repayable on January 1, 2026, without interest. The lenders are control persons and directors and officers of the Company, and accordingly, the Loan constitutes a “related party transaction” pursuant to MI 61-101. The Loan is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of 61-101. The Company is exempt from the formal valuation requirement contain in section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 as the Company does not have securities listed on a specified stock exchange. The Loan is further exempt from the minority shareholder approval requirement pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of Loan is less than 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements. Miriam Tuerk, Co-Founder and CEO +1 416 433 3952 Clear Blue Technologies International, the Smart Off-GridTM company, was founded on a vision of delivering clean, managed, “wireless power” to meet the global need for reliable, low-cost, solar and hybrid power for lighting, telecom, security, Internet of Things devices, and other mission-critical systems. Today, Clear Blue has thousands of systems under management across 37 countries, including the U.S. and Canada. (TSXV: CBLU) (FRA: 0YA) (OTCQB: CBUTF) Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release contains certain “forward-looking information” and/or “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Clear Blue’s beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Clear Blue’s control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “will continue”, “will occur” or “will be achieved”. The forward-looking information contained herein may include, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company’s current and future financial position. By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Clear Blue is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Clear Blue to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. An investment in securities of Clear Blue is speculative and subject to several risks including, without limitation, the risks discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Clear Blue’s listing application dated July 12, 2018. Although Clear Blue has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. In connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Clear Blue has made certain assumptions. Although Clear Blue believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to Clear Blue or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this news release. Such securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and, accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of persons in the United States or “U.S. Persons”, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.South Korea’s Yoon says he will lift martial law decree
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Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the marketBy REBECCA SANTANA WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country. It’s not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen. But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it’s possible, it’s a bad idea. Here’s a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about it and the prospects for ending it: During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Trump said he “absolutely” planned to halt birthright citizenship once in office. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous,” he said. Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship have argued that it creates an incentive for people to come to the U.S. illegally or take part in “birth tourism,” in which pregnant women enter the U.S. specifically to give birth so their children can have citizenship before returning to their home countries. “Simply crossing the border and having a child should not entitle anyone to citizenship,” said Eric Ruark, director of research for NumbersUSA, which argues for reducing immigration. The organization supports changes that would require at least one parent to be a permanent legal resident or a U.S. citizen for their children to automatically get citizenship. Others have argued that ending birthright citizenship would profoundly damage the country. “One of our big benefits is that people born here are citizens, are not an illegal underclass. There’s better assimilation and integration of immigrants and their children because of birthright citizenship,” said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the pro-immigration Cato Institute. In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 5.5 million children under age 18 lived with at least one parent in the country illegally in 2019, representing 7% of the U.S. child population. The vast majority of those children were U.S. citizens. The nonpartisan think tank said during Trump’s campaign for president in 2015 that the number of people in the country illegally would “balloon” if birthright citizenship were repealed, creating “a self-perpetuating class that would be excluded from social membership for generations.” In the aftermath of the Civil War, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment in July 1868. That amendment assured citizenship for all, including Black people. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” the 14th Amendment says. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” But the 14th Amendment didn’t always translate to everyone being afforded birthright citizenship. For example, it wasn’t until 1924 that Congress finally granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. A key case in the history of birthright citizenship came in 1898, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the states. The federal government had tried to deny him reentry into the county after a trip abroad on grounds he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some have argued that the 1898 case clearly applied to children born of parents who are both legal immigrants to America but that it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status or, for example, who come for a short-term like a tourist visa. “That is the leading case on this. In fact, it’s the only case on this,” said Andrew Arthur, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “It’s a lot more of an open legal question than most people think.” Some proponents of immigration restrictions have argued the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment allows the U.S. to deny citizenship to babies born to those in the country illegally. Trump himself used that language in his 2023 announcement that he would aim to end birthright citizenship if reelected. Trump wasn’t clear in his Sunday interview how he aims to end birthright citizenship. Asked how he could get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” Pressed further on whether he’d use an executive order, Trump said “if we can, through executive action.” He gave a lot more details in a 2023 post on his campaign website . In it, he said he would issue an executive order the first day of his presidency, making it clear that federal agencies “require that at least one parent be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic U.S. citizens.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president National Politics | With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight Trump wrote that the executive order would make clear that children of people in the U.S. illegally “should not be issued passports, Social Security numbers, or be eligible for certain taxpayer funded welfare benefits.” This would almost certainly end up in litigation. Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute said the law is clear that birthright citizenship can’t be ended by executive order but that Trump may be inclined to take a shot anyway through the courts. “I don’t take his statements very seriously. He has been saying things like this for almost a decade,” Nowrasteh said. “He didn’t do anything to further this agenda when he was president before. The law and judges are near uniformly opposed to his legal theory that the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States are not citizens.” Trump could steer Congress to pass a law to end birthright citizenship but would still face a legal challenge that it violates the Constitution. Associated Press reporter Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate" granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!