The Slatest for Oct. 26: Trump’s Legal Team Is Reaching

Slate Staff
·2 min read
A close-up of Donald Trump, looking displeased.
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After a spate of witnesses flipping against Donald Trump, his legal team is looking to turn things around by filing motions to get the case dismissed. The new filings contain some pretty absurd legal arguments—and suggest they know that the walls are closing in, Jeremy Stahl writes. He takes apart four of the most ridiculous arguments.

Plus: In case you missed it, Stahl unpacks why Trump’s case for his immunity in the Jan. 6 prosecution is particularly galling.

Aymann Ismail knew something was up when his Egyptian mom started barraging him with Piers Morgan clips.

The formerly disgraced British television anchor has been having guests on to talk about the Palestine-Israel conflict. And his coverage has been … really good?! Ismail takes a close look at Morgan’s new approach.

Plus: Wikipedia is doing a better job of covering the Israel-Hamas war than the former bird app. Stephen Harrison examines how Wikipedia’s crowdsourced editing process holds up under pressure.

A side-by-side of Mollie Burkhart, played by Lily Gladstone, in Killers of the Flower Moon, and Chip Hardesty, played by Jimmy Stewart, in The FBI Story.
Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by Apple TV+/Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.

Killers of the Flower Moon isn’t the first movie to tell the story of the Osage murders. But the first time Hollywood tried it—with a film starring Jimmy Stewart—the Osage didn’t even have a single line. Sam Adams takes a look back at 1959’s The FBI Story.

Plus: Slate’s Culture Gabfest discusses why Killers of the Flower Moon centers the oppressors.

A graphic that reads: SLATE PLUS MEMBERS EXCLUSIVE: SAVE THE DATE! Oct. 30, 1 p.m. ET. Alex Sammon, Nitish Pahwa, Aymann Ismail, and Ben Mathis-Lilley will join host Lizzie O'Leary to discuss the 2024 election, the crisis in the Middle East, and what to look out for over the next year. Slate EIC Hillary Frey will join to preview Slate's overall elections strategy. LIVE via Zoom. Not yet a plus member? Join Slate Plus so you can participate!
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Several members of the Slate politics team are assembling on Zoom on Monday afternoon, and they’re excited to chat with you about the 2024 election. The event is open to Plus members only—sign up now to join us!

But should it have? Nitish Pahwa has watched five episodes of the much-anticipated (and much-dreaded) Frasier revival, and he is here to pass judgment.

Luke Winkie during his Christian Girl Autumn fall leaf-peeping photoshoot in Vermont throwing leaves in the air.
Photo illustration by Slate. Photos courtesy of Luke Winkie and by Getty Images Plus.

Luke Winkie went to Vermont armed with a dark mission: to achieve the perfect, lobotomized facsimile of Christian Girl Autumn. Come along with him as he attempts to recreate Caitlin Covington’s infamous Christian Girl Autumn pictures.

Travis Gienger and his world record setting giant pumpkin in 2023.
Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Liu Guanguan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images.

… much like the seeds from this massive, record-breaking pumpkin named Michael Jordan. Travis Gienger told Hannah Docter-Loeb about the nearly three decades of blood, sweat, and tears it took to create.

Thanks so much for reading! We’ll see you tomorrow.