News Wrap: Judge puts election interference case against Trump on hold

William Brangham:

In the day's other headlines: The 2020 election interference case against former President Trump is being put on hold indefinitely.

Federal Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington paused the proceedings today while Mr. Trump pursues his claim of presidential immunity. The Supreme Court is considering whether to fast-track a ruling on the issue. That, in turn, could delay the March 4 trial date.

Also today, the Supreme Court agreed to consider another appeal that could undo key charges against Mr. Trump in the January 6 Capitol riot. He and more than 300 others have been accused of obstructing Congress as it tried to certify the 2020 election results. But a lower court rejected that charge in one such case. Now the Supreme Court will decide if that finding extends to others.

On abortion, the Supreme Court said today it will decide the legality of banning shipments of mifepristone through the mail. The FDA approved the drug back in 2000, and since then more than five million people have used it to have abortions. The High Court will hear arguments in the spring.

President Biden's son Hunter defied a congressional subpoena to testify in private today to the House Oversight Committee. He appeared outside the Capitol, but insisted he would answer questions only in public. Republicans rejected that demand, leaving the two sides at a stalemate.

Hunter Biden, Son of Joe Biden: I am here to testify at a public hearing today to answer any of the committee's legitimate questions.

Republicans do not want an open process where Americans can see their tactics, expose their baseless inquiry, or hear what I have to say.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH):

If you do it in an open format now, you're going to get filibusters, you're going to get speeches, you're going to get all kinds of things. What we want is the facts. And the way you get the facts in every single investigation I have been involved in is, you bring people in for an interview behind closed doors, where you can get those facts.

William Brangham:

All this came as House Republicans moved to formally authorize an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. They claim he's benefited from his son's business dealings, but, so far, there is no evidence directly implicating the president.

On Wall Street, stocks surged after the Federal Reserve signaled it may cut interest rates next year. Major indexes were up well over 1 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 512 points to close above 37000 for the first time. The Nasdaq rose 200 points. The S&P 500 added 63.

The Library of Congress is out with this year's additions to the National Film Registry. They include the Christmas favorite "Home Alone" from 1990 and the Oscar-winning drama "12 Years a Slave," plus Apollo 13, with Tom Hanks delivering that famous line:

Actor:

This is Houston. Say again, please.

Tom Hanks, Actor:

Houston, we have a problem. We have a main B bus undervolt. We have got a lot of thruster activity here, Houston. It just went offline.

William Brangham:

Other honorees include "Lady and the Tramp," "Fame" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day."

And Emmy Award-winning actor Andre Braugher died. He won accolades for his TV, film and stage roles.

But, as Jeffrey Brown reports, he was best known for portraying police officers in two very different series.

Andre Braugher, Actor:

The detective has informed you of your rights. He wants you to be protected, he says.

Jeffrey Brown:

Andre Braugher first gained national attention as Frank Pembleton, a Baltimore detective in the 1990s police drama "Homicide: Life on the Street."

Andre Braugher:

Please, please listen to me. The daughter fought, and the mother didn't.

Jeffrey Brown:

The power and intensity of his performance brought him an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1998.

He was born and raised in Chicago, a graduate of Stanford and Juilliard.

Andre Braugher:

I'd like to speak to you for a moment in private, if I may.

Jeffrey Brown:

And went on to a professional acting career in films, early on in the Civil War drama "Glory," more recently the 2022 film "She Said."

He was also a regular presence on stage, including Shakespearian roles.

Andre Braugher:

I'm defusing the situation.

Jeffrey Brown:

And on television, including from 2013 to 2021, a second major turn as a police officer in the series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," this time as Captain Raymond Holt in a completely different register, comedy.

Andre Braugher:

According to a recent study, the physical act of smiling can improve your mood. I suggest we give it a shot.

Jeffrey Brown:

He spoke of it on "The Today Show" in 2015.

Andre Braugher:

I feel as though my mind is expanding. I mean, my capabilities as an actor, my ability to mine the comedy is really rising up for the first time in my life.

Jeffrey Brown:

After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Braugher reflected on the role of popular culture in how police are portrayed, telling "Variety": "I too have fallen prey to the mythology that's been built up. Cops breaking the law to — quote — 'defend the law' is a real terrible slippery slope. That's something that we're going to have to collectively address, all cop shows."

Andre Braugher died Monday after what was described as a brief illness. He was 61 years old.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Jeffrey Brown.