Morning Announcements

Today's Headlines: Kash Patel somehow made the news again — this time for ordering the FBI to open a stalking investigation against the New York Times reporter who revealed he'd assigned four full-time FBI agents and SWAT personnel to chauffeur his girlfriend, country singer Alexis Wilkins, to hair appointments, UK events, and personal errands on the taxpayer dime. The investigation was quietly shut down by remaining normal humans inside the FBI, but the audacity is truly staggering. Speaking of audacity, House Oversight Chair James Comer casually floated the idea of pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell in exchange for her cooperation with the Epstein investigation — the same investigation he's supposed to be running — before adding that he personally thinks it "looks bad," as if that's the bar we're clearing these days. A US soldier was arrested and charged for using classified information about the Nicolas Maduro raid — which he personally participated in — to bet on Polymarket, netting over $400,000 in profits, marking the first indictment of its kind. The DOJ also charged the Southern Poverty Law Center with wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering, alleging it secretly paid members of extremist groups including the KKK and Neo-Nazis — the SPLC says those were confidential informants, a practice that dates back to its founding in the 1980s. Over at the Strait of Hormuz, Iran laid mines to block oil tanker traffic, which is both a ceasefire violation and a logistical nightmare since mines take far longer to clear than just stopping the shooting — and when asked about a timeline for ending the war, Trump told reporters "don't rush me, we were in Vietnam for 18 years," a famously great outcome to invoke. On slightly better news, marijuana was reclassified from Schedule I to Schedule III, giving cannabis companies a major tax break and easier access to banking, though federal legalization remains a pipe dream; the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was extended three more weeks; the Trump administration is reportedly bailing out Spirit Airlines to the tune of $500 million in exchange for a majority government stake (so much for small government); Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approved Paramount's acquisition while rejecting an $800 million golden parachute for unpopular CEO David Zaslav — non-binding though, so he's probably getting it anyway; and Trump hired his personal pool contractor to redo the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in a color he's calling "American flag blue," because the federally protected historical landmark that is twelve Olympic pools in size apparently just needs a friend from Germany to call it ugly before it gets a makeover.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Politico: Oversight members split over whether to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, committee chair says - Live Updates

NYT: F.B.I. Said to Have Investigated Times Reporter After Article on Patel’s Girlfriend

Axios: U.S. soldier arrested for allegedly betting on Maduro raid he took part in

WSJ: Southern Poverty Law Center Charged With Financial Crimes

Axios: Iran deploys more mines in the Strait of Hormuz, sources say

Axios: Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks, Trump says

Axios: Trump admin reclassifies state-licensed marijuana

WSJ: Trump Administration Nearing Rescue Deal for Spirit Airlines

CNBC: Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount acquisition 

AP News: Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool gets a blue coating as Trump tackles renovation project

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Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today's Headlines: Kash Patel is having a rough week — Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent him an alcohol screening questionnaire asking how many drinks he has per day and how often he can't remember the night before.. On the Iran front, the "ceasefire" is doing ceasefire things: Iran seized two more ships and fired on three others, though the White House says it doesn't count because they weren't American or Israeli ships — so apparently it's only a war if we say so. Believe it or not, a War Powers resolution failed for the fifth time, with the Senate voting 51-46 to reject. The Secretary of the Navy was also ousted — not a huge loss given he was a campaign donor with no military experience who appeared on Epstein's flight logs — but perhaps not ideal timing during an active naval conflict. Elsewhere in chaos, Georgia Rep. David Scott passed away at 80, making him the fifth member of Congress to die in the past year and a half, tipping the House balance further toward Republicans; a Republican-appointed judge voided Virginia's newly approved redistricting map the day after voters approved it; Truth Social replaced CEO Devin Nunes — who was paid $47 million while the company earned $4 million — with someone described as a "corporate babysitter"; and condom prices are going up 30% because of the Iran war, which is somehow both funny and bleak. Climate scientists are warning that the Atlantic Ocean's key current system is closer to collapse than previously thought, and a UN report found that climate change is driving surges in gender-based violence globally. In tech and surveillance news, unauthorized users on a private Discord server guessed their way into Anthropic's restricted Mythos model; Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan is apparently running a full surveillance operation on fans, employees, and former players; Palantir's CEO dropped a 22-point manifesto about AI weapons and Silicon Valley's "moral debt"; and Sam Altman's eyeball-scanning startup falsely claimed a partnership with Bruno Mars, which Bruno Mars and Live Nation immediately denied.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Axios: Longtime Democratic Rep. David Scott dies at 80

CNN: Tazewell County judge bars certification of Virginia redistricting results; state AG promises appeal

NBC News: Democrats want FBI Director Kash Patel to fill out alcohol use screening test

WSJ: Iran War Live News Updates: Three Ships Attacked in Strait of Hormuz, Escorting Two to Its Coast

CNN: US Navy Secretary Phelan ousted as naval blockade of Iran continues

WSJ: Senate Rejects Fifth Attempt to Curb Trump’s War Powers

People: Condom Prices to Rise by 30% as a Result of Iran War, Says CEO of World’s Largest Manufacturer

MS Now: Devin Nunes steps down as CEO of Trump’s media company

The Guardian: Critical Atlantic current significantly more likely to collapse than thought | Oceans

United Nations: Climate crisis driving surge in gender-based violence, UN study finds | UN News

Bloomberg: Anthroopics Mythos Model being Accessed By Unauthorized Userses

Wired: The Shocking Secrets of Madison Square Garden’s Surveillance Machine

Business Insider: Palantir's summary of CEO Alexander Karp's manifesto is generating buzz. Read the 22 bullet points.

Wired: Sam Altman’s Orb Company Promoted a Bruno Mars Partnership That Doesn't Exist

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Florida Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned ahead of her expected expulsion vote — apparently getting kicked out by your colleagues is a bridge too far even for someone who funneled FEMA money into her own campaign — and all eyes are now on whether Revenge Porn Cory Mills follows suit. On the Iran beat, Trump blinked again and extended the ceasefire at the last minute after mediators in Pakistan asked him to hold off, while JD Vance's peace trip to Islamabad was postponed indefinitely. Elsewhere in war news, Pete Hegseth announced the military will no longer require troops to get the flu vaccine, citing "medical autonomy," because apparently that's where we are. In the financial crimes corner, the BBC published an analysis finding the Trump administration is likely engaged in insider trading tied to major political events — multiple traders won millions of dollars just before Trump made market-moving announcements. Meanwhile, Trump's preferred Fed Chair replacement Kevin Warsh told his confirmation hearing that Fed independence "means everything" to him, which is exactly what someone who doesn't mean it would say. In other financial ethics news, an investigation found the Noems were carrying up to $3.25 million in debt while Bryon Noem was sending tens of thousands to fetish models, which Kristi claims blindsided her. The Gates Foundation is cutting 500 jobs because Bill Gates hung out with Jeffrey Epstein, but on a brighter note, the House Oversight Committee and FBI are both investigating the 11 suspiciously dead and missing nuclear scientists — reassuring, except the FBI is run by Kash Patel. In genuinely good news, two new pancreatic cancer drugs showed remarkable results in early trials, with one mRNA vaccine keeping most responsive patients alive for six years. And finally, Virginia voters approved a new congressional map that could net Democrats four additional House seats ahead of the November midterms — possibly the last effective redistricting before the election.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

WaPo: House Democrat resigns ahead of possible expulsion vote over alleged financial crimes

NYT: Iran War Live Updates: Uncertainty Surrounds U.S.-Iran Talks as Cease-Fire Nears End

Axios: Vance's Pakistan trip postponed indefinitely as Iran boycotts peace talks

AP News: Flu vaccine no longer mandated for US troops, Hegseth says

BBC: The insider trading suspicions looming over Trump's presidency

WSJ: Kevin Warsh Hearing: Trump's Nominee Pressed on Disclosures, Fed Independence — Live Updates

Atlanta Blackstar: ‘Should Be in Prison!’: Kristi Noem Dragged Into Another Public Embarrassment as Report Exposes Jaw-Dropping Debt Tied to Her Husband — and Now Everyone’s Asking the Same Questions

WSJ: Gates Foundation to Cut 20% of Staff, Review Epstein Ties

CNN: At least 10 scientists tied to sensitive US research have died or disappeared in recent years, sparking federal investigation

WSJ: New Drugs for Pancreatic Cancer Show Remarkable Promise for Deadly Disease

NYT: Election Live Updates: Virginia Passes New Map, Lifting Democrats' Midterm Chances

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: Kash Patel responded to bombshell reporting about his drinking and incompetence by filing a $250 million defamation suit against The Atlantic — can’t wait for discovery then, Kash. Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer became the third Trump Cabinet member to resign in just a few months, notable mostly because all three have been women while the actual disasters remain firmly in place. On the foreign policy beat, the Iran ceasefire expires tomorrow at 8pm with Trump calling renewal "highly unlikely," JD Vance and crew headed to Islamabad anyway, and oil prices already on the rise. Back home, the House Ethics Committee is mulling expulsion votes for two Florida representatives — one facing sexual misconduct and illegal contract charges, the other caught steering COVID relief funds to her own campaign. In economic news, the Trump administration quietly launched a portal for the 330,000 businesses that overpaid on illegal tariffs to apply for refunds, with no apparent plan for the ones that already went under because of them. Over in Silicon Valley, Amazon invested another $5 billion into Anthropic while California simultaneously filed an antitrust suit against Amazon using the company's own emails as evidence, and Apple tapped 25-year veteran John Ternus as its next CEO, a man described as competent and affable, which feels like a low bar that is nonetheless refreshing. And finally, a bankruptcy judge is the only thing standing between The Onion and its dream of owning Infowars — which would be the most perfect ending to the Alex Jones saga anyone could have written.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

CNN: FBI director Kash Patel files $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic

WaPo: Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will resign amid misconduct allegations

The Hill: Ethics panel reveals it’s conducted 20 sexual misconduct investigations into lawmakers since 2017

Politico: House Ethics panel issues rare statement committing to helping secure a sexual harassment-free workplace - Live Updates

Axios: House barrels toward rare double expulsion votes

WaPo: Iran talks on shaky footing after U.S. seizure of ship in Strait of Hormuz

AP News: Oil prices rise and US stocks give back a bit of their record-breaking rally

Politico: Hungary must arrest Netanyahu if he visits, Magyar says

Wired: The Weird, Twisting Tale of How China Spied on Alysa Liu and Her Dad

Axios: What to know about tariff refund site that launches Monday

Mashable: Amazon colluded to make competitors raise prices, California lawsuit says

WSJ: Anthropic, Amazon Tighten Bond in $5 Billion Investment and Computing Deal

WSJ: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple Names New CEO

Mother Jones: The Onion Says It Has Again Struck a Deal to Take Over Infowars

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's Headlines: FBI Director Kash Patel is apparently drunk a lot. The Atlantic talked to over a dozen colleagues, painting a picture of locked-office incidents, security detail struggling to wake him up, and a man who thought his login failing meant he'd been fired. His team reportedly requested a battering ram for his office door. Lawsuit for defamation to come. Meanwhile, 8 children were killed in a mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana — the deadliest in the US in two years. Victims ranged from ages 1 to 14, spread across four crime scenes. Good to know the FBI director is on it. The Iran "ceasefire" continues to ceasefire in name only. Trump threatened to bomb every bridge and power plant in Iran and Iran rejected the next round of talks. The ceasefire expires Wednesday. The current draft deal involves Iran surrendering enriched uranium for $20 billion in unfrozen funds. Gas is averaging $4.05/gallon and the Energy Secretary basically said "lol maybe next year" on when it'll drop below $3. Jared Kushner is negotiating the Iran deal while his investment firm is bankrolled by Iran's enemies. Rep. Jamie Raskin launched a House investigation and asked Kushner directly: whose side are you actually on? In other news, Eleven nuclear scientists with classified clearances have died or disappeared suspiciously since 2023 — more than half in the past year. Trump says he "hopes it's a coincidence." Ok.  On the lighter side of dystopia: Trump signed an executive order fast-tracking psychedelic drug research with Joe Rogan in attendance as spiritual inspiration. Caitlyn Jenner left a note for Trump at Mar-a-Lago about her passport — he hasn't called back. The Strokes closed their Coachella set with a video montage of CIA regime changes and footage of bombings in Gaza and Iran. And the NSA is quietly using Anthropic's AI while the administration simultaneously argues in court that Anthropic is a national security threat.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

The Atlantic: The FBI Director Is MIA

The Hill: Patel says he’ll sue Atlantic for defamation over report on heavy drinking

WaPo: 8 children killed in Louisiana shooting, police say

Axios: Trump says he'll send negotiators to Pakistan, Iran suspects trap

Axios: Scoop: U.S. considers $20 billion cash-for-uranium deal with Iran

Axios: Trump's energy boss: gas may stay above $3-per-gallon into 2027

MS Now: Iran negotiator or private investor? Raskin launches investigation into Jared Kushner.

The Guardian: Department of Justice investigating Eric Swalwell amid sexual assault allegations | House of Representatives

The Hill: Who are the missing or dead scientists with connections to government research?

Mother Jones: Podcasters, Presidents, and Psychedelics: How Joe Rogan Got Trump Into Ibogaine

People: Caitlyn Jenner Asked Trump for Help After His Trans Policies Created 'Safety' Issue with Her Passport. He Didn't Reply, She Says

Variety: The Strokes End Coachella Set With Video Condemning U.S. and Israeli Bombings in Iran and Gaza

Axios: Scoop: NSA using Anthropic's Mythos despite blacklist

Subscribe to the Betches News Room and join the Morning Announcements group chat. Go to: betchesnews.substack.com

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices