--:-- John Bickley: This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial period at shopify.com slash morningwire. That's shopify.com slash morningwire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: I'm Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Tuesday, April 9th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- John Bickley: The Arizona Supreme Court upheld a 160-year-old law that heavily restricts abortions in most cases, with the only exception being a threat to the life of the mother. The law officially takes effect in two weeks. Existing law allows abortions up to 15 weeks.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Planned Parenthood says they will continue to provide abortions up to 15 weeks, as allowed by the Arizona courts, but will have to wind them down in the coming months.
--:-- John Bickley: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is putting to bed arguments that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce has more.
--:-- Tim Pierce: During a Senate Armed Services Committee budget hearing, Austin was asked whether Israel was committing genocide. Here's what he said.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Senator Cotton, we don't have any evidence of genocide being created. So that's a no. Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza. We don't have evidence of that, to my knowledge.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Austin's comments come as the Biden administration has faced mounting pressure from progressives over U.S. support for Israel.
--:-- Tim Pierce: During the hearing, Austin stopped short of calling Hamas's October 7th attacks against Israel a genocide. He called it a horrific terrorist attack and said it crossed the line of being a war crime.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Meanwhile, Democratic Committee member Elizabeth Warren warned that Israel's actions in the conflict could still be declared a genocide by international officials.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Regarding aid in the region Austin said the U will start work on a peer to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza later this month.
--:-- John Bickley: A Louisiana bill that allows law enforcement in the state to arrest and jail people who enter the U illegally is one step closer to becoming law.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The law, which resembles a similar bill in Texas, was passed by the state Senate today and now heads to the statehouse. Louisiana joins a growing list of legislatures seeking to expand state's authority over border enforcement.
--:-- John Bickley: Opponents argue the bill is unconstitutional, while proponents of the bill accuse the federal government of neglecting its immigration law enforcement responsibilities.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Under Louisiana's bill, anyone who violates the proposed law would face up to a year in prison and a $4,000 fine for the first offense, and up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine for a second offense.
--:-- John Bickley: A last-ditch effort made by Donald Trump's legal team to delay his hush money trial has been rejected by a New York judge.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The decision clears the way for jury selection to begin next week. Trump's legal team wanted the trial to be delayed until an appellate court could hear arguments on lifting or modifying a gag order that currently bans him from talking about individuals connected to the trial.
--:-- John Bickley: Lawyers representing Trump argue that the order is unconstitutional and limits the former president's free speech rights.
--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by Beam. Try Beam's best-selling dream powder for up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to shopbeam.com slash wire and use code wire at checkout. That's shopbeam.com slash wire.
--:-- John Bickley: The FBI has arrested an 18-year-old in Idaho after uncovering his plot to attack churches on behalf of ISIS.
--:-- Georgia Howe: According to the Justice Department, Alexander Mercurio faces federal charges for attempting to provide support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization after devising a plot to incapacitate his father and steal his firearm.
--:-- John Bickley: The DOJ says Mercurio planned to use the firearm in an attack on churches in the city of Coeur d' Idaho.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Mercurio now faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of the federal charge.
--:-- John Bickley: The parents of a Michigan school shooter were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison today for their failure to prevent the attack that killed four students.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presta-Giacomo has the latest.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: The historic ruling makes Jennifer and James Crumbly the first parents convicted of involuntary manslaughter in a U.S. mass shooting.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: The two were found guilty after prosecutors presented evidence of an unsecure gun at home and neglect toward the teen's mental health.
--:-- Georgia Howe: During today's hearing, parents of the victims were able to address the Crumbly's.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: The mother of Madison Baldwin, who was killed in the attack, spoke out.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: When you knew the gun was missing, you called the police, knowing it was your son who took it. I was having family call every hospital describing what she looked like. When you texted, don't do it. I was texting Madison, I love you, please call mom.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The Crumblies also delivered prepared statements before the court.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: The driving weight this has taken on my heart and soul cannot be expressed into words. just as they know there's nothing I can say that's going to ease the pain and suffering of the victims and their families. Please know that I am truly very sorry. I am sorry for your loss as a result of what my son did. I cannot express how much I wish that I had known what was going on with him
--:-- John Bickley: Before the shooting their son drew troubling images of a gun and wounded man on a math worksheet which was accompanied by despondent phrases. Oxford High School did not require him to leave that day, but did meet with his parents to address the issue.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Later that same day, their 15-year-old son pulled a handgun from his backpack and began shooting.
--:-- John Bickley: More than a year after the fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Norfolk Southern has agreed to a $600 million settlement in a class action lawsuit.
--:-- Georgia Howe: During the derailment, more than three dozen cars went off the tracks, including several cars containing hazardous chemicals which caught fire.
--:-- John Bickley: Three days later, officials set fire to an additional five cars containing vinyl chloride in an attempt to thwart an explosion.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The fire sent massive plumes of black smoke in the air, causing health concerns for residents.
--:-- John Bickley: If approved, the settlement will resolve all class action claims within a 20-mile radius of the derailment and personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And it is a UConn coronation! The Huskies make history! Back-to-back national champions! UConn beats Purdue, becoming the first team since 2007 to win back-to-back men's basketball championships.
--:-- John Bickley: The Huskies won by a score of 75 to 60 due to their strong defense.
--:-- Georgia Howe: UConn limited the country's second best three-point shooting team to a mere seven shots.
--:-- John Bickley: Those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
