--:-- [Theme music fades out]
--:-- John Bickley: This episode is brought to you by ZBiotics. Go to zbiotics.com slash wire to get 15% off your first order with code wire at checkout. That's zbiotics.com slash wire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: I'm Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Thursday, February 8th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- John Bickley: Special counsel Robert Herr says he's not recommending charges against President Joe Biden for his mishandling of classified documents. Her's recommendation comes despite him finding evidence that the president, quote, willfully retained materials.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Among the materials found in Biden's possession were classified marked documents regarding foreign policy in Afghanistan and notebooks containing Biden's notes he wrote down about national security and foreign policy.
--:-- John Bickley: According to a report, these items were recovered from the garage offices and a basement den in Biden's Wilmington, Delaware home.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The question of Trump's ballot eligibility has reached the Supreme Court.
--:-- Tim Pierce: The high court heard arguments today regarding whether or not former President Donald Trump should be removed from Colorado's state primary ballot, a ruling that could then be applied across many other states.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Supporters of ballot disqualification claim that the former president is constitutionally unable to hold office under the 14th Amendment for his alleged role in the events of January 6th.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Meanwhile, attorneys representing the former president have offered several grounds for tossing out the lawsuit. They have argued that Trump is not an officer of the US, claimed that January 6th was not an insurrection, but a riot, and that only Congress can enforce Section 3.
--:-- [Justice Brett Kavanaugh speaking]
--:-- Justice Brett Kavanaugh: Some of the rhetoric of your position seems to suggest unless the states can do this no one can prevent insurrectionists from holding federal office. But obviously Congress has enacted statutes, including one still in effect, Section 2383 of Title 18 prohibits insurrection. It's a federal criminal statute. And if you're convicted of that, you are, It says shall be disqualified from holding any office. And so there is a federal statute on the books, but President Trump has not been charged with that. So what are we to make of that?
--:-- Georgia Howe: The Supreme Court is hearing this case on an expedited schedule that will likely have a ruling within weeks. Colorado is one of several states that has a primary set on Super Tuesday on March 5th.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: A bill that would send billions in aid to key U.S. allies passed a procedural hurdle in the Senate Thursday, likely setting up several days of debates over foreign aid.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The move is surprising considering that much of the Senate GOP had held off on approving funds for Ukraine, insisting that border reform be attached to it.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: This came after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer forced a vote on the $118 billion bipartisan border and national security bill, which included funding for both Israel and Ukraine.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The Majority Leader changed his vote last second as part of a strategic move that will allow him to raise the measure again.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: The bill that moved forward today was part of a package that includes $60 billion in aid for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Another day of negotiation between Israel and Hamas got underway today in Egypt.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: The talks over a potential hostage release deal come after Israel's prime minister rejected Hamas' demand for a permanent ceasefire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Meanwhile Israel has stepped up its presence in Rafah which Benjamin Netanyahu called the last bastion of Hamas in southern Gaza.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: U Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in the Middle East this week in hopes of helping to secure a deal but returned home without one.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Here Blinken saying there still hope for an agreement.
--:-- [Antony Blinken speaking]
--:-- Antony Blinken: We see in what was sent back space to continue to pursue an agreement. And these things are always negotiations. It's not flipping a light switch. It's not yes or no. So there's invariably back and forth. And as I said, we see the space for that. And given the imperative, given the importance that we all attach to bringing the hostages home.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Five Marines aboard a military helicopter that went down near San Diego were confirmed dead.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: Military officials say the super stallion chopper went missing Tuesday night while returning from training at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The commanding officer above the fallen Marines said in a statement, It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines from 3D Marine Aircraft Wing and the Flying Tigers.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The names of the Marines were not immediately released.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Vladimir Zelensky has replaced Ukraine's top general.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: The dramatic shakeup NBC News reports follows days of speculation and months of reported tension between the two over strategy.
--:-- Georgia Howe: It also comes as Ukraine's counteroffensive has faltered and its allies' support has begun to waver.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Zelensky announced the change in a Telegram post Thursday, citing the need for urgent changes in approach and strategy.
--:-- Georgia Howe: European Union lawmakers are calling for a travel ban on Tucker Carlson over his interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: The calls for sanctions against Carlson come after he posted a video on X on Tuesday announcing he was in Moscow to interview Putin.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Not a single Western journalist has bothered to interview the president of the other country involved in this conflict Vladimir Putin.
--:-- [Unidentified Speaker]: Most Americans have no idea why Putin invaded Ukraine or what his goals are now They've never heard his voice. That's wrong. Americans have a right to know all they can about a war they're implicated in. And we have the right to tell them about it because we are Americans too.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Freedom of speech is our birthright.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Carlson's sit-down with the Russian president, which is set to air this evening, is the first time Putin agreed to speak with a Western news person since Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Former Prime Minister of Belgium and current European Parliament member Guy Verhofstadt said the EU should consider a travel ban on the host for serving as a mouthpiece for Putin.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The family of a nine-year-old boy who was accused by Deadspin of wearing blackface to an NFL game is now suing the left-leaning outlet.
--:-- Zach Jewell: Deadspin published an article in November falsely framing a nine-year-old boy for wearing blackface during a Kansas City Chiefs game.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The author of the article, Karen J. Phillips, included a photo of the kid that only showed one side of his face, which was painted black.
--:-- Zach Jewell: But other photos show that the boy had painted his face half black and half red and wore an American Indian headdress in support of his team.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Phillips went on to accuse the nine-year-old of hating black people and the Native Americans at the same time.
--:-- Zach Jewell: The boy's parents filed a lawsuit this week against Deadspin and parent company GeoMedia for, quote, maliciously and wantonly attacking their son.
--:-- Georgia Howe: They say the boy has faced alarming death threats, and the family has even considered moving over the backlash from Deadspin's false allegations.
--:-- John Bickley: All right, those are your drive home updates this afternoon.
--:-- Georgia Howe: 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.
