--:-- [Theme music fades out]
--:-- John Bickley: This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible. Financial geniuses. Monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit Progressive.com to see if you could save. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.
--:-- [Music transitions to a new segment]
--:-- John Bickley: I'm Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Friday, November 15th, and this is Morning Wire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: RFK Jr. gets a cabinet nod and controversy continues to swirl around some of Trump's picks. What's the truth behind the headlines? And companies are paying out millions in legal settlements for terminating employees over COVID vaccine mandates.
--:-- John Bickley: I filed that complaint against my city is because my city was being very stubborn and not acknowledging any wrong in what they did. In fact, they doubled down.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know. Friday sale. Visit ResponsibleMan.com and use code WIRE for 60% off your order. That's ResponsibleMan.com, code WIRE.
--:-- [Music transitions to a new segment]
--:-- John Bickley: Two blue state governors have created a new organization meant to resist the incoming Trump administration's agenda. Here to discuss is Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presta-Giacomo.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Hey, John. So let's get into this new resistance initiative. Who exactly is behind it? What's the goal here?
--:-- John Bickley: Hey, Amanda. So this new organization is called Governors Safeguarding Democracy. It's being led by two very outspoken Trump critics, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Basically, they want others to join so they can all share ideas and potentially join legal efforts together to fight the duly elected president.
--:-- John Bickley: Pritzker said in a press conference that this group will fend off increasing threats of autocracy and fortify institutions of democracy.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: He and Polis have indicated that the key issues they're focused on are abortion, shielding illegal immigrants from deportation, efforts to beef up election integrity and fighting efforts to allow prayer back in public schools.
--:-- [Music transitions to a new segment]
--:-- John Bickley: Here's Pritzker during a press conference announcing the initiative.
--:-- [Audio clip of Pritzker's speech plays]
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: To anyone who intends to come take away the freedom and opportunity and dignity of Illinoisans, you come for my people, you come through me.
--:-- John Bickley: And it's not just Illinois and Colorado announcing plans to resist Trump. Other blue state officials have rushed to make similar declarations.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: In California, Governor Gavin Newsom called a special legislative session before Trump takes office to, quote, safeguard California values and fundamental rights.
--:-- John Bickley: And in New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the Empire State Freedom Initiative which she says will address quote any policy and regulatory threats that may emerge from a Trump administration
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: And then there Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey an ardent anti She vowed to use quote every tool in the toolbox to fight Trump on deporting illegals
--:-- John Bickley: If the Trump administration requests it, would the Massachusetts state police assist in mass deportations? No, absolutely not.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Notably, her sanctuary state has seen a large number of sexual assaults by illegal immigrants.
--:-- John Bickley: All right. So several Democrat governors and AGs preemptively announcing these efforts. What has the Trump administration said about some of these issues that these officials have highlighted?
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: OK, well, let's take abortion, for example. This issue now rests with the states since Roe v. Wade was overturned. And Trump has said repeatedly that he wants it to stay that way and he will not sign a federal abortion ban.
--:-- John Bickley: So it's hard to see what they'll be resisting in that case.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Now, with something like immigration, it's a different story. Trump has said he will deport illegals, starting with criminals.
--:-- John Bickley: And Tom Homan, who's been named the incoming border czar, has made it very clear that this will be carried out even in so-called sanctuary states like Illinois or Colorado.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Here's Homan on that.
--:-- [Audio clip of Homan's speech plays]
--:-- John Bickley: I've seen some of these Democratic governors say they're going to stand in the way and they're going to make a hard force. Well, a suggestion, if you're not going to help us, get the hell out of the way if we're going to do it. We're going to do the job without you or with you.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: We could also see a fight over trans issues. Trump has promised to outlaw medical and surgical sex change treatments on minors, and he said he won't allow boys or men to compete against females in sports.
--:-- John Bickley: It's also worth pointing out that Trump just won the 2024 election decisively, both the Electoral College and the popular vote, with big gains in pretty much every demographic.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: So the resistance this time around is going to be different.
--:-- John Bickley: Polis was asked about that on, of all places, MSNBC.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: Here's how he responded.
--:-- [Audio clip of Polis's speech plays]
--:-- John Bickley: President-elect Trump won the election. We're going to work with him and his administration however we can for our state. And we look forward to that relationship. At the same time, I think it's very important that we double down on defending our small-D democratic institutions.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: It's also noteworthy that Pritzker has made it a point to emphasize that his state will cooperate with the feds for illegals who commit violent crimes in the U.S.
--:-- John Bickley: So not the most proactive approach, but still a big change from 2016 rhetoric when the talking point from the left was basically all illegal immigrants are necessary and good.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: So some moderation there, but a lot of this seems to fly in the face of the will of the people here.
--:-- John Bickley: Amanda, thanks for reporting.
--:-- Amanda Presta-Giacomo: You're welcome.
--:-- [Music transitions to a new segment]
--:-- John Bickley: Hey, guys, producer Brandon here. Black Rifle Coffee helps you wake up each morning feeling dialed in and ready to make the most of your day. And now's your chance to get 20% off your purchase using code dailywire at blackriflecoffee.com.
--:-- [Music transitions to a new segment]
--:-- John Bickley: Ten days after his landslide victory, Donald Trump continues to roll out new appointments for his cabinet, some of whom have sparked controversy in Washington. Here with the latest is Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, the election might be over, but a whole new political battle is now taking place with each new cabinet selection. And that fight really came to a fever pitch last night when President-elect Trump announced that he's nominating former Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.
--:-- John Bickley: Kennedy has long called for dangerous chemicals and additives to be removed from our food and water supply He been an outspoken critic of the pharmaceutical industry pushing for more research into the long side effects of vaccines especially those given to newborns
--:-- Cabot Phillips: According to Trump, he will, quote, ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, and pharmaceutical products and food additives, and, quote, make America healthy again.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, at the moment, we have no real way of knowing whether his career as a Democratic activist will help him win some votes from across the aisle, But his confirmation process is going to provide fireworks in the coming weeks.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: We know that. It's going to be fascinating to watch.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, that's not the only nominee sparking controversy. As we noted yesterday, Trump's pick of Congressman Matt Gaetz for attorney general has really set off a firestorm.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So there's no question Gaetz is among the most controversial figures in Congress. He sort of prides himself on being a rabble rouser, taking on the Republican establishment.
--:-- John Bickley: Remember, he all but single-handedly brought down the speakership of Kevin McCarthy last year and has routinely stifled Republican legislation that he says is not conservative enough.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Gates has also been at the center of a House ethics probe investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, that combination of political and personal controversy has made him quite a few enemies on both sides of the aisle.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Detractors say he does not have the experience to serve as the nation's top law enforcement officer and that his checkered past should disqualify him from the post.
--:-- John Bickley: But there is no question he's got plenty of supporters, most notably the GOP base and obviously Donald Trump.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, what does it tell us that he was nominated? Well, the Trump camp was not pleased with a number of cabinet members during his first term.
--:-- John Bickley: This go-around Trump has made clear that he wants a cabinet full of people fully committed to enacting his agenda, which includes draining the swamp, or in other words, taking on the entrenched bureaucracy of Washington.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: DOJ has been targeting Donald Trump and his supporters for the last four years. And by putting Gates, one of his most loyal supporters, in charge, Trump is clearly sending a message here.
--:-- John Bickley: So the big question, will he get confirmed? Well, he certainly faces an uphill battle.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Moderate Republicans like Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins have already signaled they may vote no.
--:-- John Bickley: That means just two more GOP detractors could doom his confirmation.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: But Senate Republicans will be under immense pressure from the GOP base, and more importantly, Donald Trump, to vote yes.
--:-- John Bickley: We've already heard from a number of Republicans who say they might not be a fan of Gates, but will vote to confirm him because the American people elected Donald Trump on the promise of shaking up the status quo.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: There's also pressure from within the chamber itself. For example, here is Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville with a message to his colleagues on Fox.
--:-- [Audio clip of Tuberville's speech plays]
--:-- John Bickley: President Trump was elected by an enormous vote, and he deserves a team around him that he wants. It's not us to determine that. If you want to get in the way, fine. But we're going to try to get you out of the Senate, too, if you try to do that.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Now, for his part, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance posted on X, quote, The main issue with Matt Gaetz is that he used his office to prosecute his political opponents and authorized federal agents to harass parents who were peacefully protesting at school board meetings.
--:-- John Bickley: Oh, wait, that's actually Merrick Garland, the current attorney general. Touche.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Kevin, thanks for reporting.
--:-- [Music transitions to a new segment]
--:-- John Bickley: A jury just awarded $12 million in damages to a woman who was fired for refusing to get vaccinated for COVID. She's the latest in a slew of complainants winning major COVID suits. Joining us now to discuss the COVID blowback is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham.
--:-- Megan Basham: Yeah so this case occurred in Michigan and it involved an IT specialist with Blue Cross Blue Shield Lisa Domsky She worked for the company for 38 years and according to her attorney at the time that the pandemic hit, she was already working 75% remotely, and so she just shifted to 100% remote as part of her company's COVID measures.
--:-- John Bickley: Yet it still would not give her a religious exemption to its COVID vaccine mandate, despite the fact that she's a devout Catholic and had actually asked them to contact her priest so he could detail some of her objections.
--:-- Megan Basham: Instead, Blue Cross fired her and she then sued for religious discrimination.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, jury not only awarded Domsky that $12 million in punitive damages that you just mentioned, they also ordered Blue Cross to pay her $315,000 in back pay and over $1.3 million in front pay.
--:-- Megan Basham: So I think you could say really sending a message there.
--:-- John Bickley: And this is just the latest in a string of legal wins for people who've been suing over COVID mandates and lockdowns.
--:-- Megan Basham: So where else are we seeing this? Well, in 2022, Liberty Council settled a similar class action suit on behalf of more than 500 current and former healthcare workers in Chicago.
--:-- John Bickley: And again, the claim was that they were denied religious exemptions.
--:-- Megan Basham: And then another big religious liberty win was Gabe Wrench. So in 2020, he was arrested in Moscow, Idaho for participating in an outdoor psalm sing with his church.
--:-- John Bickley: So in essence, it was a peaceful religious protest against a local mandate for masks and social distancing, that kind of thing.
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, his charges were dismissed in 2021, but he then sued the city for violating his First and Fourth Amendment rights and was ultimately awarded $300,000.
--:-- John Bickley: And he told me he felt that he had to sue because it was clear that his local government had not learned any lessons from COVID.
--:-- Megan Basham: They actually voted to continue that health emergency order in January 2021, the same month I won my criminal complaint.
--:-- John Bickley: So my city's been very wicked about this. And so the only way to hold them accountable is actually to sue them.
--:-- Megan Basham: And I think more Christians need to be thinking about how can you hold your city accountable like this.
--:-- John Bickley: And again, these are just a handful of representative examples.
--:-- Megan Basham: Even in really liberal places like San Francisco, juries are siding with those complainants.
--:-- John Bickley: Just a couple of weeks ago, six transit workers who were denied religious vaccine exemptions were awarded $10 million.
--:-- Megan Basham: So what that suggests to me is that in a lot of these COVID cases that are still pending, we could see some similar fallout.
--:-- John Bickley: And in fact, Wrench says he hopes to see more people of faith suing the government over COVID in order to ensure that that kind of abuse of authority doesn't ever happen again.
--:-- Megan Basham: If Christians don't push back on these situations, The tyranny is just going to grow.
--:-- John Bickley: And so it's really important that Christians figure this out and push hard for these kind of lawsuits.
--:-- Megan Basham: I'd like to see more of these lawsuits happen.
--:-- John Bickley: So a lot of pent up frustration over how COVID was handled. And that's also translated to into some political wins.
--:-- Megan Basham: Yeah, it has. So a Texas House seat just went to a woman who was actually jailed for keeping her salon open.
--:-- John Bickley: In 2020, a Dallas County judge sentenced Shelly Luther to seven days in jail for refusing to obey lockdown orders and shut down her hair salon.
--:-- Megan Basham: Now, she said she'd shut down for a month, but then she couldn't afford to feed her kids and she had to open back up.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, she just ran for state legislature as a Republican and won around 75 percent of the vote in her district.
--:-- Megan Basham: So you have to say an overwhelming victory.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, I think the political blowback over the COVID mandates is going to reverberate for a very long time.
--:-- Megan Basham: Megan, thanks for reporting.
--:-- John Bickley: Anytime. Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more news you need to know.
