--:-- [Theme music fades out]
--:-- John Bickley: This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Between two-factor authentication, strong passwords, and a VPN, you try to be in control of how your info is protected. But many other places also have it, and they might not be as careful. That's why LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it. Guaranteed or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit LifeLock.com slash podcast for 40% off. Terms apply.
--:-- John Bickley: I'm Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update. It's Tuesday, February 28th. Georgia Howe is here with me today.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for having me, John.
--:-- John Bickley: President Biden said today he's nominating the current deputy secretary of labor, Julie Su, to be the next secretary of labor. Su has come under criticism in the past for indirectly overseeing the California Employment Development Department as one-tenth of the $114 billion in pandemic relief claims the agency handled reportedly involved fraudulent activity.
--:-- Georgia Howe: If confirmed, Su would replace Marty Walsh who left the administration to become head of the National Hockey League Players Association.
--:-- John Bickley: On Tuesday, the Biden administration requested that Congress reauthorize the surveillance program known as Section 702. The controversial spying program is intended to monitor the communications of foreigners abroad. But critics warn that it has the potential to electronically record American citizens.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence claim it is necessary for American safety.
--:-- John Bickley: This morning, 16 members of Congress sent the Biden administration a bipartisan letter urging the president to send F-16s to Ukraine. The Pentagon has said that F-16s are not needed at this moment in the fight against Russia, but lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say differently.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Here's Republican Congressman Michael McCaul. We can certainly write into our appropriations bills prioritizing weapons systems. We intend to do that. Well, I think with enough pressure from Congress on both sides of the aisle, we can get into Ukraine what they really need to win this fight.
--:-- John Bickley: Residents of Chicago head to the polls today to elect a new mayor for the nation's third-largest city, where crime has become a key ballot issue. Current first-term mayor Lori Lightfoot faces challenges from eight rivals, and according to recent polling, the election could go to a runoff in April.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A poll from Northwestern University shows a tight race with Paul Vallis and U.S. Representative Jesus Garcia in the lead, with 19 percent and 17 percent respectively. Lightfoot currently sits at 14 percent.
--:-- John Bickley: California officially ended its COVID-19 state of emergency today. It's been nearly three years since Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom enacted the emergency powers. Despite the governor being stripped of certain authorities, things such as statewide mask mandates in health care settings and long-term care in adult senior care settings will remain in place.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A massive shipment of the deadly drug fentanyl, enough to reportedly kill 50 million people, has been seized by U.S. Border Patrol in Southern California. A tweet from Raul Ortiz, chief of U.S. Border Patrol, reads: "San Diego agents and local LEO partners arrested three and seized 230 pounds of fentanyl worth over $1 million."
--:-- John Bickley: The drug seizure was made during a routine traffic stop in Orange County over the weekend.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signed a bill today that bans transgender medical treatments for children. House Bill 1125 bans sex change surgical procedures as well as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for anyone under 18.
--:-- John Bickley: Daily Wire host Matt Walsh was at the signing ceremony and gave remarks. I'm extremely encouraged to not only see this law being passed, but to see the national movement that we have been able to build pushing back against the gender ideology madness. One of the most basic truths is that children who are confused about their identity need guidance and love and clarity. They don't need hormone injections and scalpels.
--:-- Georgia Howe: 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.
--:-- [Theme music starts playing]
