--:-- Georgia Howe: This episode is brought to you by Responsible Man. Visit ResponsibleMan.com and use code WIRE for 30% off plus an additional $9 off your first order. That's ResponsibleMan.com, code WIRE.
--:-- Georgia Howe: I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Monday, September 30th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- John Bickley: The man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Trump has pleaded not guilty to related charges. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce says more.
--:-- Tim Pierce: 58-year-old Ryan Routh faces charges including attempted assassination and firearm possession. If convicted, he could face life in prison. He appeared in a Florida court after prosecutors accused him of lying in wait to assassinate former President Trump at Trump's golf club in West Palm Beach. The Secret Service intervened after spotting Routh near the sixth hole. The trial is set to take place under Judge Eileen Cannon, a Trump appointee.
--:-- Georgia Howe: At least 116 people have died from Hurricane Helene, with a third of the fatalities in North Carolina. Western North Carolina is grappling with severe flooding that has left entire communities underwater. And the already saturated Appalachians expect more rain. Meanwhile, power outages continue to affect over 2 million customers across multiple states.
--:-- John Bickley: Donald Trump visited impacted Georgia And Kamala Harris has canceled campaign events to return to Washington Today in Georgia Trump stressed the need to get help to the many people who are without power We going to try and get the Starlink in there as soon as possible because they have no communication. And throughout the region, our hearts are with you and we are going to be with you as long as you need it.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The North Carolina National Guard has been deployed, completing rescues and delivering critical supplies as officials urge people to avoid the affected areas during ongoing search and rescue operations.
--:-- John Bickley: The satirical website Babylon Bee is suing California after Governor Gavin Newsom signed new deepfake laws aimed at curbing politically deceptive content. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo has the latest.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: The lawsuit filed in federal court challenges the laws as unconstitutional restrictions on political expression. The Bee claims the laws stifle free speech by requiring satire and parody to be clearly labeled or removed. California, meanwhile, is defending the measures, saying they target AI-generated disinformation.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon argues that forcing disclaimers on satire kills the joke and is just another form of censorship. Kristen Wagner, who's the president of Alliance Defending Freedom, told Morning Wire that laws like these target political speech.
--:-- Kristen Wagner: These laws were passed by politicians to protect politicians from speech that they don't like. It is used to punish speakers for posting political commentary online that the government decides is materially deceptive content. And it is targeting that content that affects candidates or election officials and what they say might harm their chances of getting elected. It also allows anybody to file a lawsuit if they want to file a lawsuit regarding a post.
--:-- John Bickley: The case adds to ongoing debates over free speech and censorship in the digital age.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Tim Rice reports. According to U.S. officials, the operation could begin within the next few days. Israeli forces have already carried out intelligence raids and positioned tanks near the northern border. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller briefly mentioned talks about these operations.
--:-- Matthew Miller: They have at this time told us that those are limited operations focused on Hezbollah infrastructure near the border, but we're in continuous conversations with them about it.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The move comes as Hezbollah continues to launch rockets into northern Israel, while causing widespread evacuations. It also comes on the heels of Israeli strikes that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as well as a Hamas leader who was in Lebanon.
--:-- John Bickley: According to the United Nations Fatah al-Sharif was a UN employee who worked for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A chlorine plume from a fire at the biolab plant in Georgia has forced nearly 100,000 people to evacuate or shelter in place. Authorities in the city of Conyers shut down roads and schools, warning residents to stay indoors. Meanwhile, air quality tests revealed harmful levels of chlorine, prompting emergency measures across the Atlanta area.
--:-- John Bickley: And farmers across the U.S. are bracing for a potential strike by dock workers at ports from Texas to Maine. Daily Wire reporter Maraid Elordi has the details.
--:-- Maraid Elordi: Unionized workers may walk off the job tomorrow if no deal is reached, disrupting supply chains for perishable goods like meat and dairy. Experts are warning of the impact this strike will have on food and agriculture, saying this could lead to lower market prices and excess inventory, hitting farmers hard. The strike could cost the U.S. economy up to $5 billion a day, adding pressure to an industry already facing a 27 percent decline in net income.
--:-- Georgia Howe: All right, there's your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And for more in-depth reporting on the biggest stories of the day, tune in to our full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
