--:-- Host: John Bickley
Co-Host: Georgia Howe
--:-- [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: This episode is brought to you by Balance of Nature. Go to balanceofnature.com and use promo code WIRE for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer, plus get a free bottle of Fiber and Spice. That's balanceofnature.com, promo code WIRE.
--:-- John Bickley: I'm Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley. It's Thursday, June 20th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
--:-- John Bickley: The Supreme Court handed down three rulings today. Daily Wire reporter Megan Basham has more.
--:-- Megan Basham: In a 7-2 decision, the high court upheld a tax on foreign corporate investments. Now, that case revolved around the 16th Amendment and the question of whether taxes can be imposed on foreign investment stakes without income. Investors in Washington state challenged that law, saying they had to pay additional taxes despite not receiving dividends.
--:-- Megan Basham: The court also ruled against a convicted drug mule from California who claimed she was unaware of the dozens of pounds of meth she was transporting. Then the justices sent a civil rights claim back down to a lower court. Sylvia Gonzalez, a 72-year-old council member in Castle Hills, Texas, was arrested in 2019 for allegedly removing a government document which she says was a mistake The case challenges a 2019 ruling that generally bars retaliation claims if police make a lawful arrest.
--:-- Megan Basham: More rulings from the high court are expected in the next week.
--:-- John Bickley: Louisiana has mandated every public school classroom, including kindergarten up through state-funded universities, display the Ten Commandments. Opponents, including the ACLU, vowed to challenge the law's constitutionality, arguing it imposes religious beliefs on students. But proponents claim it highlights the commandment's historical significance. Governor Jeff Landry made the following remarks after signing the bill into law.
--:-- Jeff Landry: Because if you want respect to rule the law, you've got to start from the original law given, which was Moses.
--:-- John Bickley: A new report is shedding light on the severe damage done by last year's train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. According to the report, the derailment spread hazardous pollution across 16 states. Pollution from the wreck and controlled burn covered 540,000 square miles, impacting some 110 million people. Following the incident, East Palestine's residents reported various health issues. Transport company Norfolk Southern settled a $600 million lawsuit this past April.
--:-- John Bickley: This episode is brought to you by Birch Gold Group. Diversify your savings with Birch Gold. Their experts can help you turn your IRA or 401k into a 401k in gold. Just text WIRE to 989898 today.
--:-- John Bickley: The Congressional Budget Office says the federal budget deficit may be close to trillion for the current fiscal year The estimate marks the third largest in U history only behind the deficits during peak pandemic spending. The CBO attributes the increase to new government spending, including things like student loan cancellation and funding for Ukraine. Also adding to the shortfall is rising mandatory spending and interest rates. By 2034, the public debt is projected to exceed $50 trillion, reaching 122% of GDP.
--:-- E.J. Antony: [identified as a guest, but name not explicitly stated in the transcript] Borrowing from the public only goes so far. So much of what this administration has done, Brian, is borrowing through the Federal Reserve. In other words, the Fed is printing the money out of nothing. It's devaluing the dollar. It's causing inflation. And that is a hidden tax on people today that is paid today. And that is why the cost of living has exploded under the Biden administration.
--:-- John Bickley: In an update to a story we ran this morning, the California State Supreme Court has blocked a measure set for November's ballot that would have tightened tax rules. The measure would have required voter approval for state and local tax hikes, setting a higher threshold for passage. The decision sides with Governor Gavin Newsom and state Democratic leaders who argued that it would undermine government funding. Proponents, though, argued for greater taxpayer control amid rising costs.
--:-- John Bickley: The state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against IBM accusing the tech giant of imposing racial and gender quotas in its hiring and promotion practices Daily Wire reporter Spencer Lindquist has the details.
--:-- Spencer Lindquist: Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey alleges that these practices violate the Missouri Human Rights Act The lawsuit, which was filed in St. Louis County, claims that IBM uses a diversity modifier to enforce quotas, rewarding executives who meet them and penalizing those who don't. Bailey asserts that this policy leads to workplace discrimination. IBM denies the allegations, stating that it does not use quotas. The state seeks to stop IBM from using the practices they're alleged of, citing recent Supreme Court rulings against similar policies.
--:-- Andrew Bailey: It's unfair to the people who receive employment or promotion and are left to wonder if they actually earned it. I mean, essentially, the corporation is telling them you weren't good enough. We had to racially gerrymander to get you to where you are. It's also unfair to those who worked hard and achieved, but were held back by the corporation solely because of the color of their skin. And finally, the consumers. IBM owes it to their customers to produce quality products, but instead they're advancing radical and racially divisive ideology ahead of merit and achievement.
--:-- John Bickley: And beloved actor Donald Sutherland, more recently known for his role as President Snow in The Hunger Games, has died at age 88. his son Kiefer Sutherland confirmed the news today. Sutherland's career spanned over six decades and his versatility shown in films like Kelly's Heroes and Ordinary People.
--:-- John Bickley: All right, 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 our latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.
