--:-- [Upbeat music fades out]
--:-- John Bickley: The NFL is back, and FanDuel's got everything you need to play your game. From same-game parlays to live betting. Right now, new customers bet $5 and get $300 in bonus bets if you win. 21-plus in president select states. 18-plus in Kentucky and Wyoming. Must be first online real money waging. $5 deposit required. Bonus issued is non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire seven days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See full terms at FanDuel.com slash sportsbook. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
--:-- [Music transitions to a more serious tone]
--:-- John Bickley: Ukraine's long-anticipated counter-offensive against Russia using resources and training from NATO has finally begun to take shape. The only reason they're thinking about launching an offensive is because of tremendous pressure from the West. They don't want to do it because they understand that they're in trouble. Where does the war currently stand? And what new details have emerged about the Nord Stream pipeline attack?
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's right, John. I'm Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Wednesday, June 7th, and this is Morning Wire.
--:-- John Bickley: The feud between California Governor Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has escalated to a new level. Why is the Golden State Governor accusing DeSantis of kidnapping? And in one of the most significant developments in the history of professional golf, The PGA Tour has announced a merger with Saudi Arabia-funded competitor Live Golf.
--:-- Georgia Howe: There's been a lot of tension in our sport over the last couple of years. But what we're talking about today is coming together to unify the game of golf. Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.
--:-- [Music transitions to a more serious tone]
--:-- John Bickley: A long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive appears to have finally started. And a new report says the CIA had information on a Ukrainian plot to sabotage the Nord Stream network months before the pipelines were attacked. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce is here to update us on the state of the war in Ukraine.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Hi, John. It looks like Ukraine's summer counteroffensive is finally here. What's the strategy?
--:-- John Bickley: Well, Russia controls most of four oblasts in Ukraine south and east, in addition to the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Ukraine wants all that back, and the plan appears to be to start out in the east before pushing south toward Crimea.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Other than that, it's hard to say what the actual battle plans are. Ukraine officials haven't shared much for obvious reasons, though U.S. officials were given a rough time estimate for the start of the operation, and Sunday, when the attack started, fit within that time frame.
--:-- John Bickley: Okay, so do we have any idea on how the counteroffensive is going? It's in its early stages, but it looks like the beginning of a serious push.
--:-- Tim Pierce: There have been some reports that German-made leopard tanks are moving toward Russian lines, which suggests that Ukraine is bringing its NATO-trained forces up. U.S. officials told The New York Times that Ukraine appears to be using a tactic it learned from the U.S. called reconnaissance by force. Ukraine's troops are making small pushes into Russian-controlled territory to gauge the response and look for weak points.
--:-- John Bickley: This will last for a few days before the real assault starts. The U.S. just agreed to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s. What effect will that have on the war?
--:-- Tim Pierce: We won't know for a while yet. The pilots still need to be trained, so the F-16s will likely have a limited role in the counteroffensive if they come into play at all.
--:-- John Bickley: John Mearsheimer, an expert on international relations at the University of Chicago, actually doubts whether the fighter jets will help Ukraine at all in the long run.
--:-- [Audio clip of John Mearsheimer plays]
--:-- John Mearsheimer: Those F are going to be in real trouble going up against ground air defenses. The other thing is that the Russians have a formidable air force of their own that has lots of combat experience, is gaining combat experience, and will be ready to engage those F-16s.
--:-- John Bickley: The real danger with the F-16s is that Ukrainians use them to attack targets in Russia. President Biden has said Ukraine isn't allowed to use U.S. armaments in Russian territory, but attacks have crossed over into Russia anyway.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Right. Now, what about peace talks? Any movement by Ukraine or Russia to negotiate a settlement?
--:-- John Bickley: Mearsheimer was pessimistic about any peace agreement when he spoke two weeks ago.
--:-- [Audio clip of John Mearsheimer plays]
--:-- John Mearsheimer: Not going to be a peace agreement, a meaningful peace agreement. Not going to happen. You'll get a frozen conflict.
--:-- John Bickley: Why is there not going to be a meaningful peace agreement? Two main reasons. The first is the territory problem. The Ukrainians want their territory back. The Russians have made it clear they're not going to get their territory back.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Second big problem is the neutrality problem. The Russians insist that Ukraine be neutral. The Ukrainians, on the other hand, they don't want neutrality. The Ukrainians, for completely understandable reasons, want a security guarantee from someone.
--:-- John Bickley: Lastly, we got some explosive news yesterday in the investigation into who sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines last year. What did we learn?
--:-- Tim Pierce: According to the Washington Post, one of the documents allegedly leaked by Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira showed that the CIA was told months ahead of the attack on Nord Stream that Ukraine was plotting to sabotage the pipeline.
--:-- John Bickley: What's more, the alleged plot outlined to the CIA in June 2022 is very similar to what investigators suspect was carried out to blow the pipeline in September.
--:-- Tim Pierce: The pipeline strike was the biggest attack on civilian infrastructure since World War II, so you have to wonder how Europe will react if Ukraine is found at fault. That will cause quite a stir, to say the least.
--:-- John Bickley: Tim, thanks for reporting.
--:-- [Music transitions to a more upbeat tone]
--:-- John Bickley: Coming up, Newsom accuses DeSantis of kidnapping. This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom threatened to charge Ron DeSantis with kidnapping after a number of migrants arrived on charter flights to Sacramento.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Here with more on the escalating war of words between two of the nation's most prominent governors and the continued battle over immigration policy nationwide is Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So Cabot, things are really heating up here. First, give us some context for Newsom's remarks.
--:-- John Bickley: Yeah, so we've talked before about the well-documented feud between lawmakers in California and Florida, but this week it reached new levels. In a tweet on Monday, Newsom called DeSantis a, quote, small, pathetic man and threatened him with kidnapping charges over migrant flights that had arrived in California.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: The threat comes after two charter planes carrying a few dozen migrants landed in Sacramento this month. Now, while the planes originated in Texas, officials from the California Department of Justice say they were carrying documents linking them to the state of Florida.
--:-- John Bickley: Newsom now says he'll, quote, investigate the circumstances around who paid for the group's travel and whether the individuals orchestrating this trip misled anyone with false promises or violated any criminal laws.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: California's attorney general released a similar statement reiterating that threat, saying, quote, state-sanctioned kidnapping is not a public policy choice. It is immoral and disgusting.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, what sort of response have we had from DeSantis?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, Florida officials did confirm that the flights originated in the state but say the migrants went voluntarily and gave verbal and written consent.
--:-- John Bickley: They provided Fox News video of the migrants in good spirits on their way to the airport, singing and laughing in a car.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: At one point, a number of migrants are asked if they've been treated poorly, and the group emphatically says no, with one man saying they were treated, quote, super well.
--:-- John Bickley: More broadly, though, Republicans have consistently said that it's hypocritical for Democrats to object to migrants being sent to their states because they've passed sanctuary laws to welcome those very migrants.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Others, like DeSantis, have also noted that the Biden administration has done essentially the same thing, busing and flying hundreds of thousands of migrants to cities across the country over the last two years.
--:-- John Bickley: They say that Democrats are displaying selective outrage because Republicans are now doing the same.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: The question now becomes whether this strategy will continue. Remember, last month, Governor DeSantis signed a bill securing $12 million in funding for a special program that shipped migrants out of his state to sanctuary cities nationwide.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, Texas has been engaging in very similar tactics. We saw some developments there last week.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So Texas was actually the first state we saw shipping migrants to California and other blue states. Last month, Governor Greg Abbott said that they'd bust 17,000 migrants to cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia.
--:-- John Bickley: But now law enforcement in deep blue San Antonio is trying to put a stop to that program.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: On Monday, the Bexler County Sheriff's Office recommended that the San Antonio District Attorney file criminal charges against individuals who had helped orchestrate a highly publicized flight that sent 49 migrants to Martha's Vineyard last fall.
--:-- John Bickley: While the sheriff's office has not yet disclosed who they want charged, they say their investigation uncovered felony and misdemeanor-level crimes, including unlawful restraint.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So they're going with a similar tactic to what we're seeing from California officials in another bid to stop migrant transports out of the state.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, in the past, Newsom has been very proud of California's sanctuary status. What's changed?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, to your point, for the last few years, Newsom has really touted the fact that his state would welcome migrants, proudly noting California's status as a sanctuary state, and actually passing a number of laws protecting illegal immigrants settling there and also expanding funding for migrant and refugee programs.
--:-- John Bickley: But the state's infrastructure is now straining under the weight of all those new residents.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: According to state officials, California has seen the arrival of at least 350,000 migrants in the last two years alone. And city leaders in many parts of the state, especially in the south near the Mexico border, say they can't handle any more.
--:-- John Bickley: Newsom has recently begun saying the state is now, quote, overwhelmed by the number of migrants. And that reality is likely playing a role in his opposition to more being sent there.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, we'll see if they do, in fact, take legal action.
--:-- John Bickley: Cabot, thanks for reporting.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Anytime.
--:-- [Music transitions to a more serious tone]
--:-- John Bickley: In a move that's shocked the sports world, the PGA Tour and Live Golf have agreed to a merger that will form an entirely new professional golf entity.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Here to discuss the development is Daily Wire sports reporter and Crane & Company co-host David Cohn.
--:-- David Cohn: Hi, John.
--:-- John Bickley: So I don't think I'm alone here for being caught flat-footed on this move by the PGA, which really puts its legacy on the line in some ways. What happened here?
--:-- David Cohn: You are certainly not alone. Look, it's not hyperbole for me to say that this is the most historic moment for professional golf during my lifetime at least.
--:-- John Bickley: As you said after three years of division and litigation it appears the PGA Tour will actually merge with Live Golf.
--:-- David Cohn: Now, this was announced by the PGA's commissioner yesterday. What did he say?
--:-- John Bickley: That's correct. So, Commissioner Jay Monaghan informed the public in a statement yesterday, the PGA Tour plans to lead the formation of a new commercial golf entity.
--:-- David Cohn: Through a framework agreement, the Public Investment Fund, so that's PIF, PIF, which is the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia and the owner of Live Golf. They will contribute their golf-related commercial businesses and rights along with a significant financial investment for which they will receive a minority stake in a collectively held for-profit LLC.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, on the other side of that, this new entity, which has yet to be named, will also include the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA Tour, as well as the DP World Tour.
--:-- David Cohn: So that's the European Golf Tour.
--:-- John Bickley: So a for-profit LLC that the Saudi Arabia government-run investment fund will have minority ownership of.
--:-- David Cohn: Correct. That raises a bunch of questions, legal and ethical questions. What other details have been revealed?
--:-- John Bickley: There is much we don't know right now, but here are a few points of clarification. The PGA Tour will remain in place as a 501c6 tax-exempt organization.
--:-- David Cohn: Executives of both the PGA Tour and PIF will join to form the new board of directors here, which will oversee all of this new entity's golf-related operations.
--:-- John Bickley: This announcement brings about an end to all pending litigation between the parties.
--:-- David Cohn: So, Liv's antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour that you and I have talked about for months now, That is apparently settled here.
--:-- John Bickley: And also the PGA Tour will work cooperatively to establish a fair process for any of those players who desire to reapply for the PGA Tour, which is something else we've talked about.
--:-- David Cohn: Right, because some of those players were banned from playing by the PGA over their involvement with Liv.
--:-- John Bickley: Correct, and had their tour cards removed.
--:-- David Cohn: Now, every time we've discussed Liv Golf, Greg Norman's name has been mentioned. How does he fit into all this?
--:-- John Bickley: Add that to the top of our ever-growing list of questions here.
--:-- David Cohn: Greg Norman's name was not mentioned in the commissioner's statement, so it remains to be seen whether or not he will be involved moving forward.
--:-- John Bickley: I had a source tell me that he was informed of the deal, but not involved.
--:-- David Cohn: Okay. What about the players? Were the PGA Tour players involved at all in this decision?
--:-- John Bickley: Apparently not. Some players are even being quoted saying they are shocked and confused.
--:-- David Cohn: Now, Commissioner Monaghan agreed to meet with players yesterday afternoon on site of the RBC Canadian Open to answer questions.
--:-- John Bickley: More information from that meeting will certainly be available soon.
--:-- David Cohn: But, John, Jay Monaghan did end his statement by admitting there is much work to do to get us from a framework agreement to a definitive agreement, which will require PGA Tour Policy Board approval.
--:-- John Bickley: So it will be fascinating to see how this plays out considering many tour players turned down guaranteed money from Live Golf and stood in solidarity with the PGA Tour.
--:-- David Cohn: Yeah, fascinating indeed. We'll just say a truly remarkable development in the golf world.
--:-- John Bickley: Dave, thanks for joining us.
--:-- David Cohn: Thank you.
--:-- [Music transitions to the end]
--:-- John Bickley: That was David Cohn, co-host of Crane & Company. That's all the time we've got this morning. Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know.
