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--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): 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.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): As tensions between Russia and Ukraine grow, the question most are asking is how will the U.S. and its allies respond if Russia invades? No decisions have been made to deploy any forces from the United States at this time. We have the latest on Ukraine and how the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is shaping the response.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley. It's Tuesday, January 25th, and this is Morning Wire.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit against the New York Times is set to begin soon. Will the former Alaska governor be able to prove the newspaper acted with malice? And what effect will the case have on the media and the First Amendment? And is cancel culture coming for charitable giving? One group is pushing to expose the donation activity of private citizens.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): We have to make sure that we honor donor intent and donor privacy in this country to sustain this beautiful culture of philanthropy, which is really unique in the world.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know. is not health insurance. It's a community-powered alternative. Terms and conditions may apply.
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--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The Pentagon puts U.S. troops on higher alert as tensions continue to increase between Russia and Ukraine.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Here to give us the latest on the threat of conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the response of the U.S. and its allies, is Daily Wire's Ian Howarth.
--:-- Ian Howarth: So, Ian, what can you tell us about Russia and Ukraine?
--:-- Ian Howarth: Well, to put it basically, things are worse. Last week, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki warned that Russia could invade Ukraine any time now. Since then, things have really devolved. Nearly 10,000 troops have been placed on alert. And on Sunday, the State Department ordered the families of all American personnel, as well as some non-essential staff at the U.S. embassy in Ukraine to leave the country.
--:-- Ian Howarth: But just like Afghanistan, the Biden administration has also stated that they don't know how many Americans are currently in Ukraine. This means that if Russia was to invade, we simply wouldn't know how many Americans were left behind.
--:-- Ian Howarth: We don't put a chip been Americans when they go to countries around the world and track their movements.
--:-- Ian Howarth: Now, what is the official position of the United States when it comes to the threat of invasion?
--:-- Ian Howarth: Yeah, this is actually another confusing situation, mainly because the messaging pushed by the president and his administration has been somewhat inconsistent.
--:-- Ian Howarth: During his press conference last week, Biden sowed doubt on what could be a catalyst for a response to an invasion. If it invades, and it depends on what it does. It's one thing if it's a minor incursion and then and we end up having to fight about what to do and not do, etc.
--:-- Ian Howarth: But since then, the Biden administration more broadly has tried to outline a much more aggressive position.
--:-- Ian Howarth: For example, on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the situation in much more black and white terms. If a single additional Russian force goes into Ukraine in an aggressive way as I said that would trigger a swift a severe and a united response from us and from Europe
--:-- Ian Howarth: And what would a response actually look like in that case?
--:-- Ian Howarth: While most officials are threatening some form of response, it's not actually clear what this response would be. The most likely will be some form of economic sanctions placed on Russia.
--:-- Ian Howarth: That's at least what UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson referred to when he spoke on the matter. And so what we're saying is that the UK is leading on creating a package of economic sanctions, working with our partners around the world.
--:-- Ian Howarth: I'll be talking to them this afternoon, this evening.
--:-- Ian Howarth: And when it comes to a stronger reaction, there are reports that the Biden administration is considering deploying thousands of troops to Eastern Europe and the surrounding area, which, if true, would signal a pretty significant shift in messaging.
--:-- Ian Howarth: But one final piece of the puzzle that we should consider is that, like most issues of foreign policy, Russia's increased aggression didn't happen in a vacuum.
--:-- Ian Howarth: Kayleigh McEnany, who was White House press secretary under former President Trump, suggested that Putin was responding to weakness. He is a shark who tastes blood in the water and he senses weakness and his foe and his foe, make no doubt about it, is the United States.
--:-- Ian Howarth: So one thing we'll be tracking here is how the Biden administration responds in terms of deterrence, which will likely be a major factor when it comes to Putin's next move.
--:-- Ian Howarth: Biden met with other European leaders on Monday, so it'll be interesting to see if anything substantive comes from that.
--:-- Ian Howarth: Right.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Ian, thanks for reporting.
--:-- Ian Howarth: Of course. Thanks for having me.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): That's Daily Wire's Ian Howarth.
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--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Coming up, Sarah Palin faces off against the New York Times in court. This show is sponsored by Tessa Mays. Need a flavor upgrade? Tessa Mays is a flavor-forward food company that makes clean-label organic products with uncompromising quality ingredients.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Their commitment to healthy eating and living is at the core of their mission. Simplify food to amplify life. See all of the amazing products they have to offer today at www.tesamaze.com.
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--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Sarah Palin's defamation lawsuit against the New York Times was postponed Monday after the former Alaska governor tested positive for COVID on the eve of opening statements.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Palin is suing the paper over an editorial that falsely linked her political action committee to the shooting of Representative Gabby Giffords.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Here to discuss the ongoing lawsuit is Daily Wire senior editor Ash Short.
--:-- Ash Short: So Ash, this has been a lengthy legal saga. First, how did we get here?
--:-- Ash Short: Yeah, well, this trial has been a few years in the making. Palin first filed a lawsuit against the Times in 2017, but a judge dismissed her case.
--:-- Ash Short: Two years later, a federal appeals court revived the lawsuit, which has led to the trial that will take place over the next two weeks.
--:-- Ash Short: So we're expecting a couple of weeks here.
--:-- Ash Short: Now getting to the center of the case, what did the Times say about Palin in its editorial that sparked this lawsuit?
--:-- Ash Short: The editorial claimed that there was a clear link between a map that was circulated by Palin's PAC, which showed crosshairs over various political districts, to the 2011 shooting that left former Representative Giffords with a severe brain injury and killed six others.
--:-- Ash Short: Multiple media outlets tried to blame Palin's map for the shooting when it occurred, but no connection was ever proven, and the shooter turned out to be a mentally ill man who couldn't be defined as right-wing or left-wing.
--:-- Ash Short: Though the link between Palin and the assassination attempt was only made by the legacy media and had no proof, the Times editorial included that accusation six years later.
--:-- Ash Short: That's why Palin argues that the newspaper acted with actual malice when publishing.
--:-- Ash Short: So the big question here, does Palin actually stand a chance?
--:-- Ash Short: We know these kind of cases are tough to win. They are tough and it unlikely she succeed as the Supreme Court has ruled that a public figure must prove an outlet operated with actual malice when defaming them
--:-- Ash Short: That a notoriously difficult and high bar for most public figures to prove
--:-- Ash Short: Also at issue for Palin is the fact that the Times corrected the claim in the editorial and issued an apology two days after publication.
--:-- Ash Short: The Times maintains that it was just an inaccuracy to link Palin to the shooting, and it'll be difficult for Palin to prove otherwise.
--:-- Ash Short: If a jury decides against Palin, what are her options?
--:-- Ash Short: Palin has indicated she'll take her case to the Supreme Court in an effort to get them to reconsider the 1964 ruling.
--:-- Ash Short: Notably, that case was called the New York Times versus Sullivan.
--:-- Ash Short: Two Supreme Court justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, have each suggested the standard in Sullivan needs to be revisited.
--:-- Ash Short: So significant legal precedent could really be on the line here.
--:-- Ash Short: It could.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Ash, thanks for keeping us informed.
--:-- Ash Short: Anytime.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): That's Daily Wire senior editor, Ash Short.
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--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): A coalition of activist groups is pushing a prominent charitable fund organization to expose private individuals who donate to conservative groups.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Here to tell us more is Daily Wire's Charlotte Pence Bond.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: So, Charlotte, what is this group called Unmasking Fidelity?
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: So Unmasking Fidelity is a coalition of activists that have joined together to apply pressure to another organization called Fidelity Charitable, or we'll call it FC.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Fidelity Charitable is a 501c3 organization associated with Fidelity, the investment firm, and it basically streamlines charitable giving, primarily for investors who use the Fidelity Investments platform.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: So basically, investors are able to set up a charitable giving account and manage that in conjunction with their other investments.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Fidelity Charitable is actually the top grantmaker in the country, and they gave out $9.1 billion to charities in 2020.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Okay, and Unmasking Fidelity is now going after this organization.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Right. So this activist group has issued a list of demands.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Among other things, they've asked FC to publicly disclose all contributions and fees related to those contributions over the last five years relating to 10 specific organizations.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Keep in mind, exposing those contributions would potentially expose the donation activity of private individuals.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: So which organizations are they upset about exactly?
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Well, they're mainly going after conservative organizations.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: The activists claim these groups promote, quote, rhetoric and policies that enable white supremacist and fascist violence.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: For example, one organization on the list is Alliance Defending Freedom, which is a legal fund that focuses on religious liberty and which, we should note, partnered with The Daily Wire in its lawsuit against the Biden administration over the employer vaccine mandate.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Another is Turning Point USA, which is a campus organization for conservative students.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: And the Family Research Council is also on the list.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: The full list was published in The Wall Street Journal.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: So the activist group is not alleging legal wrongdoing here.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: For example, they're not alleging there's been discrimination against left-wing or progressive causes on FC.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: No, they specifically acknowledge that FC is cause-neutral regarding which charities they donate to.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: In fact, they're actually calling on FC to change that stance and become more discriminatory in the name of social responsibility.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: As of now, FC primarily relies on the IRS to regulate which charitable organizations can receive funds, and they don't apply any ideological litmus tests.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Individuals who use the program freely choose which charities to donate to as long as they're IRS approved.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: The activist group sees this as an opportunity to financially suppress nonprofits with whom they disagree politically.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Here's Fatima Ahmad, executive director at Muslim Justice League, speaking in a September webinar about the initiative
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: And we know that if we win this campaign we could cut off massive amounts of funding
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: And how has FC responded to the activist pressure?
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Well, a group of over 1,800 professionals who are connected with Fidelity actually sent a letter to Fidelity Investments and Fidelity Charitable Leadership demanding that they refuse to give into the activist pressure.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Essentially, giving into the activist demands would expose private individuals giving history.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: And the authors of the letter say it would potentially put individuals in a position to be threatened or even doxxed if they're caught donating to a charity that the activists don't approve of.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Morningwire actually spoke to one of the people who signed that letter.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Here's president of Heritage Foundation, Dr. Kevin Roberts.
--:-- Dr. Kevin Roberts: What they're doing is trying to make transparent, to use a sweet word, that would have really bad meaning, the donor privacy, the list of donors that are giving to 10 organizations.
--:-- Dr. Kevin Roberts: And the key thing is, if you look at that list of 10 organizations, they're all organizations who work on issues like the pro-life issue, like the marriage issue.
--:-- Dr. Kevin Roberts: So among other things, the activists potentially want a list of names of people who have donated to those 10 specific organizations.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Right.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): But thus far, Fidelity Charitable has not given in.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Do we expect that to last?
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): We'll see.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The professionals in the letter argue that FC has an opportunity and a responsibility to stand their ground against these activist demands.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Charlotte, thanks for reporting.
--:-- Charlotte Pence Bond: Thanks for having me.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): That's Daily Wire's Charlotte Pence Bond.
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--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Other stories we're tracking this week. The Biden administration's order mandating that all federal employees be vaccinated against COVID or lose their jobs has been blocked by a federal judge.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): In his ruling Friday, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown said that the case is about, quote, Whether the president can, with the stroke of a pen and without the input of Congress, require millions of federal employees to undergo a medical procedure as a condition of their employment.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): That, under the current state of the law, as just recently expressed by the Supreme Court, is a bridge too far.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): A male stowaway survived an 11-hour flight in the wheel well of a cargo plane traveling from South Africa to the Netherlands on Sunday.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): It is not known whether the man was on board the entire 11-hour journey or whether he climbed on board during the plane's stop in Nairobi.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): It's extremely rare for stowaways to survive long flights due to low oxygen levels and sub-zero temperatures at high altitudes.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The Supreme Court has agreed to hear cases on affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The lawsuits allege that their admissions processes violate civil rights and equal protection laws.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The arguments on the cases are expected to take place next term, which starts in October.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): In defiance of Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's executive order, the superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools ordered principals on Friday to deny students who refused to wear a mask access to in-person learning.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): And on Sunday, Taiwan intercepted dozens of Chinese military aircraft.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): The latest move by Communist China involved 34 fighters and four electronic warfare aircraft, along with a bomber.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Taiwan used combat aircraft as a warning and deployed missile systems to keep watch.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): And a new proposal by California lawmakers would allow children ages 12 and up to be vaccinated without their parents' consent.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): If you liked this episode and are interested in hearing more, subscribe to Morning Wire on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening, and give us a five-star review.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): That's all the time we've got this morning.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): Thanks for waking up with us.
--:-- Host (Georgia Howe): We'll be back tomorrow with the news you need to know.
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