--:-- [Upbeat music fades out, and the host, John Bickley, speaks]
--:-- John Bickley: Welcome to Morning Wire. I'm John Bickley, Daily Wire editor-in-chief, and I'm here with Georgia Howe. It's Wednesday, April 19th.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Good morning, John. Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: Today, we're going to cover two wrong address shootings and how they relate to the Castle Doctrine. We'll also discuss the U.S. debt ceiling, which hit $31 trillion in January. And, as President Biden lays out his reelection bid, a new report shows a shift in his campaign strategy. Plus, Fox News settles its lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems just as the trial was set to begin.
--:-- John Bickley: Before we dive into the news, let's talk about a story that's been making headlines. A 16-year-old is recovering from being shot after ringing the doorbell at the wrong house. He's able to communicate, but mostly he just sits there and stares, and the buckets of tears just roll down his eyes.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That's right, John. We discussed two wrong address shootings and how they both relate to the Castle Doctrine. I'm Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe.
--:-- John Bickley: The U.S. debt ceiling hit $31 trillion in January. Will Republicans be able to negotiate federal spending cuts in exchange for raising the limit?
--:-- John Bickley: And as President Biden lays out his reelection bid, a new report shows a shift in his campaign strategy. Plus, Fox News settles its lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems just as the trial was set to begin. Today's settlement of $787 million represents vindication and accountability. Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned; we have the news you need to know.
--:-- John Bickley: Hey, guys. Producer Brandon here. It's easy to overlook the importance of fruits and vegetables. Balance of Nature fruit and veggie capsules are a convenient way to consume essential nutritional ingredients daily. They can help boost your immune system, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and lower the risk of chronic diseases. Balance of Nature is the perfect choice for anyone looking to improve their diet and feel their best. Go to balanceofnature.com and use promo code WIRE for 35% off your first order as a preferred customer.
--:-- John Bickley: 16-year-old Ralph Jarl was shot twice by an elderly homeowner in Kansas City, Missouri, after he reportedly rang the doorbell to the wrong home.
--:-- Georgia Howe: From legacy media to the White House to Hollywood, the story has exploded over the race of the victim, who is Black, and the suspect, who is White.
--:-- John Bickley: Here to discuss the shooting and the response to it is Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: So, Amanda, first off, tell us the details of this incident.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Yeah, absolutely. Yarl reportedly went to pick up his 11-year-old twin brothers on Thursday night, but mistakenly ended up at the wrong home, confusing it with an address a block away. He went up to the door just before 10 p.m., rang the doorbell, and waited for someone to answer.
--:-- John Bickley: And what happened next?
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Jarl was then shot twice, once in the forehead near his hairline and once in the arm, through a glass storm door by 84-year-old homeowner Andrew Lester.
--:-- Georgia Howe: According to a probable cause statement, Lester says he was trying to sleep when he heard his doorbell ring. He picked up his revolver and opened the interior front door. He saw Jarl pulling on the exterior storm door handle. Lester told police he thought Jarl was attempting to break into his home and that he was scared to death and subsequently shot Jarl twice.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Jarl is thankfully back at home and is expected to make a full recovery despite having bullet fragments pulled from his frontal lobe in the hospital. He was able to give a statement from his hospital bed at which time he said no words were exchanged before he was shot.
--:-- John Bickley: And what about the suspect, Andrew Lester?
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Lester says he called 911 after the shooting. He was brought in for questioning, but was released less than two hours later because police said more investigative work needed to be done. Days later, on Monday, Lester was charged with assault in the first degree, a class A felony that could be punishable by up to life in prison and felony armed criminal action, which is punishable by up to 15 years.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, this story has become a focal point in the media. Is that primarily due to the race of the shooter and the victim?
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Yeah, that definitely is a large part of it. Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson did tell the media that there was a racial component to this case, but also clarified that there's nothing in the charging documents that say the shooting was racially motivated.
--:-- John Bickley: Several celebrities, including Viola Davis and Halle Berry, have voiced outrage over the shooting, too. And President Joe Biden has reached out to the Yarl family.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: One of Yarl's attorneys, controversial civil rights activist Ben Crump, claims this shooting is emblematic of a broader targeting of unarmed Black Americans in the U.S. He also claims Lester was only charged because of pressure put on the authorities in Kansas City.
--:-- Georgia Howe: It's nothing new. What they're doing is two justice systems in America, one for Black America and another for White America.
--:-- John Bickley: Since the shooting, Lester's home has been egged and vandalized. Hundreds of people protested outside the man's home over the weekend, too.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Here's some audio of that from KSHB 41 News.
--:-- John Bickley: What do we want? Now this is. When do we want it? Now. We don't get it. Shut it down. We don't get it. Shut it down.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Now, literally within a few days, another very similar situation played out in New York.
--:-- Georgia Howe: What happened there?
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Right. Just days later, a 20-year-old woman who was White was fatally shot in similar circumstances, except the woman did not even exit her car.
--:-- John Bickley: The woman, Kaylin Gillis, was a passenger in a vehicle with three other friends when they accidentally turned into the wrong driveway while looking for a friend's home in rural upstate New York.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: While parked in the driveway, 65-year-old Kevin Monaghan, also White, opened fire from his front door, killing Gillis.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Now, in both of these cases, the victims were shot while on personal property. How does the law see cases like these?
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: So under Missouri's castle doctrine, a homeowner has no duty to retreat from what they reasonably believe to be a deadly threat. So in Lester's case, a jury will probably have to decide whether Yarl possibly moving to open that storm door was sufficiently threatening.
--:-- John Bickley: In New York, the homeowner does have a duty to retreat before resorting to deadly force. So because Gillis didn't exit the car before she was shot, the shooter will presumably have a harder time defending his decision to shoot.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Well, two very tragic cases, and we're just going to have to see how this plays out.
--:-- Amanda Prestigiacomo: Thanks for reporting.
--:-- John Bickley: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: That was Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo. Coming up, congressional Republicans outline a debt ceiling plan. Do you ever feel like you just can't get in shape?
--:-- John Bickley: Producer Brandon here. Nugenix is offering a complimentary bottle of Nugenix Total Tea when you text 231-231 and enter the keyword WIRE. Nugenix Total Tea testosterone booster with testifin will help you turn back the clock and feel like the man you really want to be.
--:-- John Bickley: After months of fierce debate in Washington, the Republican-controlled Congress has begun to outline a plan for raising the nation's debt ceiling before the federal government defaults on its debt later this year.
--:-- Georgia Howe: But before it can pass, the plan must gain approval from President Biden.
--:-- John Bickley: Here with more on this high-stakes political battle is Daily Wire's senior editor, Cabot Phillips.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: So, Cabot, first, how did we get to this juncture?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So, the debt ceiling is just an arbitrary limit set by Congress that controls national debt. Because the government typically spends more money than it takes in each year, that ceiling is routinely in need of raising.
--:-- John Bickley: The last time they voted to raise the limit was in 2021 when they upped the debt ceiling by $2 trillion to a total of $31 trillion. That is greater than our country's entire GDP.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Now, because our government has spent so much money over the last year, that raise only ended up buying 12 months of time. And the limit was hit once again this January.
--:-- Georgia Howe: But instead of simply raising it once more, the newly GOP-controlled Congress refused to raise the limit without conditions.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: That forced the Treasury Department to adopt what they call "extraordinary measures" to avoid defaulting on key financial obligations.
--:-- John Bickley: Right, but those measures can only last so long.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Exactly. And that brings us to where we are today. If Congress does not come up with a plan, the U.S. will likely default on its debt this summer or early fall.
--:-- Georgia Howe: That is something that neither side wants to see, but Republicans have made clear that they'll only raise the limit if certain conditions are met by the White House.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: What is each side calling for at the moment?
--:-- John Bickley: Well, on Monday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave his most substantive public comments to date on where his party stands.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Speaking at the New York Stock Exchange, McCarthy said Republicans would be willing to compromise and offer a one-year debt ceiling increase in exchange for concessions from Democrats.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Specifically, he wants a deal that will freeze federal spending at current levels, roll back a number of private sector business regulations, and implement stricter work requirements for welfare and other social spending programs.
--:-- John Bickley: And according to McCarthy, the plan will not cut any spending from Social Security or Medicaid.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: That was an important sticking point back in January when this all began.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And what about President Biden? What's he pushing for?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So from the beginning, the White House has called for Congress to raise the debt ceiling without any conditions.
--:-- John Bickley: They say Congress has raised the limit 100 times before, and they should do it again without using it as a negotiating tool.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Speaker McCarthy made clear this week that a deal will now only happen if Biden offers concessions this go-around.
--:-- Georgia Howe: A no-strings-attached debt limit increase will not pass.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: But since the president continues to hide, House Republicans will take action.
--:-- John Bickley: On Tuesday afternoon, President Biden responded directly to Speaker McCarthy, calling his plan to cut federal spending reckless.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: He proposed huge cuts to important programs that millions of Americans count on.
--:-- Georgia Howe: He threatened to become the first speaker to default on our national debt.
--:-- John Bickley: So what comes next?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, McCarthy says once the GOP plan is finalized, they'll hold a vote in Congress in the coming weeks.
--:-- Georgia Howe: From there, it'll head to the Democrat-controlled Senate and, if passed, on to the president.
--:-- John Bickley: But given the current stance from the White House, it appears this is just the first phase in a long battle.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, and one that's likely to get pretty intense.
--:-- John Bickley: Cabot, thanks for reporting.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Anytime.
--:-- John Bickley: That's Daily Wire's senior editor, Cabot Phillips. President Biden is gearing up for his re-election bid, and according to a new report, his strategy will heavily rely on social media influencers.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Here to tell us more about Biden's social media campaign is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham.
--:-- Megan Basham: Thanks for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: So, Megan, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that the White House is looking to influencers to boost its re-election chances.
--:-- Megan Basham: Celebrity endorsements are a time-honored tradition in politics, and influencers are kind of the new celebrities.
--:-- Georgia Howe: So are these going to be paid spokesmen, or what kind of roles will these be?
--:-- Megan Basham: No, according to Axios, they'll be unpaid, but there's going to be a lot more to it than that old celebrity model of just appearing at a campaign event or, you know, taking a few of those promotional photos.
--:-- John Bickley: There will reportedly be hundreds of them, and they're essentially being recruited to act as a mini press corps, though, of course, all the news will be pro-Biden.
--:-- Megan Basham: So Axios said the White House is even considering setting up a dedicated press briefing room for them, and then they'll have access to the president as he's traveling.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Four different White House staffers are managing this effort, and the man heading it up, Rob Flaherty, has the title assistant to the president.
--:-- Megan Basham: And that's the same rank as Biden press secretary Corinne Jean.
--:-- John Bickley: So the influencers' marching orders are going to be to use their large social media followings in some pretty targeted ways to, as you might have guessed, influence voters who aren't engaged with politics and maybe don't follow any Democrats on social media.
--:-- Megan Basham: To get out and pull the lever for Biden.
--:-- Georgia Howe: All right. So the title influencer can mean a lot of different things to different people. What kind of social media stars are they seeking out for these roles?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, you know, obviously a key part of Biden's strategy is going to be to turn out young voters. Gen Z influencers are obviously going to make up a huge part of it.
--:-- John Bickley: To give you one example, we already know that TikToker Harry Sisson has signed on to this project.
--:-- Megan Basham: Now, if you're not familiar, he's a freshman at NYU who does these short daily news updates. But his key point is that he has 700,000 followers.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Gen Z is going to make sure there's a blue wave in 2024. Republicans have no policy to help young people. They're literally trying to take away our rights.
--:-- Megan Basham: But Jen O'Malley Dillon, who is the White House deputy chief of staff, said that they're also going to be trying to reach moms, climate activists, really just a range of demographics.
--:-- John Bickley: So not just Gen Zers.
--:-- Megan Basham: Another one of these influencers is going to be Vivian Tu. She's a millennial former trader who posts financial explainers on TikTok and Instagram.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And then there's Heather Cox Richardson. She's a history professor who's actually in her 60s, but she has a huge Twitter following.
--:-- Megan Basham: But if you look back, this isn't entirely a new strategy for the Biden administration.
--:-- John Bickley: Remember that in 2021, they brought in a social media influencer to push compliance with the government's COVID policies.
--:-- Megan Basham: That was Instagram star Benny Drama. He filmed this kind of comedy sketch pretending to be a White House intern in order to promote the vaccine to younger people who were at that point statistically more resistant to getting it.
--:-- Georgia Howe: And then they used a young TikToker who was famous for asking people in nice cars what they do for a living.
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, they asked him to film himself asking Biden the same question so that the president could then tout his electric vehicle plan.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, it's always interesting to follow how these campaigns change cycle after cycle.
--:-- Megan Basham: Megan, thanks for reporting.
--:-- Megan Basham: Anytime.
--:-- John Bickley: That was Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham. Another story we're tracking this week. After two years of hype and speculation, Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems reached a settlement on Tuesday just as the trial was getting underway.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Dominion sued Fox for defamation back in March of 2021 after the network featured guests who leveled claims against the voting tabulator, alleging it was used to alter the outcome of the 2020 presidential race.
--:-- John Bickley: Dominion sued Fox for $1.6 billion, claiming the network damaged its reputation.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The amount of the settlement is reportedly $787 million.
--:-- John Bickley: A lawyer for Dominion addressed the settlement on Tuesday.
--:-- Megan Basham: Lies have consequences.
--:-- John Bickley: Fox released a statement that said, quote, "We are hopeful that our decision to resolve this dispute with Dominion amicably, instead of the acrimony of a divisive trial, allows the country to move forward on these issues."
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for listening to Morning Wire. We created this show to bring more balance to the national conversation.
--:-- John Bickley: If you love our show and you stand with our mission, please consider subscribing, leaving us a five-star rating, and most importantly, sharing our podcast with a friend.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Well, that's all the time we've got this morning. Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more of the news you need to know.
