Morning Wire XX
[0] Several bombings and air strikes in the Middle East have the region and the world on edge.
[1] Whenever you see strikes in the region, given the tensions in the region, there is the risk for increase in conflict, which is something that we're trying to avoid.
[2] Is the Middle East on the verge of another war?
[3] And how is the U .S. responding?
[4] I'm Daily Wire, editor -in -chief John Bickley, with Georgia How.
[5] It's Friday, January 19th, and this is Morning Wire.
[6] As speculation ramps up about who Trump might pick for VP should he win the nomination, one of the names on that list finds herself under fire in the House.
[7] And a court has refused to dismiss the indictment of Daniel Penny, the New York Marine, involved in the death of an aggressive homeless man on the subway.
[8] No one is surprised when a judge refuses to throw out an indictment because it's just something that is almost unheard of.
[9] Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire.
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[19] That's policy Amid unprecedented tensions across the Middle East and South Asia, Iran and Pakistan have begun launching airstrikes in each other's territory, elevating fears of a broader conflict in the region.
[20] Here are the latest is Daily Wire Senior Editor Cabot Phillips.
[21] Hey, Gabby.
[22] So yet another conflict emerging overseas this time in Pakistan.
[23] What do we know so far?
[24] Yeah, in the past few weeks alone, we've talked about the ongoing war in Gaza and American airstrikes in Yemen.
[25] And now we are seeing another conflict coming to a head, this time between Pakistan and Iran.
[26] For context, the two countries share a 500 -mile border, and for years now have been conducting military operations against Islamic militant groups hiding out in that border region.
[27] Now, in recent history, that fighting has taken place inside of each country's territory, and the countries have more or less gotten along.
[28] The two sides even conducted joint naval operations just days ago and have very open lines of communication.
[29] And when it comes to targeting terrorists, the Pakistanis have gone after those in Pakistanis, Pakistan, and the Iranians have gone after those in Iran.
[30] But that all changed this week.
[31] Exactly.
[32] So on Tuesday, Iran launched a series of air strikes inside of Pakistan, targeting members of a Sunni militant group called the Army of Justice, which operates on both sides of the border and is claimed responsibility for a number of terror attacks in the region.
[33] While the Iranians claim that they, quote, only targeted Iranian terrorists on the soil of Pakistan, Pakistani officials say the strike killed two children and a number of other civilians.
[34] Now, as you can imagine, that incident sparked immediate outrage in Pakistan, which called the attacks a, quote, egregious violation of international law and the spirit of bilateral relations between the countries.
[35] So several civilian deaths, and Pakistan ended up responding with their own strikes, correct?
[36] Yes, they did.
[37] So on Thursday, they responded with a mortar and drone attack of their own, which they characterized as a, quote, series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes.
[38] But again, there were differing reports from both countries.
[39] Pakistan says they killed terrorists, but Iran says they killed at least seven civilians, including three women and four children.
[40] The Pakistanis also withdrew their ambassador from Tehran and essentially said the Iranian ambassador was no longer welcome in their own capital.
[41] So things really heating up between the two.
[42] Now the question becomes what sort of response we see from Iran, which has shown recently an increased willingness to operate outside of their own borders.
[43] Right, increased aggressiveness from Iran.
[44] What are we seeing on that front, this escalation from Iran.
[45] Well, just a day before their airstrike in Pakistan, the Iranians launched missiles into Iraq and Syria, claiming they were targeting what they called, quote, anti -Iran terror groups and also Israeli spy bases.
[46] And while those are more direct shows of force, the regime there is also stepping up its proxy war on Israel and the West by supporting a vast number of militant groups in the region.
[47] Remember, this all comes as Iran continues to fund Hezbollah, which is waging a war on Israel, mainly through Lebanon, and also the Houthis, who have stepped up attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
[48] And while those efforts are plenty concerning in their own right, a potential armed conflict with Pakistan really raises the risk to an entirely new level, as Pakistan is the only Islamic nation to possess nuclear weapons.
[49] Just an extremely fraught situation.
[50] Why is this happening now?
[51] Do we know about the timing of these actions by Iran?
[52] Well, according to the Iranians, they're doubling down as a result of Israel's war on Hamas following the terror attacks of October 7th.
[53] The country's foreign minister said this week that, quote, everyone will suffer if Israel's crimes in Gaza do not stop, all the resistance fronts will remain active.
[54] But according to Pentagon officials and national security experts, the escalating attacks, both direct and indirect, are part of Iran's effort to solidify themselves as the dominant power in the Middle East and South Asia.
[55] Because there are relatively few stable countries in the region, Iran stands to benefit greatly from instability there and is clearly looking to sow division to create a sort of power vacuum that will drive other countries away from the West in Israel and into their arms.
[56] It's a long -term play that could have dire consequences in a region already on edge.
[57] Indeed.
[58] Cabot, thanks for reporting.
[59] Anytime.
[60] In a dramatic move Wednesday, Representative Dan Goldman introduced a resolution to censure Republican House caucus chair Elise Stefonic over her support of those convicted of January 6th -related offenses.
[61] The resolution comes as Democrats work to get voters focused on the Capitol riot ahead of Trump's federal trial in the 2024 election.
[62] Here to discuss this latest twist as well as some VP speculation is Daily Wire contributor, David Marcus.
[63] Hey, Dave.
[64] First, what is Goldman alleging here?
[65] And has Stefanik responded?
[66] Morning.
[67] Goldman is trying to censure Stefanik, not for any action she took on January 6th, but rather for showing support for the causes of the defendants and those convicted of crimes.
[68] Goldman says she gave, quote, aid, comfort and support to them and took, particular umbrage at her use of the term hostages to describe them, even suggesting that it downplayed the hostage situation in Israel.
[69] For her part, Stefanik's team slammed back, calling Goldman corrupt and radical, claiming Democrats are desperate because they know Joe Biden is losing.
[70] They also pointed to Goldman's own ethics concerns over his stock market trades.
[71] Speaker Mike Johnson came out in strong support of Seponic, who as conference chair is the number three ranking representative in the House GOP.
[72] What happens from here?
[73] Could this get a vote before the entire House, and could Stefanik actually wind up being censured?
[74] Not to get too in the capital weeds, but Goldman's resolution is not privileged, which means it doesn't have to be taken up immediately.
[75] He says he hopes that Republicans, especially New York Republicans, remember both Goldman and Stefanic are from the Empire State, might join him in his effort.
[76] They did, after all, vote to oust another New Yorker, Representative George Santos.
[77] But this is a remote contingency.
[78] People like Nicole.
[79] Maliatakis and Mike Lawler likely have no appetite to punish Republicans over January 6th, especially at a time when the Biden campaign and Democrats in general are seeking to make it the core issue of the 2024 election.
[80] That's an awful lot of New Yorkers.
[81] Isn't it always?
[82] Now, Stefanik made some other news this week.
[83] Her name was floated as a possible running mate for Donald Trump.
[84] Should he be the nominee, of course?
[85] What do we know about that possibility?
[86] Yeah, these were media reports from people close to Trump and a few on the record comments.
[87] that indicated the former president really likes her for the role and especially views her as very loyal, which we all know is a key trait that Trump looks for and requires.
[88] And she is an up -and -comer, and only nine years in the House she's risen to number three in leadership and symbolically took that role from none other than Liz Cheney, so it makes a lot of sense that she could be on the short list with a bullet, and it might also explain why she is staring down the barrel of Goldman's censure resolution.
[89] Makes sense.
[90] Now, beyond Stefanik, who else is in this VP parlor game?
[91] Who else are we hearing is on Trump's shortlist?
[92] Indeed, it is almost time to spin that wheel of fortune again.
[93] And there are some other names being bandied about.
[94] Ben Carson has emerged as a real possibility.
[95] And with the hyperactive Trump, he could almost be like a Xanax on the ticket.
[96] But most of the chatter centers on women, such as South Dakota Governor Kristy Noem, who has a Ron DeSantis -like COVID record but didn't run against Trump.
[97] Nikki Haley has been discussed, much to the disgust of the MAGA base.
[98] There have also been whispers about Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Carrie Lake.
[99] You know, John Adams called the vice presidency the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.
[100] But this time around, it could be more consequential, given that should he win, Donald Trump could only serve one term and his vice president would have an inside track on 2028.
[101] if we're ready to talk about that yet.
[102] Let's maybe hold off for at least a few more months.
[103] Okay.
[104] Dave, thanks for joining us.
[105] Thanks for having me. A judge has denied a motion to dismiss the case against Marine veteran Daniel Penny over a death in a New York City subway.
[106] The case made national headlines last year and the judge says it should move forward.
[107] Here to discuss is Daily Wire reporter, Amanda Prestige Acomo.
[108] So Amanda, we've been covering this case since last summer.
[109] Tell us the latest developments.
[110] Sure thing, Georgia.
[111] So Penny's defense team asked back in October that the case be dismissed.
[112] They cited Neely aggressively threatening people on the train and said Penny did not intend to harm Neely, who was a homeless Michael Jackson impersonator with a lengthy rap sheet and mental health issues.
[113] Penny and others acted to, quote, protect themselves until help arrive, the defense said.
[114] Judge Maxwell Wiley denied the dismissal request, finding that the evidence was, quote, legally sufficient to establish that the defendant acted with both.
[115] recklessness and criminal negligence.
[116] Penny was actually physically present at the courthouse for the decision, and as he left, a small group of protesters called him a murderer and chased him as he got into his vehicle, briefly blocking him from leaving.
[117] Now, for listeners who may not remember, can you give us the key details of the case?
[118] Sure.
[119] This was a polarizing incident that happened on the New York City subway back in May when a homeless man Neely was behaving in a way that some people considered frightening.
[120] And a young Marine, Penny, intervened to subdue the man until police arrived.
[121] Penny restrained Neely for several minutes, and he fell unconscious.
[122] Neely was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
[123] New York City's medical examiner ruled the death a homicide due to compression of the neck, but declined to determine culpability.
[124] Video of the incident went viral online, and it quickly became a divisive cultural issue because Neely was black and Penny was white.
[125] Progressives largely rallied behind Neely, saying the death was racially motivated, whereas conservatives rallied behind Penny, saying city leadership had allowed crime to get out of control and that the young man was merely attempting to protect fellow citizens.
[126] Penny went on to plead not guilty to charges of second -degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.
[127] Those charges carry sentences of up to 15 years and four years respectively.
[128] He's currently out on $100 ,000 bail.
[129] What's been the reaction to that most recent ruling.
[130] Yeah, Penny's legal team downplayed the judge's ruling, but said they're optimistic that a jury will still deliver a just verdict.
[131] Here's Thomas Kenneth, one of Penny's lawyers, reacting to the ruling on News Nation.
[132] We weren't surprised by the ruling.
[133] The reality is that, as we all know, the standard of proof in the grand jury is absurdly low.
[134] It's a reasonable cause.
[135] It's less than a police officer needs to write to a summons on the street or arrest someone for a petty offense, which is why grand jury is virtually always indict.
[136] So look, you know, obviously you hope you think that, you know, if there was ever a case where a judge might toss his indictment, this could be the one.
[137] The Neely family's legal team, on the other hand, trumpeted the decision as a, quote, big win and said they were pleased the case will move forward.
[138] Now, as you mentioned, this case gained national attention, partly because of the race of the two men involved.
[139] Is that expected to be a factor in the court case?
[140] And if so, is that going to hurt Penny?
[141] You know, Thomas Kenneth, who's representing Penny, was actually asked directly about that by Chris Cuomo.
[142] Here's how he responded.
[143] How worried are you, not because it's about the law and justice, but optics and politics.
[144] Yeah, look, if someone wants to politicize something, as we've seen in this case, as we see every day, they're going to politicize it.
[145] If someone wants to make something a racial issue, they're going to do it.
[146] I'll note that Penny said, last year that it was absolutely ridiculous to suggest race was a motivating factor for him.
[147] He said, quote, I didn't see a black man threatening passengers.
[148] I saw a man threatening passengers, a lot of whom were people of color.
[149] The race of those involved in this incident has certainly been pushed in the media, and we've heard protesters focus on race too.
[150] But crime and mental health are also key points in this case.
[151] From his time speaking to the media, it seems the Neely family lawyer Dante Mills is focusing on mental health.
[152] Notably, witnesses on the train, some of whom were black, describe Neely as acting in a threatening manner or even satanic.
[153] Here's Mills speaking about this last year.
[154] So for everybody saying, I've been on the train and I've been afraid before, and I can't tell you what I would have done in that situation, I'm going to tell you, ask how you can help.
[155] Please, don't attack, don't choke, don't kill.
[156] So this case will move forward, it sounds like, what's next for?
[157] it.
[158] Yeah, the judge said on Wednesday that the case will return to court on March 20th, and the trial will take place no earlier than the fall.
[159] Well, we will certainly be watching.
[160] Amanda, thanks for reporting.
[161] You're welcome.
[162] That's all the time we've got this morning.
[163] Thanks for waking up with us.
[164] We'll be back this afternoon with more news you need to know.