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- [00:02]
A
Hi, I'm Jessica St. Clair. And I'm June Diane Rayfiel. And we are two friends trying to survive the chaos and celebrate the joy that life throws our way. And we do it every week on our podcast, the Deep Dive. Sometimes we dig into the deep stuff, like how I communicate with my dead best friend. And sometimes we give bad advice based off a TikTok I saw. And we're not gonna apologize for that. Absolutely not. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll hire a psychic medium. Join us. Won't listen to the Deep Dive wherever you get your podcasts from Lemonada Media.
- [00:45]
B
Hey, everybody, and welcome to Here's a scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Dasugin. So on the podcast today, fueled by conspiracy theories, some Republicans in Congress are taking aim at the weather. Also, the Ketamine Queen pleads guilty. And mixed doubles at the US Open are serving up some love connections. That's all coming up. But first, a story you might have missed in all the news of Russia, Ukraine talks. The president saying he wants to end voting by mail. This is him in the Oval just yesterday.
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C
Mail in ballots are corrupt. Mail in ballots. You can never have a real democracy with mail in ballots.
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B
Trump says he got the idea to crack down from the Russian president. So I want to bring in our senior national politics reporter, Matt Dixon to talk more about this. Hi, Matt.
- [01:35]
D
Well, hello. Thanks for having me.
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B
It's great to have you. So after this Trump Putin meeting, right, we were all looking at will he or will he not get a ceasefire out of this whole thing. But in actuality, what came out of it was something quite different.
- [01:48]
D
Yeah, we were all waiting for a Ukraine deal, and lo and behold, President Trump's old nemesis, mail ballots popped up out of that meeting. So we don't really know what happened in the Putin meeting with anything, be it Ukraine, be it mail ballots. But what we do know is that meeting with Putin revived President Trump's loathing of mail ballots, which we had not heard for a little while. So clearly something in that meeting prompted this. But it's still a bit of an open mystery.
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B
I mean, he actually spoke about this on Fox News, saying Vladimir Putin said.
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C
Something, one of the most interesting things. He said your election was rigged because you have mail in voting. He said mail in voting every election. He said, no country has mail in voting. It's impossible to have mail in voting and have honest elections. Elections.
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B
Is there any merit to what the president is saying, or should I say what the Russian president is saying? Vladimir Putin in that mail in ballot votings is rigged or can be rigged, or is there any merit to it?
- [02:51]
D
Yeah, I mean, holding up Russian elections is free and fair is kind of a silly argument. It holds about as much weight as calling me an astrophysicist. It just does not work. There are pockets, very, very, very, very small numbers of voter fraud that do pop up in every individual case when it's just one person kind of get in this environment. Republicans talk a lot about election integrity, and that's sort of the euphemism for what we're doing here. But there is no real argument to be made about widespread voter fraud or even specifically with mail ballots. The state of Oregon does all their elections by mail, and election officials say we don't have voter fraud. Most states have a very large percentage of their electorate that votes before election day, either in person or via mail, as best we can tell. And there's been lots of studies done, there's been lots of reporting on it. There just is this background to say that, hey, there's widespread voter fraud. We really need to do an executive order and crack down on this.
- [03:48]
B
The thing is, Matt, amidst all of this, a lot of Republican voters have now turned to mail in voting, whether or not it's because they are hourly wage workers, they live in rural communities, they are elderly. I mean, these are voters that both parties want on their side. And so now you have a Republican president wanting to do away with mail in ballots. That could very much hurt him.
- [04:10]
D
Oh, absolutely. Republicans have not only turned to mail balloting in many states, they've dominated it. Republicans created these vote by mail programs. Gosh, 20 years ago at this point, they were kind of on the cutting edge of it, and Democrats had to catch up. So for years, Republican politicians and the Republican Party had sort of conditioned their voters to really like the idea of voting by mail. There's obviously a whole lot of benefits from a convenience standpoint. And now all of a sudden, President Trump came along and kind of pulled the rug out that. And now he talks about how the, you know, baselessly talks about how mail ballots cost him the 2020 election. And there's this whole sort of counter narrative that, that has gone against what Republicans have said for years. We'd like our people to vote by mail. It's easier to get to voters that don't often vote or don't always vote. And Trump sort of flipped the script on them. And now the party at large has had to sort of recalibrate.
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B
Could he actually get this done?
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D
That's a huge question. So what is going to likely happen if he moves forward on this? What we would antic is him doing an executive order like he's done many, many times.
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B
Right.
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D
And ultimately that's going to almost immediately go to court. It will probably be a lengthy legal challenge. So the logistics, even if he were successful and there's no guarantee for, say, the 2026 midterms, is very much in question from a timing standpoint. States would likely have to convene their legislatures to pass new laws. And there are big questions about the legality of it because generally Congress gets to dictate the nation's voting laws. So I think there are those who watch this stuff very closely who think a legal challenge to any executive order would be successful. So it seems like a tremendously uphill climb. And with, you know, the midterms already kind of starting here, I. I just, I think it would be next to impossible for the midterms.
- [05:58]
B
What about the next presidential election?
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D
That would certainly be more likely, only because there's more time to execute it. But again, it's the uphill climbs we talked about with the courts, with Congress, with the states. There's still a lot of things to. The only reason I would say that's slightly more likely is just because there's more time to do it and there's more time to figure it out.
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B
Well, and one thing we didn't touch upon is the amount of money it takes to turn out voters if there is not mail in ballot voting.
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D
Yeah. So campaigns have, you know, they. They do what's called micro targeting. Now, they'll target individual voters down to individual addresses, individual registrations. Once they've determined that someone has mailed in their ballot, they get to stop spending money on turning that person out. So it is cheaper campaigns when their voters vote by mail, because if they don't vote by mail, they sort of have to target them with mail pieces or phone calls or all of the things that everyone listening to this gets annoyed about during campaign season. Those things have to continue on until actual election day. Or if someone sends in their mail ballot, then, you know, they can cross that person off the list and it gets a bit cheaper.
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B
I gotta say, whenever my mother gets any of those phone calls or text messages, she literally says to me, so and so called me and asked me to go out to vote. I'm like, mom, they're not calling you directly.
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D
Oh, don't ruin her dream. Come on, let her have this. I do the same thing with my parents. And I tell them, you know what, you guys are very special. You're getting direct phone calls here.
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B
Matt Dixon, thank you.
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D
Thank you.
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B
All right. We're gonna take a quick break. When we're back, how conspiracy theories about controlling the weather spun out of control and into Congress. That's next.
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A
Get ready. We've got an exciting week ahead on today.
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D
Yes, we do. Tennis star Naomi Osaka is here live.
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About her very personal new project.
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A
And we are so lucky. Another tennis superstar, Serena Williams stopping by with some news of her own.
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D
Then Joanna Gaines on what she's cooking.
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A
Up next, we've got Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sandra oh and Pupita Nyong'.
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B
O.
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A
And the return of beloved New York City production Shakespeare in the Park.
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D
Watch the Today show every morning on NBC.
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F
Have you ever wondered what it's like to be buried in an avalanche?
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D
Weird foreign feeling of despair or how.
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F
It feels to crash a skydive?
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B
I remember feeling my body hit the ground.
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F
These are the stories you'll hear on the podcast called what was that like? True stories told by the actual person who went through it. And you'll hear actual 911 calls.
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A
91 1.
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There's a man at my back door.
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D
Trying to get in search for what.
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Was that like on any podcast app or at what was that like dot com.
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B
And we're back with here's the scoop from NBC News. We told you Hurricane Aaron was going to hog the spotlight this week and it is delivering. It is now a cat tube beast with 105 mile an hour winds and still flexing as a storm barrels northwest before swinging northeast. Parts of the Outer Banks have issued evacuation orders and they could start feeling those tropical storm punches as soon as tomorrow evening. And it's not just the Carolinas on alert. Flooding concerns are stacking up from the mid Atlantic all the way to New England. Between Erin's giant windfield monster waves and a conveniently timed new moon on Saturday, coastal communities from South Carolina to Maine might be in for a very soggy weekend. And speaking of Hurricane Erin, we report on these storms a lot. And while scientists have proven there is a direct link between the increase in extreme weather events to climate change, they are currently met with conspiracy theorists with contrary ideas. The outlandish ideas of weather control was once on the fringes of society, but now across the country, Republican lawmakers are pushing new bills to deal with the weather. The bills, though, are to stop what some GOP members are calling government weather modification. So what does this all mean? Here to walk us through it is NBC News Political reporter Alan Smith. Hey, Alan.
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E
Hey, Asmund. Great to be on.
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B
Great to have you in studio. So weather modifications were kind of left to the conspiracy theorists years ago, but now it's entering the mainstream, especially when a lot of these conspiracy theorists are now in the mainstream. What exactly are they saying is happening and what are they trying to change?
- [10:20]
E
So I think you gotta take one step back first and think about some of the more extreme weather events that have happened over the last few years. I mean, you think about Hurricane Helene and a massive flooding in an inland area, a pretty conservative area. You think about the flooding in Texas a month ago, these events, and especially the fact that they're on the rise, you're seeing a scenario where these conspiracy theories are given a lot more room to grow. So someone like a Marjorie Taylor Greene or some of these other lawmakers that are promoting legislation like this, they all say they're inundated with calls and comments online from constituents who are concerned about this.
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B
Concerned about weather modification.
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E
Yes.
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B
How are they believing that the weather is being modified to create these extreme weather events like Hurricane Helene that caused so much damage in North Carolina?
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E
So they're pointing to things like cloud seeding, which happens at a very small scale. People fly planes up and try to draw rain out of like one cloud. They do this in really arid, dry areas, like out west. They do it at ski resorts to like create additional snow. It does not happen at scale where it would be triggering a massive flood.
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B
So it would happen in one concentrated area.
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E
One concentrated area for a specific reason. Very small scale.
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B
Right.
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E
So they're taking stuff like that. They're taking research into something called solar radiation modification. Scientists are basically trying to figure out if you can take the sun's rays and block them or dilute them to an extent to cool the earth more to prevent extreme global warming. But again, very much in the experimental, not actually happening. And then chemtrails, which has been a conspiracy for a long time, which is that the trails you see from an airplane are actually very harmful chemicals that are being intentionally poured over Americans homes and food supply and whatnot.
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B
And to be clear, it's not happening. So they're taking all of these different things and they're saying this is what is creating these huge hurricanes, storms, things that are flattening our communities. And because of that, we need to create legislation to protect Americans from it.
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E
Absolutely. And a lot of people see this as kind of their response to climate change itself. The longtime response was either it's not happening at all or it is happening. But we disagree with the left on what the solution is, or we think their solutions are too extreme. And now you're seeing a growing strain that is like, actually there are changes happening and it's because of these theories that are percolating online.
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B
So essentially the Marjorie Taylor Greene's of the world and others are saying it's not climate change, it's these weather modifications that are happening in small scale that are creating these huge storms, not climate change. You've been talking to some of these people that are leading these efforts. There was something interesting, I think, that Marjorie Taylor Greene said to you in your interview with her.
- [13:08]
A
Well, I think it's kind of a funny hypocrisy actually for say the left or the climate change crowd that's been yelling we've got to stop climate change, but yet they're like, no, don't stop man made climate change. So I find that to be laughable.
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B
Hypocrisy, which I thought was really interesting considering that climate change is in fact man made.
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E
So of everybody that I asked the question, do you see this link to climate change? Is this the Republican response to climate change? Her answer to me was the most interesting, that her and other lawmakers are putting a huge effort into stopping this thing that scientists and experts say this isn't happening, rather than trying to address the man made climate change that everyone is in agreement is happening.
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B
So Alan, the laws passed in two states, Tennessee and Florida. Where else are they efforting these laws and what is the likelihood they're actually going to get across the finish line?
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E
So there's about 20 states where at the very baseline laws like this have been introduced. They've actually made fairly little progress in most places aside from Tennessee and Florida. But it's all different kinds of states. I mean, purple states, blue states, red states. There are Republican lawmakers everywhere who are introducing bills that all sound pretty similar. The ultimate effort though, I think these guys want to see something passed in Congress.
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B
Any likelihood the federal government's going to jump on board with this thing?
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E
I would say pretty unlikely. I mean, Marjorie Taylor Greene for her bill has a pretty steep road ahead. But the Trump administration is doing things right now to kind of nod to some of these folks. The EPA recently unveiled a bunch of websites to answer questions about cloud seeding, solar radiation modification contrails. So condensation that's coming off of airplanes. They were careful to not say chemtrails, but they've opened up all these new resources. But I would say in Congress right now, it's pretty unlikely that this would make it into law.
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B
Alan Smith, thank you.
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E
Thanks, Yasmin.
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B
All right, let's get to some headlines. Federal prosecutors say 42 year old Jasveen Sangha, also known as the Ketamine Queen, is pleading guilty to five federal charges, including supplying the drug they say led to Friends star Matthew Perry's death. Her lawyer told NBC News that Sangha is, quote, taking responsibility, which is very different from recent remarks where he said she's innocent. In October of 2023, Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub. Sangha is one of five people, including two doctors, who've now pled guilty. In a statement to NBC News, Perry's mom Suzanne said, quote, today is Matthew's birthday. We are grieving as we do every day, but we are relieved there's finally some resolution and hoping it means stricter controls on drugs like ketamine. Hamas has told Egypt it is ready to accept a ceasefire deal that could end the war in Gaza and free Israeli hostages. Egypt's foreign minister telling NBC News the plan calls for a 60 day truce during which negotiators would work towards a permanent ceasefire. It also includes a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the release of 10 living hostages and about 18 bodies in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Past talks have collapsed over key sticking points and so far, Israel hasn't officially responded to this latest push for peace. When asked, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office referred to a statement he made Monday saying, and I'm paraphrasing here, Israel is pushing ahead with a military campaign to assume full control of Gaza City in the north of the enclave. For the first time in three decades, the American Academy of Pediatrics is breaking ranks with the federal government on vaccines, the group rolling out new COVID 19 recommendations. Today at a moment when public health guidance feels confusing, vaccine skeptics are gaining influence in the new Trump administration. But the AAP is taking its own stance. They are strongly urging Covid shots for kids as young as 6 months up to age 2. And for older kids, they say the shots are still an option if parents want them. That is a sharp contrast to the stance from U.S. health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Whose guidance says healthy children of any age do not need the vaccine, though parents can still talk about it with their doctors. Game, set, match. Grab yourself an ice cold honeydews and your favorite tennis duo. The US Open is back in New York City. Today. The tournament is kicking off its revamped mixed doubles Grand Slam. Champions like Novak Djokovic, Naomi Osaka and Venus Williams. They are competing with partners for the top prize of $1 million, which is five times the size of last year's prize pot. And while of course the superstars are going to deliver some great tennis, it is the off court drama between the duos that has got the Internet buzzing, including the breakup between former tennis power couple Paula Badosa and Stefano Tsitsipas that then ended their joint bid for the top prize. And of course, there is the matchup of fan favorites Carlos Alcaraz and British superstar Emma Raducanu. The Internet is hoping they'll serve up some love. So even if you're a non tennis fan, we have got a million reasons to tune in, especially when it could be shaping up to be a Grand Slam episode of Love Island. That's going to do it for us at here's the scoop from NBC News. I'm Yasmin Vesugin. We'll see you back here tomorrow with whatever the day may bring.
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A
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