9-11 Terrorist Plea Deal & Puerto Rico’s Power Grid | Afternoon Update | 12.31.24

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary Episode: 9-11 Terrorist Plea Deal & Puerto Rico’s Power Grid | Afternoon Update | 12.31.24
Release Date: December 31, 2024
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe

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Introduction

On the December 31st, 2024 episode of Morning Wire, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe delve into a range of pressing issues, from significant legal developments related to the September 11 attacks to critical infrastructure failures in Puerto Rico. The episode seamlessly transitions through political controversies, legal battles, and even a rare celestial event, providing listeners with a comprehensive update on current affairs.

9-11 Terrorist Plea Deal Resurfaces

Georgia Howe kicks off the episode by addressing a pivotal legal update concerning the September 11 attacks.

Georgia Howe (00:12): "Plea deals for the three terrorists involved in the September 11 attacks are back in play."

A military appeals court recently ruled that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin exceeded his authority by voiding agreements that had previously removed the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas and life sentences for the accused terrorists. The prosecution aims to utilize these plea deals to eliminate the prolonged pretrial delays that have persisted for over a decade. While the Pentagon has yet to comment on the ruling, there's still a possibility that Austin may appeal the decision.

Puerto Rico’s Power Grid Collapses

John Bickley shifts the focus to a significant infrastructure crisis in Puerto Rico.

John Bickley (00:42): "Puerto Rico's power grid collapsed early this morning, leaving the vast majority of the island without electricity."

According to Reuters, Luma Energy, the energy distribution company, reported that approximately 90% of its clients were affected by the outage. The company anticipates that restoring power will take between 24 to 48 hours. Preliminary investigations indicate that a failure in an underground line precipitated the widespread blackout, also impacting power company Genera. In response, Puerto Rico's governor has demanded comprehensive answers and effective solutions from both Luma and Genera to prevent future occurrences.

Donald Trump's Defamation Appeal Fails

The episode continues with a legal setback for former President Donald Trump.

Georgia Howe (01:17): "Donald Trump lost his appeal in the $5 million defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll."

Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presto Giacomo provides an in-depth analysis of the case:

Amanda Presto Giacomo (01:27): "Yesterday, the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a jury's decision from May of 2023 that Trump defamed Carroll by calling her allegations of sexual abuse a hoax, statements the court found false and damaging to her reputation."

The defamation case originated from Carroll's allegations that Trump sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store during the mid-1990s—a claim Trump has consistently denied. While the jury did not find Trump liable for rape, they concluded he was responsible for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll over $83 million in damages for emotional distress and reputational harm. Trump has indicated intentions to appeal both verdicts, keeping the legal battle ongoing.

Former Inmate Sues Washington Corrections Center

John Bickley introduces a critical lawsuit involving the Washington Corrections Center for Women A.

John Bickley (02:14): "A former inmate is suing the Washington Corrections center for Women A, alleging she was sexually assaulted by a male cellmate who identifies as female."

Daily Wire senior reporter Mary Margaret Olihan elaborates on the case:

Mary Margaret Olihan (02:29): "Mazzy Clark, who was recently released, says prison officials shrugged off her complaints about harassment and only took action to remove her cellmate after he had sexually assaulted her. Her lawsuit accuses the facility of failing to protect her despite her repeated pleas for help and warnings of increased risks posed by housing men in women's prisons."

Clark's traumatic experience has left enduring emotional scars, while her legal team argues that the facility neglected the basic rights to safety and dignity for incarcerated women. The Washington Department of Corrections has declined to comment on the pending litigation.

President Biden's Waning Job Approval

Georgia Howe addresses the current state of President Biden's approval ratings.

Georgia Howe (03:04): "President Biden is closing out the year and his presidency severely underwater on job approval. The latest Real Clear Politics average gives the outgoing president a negative 18 point gap, with just 39% approving of his handling of the job, while 57% disapprove."

She notes that while this negative gap is one of the worst of Biden's presidency, his low approval ratings are not unprecedented, consistently remaining low since the controversial Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021.

Removal of Controversial Bus Stop Billboards in D.C.

John Bickley reports on a local controversy involving unauthorized political advertisements in Washington D.C.

John Bickley (03:34): "D.C. officials are working swiftly to remove bus stop billboards comparing Trump supporters to garbage."

Senior editor Ash Short provides further details:

Ash Short (03:44): "D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser says the ads are unauthorized. They show a man wearing an iconic red 'Make America Great Again' hat and carrying a book titled 'Project 2025.' The image has a red X across it and the slogan 'Keep DC Trash Free.' The ads display logos of the District of Columbia's Department of Public Works and the mayor's office, but city officials say they were not produced or approved by government officials, and they are actively taking them down."

The unauthorized nature of the ads has prompted swift action from city officials to remove them, citing improper use of government logos and unauthorized content.

Celestial Event: Quad A Drantid Meteor Shower

Georgia Howe shifts the tone to a lighter topic—a rare astronomical event.

Georgia Howe (04:12): "And mark your calendars for a rare celestial treat, the Quad A Drantid meteor shower will light up the sky overnight on Thursday, January 2, into early Friday, January 3."

Experts predict ideal viewing conditions with a crescent moon and dark skies, allowing stargazers to witness up to 120 meteors an hour, including dazzling fireballs. The annual shower peaks for just six hours, making this year's display a must-see event. Enthusiasts are encouraged to bundle up and step outside around 12:45 am Eastern to experience one of nature's most spectacular shows.

Conclusion

Wrapping up the episode, John Bickley reminds listeners to visit dailywire.com for more detailed information and to tune in to Morning Wire every morning for comprehensive coverage of the day's most significant stories.

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This episode of Morning Wire offers a thorough examination of critical legal battles, infrastructural challenges, political dynamics, and even a glimpse into the wonders of the night sky, ensuring that listeners are well-informed on a diverse array of topics as they welcome the new year.

Transcript

[John Bickley]

I'm Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Tuesday, December 31st, New Year's Eve, and this is your Morning Wire Afternoon update.

[Georgia Howe]

Plea deals for the three terrorists involved in the September 11 attacks are back in play. A military appeals court ruled yesterday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin overstepped his authority when he voided the agreements for the men. The deals take the death penalty off the table in exchange for guilty pleas and life sentences. Prosecutors hope the deals will end pretrial delays that have stretched on for over a decade. While the Pentagon hasn't commented, Austin could still appeal the ruling.

[John Bickley]

Puerto Rico's power grid collapsed early this morning, leaving the vast majority of the island without electricity. As reported by Reuters, Energy distribution company Luma Energy says that around 90% of its clients were without power this morning and that it will likely take 24 to 48 hours to get it back up and running. Luma said that preliminary findings point to a failure in an underground line. That failure reportedly impacted power company Genera as well. Meanwhile, Puerto Rico's governor says his administration is demanding answers and solutions from Luma and Genera.

[Georgia Howe]

Donald Trump lost his appeal in the $5 million defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presto Giacomo has details of the case.

[Amanda Presto Giacomo]

Yesterday, the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a jury's decision From May of 2023 that Trump defamed Carroll by calling her allegations of sexual abuse a hoax, statements the court found false and damaging to her reputation. The original case stemmed from Carol's claim that Trump assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in the mid-1990s, an accusation that Trump has repeatedly denied. The jury did not find Trump liable for rape, but concluded that he was responsible for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding damages for Carol's emotional distress and reputational harm. A separate jury awarded Carroll More than $83 million in damages for defamation. Trump has indicated that he has plans to appeal both verdicts.

[John Bickley]

A former inmate is suing the Washington Corrections center for Women A, alleging she was sexually assaulted by a male cellmate who identifies as female. Daily Wire senior reporter Mary Margaret Olihan has the exclusive report.

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Mazzy Clark, who was recently released, says prison officials shrugged off her complaints about harassment and only took action to remove her cellmate after he had sexually assaulted her. Her lawsuit accuses the facility of failing to protect her despite her repeated pleas for help and warnings of increased risks posed by housing men in women's prisoners. Clark says the trauma has left lasting emotional scars, while her lawyer calls the case a failure to uphold incarcerated women's basic rights to safety and dignity. The Washington Department of Corrections told the Daily Wire that they cannot comment on the pending litigation.

[Georgia Howe]

President Biden is closing out the year and his presidency severely underwater on job approval the latest Real Clear Politics average gives the outgoing president a negative 18 point gap, with just 39% approving of his handling of the job, while 57% disapprove. While that gap is among the worst of his presidency, that far more Americans disapprove of him is nothing new. Biden has been consistently underwater in approval since his disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal in August of 2021.

[John Bickley]

D.C. officials are working swiftly to remove bus stop billboards comparing Trump supporters to garbage. Daily Wire senior editor Ash Short has the story.

[Ash Short]

D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser says the ads are unauthorized. They show a man wearing an iconic red Make America Great Again hat and carrying a book titled Project 2025. The image has a red X across it and the slogan Keep DC Trash Free. The ads display logos of the District of Columbia's Department of Public Works and the mayor's office, but city officials say they were not produced or approved by government officials, and they are actively taking them down.

[Georgia Howe]

And mark your calendars for a rare celestial treat, the Quad A Drantid meteor shower will light up the sky overnight on Thursday, January 2, into early Friday, January 3. Experts are predicting nearly perfect viewing conditions a crescent moon and dark skies, which will allow stargazers to witness up to 120 meteors an hour, including dazzling fireballs. The annual shower is fleeting, peaking for just six hours, making this year's show a must see. Bundle up and step outside around 12:45am Eastern if you'd like to see one of nature's rarest and brightest displays.

[John Bickley]

All right, there's your Drive Home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com and for more in depth reporting on the biggest stories of the day, tune in to our full episode of Morning Wire every morning.