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Alliance Defending Freedom Representative
Colorado is at it again, trying to silence free speech. A law in Colorado forces businesses to use customers preferred pronouns even if they're biologically inaccurate and even if using those incorrect pronouns would violate a person's religious beliefs or conscience. That's a violation of free speech. But as Colorado has proved time and time again, it has little concern for the First Amendment. At Alliance Defending Freedom, we're challenging the law on behalf of a Christian bookstore and a Colorado based sports apparel company, but a court recently ruled against them with ADF's help. They appealed the ruling and they'll continue fighting to ensure Colorado doesn't get away with this next attempt to skirt the First Amendment. Your gift helps protect free speech in cases like this all over the country. And for a limited time, your first gift ADF is doubled by a special matching grant while funds last Text Wire to 83848 or go to joinadf.com wire to have your gift doubled.
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Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
The racially charged case of Carmelo Anthony comes under the national spotlight as his trial gets underway.
Alliance Defending Freedom Representative
Defense attorneys for Carmelo Anthony, they are
Daily Wire Host
expected to argue self defense while prosecutors say that he provoked this attack and
Daily Wire Culture Reporter Megan Basham
he brought a knife to a high school track meeting.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
I'm Daily Wire Executive editor John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Friday, June 5th. This is Morning Wire.
Daily Wire Host
Pressure mounts in New Jersey after Democrats elected a candidate with past ties to
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
terror groups when your father was killed at the hands of terrorists while he was in his workplace. This is just something that I can't look past.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
And the Justice Department files an updated indictment against the Southern Poverty Law center prompting declarations that the so called anti hate org is doomed.
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
The SPLC was funding cross burnings and had an employee who was literally in bed with a neo Nazi.
Daily Wire Host
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Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Carmelo Anthony is officially underway in Collin County, Texas. The black teen athlete stabbed and killed a white rival in 2025, and controversy has already erupted over jury selection that has the defense crying racism.
Daily Wire Host
Daily Wire Culture reporter Megan Basham is here now with the details. So, Megan, this was huge news when it happened. We covered it here. There was a lot of controversy that followed. First, can you remind listeners about this crime? And then I want to ask you about the latest jury selection issue that's being raised now by the defense.
Daily Wire Culture Reporter Megan Basham
Yeah, Georgia, all of this stems from an incident that occurred in April of 2025 during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. So Anthony and Metcalf had a verbal dispute over seating. Metcalf had reportedly asked Anthony to move away from his team's seating area. And at that point, Anthony allegedly grabbed his bag, reached ins and said, touch me and see what happens. Metcalfe then reportedly pushed him. In response, Anthony allegedly pulled a knife from his bag and stabbed Metcalfe in the chest. And Metcalf died there on the scene in his twin brother's arms. So as the trial got underway this week with jury selection, prosecutors used peremptory strikes against the three prospective black jurors in the pool. And that left an all white jury. So defense attorney Mike Howard strongly objected and he argued that the strikes were racially motivated. What he said was that those three jurors that were excused were 100% of the available African American jurors in the strike zone. Now that kind of challenge, which argues that Jurors have been dismissed because of race is what's known as a Batson challenge. And law professor Anna Offit told the local Fox affiliate that these kinds of challenges are rarely made and almost never successful, but it could provide grounds for appeal. Prosecutors pushed back, saying that the strikes had nothing to do with race, but were because all three of those jurors were teachers. And this case, of course, centers on high school students. So Judge John Roach ultimately sided with the prosecutors, and he allowed those strikes to stand. So what that means is that the final jury was seated without any black jurors on the panel, and that's on
Daily Wire Host
top of a case that was already racially charged from the get go. What are we seeing in terms of people outside the courthouse or some of the media coverage?
Daily Wire Culture Reporter Megan Basham
Yeah, absolutely. Very racially charged. And this has only contributed to the racial conflict as activists and left wing commentators immediately began framing the jury's composition as evidence of racial bias in the justice system. Basically, supporters of Anthony are arguing that a non black jury cannot be trusted to fairly evaluate this case. Case. So critics of that argument responded that jurors are supposed to evaluate evidence rather than represent racial constituencies. But outside the courtroom, supporters of Anthony have gathered and they are chanting, free Carmelo. And they are framing this as racial injustice despite the facts of this case. Self defense is not a crime. Self defense is not a crime. We love our black youth. They deserve protection, too. Now, meanwhile, conservative commentators, including the Daily Wire's Matt Walsh, have pointed to the millions of dollars in donations that Anthony received on GoFundMe immediately after he was arrested for killing Metcalf. Now, Walsh has argued that those donors seem to be indulging in some form of racial solidarity themselves, given the horrific nature of the allegations against Anthony.
Daily Wire Host
Now, what kind of questions did the attorneys on both sides use when they evaluated the jurors?
Daily Wire Culture Reporter Megan Basham
Yeah, they asked a variety of questions on a variety of topics, including views on race, how they feel about serving on the case, whether they would hold it against a defendant if he didn't testify on his own behalf. The defense also tried to gauge if potential jurors would be uncomfortable giving Carmelo Anthony a lower sentence if he did get a guilty verdict. But, you know, in the midst of all that wrangling, Georgia, I do think it's important to remember that the key question jurors are going to actually be asked to decide here has nothing to do with skin color. It's about whether Anthony's use of deadly force was legally justified as self defense. And that's what the defense is arguing because of that shove that Metcalf allegedly gave Anthony when he wouldn't move from his team's seating area or whether that constituted murder.
Daily Wire Host
Well, no doubt it's going to be a blockbuster case. Megan, thanks for reporting.
Daily Wire Culture Reporter Megan Basham
Yep. Thanks, Georgia.
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Daily Wire Host
One of the key primaries held this week resulted in Democrats electing an extremely controversial squad endorsed candidate for New Jersey's 12th congressional district. And that has many on the right sounding the alarm.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Joining us to discuss the growing scrutiny over Democrat candidate Adam Homaway is Audrey Fallberg, Washington correspondent for the Free Press. Audrey, great to have you on the show.
Audrey Fallberg, Washington Correspondent for the Free Press
Thanks so much for having me.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
So first, who is Adam Homoi and why are so many people so kind of shocked about Democrats choosing him?
Audrey Fallberg, Washington Correspondent for the Free Press
So this is a guy who's from Princeton, New Jersey. He's a plastic surgeon. He's a Army veteran. He did was a trauma doctor overseas. He's credited with saving Tammy Duckworth's life. She's, of course, the senator who went down in a Blackhawk accident and is now in a wheelchair.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Right.
Audrey Fallberg, Washington Correspondent for the Free Press
So that has allowed congressional Democrats to kind of gloss over his pretty controversial pass, which is controversial for a number of reasons. So the biggest thing is over 30 years ago he served as a defense witness in the trial of the blind sheikh who was, you know, died in prison after being convicted on some pretty crazy terrorism charges related to the 1993 World Trade center bombing. He was credited with inspiring his followers to carry that out and also soliciting the assassination of the Egyptian president. But this guy, after serving as a defense witness in that trial, Democrat, are still not really condemning it. You know, I spent all day on Capitol Hill yesterday trying to get Democrats to say something acknowledging this is concerning. And only one Jared Moskowitz from Florida really had Anything to say about it?
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
All right, so no real concern expressed to you from Democrats. So he was a defense witness. Can you unpack that a little bit more? Was he somebody very close to the sheik or just in his broader circle? What kinds of ties did he have?
Audrey Fallberg, Washington Correspondent for the Free Press
He met him in 1991, in his 20s. So of course, Hamoi is from New Jersey. That's where the blind sheikh had a mosque there. He met him during a trip to a middle school after that. He had a pretty interesting association with the blind sheikh. He served as a translator on an occasion. He actually went on a 13 hour drive to Michigan for a conference which was discussed at the trial. And so basically, if you guys know Andy McCarthy at National Review, he's a, a great writer. He also served as a prosecutor on that successful case. And he explained to me that there was this informant named Emad Salem who had described a long trip to Detroit, and hamoi was actually on that trip. So his defense witness testimony actually ended up helping the prosecution. But he also admitted that, you know, regularly the blind sheikh would just talk about jihad. So it was just. It's kind of ridiculous and crazy that, you know, congressional Democrats, you know, maybe they want to flip the house, but they can't admit that maybe this kind of association with somebody who died in prison on terrorism related charges maybe isn't such a great thing for the House Democratic caucus.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Now, Hamawi also worked for a group connected to Al Qaeda, correct?
Audrey Fallberg, Washington Correspondent for the Free Press
He did. So he has multiple associations that are concerning. He volunteered in the 90s with a medical organization in Bosnia that was later revealed in the 911 Commission to have ties to Al Qaeda. He also spent a month volunteering in Gaza on what he said was, quote, a completely benign civilian hospital with no tunnels underneath it before Israeli leaders later found Mohammed Sinwar in a tunnel underneath that very hospital. It's important to acknowledge Hanoi was never charged or convicted on any terrorism related charges. But again, it's kind of shocking that only one Democrat I spoke to had anything even remotely critical to say about hamoi. That just says a lot about kind of where Democrats are today.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Final question. Is Hamui expected to win in November?
Audrey Fallberg, Washington Correspondent for the Free Press
He is. This is a very safe Democratic seat. So the question now is, you know, if he runs away with this thing, which he's expected to, what kind of committees are he, is he gonna serve on? You know, I asked Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the Democratic caucus yesterday, whether he spoke in a homaway at all. He told me yesterday that he planned to speak to him last night. We'll see if that happens. But Moskowitz was basically the only Democrat who raised any concerns, like I said about Hanoi and said that there needs to be a caucus, wide discussion about whether there are certain sensitive committees that maybe this guy shouldn't be on because remember, he's a veteran. So will he want to be on foreign affairs? Given his anti Israel views and passion for foreign policy, will he want to be on not just foreign affairs but armed services? These are very intense committees. And so I think there will probably be a big caucus wide conversation about whether that's appropriate.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
And meanwhile Republicans are saying they will investigate his background. We'll see if anything comes of that. Audrey, thank you so much for coming on.
Audrey Fallberg, Washington Correspondent for the Free Press
Thanks so much for having me.
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Daily Wire Host
superseding indictment filed by the Justice Department this week lays out new stunning accusations against the Southern Poverty Law center, including that it paid KKK members to remain active in the Klan.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Joining us now with more is Tyler o', Neill, senior investigative reporter at the Daily Signal and the guy who literally wrote the book on SBLC corruption. Tyler, thanks for coming on.
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
Thanks for having me.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
So you've reported extensively on this updated indictment that just dropped this week. What are the biggest takeaways here?
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
Yeah, I'd say some of the biggest takeaways are that the SPLC was funding cross burnings, was funding KKK hoods and robes, and had an employee who is literally in bed with a neo Nazi, a member of a neo Nazi organization.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Unbelievable. Their defense for this is that they're just funding informants. Is that holding up with what you've seen with these indictments?
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
It doesn't hold up with the specifics in this superseding indictment they do have in their history. They've claimed a few situations where information from one of these field sources did lead to prosecutions from the doj. And of course, the SPLC did face violence. Their offices were firebombed in 1983. But all that said, most of the evidence in this superseding indictment suggests that they were using their informant program to prop up up the very hate they claim to exist to dismantle.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Right. Let's unpack that more. I mean, that's the major accusation being made here is that they were actually ginning up the kind of hate that they could then fundraise off of. And this new updated indictment, you're saying provides more evidence of that?
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
Yes. So the indictment goes through many different examples of field sources who were not just receiving money from the SPLC to lay low and then feed information to the splc, but who allegedly took the money from the SPLC and used it to grow new chapters of hate groups, to expand chapters of these extremist groups to travel to and facilitate others travel to extremist gatherings, and of course to actually use materials to promote their white nationalist messaging. Over and over again we see this pattern. And of course some of this stuff makes sense as an outgrowing of their informant program, but it definitely does not meet the original understanding of what an informant program sets out to do.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Now the SPLC and their defenders on the left are saying this is political targeting, as you've said. How solid does the evidence appear in this indictment? Does it seem like this is really grounded in something that can ultimately result in conviction?
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
Yes, I think the biggest thing that has always stood out to me is the bank fraud charges because the wire fraud allegations rely on a more complex theory. But in bank fraud, we have statements from the SPLC saying one thing, that they opened these accounts that that the DOJ says are fictitious entities in order to funnel money to their so called informants. They opened these accounts with an SPLC employee saying I am the owner of this account. And then a few years later, they made a statement to the same bank from SPLC CEO Margaret Huang, saying these accounts were operated on behalf of the Southern Poverty Law Center. That seems to me to be open and shut, you know, false statements to a bank charge. And I don't know how they get around conviction on that specific claim. That's a very strong pleading if you ask me.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
Right. Well, final question. What's next in this process? What should we be looking out for?
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
We have a trial date set for October 5th. We also have the SPLC is trying to have motions of discovery into the process by which the DOJ came about with these charges. I'm going to be following this case very closely next week. Next Tuesday, the acting CEO of the SPLC is going to be testifying before the House Judiciary Committee. That's the next big development in this case.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
A fascinating case. And I think a lot of people just shocked by the allegations in this indictment. Tyler, thank you so much for coming on.
Tyler O'Neill, Senior Investigative Reporter
Thanks for having me.
Daily Wire Host
Thanks for waking up with us. The the reporting that fuels this show is only possible because you tune in every day and because of our Daily Wire subscribers.
Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley
To enjoy the show ad free and join our mission, become a member@dailywire.com we'll be back this evening with more news you need to know.
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Episode: A Killing at a Texas Track Meet & The Democrat With a Terrorism Problem
Date: June 5, 2026
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Key Guests: Megan Basham, Audrey Fallberg, Tyler O’Neill
This episode of Morning Wire focuses on three major, high-profile news stories:
[03:41–08:28]
Incident Recap
“Metcalf died there on the scene, in his twin brother’s arms.”
– Megan Basham [04:22]
Trial & Jury Selection
“Those three jurors that were excused were 100% of the available African American jurors in the strike zone.”
– Megan Basham [04:53]
Public and Media Response
“Self defense is not a crime. We love our black youth. They deserve protection, too.”
– Megan Basham, quoting protestors [06:43] “Walsh has argued that those donors seem to be indulging in some form of racial solidarity themselves, given the horrific nature of the allegations against Anthony.”
– Megan Basham [07:15]
Jury Questioning
“The key question jurors are going to actually be asked to decide here has nothing to do with skin color. It’s about whether Anthony’s use of deadly force was legally justified as self-defense.”
– Megan Basham [08:07]
[09:06–13:51]
Background of Adam Hamawi
Past Ties to Radical Figures
“He served as a defense witness in the trial of the blind sheikh...and only one Jared Moskowitz from Florida really had anything to say about it.”
– Audrey Fallberg [10:36]
Associations with Suspicious Organizations
“He volunteered in the 90s with a medical organization in Bosnia that was later revealed in the 911 Commission to have ties to Al Qaeda.”
– Audrey Fallberg [12:11]
Democratic Party Response
“It’s kind of shocking that only one Democrat I spoke to had anything even remotely critical to say about Hamawi. That just says a lot about where Democrats are today.”
– Audrey Fallberg [12:54]
November Election Outlook
“Republicans are saying they will investigate his background. We’ll see if anything comes of that.”
– John Bickley [13:44]
[14:20–18:59]
Indictment Overview
“[The] SPLC was funding cross burnings, was funding KKK hoods and robes, and had an employee who is literally in bed with a neo Nazi.”
– Tyler O’Neill [14:51]
Controversial Informant Program
“They were using their informant program to prop up the very hate they claim to exist to dismantle.”
– Tyler O’Neill [15:36]
Defenses and Evidence
“That seems to me to be open and shut, you know, false statements to a bank charge.”
– Tyler O’Neill [17:48]
Political Overtones
What’s Next
“Next Tuesday, the acting CEO of the SPLC is going to be testifying before the House Judiciary Committee. That’s the next big development in this case.”
– Tyler O’Neill [18:42]
| Segment | Subject | Key Points | Notable Quotes / Moments | Time | |------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|-----------| | Texas Track Meet Killing | Carmelo Anthony’s murder trial | All-white jury, Batson challenge, self-defense vs. murder debate | “Metcalf died there on the scene…” | 03:41–08:28 | | Democrat’s Terrorism Problem | Adam Hamawi’s background | Served as defense witness for terrorist, links to suspect orgs, Dem silence| “Congressional Democrats...can't admit…” | 09:06–13:51 | | SPLC Federal Indictment | DOJ charges against anti-hate group | Paid hate groups, informant scandal, bank fraud; trial upcoming | “SPLC was funding cross burnings…” | 14:20–18:59 |
This episode of Morning Wire delivers intricate coverage of legal, political, and institutional controversies as they unfold—with expert analysis and a sharp focus on facts and their implications. The reporting raises challenging questions about race and justice in America, ideology within political parties, and the dangers of mission drift and corruption within prominent advocacy groups.