DOJ Sues Maine & ADHD Study Revelations | 4.17.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary: DOJ Sues Maine & ADHD Study Revelations | April 17, 2025

Hosted by John Bickley and Georgia Howe, Morning Wire delivers insightful coverage on pressing topics in politics, culture, education, and more. In the April 17, 2025 episode, the hosts delve into the Department of Justice's lawsuit against Maine over transgender sports policies and examine recent revelations about ADHD studies.

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1. DOJ Sues Maine Over Transgender Sports Policies

Attorney General Pam Bondi Takes Legal Action

The episode opens with Georgia Howe announcing Attorney General Pam Bondi's lawsuit against the state of Maine for violating former President Trump's transgender ban, specifically regarding the participation of males in women's sports (00:03). John Bickley underscores the gravity of Maine's actions, stating, "The state of Maine is discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women's sports. Pretty basic stuff" (00:11).

Details of the Lawsuit

Daily Wire reporter Mairead Elordi provides an in-depth look into the lawsuit. She explains that the DOJ claims Maine is "openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law by allowing males in girls’ sports," leading to women losing opportunities in competitions and scholarships (02:05). Bickley emphasizes the administration's stance, noting, "We don't want to be suing people. We want them to comply with the law and that's what we're doing" (02:32).

Governor Janet Mills' Response

Governor Janet Mills responded to the lawsuit by accusing the Trump administration of conducting "unprecedented" and "politically motivated" investigations with predetermined outcomes (04:27). This conflict exemplifies the ongoing national debate over transgender policies in sports.

Future Targets and Broader Implications

Bickley reveals that Maine is not the sole target, mentioning potential legal actions against states like Minnesota and California for similar policies (02:50). Additionally, there's concern over the placement of transgender individuals in facilities not aligned with their gender identity, as highlighted by the controversial housing of a convicted murderer in a female prison (03:02).

Impact on Female Athletes

Female athletes, including Maine skier Cassidy Carlisle, voiced their frustrations, with Georgia Howe commenting, "The fact that our governor can look the women of our state in the eyes and say, 'I'm not going to fight for you,' is heartbreaking and it's betrayal" (04:15). This sentiment underscores the personal toll of the legal battle on female athletes.

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2. Media Bias in Coverage of Immigrants in Maryland

Contrasting Media Coverage

Georgia Howe introduces a report highlighting significant media bias in covering two immigrant cases in Maryland. One case involves the deportation of an illegal immigrant by the Trump administration, and the other pertains to the brutal murder of Rachel Morin, a Maryland mother of five, by an illegal immigrant (00:20). Patty Morin, representing the victim's family, expresses deep anguish: "The person took my daughter so violently and so gruesomely and so graphically" (00:42).

Analysis by Tim Graham

In conversation with Caroline Levitt, Tim Graham from NewsBusters and the Media Research Center analyzes the disparity in media coverage. He points out that mainstream networks devoted approximately 65 minutes to the deported illegal immigrant, while Rachel Morin's case received virtually no attention (06:27). Graham criticizes the media for sidelining stories that don't align with their narratives, stating, "If it's negative about Trump, it's a big story. If it sounds like a Trump talking point, it is forgotten. It is ignored" (07:31).

Political Ramifications

The episode also touches on Senator Chris Van Hollen's trip to El Salvador to advocate for the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to the murder case. Graham raises concerns about the lack of accountability, noting, "The family really believes that they can say this is the Biden administration failing to control the border" (08:32).

Call for Media Accountability

Graham urges for greater media accountability, particularly towards public broadcasters like NPR and PBS. He argues for defunding these outlets due to their perceived liberal bias, emphasizing, "We are long past time for the federal money to dry up for public radio and TV" (09:47). This stance aligns with broader conservative critiques of mainstream media impartiality.

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3. ADHD Study Revelations and Over-Medication Concerns

Challenging the ADHD Diagnosis Paradigm

Caroline Levitt introduces a segment on recent studies questioning the validity of ADHD diagnoses and the efficacy of existing treatments. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presa.Giacomo discusses findings that suggest ADHD might be a collection of transient symptoms rather than a distinct disorder (10:27).

Shortcomings of ADHD Medications

Patty Morin elaborates on the research, highlighting that ADHD medications, primarily amphetamines, provide only short-term symptom relief without long-term academic benefits. She notes, "Children placed on these meds, overall, they didn't show a boost to their academics. The only difference was in behavior" (11:00). Additionally, Morin points out significant risks associated with long-term medication use, including increased chances of cardiovascular disease and stunted growth in children (11:47).

Prevalence of ADHD Medication

The conversation reveals alarming statistics: "Seven million kids have been diagnosed with ADHD" and a growing number of adults, particularly those aged 30 to 44, are now on ADHD medications (12:15). Timothy Graham criticizes the over-medication trend, asserting, "We're not just over McDonald's medicating our children. We're over medicating our entire population" (12:53).

Alternative Approaches to Managing ADHD Symptoms

Morin and Graham discuss alternative methods for managing ADHD symptoms. Research indicates that engaging in demanding and interesting activities can naturally alleviate these symptoms without the need for medication. Morin states, "Having a busier schedule or times of higher environmental demand can alleviate symptoms of ADHD" (13:31). Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is advocating for research into these non-pharmaceutical interventions, emphasizing the importance of physical activity, nutrition, and technological habits in managing ADHD (13:10).

Call to Action

The episode concludes with a call to address the over-diagnosis and over-medication of ADHD in children, urging for a reevaluation of current treatment practices to prioritize holistic and sustainable approaches (14:12).

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Conclusion

The April 17, 2025, episode of Morning Wire presents a compelling discussion on two critical issues: the DOJ's lawsuit against Maine over transgender sports policies and the alarming trends in ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Through in-depth analysis, expert interviews, and poignant quotes, hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of these complex topics, encouraging informed discourse and action.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• John Bickley (00:11): "The state of Maine is discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women's sports. Pretty basic stuff."

• Patty Morin (00:42): "The person took my daughter so violently and so gruesomely and so graphically."

• John Bickley (02:32): "We don't want to be suing people. We want them to comply with the law and that's what we're doing."

• Georgia Howe (04:15): "The fact that our governor can look the women of our state in the eyes and say, 'I'm not going to fight for you,' is heartbreaking and it's betrayal."

• Tim Graham (07:31): "If it's negative about Trump, it's a big story. If it sounds like a Trump talking point, it is forgotten. It is ignored."

• Patty Morin (11:00): "Children placed on these meds, overall, they didn't show a boost to their academics. The only difference was in behavior."

• Tim Graham (12:53): "We're not just over McDonald's medicating our children. We're over medicating our entire population."

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Timestamps Reference

• 00:03 – Georgia Howe announces the DOJ lawsuit against Maine.
• 00:11 – John Bickley comments on Maine's discrimination.
• 00:20 – Introduction of media bias report.
• 00:42 – Patty Morin discusses the criminal case.
• 02:05 – Mairead Elordi details the lawsuit.
• 02:32 – John Bickley on the DOJ's intentions.
• 03:02 – Georgia Howe about administration's objectives.
• 04:15 – Georgia Howe reflects on Governor Mills' stance.
• 04:27 – Governor Mills' response to the lawsuit.
• 06:26 – Introduction of Tim Graham for media bias discussion.
• 07:31 – Tim Graham on media coverage disparities.
• 08:32 – Discussion on Senator Van Hollen's actions.
• 09:47 – Tim Graham on defunding NPR and PBS.
• 10:27 – Introduction to ADHD study segment.
• 11:00 – Patty Morin on ADHD medication efficacy.
• 12:15 – ADHD diagnosis statistics.
• 12:53 – Tim Graham on over-medication concerns.
• 13:31 – Morin on alternative ADHD treatments.
• 14:12 – Conclusion on addressing ADHD over-medication.

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Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit against the state of Maine for defying Trump's transgender ban on males in women's sports.

[John Bickley]

The state of Maine is discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women's sports. Pretty basic stuff.

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley. It's Thursday, April 17th, and this is Morning Wire. A new report exposes glaring media bias in its coverage of two illegal immigrants in Maryland, one deported by the Trump administration and the other convicted of murdering a Maryland mother of five.

[Patty Morin]

The person took my daughter so violently and so gruesomely and so graphically. These are the kind of criminals President Trump wants to remove from our country.

[Caroline Levitt]

And new studies have thrown into doubt everything we thought we knew about adhd.

[Georgia Howe]

Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.

[Brandon]

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[Caroline Levitt]

After a months long standoff, the Trump DOJ has filed a civil lawsuit against Maine's Department of Education over its transgender sports policies.

[Georgia Howe]

Here to discuss is Daily Wire reporter Mairead Elordi. So Mairead Attorney General Pam Bondi announced this lawsuit yesterday. What are the details of the suit?

[Mairead Elordi]

Hey Georgia. So the suit says that Maine is openly and defiantly flouting federal anti discrimination law by allowing males and girls sports. It says that girls are being displaced from podiums, they're losing opportunities for advancement to regional and national competitions and missing out on critical visibility for college scholarships and recognition. Bondi said at the press conference that Maine officials, specifically Democratic Governor Janet Mills, forced the DOJ's hand here.

[John Bickley]

We don't want to be suing people. We want them to comply with the law and that's what we're doing. We have given them opportunity, ME and opportunity over and over again. The Department of Education, hhs, they went and sat down with them in person, multiple meetings and got nowhere.

[Mairead Elordi]

Governor Mills famously got into a public spat with President Trump. Mills said she wouldn't stop allowing males in girls sports and told Trump she'd see him in court. And that's exactly where this has ended up.

[Georgia Howe]

So what exactly is the administration seeking in this suit?

[Mairead Elordi]

Well, first and foremost, they want Maine to comply with Title 9 rules and keep female sports female. But Bondi also noted that the suit seeks to remedy past wrongs on this issue. The AG also made clear that there are other states in her sights for refusing to protect women's spaces. Here's Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olihan in an exchange with Bondi.

[Georgia Howe]

I wanted to ask if there's other states that you're focused on, which ones.

[Mairead Elordi]

Are next for these types of abuses, including men and women's prisons.

[John Bickley]

For this, we're looking at Minnesota, we're looking at California, we're looking at many, many states. But they are the top two that should be on notice because we've been communicating with them. As far as prisons had nothing to do with Title nine, we took away funding from Maine as well. We decided to go a different direction in our grants because we saw one reason. They allowed a 6 foot 1, 245 giant man who had violently murdered his parents with a knife and the family dog serving life in pr and he chose to identify as a woman. So guess where he's being housed? In a female prison in Maine.

[Mairead Elordi]

After Bondi announced the suit, she invited some female athletes to speak, including Maine skier Cassidy Carlisle.

[Georgia Howe]

The fact that our governor can look.

[Mairead Elordi]

The women of our state in the.

[Georgia Howe]

Eyes and say, I'm not going to fight for you is heartbreaking and it's betrayal. Now, has Maine's Governor Mills responded to this lawsuit yet?

[Mairead Elordi]

Yes. The governor put out a statement shortly after the suit was announced. She criticized the Trump administration for the, quote, unprecedented campaign to pressure the state of Maine to ignore the Constitution and abandon the rule of law. Mills also accused the administration of politically motivated investigations into Maine that had predetermined outcomes.

[Georgia Howe]

While this may well end up at the Supreme Court. Mairead, thanks for reporting.

[Mairead Elordi]

Thanks, Georgia.

[Brandon]

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[Patty Morin]

It's appalling and sad that Senator Van Hollen and the Democrats applauding his trip to El Salvador today are incap capable of having any shred of common sense.

[Georgia Howe]

Or empathy for their own constituents and our citizens.

[Patty Morin]

Nobody knows this more than the woman.

[Georgia Howe]

Standing to my right, Patty Morin.

[Patty Morin]

Patty no longer has her daughter because of the failed Democrat Party's open border.

[Caroline Levitt]

That was White House press secretary Caroline Levitt yesterday before she introduced the mother of Rachel Morin. Rachel was a mother of five from Maryland who was brutally raped and murdered by an illegal immigrant from El Salvador. The moment comes as a new study by the media recently research center found a glaring bias from legacy media in their coverage of the story versus their coverage of an illegal immigrant deported by the Trump administration. Joining us to discuss is Tim Graham, NewsBusters executive editor and director of media analysis at the Media Research Center. Hey, Tim, thanks so much for talking with us.

[Tim Graham]

Sure.

[Caroline Levitt]

So look, we wanted to talk about your new report looking at the media bias in terms of the coverage of two different individuals from Maryland. That's Maryland mother Rachel Moran, who's a legal immigrant, rapist and murderer, was just convicted this week. We also have the story of the so called Maryland father, Kilmar Abrego Garcia. He's an illegal immigrant with alleged ties to Ms. 13. What did you find in terms of the media's approach to these two stories?

[Tim Graham]

So we have added up about 65 minutes on ABC, CBS and NBC devoted to the guy they call Maryland man. The Maryland man. Well, he's actually he's an El Salvadoran. He's an illegal alien who's been living in Maryland for a decade, but he was deported. Compare that to then the trial that just went on in Maryland with Rachel Morin, a mother of five who was murdered by an illegal alien. And so you have 65 minutes on the illegal alien mistakenly deported. You have zero seconds on the Rachel Morin trial.

[Caroline Levitt]

Incredible.

[Tim Graham]

You know, I looked at this on PBS NewsHour today, went into Nexus, put in the words Rachel Morin and you get zero. And for us, what it means is the definition of news is if it's negative about Trump, it's a big story. If it sounds like a Trump talking point, it is forgotten. It is ignored. They didn't wanna talk about Lake and Riley. Jocelyn Nungare Yes. When you have illegal immigrants rape a woman or in Nun gray's case, a 12 year old girl and then murder them, you can't say, you know, we don't cover rapes and murders. You're not going to say that it's a matter of who is the rapist and the murderer. That somehow turns it into a zero second story. And the family really believes that they can say this is the Biden administration failing to control the border. And once again, it's not just a Trump talking point, it's an anti Biden talking point.

[Caroline Levitt]

So we have the media angle on this and then there's the political side of it. We have Democrat Maryland Senator Chris Van Holland. He's traveling down to El Salvador to advocate for Abrego Garcia's release. Have we seen mention from the senator of the rape of Marin? Has he taken any action in the past related to her case?

[Tim Graham]

I believe that Marin's family has said they've never been in contact with Senator Van Hollen. This is the way media bias compounds upon itself. Because the Washington Post. Is the Washington Post gonna ask Senator Van Hollen a question about this? Are any of the local media Here in the D.C. area, the D.C. nPR station. Is anyone gonna ask him the question about what he has done or whether he's been in contact with the Marin family and just. Yes. The extreme solicitude that you're gonna actually fly to El Salvador like you are the most righteous person and then utterly ignore the rape and murder of a constituent of yours, it's mind boggling. But that's the way that media bias compounds.

[Caroline Levitt]

Now you mentioned NPR there. Trump is pushing to defund NPR and pbs. Do you think this is a good healthy step for the country or is this an attack on the independence of journalism?

[Tim Graham]

For decades now, I have taken it upon myself to document the horrible bias on PBS and npr. We've been very active on that. We were there with Newt Gingrich in 1995 when he talked about zeroing it out. It is so long overdue. It is an outrage that conservative taxpayers should have to send money to Washington so they can be smeared as little Hitlers. We are long past time for the federal money to dry up for public radio and tv. And if they want to make this sort of outrageous liberal content, they should get more outrageous liberal donors like George Soros to pay for it.

[Caroline Levitt]

And their coverage just adds more fodder to those calling for their defunding Tim Graham, thanks so much for joining us.

[Tim Graham]

My pleasure. Thanks.

[Georgia Howe]

New research on ADHD is raising questions about how doctors are treating Americans, particularly children.

[Caroline Levitt]

Here to discuss is Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presa. Giacomo. Hey, Amanda. So a new report by the New York Times on ADHD is garnering a lot of attention, unsurprisingly. What did it find?

[Patty Morin]

Yeah. So one of the biggest takeaways is that scientists have been clinging to this idea that a biomarker, like a specific gene, could lead to a direct diagnosis of ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. But research now suggests that that's false. ADHD is just a collection of symptoms that could be subjective and arbitrarily diagnosed. Children and adults can temporarily experience these symptoms that can come and they can go, and they're largely associated with your environment. Additionally, children who are put on ADHD medications, which is some version of amphetamine, they were found to have short term relief of symptoms compared to kids with no intervention at all. There was no difference long term. And children placed on these meds, overall, they didn't show a boost to their academics. The only difference was in behavior. Now, that was really shocking since very often children are put on these medications to boost their school performance.

[Caroline Levitt]

Okay, so these studies show no long term success from these medications. What about risks? What risks do they pose?

[Patty Morin]

Well, some studies have shown that long term use is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension and arterial disease. It can also stunt growth, which is very concerning since so many children are put on these medications. Kids who took ADHD meds were found to be shorter than those who were never on the medications and they never made up for that growth loss, according to longer term data.

[Caroline Levitt]

Wow. Now how many Americans are actually putting on these drugs? What are the latest numbers?

[Patty Morin]

Well, we're talking about millions of children. Numbers from the CDC show that 7 million kids have been diagnosed with ADHD and the leading treatment is some form of medication. Studies have shown that boys in particular are more frequently diagnosed than girls, almost by a 2 to 1 ratio. In fact, 21% of all 14 year old boys and 23% of 17 year old boys have been given an ADHD diagnosis. Additionally, there's a growing number of adults on these medications. The largest increase in first time diagnosis is actually with people aged 30 to 44. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Talked about this growing trend during his confirmation process.

[Tim Graham]

Fifteen percent of American youth are now on Adderall or some other ADHD medication. Even higher percentages are on SSRIs. And benzos. We are not just over McDonald's medicating our children. We're over medicating our entire population.

[Patty Morin]

Kennedy is asking HHS to research potential risks of these medications. That order notes that millions of children are on these medications and it says that that poses a, quote, dire threat to the American people and our way of life.

[Caroline Levitt]

So unsurprisingly, a lot of questions being asked about these medications. Do we have data on other means of treating these symptoms?

[Patty Morin]

Yeah. So new research actually shows that having a busier schedule or times of higher environmental demand that can alleviate alleviate symptoms of adhd. The Times report noted that jobs or college courses that were demanding and interesting helped reduce ADHD symptoms. Other anecdotal evidence found that people who say they did experience these symptoms, they felt relief when they found a way to channel it in a field that they found interesting and that they excelled at. Which tracks with the latest research further addressing the overall over reliance on medications for children. RFK is looking at how our technological habits can impact overall health. He's also looking at physical activity and nutrition. Those factors could certainly play a role in ADHD symptoms.

[Caroline Levitt]

Certainly urgent that we address this over diagnosing and over medication of our children. Amanda, thank you so much for reporting.

[Patty Morin]

You're welcome.

[Georgia Howe]

Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back later this afternoon with more news. You need to know.

[Brandon]

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