More Trump Appointments & Chicago’s Property Tax | Afternoon Update | 11.18.24

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary
Episode: Processing...
Release Date: November 18, 2024

Presented by The Daily Wire, hosted by John Bickley and Georgia Howe

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1. FEMA's Alleged Political Discrimination

Georgia Howe opens the episode by addressing a significant controversy within FEMA. Former FEMA employee Chelsea Mead raised serious concerns about political discrimination within the agency. According to Mead, FEMA workers were instructed to avoid providing disaster relief to homes displaying Trump signs during the aftermath of Hurricane Milton in Lake Placid, Florida.

Mead criticized this policy, stating it "goes against FEMA's goal of equity and inclusion" (00:44). She highlighted that despite mandatory anti-discrimination and equity courses for all agency employees, such discriminatory practices persisted, casting doubt on FEMA's equity initiatives.

In response, Representative Anna Paulina Luna voiced her concerns, questioning the duration and oversight of the discriminatory actions. She remarked, “My concerns with this is that how long ago did this happen and why is it that team leadership above this reservist?” (01:11). Luna called for a thorough investigation into FEMA's practices, accusing the agency of political bias and demanding accountability (01:31).

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2. Trump’s National Emergency Declaration on Illegal Immigration

The discussion shifts to President-elect Donald Trump’s plans to address illegal immigration. Georgia Howe introduces reporter Tim Pierce, who elaborates on Trump’s intention to declare a national emergency aimed at securing the U.S. Southern border and tackling illegal immigration (01:40).

Pierce explains that Trump reaffirmed a statement from Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, suggesting that in his second term, Trump would deploy military assets for mass deportations. He draws parallels to Trump's 2019 emergency declaration for funding the Border Wall, which was subsequently revoked by President Biden. With illegal immigration numbers hitting record highs under Biden, Trump pledges to implement "the largest deportation program in U.S. history" (01:52). To spearhead this initiative, Trump has appointed allies such as Tom Homan and Stephen Miller (02:08).

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3. FCC Chairman Appointment and Free Speech Advocacy

Georgia Howe reports on the appointment of Brandon Carr as the new permanent chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (02:19). Carr, a long-time Republican and a strong advocate for free speech, was first nominated by Trump in 2017 and has been confirmed thrice by the Senate.

Under Carr’s leadership, the FCC has intensified investigations into big tech companies for alleged censorship. He has specifically targeted NewsGuard, accusing the organization of "targeting conservative viewpoints" (02:19). Carr’s appointment signals a continued focus on regulating social media platforms and addressing perceived biases against conservative voices.

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4. Secretary of Energy Nomination Controversy

Amanda Prestigiacomo discusses the contentious nomination of Chris Wright as Trump’s Secretary of Energy (03:13). Wright, founder of Liberty Energy, has garnered both support and opposition.

Environmentalists criticize Wright’s stance on climate change and renewable energy, arguing that his policies could undermine efforts to combat the climate crisis. Democratic lawmakers have condemned his appointment, asserting that it favors fossil fuel companies over clean energy initiatives (03:13). Conversely, Republicans and industry groups applaud Wright for his pro-growth views on fossil fuels and oil production, viewing his leadership as beneficial for the energy sector (03:13).

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5. Daniel Penney Subway Case Update

The podcast covers the ongoing case of Daniel Penney, who is charged with the death of Jordan Neely aboard a New York City subway (03:45). Georgia Howe introduces Tim Rice, who provides an update on the case (03:57).

Penney, who has pled not guilty, is accused of restraining Neely for an extended period, leading to his asphyxiation. The medical examiner confirmed that asphyxiation was the cause of death, though toxicology reports indicated the presence of drugs in Neely’s system (03:57). Defense attorneys are focusing on Neely’s extensive criminal history to mitigate Penney’s responsibility. Witnesses describe Neely as having become aggressive and making death threats before Penney restrained him (03:57).

Prosecutors are expected to rest their case, which could play a critical role in the trial's outcome (04:22).

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6. Chicago's Revised Property Tax Plan

Amanda Prestigiacomo reports on the Chicago City Council’s drastic revision of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed $300 million property tax increase (04:22). Initially rejected by a unanimous vote, the mayor’s office has negotiated a deal to reduce the tax hike by half.

The new revenue plan involves raising taxes on cloud computing services to 11%, adjusting streaming service taxes, and implementing $128 million in budget cuts through administrative efficiencies (04:38). Despite these adjustments, City Council members, including Mayor Johnson’s allies, are advocating for more significant spending reductions.

Residents have expressed concerns that the additional funds will be used to cover costs associated with illegal immigrants. An anonymous resident voiced strong opposition, stating: “We paid for these properties for a purpose… Get rid of the illegals and gotta take your money right back. You a criminal...” (05:07). This sentiment underscores the tension between fiscal policies and immigration issues in Chicago.

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7. MSNBC Hosts' Meeting with Trump – Controversy and Reactions

Georgia Howe highlights a controversial meeting between MSNBC’s Morning Joe hosts, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, and President-elect Donald Trump (05:33). This was their first meeting in seven years, following their previous portrayal of Trump as a threat to democracy.

Joe Scarborough addressed the meeting, explaining, “For those asking why we would go speak to the president elect during such fraught times... why wouldn't we... It starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him” (05:47).

The meeting has sparked backlash from both political spectrums. The left accuses the hosts of hypocrisy, pointing out the contradiction between their prior criticisms and their attempt to mend relationships. Conversely, the right views the engagement as insufficient and questions the sincerity of the hosts’ past criticisms, labeling their peace offering as "too little, too late" (05:47).

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Conclusion

The Morning Wire episode provides a comprehensive overview of pressing political and social issues, ranging from FEMA's alleged biases and immigration policies to high-profile appointments and local government decisions. Notable interviews and reports by Amanda Prestigiacomo and Tim Pierce offer in-depth insights into these matters, supplemented by direct quotes that emphasize the gravity and controversies surrounding each topic. For further details and full episode content, listeners are encouraged to visit dailywire.com and tune into the full Morning Wire episodes.

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This summary captures the key discussions and insights from the November 18, 2024 episode of Morning Wire, excluding advertisements and non-content segments, to provide a clear and comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened.

Transcript

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[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley. It's Monday, November 18th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.

[Amanda Prestigiacomo]

A former FEMA employee is raising concerns about political discrimination within the agency. This comes after Daily Wire reported that workers were instructed to avoid homes with Trump signs during disaster relief efforts. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo has more.

[Chelsea Mead]

Chelsea Mead, a former disaster relief worker, said this policy aimed at Trump supporters goes against FEMA's goal of equity and inclusion. The controversy centers on the aftermath of Hurricane Milton in Lake Placid, Florida, where homie with Trump signs were reportedly skipped. Mead says every agency employee has to take mandatory anti discrimination and equity courses, posing questions about FEMA's equity plan.

[Representative Anna Paulina Luna]

My concerns with this is that how long ago did this happen and why is it that team leadership above this reservist? Why did they let this happen? And in closing, I want to say this to all these people that were overlooked. I'm not a part of FEMA anymore, but I'm very sorry this happened to them.

[Chelsea Mead]

Representative Anna Paulina Luna has called for a full investigation, accusing FEMA of political bias and demanding accountability.

[Georgia Howe]

President elect Donald Trump has confirmed his administration will declare a national emergency to tackle illegal immigration and secure the US Southern border. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce has the latest.

[Tim Pierce]

Trump affirmed a post from Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, who said Trump, in his second term, would use military assets for mass deportations. Trump had made a similar emergency declaration in 2019 to fund Border wall construction, which was later revoked by President Biden. With illegal immigration reaching record highs under Biden, Trump has vowed to undertake the largest deportation program in U.S. history. The president elect has brought in allies such as Tom Homan and Stephen Miller to lead the effort.

[Georgia Howe]

Trump has appointed FCC Commissioner Brandon Carr as the new permanent chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. Carr, who has served as the FCC's senior Republican, was first nominated by Trump in 2017 and confirmed three times by the Sen. He's been a strong advocate for free speech, recently investigating big tech companies for alleged censorship and requesting information on their ties to NewsGuard, an organization that he says targets conservative viewpoints.

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[Amanda Prestigiacomo]

Trump's pick for Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, the founder of Liberty Energy, is facing both praise and criticism. Environmentalists argue that Wright's stance on climate change and renewable energy could harm efforts to address the so called climate crisis. Democratic lawmakers condemn Wright's appointment, claiming it prioritizes fossil fuel companies over clean energy. Sol Meanwhile, Republicans and industry groups fully support Trump's appointment, citing his pro growth views on fossil fuels and oil production.

[Georgia Howe]

Prosecutors are expected to rest their case against Daniel Penney, the man charged in the death of Jordan Neely aboard a New York City subway. Daily Wire deputy Managing editor Tim Rice has the latest.

[Tim Rice]

Penney, who's pled not guilty, is accused of holding Neely in a restraint position too long, causing him to choke to death. The medical examiner testified that asphyxiation was the cause of death, though Neely also had drugs in his system, according to a toxicology report. Defense attorneys are focusing on Neely's lengthy criminal history. Witnesses say Neely barged onto a subway car and started making erratic death threats before being restrained by Penny.

[Amanda Prestigiacomo]

Days after the Chicago City Council shot down Mayor Brandon Johnson's $300 million property tax increase in a 50 to 0 vote, the mayor's office has brokered a deal to cut it in half. Daily Wire reporter Mireta Lordy has the latest.

[Mireta Lordy]

The new revenue plan includes raising the tax on cloud computing to 11%, squeezing $128 million and finding $14 million in administrative efficiencies. Another $10 million will come from increasing the tax on streaming services. Despite the changes, City Council members, including allies of the mayor, are demanding deeper cuts to spending. Residents are voicing concern that the money will be used to cover illegal immigrants cost.

[Anonymous Resident]

We paid for these properties for a purpose purpose and not for you to go touching it with $300 million that you want to siphon out of the citizen's pockets. Get rid of the illegals and gotta take your money right back. You a criminal. Why do I gotta address you? The feds need to address you. DOJ need to address you and hopefully Donald Trump will address you because you're going to protect the undocumented while you're going to allow for the citizens in.

[Georgia Howe]

Chicago to suffer and MSNBC'S Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski met with Trump last week for the first time in seven years, a meeting that comes after they portrayed him as a threat to democracy.

[Joe Scarborough]

For those asking why we would go speak to the president elect during such fraught times, especially between us, I guess I would ask back, why wouldn't we, Joe and I realize it's time to do something different. And that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but also talking with him.

[Georgia Howe]

The news of the meeting has sparked backlash from both sides of the aisle, with those on the left accusing their hosts of hypocrisy, contrasting their extreme criticisms of Trump with their recent efforts to reset their relationship with him. Those on the right say the peace offering was too little, too late and reveals that their past comments about him were disingenuous.

[Representative Anna Paulina Luna]

All right.

[Amanda Prestigiacomo]

Those are 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.