Evening Wire: New Mexico Floods & Biden Doctor Pleads Fifth | 7.9.25

Summary

Evening Wire: New Mexico Floods & Biden Doctor Pleads Fifth | 07.09.25

Hosted by Georgia Howe, with contributions from Daily Wire reporters Tim Pierce, Amanda Presto Giacomo, and senior editor Cabot Phillips.

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Catastrophic Flash Flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico

Georgia Howe opens the episode by highlighting the severe flash flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico, which has resulted in tragic losses.

Tim Pierce reports that a man and two children have died as the Rio Ruidoso surged over 19 feet within minutes, devastating homes and sweeping structures downstream. This catastrophic event was exacerbated by wildfire-scorched terrain coupled with torrential rains exceeding last year’s levels.

Ruidoso Mayor emphasizes the severity of the situation:

“We have a hotline set up for those that have someone missing so we can look for them and let them know if we found them.” [00:55]

The Mayor describes the flood's impact on Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, where an emergency plan approved just two days prior was tragically insufficient. Georgia Howe reports that 27 campers and counselors lost their lives in the Guadalupe River surge, with over 170 individuals still missing, including children.

President Donald Trump is slated to visit Texas to meet with the victims, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Trump states:

“I don't want to distract from rescue efforts still underway.” [01:41]

Trump has approved a major disaster declaration and commended the coordination with Texas officials amid the ongoing rescue operations.

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Dismissal of Pro-Trump Meme Maker’s Election Interference Case

Amanda Presto Giacomo details the dismissal of the election interference case against Douglas Mackey, a pro-Trump meme creator. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Mackey’s conviction due to insufficient evidence, mandating an immediate dismissal by the district court.

Mackey had been facing up to 10 years in prison for posting satirical memes implying that Clinton supporters could be misled to suppress voter turnout. The defense successfully argued that the memes were protected under the First Amendment, highlighting significant free speech concerns that had emerged following his initial conviction.

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Criticism of DOJ’s Handling of Jeffrey Epstein’s Death

Cabot Phillips reports on Mark Epstein, Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, criticizing federal officials for asserting Epstein’s 2019 death was a suicide.

“I laughed at FBI Director Cash Patel's claim that he knows a suicide when he sees one.” [02:56]

Mark Epstein questions the FBI Director’s expertise, comparing it unfavorably to Dr. Roman, a city pathologist who contested the suicide verdict:

“She couldn’t call it a suicide because it looked too much like a homicide.” [03:06]

Despite mounting frustration and calls for dismissal from Trump’s supporters, the DOJ maintains that no additional documents will be released, asserting that Epstein’s death was conclusively a suicide.

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President Biden’s Former Doctor Pleads the Fifth

In a significant legal development, Georgia Howe reports that Kevin O’Connor, President Biden’s former doctor, invoked the Fifth Amendment during a deposition before the House Oversight Committee concerning Biden’s cognitive health.

Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project, comments:

“The doc's silence tells you everything you need to know.” [04:32]

Chris Cuomo underscores the unprecedented nature of O'Connor’s refusal to answer, suggesting it fuels conspiracy theories about a potential cover-up. House Oversight Chair James Comer interprets this as evidence supporting claims that Biden may be unfit to serve:

“You don't plead the Fifth if it's just checkups and a clean bill of health.” [04:44]

Democrats argue that doctor-patient privilege restricts O'Connor’s disclosures, while Republicans view the silence as suspicious and indicative of misconduct or concealment.

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Trump Administration’s Legal Actions and Political Moves

Georgia Howe outlines several actions taken by the Trump administration:

1. Subpoena to Harvard University: The Department of Homeland Security has formally subpoenaed Harvard for information related to alleged criminal activities and misconduct by foreign students on campus. The DHS accuses Harvard of permitting foreign students to advocate for violence and terrorism, violating their visa conditions. Additionally, the administration alleges Harvard failed to comply with prior information requests linked to its international student programs.

2. Lawsuit Against California Over Sports Policies: The DOJ is suing California, claiming that the state’s policies allowing men to compete in women’s sports violate Title IX. The lawsuit contends these practices undermine the integrity and competitive fairness of girls' sports, jeopardizing California’s substantial federal funding of $44.3 billion.

3. Gavin Newsom’s Campaign Activities: Chris Cuomo reports on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s visit to South Carolina, a key early bellwether state for the Democratic presidential primary. Addressing a restaurant crowd in Florence, Newsom emphasizes the importance of engaging with underrepresented regions:

   “I think it's really important for Democrats that we spend time in parts of our state and parts of our country that frankly, we haven't spent enough time in.” [06:09]

   Newsom’s two-day trip suggests he is positioning himself for a potential 2028 presidential run.

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Russian Drone Attack on Ukraine and NATO’s Response

Georgia Howe covers the latest on the Russian assault against Ukraine, where an unprecedented attack involved 728 drones and 13 missiles targeting several military airfields. The missiles reached as far as 100 miles from the Polish border, prompting Poland to activate all available defenses, including allied fighter jets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that while most incoming threats were intercepted, several regions sustained damage:

“The majority of incoming drones and missiles were shot down, though some areas were hit.”

Zelensky calls on Western allies to intensify pressure on Russia, highlighting the need for continued support in combating the aggression.

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Business Developments: Leadership Changes and Market Highlights

1. Linda Yaccarino Resigns as CEO of X: Georgia Howe reports that Linda Yaccarino has stepped down as CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter. Under her leadership, the platform underwent a significant rebrand and reinstated previously banned accounts, including that of President Donald Trump. Yaccarino cites pride in her team and the company’s achievements before Elon Musk’s integration of X with his AI platform, Xai.

2. Nvidia Reaches $4 Trillion Valuation: Nvidia has become the first publicly traded company to achieve a market capitalization of $4 trillion, with shares peaking at $164. The company has committed half a trillion dollars to developing AI infrastructure within the United States, reinforcing its dominance in designing GPUs essential for AI technologies like ChatGPT. This milestone follows a recovery from stock drops in April triggered by tariff announcements.

3. Stock Market Performance:

   • Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded, gaining 200 points.
   • S&P 500 and NASDAQ remained relatively flat, each rising by less than one percent.
   • Investors remain optimistic that ongoing negotiations will mitigate the impacts of the President’s new tariffs on goods from six additional countries and potential levies on imported pharmaceuticals.

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Health Concerns: Rising Prediabetes Rates Among Youth

New CDC data reveals a concerning trend:

• 32.7% of U.S. adolescents (approximately 8.4 million) were diagnosed with prediabetes in 2023.
• 1.5 million adults received new diabetes diagnoses, marking a halt in the previous decline of such cases.

Prediabetes increases the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, posing significant health risks across the population.

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Ozzy Osbourne’s Final Concert and Health Challenges

Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne announced his retirement, citing Parkinson’s disease and other injuries. Over the weekend, Ozzy reunited with his original Black Sabbath bandmates for a final performance titled "Crazy Train." The event attracted 45,000 fans in attendance and nearly 6 million online viewers, with tributes from legends like Metallica and Aerosmith.

Behind the scenes, Sharon Osbourne revealed the disinvitation of a major band, sparking widespread speculation about the reasons and identity of the omitted group. The show celebrated Ozzy’s enduring legacy in rock music despite his ongoing health struggles.

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Conclusion

Georgia Howe wraps up the episode by summarizing the coverage from the day, including the aftermath of the flash floods in Texas, the Trump administration’s legal challenges, and the ongoing political maneuvers. She encourages listeners to visit DailyWire.com for more in-depth stories and previews the next Morning Wire edition.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the Evening Wire episode, providing a detailed overview for those who haven't listened to the podcast.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

Flash flooding hits another state the election interference case against a pro Trump meme maker is tossed out and Russia hits Ukraine with another record setting attack. I'm Georgia Howe. John is out on vacation this week. It's Wednesday, July 9, and this is Evening Wire. Catastrophic flooding has hit another state, leading to tragedy in a mountain village. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce has more.

[Tim Pierce]

Officials say A man and two kids have died due to flash flooding in Ruidoso, New Mexico. The Rio Ridoso surged over 19ft in minutes, sweeping away homes, including one caught on video floating downstream. Officials say the conditions are a product of wildfire scorched terrain meeting the torrential rain that fell and exceeded last year's levels. Ruidoso's mayor called it worse than expected and urged residents to report missing loved ones as search efforts continue. Here's what he told the Associated Press.

[Ruidoso Mayor]

We have a hotline set up for.

[Chris Cuomo]

Those that have someone missing so we.

[Ruidoso Mayor]

Can look for them and let them know if we found them.

[Georgia Howe]

The flood ravaged Camp mystic in Hunt, Texas had its emergency plan approved by state inspectors just two days before the deadly flood, 27 campers and counselors died in the Guadalupe river surge, according to state records obtained by the ap. The camp had complied with various regulations regarding procedures to be implemented in case of disaster, including evacuation plans. President Donald Trump will visit Texas on Friday to meet with victims, joined by first lady Melania Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The president says he doesn't want to distract from rescue efforts still underway.

[Mark Epstein]

That's what happens. The president goes and everyone's around focused on. I don't want anyone to focus on us.

[Georgia Howe]

Over 170 people remain missing, including children from Camp Mystic. Trump has approved a major disaster declaration and praised coordination with Texas officials. The case of a pro Trump meme maker found guilty of election interference or making memes will soon be dismissed. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Presto Giacomo has the latest.

[Amanda Presto Giacomo]

In a post on X, Douglas Mackey said, quote, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals has thrown out my conviction for lack of evidence. The case has been remanded to the district court with orders to immediately dismiss. Previously, Mackey had faced up to 10 years in prison for posting satirical memes suggesting Clinton supporters could vote by text. Prosecutors said it was a scheme to mislead minorities and suppress turnout. The defense argued the memes were protected free speech. Many had raised serious First Amendment concerns after Mackey was convicted.

[Georgia Howe]

Jeffrey Epstein's brother is blasting federal officials for insisting the disgraced financier's 2019 jail death was a suicide all while frustration mounts inside the White House. Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips has the latest.

[Ruidoso Mayor]

Mark Epstein told News Nation's Chris Cuomo that he, quote, laughed at FBI Director Cash Patel's claim that he, quote, knows a suicide when he sees one. Dismissing Patel's lack of medical expertise.

[Mark Epstein]

Here's some of that exchange Is he a forensic pathologist? Does he have a medical degree? Does he have a certificate that he passed a CPR course? Does he have a Boy Scout merit badge for first aid? What is he basing his expertise on? Contrast that to Dr. Roman, who was a city pathologist who did the autopsy. She came out of the autopsy and said she couldn't call it a suicide because it looked too much like a homicide.

[Ruidoso Mayor]

Meanwhile, frustration with the administration continues to mount, including from close advisors to the president. The DOJ recently concluded Epstein's 2019 death was a suicide and that no client list exists, contradicting earlier public claims by Bondi and others. Critics say she over promised and underdelivered. While some of Trump's key supporters are calling for her dismissal, Justice Department says no further documents will be released.

[Georgia Howe]

President Biden's former doctor Kevin o' Connor is pleading the Fifth. O' Connor refused to answer questions before the House Oversight Committee today in a deposition about Biden's cognitive health while in office. O' Connor declined to respond when asked if he was ever told to lie about Biden's fitness or believed the president was unfit to serve. House Oversight Chair James Comer called the silence unprecedented, fueling claims of a cover up. Democrats say doctor patient privilege limits what o' Connor could legally share. Morningwire spoke to Mike Howell, president of the oversight project. He said the doc's silence tells you everything you need to know.

[Chris Cuomo]

You don't plead the Fifth if it's just checkups and a clean bill of health that he was so happy to brag about to the country for so many years. And so what happens next is the House needs to flex its muscles.

[Georgia Howe]

The Trump administration has formally subpoenaed Harvard University for information related to, quote, criminality and misconduct of foreign students on its campus. The Department of Homeland Security alleges that Harvard enabled foreign students to advocate for violence and terrorism on campus in a blatant abuse of their visa privileges. Administration officials also accused Harvard of refusing to cooperate with previous information requests tied to its international student program. The Trump administration is suing the state of California over allowing men in women's sports. The DOJ claims that California's policies of inclusion violate Title 9 and jeopardy the state's $44.3 billion in federal funds. The lawsuit states that the current practice upheld by the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation erodes the integrity of girls sports, diminishes their competitive experience and undermines the very purpose of Title ix. California governor Gavin Newsom stumped through small towns in South Carolina yesterday, campaigning for next year's midterms and casting speculation of a potential presidential B is known as an early bellwether state in the Democratic presidential primary, and Newsom's two day trip suggests he has his eyes on a 2028 run. Here's Newsom speaking at a restaurant in Florence, northwest of Myrtle Beach.

[Chris Cuomo]

I think it's really important for Democrats that we spend time in parts of our state and parts of our country that frankly, we haven't spent enough time in this presidency will end with you and the House of Representatives in 2026. This is the opportunity and this is why you're all here as well. This presidency will end next November.

[Georgia Howe]

NATO jets took to the skies early this morning in response to a record setting Russian drone attack on Ukraine. Russia launched a whopping 728 drones and 13 missiles into Ukraine near several military airfields. One missile landed roughly 100 miles from the Polish border. Poland activated all available forces and resources, including Ukrainian and allied fighter jets, to the highest state of readiness. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the majority of incoming drones and missiles were shot down, though several regions sustained damage. He's calling on Western allies to increase pressure on Russia. In business news, Linda Yacorino stepped down as CEO of X. Yaccarino has been the CEO for two years. She joined the company six months after Elon Musk bought the platform. Yaccarino says she's incredibly proud of the X team and during her tenure as CEO she led the company through its rebrand from Twitter to X. Under her leadership, the company also restored accounts banned by Twitter, such as the one belonging to President Donald Trump. Her departure comes as Musk is combining X with his AI platform, xai. Xai bought the social media platform in March. Nvidia became the first publicly traded company to hit the $4 trillion value mark. Shares hit an all time high of $164. The company recently committed half a trillion dollars to build AI infrastructure entirely in the U.S. the company designs graphics processing units that power AI programs such as ChatGPT. The rally comes after stocks dropped in April following tariff announcements. The Dow rebounded today, jumping 200 points, the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ. Both stayed relatively flat, rising less than a percent each. Investors brushed off escalating tariff moves by the president, who announced new duties on goods from six more countries and hinted at steep levies on imported pharmaceuticals. Markets appeared confident negotiating could ease the impact. New data from the CDC shows that one in three teens and preteens are pre diabetic. This means nearly 8.4 million people, or 32.7% of the United States adolescent population, had the disease in 2023. Prediabetes significantly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which can pose a significant threat to a person's health. Additionally, new diabetes diagnoses among adults have also stopped decreasing after declining for more than a Dec. With 1.5 million people being diagnosed in 2023. And heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne is calling it a career despite having Parkinson's and a host of other injuries. Over the weekend, Osbourne was joined by his original Black Sabbath bandmates to go off the rails on a crazy train one last time. The Back to the beginning show drew 45,000 fans and nearly 6 million online viewers, with rock legends from Metallica to Aerosmith paying tribute. The show also had a little bit of drama behind the scenes as Sharon Osbourne revealed that she disinvited a major band from the show. Speculation has exploded online about which band it was. Those are your Drive Home updates this evening. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com and in case you missed it, this morning we covered some major stories, including the sixth Cabinet meeting of Trump's second term, the continued fallout from the flash flooding in Texas, and the administration's plan for illegal immigrant, farm and hospitality workers. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with another full edition of Morning Wire.