Morning Wire Podcast Summary: House Scraps Spending Bill & Mangione’s Extradition | 12.19.24

Release Date: December 19, 2024

Hosts:

• John Bickley – Editor-in-Chief, The Daily Wire
• Georgia Howe – Co-host

1. Government Shutdown and the Scrapped Spending Bill

As a looming government shutdown threatens to disrupt federal operations, the House of Representatives faces intense pressure to pass a continuing resolution. Host Georgia Howe opens the discussion by highlighting the urgency:

[00:03] Georgia Howe: "As a potential government shutdown looms, lawmakers in the House are scrambling to come to terms on a continuing resolution."

Speaker Insights:

• John Bickley compares the situation to a "sandwich," indicating the precarious position lawmakers are in:

  [00:09] John Bickley: "The fact is, look, this is a sandwich."

• Megan Basham questions the sticking points and potential solutions:

  [00:15] Megan Basham: "What are the sticking points and is a solution on the horizon?"

Bipartisan Bill Scrapped:

• The initially supported bipartisan bill by Speaker Mike Johnson has been abandoned amidst significant opposition. Elon Musk, a guest on the show, elaborates on the reasons behind the bill's failure:

  [02:16] Elon Musk: "Essentially because he was facing a revolt led by Elon Musk and the House Freedom Caucus. They felt that this was a bloated bill, more than 1500 pages that added on tens of billions in unnecessary new spending."

Notable Criticisms:

• Eric Burleson of Missouri labeled the bill a "total dumpster fire":

  [02:20] Elon Musk: "Eric Burleson of Missouri called the bill a total dumpster fire."

• Chip Roy of Texas described passing the bill as "eating a crap sandwich":

  [02:20] Elon Musk: "Chip Roy of Texas said passing it would be the equivalent of eating a crap sandwich."

Influence of External Figures:

• Vivek Ramaswamy criticized the bill's content and secrecy:

  [03:06] Vivek Ramaswamy: "It's supposed to be about keeping government operations open... It contains pay raises for members of Congress... expansion of their federal health benefits... special interests and pork funding..."

• Elon Musk emphasized the problematic extension of the Global Engagement Center:

  [03:48] Elon Musk: "The bill extended its life for another year... this center is at the center of a joint Daily Wire and Federalist lawsuit alleging widespread censorship efforts against conservatives."

Speaker Mike Johnson's Position:

• Facing internal party pressure, Johnson acknowledges the bill's shortcomings but sees it as a necessary step:

  [05:32] Mike Johnson: "Any bill has to have Democrat votes... By doing this, we are clearing the decks and setting up for Trump to come in roaring back with the America first agenda."

Trump's Opposition:

• Donald Trump publicly opposed the continuing resolution, urging Republicans to reject it in favor of a more streamlined bill without Democratic concessions:

  [06:04] Elon Musk: "Donald Trump put out a statement... that he was totally against the continuing resolution..."

Future Outlook:

• With the bipartisan bill off the table, Johnson aims to negotiate a narrower spending bill, hoping to garner better support and avoid the impending shutdown.

  [06:26] John Bickley: "All right."

2. Arrests of Venezuelan Gang Members in Colorado

The podcast transitions to significant law enforcement actions against organized crime in Colorado. Georgia Howe introduces the story:

[00:18] Georgia Howe: "Suspected members of Venezuelan gang Trende Aragua are behind bars in Colorado after allegedly breaking into an apartment and torturing its residents."

Details of the Incident:

• Tim Pierce, a reporter from The Daily Wire, provides an in-depth account:

  [07:26] Tim Pierce: "Police in Aurora, Colorado, arrested 14 suspects... they broke into an apartment... kidnapped the people living there and took them to another apartment and tortured them."

• The brutality of the crime is underscored by Megan Basham:

  [07:59] Megan Basham: "The victims were held against their will, they were actually bound... pistol whipped, beat, victimized, terrorized."

Federal Involvement:

• Tom Homan, the incoming border czar, comments on the necessity of involving ICE:

  [08:33] Tom Homan: "We can remove them not only from the community, but from the country... we're certainly going to do that starting January 21st."

Community Impact:

• The swift arrests are expected to provide reassurance to Aurora residents, with federal authorities stepping in to ensure the safety and security of the community.

3. Extradition of Luigi Mangione

A high-profile extradition case takes center stage as Luigi Mangione, the alleged assassin of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, faces extradition to New York.

Case Overview:

• Megan Basham introduces the saga:

  [09:50] Georgia Howe: "Suspected United Healthcare CEO assassin Luigi Mangione faces extradition from Pennsylvania today and multiple murder and terrorism charges in New York."

• Zach Jewel, a Daily Wire reporter, delves into the charges:

  [10:12] Zach Jewel: "Manhattan DA Elvin Bragg has decided to bring several charges against Mangione... One count of first degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and two counts of second degree murder..."

Details of the Crime:

• Elvin Bragg describes the murder as a calculated act intended to instill fear:

  [10:34] Elon Musk: "This was a frightening, well planned, targeted."

  [10:37] Mike Johnson: "Murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation."

• The assassination occurred during Thompson's walk to his company's annual investors conference, with Mangione found in possession of a notebook detailing his motives.

Legal Perspectives:

• Anna Kaminsky, director of the criminal defense clinic at New York Law School, questions the applicability of terrorism charges:

  [12:19] Zach Jewel: "Anna Kaminsky... 'accusing him of committing terrorism seems unusual.'"

• Jessica Roth, a former federal prosecutor, suggests the charges may be aimed at negotiating a plea deal:

  [12:19] Zach Jewel: "Jessica Roth... 'the terrorism charges suggests prosecutors are setting up a plea deal.'"

• Mitchell Eppner, another former federal prosecutor, views the terrorism charges as symbolic:

  [12:19] Zach Jewel: "Mitchell Eppner... 'the terrorism charges are merely performative.'"

Extradition Proceedings:

• Zach Jewel reports that Mangione's lawyer has chosen not to oppose the extradition:

  [13:36] Zach Jewel: "Mangione's lawyer says he's not going to fight it. So we'll likely be seeing him move to New York as early as today."

4. Notable Quotes

The episode is punctuated with impactful statements from various speakers, providing deeper insights into the discussed topics:

• Chip Roy of Texas:

  [02:20] Elon Musk: "Passing it would be the equivalent of eating a crap sandwich."

• Eric Burleson of Missouri:

  [02:20] Elon Musk: "The bill a total dumpster fire."

• Vivek Ramaswamy:

  [03:06] Vivek Ramaswamy: "It's supposed to be about keeping government operations open... It contains pay raises for members of Congress..."

• Donald Trump:

  [06:04] Elon Musk: "He was totally against the continuing resolution..."

• Tom Homan:

  [08:33] Tom Homan: "We can remove them not only from the community, but from the country."

• Manhattan DA Elvin Bragg:

  [10:34] Elon Musk: "This was a frightening, well planned, targeted."

• Mike Johnson:

  [10:37] Mike Johnson: "Murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation."

• Jessica Roth:

  [12:19] Zach Jewel: "The terrorism charges suggests prosecutors are setting up a plea deal."

Conclusion

The December 19th episode of Morning Wire delves into critical national issues, from the brink of a government shutdown to violent criminal activities tied to international gangs, and high-stakes legal battles involving alleged terrorism. Hosts John Bickley and Georgia Howe, alongside contributors like Elon Musk and Megan Basham, provide a comprehensive analysis, enriched with firsthand reports and expert opinions. This episode offers listeners a detailed overview of the pressing political and criminal matters shaping the nation's landscape.

For those seeking to stay informed on the latest developments in politics, culture, education, and more, Morning Wire continues to deliver the facts without the noise of traditional media narratives.