New Year's Terror Investigations Expand | 1.2.25

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary Episode: New Year's Terror Investigations Expand | 1.2.25
Release Date: January 2, 2025
Host/Author: The Daily Wire

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1. Introduction

In the January 2, 2025 episode of Morning Wire, Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley and co-host Georgia Howe delve into pressing national issues, including the expansion of terror investigations following New Year's attacks, a landmark lawsuit affecting youth gender medicine, and a significant surge in Bible sales. The discussion is informed by in-depth reporting and expert insights, providing listeners with a comprehensive overview of these critical topics.

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2. Expanding Terror Investigations

a. Overview of New Year's Attacks

The episode opens with the grim news of two potential terror attacks on New Year's Day, resulting in over a dozen deaths and numerous injuries. These incidents have prompted the FBI to broaden their investigations in an effort to uncover the perpetrators and any possible connections between the attacks.

Georgia Howe [00:03]:
"Two potential terror attacks on New Year's leave over a dozen dead. As the FBI expands their investigations, what…"

b. Details of the New Orleans Attack

John Bickley and Deputy Managing Editor Tim Rice provide a detailed account of the New Orleans attack. The suspect, identified as a 42-year-old Army veteran named Shamsuddin Jabbar, executed a violent assault at the French Quarter. The investigation revealed an ISIS flag on the perpetrator's vehicle and explosive devices intended for further devastation.

Tim Rice [00:13]:
"An ISIS flag was located on the trailer hitch of the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations."

Althea Duncan [02:09]:
"The FBI has confirmed that they are investigating this not only as an act of terrorism, but they're also looking into the possible presence of a terror cell."

John Bickley [03:10]:
"Duncan named the known suspect there who was killed by police before he could take more lives. What else have we learned about him?"

Althea Duncan [03:17]:
"The suspect who drove that rented truck into the crowd and opened fire is a 42-year-old army veteran named Shamsuddin Jabbar... He was found with an ISIS flag in the vehicle and dressed in full military gear."

c. Las Vegas Cybertruck Explosion

The podcast also covers a simultaneous incident in Las Vegas involving a Cybertruck explosion outside a Trump Hotel. This event is being investigated as a potential terror attack, with authorities examining whether there's a link to the New Orleans incident.

Althea Duncan [04:23]:
"Witnesses reported a series of loud bangs and smoke coming from a Cybertruck parked outside of the entrance to the Trump Hotel... One unidentified person was found dead in the vehicle and seven others were injured in the blast."

John Bickley [05:36]:
"It gets more defined right now. This wasn't the only suspected terror attack on New Year's Day. What happened in Las Vegas?"

Elon Musk [Quoted]:
"He suspects this is a terror attack... confirming that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself."

d. Potential Connections and Ongoing Investigations

Authorities are exploring connections between the two attacks, including the possibility that both vehicles were rented through the same app, Turo. The investigation remains active, with the FBI urging the public to provide any information related to the suspects.

Tim Rice [02:54]:
"We're aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates. That's why we need the public's help."

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3. Landmark Lawsuit in Youth Gender Medicine

a. Overview of the Lawsuit

A significant lawsuit has emerged, where Clementine Breen, a detransitioner, is suing Dr. Johanna Olson Kennedy for medical negligence. This case has the potential to disrupt the youth gender medicine industry.

Georgia Howe [00:25]:
"A major lawsuit by a detransitioner could shake up the youth gender medicine industry."

Mary Margaret Olihan [05:42]:
"Clementine Breen is accusing Dr. Johanna Olson Kennedy of medical negligence for fast-tracking her attempted gender transition."

b. Details of the Case

Clementine Breen underwent puberty blockers at 12, cross-sex hormones at 13, and a double mastectomy at 14. Her legal team argues that Dr. Olson Kennedy and her colleagues failed to properly assess her mental health, leading to irreversible decisions.

Mary Margaret Olihan [06:00]:
"Clementine says she underwent puberty blockers at the age of 12, cross-sex hormones at the age of 13, and tragically underwent a double mastectomy when she was only 14 years old."

c. Systemic Issues in Gender Medicine

Olihan discusses how such lawsuits are part of a broader pattern where medical professionals allegedly manipulate families into permitting gender transitions, often under the threat of existential consequences for the child.

Mary Margaret Olihan [06:54]:
"Many detransitioners that I've spoken with have told me that their parents were asked, 'Would you rather have a dead daughter or a living son?'... it's an incredibly manipulative and terrifying question."

d. Legislative Responses

Lawmakers are responding to these revelations with proposed legislation aimed at restricting gender transition procedures for minors, particularly within military healthcare programs.

Mary Margaret Olihan [08:18]:
"Congress is taking steps to block harmful trans procedures for children of military members by putting language into the NDAA that bans the use of taxpayer funds for gender transition surgeries for kids who get medical care through TRICARE."

Georgia Howe [09:15]:
"So it's just another insane idea that the left has had, you know, spending money, taxpayer money, on something that doesn't need to be spent."

e. Potential Political Support and Opposition

Prominent political figures, including Donald Trump and Senator Tommy Tuberville, support measures to restrict gender transition procedures for minors. However, there is uncertainty about whether such bills will pass the Senate.

Mary Margaret Olihan [09:34]:
"Donald Trump has indicated interest in protecting kids from these trans procedures, especially without parental permission."

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4. Surge in Bible Sales Amid Sluggish Book Market

a. Rise in Bible Sales

Despite a downturn in overall book sales, Bible sales have surged, marking a significant trend towards renewed faith and spiritual engagement, particularly among Gen Z.

Georgia Howe [10:01]:
"New publishing reports show that Bible sales are booming even as overall book sales are sluggish, according to pollsters, Gen Z in particular is spending more time reading Scripture."

b. Analysis of the Trend

Tim Rice explains that while general publishing has seen a decline, the Bible has bucked this trend with sales up by 22% year-to-date and certain publishers like Lifeway experiencing a 30% increase.

Tim Rice [10:25]:
"Sales for the good book are up 22% for the year so far... Lifeway and B&H Publishing are reporting an approximate sales increase of 30%."

c. Cultural Shifts and Spiritual Reawakening

Megan Basham and Tim Rice discuss the cultural implications of this surge, attributing it to a societal search for meaning amidst issues like loneliness and "deaths of despair." The increase in Bible sales is seen as a response to the perceived failures of secularism.

Megan Basham [11:35]:
"I think we should see the increase in Bible sales as an indictment on the failures of secularism... secularism really is, very shallow, it's very brittle, and it doesn't offer us the type of lasting significance, the lasting purpose, the lasting meaning that all of us are really searching after."

d. Rise in Religious Engagement Among Young Men

Reports indicate a growing interest in organized religion among young men, reversing long-standing trends of secularism in this demographic. This is exemplified by increased attendance in Orthodox churches and public figures endorsing Christianity.

Tim Rice [12:15]:
"For the first time ever, young men are actually more religious than young women now... church attendance among young men is actually increasing."

e. Impact on Publishing and Culture

The Bible's renaissance has influenced major publishing houses to invest more heavily in Christian literature, signaling a broader cultural shift towards religious engagement.

Tim Rice [14:34]:
"Publishers Weekly reports that religious book sales overall are up 18.5%, making it the fastest growing segment of the publishing business. This has led Penguin Random House to launch a new standalone entity devoted entirely to Christian books."

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5. Conclusion

In this episode of Morning Wire, John Bickley and Georgia Howe explore the gravity of recent terror attacks and the ensuing investigations, the contentious legal battle surrounding youth gender medicine, and a notable revival in religious engagement among younger generations. Through expert interviews and detailed reporting, the podcast underscores the complex interplay between national security, healthcare ethics, and cultural shifts in contemporary America.

Georgia Howe [15:09]:
"Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back later this afternoon with more news you need to know."

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This summary captures the essential discussions and insights from the episode, providing a coherent and comprehensive overview for listeners and non-listeners alike.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

Two potential terror attacks on New Year's leave over a dozen dead. As the FBI expands their investigations, what.

[John Bickley]

Do we know so far about who's behind the attacks?

[Tim Rice]

An ISIS flag was located on the trailer hitch of the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.

[Georgia Howe]

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Editor in Chief John Bickley. It's Thursday, January 2nd, and this is Morning Wire. A major lawsuit by a detransitioner could shake up the youth gender medicine industry.

[John Bickley]

And bible sales boomed in 2024amid what some data suggests might be a growing refocus on faith.

[Megan Basham]

I think that we should find that deeply encouraging. I also think that we should think of this as not all that surprising.

[Georgia Howe]

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

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

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[Georgia Howe]

The FBI has expanded their search for potential suspects in the deadly terror attack in New Orleans that left at least 15 people dead and dozens more injured early New Year's morning. At the same time in Las Vegas, a cybertruck explosion outside a Trump Hotel is also being investigated as a potential terror attack.

[John Bickley]

Joining now to discuss the alarming sequence of events on New Year's is Daily Wire deputy Managing Editor Tim Rice. Hey, Tim. So, first, the attack on the French Quarter. We reported yesterday on what we knew then, but many more details have come to light since. What is the latest on that investigation?

[Althea Duncan]

Well, Jon, the biggest development is that the FBI has confirmed that they are investigating this not only as an act of terrorism, but they're also looking into the possible presence of a terror cell. Cabot mentioned yesterday that reports suggested several people were suspected to have been involved. And now we have confirmation that authorities are working to learn all they can about who else might have helped the suspect who carried out the attack. This is all connected to suspected explosive devices found in the area, which these other suspects are believed to have helped place. We don't have many details, but local law enforcement says that surveillance footage Appears to show three men and one woman placing devices prior to the vehicle attack by the known suspect. The special agent in charge of the local FBI investigation, Althea Duncan, said this yesterday.

[Tim Rice]

We're aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates. That's why we need the public's help. We are asking if anybody has any interactions with Samsud Dem Javar in the last 72 hours that you contact us now.

[John Bickley]

Duncan named the known suspect there who was killed by police before he could take more lives. What else have we learned about him?

[Althea Duncan]

The suspect who drove that rented truck into the crowd and opened fire is a 42 year old army veteran named Shamsuddin Jabbar. We usually avoid naming these individuals, but authorities are actively working to learn more about his connections, so it helps their investigation to publicize it in this case. Jabbar was on active duty from 2007 until 2015 as a human resources and IT specialist. He reportedly transferred to the Army Reserve and left as a staff sergeant in the summer of 2020. He was found with an ISIS flag in the vehicle and dressed in full military gear. As we reported yesterday, officers also found an ice chest in the truck with a number of explosive devices that had not yet gone off. Officials say it's clear that he was hell bent on killing as many innocent people as possible. The death toll from the attack is now at least 15, with two dozen others injured, including two police officers. There are a lot of claims about Jabbar circulating online, but much about his life and motives is still being investigated. So we'll have more on that as.

[John Bickley]

It gets more defined right now. This wasn't the only suspected terror attack on New Year's Day. What happened in Las Vegas?

[Althea Duncan]

Yeah, around 8:40 in the morning. So just a few hours after the New Orleans attack, witnesses reported a series of loud bangs and smoke coming from a cybertruck parked outside of the entrance to the Trump Hotel there. Surveillance footage shows the car bursting into flames just a few steps from the glass door entrance to the hotel. One unidentified person was found dead in the vehicle and seven others were injured in the blast. At first it wasn't clear if the blast was intentional, but police confirmed the car was seen an hour before driving by the Trump Hotel before circling back and parking at the entrance, at which point it exploded within seconds. Inside the car were a variety of explosives, including fireworks style mortars, gas tanks and camping fuel, along with what authorities describe as a detonation device. ABC reports that both the truck in New Orleans and the cybertruck may have been rented on the app Turo, although there's some conflicting reports on that. Elon Musk has responded online saying he suspects this is a terror attack. He wrote they have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion. So lots of questions still to be answered there, including if there's a connection between these incidents.

[John Bickley]

Indeed. Tim, thanks for reporting.

[Althea Duncan]

Of course.

[Georgia Howe]

A doctor celebrated as America's best known practitioner of youth gender medicine is being sued for medical negligence by one of her former patients.

[John Bickley]

Here to discuss is Daily Wire senior reporter Mary Margaret Olihan. Hey, Mary Margaret. So a major lawsuit here. First, why is this detransitioner suing?

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Hey, John. Clementine Breen is accusing Dr. Johanna Olson Kennedy of medical negligence for fast tracking her attempted gender transition. Clementine says she underwent puberty blockers at the age of 12, cross sex hormones at the age of 13, and tragically underwent a double mastectomy when she was only 14 years old, forever removing her breasts. Her lawyers argue that Olsen, Kennedy and the other medical professionals involved in her transition, they failed to adequately assess and treat her mental health symptoms and her trauma before they launched her down this path of, and I'm quoting, irreversible and life altering medications and surgery. The lawsuit describes how Clementine's parents were told that she would commit suicide if they didn't allow her to get these treatments, which, as we've documented here, are dubbed gender affirming care by far left groups like the Human Rights Campaign.

[John Bickley]

So an alarming claim. Is this normal? Is this something we've heard a lot in this industry?

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Actually, yes. It's very common for doctors and therapists involved in transgenderism to tell parents this. Many detransitioners that I've spoken with have told me that their parents were asked, would you rather have a dead daughter or a living son? And that's an incredibly manipulative and terrifying question. But unfortunately, many parents fall for it. In Clementine's case, she ultimately realized that she could not ever fully transition to become a boy and that she regretted her gender transition. And this case is particularly significant given that Dr. Johanna Olson Kennedy leads the center for Trans Youth at Los Angeles Children's Hospital and is widely considered the most notable youth gender medicine clinician in the world. She revealed to the New York Times that she purposefully stopped the publication of a $10 million taxpayer funded study that study was on puberty blockers and their effects on American children. And her reason was that the study found no evidence that puberty blockers were improving kids mental health. She told the Times. I do not want our work to be weaponized. Now. Advocates against transitioning children point out that Olson Kennedy appears to be trying to force science and facts to back up gender ideology rather than just show us the truth of what she found. They say that this is happening far too often when it comes to child gender transitions. Right.

[John Bickley]

We've seen a pattern here. We've seen some recent action on Capitol Hill on this. How are lawmakers responding to these new revelations?

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Well, as we reported, Congress is taking steps to block harmful trans procedures for children of military members by putting language into the NDAA that bans the use of taxpayer funds for gender transition surgeries for kids who get medical care through tricare. That's the military's health care program. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told us that this is a, quote, critical and necessary step in the fight against radical gender ideology. He said, and I'm quoting again, taxpayer dollars should never be used to support procedures and treatments that could permanently harm and sterilize young people. That came the day after he met with detransitioner Chloe Cole and our colleague Matt Walsh as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in The United States vs. Scarmetti, the case dealing with Tennessee's law protecting kids from trans procedures. Meanwhile, lawmakers like Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama are calling on the National Institutes of Health to explain why Olson Kennedy tried to hide her findings on puberty blockers. Here's what he had to say.

[Georgia Howe]

At the end of the day, they.

[John Bickley]

Don'T improve mental health of children, and they're trying to prove that it did.

[Georgia Howe]

So it's just another insane idea that the left has had, you know, spending money, taxpayer money, on something that doesn't need to be spent.

[John Bickley]

And then there's Donald Trump. He's signaled willingness to crack down on these procedures as well, correct?

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Yes. Donald Trump has indicated interest in protecting kids from these trans procedures, especially without parental permission, which is happening. Many of the top MAGA figures around Trump have been, in fact, about this as well. Tuberville told me that he's not sure a bill banning trans procedures for minors would make it through the Senate right now. But I guess we'll just have to.

[John Bickley]

Wait and see and we'll report on what happens for sure. Mary Margaret, thanks for coming on.

[Mary Margaret Olihan]

Thanks for having me.

[Georgia Howe]

New publishing reports show that Bible sales are booming even as overall book sales are sluggish, according to pollsters, Gen Z in particular is spending more time reading Scripture. Here to explore what's behind the skyrocketing Bible sales is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham. So, Megan, the Bible is pretty much always the top selling book every year. Is this a particularly banner year?

[Tim Rice]

Yeah, you know, Georgia, it really is, and for a couple of reasons. So, one, we have to look at the overall picture in publishing for the last couple of years, and it has not been great. In 2023, for example, sales were down nearly 3%, and they're really not much better this year. But the Bible has been bucking that trend. As the Wall Street Journal reported in something of a viral story recently, sales for the good book are up 22% for the year so far. Now, that was just through October before a lot of those Christmas sales are included. And some Bible publishers saw even stronger revenues than that. Lifeway and B and H Publishing are reporting an approximate sales increase of 30%. And this is coming on the heels of an already pronounced upswing over the last few years. From 2019 to 2023, Bible sales went from 9.7 million to 14.2 million. So Andrew Walker is an associate dean in the School of Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. And he says there does seem to be something of a pendulum swing happening.

[Megan Basham]

Here when we have a society like ours today where we have phrases like deaths of despair, expressive individualism, the loneliness epidemic. I think we should see the increase in Bible sales as an indictment on the failures of secularism, that secularism tries to tell us that we can conceive of ourselves apart from God, apart from things pertaining to eternal life and ultimate matters. But what secularism really is, it's very shallow, it's very brittle, and it doesn't offer us the type of lasting significance, the lasting purpose, the lasting meaning that all of us are really searching after.

[Tim Rice]

He added that he sees signs that after years of individual spiritualism, you know, where everyone kind of defines faith for themselves, young people in particular are beginning to reconsider the value of those handed down traditions and texts, especially the Bible. In fact, one Researcher found that 21% of Gen Z increased their Bible reading last year.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, and to that point, I recently saw in the New York Post, I believe that young men are showing a renewed interest in attending Orthodox churches specifically. Have you seen that trend?

[Tim Rice]

I have. And you know, that goes along with other reports from the New York Times showing that for the first time ever. Young men are actually more religious than young women now. A part of that is because young women are following that trend we've seen for decades and becoming more secular. But church attendance among young men is actually increasing. And it immediately brought to mind for me what we've seen with the public evolution of Russell Brand, who announced that he became a Christian earlier this year. He recently said this. I wish I had known earlier. I wish I hadn't thought that I was too clever for the religion of my grandmothers. I thought that I was too smart. I thought somehow that I knew what was in the Bible even without reading it. So I think you can say that these Bible sales may be part of a broader trend that has seen popular podcasters among that young male demographic talking about Christianity. Think Theo Vaughn or Kid Rock recently discussing his faith on Joe Rogan. Or even Elon Musk telling Jordan Peterson that he considers himself a cultural Christian, meaning he believes that Christian principles are good for society, even if he's not personally religious. Walker tells me he thinks that this interest in cultural Christianity is a good thing, but he does hope that it will lead to deeper commitments.

[Megan Basham]

I'm of the persuasion that, you know, Christianity is the one true system of belief that's dedicated to not only relationship with God, but also becoming more human, and that's going to produce better cultures. What I want to kind of press them further on is to not just leave this at the level of cultural Christianity, but to understand this from the perspective of conversionary Christianity.

[Tim Rice]

And worth noting, this trend is so strong right now, Publishers Weekly reports that religious book sales overall are up 18.5%, making it the fastest growing segment of the publishing business. And that's led one of the biggest publishing houses, Penguin Random House, to launch a new standalone entity devoted entirely to Christian books.

[Georgia Howe]

Well, I must be very on trend because I bought several Bibles for gifts on Cyber Monday.

[Tim Rice]

Always a trendsetter.

[Georgia Howe]

Megan, thanks for reporting.

[Tim Rice]

Anytime.

[Georgia Howe]

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