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Billionaire Scorns NYC, Fauci Decision Incoming, Texas Verdict Delivered | 5/6/26 FIRST LOOK
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It's Wednesday, May 6, 2026. We've got a packed show for you today. Billionaire Ken Griffin blasts New York socialist leadership as Citadel doubles down on Miami. The clock is ticking on Anthony Fauci as calls grow for prosecution before the statute of limitations runs out. A Texas jury delivers justice in the horrific murder of seven year old Athena Strand. Lets dive in. We start with a major economic story that tells you everything you need to know about the direction of American cities right now. Billionaire hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin says Citadel is officially doubling down on Miami, expanding its footprint and making its planned office building there even larger. He made the announcement at the 2026 Milken Institute Conference in Washington, D.C. at the same time, Griffin revealed that Citadel's massive redevelopment project in Midtown Manhattan is now uncertain. He described it as still being a point of discussion internally. So on one hand, Miami is growing, investment is increasing, expansion is accelerating, and on the other, New York is a question mark. Now why is that? Griffin didn't mince words and he directly pointed to New York City's new socialist mayor, the Zoran Mamdani. This all started after Mamdani filmed a video outside Griffin's own penthouse titled Happy Tax Day New York. We're taxing the rich. Griffin's response? He called the stunt creepy and weird. And then he went even further, warning that policies like this are sending a very clear New York doesn't welcome success. Mamdani is pushing a new tax targeting high end properties, adding annual charges on second homes, condos and and co ops valued over $5 million if they're not listed as primary residences. And that's fueling a much bigger concern, an exodus of wealth, investment and jobs out of New York. Griffin framed it in broader terms. Are states now trying to push away people who believe in capitalism, free society, economic growth? Because that's exactly what's happening. And where are they going? Places like Florida, places like Miami? Now Griffin also touched on the broader economy. He said the Federal Reserve is unlikely to cut interest rates anytime soon, largely because inflation is still being driven by elevated energy prices tied to the Iran war. Stalemate. His takeaway, the idea that rate cuts were coming this year, something people were talking about just weeks ago, now looks dated. So zoom out and here's the real story. Blue cities raising taxes and attacking wealth. Red states attracting capital and growth. And major players like Citadel making decisions accordingly. That's not theory anymore. That's reality. Now to a story that's been building for years and is now hitting a critical deadline. The clock is officially ticking on whether Dr. Anthony Fauci can be prosecuted. In less than a week. May 11, the five year statute of limitations expires on potential charges tied to allegations that Fauci lied to Congress. And lawmakers are ramping up the pressure. Senator Rand Paul, who famously clashed with Fauci during a 2022 Senate hearing, is once again calling for accountability. Congresswoman Nancy Mace is also pushing hard, urging the Department of Justice to act before time runs out. Her statement was blunt. Anthony Fauci looked Congress in the eye and lied under oath about funding research tied to a pandemic killing millions of people worldwide. The American people deserve accountability, and the clock is running out. Now let's go back to what this centers on. During that 2022 hearing, Rand Paul directly asked Fauci whether the NIH funded gain of function research. And at a lab in Wuhan, China, the same city where COVID 19 first emerged. Fauci's response at the time. I have never lied before the Congress and I do not retract that statement. That exchange became one of the most widely watched moments of the pandemic era hearings. The dispute largely comes down to definitions. What qualifies as gain of function? But critics argue the underlying issue is clear. Whether US Funding contributed to risky research tied to the outbreak. Now, beyond the legal questions, there's a broader public sentiment here. Millions of Americans remember vaccine mandates, lockdowns, economic shutdowns, and many feel those policies were imposed aggressively and in some cases, coercively. Fauci himself once said, when you make it difficult for people in their lives, they. They lose their ideological bullshit and they get vaccinated. That quote stuck. Fauci retired in December 2022 at age 81 after decades in government and was widely celebrated by the media as America's doctor. But now, years later, the question is no longer about reputation. It's about accountability. And with the deadline days away, the DOJ has a decision to make. Act now or the opportunity is gone for good. And finally, a heartbreaking case that has now reached its conclusion. A Texas jury has sentenced Tanner Horner, a FedEx driver, to death by lethal injection for the murder of seven year old Athena Strand. The sentencing came in Fort Worth, Texas, not far from where Athena's body was found in a creek back in November 2022. Ch. Jurors deliberated for about three hours before delivering the sentence. Now Horner admitted early in the trial what he did. He told the court he accidentally hit Athena with his truck, then kidnapped her and ultimately killed her. The crime shocked the community and the trial laid out just how calculated his actions were. Prosecutors pointed to his Google searches, including whether FedEx truck cameras constantly record his attempts to mislead investigators and the steps he took after the crime. His defense team tried to shift the narrative, arguing he was on the autism spectrum, he suffered from long term mental health issues, and even claiming he blamed the crime on an alter ego he called zero. They also pointed to disruptions in his work routine, saying changes in his FedEx roots may have impacted his mental state. But ultimately the jury didn't buy it. Prosecutors made it clear this was not an accident followed by panic. This was a series of deliberate decisions. And in the end, they called his actions what they cold, calculated evil. After hearing all the evidence, the jury came back with the strongest possible sentence under Texas law. And that's your first look this Wednesday. Quick recap. Citadel doubles down on Miami as Ken Griffin warns New York is pushing away success. The clock is ticking on Anthony Fauci with days left for potential prosecution. And a Texas jury delivers justice in the tragic murder of 7 year old Athena Strand. We'll keep following all of it. I'm Dave Rubin. Thanks for starting your day with first look. See you tomorrow.