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UNBIASED Politics
December 8, 2025: What We Know About the D.C. Pipe Bomb Suspect, ACIP Votes to Change Hepatitis B Birth Dose Recommendation, New Bill Proposes End to Dual Citizenship, and More.
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This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart Choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates from multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try it@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy.
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Welcome back to Unbiased, your favorite source of unbiased news and legal analysis. Welcome back to Unbiased Politics. Today is Monday, December 8th. Let's talk about some news. Just as a quick note, because we are coming up on the holidays, I want to remind everyone of my holiday schedule. So the last episode of 2025 will be released on Friday, December 19th. That means that there are five more episodes and after today's episode and then in the new year, we'll pick back up on Monday, January 5th. Also, speaking of the holidays, I know a lot of us are stressed about family dynamics and, you know, the political conversations that are bound to happen at the dinner tables. So I have started releasing my special Peace Talks episodes on Fridays. And in those episodes, that's where I help all of you in need of advice on how to navigate those family dilemmas, relationship dilemmas, whatever it might be. I released one Peace Talks episode this past Friday. I'll be releasing another one this Friday. And then I'll release the last peace Talks episode of the year on Friday the 19th. That'll be the last episode of the year. So that's the way the holiday schedule is going to look from here on out. And with those notes out of the way, we can dive into today's news. We will start this episode talking about the arrest of the D.C. pipe bomber suspect which happened last Thursday. The suspect has been identified as 30 year old Brian J. Cole Jr. Of Woodbridge, Virginia. Now, before we get into the details of this investigation and what ultimately led to his arrest, I want to explain the pipe bomb incident for those who might not be familiar and, and everything that I'm about to discuss, everything that I'm about to tell you is based on video surveillance and investigative findings. So on the night of January 5, 2021, which was of course the night before Congress met in its joint session to count and certify the electoral votes from the 2020 election, video surveillance captured an individual walking on foot through through the neighborhoods surrounding both the RNC and DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. in that footage, the person is seen wearing dark pants, a gray hooded sweatshirt, dark gloves, Nike Air Max Speed turf shoes, and a face mask that covered their face. The person was carrying a backpack, which is what investigators believe was used to transport the devices that would later be placed by the suspect. And, and at times in the video, the suspect did appear to adjust his or her eyeglasses, which suggested to investigators that the suspect wore corrective lenses. The FBI also later conducted a height analysis of the suspect and estimated a height of approximately 5ft, 7 inches tall, give or take about an inch. So that was pretty much what was known about the characteristics and features, features of the suspect. But as far as the actual Incident, between approximately 7:34pm and 8:18pm on the night of January 5, 2021, this individual was seen placing two improvised explosive devices, otherwise known as IEDs, one outside the RNC headquarters and the other outside the DNC headquarters. In this particular case, the IEDs were pipe bombs, which are made by filling sealed sections of pipe with explosive material. The pressure then starts to build inside the pipe and it'll eventually burst and cause damage to its surroundings, similar to a bomb. I mean, it's called a pipe bomb, but you know what I'm trying to say here. Around 7:54pm the suspect placed one of the pipe bombs next to a park bench outside the DNC headquarters. And then the suspect proceeds to walk through the surrounding streets before eventually arriving at the RNC building, where the second pipe bomb was placed in a nearby alley. And that was at approximately 8:16pm Both of those devices went undetected for roughly 15 hours. It wasn't until the following day, around 1pm that law enforcement agencies began receiving reports of a suspected ied near the RNC. And then about 15 minutes after that initial report, a second suspected device was reported a few blocks away near the dnc. The hazardous devices section of the US Capitol police responded to both locations and safely rendered both devices, which just means the devices were disarmed so that they could no longer detonate. Subsequent FBI analysis confirmed that Both devices were IEDs, each containing a main explosive charge, a fusing system, and a hard metal container. According to court filings, both IEDs were manufactured using a collection of component parts and a main explosive charge. The component Parts included a 1 inch by 8 inch pipe, end caps affixed to the pipe, 14 gauge electrical wire in both red and black alligator clips to connect the wires, a 9 volt battery, a 9 volt battery connector, a white kitchen timer, paperclips, steel wool, and homemade black powder. End quote. Now, obviously, with this incident taking place in the beginning of 2021, this investigation has been ongoing for just under five years. This January would have marked five years. And during this time, the FBI has repeatedly asked the public for information that could lead to an arrest and how has at times released additional videos of the suspect. In total invest investigators conducted over a thousand interviews and reviewed tens of thousands of video files and millions of pieces of evidence. But until just last week or a week prior, there were no leads. Attorney General Bondi has credited investigators and prosecutors for quote, sifting through evidence that had been sitting at the FBI and end quote, emphasizing that no new tips directly led to this arrest and that the arrest was the result of a, quote, unquote fresh review of already collected evidence and data. FBI Director Cash Patel said in part, quote, the investigation into the pipe bombs in Washington D.C. has been a high priority since Deputy Director Bongino and I assumed our roles nine months ago. Since that time, our FBI teams have gone back over every fact and every data point looking for new leads. And today's arrest is the result of that outstanding work, end quote. Speaking of Dan Bongino, just last year Bongino had theorized himself that the the pipe bomb incident was an inside job by the federal government and that there was a, quote, massive cover up, end quote, that followed the incident. However, following the recent arrest of Brian Cole Jr. Bongino went on Sean Hannity's show on Fox News and Hannity asked Bongino about those old remarks. Hannity said, quote, I don't know if you remember this, but you put a post on X after this happened and said there's a massive cover up because the person that planted those pipe bombs, they don't want you to know who it is because it's either a connected anti Trump insider or an inside job. You said that, you know, long before you were even thought of as Deputy FBI Director, end quote. And in response to that, Bongino said in part quote, he yeah, that's why I said the investigation has just begun. We are pretty comfortable. We have our guy. Listen, I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions, that's clear. And one day I'll be back in that space. But that's not what I'm paid for now. I'm paid to be your Deputy Director and we base investigations on facts, end quote. Now let's switch gears just a little bit and talk about the actual evidence that led to Cole's arrest, which Bondi says has existed for years. It's just that a fresh review of this evidence led to the arrest. So for one, bank statements show that Cole allegedly purchased multiple materials necessary to make the pipe bombs The FBI obtained records for one checking account and six credit cards in Kohl's name and in reviewing the transaction history for all seven of these accounts, investigators found that in 2020 he purchased six 1 inch by 8 inch pipes during three different trips to two different Home Depot stores. Those purchases were made on June 1, June 8 and November 16 of 2020. The bombs found outside the RNC and DNC were also sealed with end caps to close the ends of the pipes. The pipes were a mix of black end caps and galvanized and end caps and bank statements show that Cole purchased 12 black end caps and two galvanized end caps from four different Home Depots across five dates, October 22, 2019 and then March 10, June 20, July 8 and November 16 of 2020. Each pipe bomb also included a 9 volt battery connector with attached red and black wires which were supplied by a US distributor. Kohl's financial statements show that he purchased five of these connectors from a US distributor in November and December 2019, including one cash purchase. Both devices found at the RNC and DNC also used white kitchen timers. Cole bought two of these at a Northern Virginia Walmart on June 3, 2020. The wiring in the bombs included 14 gauge red and black electrical wire. Cole purchased the same wire from Home Depot and Lowe's on multiple dates throughout 2019 and 2020, including May 23 and October 22, 2019 and September 27, October 7 and November 24, 2020 and then finally both pipe bombs were packed with steel wool which Cole purchased from from a Home Depot around December 4th of 2020. In addition to those materials, Cole also allegedly purchased tools and supplies that would make assembly either easier or safer. So those supplies included things like safety glasses, a wire stripping tool, wire nuts which are used to join wire together, sandpaper, a machinist file which is a tool used for shaping and smoothing metal parts, protective gloves as well as disinfecting wipes. Notably, following the placement of the pipe bombs on January 5, 2021, Cole did continue to make purchases of these materials used in bomb making. For example, throughout January 2021, Cole purchased a white kitchen timer and two 9 volt batteries from Walmart. He purchased two more garments galvanized pipes measuring 11 inch by 8 inches. He purchased steel wool. He purchased various alligator clips as well as more 9 volt battery clips. It's unclear what those materials were used for, but this is just to say that those purchases continued even after the pipe bombs were placed in January 2021. The FBI also determined that between January 2018 and in January 2021, Cole made five purchases within Washington, D.C. and the reason that's relevant is because he's not from Washington, D.C. right. He's from Virginia. So they're, they're just citing these purchases to say he was in Washington, D.C. on other occasions between 2018 and 2021. Specifically, one of those purchases was made on December 14, 2020. It was about three weeks before the type bombs were placed. And that purchase on that date was made at a restaurant near first and D streets, right across from the entrance of Rumsey Court, which later became part of the route where the devices were placed. The FBI also obtained cell phone records for towers near the RNC and dnc, which basically show when and where a cell phone, you know, connects to a nearby tower through calls, text, or data use. Those records show that between approximately 7:39pm and 8:24pm on the night in question, Cole's phone engaged in seven data sessions with five different tower sectors. Each tower sector covers a specific directional area, allowing investigators to estimate the phone's location at each connection. So, for example, at 7:39pm Cole's phone connected with two sectors side simultaneously. One southeast facing sector of a specific tower near 103G Street Southeast, and then one east facing sector of another tower near 200 Independence Avenue Southeast. The video footage shows the suspect walking through locations consistent with the coverage area of these sectors. Subsequent Connections occurred at 7:44pm 7:59pm 8 8:14pm and twice between 8:23 and 8:24pm with each connection aligning closely with the route captured on video surveillance as the suspect moved from the DNC toward the rnc. In addition to bank statements and cell phone data, license plate reader data also ties Kohl's vehicle, which is a 2017 Nissan Sentra, to DC on the night of January 5, 2021. Cole's license plate was recorded by a license plate reader at approximately 7:10pm on South Capitol street, which is less than a half, half of a mile from the location where the suspect was first seen on Foot at 7:34pm and then minutes later at 7:39pm is when Cole's phone started interacting with the cell phone towers in the area. And finally, just to speak to the physical characteristics of Cole, a little bit and the suspect, Cole is in fact 5ft 6 inches tall and does wear corrective eyeglasses. So those two physical attributes align closely with what the FBI previously thought of the suspect. Here is what we know about Brian Cole Jr. He lives in Woodbridge, Virginia, in a single family home with his mom, as well as some other family members. He graduated from high school in 2013, and he works in the office of his family's bail bonds company, which is called Brian Cole Bail Bonds and is reportedly named and named after and owned by his dad, Brian Cole Senior. According to the Associated Press, Cole's parents divorced in October 2020, which happens to be just a few months before he allegedly planted these pipe bombs. Cole does not appear to have a criminal record, but has received several traffic violations in the years since since those pipe bombs were placed. Interestingly, Cole is not registered to vote, but he has since told the FBI since his arrest that he believed the 2020 election was stolen. And we will talk about that more in a minute. Cole's grandmother Loretta, told the New York Post that she doesn't believe this at all, that, you know, her grandson is not a terrorist. She said, quote, he's almost autistic, like, because he doesn't understand a lot of stuff. He. She also added, quote, he's very naive. He would not hurt a fly. He's just that kind of person. End quote. Neighbors have described Cole as a quiet and reclusive person. One long time neighbor said that he would wear shorts all winter long, no matter how cold it was, that he would walk outside in shorts, walk the dog in shorts. And he was always wearing red Crocs. And they would always comment to their other household members. How is he in shorts right now? It's 20 degrees outside. He's wearing his red Crocs and he's walking his dog in the middle of the winter. And, and that one neighbor said that all the other neighbors knew him as the guy that walked the Chihuahua. Another neighbor said that Cole doesn't talk. He said he doesn't talk to anybody. He's very antisocial. He just keeps to himself. That same neighbor added that Cole was, quote, very, very introverted, end quote. Since his arrest, he has been cooperating with authorities, according to multiple sources. He has reportedly confessed to FBI officials that he did plant the bombs outside the RNC and dnc. He also reportedly told FBI officials that he believed the 2020 election was stolen and that he was, quote, unquote, disappointed in the results of the election. According to U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Janine Pirro, Cole also admitted to getting rid of his Nike Air Max Turf sneakers, which he had been wearing on the night of January 5th, and which became a focus of the investigation throughout the investigation. As for his political views, Pirro said it wasn't clear whether Cole supported Trump or Biden. Instead, she said, quote, this guy was an equal opportunity bomber. He put a bomb outside the Republican National Committee and the Democrat National Committee. He was disappointed a great deal in the system, both sides of the system, end quote. Pirro also said that based on the evidence, it is quote unquote unmistakable that Cole is the suspect and she is certain that the government can prove its case to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. As for the charges that Cole is facing, he's currently facing two federal charges transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and then attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials. That first charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The second charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. Cole did appear before a magistrate on Friday for his first question court appearance, but he did not enter a plea. He will be back in court on December 15 for his detention hearing. Let's take our first break here. When we come back, we'll talk about what we've learned about the Venezuelan boat strike and the ACIP's Hep B vaccine decision if you are a last minute shopper like me, you know that it is not a good feeling. Before you know it, the holidays are right around the corner and you barely have time to think think of the perfect gift idea, let alone find something that will arrive in time. So I want to help you avoid that feeling this season by telling you about Aura Frames. An aura frame makes the perfect gift for seriously anyone. I have personally gifted one to my mom and one to my mother in law. My brother actually just got one for my dad for his birthday and they all love it. So basically you pick out whichever aura frame that you think the person will like and then once you buy the frame and you download the Aura app, you can actually pre upload pictures to the frame before it ships and you do this straight from your phone. It's super easy to use and makes for the most thoughtful and personalized gift. You might not be able to wrap togetherness but you can certainly frame it for a limited time. Save on the perfect gift by visiting aura frames.com to get $35 off or as best selling Carver mat frames named number one by Wirecutter by using promo code unbiased at checkout. That's a U R A frames.com promo code unbiased. This deal is exclusive to my listeners and frames do sell out fast so order yours now to get it in time for the holidays and support the show by mentioning it at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Obviously the next few weeks can be really hectic and I'm sure a lot of us are already thinking about the moment that the house is quiet again, there's no more shopping to do and we can just sit down and relax. But. But here's the thing. It's not just you and I that are waiting to relax. It's our moms, our dads, our brothers, sisters, cousins, our friends. Literally anyone and everyone is waiting for that moment. So why not be strategic about your gift giving this year and give someone something that is going to make them think of you Once the holiday chaos is over and they're finally able to relax. Cozy Earth is perfect for this. From their pajamas to their bedding to their bubble cuddle blanket to their robes, every everything is so high quality and soft and really the perfect thing to cuddle up in or on once it's time to slow down. So give the gift of everyday luxury this holiday season. Head to cozyearth.com and use my code UNBIASED for up to 40% off. Just be sure to place your order by December 12th for guaranteed Christmas delivery. If you're listening to this after the 12th, don't worry, my code still works year round for 20 off you. And if you get a post purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here. Give the gift of comfort that lasts beyond the holidays and carries into a cozy new year.
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Last week we did spend a pretty substantial amount of time talking about the strikes on the alleged drug boat in the Caribbean on September 2nd and what we knew about that whole ordeal. Then on Thursday, Admiral Bradley, who we found out was the one that ordered the follow up strike on the boat and spent eight hours on Capitol Hill briefing lawmakers about what happened. So let's talk about that a little bit. As we know, all of this controversy started after the Washington Post reported that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a quote unquote kill everyone order to leave no survivors on this alleged drug boat. And Hegseth then called that report fake news. And in the Days that followed, we learned from the White House that while Hegseth authorized a follow up strike, it was Admiral Bradley that gave the order. So lawmakers asked Bradley to testify. Now, we don't have all of the details of this testimony, okay, because it was very much behind closed doors. However, some lawmakers have spoken out about the testimony in the days that followed. So we have learned a little bit. We know that lawmakers emerged from this testimony with opposing views on Bradley's actions. Democrats, for the most part, expressed concern about the legality of the strikes, whereas some Republicans felt confident that Bradley had acted lawfully. According to Admiral Bradley, the alleged drug boat was actually headed toward the coast of Suriname and not the United States. Bradley testified that the boat was headed to Suriname, which is east of Venezuela, to transfer its illegal contents to to a larger boat. Now, according to a State Department March 2025 International narcotics Narcotics strategy report, Suriname is a transit country for South American cocaine, the majority of which, not all of which, but the majority of which is likely destined for Europe. And this is given Suriname's geographical location being that Suriname is east of Venezuela and the United States is northwest of Venezuela. And any boat headed to Suriname would most likely or would be heading in the opposite direction of the United States and therefore most likely not be heading to the United States. However, Admiral Bradley argued that his intelligence suggested that while the boat was initially heading towards Suriname to transfer. Transfer the illegal contents on the boat to a larger vessel and it was eventually going to head to the United States. We do not have any additional details on that intelligence. We just know that is what Bradley reportedly testified. Bradley also told lawmakers that the Pentagon knew the identities of the 11 passengers on the boat and that all of them were on a list of military targets which gave the Pentagon authorization to kill. Bradley also reportedly testified that four strikes were issued, not two, as previously reported. He said that the first and second strikes killed all of the passengers, while the third and fourth strikes sank the boat. The Wall Street Journal reported that Bradley had determined that the survivors of the first strike were trying to continue a drug run which made them legitimate targets. However, again, we do not know the details behind that determination. Bradley was also questioned as to whether the subsequent strikes were made in response to an order given by Hegseth to leave no survivors. Bradley's response was that he was not given an order to leave no, no survivors, and he would not have followed that order if he had been given that order. Congress is still continuing to look into what the military's reasoning was for. For ordering the second strike against the boat and what order Hegseth did give. But in the meantime, lawmakers have called for the administration to release the full video of the attack, along with any written directives or orders from Hegseth. President Trump has expressed openness for the video to be released, but at this point, that video has not been released. And again, just to be clear, all of this controversy is to determine whether the strikes were lawful or unlawful. And if this boat was carrying drugs and it was headed for the United States and the survivors of that first strike were attempting to continue the operation, then the strikes were likely lawful. But if the boat was not carrying drugs, not headed for the United States, or the survivors were not attempting to continue the operation once their boat had been damaged, then the strikes may have been unlawful. So the whole point of this congressional inquiry and Admiral Bradley's testimony is just for Congress and for lawmakers to get down to the bottom of the legality of all of this. Now let's move on to some Friday news. The Advisory Committee on Immunization practices practices, or ACIP, which is the CDC's advisory panel that provides vaccine policy recommendations, voted 8 to 3 to change its recommendation for hepatitis B vaccination at birth. So the committee now recommends that the birth dose be given within 24 hours of birth only to infants whose mothers test positive for the Hep B virus or whose status is unknown. For infants whose mothers test negative, ACIP recommends that parents consult a doctor about whether to give the dose in the first 24 hours after birth. If parents ultimately decide to postpone the vaccine, the first dose should be given no earlier than two months after birth. Now, as we go through this story, I. I just want to be clear that these are simply recommendations at this point. To become official CDC policy, they have to be adopted by the acting CDC director. So at this point, these are simply recommendations. First, I want to talk about what Hep B is and why the vaccine has historically been given at birth. And then we'll walk through the views that shaped the ACIP's decision. Hep B is a viral infection that affects the liver. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, jaundice, and dark urine. Globally, hep B is the most common common bloodborne infection with an estimated 250 to 296 million people living with chronic hepatitis B, and that's according to the World Health Organization. Numbers vary depending on the year and the methodology of estimates. For most people, hepatitis hepatitis B is is short term or acute, meaning that it lasts up to six months but not longer than that. For others, however, it can become chronic, meaning it lasts more than six months. Chronic hep B raises the risk of things like liver failure, liver cancer, cirrhosis, liver conditions. Okay, now, most adults who acquire Hep B recover fully, with only about 5% developing chronic infection. But infants and children are much more vulnerable. About 90% of infected newborns develop chronic Hep B. And the CDC considers the vaccine the best way to prevent the virus, describing it as safe and effective. As for why the vaccine is given at birth, birth is a high risk moment for potential exposure because the virus can be transmitted through blood or bodily fluids during delivery. Most cases of mother to child transmission, though, happen either because the mother was never tested or because she became infected late in pregnancy. And there's always a risk, too, of, you know, errors in testing. So the purpose of giving the birth dose is to create this sort of safety net that protects the baby in situations where the mother's infection status might be missed or hasn't been tested. According to the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, when given within 24 hours of birth, the vaccine is up to 90% effective in preventing perinatal infection. After birth, Hep B can still be contagious. Babies and children can still be infected through saliva, small cuts, and close contact with infected family members. So, to put it simply, the goal of vaccinating at birth is to prevent early life infection, which carries the highest risk of becoming chronic. Now, of course, there's arguments on both sides of whether this, whether this vaccine is, is necessary at birth, which we will talk about now. Critics of the ACIP vote argue that this change could especially affect infants and families with lower access to prevent primary care, where a hospital birth dose previously insured or insures currently that at least one dose is given even if they can't make it to primary care later. The American Academy of Pediatrics publicly opposed the the ACIP's recommendation, calling it, quote, irresponsible and purposely misleading guidance that, quote, will lead to more hepatitis B infections in infants and children. End quote. The World Health Organization does continue to recommend a universal Hep B birth dose within 24 hours of birth. Supporters of keeping the immediate birth dose for infants cite its safety record as well as its effectiveness in reducing childhood infections. Since the ACIP first recommended a universal birth dose in 1991, hepatitis B infections among U.S. infants and children have dropped by about 99%, from roughly 16,000 cases annually to fewer than 20 cases annually today. Public health experts have also warned that delaying the first dose could increase preventable illness, citing an analysis by Oregon Health and Science University which found that delaying the birth dose to two months could result in at least 1,437 preventable hepatitis B infections among children annually, along with 304 excess cases of liver cancer, 482 preventable deaths, and over $222 million in excess health care costs for each year that this revised recommendation remains in place. Notably, these numbers are just projections, right? But they, they are here to illustrate the potential effect. Now let's talk about the other side. So as we know, some medical professionals advocate for more individualized or alternative vaccine approaches. Dr. Paul Thomas is one of these medical professionals. He's known for his book the Vaccine Friendly Plan. And he has argued that infants whose mothers have tested negative for hepatitis B do not require an immediate birth dose. And he has raised concerns about aluminum adjuvants used in vaccines, specifically this Hep B vaccine. So adjuvants are ingredients that are intent added to vaccines to strengthen the immune response. And aluminum containing adjuvants have been used for decades. But some critics do believe that aluminum exposure from vaccines can contribute to neurodevelopmental issues. And there are a number of smaller or theoretical studies that have suggested possible associations between aluminum adjuvants and neurodevelopmental issues. But keep in mind that possible association is different from causation cause. Causation means that one thing directly causes another, whereas association just means that two things can occur together, but we don't know why or whether one affects the other. While these smaller studies have suggested possible associations there, there was actually a very recent and very large study released this year in 2025 that was out of Denmark. It studied more than 1.2 million children in and it found no association between aluminum containing vaccines and the 50 tested autoimmune, allergic and neurodevelopmental disorders. Also, to date, no study has determined a causal link between aluminum containing vaccines and these disorders. Dr. Robert Sears, he developed an alternative vaccine schedule. He's another medical professional that is of the position that parents can choose to delay the first Hep B dose for infants and who are considered to be low risk. So that's pretty much in line with the ACIP's recommendation. And in making that suggestion, Dr. Sears cites to the fact that prenatal screening for Hep B in the United States is, is generally very effective. And countries like Denmark, which have very low Hep B prevalence as well as strong maternal screening systems like the United States do not start the hep B vaccine until after the newborn period. So in Denmark, the vaccine is not given at birth like it is here in the United States. So again, just so we're all on the same page here, the ACIP voted to recommend that the Hep B birth dose specifically be given within 24 hours of birth only to infants whose mothers either test positive for Hep B or whose mother's status is unknown. For infants whose mothers test negative for Hep B, the ACIP is recommending that parents consult a doctor about whether to give that birth dose in the first 24 hours. And if parents ultimately do decide to postpone the vaccine, the first dose should be given no earlier than two months after birth. And again, these are simply recommendations at this point to become official CDC policy, they do have to be adopted by the acting CDC director. Let's take our second and final break here. When we come back, we will finish this episode talking about dual citizenship, quick hitters and critical thinking when it comes to holiday gifting. I personally like to give things that people really love. Timeless, quality pieces that they'll wear for years. And that's why more than a few people on my list this year are getting quints. From Mongolian cashmere sweaters to Italian wool coats, everything is premium quality at a price that actually makes sense. The cashmere feels incredible. It's soft, it's structured, it doesn't pill. It's honestly the kind of quality I would expect from a 200 sweater, not a 50 sweater. And their wool sweaters are great too. I've been loving my Australian merino wool half zip sweater as it gets a little cooler out. And then another thing I love too about coins is they have something for everyone. So it's not just clothing. They have home decor, bedding, luggage bags, accessories, baby clothes. So much stuff. Find gifts so good you'll want to keep them with quince. Go to quince.comunbiased for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U-I-N C E.comunbiased to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comunbiased the one feeling that we are all chasing this time of year is cozy. The cooler weather just makes us want to be cozier. And Bombas is here to help. Bombas has the socks, slippers, T shirts and basically everything to get you there. Bombas also has the answer to all of your gifting needs this holiday season. So maybe you have a friend that loves running marathons. Get them some Bombas running socks. Maybe you have a neighbor that just had a baby. Get them some baby Bombas socks. Maybe your parents slippers are just a few years too old and they wear them every single day of their life. Get them a new pair of slippers. And speaking of slippers, Bombas really stepped up their game this season. They've introduced new shapes and styles. Think fluffy, suede, cozy. All the best things. And the best part is that for every pair of Bombas you purchase, Bombas donates one to someone facing homelessness on your behalf. So anytime you get something cozy, someone else does too. Head over to bombas.comunbiased and use code UNBIASED for 20% off your first purchase. That's B O M B A S.comUnbiased code UNBIASED at checkout bombus.comunbiased and use code Unbiased at checkout for 20% off your first purchase.
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Welcome back. This next story a lot of you wrote in about, and that is the Exclusive Citizenship act of 2025. Now, at the outset, what I will say is that this bill is not likely to pass, which means dual citizenship is not likely to go anywhere. I'll talk about what would have to happen for the bill to pass in a second. But first, what I want to do is talk about why this bill was introduced and what it says. The Exclusive Citizenship act of 2025 was introduced by a senator named Bernie Moreno. And introducing the bill, the senator released a statement which reads, quote, one of the greatest honors of my life was when I became an American citizen at 18, the first opportunity I could do so. It was an honor to pledge an oath of allegiance to the United States of America and only to the United States of America. Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilege. And if you want to be an American, it's all or nothing. It's time to end dual citizenship for good, end quote. So basically, current law allows certain United States citizens to also maintain foreign citizenship. Senator Moreno is of the belief that this dual citizenship has the potential to create conflicts of interest. So he has introduced this bill that would require people with dual citizenship to to forfeit their dual citizenship. More specifically, the Bill says this quote. To preserve the integrity of national citizenship, allegiance to the United States must be undivided. Existing law allows certain United States citizens to maintain foreign citizenship, which may create conflicts of interest and divided loyalties. It is in the national interest of the United States to ensure that United States citizenship is held exclusively, end quote. Therefore, the bill continues, an individual may not be a citizen or national of the United States while simultaneously possessing any foreign citizenship. A citizen of the United States who, after the date of the enactment of this act voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship shall be deemed to have relinquished United States citizenship. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this act. A citizen of the United States who also possesses foreign citizenship shall a submit to the secretary of state a written renunciation of such foreign citizenship or b submit to the Secretary of homeland security a written renunciation of United States citizenship. An individual who fails to timely comply shall be deemed to have voluntarily relinquished United States citizenship. End quote. So that is what the bill says. Now, for this to become law, it first has to pass the senate committee which it was referred to. Then, if it passes the committee, it has to pass both the house and the senate by simple majority and from there it has to get the president's signature. So far there are no co sponsors listed on the bill's webpage, which means that not one other senator was willing to co sponsor this bill with senator Moreno. Now, that doesn't mean that there's not one senator that would vote in favor of the bill when and if the time comes to vote on it. But it's definitely not a good sign for Moreno when it comes to the likelihood of the bill's passage. Also, keep in mind that even if this bill were to be signed into law under the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment, a US citizen cannot lose citizenship unless he or she willingly surrenders it. So in past cases, the supreme court has made it very clear that Congress has no power under the constitution to strip a citizen of nationality without the citizens voluntary renunciation. In a 1967 case called Afrian vs. Rusk, the United States state department refused to renew an individual's U. S. Passport on grounds that that individual had lost his citizenship. Because of this provision in the Nationality act of 1940, which provided that a US citizen shall lose his citizenship if he votes in a foreign political election and the individual in question had in fact voted in an Israeli legislative election. But the supreme court said, no, no, no, no, State department, you can't just choose not to renew this individual's passport. A US Citizen cannot lose citizenship unless he willingly surrenders it, and he did not do that in this case. Then, in 1980, the Supreme Court affirmed that ruling in a case called Vance vs. Terrazza's. The court made clear in Vance that the government has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that an expatriating act, such as swearing allegiance to another country was performed voluntarily and with specific intent to relinquish U.S. citizenship. In other words, the mere act of swearing allegiance to another country is insufficient for revoking citizenship from an individual. That individual had to have the specific intent to. To relinquish their U.S. citizenship in swearing allegiance to the other country in order to revoke that individual's U.S. citizenship. So Moreno's bill directly conflicts with this Supreme Court precedent by essentially saying that if someone who has dual citizenship doesn't either tell the Secretary of State that they've renounced their foreign citizenship or tell the Secretary of Homeland Security that they've renounced their U.S. citizenship, then they've just automatically voluntarily relinquished U.S. citizenship. That's just simply not a legal mechanism to revoke citizenship under current precedent. So there are quite a few issues with the language of this bill, but if you take one thing away from this story, it should be that this bill most likely will not pass and therefore will not become law. Some things just make headlines because they're very. They're very. I mean, people obviously have. Have valid reason to be concerned about this, and. And that is why these things make headlines. But the actual reality of these things coming to fruition is very, very low. And this is one of those things. All right, let's do some quick hitters. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in a case that could expand a president's power to fire members of independent federal agencies. This case stems from Trump's March firing of FTC Commission member Rebecca Slaughter without cause. So, in 1933, the Supreme Court unanimously held in a case called Humphreys Executor, that while the President has the power to remove purely executive officers for any reason, meaning anyone within the executive branch, that unlimited power does not extend to independent agencies created by Congress like the ftc. We'll see if the justices overturn that precedent when they ultimately issue their decision. Initial reports are thinking that the justices are likely to vote in the administration's favor, which would mean that they would overturn this precedent. But we won't know until that decision comes out, which is expected before June, possibly in June, or towards the end of June. And speaking of the Supreme Court. The justices said Friday they would hear arguments over Trump's birthright citizenship order. So Trump's executive order, which never ended up taking effect due to ongoing litigation, basically says that individuals born on US Soil are not automatically entitled to citizenship if they don't have at least one US Citizen parents. So this case will be argued in the spring, with a decision expected at the end of June. A new law has nearly tripled the pension for Medal of Honor recipients. The Medal of Honor act, which was signed into law last week, requires the Department of Veterans affairs to raise the special monthly pension for living Medal of Honor recipients. The raise equates to an increase from $16,880 a year and to $67,500 a year, according to the Congressional Matter of Medal of Honor Society. There are currently 61 living medal of Honor recipients. And another bill that was signed into law last week is the Support for Patients and Communications Reauthorization act of 2025. This extends and reauthorizes certain federal programs to prevent and treat substance use disorders. Alina haba, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, resigned from her position today after an appeals court determined that she was serving in her position unlawfully. She wrote in a post on X in part, quote, as a result of the Third Circuit's ruling and to protect the stability and integrity of the office which I love, I have decided to step down in my role as the U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey. But do not mistake compliance for surrender. This decision will not weaken the Justice Department and and it will not weaken me, end quote. Just days after President Trump issued a pardon for Texas Representative Henry Cuellar, Cuellar filed for reelection as a Democrat. Trump took to Truth Social to write in part, quote, only a short time after signing the pardon, Congressman Henry Cuellar announced that he will be running for Congress again in the great state of Texas, a state where I received the highest number of votes ever recorded as a Democrat, continuing to work with the same radical left sky scum that just weeks before wanted him and his wife to spend the rest of their lives in prison and probably still do. Such a lack of loyalty, something that Texas voters and Henry's daughters will not like. Oh well, next time, no more Mr. Nice Guy, end quote. And speaking of the president, he is expected to announce today $12 billion in aid for U.S. farmers. This expected announcement follows a Wall Street Journal report that said Trump had asked his economic and trade team to find a way to bring beef costs down and ask the DOJ and FTC to create task forces to determine whether anti competitive behavior is driving up food costs. And now it's time for critical thinking. For those that are new here, this segment is not meant to be too complex. It is not meant to stump you. It is just to get us thinking for ourselves and possibly even challenge some of our own strongly held opinions. For today's segment, let's revisit the ACIP recent vote on the Hep B vaccine. For those who agree with the ACIP's decision, if the safety net of a universal birth dose goes away, who should bear the responsibility? When a missed maternal infection leads to a lifelong chronic illness in a child, should that responsibility fall on the parents, the doctor, or the federal government? And then how much quote, unquote, acceptable risk should a newborn face for the sake of giving parents more autonomy or flexibility? Now, for those who oppose the ACIP's decision, if countries like Denmark, which also have strong screening systems like we do here in the US Safely start Hep B vaccination after the newborn stage, what factors make the United States different in your mind? And then at what point does a let's call it a better safe than sorry approach become overly paternalistic? And then here's a question for everybody. Should public health policy prioritize what protects the most children overall or what preserves the most parental choice and why? That's what I have for you today. Thank you so much for being here. Have a fantastic next couple of days and I will talk to you again on Thursday.