Come for Morning Wire’s Afternoon Update’s straight news, but stay for the Rapid Reactions. The following five stories, and more, can be heard on today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update podcast. Click here to listen.
1. House GOP Subpoenas FBI
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has subpoenaed both FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland in relation to the committee’s ongoing censorship investigation. The Committee is specifically seeking communication between the FBI, DOJ, and private companies. In a letter, the Committee asked both federal agencies for voluntary cooperation, while noting that historically their compliance has been “inadequate.”
Rapid Reaction: Have you ever seen the movie “Angels in the Outfield?” In a scene at the beginning of the film, the protagonist’s father tells him that they’ll be a family again when the Los Angeles Angels “win the pennant.” That sets up the premise of the film — the main character Roger praying for an LA win and actual angels helping the baseball team win the MLB World Series. It never would have happened unless the angels interceded.
Anyway, that is sort of what it’s starting to feel like with the GOP. Congress will only enact actual political pressure, begin impeachments, and wield the “power of the purse” with the help of divine power. Until then, the GOP leaders will keep sending strongly worded letters… Great.
2. Court Ends Mail Order Abortion Pills
Mail-order access to a drug commonly used for abortion could end in the U.S. following a Wednesday Appeals Court Ruling — but it cannot take effect unless the Supreme Court weighs in on the matter. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision overturns a part of a lower court ruling which would have revoked the FDA’s two-decade approval of the drug mifepristone. The decision did leave a part of the original ruling in place, that would end the drug’s distribution by mail, limit its use to the seventh week of pregnancy, and require it be administered in the presence of a doctor. Those restrictions won’t take effect right away because the Supreme Court previously intervened to keep the drug available during the legal fight.
Rapid Reaction: Any legal ruling that helps save babies is a win. Let’s hope that SCOTUS does the right thing here — legally and morally.
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3. Woke Lunacy In Hawaii To Blame For Wildfires?
A Hawaiian water official has been “reassigned” after allegedly refusing to transfer water resources that would have helped firefighters battle the Maui Wildfires. The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources deputy director, M. Kaleo Manuel, denied requests from Maui firefighters and various entities to open up reservoirs and streams as the fires grew more out of control. Even after firefighters told the department they’d used all the on-hand water and were desperate for any help, Manuel reportedly delayed their request. Here’s Manuel:
Here is M. Kaleo Manuel, the Hawaii water official who refused to release water resources and let landowners fight the Maui fire, explaining his "philosophy" about water:
"Native Hawaiians treated water as one of the earthly manifestations of a god…We've become used to looking… pic.twitter.com/hjsWqdVtxf
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 17, 2023
Rapid Reaction: Writer John Nolte had the best reaction.
“Hawaiians voted for politicians who allowed this anti-science equivalent of a sun worshipper to take control of their water supply,” he tweeted. “You can’t help people who vote this way.”
Hawaiians voted for politicians who allowed this anti-science equivalent of a sun worshipper to take control of their water supply.
You can’t help people who vote this way.
They are fanatics. https://t.co/H7i2TZxSnR
— John Ocasio-Rodham Nolte (@NolteNC) August 17, 2023
4. Chess Cracks Down On Transgenderism
The world’s top chess federation has ruled that men that identify as women cannot compete in its official events for females until an assessment of gender change is made by its officials. The decision was announced Monday by Switzerland-based International Chess Federation FIDE and led to the federation fielding criticism from various transgender advocacy groups. The federation says that for now, transgender players are allowed to participate in the “open” section of its chess tournaments, and the assessment of gender change could take up to two years.
Rapid Reaction: Men and women are different — always have been, always will be. Perhaps it makes sense that a game based on critical thinking, rules, and tradition is fighting back on this issue.
5. Britney Spears And Husband Divorce
And, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari are getting divorced after 14 months of marriage. Asghari filed a petition to end the marriage with the Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this week, citing “irreconcilable differences.” He is also requesting spousal support. The date of separation for the couple is July 28, the petition states. Spears and Asghari got married in June of last year. The pair first met in 2016 when Asghari co-starred with Spears in the music video for her single “Slumber Party.”
Rapid Reaction: First reaction: Who cares? Second reaction: The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh was prescient on this topic (per usual).
“Remember when you guys all shouted ‘Free Britney!’ because you saw a fake documentary and I told you she’s clearly an unstable lunatic and was in a conservatorship for a reason and you got really mad at me but literally everything that’s happened since then proves me right?” he tweeted in reaction to the latest story.
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The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.