This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.
On Monday evening, CNN posted what it says is a recording that federal prosecutors included in their indictment of former President Donald Trump earlier this month. In the recording, Trump apparently shows “secret information” to a writer and a publisher. CNN obtained the alleged audio in which Trump is heard telling the pair — during an interview he knew was being recorded — that he was showing them “secret information.”
Critics, including Trump himself, say that the leak is a clear sign that the investigation into Trump is politically motivated. We’ll have a full report on tomorrow’s morning wire.
Criminal Investigation Into Prigozhin And Soldiers Who Mounted Rebellion Dropped
Russian investigators have formally closed a criminal investigation into mercenary soldier Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner Group forces after their mutiny against President Vladimir Putin.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Tuesday that since Prigozhin and his men had “ceased activities directed at committing the crime,” the criminal investigation into them would not be moving forward. The Kremlin had previously indicated that the charges would be dropped, but the criminal case was not formally closed until Tuesday. The news comes after Putin initially promised punitive actions against those who challenged his authority by questioning the war in Ukraine and occupying a key Russian military headquarters.
Supreme Court Independent State Legislature Ruling
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 today, that state courts can act as a check on state legislatures regarding federal election issues, including electoral maps. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court that “state courts retain the authority to apply state constitutional restraints when legislatures act under the power conferred upon them by the Elections Clause. But federal courts must not abandon their own duty to exercise judicial review.”
We’ll have a full breakdown of how that could affect the 2024 election tomorrow morning.
DOJ’s Report On Epstein’s Death
The U.S. The Department of Justice released a 120-page report after completing its investigation into the death of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The DOJ investigation concluded that Epstein killed himself with help from “significant misconduct” on the part of the prison guards. Inspector General Michael Horowitz faulted 13 Bureau of Prisons employees with negligence and job failures, including failing to monitor Epstein, lying about it, allowing Epstein to have extra clothing in his cell, and failing to make sure he had a cellmate as recommended.
Fentanyl Driving Opioid Deaths
In 2021, more than 106,000 Americans died from a drug-related overdose, and new data shows that two-thirds of those deaths were directly related to synthetic opioids — with fentanyl being the biggest culprit. For Americans under age 24, roughly 80 percent of overdose deaths were due to fentanyl and similar drugs.
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