An IRS <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/whistleblower" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whistleblower</a> called for a special counsel to be appointed to look into the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hunter-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hunter Biden</a> criminal probe because he said the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justice Department</a> had obstructed the investigation. 
Joseph Ziegler, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/irs-whistleblower-says-doj-waiting-to-pounce-in-retaliation-over-hunter-biden-investigation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">came forward</a> last week to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, wrote in an <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-special-counsel-for-hunter-biden-justice-irs-tax-whistleblower-2fe10db1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opinion column</a> for the Wall Street Journal that Attorney General Merrick Garland should appoint a special counsel “so an independent reviewer can examine what I believe were deficient investigative steps and improper decisions.”
“Justice officials prevented investigators from following the evidence. Appointing a special counsel would create a path for the investigation to continue with integrity. I hope transparency will restore public confidence in the idea that every U.S. taxpayer receives equal treatment under the law. Sweetheart deals shouldn’t be handed out like candy to the rich, powerful and politically connected,” Ziegler wrote on Thursday. 
He said that Hunter Biden’s plea deal likely fell apart because the DOJ “rushed to charge the case and failed to follow standard investigative processes.”
On Wednesday, Delaware U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hunter-biden-plea-deal-almost-derails-after-questions-about-scope-of-deal-immunity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put off a decision</a> on the plea deal after raising concerns about the terms of the agreement, including provisions about immunity for future prosecution. 
Republicans have taken different approaches to the question of whether a special counsel should be appointed to look into Hunter Biden and the investigation. 
“I have no confidence that Attorney General Merrick Garland would appoint an impartial special counsel,&#8221; Rep. James Comer (R-KY) <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/congress/house-and-senate-republicans-differ-special-counsel-after-hunter-biden-plea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Just the News. &#8220;The Oversight Committee will continue our investigation into the Biden family’s influence peddling schemes to inform legislative solutions to prevent public officials and their families from abusing public office for private gain.&#8221;
Comer has been heading up the House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/timeline-of-alleged-biden-family-corruption" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation of the Biden family</a>, and said he<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/comer-expects-to-recommend-up-to-10-criminal-referrals-against-hunter-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> expects to recommend</a> up to 10 criminal referrals against Hunter.
The Kentucky Republican added that Republicans in the House would continue to look into &#8220;politicization and misconduct at the Department of Justice and hold bad actors accountable.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690455510071000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0zc8zwWGoXeRzcNJLiJVWI">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Some Senate Republicans <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12194701/Senate-Republicans-demand-special-counsel-investigate-Hunter-Joe-Bidens-business-dealings.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have advocated</a> for Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Biden family, specifically after one allegation that then-Vice President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alleged-5-million-to-biden-was-from-ukrainian-natural-gas-company-burisma-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accepted</a> a $5 million bribe from the Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
“Given these concerning allegations that continue to come to light with each passing day, we urge you to appoint a special counsel to investigate any wrongdoing by President Biden and his family in their business dealings,” several Republican senators, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) wrote to Garland last month.

House Oversight Committee Hears Testimony From IRS Whistleblower Gary Shapley

IRS Whistleblower Says Special Counsel Should Be Appointed For Hunter Biden Investigation

Department of Justice

Executive

Hunter Biden

James Comer

Merrick Garland

Politics

Wall Street Journal

Whistleblowers

President Biden said he is “serious” about a potential prisoner exchange with Russia for Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal. 
During a press briefing Thursday in Helsinki, Finland, with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, Biden <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/13/biden-serious-on-a-prisoner-exchange-for-wsjs-evan-gershkovich/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the process for a prisoner exchange is already underway. Gershkovich has been detained in Russia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blinken-calls-for-immediate-release-of-american-reporter-and-paul-whelan-in-call-with-russian-counterpart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since</a> late March, and the United States has labeled it a wrongful detention. 
&#8220;I&#8217;m serious about a prisoner exchange,&#8221; Biden said when asked for an update on Gershkovich. &#8220;I&#8217;m serious about doing all we can to free Americans who are being illegally held in Russia or anywhere else for that matter. That process is underway.&#8221;
Gershkovich was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-wall-street-journal-reporter-arrested-in-russia-after-being-accused-of-spying" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> in Yekaterinburg on March 29 on espionage charges. His detainment was the first arrest of an American journalist on espionage charges in Russia since 1986. Gershkovich, the U.S. government, and The Wall Street Journal all deny the charges.  
Last week, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan made similar comments on the matter, saying the U.S. has been in contact with Russia throughout the ordeal. 
“We remain in contact with Russian authorities at high levels on these cases to try to figure out a way to bring unjustly detained Americans home, including Evan,” Sullivan <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/politics/gershkovich-prisoner-exchange-biden/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “We have also made clear for months now – even before Evan was detained, as we were dealing with Paul Whelan – that we are prepared to do hard things in order to get our citizens home, including getting Evan home.” 
Whelan is a U.S. Marine veteran who has been detained in the country <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-would-have-gone-free-anyway-in-2029-john-kirby-responds-to-critics-of-swapping-viktor-bout-for-brittney-griner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since</a> 2018. He’s currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in a penal colony on espionage charges, accusations which Whelan denies and the U.S. government says are baseless. 
In December, the Biden administration was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-would-have-gone-free-anyway-in-2029-john-kirby-responds-to-critics-of-swapping-viktor-bout-for-brittney-griner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heavily criticized</a> when it traded Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout — known as the “Merchant of Death” — for WNBA player Britney Griner, who was arrested in February 2022. Whelan was not part of the deal. 
At the time, then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/12/08/mccarthy_griner_was_jailed_for_a_trumped-up_charge_but_to_exchange_her_for_merchant_of_death_makes_us_weaker.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the trade a “big win for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin” and said that Biden “left a Marine behind.”
Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/07/politics/white-house-evan-gershkovich/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that they were in contact with the U.S. on the matter, but said Russia doesn’t want details of a potential Gershkovich prisoner swap to be “discussed in public. … They must be carried out and continue in complete silence.”
Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy was able to meet with Gershkovich, who <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-serious-prisoner-exchange-wsj-reporter-detained-russia-process-underway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the journalist is in &#8220;good health&#8221; and &#8220;remains resilient despite the circumstances.&#8221;

President Biden in Finland

Biden Says ‘Process Is Underway’ In Potential Prisoner Swap With Russia For WSJ Reporter

Finland

Joe Biden

Russia

World

Social media platform <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/instagram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> has been accused of helping to facilitate connections between a “vast pedophile network,” according to a report from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wall-street-journal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a> and academic researchers.
The Journal, alongside researchers at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, reported that Instagram allowed and promoted accounts that openly buy and commission “underage-sex content.”
“Instagram connects pedophiles and guides them to content sellers via recommendation systems that excel at linking those who share niche interests, the Journal and the academic researchers found,” the outlet <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/instagram-vast-pedophile-network-4ab7189" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. “The researchers found that Instagram enabled people to search explicit hashtags such as #pedowhore and #preteensex and connected them to accounts that used the terms to advertise child-sex material for sale.”
Accounts would post “menus” that offered inappropriate content, including “imagery of the minor performing sexual acts with animals,” according to researchers from the Stanford Internet Observatory. Other “menus” reportedly offered videos of children hurting themselves or “meet-ups” with kids.
“Child exploitation is a horrific crime,” said Meta, the parent company of Instagram. “We’re continuously investigating ways to actively defend against this behavior.”
The social media giant added that it had removed 27 pedophile networks, and has reportedly taken down hashtags used by pedophiles in response to the Journal’s report. Instagram also reportedly took other steps to limit the reach of abusive content.
According to the Journal, the Stanford Internet Observatory identified 405 accounts that sold “self-generated” child sex material, accounts that claimed to be operated by children.
Stanford researchers also found that there was less child sex material on Twitter than on Instagram. The material on Twitter was also taken down faster, according to Stanford researchers.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685885459858000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AFvCLn4CIt7S8nPLjhrIg">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“Instagram’s problem comes down to content-discovery features, the ways topics are recommended, and how much the platform relies on search and links between accounts,” said David Thiel, the chief technologist at the Stanford Internet Observatory. “You have to put guardrails in place for something that growth-intensive to still be nominally safe, and Instagram hasn’t.”
In one instance, an activist said that Instagram responded to a report of a post of a young girl with a sexually graphic caption that the post did not violate the platform’s guidelines. The activist also received an automated message when reporting a post captioned “This teen is ready for you pervs,” the Journal reported.
One researcher described Instagram as an “on ramp” to the world of explicit child sexual material.
“Instagram is an on ramp to places on the internet where there’s more explicit child sexual abuse,” said Brian Levine, the director of the UMass Rescue Lab.
The report has elicited a large response, including from Republican North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop, who called on the FBI to take action.
“Where is the [FBI]? Shouldn&#8217;t heinous crimes like this be its top priority? Or are they too busy classifying concerned parents as domestic extremists to bring down the hammer on these despicable criminals?” Bishop <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDanBishop/status/1666497203626467336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>.

In this photo illustration the Instagram logo seen displayed

Instagram Accused Of Connecting ‘Vast Pedophile Network’ In New Report

Instagram Accused Of Connecting 'Vast Pedophile Network' In New Report

Child Abuse

Crime

Instagram

U.S.

A Moscow court extended the pre-trial detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich by at least another three months after Russian authorities arrested the American journalist on espionage charges.
Gershkovich, 31, was arrested while reporting in Yekaterinburg, located in the Ural Mountains, on espionage charges back in March and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Investigators accused Gershkovich of acting on instructions from U.S. officials by collecting state secret information involving the Russian military, which the journalist, his employer, and U.S. officials have all denied.
&#8220;By the decision of the Lefortovsky District Court of Moscow dated May 23, 2023, the term of detention in respect of Evan Gershkovich, accused of committing a crime under Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, was extended for three months and one day, that is, until August 30, 2023,&#8221; the court decision <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/evan-gershkovichs-pre-trial-detention-extended-three-months-rcna85797" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>.
Russian news agency TASS <a href="https://t.me/tass_agency/193157" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Federal Security Service (FSB) investigators requested the Lefortovo Court of Moscow extend Gershkovich&#8217;s detention.
The Wall Street Journal said the outlet was &#8220;deeply disappointed&#8221; in the court&#8217;s decision.
&#8220;Today, our colleague, and distinguished journalist, Evan Gershkovich, appeared for a pre-trial hearing in a Moscow court,&#8221; the statement <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/investigators-ask-russian-court-to-extend-evan-gershkovichs-pretrial-detention-d5281ffb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>. &#8220;While we expected there would be no change to Evan&#8217;s wrongful detention, we are deeply disappointed. The accusations are demonstrably false, and we continue to demand his immediate release.&#8221;
Legal experts told the outlet that Russia&#8217;s Criminal Procedure Code could permit defendants facing espionage charges to be detained for up to 12 months before trial begins.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN that Gershkovich &#8220;shouldn&#8217;t be detained at all,&#8221; calling for Russian authorities to release the reporter immediately.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684938422021000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-zHdFAayHoZkU-_PcCeh4">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-authorized-wall-street-journal-reporter-arrest-spying-charges-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">formally declared</a> last month that Russian authorities had wrongfully detained Gershkovich, giving federal officials additional resources to secure his release, including providing the State Department access to &#8220;exert pressure on Moscow, monitor intelligence, build diplomatic coalitions, exert media pressure and fight for regular consular access.&#8221;
Blinken announced the official classification, giving control to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the State Department.
&#8220;Journalism is not a crime,&#8221; Vedant Patel, a State Department spokesperson, told NBC in a statement. &#8220;We condemn the Kremlin&#8217;s continued repression of independent voices in Russia and its ongoing war against the truth.&#8221;
Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly authorized Kremlin officials to arrest Gershkovich.
Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Putin&#8217;s arrest of the reporter marks &#8220;the growing influence of Kremlin hardliners who push for deepening a confrontation with Washington they view as irreversible.&#8221;
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the United States was politicizing Gershokovich&#8217;s detention, saying, &#8220;It is unacceptable for officials in Washington and the Western media to whip up a stir with the clear intention of giving this case a political coloring.&#8221;
Gershkovich became the first American journalist arrested on espionage charges since the end of the Cold War.

RUSSIA-US-JOURNALIST

WSJ Reporter Arrested In Russia Has Pre-Trial Detention Extended By Three Months

Biden Administration

Espionage

Jeffrey Epstein reportedly learned that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had an affair with a young Russian woman and later appeared to threaten to expose the tryst if Gates refused to do business with him.
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates-affair-russian-bridge-player-8b2022ff">reported</a> that Gates met Russian bridge player Mila Antonova in 2010 when she was in her 20s and he was in his mid-50s.
Epstein met Antonova in 2013 and paid for her to attend software coding school. After she graduated, and while Epstein was trying to get Gates to join a project he was working on, Epstein reportedly sent Gates an email asking to be reimbursed for her schooling.
The amount of money the schooling cost was trivial for people as wealthy as Epstein or Gates, the report said.
Sources told the publication that the email implied that Epstein could expose the affair if Gates cut off his ties to Epstein.
&#8220;Mr. Gates met with Epstein solely for philanthropic purposes,&#8221; a spokesperson for Gates said. &#8220;Having failed repeatedly to draw Mr. Gates beyond these matters, Epstein tried unsuccessfully to leverage a past relationship to threaten Mr. Gates.&#8221;
The spokesperson said that Gates did not make the payment.
Epstein reportedly sent the message after Gates declined to join a multibillion-dollar charitable fund that he was trying to create with JPMorgan Chase that would have paid Epstein millions of dollars in fees and would help to rehabilitate his image after he pled guilty to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008.
Gates had over a half dozen meetings scheduled with Epstein beginning in 2011 that included trips to Epstein’s private residence in New York, according to the report.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.

Jeffrey Epstein

Jeffrey Epstein Threatened Bill Gates With Sexual Blackmail: Report

Bill Gates

Celebrities

Love Affair

Maybe once the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-press-corps-doesnt-realize-its-the-joke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House Correspondents&#8217; Association</a> sleeps off its hangover from Saturday night&#8217;s soiree, one of its members can ask the Biden administration why current CIA director William Burns met with the late uber creep Jeffrey Epstein even after his 2008 conviction.
On Sunday, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/jeffrey-epstein-calendar-cia-director-goldman-sachs-noam-chomsky-c9f6a3ff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Burns met with Epstein three times in 2014. The international sleazebag of mystery pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring for prostitution a minor. Epstein, of course, received a sweetheart prison sentence in exchange for his plea. Everybody in America knew who this monster was in 2014.
Well, almost everybody knew who Epstein was, if Burns&#8217; alibi is to be believed.
From 2011 to 2014, Burns was the United States Deputy Secretary of State. He served under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama.  Now, a spokesperson for the public servant told The Journal that he had no idea who Epstein was during that time.
CIA spokeswoman Tammy Kupperman Thorp said in a statement to the paper, &#8220;The director did not know anything about him, other than that he was introduced as an expert in the financial services sector and offered general advice on transition to the private sector. They had no relationship.&#8221;
That doesn&#8217;t exactly exude much confidence in Burns&#8217; competence. What sort of high-ranking government official has several meetings — once in D.C.  and twice in Epstein&#8217;s New York City townhome — without running a background check on the individuals accompanying them?
Of course, rumors and conspiracy theories have long suggested that Epstein was secretly working for either the CIA itself or a foreign intelligence agency. There has been no concrete proof of that, but there hasn&#8217;t really been any solid explanation for what exactly Epstein did — and how he was able to run his &#8220;business&#8221; of pimping out underage girls to prominent individuals from around the globe for so long.
Burns, who was confirmed to the CIA in March 2021, should have to explain why he was really meeting Epstein in 2014.
Surely the lapdog media will get to the bottom of this, right? After all, they promise to &#8220;speak truth to power&#8221; on a daily basis.
We&#8217;ll hold our breath on that actually happening.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Joe Biden, William Burns, Jeffrey Epstein

Why Did Biden’s CIA Director Meet With Jeffrey Epstein After His Conviction?

Why Did Biden's CIA Director Meet With Jeffrey Epstein After His Conviction?

Prostitution

The Wall Street Journal editorial board, which has remained the only major news publication’s editorial board that is staunchly conservative, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-florida-ron-desantis-2024-primary-d277a175?mod=hp_opin_pos_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> former President Trump’s characterization of Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis’ record.
Trump issued a <a href="https://www.donaldjtrump.com/news/bdcf19e1-cc6e-4fc3-8c5b-c64e4a7707ce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> last Friday in which he made various claims about DeSantis’ tenure which the Journal found untenable. “As the 2024 primaries near, Mr. Trump has suddenly decided it’s in his interest to claim that Florida is really a high-tax hellhole,” the Journal noted in an editorial published Monday, adding, “Mr. Trump knows that Gov. Ron DeSantis could be a formidable rival, and Mr. Trump will apparently say anything to trash him.”
Trump’s statement began by asserting, “The real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair. He has left a wake of destruction all across Florida.” The Journal offered this riposte: “Which is no doubt why the Governor was re-elected last year with 59.4% of the vote.”
The Journal pointed out that the Trump release utilizes Left-leaning studies as well as ESPN. “Is Mr. Trump in the habit of taking policy advice from ESPN? Or was some intern told to do a Google search for this amateur hit job?” the Journal questioned.
Noting that Trump cited a 2022 Oxfam report stating Florida was the 29th best state for workers, the Journal clarified that the scorecard “dings states” that have right-to-work laws and that the report forces Florida to lose points because it doesn’t permit “localities to implement their own minimum wage laws.”
The Journal noticed that Trump cited the Florida Policy Institute, which wants undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. “Mr. Trump’s one-night stand with this outfit is bizarre,” the Journal commented.
Trump utilized many rankings from the website WalletHub, prompting the Journal to declare, “Not mentioned by Mr. Trump are many WalletHub rankings that put Mr. DeSantis’s state near the top. Florida has been listed as the No. 2 best state in which to retire, No. 2 for starting a business, No. 2 for fewest coronavirus restrictions, No. 2 ‘most fun’ state, No. 4 best for teachers, No. 6 for low taxes, and No. 7 for best state to live in overall.”
“Whatever WalletHub says, hundreds of thousands of Americans are moving to Florida because they think they can build better lives there,” the Journal pointed out. “The latest Census Bureau numbers <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/americas-blue-state-exodus-census-data-red-blue-lockdowns-pandemic-florida-california-economy-progressive-11671993469?mod=article_inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">say that Florida gained</a> a net 318,855 people via migration from July 2021 to July 2022, making it the top state by far in the competition for U-Hauls. People see opportunity in Florida, and competent conservative leadership is one reason.”
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-7148">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
“Florida is a model of successful GOP governance, and Republicans should be arguing they can do the same for the country if voters put them in charge of Washington,” the Journal wrote. “Instead Mr. Trump is borrowing lefty tropes and sources and making the same kinds of attacks on Florida that President Biden would. Who needs Democrats with Mr. Trump around?”
“The funniest part about Mr. Trump’s effort to claim Florida is a dump?” the Journal concluded. “He still lives there. If he’s really miserable, why not relocate to one of his homes in New York or New Jersey?”

Former President Donald Trump Spends Midterm Election Night At Mar-a-Lago

‘Who Needs Democrats With Mr. Trump Around?’: Wall Street Journal Criticizes Trump’s Attack On DeSantis

Wall Street Journal Criticizes Trump’s Attack On DeSantis

Donald Trump

Ron DeSantis

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Fox News Settles With Dominion
Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fox-settles-landmark-defamation-suit-spares-murdoch-from-witness-stand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Tuesday that they have reached a settlement agreement just moments before opening arguments were set to begin. The deal ends a months-long legal battle in which Dominion accused Fox of spreading false information about the 2020 election, specifically relating to Dominion voting machines. Fox agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million.
Wall Street Journal Reporter Detained In Russia
Wall Street Journal reporter <a href="https://www.wsj.com/topics/person/evan-gershkovich?mod=article_inline">Evan Gershkovich</a>, the American journalist arrested in Russia in March, was denied bail Tuesday and ordered to be held in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison as he awaits his trial. Russian authorities have accused Gershkovich of spying — a claim that both his employer and the U.S. State Department have strongly denied. The Biden administration has said that his release is a top concern and priority. Here’s U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Roger D. Carstens recently addressing the international fiasco:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
“We’ve had kind of a full court press within the State Department and the U.S. government writ large”: The U.S. has determined Russia has wrongfully detained WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich.<a href="https://twitter.com/StateSPEHA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateSPEHA</a> says officials are working on bringing both Evan and Paul Whelan home. <a href="https://t.co/aW3PhXKSfW">pic.twitter.com/aW3PhXKSfW</a>
&mdash; CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSMornings/status/1646140113775210496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Taiwan Buying Anti-Ship Missiles
Taiwan <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taiwan-prepares-for-potential-china-invasion-set-to-purchase-400-u-s-land-launched-missiles-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will purchase roughly 400 Harpoon land-launched anti-ship missiles</a> — crafted by Boeing — as a measure of protecting its coastal zones against a potential invasion from China. Daily Wire reporter Brandon Drey has more:
<blockquote>The pending agreement comes after Congress approved a deal in 2020. Pentagon officials announced a $1.7 billion contract with Boeing earlier this month. However, the contract did not mention Taiwan as the buyer. This comes as U.S.-China tensions are high, specifically over Taiwan, the self-governed island that China claims as part of its territory. Beijing criticized the deal on Tuesday, saying that it would “undermine China’s sovereignty and security interests.”</blockquote>
Elon Warns About AI
In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk revealed he will create a third option to challenge Microsoft and Google’s artificial intelligence platforms, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-warns-of-grave-danger-that-ai-could-pose-to-humanity">warned that the technology could cause “civilizational destruction</a>” without proper guardrails.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a>: &quot;[AI] has the potential of civilizational destruction&#8230;It wouldn&#39;t quite happen like Terminator&#8230;
If we put in regulations after something terrible has happened, it may be too late to&#8230;put the regulations in place. The AI may be in control at that point.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/CZVDZDPHtk">pic.twitter.com/CZVDZDPHtk</a>
&mdash; Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1648286249453752320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Last month, Musk — who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 and then stepped down from the company’s board in 2018 — registered a firm named X.AI Corp. The move came after he and other experts called for a six-month pause on advanced AI development.
SCOTUS Hears Religious Freedom Case
A <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/fairness-justice/supreme-court-and-doj-find-points-of-agreement-in-religious-freedom-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dispute over package delivery</a> on Sundays between a Pennsylvania postal worker and the postal service has reached the nation’s highest court and is being considered today.
Gerald Groff is a Christian and told his employer that he could not deliver packages on the Lord’s Day. Lower courts have sided with the Postal Service, saying that a demand for Sundays off meant extra work for other employees and caused tension. Groff argues employers can too easily turn down employees’ requests for religious accommodations, and if he wins, that could change.
To listen to the audio version of this podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.

Elon Musk

Tuesday Afternoon Update: Fox Settles With Dominion, Wall Street Journal Reporter Denied Russian Bail, Elon Warns About AI

General

Religious Freedom

Supreme Court

Voting

Russian President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vladimir-putin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vladimir Putin</a> authorized Kremlin officials to arrest American journalist Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-12/putin-approved-arrest-of-us-reporter-as-hardliners-clout-grows?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&amp;cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-politics&amp;utm_content=politics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg News</a>.
Russian authorities arrested Gershkovich, 31, last month while he was on a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg, located in the Ural Mountains — becoming the first arrest of an American journalist on espionage charges since 1986.
The outlet reported that sources familiar with the matter said Putin’s arrest of the Wall Street Journal reporter marks “the growing influence of Kremlin hardliners who push for deepening a confrontation with Washington they view as irreversible.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the United States was politicizing Gershokovich’s detention, saying, “it is unacceptable for officials in Washington and the Western media to whip up a stir with the clear intention of giving this case a political colouring.”
“Blinken’s attention was drawn to the need to respect the decisions of the Russian authorities, taken in accordance with the law and international obligations of the Russian Federation,” the foreign ministry <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/journalism-is-not-a-crime-state-department-declares-russia-wrongfully-detained-wall-street-journal-reporter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken formally declared on Sunday that Russian authorities had wrongfully detained Gershkovich, giving federal officials additional resources to secure his release, including giving the State Department access to “exert pressure on Moscow, monitor intelligence, build diplomatic coalitions, exert media pressure and fight for regular consular access,” the Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-deems-wsj-reporter-evan-gershkovich-wrongfully-detained-by-russia-f1be833" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Blinken announced the official classification involving Gershkovich, who was arrested two weeks ago on accusations of espionage by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). The category gives control to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs at the State Department to handle the situation.
“Journalism is not a crime,” Vedant Patel, a State Department spokesperson, told NBC in a statement. “We condemn the Kremlin’s continued repression of independent voices in Russia and its ongoing war against the truth.”
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-22625">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The Wall Street Journal following the declaration from Blinken that he doesn’t understand what changes under the classification.
“What it means— I don’t know,” Peskov said. “The United States could and should protect the rights of its citizen who was caught red-handed [and] violated the relevant laws of the Russian Federation. He is suspected of such. Naturally, the decision will be made by the court. [That’s] all there is to say.”
Peskov denied Putin’s involvement in the arrest, saying it was “the total prerogative of the special services.”
“They were doing their job,” he added, despite those agencies being required to report to Putin directly.
Kremlin officials claim they caught Gershkovich “red-handed while trying to obtain secret information, collecting data constituting a state secret under the guise of a journalistic status,” but have provided no evidence. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Wall Street Journal “vehemently denies” the allegations, as did Gershkovich in a court appearance after his arrest.
Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week, calling for the “immediate release” of Gershkovich, and Paul Whelan, a U.S. Marine veteran detained in the country since 2018.
President Joe Biden recently told reporters that his message to Russia regarding Gershkovich was “let him go.”
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Monday also called for the release of Gershkovich.
“He doesn’t belong there,” Kirby said. “He needs to be released. He’s a journalist, not a criminal — and it doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to continue to follow this case as closely as we can. We still don’t have consular access, and we’re also trying to get that.”
Alina Polyakova, president of the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, told Bloomberg the move from Putin should serve as a “real wake-up call” to the West.
“It’s signaling that in Putin’s mindset that there’s no going back to a stable and reliable relationship,” Polyakova said.
Polyakova said with public pressure focused on the case, it could force the U.S. to negotiate with Russia.
“The Russians are getting far more aggressive, and they’ve seen that when you take high-profile U.S. citizens hostage, you get what you want,” she added.

RUSSIA-HEALTH-VIRUS

Putin Authorized Wall Street Journal Reporter Arrest, Spying Charges: Report

Putin Authorized US Reporter Arrest, Spying Charges: Report

Global Politics

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

A Wall Street Journal reporter was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-wall-street-journal-reporter-arrested-in-russia-after-being-accused-of-spying">formally charged by Russian authorities with espionage</a> on Friday afternoon, according to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> state media, following his detainment on a suspected false charge.
Evan Gershkovich was on a reporting trip in Yekaterinburg when he was detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on accusations of spying against Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry previously recognized Gershkovich as an accredited American journalist, causing confusion as to why he has now been accused of committing a crime.
&#8220;The FSB investigation charged Gershkovich with espionage in the interests of his country. He categorically denied all accusations and stated that he was engaged in journalistic activities in Russia,&#8221; the Russian arresting agency said.
American political institutions have been quick to publicly denounce the journalist&#8217;s arrest, including the White House, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Democratic and Republican leaders of the U.S. Senate.
&#8220;We demand the baseless, fabricated charges against Mr. Gershkovich be dropped and he be immediately released and reiterate our condemnation of the Russian government’s continued attempts to intimidate, repress, and punish independent journalists and civil society voices,&#8221; said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday.
It&#8217;s unclear what avenues there are to pursue Gershkovich&#8217;s release. The White House recently secured the release of women&#8217;s basketball star Brittney Griner by giving Russia a wanted arms merchant. Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine accused of spying, has been in a Russian prison since 2018 and there are no signs his release will come soon.
Gershkovich’s arrest, which is the first time in decades an American journalist has been arrested in Russia, took place in the interior of the country, in the Ural Mountains. In the past, Gershkovich has worked for the New York Times and Agence France-Presse. His latest story examined the impact of Western sanctions on the Russian economy.
According to Jeanne Cavelier of Reporters Without Borders, the arrest might be a form of retaliation as the U.S. has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heavily backed Ukraine</a> during its war with Russia.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1680963907673000&amp;usg=AOvVaw19yfQODUjTEL0NV9traSuI">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
“It looks like a retaliation measure of Russia against the United States, so we are very alarmed because it is probably a way to intimidate all Western journalists that are trying to investigate aspects of the war on the ground in Russia,” Cavelier told The Associated Press. “The Western powers should immediately ask for clarifications on the charges, because as far as we know he was just doing his job as a journalist.”
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

American Reporter Arrested By Russia Charged With Spying

American Reporter Arrested By Russia Charged With Espionage

Media

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Sunday, calling for the “immediate release” of two Americans currently detained in Russia, the State Department <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-blinkens-call-with-russian-foreign-minister-lavrov-9/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> in a statement. 
Blinken demanded the release of Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and Paul Whelan, a U.S. Marine veteran who has been detained in the country since 2018. Gershkovich was arrested last week on accusations of espionage by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). 
“Secretary Blinken conveyed the United States’ grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a U.S. citizen journalist,” the State Department readout said. “The Secretary called for his immediate release. Secretary Blinken further urged the Kremlin to immediately release wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan.”
“The Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov also discussed the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work,” the statement added. 
On March 29, in the first arrest of an American journalist on espionage charges since 1986, Gershokovich was detained in Yekaterinburg, located in the Ural Mountains, while on a reporting trip, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/blinken-russian-foreign-minister-discuss-detained-wsj-reporter-evan-gershkovich-19c86931" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Wall Street Journal. 
Whelan is currently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-wall-street-journal-reporter-arrested-in-russia-after-being-accused-of-spying" target="_blank" rel="noopener">serving</a> a 16-year prison sentence in a penal colony on espionage charges, accusations which Whelan denies and the U.S. government says are baseless. 
“I spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today to convey our grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a U.S. citizen journalist,” Blinken posted on Twitter Sunday. “I called for his release and for the release of wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today to convey our grave concern over Russia’s unacceptable detention of a U.S. citizen journalist. I called for his release and for the release of wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan.
&mdash; Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1642536147166412800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In a statement of their own, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed the United States was politicizing Gershokovich’s detention, saying, “it is unacceptable for officials in Washington and the western media to whip up a stir with the clear intention of giving this case a political colouring.” 
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-11850">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
&#8220;Blinken&#8217;s attention was drawn to the need to respect the decisions of the Russian authorities, taken in accordance with the law and international obligations of the Russian Federation,&#8221; the foreign ministry said. 
Russia has yet to provide any <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/russias-lavrov-tells-blinken-its-unacceptable-politicise-case-detained-wsj-2023-04-02/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">evidence</a> for its allegations against Gershkovich but claimed he was “caught red-handed while trying to obtain secret information, collecting data constituting a state secret under the guise of a journalistic status.”
“In the light of the established facts of the illegal activities of the U.S. citizen … his further fate will be determined by the court,” the foreign ministry added. 
Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/02/business/media/evan-gershkovich-wsj-reporter-russia.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The New York Times. The Wall Street Journal “vehemently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-wall-street-journal-reporter-arrested-in-russia-after-being-accused-of-spying" target="_blank" rel="noopener">denies</a>” the allegations, as did Gershkovich in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/us/politics/russia-evan-gershkovich-arrest-wsj-reporter.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">court</a> appearance last week. 
Biden <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-russia-wall-street-journal-reporter-86feb85c963637a8143c191fd45b1551" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> reporters on Friday that his message to Russia regarding Gershkovich was “let him go.” As of Sunday, American officials have yet to receive <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/02/politics/evan-gershkovich-russia-wsj-blinken-whelan/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consular</a> access to the detained journalist to determine his condition. The conversation between Blinken and Lavrov was just the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/02/politics/evan-gershkovich-russia-wsj-blinken-whelan/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third</a> since Russia&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine last year.

State Department Hosts Second Summit For Democracy In Washington, D.C.

Blinken Calls For ‘Immediate Release’ Of American Reporter And Paul Whelan In Call With Russian Counterpart

Antony Blinken

Prisoners

This article is adapted from today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/podcasts/morning-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Tennessee Capitol Stormed
A group of around 400 people rushed into the Tennessee state capitol building in Nashville this morning to protest for stricter gun laws following a mass shooting at the Covenant School earlier this week. The protest was planned by a Tennessee non-profit called “AWAKE.” According to the New York Post, “AWAKE” seeks to improve conditions for women and children. Capitol police escorted members of the legislature to the restroom as protesters grew more aggressive.
WSJ Journalist Arrested
A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wall-street-journal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a> reporter has been arrested in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> after being accused of spying by Russia’s security agency. According to Russia’s Federal Security Service, Evan Gershkovich had “collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex” after “acting on the instructions of the American side.” An espionage case has been opened against Gershkovich. The Journal denied any accusations of spying. An arrest of this nature has not happened since the fall of the Soviet Union. 
Nine Killed In Training Accident
Two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-army" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Army</a> HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed Wednesday night in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kentucky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kentucky</a> during a training exercise, resulting in the deaths of NINE service members.  
Few details have been released about the crash, which occurred at around 10:00 p.m. local time between two helicopters that are part of the 101st Airborne Division. The crash took place in Trigg County, near Fort Campbell. Early Thursday morning, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced that he would be traveling to Fort Campbell to “support our troops and their families after last night’s tragic incident.” 
“We know a lot about loss in Kentucky, especially these last three years. We&#8217;re gonna do what we always do,&#8221; Beshear said. &#8220;We&#8217;re gonna wrap our arms around these families, and we&#8217;re gonna be there with them, not just for the days, but the weeks and the months and the years to come. We&#8217;re gonna let them know that they are loved, they are special. And if they&#8217;ll allow us to carry some of their grief, we&#8217;ll do that for as long as we can. ”
Safe School Act Introduced
Following the horrific school shooting in Nashville on Monday, Tennessee Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Haggerty have introduced the “Safe School Act,” a bill that would unlock $900 million in grants to beef up security at public and private schools. 
Fetterman Expected To Return Home Next Week
Senator John Fetterman is expected to return to work the week of April 17th, after weeks of seeking treatment for anxiety and depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Fetterman <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/senator-fetterman-to-be-hospitalized-for-weeks-after-checking-himself-into-hospital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">checked himself in</a> for treatment in March, stating that he’d dealt with such issues in the past but they’d amplified after a near-fatal stroke, a senate campaign, and his first days in office. Sources close to the freshman senator have indicated that he recovered well and is ready to get back to work as soon as possible.
To listen to the audio version of this podcast, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-wire/id1576594336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning.

Thursday, March 30

Thursday Afternoon Update: Army Training Accident Kills 9, Anti-Gun Protesters Storm Tennessee Capitol, Journalist Arrested In Russia

Thursday Afternoon Update: Army Training Accident Kills 9, Anti-Gun Protestors Storm Tennessee Capitol, Journalist Arrested In Russia, 

Menu