Thursday, December 4 | By Cate Martel |
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It's Thursday. Everyone's annual Spotify Wrapped should be out. Who were your top artists for the year? I doubt any of you will be surprised to hear Taylor Swift dominated mine. 😏 |
FBI makes arrest on Jan. 6 pipe bomb investigation (!) Trump hosts Rwanda, Congo leaders for peace talks RFK Jr.'s vaccine panel meets to vote on vaccine changes Admiral briefs lawmakers on boat strike NYT sues the Pentagon over press restrictions
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Omg, there's been an arrest in the Jan. 6 pipe bomb investigation: |
The FBI has made an arrest in the nearly 5-year-old investigation into a pipe bomb being placed outside the offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees right before Jan. 6, 2021. Why this is such a big deal: Police had been unable to identify the suspect because their face was mostly covered in video footage, so they were able to evade law enforcement *for years.* The FBI wasn't even able to answer basic questions about the suspect, including their gender. The agency repeatedly asked the public for help. OK, so who was arrested?: The FBI didn't share any additional information about the suspect. |
It would be a big deal to end the decades-long fighting: |
President Trump is hosting the leaders of Rwanda and Congo in Washington for the signing of a peace treaty to potentially end the decades-long fighting. How we got here: Trump began negotiating a peace deal between the two countries earlier this year. Then in June, Rwanda and Congo agreed to a U.S.-mediated peace deal. Which brings us to today: The leaders of the Congo and Rwanda stopped by the White House this morning for a trilateral meeting with Trump. The three leaders will then head to the U.S. Institute of Peace — which Trump has renamed the "Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace" — for a peace deal signing ceremony. 💻 Watch the signing live But before we declare victory: It's still a delicate situation. There was heavy fighting in the conflict just yesterday. 💬 Follow today's live blog |
Adm. Bradley gives his side of the story: | Navy Adm. Frank Bradley, who was authorized by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to order a follow-up strike on Sept. 2 to kill survivors clinging the boat wreckage in the Caribbean, briefed several senior Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) was in that meeting. He says they were shown video footage of the incident. What Himes says about the footage: "I reviewed the video and it's deeply, deeply troubling," Himes said. "The fact is that we killed two people who were in deep distress and had neither the means nor obviously the intent to continue their mission." |
Stefanik has become the Mike Johnson antagonist: |
"Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is reasserting herself after months of lying low in Congress as she prepared a run for governor — emerging as a notable antagonist to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)," reports The Hill's Emily Brooks. "This week, Stefanik publicly accused Johnson of lying and 'torpedoing' the Republican agenda after a provision she championed was set to be left out of the must-pass Defense bill." Plus: "She said Tuesday she would sign a discharge petition, a mechanism used by members to circumvent leadership, that aims to force a vote on a bill to ban members of Congress and their immediate family members from trading stock — despite being an appointed member of leadership herself." Plus plus: "And in a Tuesday interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Wednesday, Stefanik said Johnson is a 'political novice' and not fit to be Speaker — and would lose a floor election if one was held today." Read more: 'Stefanik reasserts herself in Congress as antagonist to Speaker Johnson' |
➤ TIDBIT ABOUT ANOTHER ADMIRAL IN THE CARIBBEAN: |
In October, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Adm. Alvin Holsey, the four-star head of U.S. military operations in the Caribbean, was retiring. He had been in the role for less than a year. Well, The Wall Street Journal reports today that Hegseth asked Holsey to step down. Keep in mind their relationship had been going downhill since Trump's inauguration. Read more |
➤ THAT WAS A QUICK TURNAROUND: |
Johnson swore in Rep. Matt Van Epps (R) this morning, less than two days after he won the special election in Tennessee. |
Stay tuned for changes to childhood vaccines: |
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s influential vaccine advisory committee is meeting today and tomorrow to discuss changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including voting on the Hepatitis B immunizations. Keep in mind: Some medical professionals and lawmakers oppose this potential policy change. Those who work in hepatology are particularly anxious over the potential changes to the Hepatitis immunization, which has drastically lowered Hepatitis infections in the U.S. What to know about Hepatitis B: It's usually shared through sexual intercourse or shared needles, though it can also be passed from mother to baby. If a baby contracts the infection, it can cause lifelong health problems. So, newborn babies will typically be given the vaccine within 24 hours of birth. If this advisory committee accepts the proposal, it could change the recommendation to delay it past 24 hours. 🔎 Read The Hill's Joseph Choi's reporting on the concerns 🔎 Plus, read Jared Gans's explainer in today's Morning Report Related read, via The New York Times: 'Kennedy's Methodical 2-Decade Quest to Dismantle Vaccine Policy' |
The New York Times sues the Pentagon: |
The New York Times announced it is suing the Defense Department over the new press restrictions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth implemented in October. Reminder of the restrictions: Hegseth demanded that reporters must pledge not to obtain or use any unauthorized material, even if the material is unclassified. Nearly every media outlet declined to sign the pledge, so they had to hand in their Pentagon press badges. Read more on the restrictions The Times's lawsuit argues the new rules violate journalists' First and Fifth Amendment rights and "will deprive the public of vital information about the United States military and its leadership." Tidbit: Ex-Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) was spotted at the Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday sporting a jacket that identified him by his old congressional title. 📸 Photo ^ Why was Gaetz there?: He hosts "The Matt Gaetz Show" on One America News Network, one of the few right-wing press outlets to agree to Hegseth's demands. |
The Wall Street Journal: Sam Altman Has Explored Deal to Build Competitor to Elon Musk's SpaceX The Washington Post: America's plan to protect pedestrians failed. A young woman's death reveals why. The Hill: International students worry about holiday travel amid immigration crackdown The Atlantic: Republicans Are in Trouble, but Democrats Could Blow It The Hill: GOP frustrations grow over lackluster 'big, beautiful bill' sales pitch |
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The House and Senate are in. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EST) |
1:45 P.M.: Senate votes 📆 6 P.M.: Trump and first lady Melania Trump participate in the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. 💻 Livestream |
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If you want to channel your inner Michael Scott and show a ridiculous video at your next work meeting to demonstrate good team work, it has to be this one. |
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