Morning Wire - Scalise Nominated for Speaker & Israel’s Unity Government | Afternoon Update | 10.11.23

Episode Date: October 11, 2023

Developing stories you need to know just in time for your drive home. Get the facts first on Morning Wire. Tommy John: Exclusive discount for our listeners at http://www.tommyjohn.com/Wire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire, editor-in-chief John Bickley. It's Wednesday, October 11th, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update. The House of Representatives has recessed, making it unclear if and when a floor vote could happen. GOP House members nominated Congressman Steve Scalise of Louisiana as their party's choice for speaker. Scalise, currently House Majority Whip, won the secret ballot by a vote of 113 to 99, defeating House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. Since Republicans have control of Congress, it is likely that Scalise will wind up the next speaker.

But he first has to win 217 votes from Congress as a whole. The death toll for U.S. citizens in Israel has jumped up to 22. That's according to a State Department announcement today. As for Americans still stranded in Israel, the Biden administration has yet to reveal any evacuation efforts and maintains that the best way to come home is via commercial travel. Here's Deputy National Security Advisor John Feiner. Our understanding is that the civilian airport in Israel remains, functional remains,

operating. There are commercial flights still going in and out of Israel at the moment that some carriers have suspended those operations, which we believe is making it somewhat difficult in some cases for Americans and others to secure tickets on outbound flights. And so the State Department is going to continue working with American citizens to help make sure that they know all of the options that are available. But one elected official is taking matters into his own hands. Congressman Corey Mills flew to Israel overnight Tuesday to help evacuate Americans

as Hamas terrorists continue their brutal attack on the country. Mills told the Floridian that he has so far helped 32 Americans get out of the country, but there are still hundreds of American citizens who remain trapped. The Florida Congressman, an Army veteran, told the outlet that he felt compelled to show solidarity with our Israeli brethren and help Americans evacuate. The first-term congressman, who is a defense contractor and co-founder of a private security company, was part of a team of military contractors who rescued an American family from Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Israel's government formed an emergency unity government Tuesday night. Here with more as Daily Wire reporter, Zach Jule.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Benny Gantz, Netanyahu's chief opposition leader, have agreed to form an emergency unity government. The unity government will allow decision-making to move more quickly and with more military experience at the table. As part of the new emergency government, which will reportedly only last until the battle is over, the government will create a small war cabinet to help guide decisions. Former President Donald J. Trump and others, including, including Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin,

are calling on the Biden administration to reverse its decision to unfreeze $6 billion for Iran. The money was originally frozen due to sanctions placed on the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism by the Trump administration. The Biden administration unfroze that money on the condition it would only be used for humanitarian purposes

and in exchange for five U.S. hostages. Critics warned that the funds would be used for terrorism by groups like Hamas. Now, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, says the U.S. always understood that Iran could use the money to support violent extremism. Here he is on Meet the Press. Iran has unfortunately always used and focused its funds on supporting terrorism, on supporting groups like Hamas. And it's done that when there have been sanctions. It's done that

when there haven't been sanctions. And it's always prioritized that. A new report shows that the office of then-Vice President Joe Biden exchanged tens of thousands of emails with members of his family. and their respective firms during the Obama administration. A Freedom of Information Act request obtained through America First legal showed that Biden used his vice presidential email account to exchange more than 29,000 emails with his son Hunter, his brother Jim, and other business groups,

directly contradicting a previous claim that Biden made during his 2020 presidential campaign. I have never discussed with my son or my brother or anyone else ending him with their businesses, period. The news comes as House Revenue, Republicans continue to investigate the president and his family. Border Patrol has released 13,000 migrants in San Diego, the largest U.S. city on the border. This comes at a time when shelters in the city are already overwhelmed due to migrant numbers

with around 500 new arrivals every day. Here with more is Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce. While the city has developed a fairly consistent process to house immigrants, local officials have struggled to keep up with the latest numbers. Over 200,000 migrants crossed the San Diego's San Diego. sector from January to August of this year. That's the highest number of crossings there in two decades. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released thousands of immigrants since early September to free up space and detention facilities. Most are dropped off at transit stations with notices to appear in

immigration court at their final destinations in the U.S. Those are your drive home updates this afternoon. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And for more in-depth discussion of the biggest stories of the day, listen to the latest full episode of Morning Wire every morning. Thank you.