The Daily Signal - Trump Booked in Jail, Sex Offender Men Identify as Transgender in Prison, Questions Swirl Around Plane Crash of Wagner Group Leader| Aug. 24

Starting point is 00:00:01 I'm Virginia Allen, and this is the Daily Signal Top News for Thursday, August 24th. Here are today's headlines. Supporters of former president Donald Trump were lined up outside the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia today. They carried signs and flags supporting Trump and chanting his name. The Trump supporters gathered outside the jail ahead of Trump's arrival today. Trump was booked at the Fulton County Jail and faces 13 felony counts in Georgia related to his alleged attempt to interfere with the 2020 presidential election results. Trump did not spend much time at the jail and was released on a $200,000 bond. Fannie Willis is the Fulton County District Attorney who brought the indictment against former President Trump.

Starting point is 00:01:10 The Georgia indictment is the fourth indictment that Trump faces. But Trump is not the only one that Willis indicted. 18 other people have also been charged in Georgia in relation to the alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election, including Trump's former lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail on Wednesday. His mugshot was taken and he was released on a $150,000 bond. When Giuliani left New York yesterday morning, he told press, I'm going to Georgia and I'm feeling very, very good about it because I feel I'm defending the rights of all Americans, as I did so many times as a United States attorney. Giuliani added that he took down the mafia, made New York City the safest city in America, and reduced crime more than any mayor in the history of any city anywhere, and I'm fighting for justice.

Starting point is 00:02:06 And speaking of Trump, he was the only leading GOP presidential candidate who opted to not participate in last night's debate. Instead, Trump pre-recorded a 46-minute interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and the interview released on X, formerly known as Twitter, right as the debate was beginning. Fox News hosted the debate with the presidential candidates, and Trump was critical of Fox during his interview with Tucker, saying the channel made a big mistake in canceling Tucker's show. Fox is way down, as you know, and the good old days are long ago. I will say this, it could come back, but they just don't have a lot of credibility, Tucker. You know that perhaps better than anybody.

Starting point is 00:02:54 I think it was a terrible move getting rid of you. Number one on television, and all of a sudden we're doing this interview, but we'll get bigger ratings using this crazy forum that you're using, than probably the debate. Carlson's interview with Trump on X received 209 million views on the social media platform, but this does not mean that all those people watch the full 46-minute interview,

Starting point is 00:03:19 only that they saw the post. Fox News has not released the ratings from last night's debate. In total, eight GOP presidential candidates did participate in last night's debate. Political pundits differ on who won the debate. there were many notable moments during the night, such as when former Vice President Mike Pence and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley differed on abortion. Take a listen.

Starting point is 00:03:43 To be honest with you, Nikki, you're my friend, but consensus is the opposite of leadership. When the Supreme Court returned this question to the American people, they didn't just send it to the states only. It's not a state's only issue. It's a moral issue. And I promise you, as President of the United States, the American people, will have a champion for life in the Oval Office. Can't we have a minimum standard in every state in the nation that says when a baby is capable of feeling pain, an abortion cannot be allowed? A 15-week ban is an idea whose time has come.

Starting point is 00:04:20 It's supported by 70% of the American people, but it's going to take unapologetic leadership, leadership that stands on principle and expresses compassion for women in crisis, pregnancies, I'll do that as president of the United States. He called my name, so I want to respond to that. 30 seconds. So first of all, I will say it is in the hands of the people and that's where it should be. But when you're talking about a federal ban, be honest with the American people. I am being honest. We haven't had 45 pro-life senators in over 100 years, so no Republican president can ban abortions any more than a Democrat president can ban all those state laws.

Starting point is 00:04:56 Another notable moment in the night was when candidates were asked, if they would back Trump if he is convicted in a court of law but wins the party's primary. All the candidates ultimately raised their hands to say they would support Trump, except for Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson. And former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie only raised his hands slightly before indicating he would not back Trump, saying someone has to stop normalizing his conduct. Our next story takes us to Wisconsin.

Starting point is 00:05:27 A little more than half of the men have to, in Wisconsin Department of Correction facilities who identify as transgender women have been convicted of at least one count of sexual assault or sexual abuse. That's according to a new exclusive report from the Daily Signals, Mary Margaret O'Lohan. The revelation comes from Wisconsin Department of Corrections records obtained by the Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project through an April 2022 public records request. The oversight project sought information on on biologically male inmates seeking transfers to female prisons by saying they identify as transgender females. Mike Howe is the director of the Oversight Project and he said,

Starting point is 00:06:13 men belong with men and men only in prisons. Putting sex offender men claiming to be women in cells with women is another reason the world laughs at America's moral decline. Prison is her punishment, not degenerate sexual behavior. There are 161 biological men who are housed in Wisconsin's Department of Corrections facilities and whose self-reported as transgender. Among those men, 81 or over 50% have reportedly been convicted of at least one count of sexual assault or sexual abuse as of late July. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections noted that the prisoners may have been convicted of additional offenses for their current.

Starting point is 00:06:59 incarceration periods that are not sex offenses. Though given multiple days and numerous opportunities to respond, the Wisconsin DOC would not tell the daily signal whether it houses biologically male inmates in female prisons. Deputy Director of Communications Kevin Hoffman referred the daily signal to the Wisconsin DOC's Policy Index. We will include a link to Mary Margaret's full report on this exclusive news, in today's show notes. Finally, some news out of Russia today. Yevgeny Progoshin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group,

Starting point is 00:07:37 was reportedly killed in a plane crash on Wednesday in Russia. Reuters reported that the plane that Progoshin was reportedly on showed no sign of problem until a precipitous drop in its final 30 seconds, according to flight tracking data. As you'll recall from June, Progoshin tried to lead a coup against leadership in the Russian. military. NBC News reported a telegram post from an account called Grayzone that said the head of the Wagner Group, Hero of Russia, a true patriot of his motherland, Yevgeny Viktorovic Progoshin,

Starting point is 00:08:13 died as a result of actions by traitors of Russia. Russian state media has reported that Progotion was listed as a passenger on the plane, according to Business Insider. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday, I don't know for a fact. what happened, but I'm not surprised. And Biden added, there is not much that happens in Russia that Putin is not behind, but I don't know enough to know the answer. We'll keep you all posted as we receive updates on this story. And with that, that's going to do it for today's episode. Thanks so much for joining us here on the Daily Signal's top news. If you've never had the chance to check out our morning show, be sure to do so. Tomorrow morning, Rob Bluey, is going to be sitting down

Starting point is 00:08:56 with Virginia Republican Representative Bob Good to discuss the House Freedom Caucus's priorities to get spending under control here in Washington, D.C. Also, make sure to take a moment to subscribe to The Daily Signal wherever you'd like to listen to podcasts. We're across all podcast platforms. Thanks again for being with us today. We hope you have a great Thursday night.

Starting point is 00:09:18 We'll see you right back here tomorrow morning for a conversation with Representative Bob Good. The Daily Signal podcast is brought to you by more than half a million members of the Heritage Foundation. Executive producers are Rob Luey and Kate Trinco. Producers are Virginia Allen and Samantha Asheras. Sound designed by Lauren Evans, Mark Geine, and John Pop. To learn more, please visit DailySignal.com.

The Daily Signal - Trump Booked in Jail, Sex Offender Men Identify as Transgender in Prison, Questions Swirl Around Plane Crash of Wagner Group Leader| Aug. 24

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