Episode Details

Today’s Headlines: In recent news, a Politico report has unveiled connections between Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and conservative figures leading up to the 2010 Citizens United ruling. They planned to use a nonprofit to funnel dark money into campaigns for conservative judicial nominees but altered their strategy following a backlash. In Florida, a conflict of interest arises as a justice with ties to the abortion ban case refuses to recuse himself, while efforts are underway to place an abortion rights referendum on the 2024 ballot. The FDA approved updated COVID-19 vaccines targeting the omicron subvariant, and Hurricane Lee's landfall remains uncertain amid record-setting billion-dollar weather disasters costing lives. Internationally, the US issued a waiver for Iran sanctions to secure the release of detained American citizens, and a strategic security and economic agreement with Bahrain is on the horizon. Additionally, a major international infrastructure project linking India, the Middle East, and Europe was announced, involving Saudi Arabia, India, the UAE, and the US.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

• Politico: What Ginni Thomas and Leonard Leo wrought: How a justice’s wife and a key activist started a movement
• The New Republic: Judge Hearing Florida Abortion-Ban Case Has a Huge Conflict of Interest
• WA Post: FDA okays new coronavirus vaccine as respiratory illness season nears 
• AP News: US sets record for billion-dollar weather disasters in a year — and there’s still 4 months to go 
• AP News: US moves to advance prisoner swap deal with Iran and release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds
• Axios: Scoop: U.S. and Bahrain to sign strategic security and economic agreement 

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Amanda Duberman and Bridget Schwartz

Edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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