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Mangione May Face Death Penalty & Russia-Ukraine Negotiations | Afternoon Update | 4.1.25
Tue, 1 Apr 2025
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Chapter 1: Who is sponsoring this episode of the podcast?
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Federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty for accused murderer Luigi Mangione. Russia balks at a current ceasefire deal with Ukraine. And Maine has one last chance to remove males from female sports. It's Tuesday, March 32nd, and... This guy, John, I've worked for you for like three years. Security... Security...
Anyway, happy April, fools. I'm Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Tuesday, April 1st, and this is your Morning Wire afternoon update.
Federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, according to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Daily Wire reporter Amanda Prestigiacomo has the details.
Chapter 2: Why might Luigi Mangione face the death penalty?
Mangione is accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a Manhattan hotel back in December. The 26-year-old faces both federal and state murder charges. Prosecutors say that Mangione kept a notebook filled with anti-insurance industry writings, and he had been planning the killing for months.
Bondi called the murder a cold-blooded assassination and said that pursuing the death penalty aligns with President Trump's push to crack down on violent crime. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state charges and has yet to enter a federal plea. The AG's announcement comes as a proposed California ballot initiative named after Mangione makes its way through the state assembly.
Chapter 3: What changes are occurring within the Health and Human Services department?
As promised by Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr., thousands of employees across the agency have received layoff notices. The move, which could terminate up to 10,000 jobs, comes after President Trump signed an executive order stripping some federal agencies of collective bargaining, including HHS.
Critics, including Senator Patty Murray, claim the cuts could endanger public health, especially amid current disease outbreaks. However, Kennedy says the move is necessary to streamline the $1.7 trillion department, making it more efficient and less bureaucratic. Here's Kennedy last week.
28 great divisions will become 15. The entire federal workforce is downsizing now, so this will be a painful period for HHS as we downsize from 82,000 full-time employees to around 62,000. We're keenly focused on bearing away excess administrators while increasing the number of scientists and frontline health providers so that we can do a better job than the American people.
Chapter 4: What is the current status of Russia-Ukraine negotiations?
Russia is reportedly taking U.S. proposals for a ceasefire in Ukraine very seriously, but won't accept the deal currently on the table. Daily Wire deputy managing editor Tim Rice has the latest on the negotiations.
Russian deputy foreign minister told state media that the United States plan fails to address what Russia sees as the root cause of the conflict, a key sticking point for the Kremlin. The remarks, which were published today, signal a continued impasse in efforts to negotiate peace in the region.
President Vladimir Putin has insisted Ukraine must drop its bid to join NATO and recognize Russian control over four regions it currently holds. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has stepped up pressure on Moscow, saying he's pissed off with Putin and warning of possible sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil if there's no movement towards a broader deal.
This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com slash morningwire, all lowercase. Established in 2025 has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Head over to shopify.com slash morningwire to start selling with Shopify today.
Daily Wire host Matt Walsh testified before the California State Assembly today to deliver what he calls a common sense message. Girls shouldn't have to compete with boys. Walsh spoke in favor of Assembly Bill 844, which requires participation in school sports and bathroom and locker used to be based on student sex, not gender identity.
The bill applies to public K-12 schools as well as public colleges. The current law allows students to play on teams and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil's records. Walsh told the Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism that this isn't complicated.
So why shouldn't men play in women's sports? Because they aren't women. It isn't true. We should not allow men into women's sports for the same reason we shouldn't go around claiming that two plus two equals seven. It's just not true. It is a lie. The man who identifies as a woman is either deluded and confused, or he is a cross-dressing fetishist looking to play out his fantasies in public.
In either case, the claim that he's making, the claim to womanhood, is not true.
Maine is on thin ice as the state receives its final warning. The Department of Education is giving the Pine Tree State one last chance to comply with President Trump's executive order that bars biological males from competing in girls' sports. They have until April 11th to change state policy or face action from the Justice Department.
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