Morning Headlines - Friday, Jan. 12, 2024

U.S. and World Headlines

Democrats Reject Johnson’s Border Demands As Part Of Ukraine Aid Package

House Democrats wasted no time this week rejecting Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) demands for strict new border security measures in return for Ukraine aid, posing the latest obstacle in Congress’s efforts to move another round of military assistance for the embattled U.S. ally.

Johnson said Wednesday House Republicans would oppose any new aid for Kyiv unless it was accompanied by major provisions of the GOP’s previously passed border bill, including the reinstallation of the “remain in Mexico” policy, begun under former President Trump, and hundreds of miles of new wall construction on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Biden Faces Fury From The Left For Launching Airstrikes On Houthi Targets In Yemen Without Going To Congress

President Joe Biden is facing rage from the left for launching overnight airstrikes in Yemen without congressional approval.

It came as Turkey accused the US and UK of turning the Red Sea into a 'bloodbath' and there were growing fears of widespread escalating violence in the Middle East.

Democrats on Capitol Hill claim it was 'unconstitutional' for the president to order US fighter jets, destroyers and submarines to hit targets used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Biden was also lambasted by Donald Trump for 'dropping bombs all over the Middle East, AGAIN' instead of focusing on the migrant crisis at the US southern border.

Trump’s Latest About-Face: He Now Says 2020 Election Was ‘Long Over’

In the months after the 2020 election, Donald Trump leaned on his campaign to launch ad blitzes and legal challenges to the results, insisting to his supporters that the election was “a long way from over.” He even told state and federal courts he was suing in his capacity as a political candidate.

Now, in a bid to derail criminal charges, he’s saying the opposite. At least six times in the past two weeks, Trump has declared that the election was “long over” by the time he began pushing state officials and then-Vice President Mike Pence to overturn his defeat.

Hunter Biden Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Tax Charges

Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to nine federal tax charges in the Central District of California on Thursday before District Judge Mark Scarsi.

Federal prosecutors allege President Biden's son engaged in a "four-year scheme" to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in federal taxes. In December, they charged Hunter Biden with nine counts of tax crimes, including three felony and six misdemeanor charges related to his alleged failure to file and pay taxes, evasion of assessment and filing a false or fraudulent tax return. If convicted, he faces up to 17 years in prison.

Biden Cancels Student Loans For More Borrowers

Starting next month, borrowers enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education plan who took out less than $12,000 in loans and have been in repayment for 10 years will get their remaining student debt cancelled, the administration announced Friday.

The SAVE plan provisions come nearly six months ahead of schedule, per the White House, and are intended to help community college and low-income borrowers.

The Department of Education did not immediately respond to Axios about how many people will have their debt cancelled through the initiative or what the dollar amount of debt cancelled will be.

Wisconsin Headlines

LeMahieu Says Another Tax Cut Plan In The Works, Questions Use Of State-Run Dispensaries In Vos Medical Marijuana Plan

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu says he’s working on another income tax cut that would raise the income limits for the second-lowest tax bracket by more than $100,000.

The Oostburg Republican told the WisPolitics luncheon at The Madison Club Thursday that he’s still hashing out the details with Joint Finance Committee Co-chair Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green. But he wants to raise the income limits of the second of four brackets so that families making up to $150,000 or $200,000 for married joint filers fit into the bracket, which currently has a limit of $36,840.

The change would mean more Wisconsinites are eligible for the 4.4% income tax who currently fit within the 5.3% bracket, which currently has a cap of $405,550 for married joint filers.

Inflation Is Coming Down, But There's A Long Way To Go, Fed Tells Wisconsin Banking Officials

Inflation has come down noticeably over the last year, while the economy has continued to add new jobs. But there’s still a way to go before interest rates start to come down, leaving Wisconsin industries uncertain about what the next year will bring.

That was the message from a Federal Reserve official who addressed Wisconsin banking and economic development executives during a virtual Midwest Economic Forecast Forum Thursday.

The same day, the federal government released the final consumer price index, or CPI, report examining 2023. From December 2022 to the same month last year, CPI inflation fell from 6.5 percent to 3.4 percent. The CPI also rose by 0.3 percent from November to December.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Refuses To Reconsider Order For New Legislative Maps

The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court on Jan. 11 refused to reconsider its ruling ordering the drawing of new legislative maps, rejecting a request from Republican lawmakers to put its December order on hold.

The court ruled 4-3 on Dec. 22 that the current maps, drawn by Republicans, are unconstitutional and must be redone in time for the November election. Jan. 12 is the deadline for parties in the lawsuit, which includes state lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, to submit new maps.

Repeat Sex Offender From Wisconsin Sentenced To 18 Years For Producing Child Pornography

Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert D. Sutton, Jr., 52, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 years in prison for producing child pornography. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by a lifetime period of supervised release. Sutton pleaded guilty to this charge on October 3, 2023.

In May 2021, law enforcement received information that Sutton was sexually assaulting Minor A, then age 13, and Minor B, then age 15.  As part of the investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Sutton’s phone and found numerous close-up images of him assaulting the minors.

DHS Recommends Pregnant People Get RSV, Other Vaccines This Winter

Officials at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services say pregnant people who want to protect their newborns from R S V can choose to get vaccinated.

Wisconsin Immunization Program Coordinator Dr. Stephanie Schauer says the new vaccine can transfer over to the newborn ahead of birth.

“RSV really has significant and can have severe impacts on pediatric cases and newborns.”

Dr. Schauer there’s a shortage of the vaccine meant for infants, but there’s a short window in pregnancy to transfer that protection.