Morning Headlines - Monday, Dec. 2, 2024

Start your day informed with today’s must-read headlines from around Wisconsin and the world. And don’t forget to check out our Meme of the Day and the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

Biden Pardons His Son, Hunter

President Biden announced Sunday he signed a pardon for his son, Hunter Biden, arguing the charges against his son were brought for political reasons.

The pardon clears Hunter Biden in both his federal cases.

Hunter Biden was found guilty in June in a federal case on three felony charges over his purchase and possession of a gun in 2018, violating the law by concealing drug use. He pleaded guilty in September to nine federal tax charges, avoiding a trial.

“No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son — and that is wrong,” Biden said in a statement.

Elon Musk Asks Court To Block Openai From Converting To A For-Profit

Elon Musk is asking a federal court to stop OpenAI from converting into a fully, for-profit business.

Lead counsel for Musk, Marc Toberoff, filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on Friday.

In the filing, attorneys argued that OpenAI “cannot lumber about the marketplace as a Frankenstein, stitched together from whichever corporate forms serve the pecuniary interests of Microsoft.”

Trump Threatens 100% Tariff On Brics Nations If They Try To Replace Dollar

US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on a bloc of nine nations if they were to create a rival currency to the US dollar.

"The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER," Trump wrote on social media on Saturday.

Major world powers China and Russia are part of the Brics alliance, along with Brazil, India, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.

Trump Taps Tiffany Trump's Father-In-Law Massad Boulos As Middle East Adviser

President-elect Donald Trump announced Sunday that he intends to nominate Massad Boulos, a billionaire businessman from Lebanon who is also father-in-law to Tiffany Trump, to serve as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.

Boulos' son, Michael Boulos, has been married to Trump's daughter Tiffany since 2022.

Trump announced Boulos as his pick for the advisory position in a post shared to his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday.

Georgia Is Being Rocked By Days Of Violent Protests

Days of protests have rocked Georgia following the government’s controversial decision to delay the former Soviet country’s bid to join the European Union.

Tensions have been brewing for months in the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million people, where critics accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of following increasingly authoritarian, pro-Russia policies in a turn away from the West that has tempered hopes for Georgia’s long-promised path to EU membership.

Wisconsin Headlines

Democratic Party Of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler Enters Race To Lead National Party

Since losing the White House and U.S. Senate in the 2024 election, Democrats are looking for new leadership — Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, has joined the race to lead the national party, with the DNC choosing a new chair in February 2025.

Gov. Evers Kicks Off 4th Annual Budget Listening Session Tour

Governor Tony Evers is kicking off the 4th annual statewide budget listening session tour to hear directly from Wisconsinites as he prepares the 2025-27 executive budget.

According to the press release, this session provides individuals with the opportunity to share their ideas and offer feedback on the state’s biennial budget, while allowing the governor to gain insight into the critical issues impacting Wisconsin.

General Election Results Are Now Canvassed And Official

The results of the 2024 General Election are now official after Wisconsin Elections Commission Chair Ann Jacobs publicly canvassed them Friday morning.

The signing of the canvass statements is the last major step of Wisconsin’s certification process. The results of all state-level and federal contests are now verified, and for most contests, a certificate of election will be issued.

DNR Since 2020 Named At Least Two Responsible For PFAS Contamination Agency Attributed To Other Parties

The Department of Natural Resources identified at least two parties in the past four years as responsible for addressing PFAS contamination the agency attributed to others, according to agency records.

The records show DNR has issued letters identifying responsible parties for PFAS contamination across 22 sites since 2020. And a WisPolitics review found DNR issued at least two such letters to parties even though the agency pinned the blame on others for causing the contamination. State law does not include a responsibility exemption for so-called “innocent landowners.”

Wisconsin Boy Found Dead In River A Day After Going Missing

A 7-year-old boy with autism has been found dead in a river in Wisconsin, a day after he went missing while playing outside.

Two Rivers, Wisconsin, police said they were called on Saturday for a missing child on Saturday. Jacob Baer, who had autism, was playing outside in Veteran's Park along the West Twin River when his parents lost sight of him, police said.