Morning Headlines - Monday, Dec. 5, 2022

U.S. and World Headlines

Same-Sex Marriage Fight Continues Monday At The Supreme Court With Challenge From Website Designer

The Supreme Court will revisit the intersection of LGBTQ rights and religious liberty on Monday, when it takes up the case of a graphic designer who seeks to start a website business to celebrate weddings – but does not want to work with same-sex couples.

The case comes as supporters of LGBTQ rights fear the 6-3 conservative majority – fresh off its decision to reverse a near 50-year-old abortion precedent – may be setting its sights on ultimately reversing a landmark 2015 opinion called Obergefell v. Hodges that cleared the way for same-sex marriage nationwide.

The House this week is expected to pass a bill that requires states to recognize another state’s legal marriage if Obergefell were ever overturned. The bill would then go to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature.

Hawley, Cruz, Rubio Emerge As Champions Of GOP Populism Amid Trump’s Decline

Sens. Josh Hawley (Mo.), Ted Cruz (Texas) and Marco Rubio (Fla.) are emerging as the new champions of conservative populism at a time when many Republicans think former President Trump’s grip on the party is slipping.

All three GOP senators voted with almost the entire Senate Democratic caucus to give seven days of paid sick leave to 115,000 rail workers who threatened to go on strike because of an impasse in labor negotiations.

Trump touted a new brand of Republican populism that brought many first-time voters to the polls for the 2016 presidential election and helped him stun political experts and handicappers by defeating Hillary Clinton.

While Trump’s popularity among Republican voters may be slipping, this group of Senate conservatives, who are thought to harbor their own presidential ambitions, are embracing the populism that worked so well for him in 2016.

Hawley has been at the front of the push to remake the GOP from the party of corporate executives to the party of the working man and woman.

Trump Claims Grounds For "Termination" Of U.S. Constitution

Former President Donald Trump fueled controversy over the weekend by suggesting that parts of the U.S. Constitution should face "termination." As CBS News correspondent Robert Costa reports, it was just the latest in a series of words and deeds from the former leader that have Republicans grasping for how to respond to a man who still commands significant public support, but whose extreme views continue to drift further away from mainstream American politics.

Trump's latest comments, issued Saturday in a post on his "Truth Social" media platform, came in response to a report by journalist Matt Taibbi that showed Twitter employees deliberating in October 2020 about how to handle a New York Post article about a laptop belonging to President Biden's son Hunter Biden. Taibbi reported that both the Biden campaign and the Trump White House had communicated with Twitter about content on the platform.

Trump claimed the conversations between Twitter and political officials had revealed "a massive fraud" so serious that it "allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution."

Hackers Linked To Chinese Government Stole Millions In Covid Benefits, Secret Service Says

Hackers linked to the Chinese government stole at least $20 million in U.S. Covid relief benefits, including Small Business Administration loans and unemployment insurance funds in over a dozen states, according to the Secret Service.

The theft of taxpayer funds by the Chengdu-based hacking group known as APT41 is the first instance of pandemic fraud tied to foreign, state-sponsored cybercriminals that the U.S. government has acknowledged publicly, but may just be the tip of the iceberg, say U.S. law enforcement officials and cybersecurity experts.

The officials and experts, most speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject matter, say other federal investigations of pandemic fraud also seem to point back to foreign state-affiliated hackers.

“It would be crazy to think this group didn’t target all 50 states,” said Roy Dotson, national pandemic fraud recovery coordinator for the Secret Service, who also acts as a liaison to other federal agencies probing pandemic fraud.

Customer Sues TGI Fridays After Discovering Their ‘Mozzarella Sticks’ Have No Mozzarella In Them

A customer sued TGI Fridays after ordering Mozzarella sticks and discovering they are only filled with cheddar cheese.

Amy Joseph, from Illinois, filed the lawsuit in 2021 against the chain along with Inventure Foods, the 'Mozzarella Sticks' snack maker.

But in a recent twist, Federal judge Robert Dow Jr. let TGI Fridays off the hook, but allowed the case against Inventure Foods to continue.

The judge agreed with Joseph that the name of the snack is misleading because it contains no mozzarella cheese, only cheddar.

Wisconsin Headlines

Group Calls On Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul To Escalate Clergy Sex Abuse Investigation

A Madison-based secular group is calling on Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to escalate a statewide review of clergy sex abuse that launched last year.

The request follows the release of names of nearly two dozen clergy by the Catholic Diocese of Superior, which it says have had credible claims of sexually abusing minors made against them.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which advocates for separation of church and state, sent a Dec. 1 letter to Kaul asking him to increase resources for the investigation after the release of names.

"Given these revelations self-reported by the Superior Diocese, we believe that re-opening an independent investigation would potentially unearth more clergy abuse that has harmed so many, and is in order," wrote Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker, co-presidents of the foundation.

A survivor advocacy group said in August that the Wisconsin Department of Justice downgraded its statewide investigation to a review, which the foundation says stripped legal resources to conduct a full investigation.

"We are saying that they should use every resource at their disposal to investigate these claims of abuse in the state of Wisconsin," Gaylor said. "Because, otherwise, they'll be covered up."

Wisconsin Facing Oklahoma State In Guaranteed Rate Bowl

The Wisconsin Badgers will take on Oklahoma State in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix Arizona on December 27.

The Badgers finished the regular season with a 6-6 overall record, 4-5 in Big Ten play.

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl is the only bowl game between the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences. This will be the first meeting between Wisconsin and Oklahoma State.

“I’m really excited for this opportunity for our players,” Head Wisconsin Football Coach Luke Fickell said. “Oklahoma State is a great program and I have tremendous respect for Coach Gundy and his staff. Bowl games are great rewards for players and staff and I can’t wait to start our preparation.”

Graham Mertz Enters Transfer Portal

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz, a former top-25 national recruit who started the past 32 games for the Badgers, will enter the transfer portal.

Mertz announced his decision Sunday, noting that he has two seasons of eligibility. His name does not yet appear in the portal. He had been vocal in his support for Badgers interim coach Jim Leonhard to get the permanent job, but Wisconsin instead hired Cincinnati's Luke Fickell on Nov. 27.

In a statement on Twitter, Mertz thanked former coach Paul Chryst, offensive coordinator Bobby Engram and others for "making my dream come true."

Rodgers, Packers Rally In 4th Quarter To Beat Bears 28-19

Aaron Rodgers figured the Green Bay Packers were in a good spot and would find a way to pull out the win. Given his history against the Chicago Bears, it wasn't exactly a big leap of faith.

Rodgers led three fourth-quarter scoring drives, receiver Christian Watson took an end-around 46 yards for a touchdown in the closing minutes after Jaire Alexander intercepted Justin Fields, and Green Bay rallied to beat Chicago 28-19 on Sunday.

The Packers (5-8) looked like they were on their way to another loss after dropping seven of eight. They trailed by 13 in the second quarter and were down 19-10 through three before before outscoring Chicago 18-0 in the fourth on the way to their eighth straight win over their rival. The Bears (3-10) lost their sixth game in a row.

“There was probably a lot of people that felt good at 19-10,” Rodgers said. “So did I.”

Wisconsin Boy, 10, Charged As Adult In Alleged Killing Of Mom Over Amazon Purchase

A 10-year-old boy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is being charged as an adult after allegedly shooting and killing his 44-year-old mother last week because he was mad she wouldn't buy him a video game headset from Amazon.

The boy faces a first-degree murder charge and up to 60 years in prison if convicted in the fatal shooting. The boy, who family members said has mental health issues, is being held in juvenile detention.

The shooting happened at the boy's home near 87th and Hemlock at around 7 a.m. Nov. 21