Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Jul. 26, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

UFO Whistleblowers To Testify Unknown Objects Are 'Far Superior' To US Tech, Govt 'Operating With Secrecy'

Three witnesses who are set to appear Wednesday morning before the House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs are expected to testify that the United States government should share information and intelligence it has with the American people concerning unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), previously known as unidentified flying objects (UFO).

The witnesses include David Grusch, an intelligence officer for 14 years in the U.S. Air Force at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; Ryan "FOBS" Graves, a former F-18 pilot with over a decade of service in the U.S. Navy; and David Fravor, a retired commander in the U.S. Navy who was also the commanding officer of Strike Fighter Squadron 41, the world-famous Black Aces.

Hunter Biden Expected To Plead Guilty In Criminal Tax Case

Hunter Biden, the troubled second son of the president, is expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor counts of failing to pay his taxes at the federal courthouse in Delaware on Wednesday morning.

It is the first time the Justice Department, which falls under the executive branch, has brought charges against the child of a sitting president.

After he arrives at the federal courthouse Wednesday morning, Biden is expected to follow the terms of the plea agreement he reached last month with U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who was appointed by President Donald Trump and allowed to remain by President Joe Biden to oversee the case.

Senate Republicans See Biden Impeachment As Fraught With Risk

Senate Republicans see impeaching President Biden ahead of the 2024 election as a risky political strategy that could turn off moderate voters and are hoping to wave their House GOP colleagues off from marching down that road.

GOP senators say the party is better off focused on how to improve Americans’ lives in the future instead of fighting messy battles to settle past political scores.

“Staying focused on the future and not the past is in my view the best way to change the direction of the country and that’s to win an election,” Senate Republican Whip, John Thune (S.D.) told reporters Tuesday.

Mega Millions Estimated Jackpot Nears $1 Billion, At $910 Million, After No Winners Of Roughly $820 Million

The Mega Millions estimated jackpot jumped to $910 million after no winning tickets were sold for Tuesday night's pot of gold of some $820 million.

The winning numbers for Tuesday's estimated jackpot, the fifth-largest in the game's history, were 3, 5, 6, 44 and 61, and a Mega Ball of 25.

The next drawing will be Friday night, and the grand prize could well surpass the estimated $910 million mark as more and more tickets are gobbled up.

UPS Deal Raises The Bar For Worker Demands

UPS workers are celebrating the deal their union reached with the company on Tuesday as the biggest win in a generation.

The tentative five-year agreement between UPS and the Teamsters union representing more than 340,000 workers averted what would've been the biggest strike in decades. It will likely embolden unionized workers around the country to dig in their heels and demand higher wages and better benefits.

Wisconsin Headlines

RNC Taps Wisconsin For First Early Voting Initiative

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel announced the party has tapped Wisconsin to be the first state to implement its new early voting initiative.

McDaniel argued the “Bank Your Vote” effort the Republican National Committee announced last month will help the party get a leg up over Dems in 2024. The campaign will encourage voters to cast their ballots ahead of election day – a practice some Republicans are leery of as former President Donald Trump continues to deny his 2020 loss.

“When you have a football game, you don’t wait ’til the fourth quarter to start scoring,” McDaniel said on a media call with state GOP Chair Brian Schimming and U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien.

Survivors Of Sexual Assault Could Go After Rapists For Child Support Payment Under GOP Proposal

People who become pregnant by sexual assault and give birth could go after rapists for child support — even if the rapist's parental rights are terminated — under a GOP proposal.

Republican state Sen. Cory Tomcyzk and state Rep. Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers, are introducing the legislation, which is circulating for co-sponsorship. They argue the person convicted of sexual assault "should bear both halves of the financial responsibility for raising the child."

"This bill is about holding people accountable for their actions. It's a pro-life bill," Tomcyzk said.

Lawmakers Propose New Bill Removing Sales Tax On Childcare Items

The newly-proposed Tiny Tot Tax Cut would create a sales tax exemption in Wisconsin for childcare essentials like diapers, bottles and car seats.

The co-sponsors, Rep. David Steffen (R-Green Bay) and Sen. Jesse James (R-Altoona), expect the bill to provide some relief to working families by reducing the financial burden associated with the products infants and children need.

When they announced the bill Monday, the sponsors said the Legislative Fiscal Bureau projected the tax cut would save parents $37 million within two years of its approval.

Wisconsin Law Enforcement Agencies To Conduct Special Speed Enforcement Wednesday

About 100 law enforcement agencies, including the Wisconsin State Patrol, will join officers from 11 states across the Midwest to step up patrols for Speed Enforcement Day on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

The campaign is a 24-hour, high-visibility enforcement effort involving state, county and local law enforcement agencies. The Wisconsin State Patrol will have all available officers working statewide to stop drivers who are endangering safety on the roads.

Former Chief Executive Officer Sentenced To 16 Months In Federal Prison For Investment Fraud Scheme

Joseph Nemeth (age: 53) of Germantown, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for carrying out an investment scheme that defrauded over 20 victims and caused a loss of at least $2.2 million. Nemeth had earlier pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.

The information presented at sentencing showed that Nemeth partnered with another individual to form a real estate business, Wisconsin Home Buyers Network, LLC (WIHBN), of which Nemeth was the Chief Executive Officer. Between 2012 and 2018, the partners solicited and obtained from more than 20 investors approximately $2.8 million, promising little or no risk and monetary returns ranging from 12% to 36%. In return, investors received promissory notes detailing the investment terms. Some investors also received mortgages that purported to be for specific properties to be acquired and rehabilitated with the investor’s funds, although the partners failed to record all but a few of the mortgages.