Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022

U.S. and World Headlines

Five Things To Know About Aileen M. Cannon, The Judge Who Granted Trump A Special Master

U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon shot into the spotlight on Monday after granting former President Trump’s request for an independent mediator to examine materials the FBI recovered during a search at his Mar-a-Lago residence last month.

Cannon, who was appointed by Trump in 2020, made the divisive decision after hearing arguments from the ex-president’s lawyers, who pushed for the special master, and attorneys from the Department of Justice (DOJ), who said the former president’s claims of privilege were unwarranted.

She ultimately ordered that a special master be appointed to determine what seized materials are protected by attorney-client and executive privilege. The ruling also directed the DOJ to temporarily stop using the retrieved materials for “investigative purposes” in an effort to “uphold the value of the special master review” — effectively pausing the department’s investigation.

Steve Bannon Expected To Face State Indictment In New York

Almost two years after he received a pardon from President Donald Trump in a federal fraud case, Steve Bannon is expected to face state indictment in New York.

In a statement first shared with NBC News on Tuesday night, Bannon said New York “has now decided to pursue phony charges against me 60 days before the midterm election.”

“This is nothing more than a partisan political weaponization of the criminal justice system,” added Bannon, who once was the chief White House strategist in the Trump administration.

Hillary Clinton: I'm Not Running For President Again

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton firmly declared that she will not be running for president again following her two failed bids in 2008 and 2016.

There has been growing political chatter over whether Clinton, who continues to be outspoken on current events and is now promoting her new "Gutsy" docuseries on Apple TV+, would seek a third White House bid as Democrats continue mulling if President Biden should seek re-election in 2024.

But the former first lady appeared to put the issue to bed.

Netflix: Saudi Arabia And GCC Warn Streaming Giant Over Violating 'Islamic Values'

Gulf Arab states have demanded that Netflix remove all content deemed to violate "Islamic and societal values and principles", Saudi media report.

Recent material, including that made for children, contravened regulations, Saudi and Gulf Co-operation Council media watchdogs warned in a statement.

It did not provide any further details. But Saudi state TV showed blurred clips from animated show Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, in which two teenage girls confess they love each other and kiss.

Most Workers Say They're "Quiet Quitting"

At least half of American workers say they're “quiet quitting” — performing only the tasks they’re required to, giving up on going “above and beyond," according to a new Gallup survey.

The pandemic made nearly all work harder to perform and that extra labor has taken a toll on employees — especially younger workers. They're responding by putting more and more distance between themselves and their jobs, or looking for new jobs.

The proportion of “actively disengaged” workers is now at 18% — the highest it’s been in nearly a decade, according to Gallup.

Wisconsin Headlines

Barnes Explains Decision Not To Join President Biden In Milwaukee

Monday, Labor Day, President Biden was in Wisconsin but one Democratic candidate who wasn’t on stage for the speech was Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who’s running for Republican Ron Johnson’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Tuesday, Barnes was in Green Bay, where he explained his decision.

Barnes met with union leaders and supporters in Green Bay.

“Well, we had a pretty packed schedule having to get around the state. I’m really grateful he’s shown his support for the labor movement in Wisconsin,” Barnes said.

Elections Commission Issues Guidance For Voters With Disabilities Who Need Help Returning Ballot

During a nearly two-hour meeting Tuesday evening, the Wisconsin Elections Commission voted on new guidance to give municipal clerks in regards to what assistance voters with disabilities can receive if they need help returning their ballot.

In a 4-2 vote, the commission decided voters with disabilities who need assistance are able to have someone of their choosing put their ballot in the mail or drop it off at the clerk's office. The only limitation comes from the Voting Rights Act, which says the person returning the ballot can't be the voter's employer, an agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union.

Licenses Revoked From 129 Vehicle Wholesale Dealers In August

The state of Wisconsin recently revoked the vehicle wholesale dealer license from 129 companies previously located at 101 Skyline Drive #1 W814, in Arlington.

The order, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Division of Motor Vehicles, determined that each of these wholesale dealers violated state law by failing to maintain business facilities and to make records available in violation of Wis. Admin. Code ch. Trans 138.03(1) and Trans 138.04(3).

There are 989 licenses issued to companies at this Arlington facility. Similar centralized facilities are in Elkhorn and Beaver Dam. Of the 1,748 total wholesale dealers licensed in Wisconsin, 1,507 are in centralized dealer facilities. The remaining 241 wholesale dealers, most of whom have been in business since at least 2018, are in “non-centralized” locations.

Wisconsin’s wholesale dealers can only sell, offer or negotiate sales of used motor vehicles to licensed dealers only. They cannot sell to the public.

DMV’s Dealer and Agent Section licenses, regulates and resolves disputes about dealership sales and warranty repairs. It also investigates complaints about odometer tampering and title fraud involving dealerships and private sellers.

List of wholesale dealers and their revocation date:

Wisconsin DOJ, 33 States Reach $438.5 Million Agreement With JUUL Labs

The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced today a $438.5 million agreement in principle between JUUL Labs and 33 states and territories resolving a two-year bipartisan investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices. Wisconsin’s allocated share of the agreement would be more than $14.4 million. In addition to the financial terms, the settlement would force JUUL to comply with a series of strict terms severely limiting their marketing and sales practices.

“Targeting youth for e-cigarette sales is appalling,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “This agreement brings accountability for JUUL’s conduct and prohibits JUUL from engaging in the types of marketing practices it had been using to promote vaping among young people.”

“This settlement is a win for Wisconsin in our efforts to protect the health and safety of our youth from harmful nicotine products,” said Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Karen Timberlake. “For too long, middle and high schoolers have been the target of manipulative and harmful marketing practices for products like e-cigarettes. I applaud the efforts of the Wisconsin DOJ, along with other states and partners, to take action to hold JUUL accountable for exposing our youth to the dangers of nicotine, addiction, and a variety of new health risks.”

'We Farm The Sun': For Some Wisconsin Dairy Farmers, Solar Energy Is A New Source Of Income

Brent Sinkula has been operating the Irish Acres dairy farm for 12 years. Before that, it was his father's farm, and his home.

"Since I was 5 years old, I was out there feeding calves and helping out," Sinkula said.

As president of the Manitowoc County Farm Bureau, Sinkula understands the challenges Wisconsin dairies are facing. The changing dairy market has made it more difficult for small and mid-sized farms to continue.

Small dairy farms with fewer than 200 cows can survive, Sinkula said, because a single family can run them without the expense of hiring outside labor. And large farms, those with more than 1,000 cows, can afford to hire help because their size means more profit.

At around 400 milking cows, Irish Acres falls somewhere in between.