March 8 top stories
It is March 8. Here are today’s top stories.
Tucker Carlson and Jan 6. footage controversy
There is controversy with Fox News host Tucker Carlson over his portrayal of the Jan 6. attack on the Capitol.
Carlson recently received over 41,000 hours of footage around the Capitol and released several selected clips on his show. He took a focus on Jake Angeli, known as Jacob Chansley, who is one of the most prominent rioters because of his headdress with horns and animal fur. He is currently serving a prison term of over three years. Carlson revealed that when he was inside the Capitol, several police officers were walking with him in a peaceful manner. See this clip.
[Clips from Fox News showing Jake Angeli casually walking in the Capitol around multiple police officers]
Tucker was trying to make a point that the Jan. 6 House Committee that investigated the attack and Donald Trump’s role in it did not show footage where the rioters were calmly walking through the Capitol. He said the Jan 6. Committee are “liars.”
The fact is that Angeli entered the Capitol through a broken door. See this clip.
[Video clip showing Angeli among a group of people who broke through a window and a door outside of the Capitol]
When he sat in the Senate chamber, he wrote on a paper that then-Vice President Pence was a f—— traitor and that it was only a matter of time before justice was coming.
The chief of the U.S. Capitol Police said the Fox News broadcast was “filled with offensive and misleading conclusions,” explaining that the videos were “cherry-picked from the calmer moments” of the day.
Carlson’ segment also tried to portray Brian Sicknick, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who died of a stroke the day after the riot, as appearing physically okay on January 6.
The chief of the U.S. Capitol Police said it is common sense that if Officer Sicknick didn’t fight for hours with rioters, he would still be alive.
The Senate’s Republican leader Mitch McConnell said he completely supports the police chief and that Fox News made a mistake. But there are House Republicans that are supportive of Carlson’s footage and said it provided Americans with transparency.
Oklahoma votes against legalizing recreational marijuana
Voters in Oklahoma rejected a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana yesterday in a special election. Over 560,000 people voted and 61% voted “no.”
Oklahoma has already legalized medical marijuana since 2018 and has over 2,800 licensed dispensaries.
There are currently 21 states that legalize recreational marijuana. Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota rejected the idea last year.
Five women from Texas sue state over abortion ban
NPR reported that “five women who were denied abortions under Texas law while facing medical crises are suing the state, asking a judge to clarify exceptions to the laws.”
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year allowed Texas and about 12 other states to enact abortion bans.
One of the plaintiffs said her water broke when she was 19 weeks pregnant, which was too early for the fetus to survive. Doctors denied her request for an abortion out of fears that they would violate Texas’ abortion ban. She flew to Colorado to get her abortion.
Two other women said they had complicated twin pregnancies where doctors said if one of the twins were terminated, the other twin would have the best chance of surviving. Four out of the five plaintiffs left Texas to get abortions in other states.
Others who support the lawsuit said they hope Texas doctors will have clear guidelines on what to do for pregnant patients who face serious medical complications.
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DOJ: Louisville police repeatedly violated civil rights
The Department of Justice said the Louisville Metro Police Department has “engaged in a pattern of unlawful and discriminatory conduct that violated the Constitution and federal law.” The police department became infamous after the death of Breonna Taylor during a raid on her home in 2020.
Axios said the DOJ conducted an investigation that lasted almost two years and released a report today. The report said LMPD officers discriminated against Black people in their enforcement activities, violated the rights of people engaged in protected free speech critical of policing, and discriminated against people with behavioral health disabilities.
The DOJ issued 36 remedial steps for the LMPD and the city’s government.
In separate news, the DOJ said it would investigate the Memphis Police Department after the brutal death of Tyre Nichols.
Two small planes collide, killing four
On Tuesday, two small planes crashed into each other over a lake in Winter Haven, Florida. Four people were killed. There were two people in each plane.
One of the planes was flown by a 24-year-old pilot and flight instructor named Faith Baker, who was traveling with a 19-year-old college student named Zachary Mace.
The other plane was carrying a 67-year-old man named Randall Crawford and a 78-year-old man named Louis Defazio.
Police said they got a 911 call at about 2 p.m. local time about the crash. One plane was found floating just below the surface of a lake while the other plane was lying on the bottom of the lake, 21 feet down. The FAA and the NTSB are investigating.
Stranded man uses drone to get help
A man in Oregon was driving across the Willamette National Forest in snowy conditions and his vehicle became stuck. He wanted to call for help but his phone did not have a signal. He had a drone with him and he decided to text a friend and then tied his phone to the drone and sent it several hundred feet into the sky. That idea worked as his text was sent and his friend was able to request emergency help. The man was rescued.
First responders said they found another person who was also stranded for several days. So two people were rescued.
That is all the top stories for today. See you tomorrow and stay with the light.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/07/us/republicans-tucker-carlson-jan-6.html
https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-recreational-marijuana-07b5aec5955d3507fa221f773a51c4c7
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/03/07/us/elections/results-oklahoma-question-820.html
https://www.npr.org/2023/03/07/1161486096/abortion-texas-lawsuit-women-sue-dobbs
https://abcnews.go.com/US/1-dead-small-plane-crash-central-florida-fatalities/story?id=97695172
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/08/us/florida-winter-haven-plane-collision/index.html
https://www.axios.com/2023/03/08/louisville-police-justice-department-civil-rights