Thursday Afternoon Update: Pelosi Bodycam Footage To Be Released, Memphis Police Officers Fired, And More

This article is a companion piece to today’s Morning Wire Afternoon Update. To listen to the podcast version, click here.

National Archives Asks Ex-Presidents and Veeps To Search For Classified Docs

The National Archives is now officially requesting that former U.S. presidents and vice presidents review their personal records for any classified documents or other presidential records. In a letter sent Thursday to presidential representatives from the last six administrations, the National Archives asked that they check their files for quote “inadvertently” retained presidential records. The letter states, “the responsibility to comply” with the Presidential Records Act “does not diminish after the end of an administration.”

Paul Pelosi Bodycam Footage To Be Released

A San Francisco judge has ordered that police body cam footage related to an October attack on Paul Pelosi be released. The order comes after a coalition of news outlets filed a motion to release the footage on January 11. The coalition included The New York Times, Washington Post, and Fox News.

Russia Kills 11 With Self-Exploding Drones And Missiles

Russian forces hit several Ukrainian provinces with missiles and self-exploding drones early Thursday – and according to Ukrainian officials – killed at least 11 people in all. The attacks follow Russia’s apparent strategy of striking power plants and other critical infrastructure about every two weeks. This most recent attack comes after Germany and the U.S. promised Wednesday to send high-tech battle tanks to Ukraine and green-lit other allies to do the same.

Memphis Police Officers Fired

Five officers fired in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols are in custody, according to jail records. All five former officers face several charges including aggravated assault, official misconduct, and second-degree murder. Officials say Nichols was pulled over in Memphis on January 7th for alleged reckless driving. Police say a confrontation followed, and then Nichols ran off eventually leading to another “confrontation” in which Nichols complained about being short of breath. Attorneys for the Nichols family who reviewed the footage claim that Nichols was beaten “like a human piñata” for three minutes. Nichols was transported to a hospital in an ambulance and died three days later.

Foreign National Pleads Guilty After Attempting To Poison U.S. Officials

A 55-year-old dual citizen of Canada and France pleaded guilty Wednesday to a failed attempt to poison numerous public officials by mailing threatening letters containing homemade ricin toxins to their homes, including to former President of the United States Donald Trump at the White House in 2020.

Economy Grows In The Fourth Quarter

According to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, The American economy grew at a 2.9% annualized rate in the fourth quarter of 2022, slightly surpassing expectations even as recessionary concerns loom.

Ted Cruz Puts Forth D.C. Ban On Illegal Alien Voting

Republican Senator Ted Cruz passed legislation this week that would ban non-citizens and illegal aliens from voting in local DC elections. In October D.C. City Council passed a bill that would let non-citizens cast their vote in municipal elections.

Tens Of Billions Expected To Be Spent On Valentine’s Day This Year

Americans are projected to spend almost 26 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day. That’s according to the National Retail Federation. That’s a lot of chocolate.

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