Morning Headlines - Friday, May 5, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

Proud Boys Members, Ex-Leader Enrique Tarrio Guilty In Seditious Conspiracy Trial

The one-time president of the far-right Proud Boys group Enrique Tarrio and three subordinates were convicted of numerous felonies including seditious conspiracy for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

A federal jury in Washington, D.C. found Tarrio, Ethan Nordean, Zachary Rehl and Joseph Biggs guilty of conspiring to prevent the peaceful transfer of power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden and using force and prior planning to hinder the 2020 presidential election certification.

The jury initially did not find a verdict for the fifth defendant, Dominic Pezzola, on the most serious charge, seditious conspiracy, and they were sent back to deliberate by Judge Timothy Kelly. After several hours, they found him not guilty of seditious conspiracy, but remained hung on whether he was part of the conspiracy to obstruct. They sent a note to the judge that after lengthy discussions, all jurors firmly agree that further discussions" will not yield agreement and they were dismissed.

Clarence Thomas’s Problems Multiply At Supreme Court

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing a fresh round of scrutiny after the third blockbuster report in less than a month links him financially to GOP megadonor Harlan Crow.

ProPublica reported Thursday that Crow, a Dallas-based real estate developer, paid thousands of dollars in tuition to a private boarding school for Thomas’s great-nephew, whom Thomas has said he raised “as a son.”

Federal ethics laws require the justices to report gifts given to a “dependent child,” but that term is defined to only include the justices’ children or stepchildren. Thomas’s allies have insisted the payment doesn’t violate the disclosure law since it was for Thomas’s sister’s grandson.

New England States Are Exonerating Colonial-Era Witches — But Not Everyone Is On Board

Connecticut state Rep. Doug Dubitsky does not believe in witches. He wants to make this very clear.

“There are plenty of people in this day and age who think there is such a thing as witchcraft,” Dubitsky said in a recent phone interview. “I don’t happen to be one of them.”

Dubitsky’s unusual clarification was prompted by coverage of his objections to a bill currently before the Connecticut state legislature — coverage he says made him look like “a rube” who believed in witches — to exonerate Connecticut residents who were convicted of crimes relating to witchcraft in the 1600s. Dubitsky said he took issue with the vague wording of the bill and wanted more information about the crimes “related” to witchcraft and what exactly the legislature was going to exonerate them for.

Burger King Will Close Up To 400 Stores By The End Of The Year

Burger King has estimated that the fast food giant will have to shutter up to 400 locations across the country this year.

The iconic burger chain said that underperforming stores will be the first to go.

Following the announcement of the company's first quarter results, CEO Joshua Kobza said the chain expects to shut between 300 and 400 locations in 2023.

Historian Claims To Have Located Mystery ‘Mona Lisa’ Bridge

Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” is one of the best-known artworks in the world, famous for its beauty as well as the mystery surrounding the identity of the model and the location painted behind her.

A source of debate for centuries, the village of Ponte Buriano, a suburb of Arezzo in the Tuscany region of Italy, is so convinced the bridge behind Mona Lisa is the Ponte Buriano that they’ve made it a key feature of their local tourism campaign, even laying claim to the bridge on the village’s welcome sign.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin Lawmakers Unveil Bipartisan Bills Overhaul Election Practices

Wisconsin lawmakers unveiled bipartisan plans on May 4 to address problems that have disrupted how elections have been administered in the presidential battleground state since 2020.

Among other changes, the proposals would prevent last-minute polling site closures, better protect election officials and enact stricter military voting requirements to deter fraud.

The bills add to a growing list of proposals from a group of Democrats and Republicans focused on making the state’s elections safer and more secure. Their efforts stand in stark contrast to bills put forth by GOP lawmakers during the previous legislative session that sought to limit local clerks’ power and make it harder to vote.

Attorneys Attempt To Throw Out Lawsuit Against 1849 Abortion Ban, Josh Kaul Pushes Back

Attorneys from both sides of the aisle argued Thursday on the validity of a lawsuit targeting the 1849 abortion ban in Wisconsin.

The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Josh Kaul after the repeal of Roe v. Wade last year implies that the 1849 law is obsolete and can't be enforced.

Opposing arguments brought forward by Sheboygan District Attorney Joel Urmanski, however, suggest that since the law has never been repealed by the state legislature, it should remain in effect.

Attorneys from both sides Thursday argued before a Dane County Judge, the first time the lawsuit has made its way to the court room.

Reason Behind Tara Sullivan’s Disappearance Still Unknown

Authorities say they still don’t have a clear answer why Tara Sullivan disappeared last month.

“Since the April 19, 2023, announcement that 47-year-old Tara Jane Sullivan of Weston was missing, law enforcement has conducted numerous ground, drone and K9 searches, examined multiple leads, and processed several pieces of evidence in hopes it would lead them to Tara, or a better understanding of the circumstances around her disappearance,” a statement from Marathon County authorities said Thursday. “Despite everyone’s best efforts, no significant developments have been reached in the case.”

Captain of Investigations Jeff Stefonek of the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office said it’s unclear if Tara was experiencing a mental health crisis, was abducted, or left under her own will.

Wisconsin Bill Would Create State Hospital Price Transparency Requirement

A group of Republican state lawmakers is introducing a plan that they say would force Wisconsin hospitals to be more transparent about how much they're charging for procedures.

The move is opposed by the state's hospital association, which argues it duplicates a similar requirement by the federal government.

The plan introduced by state Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, and other GOP lawmakers would require hospitals to keep a list on their website of 300 "shoppable services," or nonemergency procedures they provide. The plan would ban hospitals from charging for the information or requiring people to set up user accounts to read it.

The state's Department of Health Services would be in charge of enforcing the requirement. If hospitals don't comply, DHS could fine smaller facilities up to $600 per day. Larger hospitals, those with more than 550 beds, could get hit with daily fines of $10,000.

Milwaukee Bucks Dismiss Coach Mike Budenholzer After 5 Seasons And A Championship Win

The Milwaukee Bucks have fired coach Mike Budenholzer after the East's top seed suffered a first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat.

"The decision to make this change was very difficult," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement Thursday. "Bud helped lead our team for five incredible seasons, to the Bucks' first title in 50 years, and into an era of sustained success. We are grateful for the culture of winning and leadership that Bud helped create in Milwaukee.

"This is an opportunity for us to refocus and reenergize our efforts as we continue building toward our next championship season."