Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024

U.S. and World Headlines

Trump's Ballot Eligibility Is Headed To The Supreme Court. Here's What To Know

When the nine members of the Supreme Court take their seats on the bench on Thursday, they will be wading into uncharted legal waters to hear a case that could have sweeping ramifications for the 2024 presidential race.

The dispute before the court involves whether former President Donald Trump is ineligible for a second term in office because of his conduct surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. A decision against him could disrupt his bid for a second term in the White House. The outcome of the legal battle is expected to reverberate across all 50 states, since it could provide clarity about Trump's eligibility for the primary and general election ballots.

In Stunner, House GOP Bid To Impeach Mayorkas Fails

A House GOP effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas failed in embarrassing fashion Tuesday as three Republicans joined Democrats in voting against what would have been the second-ever impeachment of a Cabinet official.

The 214-216 vote is a stunning loss for a GOP that has faced continual pressure from its right flank to impeach a Biden official, even as the party has waffled over which one to focus on.

The House Rejected A Bill That Would Have Provided $17.6 Billion In Israel Aid. Here's Why

The House failed to pass over $17.6 billion in assistance to Israel on Tuesday. It's a blow to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s attempts to kill the Senate’s sweeping, bipartisan deal that would tie foreign aid to changes in border and migrant policy.

The bill failed by a vote of 250-180. The legislation faced fierce opposition from multiple corners of the lower chamber and required significant bipartisan support as Republican leaders put the bill under suspension, a procedural tactic that fast-tracks a bill for a vote but requires two-thirds support to pass.

Worse Than You Can Imagine: Haley Loses To ‘None Of These Candidates’ In Nevada

Nikki Haley suffered a major embarrassment in Nevada on Tuesday, finishing far behind “none of these candidates” in a presidential primary in which Donald Trump didn’t even compete.

Haley’s second-place drubbing to the disembodied alternative on the ballot came in an otherwise no-stakes primary that will not award delegates to the Republican Party’s presidential nominating convention. Trump is expected to romp in the contest that will award delegates, the party-run caucus later this week.

Three Reasons Why So Many Migrants Want To Cross From Mexico To US

Migrant arrivals at the border have risen to record highs during President Joe Biden's administration, a massive political headache for him ahead of the election.

Polls suggest that more than two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Mr Biden's handling of the issue.

His likely opponent in November's presidential election, Donald Trump, has this week condemned a cross-party bill trying to address the problem, saying it's not tough enough.

But it's not just Republicans who are unhappy about the influx. Democratic mayors in cities struggling to cope with the numbers are also making their feelings known.

More than 6.3 million migrants have been detained crossing into the US illegally under Biden, a higher number than under Trump, Obama or George W Bush.

The reasons for the spike are complex, with some factors pre-dating this government and beyond the control of the US. We asked experts what's going on.

Wisconsin Headlines

Man Receives Life Sentence For Murder Of Dodgeville, Wis. Woman

The Wisconsin Department of Justice today announced that Aric L. Way, 52, of Glendale, Wis., was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release on supervision for the murder of his mother in Dodgeville, Wis. on July 19, 2021.

“This sentence reflects the gravity of the horrible crime committed in this case,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “I’m thankful to those who ensured that the defendant will face the consequences.”

On July 19, 2021, the victim was found deceased in her Dodgeville, Wis., home. An autopsy determined carbon monoxide poisoning to be a contributing factor to the cause of death. The victim had recently agreed to sell the family farm, which Mr. Way’s son and co-defendant, Philip G. Schmidt-Way, was set to inherit upon the victim’s death. The evidence at trial showed that there were no obvious sources to explain elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the home. Mr. Way purchased products known to react together to create carbon monoxide and Mr. Schmidt-Way’s vehicle was seen on camera at the victim’s home on the night of her death.

Mr. Schmidt-Way also was found guilty of the homicide.

Wisconsin Is Getting Speedier When It Comes To Granting Professional Licenses, Audit Finds

Wisconsin is getting speedier when it comes to giving out professional licenses.

That’s according to a nonpartisan audit, which lawmakers on Wisconsin’s joint audit committee discussed during a committee hearing Tuesday.

The Republican-led legislative committee ordered the probe into Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services, or DSPS, last year amid complaints about long waits from people seeking occupational licenses.

Wisconsin DNR Calls For Volunteer Campground Hosts

If you want to share your love of the outdoors, consider becoming a volunteer campground host or a volunteer equestrian campground host.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources volunteers would stay at a campground and volunteer for a few hours each day.

While there, the host would speak with campers and answer their questions about the property, clean campsites and bathrooms, and help with other daily operations.

Wisconsin Provides Added Protections For Migrant Workers

Migrant seasonal farm workers in Wisconsin have additional health and safety protections, including heat protections, under revised administrative rules that took effect Feb. 1, 2024. The updates create requirements for disease and illness prevention in migrant labor camps should a public health emergency arise.

The changes are the first significant updates to state migrant labor rules in Chapter DWD 301 since 2007.

"Wisconsin's migrant seasonal farm workers play an essential role in our labor force, helping to put food on our tables and keeping our rural economy strong," said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. "These changes ensure important protections are in place, benefiting migrant seasonal farm workers and camp operators. We thank members of the Governor's Council on Migrant Labor and many other agencies and stakeholders for helping to inform the first substantive changes to the rules in some 17 years."

Milwaukee Business Owner Convicted Of Tax And Bankruptcy Offenses

Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Lakeesha S. Jackson (age: 45) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to federal tax and bankruptcy crimes.

According to court documents, Jackson was the owner and operator of Nurturing Concepts LLC, a personal care agency. She willfully failed to pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) more than $100,000 in payroll taxes her business withheld from employee paychecks in the second, third, and fourth quarters of 2017.

Nurturing Concepts then filed a bankruptcy petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code listing the IRS as its largest creditor. Jackson admitted to fraudulently submitting a forged bank statement during this proceeding in an effort to hide a $40,000 transfer from Nurturing Concepts to Jackson’s successor business, Center of Care LLC. Jackson further admitted to improperly diverting to this successor business payments made out to Nurturing Concepts.