HUNTER BIDEN IS INDICTED ON NINE TAX-RELATED CHARGES AS A SPECIAL COUNSEL’S INVESTIGATION INTO THE PRESIDENT’S SON CONTINUES

AND — A JUDGE GRANTS AN EMERGENCY ORDER ALLOWING A PREGNANT WOMAN TO GET AN ABORTION IN TEXAS

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8TH

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

HUNTER BIDEN WAS INDICTED ON NINE TAX-RELATED CHARGES IN CALIFORNIA THURSDAY – AS A SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATION CONTINUES INTO THE BUSINESS DEALINGS OF THE PRESIDENT’S SON.

THE NINE CHARGES — THREE FELONIES AND SIX MISDEMEANORS – BROUGHT BY SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS ALLEGE HUNTER BIDEN FAILED TO FILE AND PAY TAXES AND ALSO FILED A FALSE RETURN TO EVADE AN ASSESSMENT.

ACCORDING TO THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S TEAM – HUNTER BIDEN “ENGAGED IN A FOUR-YEAR SCHEME TO NOT PAY AT LEAST 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS”  —

WHILE SPENDING MILLIONS ON “AN EXTRAVAGANT LIFESTYLE.”

THE 56-PAGE INDICTMENT READ: “BETWEEN 2016 AND OCTOBER 15TH 2020, HUNTER BIDEN SPENT MONEY ON DRUGS, ESCORTS AND GIRLFRIENDS, LUXURY HOTELS, RENTAL PROPERTIES, EXOTIC CARS, CLOTHING, AND OTHER ITEMS OF PERSONAL NATURE, IN SHORT, EVERYTHING BUT HIS TAXES.”

IF CONVICTED – HUNTER BIDEN FACES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 17 YEARS IN PRISON.

THE TAX-RELATED CHARGES ARE IN ADDITION TO FEDERAL FIREARM CHARGES FILED IN DELAWARE THAT ALLEGE HUNTER BIDEN WAS IN POSSESSION OF A GUN WHILE USING NARCOTICS.

HE PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THOSE CHARGES IN OCTOBER FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF A PLEA DEAL.

IN RESPONSE TO THE NEW CHARGES – HUNTER BIDEN’S ATTORNEY RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING IN PART –

-“BASED ON THE FACTS AND THE LAW, IF HUNTER’S LAST NAME WAS ANYTHING OTHER THAN BIDEN, THE CHARGES IN DELAWARE, AND NOW CALIFORNIA, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT.”

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THURSDAY’S INDICTMENT— WITH AN OFFICIAL SAYING IT LEARNED OF THE CHARGES FROM THE MEDIA’S REPORTING AND DID NOT GET ADVANCED NOTICE.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS CONSIDERING BACKING NEW RESTRICTIONS ON WHO CAN SEEK ASYLUM IN AMERICA AS THE PRESIDENT LOOKS TO SECURE ADDITIONAL AID FOR UKRAINE AND ISRAEL — THAT’S ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT FROM REUTERS.

A SOURCE FAMILIAR WITH THE DISCUSSIONS – TELLING REUTERS THURSDAY – THE WHITE HOUSE WOULD BE OPEN TO HEIGHTENING THE STANDARD FOR INITIAL ASYLUM SCREENINGS.

IN ADDITION – THE SOURCE SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD CONSIDER SOME FORM OF A “SAFE THIRD COUNTRY” PROVISION — DENYING ASYLUM TO MIGRANTS WHO PASS THROUGH ANOTHER COUNTRY ON THE WAY TO THE U.S.

WITH ONLY A WEEK LEFT BEFORE CONGRESS DEPARTS FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK – THE WHITE HOUSE IS TRYING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH SENATE REPUBLICANS OVER  UKRAINE AID WHILE CONFRONTING THE RISING NUMBERS OF MIGRANTS CROSSING THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY.

EARLIER THIS WEEK – SENATE REPUBLICANS BLOCKED THE 110 BILLION DOLLAR EMERGENCY PACKAGE REQUESTED BY THE PRESIDENT – ARGUING IT FAILED TO ADDRESS STRICTER BORDER SECURITY MEASURES.

ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM A WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON — “THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID HE IS OPEN TO COMPROMISE.”

A TEXAS JUDGE RULED IN FAVOR OF A WOMAN WHO SAYS SHE IS IN NEED OF AN ABORTION AFTER HER FETUS WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A GENETIC ABNORMALITY THAT TYPICALLY LEADS TO A MISCARRIAGE, STILL BIRTH, OR DEATH SOON AFTER BIRTH.

TEXAS LAW BANS ABORTIONS UNDER NEARLY ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, BANS THAT WENT BACK INTO PLACE FOLLOWING THE OVERTURNING OF ROE VERSUS WADE BY THE SUPREME COURT IN JUNE 2022.

UNDER THE LAW —

ANYONE WHO PERFORMS AN ABORTION COULD FACE FELONY CHARGES PUNISHABLE BY A SENTENCE OF UP TO LIFE IN PRISON.

IN THIS CASE, THE DALLAS MOTHER WHO IS 20 WEEKS PREGNANT FILED FOR A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER THAT WOULD BLOCK THE STATE’S ABORTION BAN.

THE EMERGENCY ORDER WAS GRANTED BY A JUDGE ON THURSDAY.

ATTORNEYS FOR THE DALLAS MOTHER ALSO ARGUE SHE HAS ALREADY UNDERGONE TWO C-SECTIONS FOR HER TWO CHILDREN, AND ANOTHER C-SECTION COULD PUT HER AT RISK OF SERIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES.

STILL, EVEN WITH THURSDAY’S RULING — THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS THREATENED THAT ANYONE WHO PERFORMS THE ABORTION WOULD BE PROSECUTED AND COULD FACE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY UNDER TEXAS ABORTION LAWS.

THE SON OF  U-S SENATOR KEVIN CRAMER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER AFTER A POLICE CHASE ENDED IN A HIGH-SPEED CRASH KILLING A DEPUTY IN NORTH DAKOTA.

42-YEAR-OLD IAN CRAMER WAS CHARGED ON THURSDAY — ONE DAY AFTER POLICE ALLEGE HE ATTEMPTED TO FLEE FROM AUTHORITIES —  LEADING THEM ON A CHASE HITTING SPEEDS OVER 100 MILES PER HOUR.

ACCORDING TO POLICE, THE CHASE BEGAN AFTER IAN CRAMER’S MOTHER BROUGHT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL OVER CONCERNS ABOUT HIS MENTAL HEALTH, IAN CRAMER TOOK THE CAR AND CRASHED THROUGH A DOOR TO GET OUT OF AN ENCLOSED AMBULANCE BAY.

ACCORDING TO CHARGING DOCUMENTS, DURING THE CHASE, NORTH DAKOTA DEPUTY PAUL MARTIN LAID OUT A TIRE DEFLATION DEVICE AND TOOK COVER BEHIND HIS SQUAD CAR.

IAN CRAMER — WHO HAD ALREADY BEEN DRIVING ON FLAT TIRES — CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO MARTIN’S SQUAD CAR — PUSHING IT INTO MARTIN –

LAUNCHING THE DEPUTY ABOUT 100 FEET — AND KILLING HIM.

IAN CRAMER IS SLATED TO MAKE HIS FIRST APPEARANCE IN COURT TODAY.

IN A STATEMENT SENATOR CRAMER SAID QUOTE:

“WE ASK THE PUBLIC FOR PRAYERS FOR THE LOST OFFICER’S FAMILY AND COLLEAGUES WHO SERVE US EVERY DAY AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THEY DO FOR US.”

THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE HAS LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO HARVARD, M-I-T AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA FOLLOWING A HEARING THIS WEEK WHERE THE UNIVERSITIES’ PRESIDENTS WERE QUESTIONED BY LAWMAKERS ABOUT THE RISE OF ANTISEMITISM ON THEIR CAMPUSES AMID THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE THREE PRESIDENTS’ RESPONSES –

ESPECIALLY TO QUESTIONS ON DISCIPLINING STUDENT PROTESTERS CALLING FOR THE **GENOCIDE OF JEWS.

THE COMMITTEE CALLING THEIR TESTIMONY “ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.”

THE HOUSE GOP CONFERENCE CHAIR ANNOUNCED THE INVESTIGATION THURSDAY – SAYING THE THREE PRESIDENTS’ RESPONSES WERE QUOTE “MORALLY BANKRUPT.”

AFTER RECEIVING BACKLASH FROM THE HEARING, HARVARD RELEASED A POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLAINING PRESIDENT CLAUDINE (CLAW-DEEN) GAY’S STANCE SAYING QUOTE:

“LET ME BE CLEAR: CALLS FOR VIOLENCE OR GENOCIDE AGAINST THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, OR ANY RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC GROUP ARE VILE, THEY HAVE NO PLACE AT HARVARD, AND THOSE WHO THREATEN OUR JEWISH STUDENTS WILL BE HELD TO ACCOUNT.”

PENN PRESIDENT LIZ MAGILL (MA-GILL) RELEASED A VIDEO MESSAGE – CLARIFYING **HER REMARKS —

CALLING FOR A REVIEW OF THE UNIVERSITY’S POLICIES AND SAYING THAT SUCH LANGUAGE WOULD BE CONSIDERED “HARASSMENT OR INTIMIDATION.”

MEANWHILE — THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES HELD AN EMERGENCY MEETING THURSDAY AS ADVISORS WITH PENN’S WHARTON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS CALL FOR A CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP FOLLOWING MAGILL’S TESTIMONY.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF HANUKKAH FOR JEWS WORLDWIDE.

THE JOYOUS CELEBRATION COMES AMID A RISE IN ANTISEMITIC ACTS IN THE U.S. AND THE WORLD SINCE HAMAS’ TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAEL.

A STORY PUBLISHED YESTERDAY IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL FOCUSED ON HOW AMERICAN JEWS ARE GRAPPLING WITH HOW TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AMID ACTS OF HATE AND GROWING FEAR.

ONE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT IS LOOKING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION WHILE BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

IT’S CALLED “PROJECT MENORAH” – AND IT WAS STARTED BY A SINGLE-FATHER IN CALIFORNIA – WHOSE 6 YEAR OLD SON ASKED IF THEY COULD DECORATE THEIR HOME FOR HANUKKAH.

ADAM KULBERSH (COAL-BERSH) SAID HE WAS RELUCTANT TO DO SO DUE TO THE RISE IN ANTISEMITISM.

WHEN HE SHARED HIS STORY WITH HIS FRIEND – JENNIFER MARSHALL – WHO IS NOT JEWISH – SHE HAD AN IDEA – AND TOLD HIM SHE’D PUT A MENORAH ON HER WINDOW TO SHOW QUOTE “YOU ARE NOT ALONE.”

THE MOVEMENT HAS SINCE GONE VIRAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA —  WITH KULBERSH SAYING HE’S HEARING ABOUT PROJECT MENORAH FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE U.S. – AS WELL AS FRANCE – AUSTRALIA – GERMANY –  ENGLAND – AND OTHER COUNTRIES.

THOSE WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE CAN EITHER GO OUT AND PURCHASE A MENORAH OR PRINT ONE FROM PROJECT MENORAH’S WEBSITE.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS FRIDAY.

DON’T FORGET TO HEAD OVER TO SAN DOT COM SLASH RUNDOWN TO SIGN UP FOR OUR MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE MONDAY.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!