Feds Target Trump in Criminal Investigation

Donald Trump is officially the target of a criminal investigation.

Special Counsel Jack Smith sent a letter to Trump’s lawyers, notifying them that the former President is at the center of a grand jury investigation over his handling of classified documents.

The “target letter” is a routine part of federal investigations and does not necessarily mean that Trump will be indicted. It is, however, an indicator of the investigation’s direction, and it increases the probability that Trump will be forced to defend himself against criminal charges in court.

The investigation began in November 2022—several months after the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago—and several members of Trump’s inner circle have already testified in front of the grand jury.

Wildfires Spark Air Quality Warnings in 17 States

Major air-quality alerts hit 125 million Americans in 17 states as wildfires raged along the Canadian border. Airports in the New York area were temporarily closed from smoke and haze, outdoor baseball games were canceled, and residents in many cities were warned to stay indoors.

Maps of the affected areas run as far south as the Carolinas and include cities from Cincinnati to Syracuse.

New York City was one of the worst affected, with air quality alerts set at the highest label of “hazardous.” Photos from the city show it enveloped in a thick, orange haze. (Photos)

Carlson Rockets Past 90 Million Views

Tucker Carlson racked up an astonishing 90 million views — and counting — within 24 hours for Tuesday’s debut edition of his new Twitter program. His primetime show on Fox typically averaged around 3 million households.

Fox News on Wednesday threatened legal action against Carlson for moving to Twitter, claiming he’s still under contract. Carlson said his Twitter speech was protected by the First Amendment.

The Twitter show itself (Watch Here) lasted about 10 minutes, and Carlson focused primarily on issues he said the media were misleading Americans about, including the Ukraine war and UFOs.

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➤ CNN’s CEO, Chris Licht, has been fired after a year of controversy on the job. Low ratings, rebellious staffers, a controversial Trump Town Hall, and an unflattering profile in Atlantic Magazine sealed his fate. Licht will be replaced temporarily by a group of CNN executives during the search for a new chief. (More)

➤ A standoff continued Wednesday between Speaker Kevin McCarthy and GOP legislators angry about his debt compromise. The fight shuttered the House for a second day, with no votes being held. McCarthy’s GOP opposition vowed to "hold the floor" as long as necessary. (More)

➤ Mike Pence invoked Ronald Reagan in his first campaign video (Watch Here), launching his 2024 presidential campaign. In a live speech in Iowa, he lashed out directly at his former boss Donald Trump for “endangering my family and everyone at the Capitol” on Jan. 6, 2021. (More)

➤ New RNC rules requiring 40,000 individual donors for candidates to qualify for the presidential debates have forced long-shot candidates to scramble for small donations. At least one candidate is selling $1 T-shirts, and others are begging for small donations on Facebook. (More)

➤ The progressive Southern Poverty Law Group has listed some parents’ rights groups as “hate and anti-government” organizations similar to the Nazis and the KKK. The SPLC says parents organizing to protest public school policies should be considered “extremists.” (More)

➤ Lionel Messi stunned the soccer world by announcing his intentions to play for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami CF. The Argentine superstar is considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all time, and few anticipated he would ever play in the U.S. His deal involves a cut of the MLS’ streaming revenue, Adidas sales, and an option to purchase part of the franchise. (More)

➤ Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo called a special legislative session to consider a $380 million funding bill for a new stadium in Las Vegas for the Oakland Athletics. The A’s have announced plans to move to Vegas but are waiting to see where they will play. (More)

➤ Miami Marlins slugger Luis Arraez, with a current batting average of .402, is on pace to become the first batter to hit .400 since Ted Williams in 1941. He also could be the first hitter to win batting championships in the AL and NL in consecutive years since 1900. (More)

➤ In other stadium news, the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars unveiled stunning new design images for the “Stadium of the Future,” meant to transform downtown Jacksonville. (More)

Market Report   6/7/23

➤ Big Stock Move: Tesla stock continued to surge for the 9th straight day, the company’s longest winning streak in over two years. Fueling the growth was news that the Tesla Model 3 qualified for full federal EV tax credit, dropping the price by $7,500. (More)

➤ Two major San Francisco hotels are closing, with the owner citing safety concerns downtown. The real-estate trust that owns the Hilton San Francisco Union Square and the Parc 55 San Francisco says it will stop making loan payments on the two properties. (More)

➤ Used car prices reached their lowest level of the year in May, as sales continue to weaken in the face of inflation and higher interest rates. Cox Automotive, which tracks used car trades, says used car sales are down 11 percent year over year. (More)

➤ Delta Airlines is designing new airplane seats that fold up, allowing passengers in wheelchairs to stay in their own powered chairs for the flight. The innovative seats would be a first for air travel, eliminating the effort that chair-bound passengers must endure to board and deplane. (More)

➤ Apple will stop autocorrecting swear words, including the expletive often changed to “ducking,” the company said. The autocorrect system will now “learn” what word users want and let them type it in without changing it, allowing frustrated typists to vent freely. (More)

➤ The First case of a crocodile who made herself pregnant has been documented at a zoo in Costa Rica. This kind of so-called “virgin birth” is known among some animal species but has never been seen before with crocodiles. (More)

➤ Hawaii’s Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, has begun erupting again after a three-month pause (Photos Here). The U.S. Geological Survey has set up a YouTube live stream for those who want to keep track of the smoldering, slow-moving eruption. (Click Here to Watch)

➤ A library book 96 years overdue has finally been returned to a local California library. The book, somewhat damaged, was turned in by a 75-year-old man who said his grandfather-in-law probably checked it out. If fines were applied (they weren’t), the late fee would have been $1,700. (More)

➤ Batman was victorious in a trademark battle against an Italian designer who sought to put the Batman symbol on clothing and carnival items. A European court ruled the Bat-Signal icon was distinctive enough that the Warner Bros. Discovery character deserved legal protection. (More)

Today’s Trivia

Before Mike Pence, who was the last Vice President to run against his former boss?