Senate Blasts Secret Service In Trump Report

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In Today’s Brief

• Hurricane Helene: Category 4

• China: ICBM test

• Pennsylvania: Two ties

• U.S. Steel: Arbitration ruling

• UNLV: NIL drama

... and more

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1) 'Stunning failure'

A bipartisan Senate report hammered the Secret Service for failures that led to the July assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. 

• The findings: Would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks managed to fire on Trump after a slew of "foreseeable" and "preventable" missteps by the agency, according to the probe's preliminary findings. Lawmakers found breakdowns in communications, intelligence and other key areas prior to and during the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

• The reaction: Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the report told the story of "a perfect storm of stunning failure." Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the Secret Service's failures had "dire consequences." A rally goer was killed by Crooks before the USSS neutralized him; two others and Trump were wounded.

• Big picture: Trump has already been the target of another alleged assassination attempt at one of his Florida golf courses, even as he and Vice President Kamala Harris are getting unprecedented security details while running for president. Officials also say Iran is trying to kill Trump and other American leaders; there remains no apparent ties between Tehran and the domestic incidents involving Trump.

2) Fatal ride

A person died after an overnight bus hijacking in Los Angeles.

• The news: A suspect hijacked a public transportation bus right before 1 a.m. local time yesterday. The driver hit a panic button and police responded to the scene, but the bus took off, sparking a low-speed chase.

• Pursuit ends: Los Angeles Police stopped the bus after about an hour thanks to tire-puncturing spike strips. A SWAT team then entered the bus and immediately arrested the alleged hijacker. The driver and a passenger were rescued unharmed, but another passenger succumbed to gunshot wounds at a local hospital. 

• Next steps: Lamont Campbell, 51, was arrested on suspicion of murder and has a $2M bond. The alleged motive was unclear as of last night. Metro authorities said the bus was equipped with an anti-hijacking barrier for the driver, but this is the second bus hijacking incident in the city this year.

3) War zones

It was a busy day for ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

• Pushing back: Ukraine is vehemently campaigning against a reported peace proposal spearheaded by China, claiming it is designed to ensure Russia does not lose the war. The pitch, which Brazil is also championing, would allow the Kremlin to continue hostilities and hold Ukrainian territory indefinitely. President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations General Assembly his nation will not accept a "colonial" resolution and Russia must be forced into peace.

• Nuclear posturing: Russian President Vladimir Putin continued his threatening rhetoric toward the West. He claimed Russia will consider an attack from a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear one as a "joint" attack, intimating he would use nuclear weapons if Ukraine uses weapons provided by NATO. Ukraine is pushing to use long-range missiles inside Russia; Putin has made many nuclear-related verbal provocations since he invaded in 2022.

• On the table: Israel said it is considering a ground incursion into Lebanon. The announcement comes as it continues to carry out air strikes against Hezbollah. The Iranian-backed proxy group fired missiles at Tel Aviv yesterday. President Joe Biden warned an "all-out war" could break out as the U.S. called for a ceasefire.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• Meteorologists said Hurricane Helene will likely be at Category 4 strength when it makes landfall today on Florida's Gulf Coast. Winds could get as high as 130 MPH; the state's Big Bend region is expected to be the hardest hit (More)

• New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted in a federal corruption investigation that has engulfed his administration. The exact charges will be unsealed today; he proclaimed his innocence last night (More)

• The Department of the Interior announced a $254M grant to local parks across the nation. It is the largest program of its kind in history; 54 locations in 24 states will receive funds to create or redevelop new parks (More)

World News

• China test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean, the first known exercise of its kind in over 40 years. Beijing reportedly gave the U.S., Australia and New Zealand prior notice and issued a navigation warning to Japan; the test comes as the U.S. committed to leaving a missile system in the Philippines (More | More)

• The Bahamas is seeking international assistance as it faces a $10B national debt exacerbated by weather disasters. Prime Minister Philip Davis claimed the Caribbean island country is told it is too prosperous to access existing aid programs; he is making his case at the UN General Assembly (More)

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau survived a parliamentary non-confidence vote. Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre is expected to continue attempts to force a snap election this year; Bloc Quebecois signaled its current support of the Liberal Party's minority government could wane without concessions (More)

Campaign News

• Vice President Harris and former President Trump are tied in a pair of new Pennsylvania battleground state polls. The surveys, commissioned by Muhlenberg and Susquehanna Colleges, also have incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey running several points ahead of his Republican challenger (More)

• A Secret Service agent is on administrative leave amid allegations he sexually assaulted a member of Harris' staff. The alleged incident occurred on the campaign trail in Wisconsin and the USSS is investigating; the agent is accused of forcing himself on and groping the staffer (More)

• Trump is no longer expected to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky this week. Zelensky's recent visit to a munitions factory in Pennsylvania has roiled the GOP; a probe into the stop has been launched in the House (More)

Business & Markets

• Major indexes closed mixed yesterday. The Dow Jones dropped over 300 points to snap a four-day win streak while the S&P 500 slipped slightly from a record high (Dow -0.70%, Nasdaq +0.04%, S&P 500 -0.19%).

• A arbitration board said Nippon Steel's $15B proposal to buy U.S. Steel can proceed. The board is jointly appointed to settle disputes between the domestic steelmaker and the United Steelworkers union; the deal still faces significant opposition from labor and lawmakers (More)

• OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati is leaving the artificial intelligence firm. She has been critical to the development of ChatGPT and Dall-E; the departure is the latest among the company's top leadership as it begins to prioritize financial growth (More)

Entertainment & Sports

• UNLV QB Matthew Sluka will not play again this season after accusing the program of reneging on a $100K NIL pledge. The school and its booster collective denied the claims; the Runnin' Rebels are 3-0 and ranked No. 23 in the national coaches poll (More)

• Netflix will produce a documentary focusing on Sean "Diddy" Combs' recent federal sex trafficking arrest and other allegations against the hip-hop mogul. Rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson will partner with the streaming service on the project; Netflix won the rights while Combs was still under investigation (More)

• German prosecutors said three men tried to blackmail the family of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher. The trio allegedly threatened to release private photos and videos and demanded a roughly $17M payoff; Schumacher has not made a public appearance since suffering a severe brain injury in a 2013 skiing accident (More)

Quick Hitters

• Feel Good: A man is working to set a world record for the fewest days needed to visit every country on Earth. But he said his main passion is sharing people's happiest moments.

• Fun Stuff: Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus at a zoo in Thailand, has become an international celebrity. Conservationists believe the cute creature can do more than generate viral moments.

• Take Note: Facing a tough decision or question? Just sleep on it. No, really -- experts say it truly helps our judgment.

• Go Deep: You likely have, or will, hear about "dark money" during this election cycle. Here is a rundown of what it is and how it impacts modern politics.

• Pet Hack: The Halloween season can be an anxious and dangerous time for furry friends. Here are some tips to help ensure cats and dogs are safe this fall.

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Looking Ahead …

Alex Jones' Infowars media platform and its assets will be put up for auction starting in November. The proceeds will go toward the penalties against the conspiracy theorist awarded to families of Sandy Hook school shooting victims.

Question of the Day

Yesterday’s results:

Have you ever attended an opera?

• No (61%)

• Yes (39%)