Good morning, and welcome to The Epoch Times News Brief for Saturday, April 13, 2024. The weekend is finally here, I’m Bill Thomas and today, we’ve got a jam-packed schedule covering the latest developments from the DOJ’s inquiries in Atlanta to controversial health studies on sugar alternatives. So, let’s jump right in and scope out all the big stories.
Fani Willis ‘Inconsistencies’ Found by DOJ: Spokesperson
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice (DOJ) said that the federal department has asked Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to address discrepancies in how her office reports federal funding.The action came after a Fulton County employee revealed earlier this year that some federal funds sent to Ms. Willis’s office were used for different expenses, prompting a probe by House Republicans. The DOJ confirmed in a statement this week that inconsistencies in reporting had been discovered and they are working with Ms. Willis’s office to “update their reporting,” the Washington Free Beacon reported on Wednesday.
Ms. Willis is currently working on a case targeting former President Donald Trump and others for an alleged scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. She has not responded publicly to the DOJ’s statement.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan expressed concerns about Ms. Willis’s investigation and funding issues, and previously subpoenaed her for related documents. Ms. Willis denies any misuse of federal funds and claims that Jordan is unfairly targeting her office.
In another development, lawyers for Trump and other co-defendants have appealed a decision issued by Judge Scott McAfee to allow Ms. Willis to stay on the case, following allegations of a relationship between Ms. Willis and her former special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The pair confirmed the relationship, which allegedly occurred while Mr. Wade was still married, but they denied other allegations that they improperly financially benefitted from the arrangement.
Despite the allegations and criticism, Ms. Willis said last month that she is still working on prosecuting the former president.
In the case, President Trump and the remaining co-defendants have pleaded not guilty. The former president has said the case is an attempt to harm his 2024 presidential chances.
House Passes Revised FISA Bill Without Warrant Requirement
The House of Representatives has passed a revised version of a bill to extend Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) for two years. The bill does not include a warrant requirement advocated for by both conservatives and progressives.Section 702 allows intelligence agencies to conduct warrantless surveillance on foreigners, but it also collects information on Americans. Concerns about civil liberties and misuse by the FBI have been raised.
The bill passed with a vote of 273-147, marking a win for House Speaker Mike Johnson. He has sought for months to bring this measure to the House floor.
The bill is a modified version of the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act. It aims to address reported abuses and strengthen safeguards, including accurate and complete applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. It also imposes penalties for illegal queries and enhances congressional oversight.
The bill will now move to the Senate, where similar debates over privacy and national security are expected.
The White House is likely to approve the legislation, considering the reauthorization of Section 702 without a warrant requirement as critical.
Fauci Adviser Secretly Messaged Zoologist Who Funneled Money to Chinese Lab: Emails
Newly disclosed emails reveal that a top adviser to Dr. Anthony Fauci privately messaged zoologist Peter Daszak, who was involved in funneling money from Dr. Fauci’s agency to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, where the first COVID-19 cases appeared.Dr. David Morens, the top adviser, sent at least four messages to Mr. Daszak, the president of EcoHealth Alliance, regarding a grant from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to study bat coronaviruses, which was then sent to the Wuhan lab.
These emails were obtained and released by the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. The grant was initially suspended by the Trump administration but later restored by the Biden administration.
An inspector general report last year found that both EcoHealth and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) failed to properly monitor research in Wuhan, and EcoHealth also failed to obtain documents the National Institute of Health requested after the outbreak of COVID-19. However, EcoHealth blamed the lack of cooperation from Chinese officials for not providing the requested documents.
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) accused Dr. Morens of further attempting to subvert public transparency and requested all communications related to the origins of COVID-19. EcoHealth released the emails, stating they showed appropriate communication with NIH staff.
The origin of COVID-19 is still under debate. Some experts and government agencies believe that it originated from the Wuhan lab, which was conducting risky experiments on coronaviruses. Some others favor the natural origin theory. No animal intermediary has been identified as of yet.
Dr. Morens claimed to have “100 percent certainty” in the zoonotic origin during an interview with the House subcommittee in January. But he acknowledged not exploring any evidence supporting the lab theory. Dr. Morens also denied deleting material on the origins of COVID-19 or making attempts to skirt the Freedom of Information Act.
The House subcommittee intends to gain access to Dr. Morens’s personal email account to further investigate these claims.
2025 Social Security COLA Estimate Rises Due to Inflation
The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) has increased its estimate of the social security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 due to higher inflation. According to an April 10 press release of the seniors group, the March Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners came in at 3.5 percent, prompting the adjustment to a 2.6 percent COLA in 2025, higher than the previously projected 1.75 percent.The 2024 Senior Survey conducted by the organization found that 43 percent of seniors experienced an increase in expenses last year, with 71 percent reporting that their household costs outpaced their COLA benefit. Food was cited as the main contributor to rising expenses. Additionally, 53 percent of seniors had to dip into their emergency savings due to financial constraints.
The potential $45 increase from the COLA adjustment was deemed insufficient by Shannon Benton, a director at TSCL. The group also warned that the final COLA for 2025 may differ from estimates as they are subject to change.
The higher COLA adjustments may also push more beneficiaries into taxable income brackets, with 23 percent of participants reporting they paid taxes for the first time in 2023. TSCL is expecting this trend to continue into the 2024 tax season.
TSCL also highlighted that income thresholds for social security taxation have not been adjusted since 1984, causing older taxpayers to owe taxes on their benefits over time.
In West Virginia, a bill has been passed to phase out state taxes on social security benefits by 2026.
Meanwhile, the Social Security Administration has implemented a new policy to collect 10 percent of monthly benefits to recover overpayments.
There is also concern that the social security system will become insolvent by 2034, reducing benefits by 25 percent. Some believe boosting economic growth could address this crisis.
Stevia: A Popular Sweetener That Lowers Blood Sugar, Fights Diabetes
Replacing sugar with sweeteners like stevia can reduce blood sugar levels without increasing appetite, according to a new study.The research, conducted by the SWEET consortium and published in The Lancet’s eBioMedicine, involved 53 overweight or obese adults who consumed cookies containing sugar, stevia, or an artificial sweetener called Neotame over three two-week periods.
The study found no difference in appetite levels or related hormones between participants who ate cookies with sugar and those who ate cookies with stevia or artificial sweetener. However, those who consumed stevia or artificial sweeteners had lower blood sugar and insulin levels.
Sugar is linked to obesity and diabetes, increasing the risk of developing metabolic disorders. While stevia and artificial sweeteners could be a potential alternative to reduce sugar intake, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet endorsed their use for weight control or reducing the risk of metabolic disorders.
The new research contradicts previous studies from 2023 linking artificial sweeteners to health concerns like impaired glycemic response, toxicological damage to DNA, and increased risk of heart attack or stroke. The authors suggest that this previous research was of lower quality and that the WHO’s stance was perhaps premature. However, the SWEET consortium’s study was small, as it had only 53 subjects. Although it was double-blinded, randomized, and highly controlled.
Nonetheless, it suggests that nonsugar sweeteners may help manage weight and blood sugar levels.
That’s our final story on today’s edition of The Epoch Times News Brief, but before we wrap it up, turn out the lights, lock the doors, set the alarm, and put the cat out—this brief reminder. If you enjoy our “News Brief” program, please let us know by shooting over an email. We’re at [email protected], that’s [email protected]. We always welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions and let’s see who’s written in:
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“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said that. He was the only U.S. president to have served more than two terms. In fact, he served a total of four terms and he led the United States through two of the greatest crises of the 20th century: the Great Depression and World War II.
Thanks a million for tuning in to the program, please keep all “fears” in check and from all of us here at the Epoch Times News Brief, I’m Bill Thomas—have an incredible weekend.
