Rule of Law

• Manhunt continues for healthcare CEO assassin It was the most brazen of crimes: the assassination in midtown Manhattan of the CEO of the nation’s largest health insurer. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, unaccompanied by any security personnel, was shot in the back early Wednesday morning as he headed to a pre-planned event at a New York City hotel. The killer is still at large, having pedaled into nearby Central Park and disappeared. Video shows that the killer’s gun jammed, but he cleared it and continued firing at Thompson as he tried to crawl away. The bullet casings he left behind apparently contained messages — either meant to make clear his motive or to mislead investigators. As the New York Post reports that the message “appears to include the words ‘deny,’ ‘depose’ and ‘defend’ — engraved on live rounds and shell casings.” Was the killer related to someone, perhaps now deceased, who was denied coverage or payment of a claim? Or is this simply what the killer wants us to believe? “We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson,” said a statement from the company. “Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him.”

• Biden may be just warming up with the family pardons: If we’re to believe the video, Joe Biden isn’t, er, losing any sleep over the outrageous pardon of his influence-peddling, tax-evading, crack-smoking son Hunter. In fact, it might be that many more pardons are on the horizon. Former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy does a deep dive into the pardon and its rationale. In brief: “If the Trump DOJ decided to play the lawfare game … [they could] subpoena Hunter into the grand jury,” where he’d have to testify because, having been pardoned, he could no longer plead the Fifth against self-incrimination. “Consequently,” McCarthy continues, “the only way I can see President Biden preventing such an investigation from happening, or at least trying to prevent it, would be to pardon other participants in the influence-peddling — giving them the same sort of expansive pardons that Hunter got.” Would Biden pardon his brother Jim? What about pardoning himself? What an admission of guilt that would be. And what a resounding coda it would be to the legacy he’ll likely leave behind — that of the worst and least popular president in American history.

• Jurors in Daniel Penny case review crucial video evidence in ongoing deliberations (Daily Wire)

Culture

• Bizarre sexual misconduct at a Tennessee VA medical center: There are some sick puppies within the Volunteer State’s Veterans Affairs office, and they’ve been letting their libidos run wild — apparently on the clock, at taxpayer expense, and in neglect of our nation’s warriors. According to a Breitbart investigative report, several top VA officials have already resigned amid reports of one biomedical employee who had “dozens of sexual relationships with women who worked at the Mountain Home VA medical center,” and at least 12 others who took part in an orgy. Although it’s unclear whether this took place on government property, “at least two employees of the facility admitted having sex on the grounds of the VA hospital.” These are your tax dollars at work, and our veterans are the ultimate victims. A fish rots from the head, though, so perhaps this behavior is to be expected within the Biden-Harris administration. We have to believe that the perverse behavior within the Tennessee office is the exception and not the rule, and we wish the best for former Georgia Congressman Doug Collins, who Donald Trump has nominated to head our nation’s massive Veterans Affairs bureaucracy.

• Southwest ditches DEI: After facing a civil rights lawsuit filed by the America First League (AFL), Southwest Airlines decided that meritocracy was the best model for hiring employees. On Tuesday, Southwest Airlines announced that it is dumping its promotion of DEI in its hiring. This move came in response to a breach of contract allegation raised by the AFL over the fact that Southwest’s embracing of DEI contradicted its 2007 deal with the U.S. government for federal contracts requiring the airline to uphold equal opportunity nondiscrimination obligations. According to AFL, Southwest has “acknowledged and agreed to end its illegal race and sex-based discrimination in all hiring and promotional processes, including all unlawful DEI quotas, benchmarks, or preferences.” This is a big win not just for meritocracy and against racism in hiring but also for customers of Southwest, who can have greater confidence that the airline is hiring employees for their skills, not their skin color or sex.

• LPGA finally updates its policy on dudes: It took a while, but it appears that the LADIES Professional Golf Association has finally gotten around to protecting the ladies of professional golf. As Fox News reports, “The organization said in a news release that male players who have gone through male puberty are barred from competing in the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and all other elite LPGA competitions.” Translation: Men can’t compete against women. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said outgoing LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Like we said: Better late than never.

World

• Government chaos in South Korea: It’s been a crazy few days in South Korea. The government went from a state of martial law that lasted less than 24 hours to calls for impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol for initiating martial law. Now, there may be gridlock. It all started on Tuesday when Yoon made the shocking announcement that he was initiating martial law. Hours later, members of his own party, the People Power Party (PPP), joined the opposition party, the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), in a vote to end martial law. Following the vote, Yoon reversed course and relented, and martial law ended. The DPK then called for Yoon’s impeachment, but the PPP rejected that move and instead called on Yoon to resign. If the impeachment vote fails, the government will descend into gridlock, and many fear that could result in chaos as millions of Koreans are expected to hit the streets in protest. It would appear that the chaos in South Korea is far from over.

• ¡Ay, caramba! Mexican police seize fentanyl: That didn’t take long. On Wednesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Mexican troops had their “largest seizure of fentanyl pills that has ever been made.” The announcement comes just days after Donald Trump threatened to raise 25% tariffs against Mexico unless it significantly cracked down on drug trafficking and illegal immigration. As Trump’s social media post stated, “This tariff will remain in effect until such time as drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!” Security annalist David Saucedo attributed this development to Trump, saying, “It is clear that the Mexican government has been managing the timing of fentanyl seizures. But under the pressure by Donald Trump, it appears President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is willing to increase the capture of drug traffickers and drug seizures that Washington is demanding.”

• Sacré bleu! French government falls again: For the second time this year, a no-confidence vote against the French prime minister passed the National Assembly. Michal Barnier had been in office just 91 days before seeing his government collapse. This no-confidence vote was brought about by the banding together of the right-wing populist Marine Le Pen’s party, the National Rally (RN), and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP). What triggered this vote was Barnier’s move to use a constitutional loophole to force through cuts in social security payments to senior citizens without a vote in parliament. Le Pen, who had agreed to support Barnier’s government back in July, withdrew her support following this decision. After Barnier resigned, French President Emmanuel Macron now finds himself in a pickle wherein he must appoint a new prime minister. This could also result in triggering a national election next year.

• UNRWA calls for censoring Israel (Hot Air)

Misc.

• Power demand to jump 15% in the next five years (Washington Examiner)

• Bitcoin hits new record, surpasses $100K in wake of Trump’s victory (Washington Examiner)

• Trump names former Senator Kelly Loeffler to lead the Small Business Administration (The Hill)

• Black church coalition demands MSNBC suspend Al Sharpton over undisclosed Kamala Harris campaign payments (Washington Free Beacon)

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