Biden administration plans $1 billion weapons deal with Israel

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE U.S. IS PREPARING TO SEND ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN NEW WEAPONS TO ISRAEL

AND — NEW DETAILS ABOUT THE DEADLY CRASH IN FLORIDA THAT KILLED EIGHT MIGRANT FARM WORKERS

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, MAY 15TH

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS PLANNING TO SEND MORE THAN ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN NEW WEAPONS TO ISRAEL— WITH THE WHITE HOUSE NOTIFYING CONGRESS COMMITTEES OF THE PLANNED DEAL ON TUESDAY. THIS COMES A WEEK AFTER THE ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED IT PAUSED A SHIPMENT OF BOMBS TO ISRAEL OVER CONCERNS ABOUT A MAJOR OPERATION IN THE GAZA BORDER CITY OF RAFAH.

U.S. OFFICIALS SAYING THE PROPOSED PACKAGE WOULD INCLUDE ABOUT 700 MILLION DOLLARS FOR TANK AMMUNITION, 500 MILLION DOLLARS IN TACTICAL VEHICLES AND 60 MILLION DOLLARS IN MORTAR ROUNDS.

THIS PACKAGE IS **separate** from the THE FOREIGN AID BILL PASSED BY CONGRESS AND SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN LAST MONTH.

WHILE “THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS” AND “SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS” COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN ALERTED OF THIS POSSIBLE ARMS TRANSFER – CONGRESS STILL NEEDS TO BE OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED.

DESPITE THE U.S. PAUSING A SHIPMENT OF TWO THOUSAND POUND BOMBS TO ISRAEL – THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS THE U.S. IS CONTINUING TO SUPPORT ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST THREATS IN THE REGION.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR JAKE SULLIVAN DELIVERING THAT MESSAGE TO REPORTERS DURING A PRESS BRIEFING EARLIER THIS WEEK.

JAKE SULLIVAN | NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR

“The United States has sent a massive amount of military assistance to Israel to defend itself against all threats, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran and its other proxies.  We are continuing to send military assistance, and we will ensure that Israel receives the full amount provided in the supplemental. We have paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs because we do not believe they should be dropped in densely populated cities.  We are talking to the Israeli government about this.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

IN HIS COMMENTS – SULLIVAN ADDED THE PRESIDENT’S COMMITMENT TO ISRAEL IS IRONCLAD. ADDING – IRONCLAD DOESN’T MEAN YOU always agree on everything.

IT IS NOT CLEAR YET WHEN THE WEAPONS part of this new proposed package WOULD REACH ISRAEL.

DONALD TRUMP’S LEGAL TEAM BEGAN ITS CROSS-EXAMINATION OF MICHAEL COHEN DURING DAY 17 OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT’S CRIMINAL TRIAL IN NEW YORK ON TUESDAY.

THE DEFENSE arguing COHEN HAS BEEN MAKING MONEY OFF OF TRUMP’S NAME AFTER COHEN RELEASED TWO BOOKS– WHICH EARNED HIM AT LEAST 3 POINT 4 MILLION DOLLARS.

TRUMP’S ONE-TIME LAWYER WAS ASKED IF HE WAS QUOTE “OBSESSED” WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

COHEN SAYING QUOTE, “I DON’T KNOW THAT I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT AS OBSESSED. I ADMIRED HIM TREMENDOUSLY.”

COHEN WAS THEN ASKED ABOUT POSITIVE COMMENTS HE HAS MADE ABOUT TRUMP IN THE PAST –

COHEN RESPONDING, QUOTE, “AT THE TIME, I WAS KNEE-DEEP INTO THE CULT OF DONALD TRUMP.”

TRUMP’S LAWYER ASKING COHEN IF HE WANTS TO SEE TRUMP CONVICTED IN THIS CASE.

COHEN RESPONDED “SURE.”

PROSECUTORS HAVE INDICATED COHEN IS THEIR LAST WITNESS AS THEY TRY TO PROVE DONALD TRUMP FALSIFIED BUSINESS RECORDS. TRUMP HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES.

TRUMP’S LEGAL TEAM SAYS IT PLANS TO CONCLUDE CROSS-EXAMINATION ON THURSDAY WHEN THE TRIAL RESUMES.

A GROUP OF TIKTOK USERS IS SUING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER A NEW LAW THAT COULD FORCE THE SALE OF THE APP OR LEAD TO IT BEING BANNED IN THE U.S.

THE 8 USERS ARGUE IT VIOLATES THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

TIKTOK AND ITS PARENT COMPANY BYTEDANCE ALSO FILED A SIMILAR SUIT IN FEDERAL COURT LAST WEEK, CITING ITS IMPACT ON FREE SPEECH FOR ITS 170 MILLION U.S. USERS.

THE LAW WAS PART OF CONGRESS’S FOREIGN AID PACKAGE AND REQUIRES BYTEDANCE TO SELL ITS TIKTOK STAKE WITHIN 9 MONTHS. FAILURE TO COMPLY RISKS CUTTING OFF TIKTOK FROM MOBILE APP STORES.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE PROMPTED THE LEGISLATION.

MORE DETAILS ARE EMERGING FOLLOWING A DEADLY CRASH IN CENTRAL FLORIDA ON TUESDAY THAT LEFT EIGHT MIGRANT FARMWORKERS KILLED AND DOZENS OF OTHERS INJURED.

POLICE SAYING 41-YEAR-OLD BRYAN HOWARD CRASHED HIS PICKUP TRUCK INTO THE BUS CARRYING 53 WORKERS.

HOWARD WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH EIGHT COUNTS OF DUI MANSLAUGHTER.

AROUND 40 OTHERS SUFFERED INJURIES – WITH EIGHT LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION. HOWARD WAS ALSO INJURED IN THE CRASH.

THE WORKERS WERE REPORTEDLY FROM MEXICO WITH PERMITS TO WORK IN FLORIDA.

THE BUS WAS HEADED TO A WATERMELON FARM IN THE AREA.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS FOUND THAT BOEING VIOLATED A SETTLEMENT THAT ALLOWED THE COMPANY TO AVOID CRIMINAL PROSECUTION FOLLOWING TWO DEADLY CRASHES INVOLVING ITS 737 MAX AIRCRAFT IN 2018 AND 2019.

ACCORDING TO THE D-O-J — BOEING HAS FAILED TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES TO PREVENT VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL ANTI-FRAUD LAWS, A CONDITION OF THE 2021 SETTLEMENT.

THE DEPARTMENT SAYS THIS MEANS THAT BOEING COULD FACE PROSECUTION FOR “ANY FEDERAL CRIMINAL VIOLATION KNOWN TO THE UNITED STATES.” THIS INCLUDES THE FRAUD CHARGE THE COMPANY SOUGHT TO AVOID THROUGH THE 2.5 BILLION SETTLEMENT IN 2021.

IT IS UNCERTAIN IF ANY LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST BOEING. THE DOJ SAYING AS OF NOW “THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINING HOW IT WILL PROCEED IN THIS MATTER.”

FINALLY THIS MORNING – THERE’S A NEW TOP DOG IN TOWN – AND HER NAME IS SAGE.

THE MINIATURE POODLE WINNING BEST IN SHOW AT LAST NIGHT’S 148TH ANNUAL “WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB” DOG SHOW IN NEW YORK.

“SAGE” ROSE ABOVE THE COMPETITION WHICH FEATURED MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED (2,500) DOGS — DWINDLED TO SEVEN “GROUP CHAMPIONS” VYING FOR THE TITLE.

THIS WAS THE 11TH TIME A POODLE TOOK HOME THE TOP PRIZE – INCLUDING IN 20-02 WHEN ANOTHER MINIATURE POODLE NAMED SPICE — SAGE’S GREAT-GRANDMOTHER — WON BEST IN SHOW.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS WEDNESDAY.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

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