Morning Minute: The Founding Critters

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Heat threatens U.S. 250th celebrations, Russian advances slow as Ukraine hits back, infighting risks derailing Democrats' House hopes.

The Morning Briefing: It's America 250 Party Time, Patriots!

Kash Patel orders 'all FBI field offices to immediately surge' on Trump 2020 case: report

Director Kash Patel's FBI has ordered every field office to immediately send analysts to support its investigation into the 2020 election in Georgia, according to a new report.MS NOW obtained an unclassified memo showing Patel is mobilizing 260 intelligence analysts — from every field office in the country — as part of what the bureau calls a "priority effort" in Atlanta."In support of the Director's Office priority effort, the Directorate of Intelligence (DI) and Criminal Division are requesting all FBI field offices to immediately surge support to an FBI Atlanta priority investigation," the memo said.Each analyst must complete 708 records checks by July 17, MS NOW said."Overtime (including weekends and holidays) has been authorized," the memo added."Looking for derogatory information is the short answer," one official told MS NOW. "The idea is to build a case. Look at associations between people, look into their social media, their business activity, travel, contact with other investigative subjects."In January, Patel's FBI raided the Fulton County Elections and Operations Hub, seizing more than 600 boxes of records. The warrant relied largely on claims previously debunked by Republican-led investigations in Georgia. Then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accompanied the FBI during the search and arranged for President Donald Trump to speak by phone with agents on-site.The Department of Justice issued subpoenas in April for the personal information of thousands of 2020 election workers in the state. The FBI has also targeted 2020 records in Arizona and Wisconsin. Patel predicted arrests in April, though none have come.Democratic Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said the county has been targeted for years because it rejected Trump's "big lie" that the 2020 election was stolen."These ongoing efforts are about intimidation and distraction, not facts," Pitts said.Former President Joe Biden beat Trump in Georgia in 2020 by 11,779 votes. Trump has long pushed for ongoing investigations into his loss to Biden.

Morning Minute: Bring on Belgium!

Trump’s FBI is now targeting people involved in 2020 Georgia election

The FBI is pressing investigations into connected to Georgia's 2020 election, MS NOW reported Thursday. The FBI, along with former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, seized the original Fulton County ballots from the 2020 election earlier this year.According to reporter Ken Dilanian, the FBI is now directing hundreds of staff to dig up private information on people involved in the election. Dilanian said that expanding the operation "suggests the review is part of a broader federal push tied to Trump-era election-fraud allegations, with investigators examining election materials and personnel linked to the case."It also suggests that after one year and six months, the Trump administration still hasn't found any evidence that he won the 2020 election. Still, looking directly at individuals is an escalation from seizing the ballots. Dilanian explained in the report that many of the claims have already been raised in public and courts, resulting in investigations by county and state officials. It's all happening under the politically charged midterm elections in which Trump is desperately trying to prove a need to pass his Safeguard American Voter Eligibility America Act (SAVE America Act). Locally, Republicans have pressed to put even tighter restrictions on voting rights and access. Trump famously called officials in Georgia, demanding they find 11,780 Trump votes, saying, "frankly we did win this election." That case was eventually dismissed.

Family friend charged year after ‘nightmare’ illegal July Fourth fireworks killed 8-year-old girl

“It happened so quick. A fun day of friends turns into a nightmare,” the girl's grieving mother said.

The Morning Briefing: I'm Rather Enjoying the Democrats' '50 Shades of Commie' Fight