Wednesday, October 4th, 2023

Today’s Headlines: In a historic turn of events, Kevin McCarthy was voted out as the Speaker of the House, becoming the first Speaker to be removed from the position. This decision followed a motion to vacate led by Representative Matt Gaetz, resulting in McCarthy's removal with a vote of 216 to 210, with 8 Republicans joining Democrats in support. McCarthy subsequently announced that he would not run for Speaker again. The interim Speaker, Patrick McHenry, was appointed by McCarthy and will serve until a new Speaker is elected. This development coincides with the ongoing government shutdown battle. Meanwhile, in New York, Donald Trump's civil fraud trial commenced with Judge Arthur Engoron issuing a limited gag order after Trump's social media posts about a court staffer. The trial featured testimony from Trump's former accountant, highlighting discrepancies in tax statements. Hunter Biden pled guilty to three felony counts related to illegal firearm possession in Delaware. Finally, FEMA and the FCC scheduled a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System to ensure its effectiveness in warning the public about national emergencies, set for 2:20 pm Eastern Time. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NY Times: Speaker Vote Far-Right G.O.P. Faction Throws House Into Chaos as McCarthy Is Ousted  AP News: New York judge issues limited gag order after Trump sends disparaging post about court clerk  Axios: Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to federal gun charges  FEMA: FEMA and FCC Plan Nationwide Emergency Alert Test for Oct. 4; Test Messages Will be Sent to All TVs, Radios and Cell Phones  Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Amanda Duberman and Bridget Schwartz Edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices