January 1, Beginning Of The End? Justice Department Unveils Anti-gun Proposals

Good day Middle Americans,

Attorney General Merrick Garland unveiled two proposals meant to help suppress gun violence. One includes clarifying the restrictions on stabilizing braces that transform a pistol into a short-barreled rifle and can “cause great damage and are more likely to be used to commit crimes.” Two such makeshift short-barreled rifles were used in mass shootings in Boulder, Colorado and Dayton, Ohio. The second proposal seeks to reclassify the definition of a firearm to “close the regulatory loophole associated with producing unmarked weapons,” known as “ghost guns.”

Crime doesn’t pay. US law enforcement officials recovered $2.3 million in bitcoin that was paid to the cyberhackers involved in the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. According to FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate, agents were able to identify a virtual currency wallet that the DarkSide hackers used to collect payment from the attack.

In environmental news, the annual peak of carbon dioxide in the air has reached another dangerous milestone: 50% higher than when the industrial age began. Princeton University climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer had this to say: “The world is approaching the point where exceeding the Paris targets and entering a climate danger zone becomes almost inevitable.”

Mike who? Former President Donald Trump recently revealed he would consider a different running mate for 2024, namely Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “I was the first one to endorse him when he came out as a congressman that a lot of people didn’t know, and my endorsement helped him tremendously,” Trump said.

In California, two suspects were arrested in connection to last month’s tragic road rage shooting death 6-year-old Aiden Leos. The California Highway Patrol apprehended Marcus Anthony Eriz, 24 and Wynne Lee, 23 at their home in Costa Mesa. Bail was set at $1 million each, and both are expected to be charged with murder.

Amazon in space? Jeff Bezos is headed to space on the first crewed flight of his New Shepard rocket ship. The July 20th flight will include Jeff, his brother Mark, and a TBD winner of a charity auction (currently priced at $2.8 million).

Stay safe,

Fraser Dixon

Sources

• Justice Department unveils two anti-gun violence proposals after another violent weekend
• U.S. recovers $2.3 million in bitcoin paid in the Colonial Pipeline ransom
• Carbon dioxide levels hit 50% higher than preindustrial time
• Trump eyeing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as possible 2024 running mate
• California shooting: 2 arrested in road rage killing of 6-year-old, report says
• Jeff Bezos to go into space on first crewed flight of New Shepard rocket