Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a stop at a Dairy Queen in Iowa, taking a subtle jab at former President Donald Trump who had visited the week prior. DeSantis was accompanied by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and the two ordered an Oreo Blizzard. During the visit, DeSantis praised Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and joked about the messiness of cones. It appears the governor has a knack for using food to make a point.
News Mash
Six Republican presidential candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence, attended the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday. Moderated by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, the event was attended by nearly 2,000 Christian conservative voters and featured discussions on a variety of topics. The candidates received a warm reception from the crowd, and the event was a key step in the road to the Iowa Republican caucuses.
Rex Heuermann, a 59-year-old Manhattan architect, was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree and three counts of second-degree murder in connection to the Gilgo Beach murders, which have been unsolved for more than a decade. Lynn Barthelemy, mother of one of the victims, expressed her hope that Heuermann "suffer[s] at the hands of other inmates" in prison. The Suffolk County Police Department is continuing to investigate the case and is asking anyone with information to contact them.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which takes effect immediately. The law has been met with criticism from abortion rights advocates, who argue that it is unconstitutional and violates the rights of women. The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa has promised to challenge the law in court.
Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA, has declared that artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to creative professions, leading to a strike of 65,000 Hollywood actors and 11,000 script writers. The unions are demanding a contract that would guarantee actors fair pay and control over how their work is used in the future, protecting them from exploitation by AI.
Kevin Lyons, who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and stole a framed photo of Rep. John Lewis from Nancy Pelosi's office, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on Friday. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell also ordered Lyons to pay restitution for the items he stole and a $100 special assessment.
Governor Kim Reynolds (R) signed a six-week abortion ban into law in Iowa on Friday, setting off a legal battle over reproductive rights. The signing ceremony was held at the Family Leadership Summit, a prominent political gathering hosted by an evangelical Christian group, and was attended by Republican state legislators and anti-abortion leaders. Opponents of the ban have vowed to challenge it in court, arguing that it is unconstitutional and violates the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision.
Authorities have taken Rex Heuermann, 59, of Massapequa Park, into custody as a suspect in the long-unsolved murders of at least 10 women on Gilgo Beach in Long Island, New York. Billy Baldwin, the younger sibling of actor Alec Baldwin, went to high school with Heuermann. Heuermann is facing charges of second-degree murder and could face life in prison if found guilty. The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders is ongoing.