DML Morning Briefing ~ Mon. Sept. 5

Today is September 5. Below are some of the stories grabbing headlines this morning. I hope you share this briefing as doing so will make you the smartest person in the room.

1 – Federal Oil Leases Slow to a Trickle Under Biden
The Wall Street Journal reports: WASHINGTON—The Biden administration has leased fewer acres for oil-and-gas drilling offshore and on federal land than any other administration in its early stages dating back to the end of World War II, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis.

President Biden’s Interior Department leased 126,228 acres for drilling through Aug. 20, his first 19 months in office, the analysis found. No other president since Richard Nixon in 1969-70 leased out fewer than 4.4 million acres at this stage in his first term.

Harry Truman was the last president to lease out fewer acres—65,658—in 1945-46, when offshore drilling was just beginning and the federal government didn’t yet control the deep-water leases that have made up the largest part of the federal oil-and-gas program in modern times.

Mr. Biden pledged to stop drilling on federal lands as a candidate, saying the nation needs to transition to clean energy. He softened his stance as oil prices soared following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—calling for boosting oil supplies to ease runaway inflation—but he has nonetheless spurned a leasing program that for decades has been a go-to asset for presidents looking to raise U.S. energy production.

MY TAKE: This is all intentional, folks… and it’s NOT ‘building back better’.

2 – Gas prices set to soar again on Monday after Russia shuts off Nord Stream supply pipeline
The Independent reports: Gas prices are set to soar further when the markets open on Monday after Russia confirmed that the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would remain shut indefinitely.

The 1,200km (745 miles) gas link runs from under the Baltic Sea near St Petersburg to northeastern Germany and was due to reopen on Saturday after undergoing several days of maintenance work.

However, state-controlled Gazprom said it had discovered “oil leaks” in a turbine during maintenance. It did not give any timescale on when the pipeline would reopen. Although Siemens Energy– which usually services the turbines – said such a leak should not prevent operation.

MY TAKE: Trump warned about depending on Russia for gas.

3 – Michigan State Police investigating voting equipment used in 2020 election sold on eBay
Detroit News reports: Lansing — Michigan State Police are investigating how a piece of election equipment was sold on eBay after being donated to a Goodwill Industries thrift store in Cadillac.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office said in a statement that someone tried to sell a voter assist terminal, a device used to help voters with disabilities mark their ballots.

An Uber driver in Ohio bought the Dominion voting machine in an online auction for $7.99 from Goodwill Industries after the machine was dropped off at Goodwill’s thrift store in Cadillac, CNN reported Wednesday.

The Ohio man then turned around and sold the machine for $1,200 to a cyber security expert in Connecticut, who alerted election officials in Michigan, CNN reported.

“While our elections remain secure and safe, we take seriously all violations of election law and will be working with relevant authorities to ensure there are consequences for those who break the law,” Benson, a Democrat, said in a statement.

MY TAKE: Hmmmm… now just how in the world did this happen? Nothing to see here, folks, move along!

4 – Ten Dead, 15 Injured In Canada Mass Stabbing
The Daily Caller reports: Authorities are on the lookout for two men suspected of a mass stabbing that left ten people dead and fifteen more injured across several crime scenes in the central Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

Damien Sanderson and Myles Sanderson have been identified as suspects after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) received reports of stabbings early Sunday morning, CNN reported.  After the initial call, reports came in from 13 different locations across the province prompting authorities to issue a “civil emergency” warning local residents to “take precautions,” the report continued. Police confirmed that the suspects are still at large, but a manhunt is underway.

“We believe some of the victims may have been targeted by the suspects, and others have been attacked randomly,” said Rhonda Blackmore, assistant commissioner for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Saskatchewan, according to the Wall Street Journal. Blackmore added that speaking to a motive at this point in the investigation would be “extremely difficult.”

If in the #YQR area, take precautions + consider sheltering in place. Do not leave a secure location. DO NOT APPROACH suspicious persons. Do not pick up hitch hikers. Report suspicious persons, emergencies or info to 9-1-1. Do not disclose police locationshttps://t.co/7RudIGEfSx

— RCMP Saskatchewan (@RCMPSK) September 4, 2022

MY TAKE: Gun-free zones are going to work out sooo well, right?

5 – Barack Obama wins Emmy for narrating Netflix national parks series
CBS News reports: Barack Obama is halfway to an EGOT. The former president won an Emmy Award on Saturday to go with his two Grammys.

Obama won the best narrator Emmy for his work on the Netflix documentary series, “Our Great National Parks.”

The five-part show, which features national parks from around the globe, is produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “Higher Ground.”

He was the biggest name in a category full of famous nominees for the award handed out at Saturday night’s Creative Arts Emmys, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Attenborough and Lupita Nyong’o.

Obama is the second president to have an Emmy. Dwight D. Eisenhower was given a special Emmy Award in 1956.

MY TAKE: We just can’t make this stuff up, folks!