Transcript of Evening Wire: Viral Sexual Harassment Claim Crumbles & Socialists Protest Work | 5.1.26 New

Iran submits a new proposal for negotiations. Socialist groups gather for thousands of May Day demonstrations. And Americans are placing their bets for the Kentucky Derby. I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire Executive Editor John Bickley. It's Friday, May 1st, and this is Evening Wire. Iran submitted a new proposal for negotiations through Pakistani mediators after Donald Trump rejected its previous offer. Daily Wire reporter Kassia Kiva has more.

U.S. officials also say Iran is actively rebuilding its military capabilities and working to recover missiles, drones, and other weapons damaged in earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes, raising concerns that it is preparing for renewed fighting. At the same time, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has warned that countries paying Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz could face sanctions, underscoring efforts to tighten the economic pressure. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant intensified that message, asserting U.S. control over the waterway and outlining worsening conditions inside Iran, including currency shortages and rationing, while warning that a blockade will continue until freedom of navigation is restored.

It's May Day, International Workers' Day, and that means there are a bunch of demonstrations from left-wing groups. Daily Wire assistant editor Nathan Gay has the details.

An estimated 3,000 protests by hundreds of left-wing groups gathered today all over the country for May Day demonstrations. Some 600 groups participated, combining for an annual revenue of around $2 billion. The demonstrators have called for Americans to boycott work, school, and shopping for the day. Among the pro-socialism groups driving the protests are the far-left Democratic Socialists of America, the People's Forum, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Code Pink, and the Answer Coalition. Among the funders is Neville Royce Singham, an American-born billionaire who's now based in Shanghai and notorious for pushing the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda.

A viral JP Morgan sexual harassment lawsuit has been branded a complete fabrication by insiders. Daily Wire homepage managing editor Jordan Schroeder explains.

The anonymous accuser was unmasked as former JP Morgan staffer Kairu Rana. Rana initially filed the suit on Monday under the pseudonym John Doe. The filing leveled a series of lurid accusations against Lorna Houdini, an executive director on JP Morgan's leveraged finance team. The complaint went viral after being reported by the Daily Mail this week. Rana alleged that Houdini had turned him into her personal sex slave, claiming she drugged him with roofies and Viagra to facilitate non-consensual encounters. But JP Morgan issued a scathing rebuttal, revealing that a thorough internal probe involving phone records and emails found no evidence to support the claims. A bank spokesman said following an investigation, we don't believe there's any merit to these claims. While numerous employees cooperated with the investigation, the complainant refused to participate and has declined to provide facts that would be central to support his allegations.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said a proposed development known as Epic City, or as it was recently rebranded, The Meadow, quote, will never see the light of day despite a recent court ruling that developers say clears a key hurdle. The project, led by the East Plano Islamic Center, envisions a large Muslim-centered community on hundreds of acres in Collin and Hunt Counties, but it remains tied up in legal disputes and ongoing state and federal investigations. Plus, there are growing fears that if built, Sharia law might not be far behind. While supporters argue the ruling affirms their compliance with the law, Abbott and other officials continue to oppose the project. And it still lacks key local approvals, leaving its future uncertain.

A Mexican smuggler was nabbed trying to cross the border with a massive haul. Daily Wire immigration reporter Jenny Ter reports.

A Mexican woman attempted to quietly move $272,000 across the Texas border and into Mexico, where authorities believe the massive cash load would have ended up in the hands of the cartels. Border Patrol told The Daily Wire that agents stopped the 46-year-old at the Columbia Solidarity Bridge in Laredo, Texas while she was on her way into Mexico on April 21st. The woman was referred for a routine inspection where officers discovered the unreported load of cash concealed in the floor of her car. Several Homeland Security sources working along the border told us that seizures of hidden bulk cash usually involve cartel funds. Laredo Port Director Albert Flores said bulk cash seizures like these are often proceeds from illicit activity. And directly impact the pocketbook of foreign terrorist organizations.

Camp Mystic has withdrawn its license application for this year. The all-girls Christian camp made headlines last year when a flash flood tragically killed 25 campers and 2 counselors. Morning Wire recently reported on the camp's failure to pass safety inspections in multiple categories. The camp still faces multiple wrongful death lawsuits from families of the deceased as well as an investigation by the Texas legislature. The camp has said it will cooperate with the investigation, and with campers scheduled to arrive in just a few weeks, it now has withdrawn its license application and will remain closed.

The Defense Department has just wrapped up agreements with 7 tech companies to use their AI tools in classified settings. The companies now officially partnering with the Pentagon are OpenAI, Google, SpaceX, Microsoft, Amazon, NVIDIA and Reflection AI. As the Wall Street Journal notes, while some of these companies had initial deals with the Pentagon agreeing to use their tools, completing the contracts is an important step toward embedding them in day-to-day operations.

In other tech news, Mark Zuckerberg says that Meta's slower ad sales are an effect of the war and that new layoffs at the company are being driven by AI costs. At a company-wide meeting Thursday, Zuckerberg blamed an 8% drop in Meta's shares on investor concerns over a spike in costs in Q1 and projections of slower growth in Q2. He basically said if oil prices go up, then consumers are spending more of their money on gas and less of their money on the discretionary items that advertisers might be trying to sell. As for the planned layoffs this month, he said the company has to spend more on AI infrastructure like data centers.

President Trump will appear on commemorative U.S. passports for America's 250th anniversary, becoming the first living president featured in the document. Daily Wire lifestyle reporter Lauren Baer has more.

The State Department announced on Tuesday that 30,000 specialty passports are expected to be available, but only through in-person applications at the D.C. passport office before the Fourth of July. On the inside cover of the new design, Trump's image sits over a gold imprint of his signature framed by the text of the Declaration of Independence and an American flag, with a few other minor design changes on the front cover. This is the latest move by the president to feature his image and likeness on official government materials. Critics have pointed out that until now, the only presidents featured in U.S. passports have been the four carved into Mount Rushmore. And if you can name them all without checking, pat yourself on the back.

Stephen Colbert is blaming his producer for turning The Late Show into a left-wing lecture hour. Daily Wire Entertainment reporter Amanda Harding has the story.

Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show, which will be airing its final episode next month, said in a recent interview that he was, quote, discouraged by the network from being topical when he first joined as host. The comedian gained notoriety hosting the Comedy Central news satire show The Colbert Report from 2005 until 2014. He then took over hosting The Late Show in 2015 following David Letterman's departure. Colbert said the 2016 party conventions were a turning point for him to return to his political background, with the outlet claiming that ratings soared when he started outright Trump bashing. Colbert had been vocally opposed to CBS's decision to pull the plug on his show, which they say was, quote, "purely a financial decision," with one report stating that the program was losing $40 million annually, as well as a falling viewership. Colbert said, quote, "I do not have any desire to debate them over what they say their business model is and how it does not work for them.

But less than 2 years before they called to say it's over, they were very eager for me to be signed for a long time, so something changed." Minnesota mayors are rejecting a proposal from state Democrats that cut funding to cities or counties that refuse to adopt the newly redesigned state flag, which many are saying looks eerily similar to Somali flags. Daily Wire assistant editor Andy Valdez has the story.

Lawmakers introduced the bill to enforce use of the updated design approved in 2024, but several local leaders have criticized the effort as government overreach. Champlin Mayor Ryan Saboss said, quote, the simple fact that they say they're going to withhold any kind of funding from a city is absolutely ridiculous. That's the people's money. That's the people's taxes. Other officials, including North Branch Mayor Kevin Schieber, said the contention highlights broader concerns that residents feel unheard in the decision to replace the original 1893 flag, which has faced criticism for imagery seen as offensive to Native Americans. At the same time, dozens across social media have pointed out the new design's similarity to Somali flags. Republican House Speaker Lisa DeMuth has already declared the bill, quote, "dead on arrival," and signaled that it's unlikely to advance.

Spirit Airlines is preparing to shut down operations after failing to secure a $500 million government bailout, as internal disagreements within the Trump administration and resistance from bondholders derailed the deal. Facing mounting losses, heavy debt, and rising fuel costs due to the war, the budget carrier has run out of viable options and now plans to liquidate its fleet. The airline, which popularized ultra-low fares in the US, has already spent over a year in bankruptcy and struggled to compete after a blocked merger with JetBlue. Despite recent efforts to cut costs and continue selling discounted tickets, worsening financial pressures intensified by a fuel cost spike have ultimately pushed the company toward closure.

And anticipation is building for this Saturday's 152nd Kentucky Derby, set to begin at 6:57 PM Eastern. Daily Wire reporter Lyndon Blake, host of That's So Criminal, has more.

The top favorites to take home the $3.1 million prize and the iconic Garland of Roses include Renegade at 4-1 odds, Florida Derby champ Commandment at 6-1, Further Ado at 6-1, Chief Wallaby at 8-1, and the Puma at 10-1. The 152nd Kentucky Derby will be Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert's second appearance since being banned for 4 years. He was handed a suspension after his record-breaking 7th victory back in 2021 that was later stripped due to a failed drug test for his horse. Cherie DeVaux is the trainer of Golden Tempo, and she's looking to make history and become the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby.

Those are your drive home updates this evening. To learn more about these stories, go to dailywire.com. And in case you missed it earlier today, we covered some major stories including control of the Senate on the line with a crucial race in Maine, DHS reopening after 75 days, and this week's Supreme Court ruling rippling through the midterm elections. Thanks for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow morning with a weekend edition of Morning Wire.