Monday | November 22nd, 2021

It’s Monday, November 22nd, and this is your Morning Wire. Listen to the full podcast:

1) Fallout After Rittenhouse Verdict

The Topline: Following Friday’s not-guilty verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse case, multiple cities across the country experienced protests and in some cases, rioting, due to the jury’s decision.

Quote Of The Day: “Self-defense is not illegal, and I believe they came to the correct verdict, and I’m glad that everything went well.”

– Kyle Rittenhouse in his first interview following the trial

Trial Fallout

While there have been pro-BLM protests in Kenosha following the verdict, demonstrations have so far remained peaceful. In Portland however, police declared a riot on Friday night as demonstrators smashed windows and attempted to knock down the doors to city buildings after the verdict was reached.

Rioters were also allegedly tearing down fencing and using construction signs as street barricades. At least one police car was smashed, and there were some trash and debris fires. 

Ultimately the riot was dispersed by around 11pm, after the police gave out 17 warnings, and 5 tickets. 

There were also protests in New York City, most of which were peaceful, but a handful of people were arrested for property damage in Queens, where protests took place on a residential street. 

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Political Reaction

President Biden addressed the verdict multiple times on Friday, first in a comment outside the White House, where he said, “I stand by what the jury has concluded. The jury system works, and we have to abide by it.”

But after that statement was largely derided by members of his own party, the President issued a separate written statement that took a different tone, saying the decision made him “angry and concerned.” 

Vice President Kamala Harris issued a statement of her own that suggested that the judicial system failed. “Today’s verdict speaks for itself. I’ve spent a majority of my career working to make our criminal justice system more equitable. It’s clear, there’s still a lot more work to do.”

Potential Legal Fallout

Some legal experts are saying this could be another Covington Catholic situation, where Rittenhouse could make a defamation case against public figures and outlets who labeled him a white supremacist murderer. 

2) Missing Chinese Tennis Star

The Topline: The story of missing Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai swept across the