The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (10/19/2023):

3:05pm- The Wall Street Journal reports, “Israel, the U.S. government and independent security experts cast doubt Wednesday on Palestinian claims that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital compound, saying the preliminary evidence pointed to a local militant group. Independent analysts poring over publicly available images of Tuesday’s explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza and its aftermath say the blast site doesn’t bear the hallmarks of a strike with a bomb or missile of the types usually used by Israel….The U.S. has collected ‘high confidence’ signals intelligence indicating that the blast at the hospital in Gaza was caused by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, U.S. officials said, buttressing Israel’s contention that it wasn’t responsible for the blast.” You can read more from the report from journalists Margherita Stancati, Yaroslav Trofimov, Nancy A. Youssef, and Stephen Kalin here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-tries-to-back-up-claims-it-didnt-attack-gaza-hospital-a8cc3405

3:10pm- David Averre of The Daily Mail writes: “Israel's Defence Forces have released a slew of evidence they claim proves an overnight explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of people was caused by a misfiring rocket launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In an audio clip procured by Israeli military intelligence, two alleged Hamas terrorists can be heard discussing the explosion and confirming the rocket came from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) - an independent jihadist group. 'They are saying (the rocket) belongs to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It's from us?' one alleged Hamas member asks in the clip provided by Israel's military intelligence.” You can read Averre’s article here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12643229/Israel-blast-Gaza-hospital-Palestine-video-rocket-misfire.html

3:20pm- After initially promoting false claims that Israel was responsible for bombing a hospital in Gaza, Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is now walking-back her assertions. In a post on the social media platform X, Omar wrote: “Our office cited an AP report yesterday that the IDF had hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Since then, the IDF denied responsibility and the US intelligence assessment is that this was not done by Israel.”

3:30pm- On Thursday, the House of Representatives decided to hold off on a vote to fill the speakership position left vacant following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Republican nominee for speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), received 199 votes on Wednesday’s vote—well short of the 217 votes he needed to win a majority of the House and one fewer vote than he received on Tuesday. Jordan told reporters that he will not withdraw from the speakership race, but he is open to temporarily expanding the powers of Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) until the Republican party can coalesce around one candidate.

3:40pm- During a Pentagon press briefing, Defense Department Spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder emphasized America’s unwavering support for Israel and told reporters that the Biden Administration is monitoring Iran-backed proxies in case the war between Israel and Hamas expands throughout the region.

4:05pm- Fredrick K. Short Jr.—the father of three Cherry Hill high school students—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his lawsuit against the New Jersey Department of Education for its policy which allows schools to hide alterations to a student’s gender identification from parents. Attorney Thomas Stavola Jr.—Short’s pro bono attorney—believes that the school has infringed upon parental rights and is violative of the Fourteenth Amendment. You can read more about the lawsuit here: https://www.nj.com/education/2023/10/dad-sues-nj-school-district-and-state-over-policy-for-trans-students.html

4:40pm- On Thursday night, the Philadelphia Phillies travel to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS). The Phillies currently lead 2-0 in the best of seven series.

5:00pm- On Thursday, the House of Representatives decided to hold off on a vote to fill the speakership position left vacant following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Republican nominee for speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), received 199 votes on Wednesday’s vote—well short of the 217 votes he needed to win a majority of the House and one fewer vote than he received on Tuesday. Jordan told reporters that he will not withdraw from the speakership race, but he is open to temporarily expanding the powers of Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) until the Republican party can coalesce around one candidate.

5:10pm- Speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill, Rep. Matt Gaetz said he was “against speaker-light”—referring to a plan to expand the powers of Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC).

5:15pm- In his latest report for The Daily Signal, John Strossel writes that California’s air pollution regulations raise the cost of new shipping trucks from $190,000 to $260,000. Perhaps most alarmingly, these regulations are now starting to have an impact on Pennsylvanian truckers—with Pennsylvania’s Environmental Quality Board deciding to mirror California’s excessive environmental regulations. You can read Strossel’s full report here: https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/10/18/californias-environmental-regulations-are-crushing-pennsylvania/

5:20pm- On Thursday, former Donald Trump attorney Sidney Powell pleaded guilty in a Georgia election interference case. CNN legal analyst Elie Honig predicts that she will now become a prosecution witness—which he believes would be “devastating for Donald Trump.” Powell will have to pay just under $10,000 in fines, write an apology letter, and participate in future trials related to Georgia election interference.

5:40pm- While appearing on News Nation, former CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter condemned mainstream media for reporting on Hamas-propaganda as if it were credible.

6:05pm- Rich is co-hosting a comedy show at Parx Casino Club 360 tonight—so, Mike Opelka hosts the final hour of the show!

6:15pm- At 8pm on Thursday, President Joe Biden will deliver a televised address from the Oval Office. He is expected to discuss the ongoing Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine wars and request additional funding—an estimated $100 billion—be appropriated to support American allies. While polling indicates a vast majority of Americans support funding Israel’s attempt to eliminate Hamas, the war in Ukraine isn’t viewed quite as favorably—largely due to the Biden Administration’s inability to articulate a planned end to the warfare.

6:40pm- Lauren Fix—automotive expert and analyst—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss the ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) strike. You can find her work here: https://carcoachreports.com