Wednesday morning news: March 29, 2023

Nashville motive » Law enforcement officials in Nashville and families of the victims of a school shooting are asking the same question: Why? Attorney General Merrick Garland:

MERRICK GARLAND: The FBI and ATF are both on the scene working with local police. As of now, a motive hasn’t been identified.

The alleged shooter was 28-year-old Audrey Hale, a woman who identified as a transgender man. Officials say she once attended the Covenant Christian school.

Nashville Police Chief John Drake told NBC News earlier this week:

DRAKE: There is some belief that there was some resentment for having to go to that school —don’t have all the details to that just yet— and that’s why this incident occurred.

Investigators say they found a manifesto among the clues left behind. James Smallwood is the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police President.

SMALLWOOD: At some point, the police department is going to release that to the public - or at least what they can. The challenge is right now, we don’t want people reaching conclusions until we’re able to have a very detailed investigation.

The attacker fatally shot three 9-year-old students and three school employees on Monday.

Senate bank/SVB hearing » Federal regulators say Silicon Valley Bank has itself to blame for its demise.

Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Michael Barr testified before the Senate Banking Committee yesterday.

MICHAEL BARR: The picture that has emerged thus far shows SVB had inadequate risk management and internal controls that struggled to keep pace with the growth of the bank.

Barr said the Federal Reserve had warned SVB about its risk management practices since 2021.

The bank had grown rapidly in recent years. Officials say the bank may have tried to grow too quickly, taking on higher risk.

Pence » A federal judge says that former Vice President Mike Pence will have to testify against former President Donald Trump.

The grand jury testimony will be part of the Justice Department’s probe into alleged attempts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the 2020 election.

Earlier this year, Pence told reporters:

PENCE: No vice president in American history has ever been compelled to testify against a president with whom they served.

He vowed to fight the subpoena to testify, a stance he said is in line with his oath of office and history.

The judge’s ruling is still under seal, but several people familiar with the matter have spoken about its contents.

Pence’s lawyers have not said whether they will appeal.

Migrant deaths » 

SOUND: [Rescuing migrants]

In Mexico, at least 40 people are dead after a fire broke out in a migrant holding center near the Texas border.

ANDRES OBRADOR: [Speaking Spanish] 

Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says authorities believe the migrants found out they would be deported … and set mattresses ablaze in protest.

The holding center was located in Ciudad Juarez, just over the border from El Paso, Texas.

Debt limit debate » House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is calling on President Biden to come to the bargaining table for talks on raising the country’s debt ceiling.

Republican leaders say they want to rein in Washington’s overspending before agreeing to borrow more. McCarthy has proposed things like reappropriating COVID-19 relief funds, and cutting some domestic spending.

But President Biden maintains that Republicans should raise the debt ceiling without any preconditions.

BIDEN: They’re putting our economy in jeopardy by threatened to refuse to pay America's bills.

The president has previously stated that he will not negotiate with Republicans over the debt ceiling.

Blinken subpoena » The House Foreign Affairs Committee has issued a subpoena to Secretary of State Tony Blinken for documents about the 2021 troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Congressman Cory Mills:

CORY MILLS: The fact that Anthony Blinken has yet to actually provide that tells us or shows that there is something that seems to be hidden

The Committee says two dozen U-S diplomats in Afghanistan warned of the imminent fall of Kabul to the Taliban.

Blinken said last week he was working on sharing information, while withholding some details to protect the identities of people involved.

I’m Anna Johansen Brown.

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