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Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday

Oct 26, 2019

Secret Service interviewed rapper Eminem over Trump lyrics

Rapper Eminem. Photo: Kevin Mazur / Contributor/Getty Images

Secret Service agents interviewed Eminem about lyrics "threatening" President Trump, according to documents newly obtained by BuzzFeed News.

The state of play: The lead track on an August 2018 album attracted social media buzz because of the lyrics, in which Trump critic Eminem claimed he was visited by the Secret Service: "'CauseAgent Orange just sent the Secret Service / To meet in person to see if I really think of hurtin' him / Or ask if I’m linked to terrorists / I said, 'Only when it comes to ink and lyricists.'"

Fast-forward: The agency overturned documents this week that illustrate agents interviewed the rapper, describing him as "exhibiting inappropriate behavior" and suggesting his music, "threatens protectee."

What they found: Per the documentation, on the day the musician's album was released "a concerned citizen reported Marshall Mathers the rapper 'Eminen' had a new song called 'Framed' with an inappropriate comment towards President Donald Trump and a threatening comment towards Ivanka Trump."

The documents indicate the "concerned citizen" was a TMZ employee.
Hours before the complaint, TMZ published a story about Eminem’s lyrics criticizing Trump.
The agency's Protective Intelligence and Assessment Division completed a background check on the artist and an interview took place in early 2018 with Eminem and his legal team.

The impact: "[I]t was determined that this case will be NON-REFERRED" to federal prosecutors, per the documentation.

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Ex-Theranos CEO describes alleged abuse by former boyfriend and company exec

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

On her fourth day of trial testimony, ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes described her 10-year romantic relationship with former president Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani as controlling, and said he would sometimes "force me to have sex with him when I didn’t want to."

Why it matters: While Balwani has also been similarly charged with fraud, the two are being tried separately, in part because some of Holmes' defense hinges on blaming him.

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Amazon ordered to redo union vote in Alabama

Photo: Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images

A U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) official on Monday called for a re-vote in a union election at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama.

Why it matters: The move could set the stage for another organizing drive at the e-commerce giant, which has, so far, fought off unionizing efforts in the U.S.

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Pentagon to probe 2019 Syria strike after reports of dozens of civilian casualties

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Nov. 20. Photo: Mazen Mahdi/AFP via Getty Images

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a new investigation into a 2019 U.S. airstrike that killed around 80 people, including dozens of women and children in Syria, the New York Times reports.

Why it matters: The move comes after the Times reported this month that the Pentagon attempted to keep the strike and casualties under wraps, failing to investigate the decision behind it even after questions were raised internally.

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