Hey Dip Fam,
From military tragedy to policy conflicts, here’s your midweek briefing: a B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base claims 8 lives, DHS Secretary Mullin’s $1 million kratom investment draws scrutiny, and more.
Today’s estimated reading time is 3 minutes and 57 seconds.
- The Daily Dip Editor
CHECK OUT YESTERDAY’S SHOW AD-FREE BELOW
Nostalgia Nerd
On this day in 1972, a Washington D.C. security guard noticed tape on a door latch, removed it, and called police after it reappeared 30 minutes later. What did they find inside? (answer revealed below!)
(hint: A Democrat’s headquarters)
Before We Dip In (TL;DR)
In today’s issue:
B-52 crash kills 8 at Edwards Air Force Base. ✈️
DHS Secretary holds $1M kratom stake. ⚠️
Newsom calls DOJ probe politically motivated. 🏛️
Plus, take today’s poll and check out the Nostalgia Nerd quiz answer down below!
WORLD NEWS
🌐 Eight Killed as B-52 Goes Down at Edwards Air Force Base
A B-52 Stratofortress crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday, killing all 8 on board, including two Boeing employees. Radar tracked the bomber turning sharply northwest shortly after takeoff during a routine test mission.
The B-52 involved was built in the 1960s. Critics have noted that today’s Air Force is “the oldest and smallest in its entire history.”
The investigation: No cause has been announced. The crew included military personnel, government civilians, and contractors. Boeing extended condolences to the families of all eight.
LAW & POLICY
📜 DHS Secretary Mullin’s $1M Kratom Stake Draws Conflict-of-Interest Scrutiny
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin holds a $1 million investment in Botanic Tonics, a kratom company, while advocating for policies protecting natural kratom from FDA oversight and pushing to remove harm warnings from federal websites.
Kratom interacts with opioid receptors and carries risks including liver toxicity and addiction. The CDC identified kratom in the systems of 5,200 overdose victims between 2020 and 2024.
The donations: Botanic Tonics founder Jerry Ross, convicted of diverting $10 million from a prior company, donated $162,000 to RFK Jr.’s campaign, $440,000 to the RNC, and nearly $1 million to the MAHA PAC. The DOJ dropped its lawsuit against the company in December.
Dipper Poll
:📈 Today’s Poll: Conflict Check
DHS Secretary Mullin holds a $1 million kratom investment while shaping federal policy on the drug. Supporters call it industry expertise; critics call it a textbook conflict of interest.
Should Cabinet members be required to divest from companies in industries they oversee?
POLITICS
🏛️ Newsom Claims DOJ Investigation Is Politically Motivated Ahead of 2028 Bid
California Governor Gavin Newsom says the DOJ has launched a politically motivated investigation into his finances and those of his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, framing it as retaliation ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run.
An anonymous source said no formal criminal investigation of Newsom himself has been opened, though agents reportedly contacted family friends and former employees.
The response: Newsom filed a public records request for DOJ communications mentioning his family during Trump’s second term. His former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, separately pleaded guilty to stealing campaign funds from former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
Fun Facts
🐙 Animals: Octopuses can use mirrors to locate hidden food they can’t see directly, succeeding about 73% of the time. Eight arms, one surprisingly strong sense of “wait, I know where that is.”
🌋 Geography: Volcanoes can create new land overnight. Earth occasionally speedruns world-building.
📚 Language: The dot above the letters “i” and “j” is officially called a “tittle.” It’s doing a lot of grammatical heavy lifting for something that small.
🤯 WTF: There is a giant cloud of alcohol floating in space near the constellation Sagittarius. Somewhere in the universe is a bar that no one can reach.
TODAY’S QUIZ ANSWER:
The Watergate Break-In
In the early hours of June 17, 1972, security guard Frank Wills noticed tape on a door latch at the Watergate complex, removed it, and returned to find it replaced. Police found five men inside the Democratic National Committee headquarters with burglary tools, cameras, and bugging equipment. One was James McCord, security coordinator for Nixon’s reelection committee. The scandal led to 69 officials charged and Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974.
Poll Results From June 16, 2026
Did you take today’s poll?
Show Notes
Looking for more specific details on each story? Click here for the full show notes for yesterday’s PDS episode.
Over and Out...
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