Overview of SiriusXM’s AM Update (November 12, 2026)
Emily Jashinsky reports on a White House warning to incoming congressional Democrats, Joe Biden’s reflections on his cancer diagnosis and 2024 debate, the rescue of an infant allegedly buried by his father, and a defamation lawsuit filed by former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes.
White House Warns Democrats Over Planned Investigations
White House Counsel Will Scharf warned Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, that investigations of the Trump administration could cross legal lines if they are used to harass or intimidate political opponents. The warning followed Garcia’s public remarks about pursuing accountability for Trump and former administration officials.
Attorney Will Chamberlain said congressional investigations must serve a legitimate legislative purpose. He suggested Garcia’s comments could become relevant if disputes over subpoenas reach court. Chamberlain advised the administration to assess subpoenas individually, comply with those serving a legitimate purpose, and challenge others through legal channels. Garcia responded that Congress’s authority comes from the Constitution.
Potential areas of Democratic inquiry include Trump family business interests, Jared Kushner’s Saudi investment, Pentagon contracts, White House ballroom donations, and the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Biden Discusses Cancer Diagnosis and 2024 Debate
In an interview with People ahead of his memoir’s release, former President Joe Biden said he might not have sought reelection had he known he had cancer while in office. He said recent tests showed no further spread and denied that his illness impaired his ability to serve. The segment also revisited questions about when his advanced prostate cancer was detected.
Biden described his June 2024 debate against Donald Trump as not very consequential, despite the alarm it caused among Democrats. His wife, Jill Biden, has said she feared he was having a stroke during the debate. Biden ended his reelection campaign 24 days later and endorsed Kamala Harris.
Infant Rescued After Being Buried in South Carolina
Authorities found 11-month-old Koa Sharp alive in a wire dog crate buried beneath disturbed soil and pine straw. The search began after Koa disappeared while in the care of his father, 25-year-old Michael Comer. Sheriff Jay Kuhn said rescuers heard the baby crying as they dug. Koa was taken to hospital and released into relatives’ care.
Comer was initially arrested on burglary and resisting-arrest charges and is now charged with attempted murder. His mother told local television that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and manic depression. Authorities’ investigation is ongoing.
Mandela Barnes Sues Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes sued the newspaper for defamation, alleging that a reporter with whom he had a past sexual relationship helped develop reporting about his relationships with other women. The newspaper removed the reporter from the story and says she did not report or write the published articles.
The articles cited anonymous sources who alleged Barnes used his political standing to pursue relationships; none accused him of abuse or mistreatment. Barnes disputes the newspaper’s account of how the state Democratic Party handled an anonymous complaint. He withdrew from the governor’s race on the day the articles appeared, saying fundraising and coalition-building had become difficult. The newspaper stands by its reporting. As a public figure, Barnes must meet a high legal standard to prove defamation.