What A Day'explicit

Jul 20/2023

The Justice Department is set to take a significant step this week, initiating a lawsuit against Iowa over its new immigration law. This law, which criminalizes the entry of individuals previously deported or barred from the country, mirrors the controversial Texas law. The latter is currently under legal scrutiny. Notably, other Republican-led states are also[...]
Hamas on Monday announced it had agreed to a proposal for a ceasefire deal, renewing hopes a truce with Israel could be reached. Israeli officials said while the proposal didn’t meet all of its demands, it would send a delegation to Cairo to continue talks in hopes of reaching a deal. The movement on a[...]
Former President Donald Trump held an audition of sorts on Saturday for his top vice presidential picks. At least seven known Veep wannabes attended the Republican National Committee’s spring retreat at Mar-a-Lago, including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, Florida Sen.[...]
Why does it feel like avian flu is always circling around? How did it land on cows? Are we on the cusp of another pandemic? Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of America Dissected, joins Erin to break down how this strain of bird flu could go from animal plague to human plague, lessons learned from past[...]
Thursday was Day 10 of former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial in Manhattan. Before testimony resumed, Justice Juan Merchan held a second hearing on new allegations that Trump violated his gag order. Later, Keith Davidson, a lawyer for Stormy Daniels, walked the jury through the deal he brokered between Trump and the adult[...]
New York police officers arrested more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters who’d occupied Hamilton Hall at Columbia University on Tuesday night while pro-Israeli counterprotestors attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment at UCLA.Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of House lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of passing the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, a bill that critics say could create an overboard[...]
The Department of Justice took a significant step on Tuesday to downgrade federal restrictions on marijuana. The DOJ submitted a formal recommendation to the White House to reclassify it as a Schedule III drug. It’s a monumental shift in federal drug policy because, for more than 50 years, the U.S. government has considered marijuana to[...]
New York holds a special election today to fill a seat vacated by Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins. The Democrat in the race, state Sen. Tim Kennedy, is expected to win. If he does, it would leave Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s majority as slim as possible: a single vote. Todd Zwillich, a longtime Washington journalist[...]
President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to discuss developments in the latest round of cease-fire talks. The White House says Biden also “reiterated his clear position” against Israel’s planned invasion of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge since the start of the war in Gaza.[...]
Employees of a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee just voted to form the FIRST autoworkers union in the Southern US. It’s no small feat in a part of the country that has been notoriously anti-union. How has the South managed to scare away organized labor since the Civil War? Are labor unions finally finding a[...]
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s presidential immunity case. Trump’s lawyer tried to assert that there’s almost no situation under which a sitting president can face criminal charges, not even ordering a military coup or sharing nuclear secrets. It is a landmark case with big implications for both[...]
The Supreme Court hears arguments today in a landmark case that could determine whether former President Donald Trump can be tried for his role in the January 6th insurrection. The case concerns whether presidents have “immunity” from prosecution for their conduct while in office. The court has never had to consider this issue until now,[...]
Police arrested hundreds of college students in the last week amid intensifying campus protests over the Israel-Gaza war. While demonstrations have been ongoing at some universities since the start of the war, they reached new levels after Columbia University’s president called in the New York Police Department to clear an encampment on campus shortly after[...]
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and attorneys for Donald Trump gave their opening statements on Monday in the former president’s criminal hush-money trial. Prosecutors also called their first witness to the stand: former ‘National Enquirer’ publisher David Pecker. Washington Post federal courts and law enforcement reporter Shayna Jacobs was in the courtroom and details what[...]
After months of delay, House lawmakers this weekend passed a package of bills to send foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Included in that package of legislation is also a bill that could end up banning TikTok. Hard-right Republicans are threatening to oust Speaker Mike Johnson over his decision to bring Ukraine aid up[...]
Tesla is laying off 14,000 people, their self-driving cars are hitting a wall—figurative and sometimes literal—and this week, Cybertrucks were recalled over faulty pedals. How did Tesla go from being one of the world’s most successful businesses to the business equivalent of a dumpster fire that’s lost hundreds of billions of dollars in valuation? Erin[...]
All 12 jurors have been seated in former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial in Manhattan. While jury selection continues today for alternates, the judge overseeing the case said opening arguments in the trial could come as soon as Monday. Former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi breaks down the challenges of seating a jury in such[...]
On Wednesday, the Senate moved to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the border. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats needed “to set a precedent that impeachment should never be used to settle policy disagreements.” Congressional reporter Matt Laslo breaks down the vibes on[...]
House Republicans are in chaos again after a second conservative lawmaker voiced support for a push to oust Speaker Mike Johnson. The speaker announced plans to bring a foreign aid bill for Ukraine up for a vote, causing an uproar. Joan Greve, senior political reporter for The Guardian, breaks down the mood on Capitol Hill.In[...]
The Supreme Court hears arguments today in a major case related to the January 6th Insurrection that has the potential to undo some of the charges former President Donald Trump faces. The case looks at whether the Justice Department was right to charge some of the people who stormed the Capitol that day with the[...]
Description: The Iranian government launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel late Saturday night in what’s believed to be Iran’s first direct attack against Israel from its own soil. Israel reported minimal damage and was able to shoot down most of the drones and missiles, with some help from the U.S. military. Ben Rhodes,[...]
Once upon a time, borrowing money for college was an affordable path towards upward mobility. Today, it’s a crisis. With Americans owing a whopping $1.7 trillion in student loans. So how did the student debt crisis get so out of control? From bungled government programs to Sputnik to the Great Recession, “How We Got Here”[...]
The Justice Department announced Thursday, it finalized rules to close a major loophole in gun purchases. Known as 'the gun show loophole' it allowed people to sell firearms online, at gun shows, or in other more informal settings without conducting background checks. The finalized rules are expected to take effect in 30 days. Nick Suplina,[...]
A group of House Republicans dealt Speaker Mike Johnson another embarrassing blow on Wednesday when they blocked legislation to extend part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. They did so after former President Donald Trump posted to “kill” the bill on social media.Meanwhile, Republicans struggled to deliver a coherent response to Tuesday’s Arizona[...]
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday, that an 1864 law banning almost all abortions is enforceable. The only exception is if a pregnant person’s life is at risk. The court stayed its decision for at least 14 days pending other legal challenges. Chris Love, one of the lead organizers behind an effort to get[...]
President Joe Biden on Monday announced another round of student debt relief that could help tens of millions of borrowers. He made the announcement in Madison, Wisconsin, a major college town in a swing state that’s key to the president’s re-election effort. We talk to Braxton Brewington, press secretary for The Debt Collective, an organization[...]
Israel said on Sunday that it was reducing its military presence in Gaza but rejected any suggestion that it was a sign the war was winding down. Sunday also marked six months since Hamas attacked Israel, killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage. Ceasefire negotiations resumed over the weekend in Cairo amid the ongoing[...]
Why on earth is Wall Street valuing Donald Trump’s little social network at $7 billion despite having few users, scant revenue and tremendous losses? This week on “How We Got Here,” Max and Erin take stock of how wonky and meme-ified investment markets have become, what this means Trump’s legal bills, and why “DJT” shares[...]
President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Thursday, the first time since Israeli strikes killed seven aid workers with World Central Kitchen in Gaza. Biden reportedly told Netanyahu that an immediate ceasefire was necessary and seemed to condition future U.S. support on improved treatment of Gaza’s civilians. Hours later, the White[...]
José Andrés, the celebrity chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, said that Israel “targeted” his aid workers when the country killed seven of them this week. He gave an interview to Reuters on Wednesday, and he also rebuked the claims by the Israeli and U.S. governments, which both say the strikes were a tragic[...]
World Central Kitchen, an international aid group, said on Tuesday it paused its relief operation in Gaza after an Israeli airstrike killed seven of its workers on the ground there. The strikes happened late Monday night as the aid workers were leaving a warehouse in the central Gaza Strip in vehicles clearly marked with World[...]
The Florida Supreme Court delivered bittersweet news to abortion rights advocates on Monday. In one ruling, the court gave voters the chance to enshrine abortion rights in Florida’s constitution by okaying a referendum to appear on the state ballot this November. But in a separate decision, the court also cleared the way for Florida’s six-week[...]
Cesar Chavez Day was Sunday, and it’s the day when Americans honor the late Latino civil rights icon and labor activist. Chavez is most known for co-founding the United Farm Workers (UFW) — the nation’s first-ever farmworker union. He dedicated his life to the fight for better working conditions and wages for people who were[...]
Mifepristone revolutionized abortion access in America, so much that, two years after the fall of Roe v. Wade, abortions in the United States are up.But now “Mife” is taking its turn in the crosshairs of the anti-abortion movement, facing a challenge before the Supreme Court that could cut off access to the drug. Can it[...]
The federal government announced on Thursday some upcoming changes to the next Census. The form will consolidate two existing questions about race and ethnicity into one question. There will also be a longer list of race categories for people to select from, along with the ability to choose more than one. The list will include,[...]
Democrats scored a surprise landslide win on Tuesday when Marilyn Lands prevailed in a special election for an Alabama State House seat previously held by a Republican. Lands made abortion rights and access to IVF central to her campaign. Democrats hope Lands’ win is more evidence that abortion access and reproductive rights remain potent issues[...]
The Supreme Court justices on Tuesday seemed skeptical of a case that challenged expanded access to the abortion medication mifepristone. It was brought by anti-abortion doctors looking to roll back access, but during oral arguments both liberal and conservative justices questioned whether the group had the right to bring the case, a concept known as[...]
The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Monday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the month of Ramadan. The United States abstained from the vote, allowing the resolution to pass. While it’s unclear how the ceasefire resolution will affect the trajectory of the war, it’s yet more evidence of the deteriorating[...]
More than 130 people are dead after a terrorist attack Friday night at a concert in Moscow. An offshoot of the Islamic State known as ISIS-K claimed responsibility, and U.S. officials said there’s evidence to support that claim. Four suspects from Tajikistan were arrested. But Russian President Vladimir Putin instead pushed the idea that Ukraine[...]
Background:Los Angeles Times: Behind the calamitous fall of hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' CombsLA Times: Russell Simmons and Brett Ratner face new allegations of sexual misconduct Reuters: R. Kelly challenge to sex abuse conviction draws skepticism from US appeals court The New York Times: Music Mogul Russell Simmons Is Accused of Rape by 3 WomenVariety: Russell Simmons Sued[...]
The Justice Department and more than a dozen states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday for “smothering” the smartphone industry. Among the claims, the suit accused Apple of limiting virtual wallets other than Apple Pay, making chats with Android products less secure, and blocking new apps, all to maintain a monopoly. Apple rejected[...]
Texas’ draconian immigration law SB4 is back on hold after a ruling late Tuesday night by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. SB4 would allow state law enforcement officials to arrest and detain anyone they suspect of crossing the border illegally. It also would allow judges to issue orders to deport people to Mexico. The[...]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday reiterated his plans to do exactly what President Joe Biden keeps advising him not to do: launch a ground offensive into the crowded city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Netanyahu’s comments came after Biden directly warned him against it in a phone call, their first in more than[...]
Ohio is one of five states holding primary elections on Tuesday. A few big races there will make it a key state to watch in November. Democrat Sherrod Brown is looking to hold on to his Senate seat in what’s likely to be a tight race that could make or break control of the chamber.[...]
The Georgia racketeering case against Donald Trump can proceed with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in charge. However, on Friday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled that if Willis stayed on, her lead prosecutor, Nathan Wade, would have to leave the case. He stepped down later that day. One of Trump’s co-defendants[...]
This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he’s invading the Palestinian city of Rafah despite strong opposition from the Biden administration. Why does Israel, a country that seems to rely on the U.S. for so much, increasingly ignore and defy its long time American patron? And at what point is a defiant ally not[...]
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday called for new Israeli elections to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the U.S., called Netanyahu an “obstacle to peace.” Ben Rhodes, co-host of Crooked’s ‘Pod Save The World’ and former deputy national security advisor to President Barack Obama, explains what Schumer’s[...]
Americans have considered the idea of reparations for more than a century, but there’s real momentum around the movement to make it happen right now. Multiple states and localities have launched studies into doing it and California has even introduced legislation. We’ll talk to Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award-winning journalist Trymaine Lee whose podcast “Uncounted[...]
The House is expected to vote Wednesday on a bill that could force the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell the social media platform or face a ban on U.S. app stores. Lawmakers say TikTok is a potential national security threat. The bill has bipartisan support in the House. Tech journalist Louise Matsakis explains why[...]
President Biden on Monday unveiled his $7.3 trillion budget proposal for the next fiscal year. He calls for new spending to lower the cost of healthcare, housing and childcare, and wants to offset it by raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations. The proposal as it stands now has little chance of passing a divided[...]
Ramadan began Sunday night, and it was also the unofficial deadline by which the Biden administration hoped to have negotiated a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But as fighting in Gaza rages on and the death toll there tops 30,000, President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amped up their criticisms of each[...]
Primaries elections are good, right? It’s how we hold the party accountable and raise up progressives! It turns out there’s more to the story.This week on “How We Got Here,” Max and Erin explore how party primaries have led to the success of more extreme candidates, the passage of fewer polices, and an increase in[...]
President Biden delivered his State of the Union Thursday night. He traded verbal blows with his conservative opponents inside the room, and also offered a preview of his 2024 campaign message. Pod Save America's Tommy Vietor assessed Biden's speech on topics such as abortion access, Gaza, immigration at the southern border and more.And in headlines:[...]
President Biden delivers his third State of the Union address Thursday night ahead of this November’s election. Part of the challenge for Biden is to show voters that he’s still got the energy for another four year term. But he also has to motivate his base, including progressives who are following his campaign with varying[...]
Super Tuesday was mostly a blowout on the Republican side for former President Donald Trump. Nikki Haley did manage to eke out a win in Vermont, but that's not enough to give her a clear path to victory. Danielle Deiseroth, the executive director of the progressive think tank Data for Progress, helps us interpret what[...]
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Tuesday that former President Donald Trump can stay on Colorado’s primary ballot. This reverses a decision by Colorado’s Supreme Court, which ruled that Trump could be disqualified based on his actions on January 6th, and the 14th Amendment’s stipulation that insurrectionists cannot hold public office. To understand the Supreme[...]
Oregon’s legislature has reintroduced criminal penalties for hard drug possession, effectively reversing course three years after voters passed the state’s Measure 110 and decriminalized possession in many cases. Many describe the reversal as a big setback for the criminal justice reform movement. But to understand how we got here, we look at where Oregon fell[...]
I see London, I see France, I see Shohei Ohtani’s underpants. This week, the MLB kicked off Spring Training with brand new see-through uniforms — yes, you read that right.But it’s not just MLB players’ clothing that’s seemingly crappier, the uniform change is another story in a long line of corporate decisions that have made[...]
More than 100 Palestinians were killed and hundreds more injured Thursday near Gaza City as people gathered around trucks to receive much needed food and aid. Hamas said in a statement that the Gaza Health Ministry had presented “undeniable” evidence of the Israeli Defense Force directly firing at civilians. Israel, for their part, denied that[...]
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Wednesday that he plans to step down as the Republican Senate leader in November. He has been the longest-serving Senate leader in American history, and is responsible for extensive damage to American politics and life. Congressional reporter Todd Zwillich explains why McConnell is leaving and why now.Both President Biden[...]
Yet another government shutdown looms and lawmakers have until Friday night to avert it. Here's what's holding them up this time: House Republicans have refused to support a spending deal that doesn't cover some of their extremist priorities, like the reversal of a federal rule that broadens access to abortion medication. House Speaker Mike Johnson[...]
The Supreme Court on Monday heard oral arguments on a case that could upend the online world. At issue are laws championed and passed by Republicans in Florida and Texas which would prevent social media companies from banning users based on their viewpoints. Jason Koebler, co-founder of the tech publication 404 Media, believes that tech[...]
Former President Donald Trump cleaned up in the South Carolina Republican primary last Saturday, winning 60 percent of the votes to Nikki Haley’s 40 percent, in spite of the fact that the battle played out in Haley’s home state. For her part, Haley says she’s still not dropping out.The race now heads to Michigan which[...]
Republicans are coming after IVF? And no-fault divorce? This week, a Supreme Court ruling in Alabama and a new report from POLITICO unmasked an ascendant ideology taking over the Republican Party: Christian nationalism. Why does this ideology have Republicans waging war on public schools, failing marriages, and fertility clinics? And how did this movement go[...]
The mother of deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that authorities are “blackmailing” her over his remains to get her to agree to a secret funeral. Sanctions on more than 500 targets in Russia are expected from the U.S. State and Treasury Departments Friday for the Russian government’s suspected role in Navalny’s death.Saturday marks[...]
The University of Alabama health system became the first organization in the state to pause IVF treatments following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that said frozen embryos can legally be considered “children.” Meanwhile, the future of IVF in the ten other states remains unclear as well because, like Alabama, they say life begins at fertilization.[...]
The U.S. vetoed a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and stood alone on the 15-member U.N. Security Council in its vote. To understand the veto and the current state of hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas, we spoke with The Intercept’s Prem Thakker.A newly-overhauled website for FAFSA, or the Free Application[...]
Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor Tony Evers signed new legislative maps into law on Monday, and broke a Republican gerrymander that has shaped the state’s politics for years. That means Democrats are pretty much set to gain seats in the state Assembly and state Senate this November. John Bisognano, president of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, explains[...]
What do the 1970s crime wave, the endangerment of the California condor, and Gen Xers demanding to speak to the manager have in common? There’s a compelling case that all are exacerbated by lead exposure. This week How We Got Here unpacks the long and sordid story of how lead found its way into gasoline…and[...]
Fulton County DA Fani Willis and special counsel Nathan Wade both took the stand on Thursday about their prior romantic relationship. The hearing will determine whether it constituted a conflict of interest that disqualifies Willis from prosecuting Donald Trump for election racketeering in Georgia.Meanwhile, a verdict is expected Friday in New York’s civil fraud trial[...]
A mass shooting at Wednesday’s Super Bowl parade for the Kansas City Chiefs left one person dead and 21 more injured. Authorities said they had three people in custody.Democrats took home some important wins earlier this week, including Democrat Tom Suozzi flipping the Congressional seat that once belonged to New York Republican George Santos. We’re[...]
House Republicans impeached Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday in a 214-213 vote. Meanwhile in New York, Democrat Tom Suozzi won the special election to replace ousted Republican Congressman George Santos, and Pennsylvania voters elected Democrat Jim Prokopiak in Tuesday’s state House special election.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may loosen Covid[...]
Control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives hinges on a special election taking place today in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Democrats currently have a one-seat majority in the chamber. The results of today’s race will determine if Democrats can pick up one more seat or if they become tied with Republicans. We’re joined by Melissa[...]
Tuesday is Election Day for the race to replace George Santos in New York’s third congressional district. The candidates running for the seat include former Democratic congressman Tom Suozzi and Nassau County legislator Mazi Pilip who’s been selected as the nominee for Republican and conservative parties. With Republicans holding a narrow 219-212 majority in the[...]
It’s Week 2 of What a Day’s new series “How We Got Here,” in which Hysteria’s Erin Ryan and Offline’s Max Fisher pose a question about the week’s biggest headlines and comb through history to answer it. This week, they dive into the enemies-to-lovers story of the NFL and sports betting. Why did professional sports[...]
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday in a case considering whether or not Donald Trump can be removed from the ballot in Colorado because of his role in the Jan. 6th insurrection. Most of the justices, including a number of the liberal justices, seemed convinced by at least one argument from the defense:[...]
The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments about Amendment 4 — a constitutional amendment that would guarantee the right to abortion up until the point of fetal viability in the state's constitution. Justices must approve the language of the amendment proposed by abortion advocates before it can be put on the ballot in November.[...]
A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected Donald Trump's immunity claim and ruled that he can be put on trial over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. A three-judge panel issued the unanimous decision, writing, “for the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump.” We’re joined by Leah Litman,[...]
Brittney Gilliam agreed to a $1.9 million settlement more than three years after police officers in Aurora, Colorado held her, her sister, her two nieces, and her six-year-old daughter at gunpoint. This comes on the heels of two new studies from the Journal of the American Medical Association that show the effect of police violence[...]
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis admitted to having a personal relationship with Nathan Wade, the prosecutor she hired to handle the election interference case against Donald Trump. Meanwhile, the federal case against Trump is being delayed. And the Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Thursday deciding whether he can be left[...]
Welcome to What a Day’s How We Got Here, a new weekend series where Hysteria’s Erin Ryan and Offline’s Max Fisher pose a question about the week’s biggest headlines and comb through history to answer it. This week: why does it feel like the souther border is always in crisis? How does immigration enforcement distort[...]
President Joe Biden issued an executive order imposing sanctions and visa bans on Israeli settlers who were accused of attacking Palestinians and Israeli peace activists in the West Bank. Meanwhile, the violence in Gaza continues. The Palestinian death toll has reportedly surpassed 27,000. More than 66,000 people have been wounded by Israel since Hamas’ attack[...]
The first official Democratic primary of 2024 taking place this Saturday in South Carolina. President Joe Biden has seen a decline in support among Black voters in early polls, so this early primary date is a chance for the Biden-Harris campaign to rally support in South Carolina and make a broad appeal to Black voters[...]
Despite reported headway in the negotiations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday rejected Hamas’ two primary demands for an extended temporary ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages. Meanwhile, around a dozen Israeli troops disguised themselves as medics and civilians and stormed a hospital in the occupied West Bank, killing three Palestinian militants[...]
A bipartisan immigration deal in Congress could be announced as soon as this week. The agreement would give the executive branch the legal authority to suspend asylum when migrant crossings surpass a certain threshold, among other things. That’s the part of the deal that President Biden referred to when he said late last week that[...]
The UN’s International Court of Justice ruled last Friday ordering Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. The court is weeks into a case that considers whether Israel is committing genocide.Republicans are, yet again, threatening the lives of trans people. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is[...]
President Joe Biden will send CIA Director William Burns to help negotiate a new deal between Israel and Hamas to release hostages. Meanwhile, protests in the U.S. continued around America’s involvement in the war and whether we should officially call for a ceasefire. Universities in particular have been in the spotlight as the sites of[...]
New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivered his third State of the City address on Wednesday. Since just last spring, 170,000 migrants have arrived in New York City, tens of thousands of whom were sent by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. But in his speech, Mayor Adams fell short of providing any real plans to address[...]
Former President Donald Trump won New Hampshire’s Republican primary on Tuesday and defeated former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden won the Democratic primary as a write-in candidate. We’re joined by Colin Booth, Chief Political Correspondent for the Granite Post, to break down the results.President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held their[...]
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the Biden administration has the authority to remove parts of a barbed wire barrier erected by Texas officials at the U.S.-Mexico border. The high court ruled for Biden in a 5-4 decision, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett siding with the three liberal justices.More[...]
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially exited from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed former President Donald Trump. He made the announcement in a video posted on X on Sunday, just two days before the New Hampshire primary.Because of his exit, all eyes will be Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in Tuesday’s[...]
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis faces misconduct allegations after a co-defendant in Georgia’s election interference case against Trump claimed that Willis was in a “romantic relationship” with her special prosecutor. The presiding judge set a hearing for February 15th to focus on the allegations.The Justice Department released a scathing 575-page report Thursday about the[...]
Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on Wednesday to get medicine delivered to hostages held in Gaza. In exchange, humanitarian aid and medication will be delivered to Palestinian civilians. And overnight on Tuesday into Wednesday, Israeli forces advanced on the area around the Al Nasser hospital complex in Khan Younis, a city in Southern Gaza.Over[...]
President Biden invited Congressional leaders to the White House Wednesday for their first face-to-face talks in months about critical aid to Ukraine, immigration and border policy, and aid for Israel. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday where he emphasized the need for more aid and called out[...]
The Iowa caucuses are officially over. Donald Trump won as expected with just over 50 percent of the vote, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in second and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley came in third. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy finished in fourth place, and suspended his campaign just minutes after the polls closed and then[...]
The Iowa caucuses are here. Former President Donald Trump is in the lead, according to the most recent Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa poll. He has the backing of 48 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers. Former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley is in second place with 20 percent, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is in third[...]
The Iowa Caucuses are back! Trump is the clear favorite, but there’s a tense battle for second place that is all going to play out on Monday. We dive into what the caucuses even are, how they work, and what their role is in this year’s presidential election.Then, Crooked’s very own Tommy Vietor joins the[...]
Israel is accused of committing genocide in Gaza in a case before the International Court of Justice on Thursday. South Africa filed the claim, and it alleges that Israel violated international law by committing and failing to prevent genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.Hunter Biden took a surprise trip to the Capitol Building on Wednesday[...]
Donald Trump was back in court on Tuesday for the federal case against him for trying to overturn the 2020 election. This time, however, Trump tried to make the argument that he cannot be charged at all. Plus, Trump on Monday requested that a Maine judge put a pause on deciding whether he should appear[...]
The Chair of Florida’s Republican Party of Florida, Christian Ziegler, was removed from his position on Monday after a closed-door meeting of party members in the state. It’s the latest development in the relatively small but very mighty scandal that also includes Ziegler’s wife, Bridget.Pope Francis called for surrogacy to be banned globally on Monday[...]
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered the inspection of 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes after a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight on Friday. No serious injuries were immediately reported, but this isn’t the first time a Boeing plane raised passenger safety concerns.At least nine Palestinians including a young child were killed[...]
ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombings in Iran that killed at least 84 people and injured 284 others on Wednesday. Plus, the United States launched a drone strike in Iraq’s capital of Baghdad on Thursday, killing a senior commander of an Iran-linked militia group and several others.New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday that[...]
An appeals court ruled on Tuesday that doctors in Texas are not required to perform emergency abortion care as a necessary, stabilizing treatment to protect the health of the mother or pregnant person. In the opinion, Judge Kurt Engelhardt wrote the federal statute “does not mandate any specific type of medical treatment, let alone abortion.”A[...]
Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday appealed the decision by Maine’s Secretary of State that bars him from the ballot due to his role in the January 6th insurrection. That comes after the Colorado Supreme Court last month removed Trump from the state’s ballot, which he is also likely to appeal soon.The deputy head of[...]
The Biden administration is pressuring Israel to scale back its war by the end of the year. And earlier this week, President Joe Biden warned that Israel’s “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza was whittling away international support. But it seems like the language shift hasn’t yet caused a meaningful development in the area.European Union leaders decided[...]
The Supreme Court on Wednesday announced that it will hear a case challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the commonly used abortion medication mifepristone. The justices also agreed to review the scope of an obstruction law that has been applied to hundreds of felony prosecutions of insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol on January[...]
A group of ten current and formerly incarcerated people in Alabama filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday to allege inhumane conditions in the state’s prison system, and called it a “modern day form of slavery.” The lawsuit claims about 575 private companies and more than 100 public agencies have benefitted from incarcerated labor in Alabama[...]
The UN Climate Change Conference – known as COP28 – hit a major roadblock on Monday. There’s disagreement between countries because a potential deal stops short of a promise to phase out the use of fossil fuels.The Golden Globes nominees were announced on Monday, but this is the first time the award ceremony will be[...]
The Texas Supreme Court temporarily halted the abortion procedure for Kate Cox, a 31-year-old pregnant woman who was granted the country’s first court-ordered abortion last week since the fall of Roe. The justices said Cox's procedure is on pause while they review her restraining order, which is meant to protect her and her doctors from[...]
A Texas judge ruled Thursday that a woman can terminate her pregnancy because of a lethal abnormality in the fetus. It’s the first attempt in the country to use the courts to obtain an abortion since the end of Roe v Wade, and Thursday’s ruling is meant to shield the woman and her doctor from[...]
Senate Republicans blocked meaningful gun control once again Wednesday by stopping a Democratic measure that would have banned assault-style weapons. Unfortunately, the failed Congressional effort came on the same day as a mass shooting on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where three people were killed and a fourth wounded.The Biden Administration[...]
GOP Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama finally backed down on Tuesday after single-handedly blocking nearly every single military promotion for almost a year. He released the vast majority of his holds, and shortly afterwards the Senate confirmed the promotions of 440 service members.Georgia’s Republican-controlled state senate passed a redrawn Congressional map that preserves the GOP[...]
The Biden administration is sounding the alarm to Congress about the need to pass a funding bill to support Ukraine in their war with Russia. White House budget official Shalanda Young sent a letter to party leaders in the House and Senate on Monday warning that “we are out of money — and nearly out[...]
Hundreds of Palestinians were killed since fighting resumed after a weeklong truce between Israel and Hamas ended Friday morning. Israeli officials are also preparing for a ground invasion of the south of Gaza, and they ordered more residents to evacuate the area on Sunday. Meanwhile, it appears too soon to tell if negotiations for another[...]
The weeklong truce between Israel and Hamas expired early Friday morning local time and combat operations resumed. Prior to that, Hamas released eight more hostages on Thursday for a total of more than 100. Israel that same day released another 30 Palestinians from Israeli prisons for a total of 240.Governors Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom[...]
The UN’s 28th Conference of the Parties, also called COP28, kicks off today in Dubai. The annual climate change conference is set to take place through December 12th with an estimated 70,000 people in attendance. We’re joined by Naveena Sadasivam, senior staff writer from the climate outlet Grist, for what to watch at this year’s[...]
Donald Trump threatened to replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, if he wins the 2024 presidential election. Trump took to social media over the weekend to post that he is “seriously looking at alternatives” to it, and on Monday, President Biden said in a statement: “My predecessor once again called for cuts that could[...]
Israel and Hamas both agreed on Monday to extend the current pause in fighting for another two days. Hamas released another 11 hostages as part of the deal, and in exchange Israel released 33 more Palestinians being held in prison.The long-awaited trial of rap artist Young Thug started on Monday in Atlanta. The trial has[...]
Seventeen more hostages held by Hamas were released on Sunday under a temporary, four-day ceasefire agreement reached last week between Israel and Hamas. In total, 58 hostages were released over the first three days of the deal, and in return, Israel agreed to release 150 Palestinian women and children from prison. Israel and Hamas have[...]
A federal appeals court on Monday issued a ruling that jeopardizes the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In a 2-1 decision, the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled that private groups or individuals can’t sue under a key provision of the VRA. We’re joined by Jay Willis, Editor-in-Chief of Balls and Strikes, to[...]
Israel, Hamas and the U.S. are close to an agreement to free some hostages held in Gaza, according to The Washington Post. The tentative deal, which is being brokered by the U.S., would involve a pause in fighting in exchange for the release of at least 50 women and children hostages.Sam Altman, the CEO and[...]
Family members of Israeli hostages held by Hamas are currently on a five-day march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, with plans to end the march in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home. Meanwhile, a protest calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war was held outside the Democratic Party headquarters in D.C on Wednesday.[...]
President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping met on Wednesday for the first time in a year. Following their private conversations, it was announced that the U.S. and China will resume military-to-military communications, and the leaders also reached an agreement to curb fentanyl production.The Israeli military stormed Al-Shifa hospital on Wednesday and said they[...]
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed Speaker Mike Johnson’s bill to avoid a government shutdown. The measure passed with bipartisan support, and it now heads to the Senate for approval ahead of Saturday’s deadline to avert a shutdown.Republicans also spent Tuesday fighting mostly among themselves: GOP Senator Markwayne Mullin challenged the president of the[...]
The Supreme Court announced its first-ever ethics code on Monday after pressure from Congress and the public. But it’s unclear how the code – signed by all nine justices – will be enforced. We’re joined by Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny podcast, to make sense of it all.And in headlines: thousands of people[...]
Local organizers in Atlanta are set to hold a mass nonviolent community action today against Cop City — the 90-million-dollar police training complex slated to be built in the city’s South River Forest. We’re joined by Kamau Franklin, founder of the Community Movement Builders, to discuss what’s at stake if Cop City gets built and[...]
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election in 2024. Manchin’s decision to step down leaves Democrats in a bind and jeopardizes their narrow 51-49 Senate majority.The White House said on Thursday that Israel agreed to daily, four-hour-long pauses in its military operation in Gaza to allow civilians[...]
The third GOP presidential debate took place in Miami last night with five hopefuls on stage. Meanwhile, Donald Trump skipped out and held a rally nearby in Hialeah, Florida. We’re joined by Leah Greenberg, co-founder and co-Executive Director of Indivisible, to discuss the biggest takeaways of the night and look ahead to the 2024 presidential[...]
Tuesday was Election Day in key battleground states. In Ohio, voters codified reproductive rights into the state’s constitution. And over in Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear won reelection over Republican challenger Daniel Cameron. Heather Williams, interim president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, breaks down the results and gives insight on what might happen[...]
Israeli forces said they were closing in on Gaza City as of Monday night. Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials said more than 10,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began. Israel said it will not agree to a ceasefire, although White House officials said there might be “tactical pauses” on the table to[...]
Israeli troops said they closed in on Gaza City, and Gaza appeared to be under yet another communications blackout on Sunday – the third in 10 days. Meanwhile, the conflict at the Israel-Lebanon border has gotten more deadly after an Israeli strike killed four people Sunday evening.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in the[...]
As Israeli troops enter Gaza City and the Palestinian death toll crosses 9,000 lives, the U.S. is pushing for a humanitarian pause in the war between Israel and Hamas. The GOP-led House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would provide $14.3 billion dollars in military aid to Israel, but not to Ukraine. The bill[...]
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt opened on Wednesday for the first time since the Israel-Hamas war began. The move comes after a deal was reached this week to allow foreign nationals, aid workers, and some injured Palestinians to leave the embattled enclave.Representative George Santos of New York survived a House vote that[...]
Israel confirmed that an airstrike targeting a top Hamas commander hit a densely populated refugee camp in northern Gaza, killing at least 50 people and wounding hundreds more. The attack raises fears that Israel’s continued push into the enclave will put even more Palestinian civilians in harm’s way. On Capitol Hill, anti-war protesters interrupted a U.S.[...]
As Israel continues its air and ground offensive into Gaza, its military says it has freed an IDF soldier who was captured by Hamas on October 7th. Meanwhile, Hamas released a video of three other Israeli hostages – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “cruel psychological propaganda,” and rejected calls for a ceasefire.A trial to[...]
Gaza’s Health Ministry says that over 8,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has since announced it has entered the “next stage” of its operations into Gaza, after sending in more ground troops to the enclave over the weekend.Meanwhile, calls for an immediate ceasefire have grown,[...]
A manhunt is underway in Maine for the gunman behind two shootings in Maine. Eighteen people were killed and thirteen others were injured Wednesday evening, in what has become the deadliest mass killing in the U.S. this year. As the likelihood of an escalation in the war between Israel and Hamas looms, activists in the U.S.[...]
Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana is the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, ending a 22-days of GOP in-fighting since Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster. While he managed to earn the support of both “moderate” and far-right Republicans, Johnson has a history of voting against abortion access and LGBTQ rights.The war between Israel and Hamas[...]
The whirlwind saga to choose the next House speaker continues. After three rounds of secret votes late Tuesday night, House Republicans nominated Rep. Mike Johnson as their latest contender. The move came after Rep. Tom Emmer dropped out of the race just hours after he was selected as the GOP’s speaker designee.One of the two[...]
Two more hostages held captive by Hamas were released on Monday, though Israel says more than 200 others are still being held by the militant group. Meanwhile, officials in Gaza say Israeli airstrikes have now killed over 5,000 people in the territory. Clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border are also stoking fears that the war could spill[...]
Over the weekend, the first trucks containing much-needed humanitarian aid crossed into Gaza; hours later, Hamas, through the Qatari government, released two American hostages who were captured while visiting Israel. Meanwhile, fighting has intensified between Israeli troops and Hezbollah at the Lebanese border, fueling fears that the conflict may spread.There are now nine Republicans running[...]
Republicans have failed, again, to select a new House speaker. Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio – the far-right Republican who’s already lost two full floor votes – said he will continue his bid for the role, despite failing to convince the holdouts from his own party. About 20 trucks carrying vital humanitarian aid for Gaza are[...]
President Joe Biden touched down in Israel on Wednesday in a show of support for a nation in mourning – but also warned against the human cost of being swept up by wartime rage. He also confirmed that Israel agreed to allow the beginning of humanitarian aid into Gaza from Egypt.Representative Jim Jordan once again[...]
As President Biden prepared to visit Israel, a hospital in Gaza City was hit by a devastating blast Tuesday, killing at least 500 people. Hamas blamed it on an Israeli airstrike, though Israel denied any involvement. Hours later, the White House confirmed that a planned summit in Jordan with Arab leaders was called off.Crooked’s Tommy[...]
President Biden will travel to Israel tomorrow. The high-stakes visit is meant to be a show of solidarity with Israel – while also sending a message to other countries in the region to keep the conflict with Hamas from escalating. The announcement also comes amid a continued push to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.The federal[...]
As Israel continues to gear up for its anticipated ground invasion of Gaza, diplomats with the United States, Egypt, and other countries are scrambling to avert a larger humanitarian crisis. Israel has given repeated orders for Gazans to evacuate south ahead of that, but basic services in that region are already incredibly strained due to[...]
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel on Thursday to show support for the country, following Hamas’ attack over the weekend. He also called on Israel to exercise restraint as it continues its airstrikes on Gaza. Meanwhile, the United States and Qatar have agreed to stop Iran, which has helped Hamas in the past,[...]
As Israel sends thousands of troops to the border with Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to form an emergency war cabinet with members of the country’s political opposition. It comes as Israel continues to pound the Palestinian territory with airstrikes, intensifying fears that the assault will create a humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, Israel is[...]
The devastation from the war between Israel and Hamas continues to unfold. As of Tuesday, nearly 2,000 people combined have been killed in Israel and Gaza, with many more injured. President Biden confirmed that at least 14 Americans are among the dead, and U.S. citizens are among the hostages held by Hamas.Meanwhile, Secretary of State[...]
At least 1,500 people have been killed in the days since Hamas, the Palestinian armed group that controls Gaza, launched a surprise attack against Israel. Israel has since declared war, and vowed to launch a "total" siege on Gaza. Meanwhile, the U.S. and other global powers are working to stop it from becoming a conflict[...]
***What A Day will be back with a new episode Tuesday, October 10th***It's the start of a new Supreme Court term... and the start of Strict Scrutiny's fifth season! While the cases ahead may seem technical and boring, they’re actually quite significant. Hosts Melissa, Kate, and Leah preview the first oral arguments the Court will hear[...]
Federal judges chose a new congressional map for Alabama on Thursday, after a major, two year legal fight. The final, court-approved map gives Black Alabamians more political power, and could also give Democrats an edge in 2024.Talks between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP resume today, after negotiations to end the Hollywood actor’s strike restarted earlier this week.[...]
Republicans remain divided over who should lead their delicate House majority after Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker. A vote for his replacement is set for next week – and so far, at least three Republicans have signaled that they want the job.Banned Books Week, an annual event to draw attention to the harms of[...]
In an unprecedented move led by far-right Republicans, Kevin McCarthy was voted out of his job as Speaker of the House. He later said he would not seek the position again, leaving the House GOP fractured and scrambling to find a new leader for their slim majority. The Supreme Court heard arguments in a major case[...]
A testy and defiant Donald Trump showed up to court yesterday in Manhattan, for the first day of his civil fraud trial. The former president called the suit, brought by New York attorney general Letitia James, a “witch hunt,” though it could cost him control of his sprawling real estate empire.Laphonza Butler will be the[...]
Just hours before the Saturday night deadline, a bill to fund the government through mid-November passed both chambers of Congress and was signed by President Biden. The bill – which ensures the federal government can keep paying its workers for about 45 more days – included funds for natural disaster relief, but notably did not[...]
Republicans held their first hearing Thursday in their impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The six-hour hearing before the House Oversight Committee tried to make the case that the president benefitted from his son's business dealings – even though the Republicans' own witnesses said they didn't have any evidence to prove it.Meanwhile, the U.S. government[...]
The second 2024 GOP presidential debate took place yesterday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The pool of candidates was smaller compared to the last round, but it wasn’t any less chaotic. Erin Ryan, host of Crooked Media’s “Hysteria” podcast, and Brian Beutler, founder of the Off Message newsletter, join us[...]
Capitalism is having a moment in our current political discourse. And believe it or not, we haven't always been so quick to openly bash – or defend – it. Noel King, co-host of Vox Media's Today, Explained podcast, and her team have been exploring the forces behind American capitalism in a four-part series called Blame[...]
The Writers Guild of America late Sunday evening announced a tentative agreement with the major studios. The Guild has said that it got most of what it wanted, including increased pay for writers on streaming content, minimum staffing requirements for TV shows, and guarantees from the studios over the use of artificial intelligence. We’re joined[...]
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is facing calls from fellow Democrats to resign, as he faces federal bribery charges – the second time he’s been prosecuted for alleged corruption in the past 10 years. Menendez is accused of accepting cash, gold, and other gifts to secretly help Egypt’s government.It’s been a cliffhanger weekend for Hollywood,[...]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington D.C. on Thursday to meet with President Biden and Senate leaders. Zelensky is trying to secure additional funding from the U.S. to help in the fight against Russian forces. But some Republican lawmakers are reluctant to continue financial support for Ukraine.Billionaire right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch is stepping down[...]
Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. During the nearly six-hour hearing, pushed back against claims that the Justice Department is unfairly protecting President Biden and his son Hunter, who has been under investigation since 2018.The trial of two police officers accused in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain[...]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the U.N. General Assembly yesterday, framing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine as a “genocide.” He’s also hoping to shore up support in Washington this week, amid skepticism from Republicans over whether to send Ukraine another $24 billion in aid.A New York City daycare owner and one of her relatives face federal[...]
Five Americans detained in Iran for years are on their way back home as part of a rare agreement between the United States and Iran. In exchange, the U.S. released a group of Iranian prisoners, and restored Tehran’s access to some $6 billion dollars in oil revenues.Illinois became the first state in the nation to[...]
The United Auto Workers Union is on strike at all three of Detroit’s major automakers — General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. This is the first time in history it’s done that. Nearly 13,000 workers walked off the job at three auto plants across the country on Friday to fight for better wages and benefits as[...]
September 16th marks the one year anniversary since the death of Mahsa Amini and the start of a women-led revolution in Iran. The 22-year-old died in custody at the hands of the so-called morality police after allegedly violating the regime’s dress code. And within days, Iranians filled the streets in outrage. We’re joined by Iranian-American[...]
Members of the United Auto Workers union are in the final countdown to reach a labor agreement with Detroit automakers. If agreements aren’t reached by 11:59pm ET Thursday night, then autoworkers will implement targeted strikes at plants run by General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis.Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un[...]
The government’s antitrust trial against Google kicked off yesterday as lawyers for the Department of Justice gave opening statements in their case. They argued that Google illegally created a monopoly with its titular search engine to squash competitors like Yahoo and Bing. We’re joined by Sara Morrison, senior tech reporter at Vox, to break down[...]
The 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack was yesterday, and officials around the country memorialized the nearly 3,000 people who were killed. Roughly 40 percent of the victims remain unidentified, but officials recently used DNA testing to discover the identities of two more of those killed in the attack.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment[...]
A destructive 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night and left 2,000 people dead and thousands injured. It’s the strongest to hit the country in over a century and rescue and recovery efforts have since been slow and tough.It's looking more and more likely that auto workers will go on strike starting this Friday. That’s[...]
In a new report, Hawai'i’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism estimates that because of the Maui fire damages, the state’s economy will lose about $1.9 billion through 2024. So while state tourism officials initially urged tourists to stay away from Maui, they’ve now started to encourage tourists to come back to other parts[...]
It's only been five weeks since Justice Janet Protasiewicz was sworn in to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but state Republicans are hell-bent on getting her kicked off the court before she even hears her first case. In their latest effort, Republicans in the state are floating the idea of impeaching Protasiewicz for statements she made[...]
Interest on federal student loans has officially resumed, and payments are set to restart on October 1st. On Tuesday, however, a group of Senate Republicans introduced legislation to block President Biden’s Saving on Valuable Education Plan — or SAVE Plan — from going into effect, despite how it could help millions of people struggling to[...]
COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in the U.S., and experts are closely monitoring a new variant nicknamed “Pirola.” Plus, there might be a new, updated vaccine as early as next week. We’re joined by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s America Dissected, to talk about the latest uptick and what to expect[...]
Two more leaders of the Proud Boys were sentenced yesterday for their roles in the January 6th insurrection. Joe Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison while Zachary Rehl was sentenced to 15 years. Plus, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday in the Georgia criminal case where he’s accused of racketeering in his[...]
Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast yesterday morning and wreaked havoc in its wake. So far, it has left at least two people dead and caused major flooding and destruction.A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that Rudy Giuliani is liable in a defamation lawsuit brought by two Georgia election workers. They say their[...]
The Biden administration on Tuesday shared the first ten prescription drugs that it has chosen for price negotiations through Medicare. The Biden administration will try to lower Medicare prices for the drugs by negotiating with their respective manufacturers to ease the burden of their otherwise exorbitant costs.Former employees at Twitter – a.k.a. X – have[...]
March 4, 2024 will be the first day for Donald Trump’s federal criminal trial in which he is charged with attempting to subvert the 2020 presidential election results on January 6th. That trial date means it comes one day before the Super Tuesday primary.Tropical Storm Idalia is headed towards the U.S. and is expected to[...]
A white gunman shot and killed three Black people in a racist attack at a Dollar General store on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida. The attack is the latest incidence of racist gun violence perpetrated by a young, white gunman in the United States, and it is being investigated as a hate crime.Georgia Republicans have expedited[...]
Former President Donald Trump surrendered on Thursday at the Fulton County Jail on felony charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. He was released on a $200,000 bond. Meanwhile in the criminal case over mishandled classified documents, a former Mar-a-Lago employee who monitored the security cameras flipped on Trump[...]
Eight Republican presidential candidates went head to head for the first GOP primary debate in Milwaukee Wednesday night. Notably absent from the lineup was Donald Trump — the former president instead appeared in a pre-recorded interview with Tucker Carlson that debuted on X at the exact same time as the nationally televised event. We’re joined[...]
Students across the country head back to school this month, but tens of thousands of teacher positions remain vacant and more than 160,000 positions are filled by under-qualified teachers. We’re joined by Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, to learn more about the nationwide teacher shortage.And in headlines: Donald Trump’s co-defendants in the[...]
Tennessee lawmakers gathered yesterday for the start of a week-long special session on public safety and mental health. But as of Monday evening, the Senate adjourned without passing any meaningful legislation and the House adopted rules that bar lawmakers they deem as "unruly" from participating in discussion.President Biden arrived in Maui yesterday afternoon where he[...]
Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall in Mexico’s Baja California region yesterday and the center of the storm officially moved into Southern California Sunday evening. It’s expected to have a major effect on the region, where it could drop more than a year's worth of rain in parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona.Twenty states have enacted[...]
Hundreds of documents containing detailed debate advice seemingly intended for Gov. Ron DeSantis were posted online this week, according to reporting by The New York Times. The documents – which were later taken down – were posted by Axiom Strategies, the company owned by the chief strategist for DeSantis's Super PAC.Earlier this month, a Texas[...]
A federal appeals court ruled yesterday that it would impose restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone, including preventing it from being prescribed via telehealth or sent through the mail. But those restrictions won’t go into effect immediately due to a previous stay by the Supreme Court.Republican state leaders like Texas Governor Greg Abbott continue the[...]
Donald Trump was indicted for a fourth time Monday night. Trump now faces a total of 91 criminal counts across four separate cases.A Texas lawsuit against Planned Parenthood seeks more than $1.8 billion in reimbursement, penalties and fees after the state moved to cut the organization as a Medicaid provider. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, the same[...]
Donald Trump was charged with 13 felonies in Georgia yesterday, including forgery, filing false documents and racketeering. Eighteen others in his circle were indicted as well, all tied to the alleged attempt to overturn the outcome in Georgia’s 2020 Presidential Election. To break down the charges, we’re joined by Morgan Cloud, professor of law at[...]
More than 90 people have been killed in Maui since wildfires erupted last week, making it the deadliest wildfire in the U.S. in over a century. The Hawai’i Tourism Authority is urging travelers to not visit the island at this time as organizers work to provide shelter to thousands of displaced residents.Former president Donald Trump[...]
Rescue efforts continue in Maui after fast-moving wildfires caused catastrophic damage across the island this week. The death toll from the wildfires has risen to at least 53 with several others wounded. Thousands of Maui residents have been displaced by the catastrophe, as well.The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and[...]
Raging wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui have killed six people and displaced thousands more. Hundreds of homes and businesses have been destroyed as well, including within the historic town of Lahaina.Leaders of eight South American countries that share the Amazon rainforest wrapped up a two-day summit in Belem, Brazil yesterday. By the end[...]
Ohio overwhelmingly voted against Issue 1 in a statewide special election on Tuesday. It’s a major relief because the ballot measure would have made it harder to change the state’s constitution and protect abortion rights in an upcoming vote this November.The Supreme Court sided with President Biden in a 5-4 ruling Tuesday and allowed his[...]
Donald Trump’s lawyers argued on Monday that prosecutors are infringing on Trump's First Amendment rights by asking him not to discuss the case over his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. That comes after special counsel Jack Smith on Friday asked for a protective order that limits disclosure of discovery material in the case,[...]
The United States is officially out of the Women’s World Cup after a heartbreaking and dramatic loss to Sweden on Sunday. The loss marks the earliest tournament exit in the history of the team. Today, England faces Nigeria and Australia takes on Denmark.On July 29th, O'Shae Sibley, a gay man and professional dancer, was fatally[...]
Former President Trump pleaded not guilty to the four criminal charges against him tied to his actions leading up to January 6th. The next hearing will be on August 28th.Suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long-delayed criminal trial is expected to begin early 2024. But before that, he has an upcoming impeachment trial on September[...]
Last July was so hot that 81 percent of the world's population endured sweltering heat, according to a new report by the science non-profit Climate Central. The temps broke records across the globe. Next week President Biden visits the nation's Southwest to talk more about his plans to combat climate change.Negotiations in Hollywood may soon[...]
Former President Donald Trump was indicted for the third time on Tuesday for the alleged role he played to overturn the 2020 election. He was charged with four criminal counts including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and more. We talk with Leah Litman, professor of law at the[...]
A Georgia judge on Monday rejected former president Donald Trump’s effort to stop an investigation into whether he interfered in the 2020 election results in that state. It comes as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis says her office is “ready to go” to announce her decision on whether to charge Trump in that case.And[...]
The latest battle over abortion rights is set to begin in Ohio. On August 8th, voters in the Buckeye State will decide on Issue 1, a ballot initiative about ballot initiatives (yes, you read that right). The outcome will determine whether or not Ohioans can decide in November whether to enshrine abortion access into the[...]
Former President Donald Trump is facing additional charges in the case over his handling of classified documents. The superseding indictment accuses Trump, along with two of his aides, of trying to delete security video from Mar-a-Lago to keep federal investigators from viewing it. The new charges came down hours after Trump's legal team met with[...]
A federal judge has delayed approval for Hunter Biden’s plea deal with the Justice Department over tax and gun charges. The agreement the president’s son reached with prosecutors unexpectedly fell apart Wednesday, after the judge raised concerns about some of its conditions.Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani admitted in court documents that he made ‘false’ and[...]
UPS and the Teamsters union — which represents about 340,000 UPS workers nationwide — reached a tentative labor deal on Tuesday, averting what would have been the largest strike involving a single employer in the history of the United States. Workers still need to ratify the agreement, which includes wage increases and new worker protections.Though[...]
Black lung disease, a debilitating and incurable condition that affects coal miners, is now on the rise for younger mine workers in Central Appalachia – which labor advocates say is due to unsafe working conditions that have gone unchecked. Journalist Kim Kelly joins us to discuss her investigative reporting on the issue, and what’s being[...]
Israel’s parliament is set to vote today on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to reform the country’s judicial system. Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets across Israel to protest the proposal, saying that it threatens the country’s democratic foundation.Voters in Spain cast their ballots in what was arguably one of the most important[...]
A federal grand jury investigating Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results met on Thursday in Washington, D.C. and heard testimony from former Trump aide William Russell. The meeting comes after Trump this week revealed that he received a target letter from Special Counsel Jack Smith, informing him that he is the subject[...]
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on a bill today that would impose a code of ethics on the Supreme Court. While Democrats say the move is necessary in light of recent reports about Justice Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito's relationship with GOP mega donors, the legislation is unlikely to become law due[...]
Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday he received another "target letter" from the Justice Department, this time, saying he could face a federal indictment over his bid to overturn the results of the 2020 election. While the exact charges were not immediately clear, it indicates that Trump could soon face his third criminal indictment this[...]
On Monday, explosives damaged a key bridge connecting the Russian mainland and Crimean Peninsula. Russia blamed Ukrainian forces for the deadly attack on the Kerch Bridge, and Russia soon after said it would halt its participation in the Black Sea grain deal.Donald Trump’s legal team is heading back to court today for a pre-trial hearing[...]
More than 100 million people across the United States were under excessive heat warnings and advisories over the weekend, and more than 55 million people are expected to experience high temperatures reaching or exceeding 100 degrees this week. And another, separate heat wave is expected to broil southern Europe in the coming days.On Saturday, the[...]
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States. The landmark move could help make contraception more accessible across the country at a time when access to birth control and abortion is being restricted.The Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into OpenAI, the company behind[...]
160,000 Hollywood actors are poised to strike Thursday, joining WGA members on the picket lines in what could be the first double strike in more than 60 years. This all comes as this year’s coveted Emmy nominations were announced Wednesday morning, further cementing 2023 as a fraught year for the entertainment industry that is already[...]
Leaders of the 31 NATO nations gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania on Tuesday for the first day of the annual summit to discuss potentially admitting Ukraine and Sweden into the alliance. NATO leaders said they will invite Ukraine to join their alliance when “conditions are met,” and Turkey cleared the way for Sweden to join NATO.SAG-AFTRA[...]
Former U.S. Congressman Mondaire Jones is once again running for Congress in New York’s 17th district, a seat he previously held and lost after redistricting changed his reelection plans. We’re joined by the former congressman to talk about his comeback bid, his connection to New York’s Hudson Valley, and more.And in headlines: intense rain and[...]
A New York Times report published Sunday revealed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s involvement in the exclusive Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. According to the The Times, Justice Thomas’s three decade membership granted him access to benefits – many unreported – from wealthy members and friends.Last Friday, the Dutch government collapsed after the parties[...]
On Thursday, a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Lviv killed at least six people and injured at least 36 more. Plus, the Biden administration is expected to announce plans to send controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine.Meta officially launched Threads on Wednesday, a new app and Twitter rival that gained millions of users[...]
The Supreme Court blocked President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program and limited protections for LGBTQ+ people in the United States on Friday. The two decisions were 6-3 down ideological lines.A Boston non-profit filed a civil rights complaint against Harvard, alleging that the university’s legacy admission practice violates the Civil Rights Act by discriminating against students[...]
Over the past year, newsrooms across the country have experienced significant staff cuts, even leading to the shuttering of BuzzFeed News and bankruptcy of VICE Media. We’re joined by S. Mitra Kalita, veteran journalist and co-founder of URL media, to learn more about why these layoffs are happening and its impact on local journalism.Show notes:URL[...]
This week marks the anniversary of the Stonewall riots — the very reason we celebrate Pride in June every year. In honor of the drag queens that have always been on the front lines of the fight for equality before, during, and after Stonewall, we dive deep into the troubling saga of Tennessee’s first-in-the-nation attempt[...]
On Thursday, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. In a decision along ideological lines, the high court ruled that race-based affirmative action programs violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause, and that American colleges and universities can no longer take race into consideration for admissions. We’re joined by Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of[...]
President Joe Biden delivered an economic speech in Chicago on Wednesday outlining his vision for what he calls “Bidenomics.” The goal is to create more jobs, lower inflation, increase broadband internet access, and more. We’re joined by Jared Bernstein, President Biden’s top economic advisor, to discuss the details of Bidenomics.And in headlines: Yusef Salaam is[...]
The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Moore v. Harper Tuesday, dismissing the “independent state legislature” theory in a case about a GOP-drawn North Carolina congressional map. Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate Magazine, joins us to talk about the Supreme Court’s ruling, and the theory central to the case.And in headlines: an[...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed his nation on Monday for the first time since the short-lived military rebellion by the Wagner Group came to an end. During his five minute televised speech, Putin refused to specifically name Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, and called the mutiny organizers “traitors.” The Kremlin said that it reached a[...]
Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia’s most notorious mercenary leader, sent an armed convoy toward Moscow over the weekend after accusing the country’s military of staging an airstrike on his own fighters. Crooked news contributor Max Fisher joins us to break down what happened, and what it could entail for Russia and the war in Ukraine.And in headlines:[...]
The days-long search for the tourist submersible that went missing near the wreck of the Titanic came to a tragic end Thursday. A U.S. Coast Guard official said the five people aboard the vessel are presumed dead, after pieces of the craft were found on the ocean floor roughly 1,600 feet from the Titanic's bow.[...]
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito failed to disclose a luxury fishing trip he took in 2008 with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer and did not recuse himself from later cases involving Singer, according to a new report from ProPublica. Instead of responding to ProPublica’s questions directly, Justice Alito penned an op-ed in the Wall Street[...]
On Tuesday, French financial police raided the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympics organizing committee as part of two ongoing investigations into the misuse of public funds. Prosecutors said they’re looking into potential conflicts of interest, embezzlement and favoritism.President Joe Biden touted his administration’s historic record on combatting climate change during a recent trip to[...]
SB 1718, Florida’s controversial new immigration law, is set to go into effect in less than two weeks. The law limits social services for undocumented people in the state, makes it harder for businesses to hire them, and earmarks millions to fund DeSantis' relocation of migrants to other states. Paula Muñoz with the Florida Immigrant[...]
In a major victory for Native American rights, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to uphold key provisions of the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act Thursday. ICWA was enacted to keep Native children with their families and tribes during custody disputes. Rebecca Nagle, host of Crooked’s This Land documentary podcast series, joins us to discuss the[...]
For the first time since March 2022, the Federal Reserve decided to pause interest rate hikes. The Fed – which has raised interest rates ten times in the past fifteen months – said it wants to take some time to evaluate how the economy is reacting to previous rate increases.On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted[...]
At a Miami courthouse Tuesday, former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 felony counts that he allegedly kept classified documents from his time in office. The historic case makes Trump the first-ever former U.S. president to be criminally charged by the federal government. L.A. Times senior legal affairs columnist Harry Litman joins us[...]
Former President Donald Trump will appear in federal court in Miami today to be arraigned on 37 federal counts over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. It’s his second court appearance as a criminal defendant this year – and he is expected to plead not guilty.SB 1718, a sweeping anti-immigration law signed by Florida Governor[...]
The Justice Department on Friday unsealed a 49-page federal indictment against former president Donald Trump. He faces 37 felony counts, including 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act. We’re joined by Kate Shaw, professor of law at the Cardozo School of Law and co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny podcast, to dig into the charges and[...]
In a social media post on Thursday, former president Donald Trump said he has been indicted on federal charges. Trump faces at least seven counts in connection with the classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago home last year.In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court voted to uphold the Voting Rights Act and reject Alabama’s congressional[...]
Smoke and haze from wildfires burning in Canada have blanketed much of the eastern United States. Several cities, including New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C., remain under air quality alerts, and forecasters warn that dangerous conditions could linger for days.Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law is back in the spotlight, after the woman accused of[...]
The Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine collapsed on Tuesday, unleashing floods and forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes. While the cause of the collapse remains unclear, both Russia and Ukraine have blamed the other for the dam’s explosion.In a win for trans rights, a federal judge in Florida partially blocked a law that[...]
Hundreds of people crowded Atlanta’s City Hall yesterday to give public comment ahead of a city council vote over the proposed police training facility that activists call “Cop City.” The vote would decide whether or not to allocate $31 million in public funds to help build the facility, which has drawn widespread opposition.Another group of[...]
President Biden signed the bipartisan debt ceiling bill into law, averting default and an economic crisis just days before the June 5th deadline posed to lawmakers. The final legislation – which passed swiftly through the House and Senate last week – suspends the nation’s debt limit until 2025.Nearly 300 people were killed and more than[...]
In a blow to unions and organized labor, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a concrete company seeking to sue the Teamsters union for the profit they lost during one of its strikes. Advocates say the decision could prevent workers from exercising their right to strike nationwide.The Senate voted to block Biden’s student loan[...]
Former Gov. Chris Christie and former Vice President Mike Pence are expected to launch their 2024 presidential campaigns next week, joining the already crowded field of Republican candidates. They’ll be going up against frontrunners Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, both of whom are on the campaign trail in Iowa.The Supreme Court is expected to issue[...]
The debt limit deal struck between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is headed to a full House vote today despite hard-right Republicans opposing the legislation. Lawmakers have until June 5th to reach a consensus to avoid a default.A drone attack hit Moscow Tuesday morning, marking the first strike in a Russian civilian area[...]
As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close this May, we’re joined by Brian Beutler, Crooked’s Editor in Chief and host of Crooked’s Positively Dreadful, to talk about maintaining our mental health when the news gets bad, and how to stay hopeful in light of it all.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked[...]
Every May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. The occasion was created to celebrate both Asian and Pacific diasporas — but the “PI” in “AAPI” is often erased despite the term’s intention to include them. As the month comes to an end, Kristian Fanene Schmidt, the executive director[...]
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially entered the 2024 presidential race. In a glitchy announcement on Twitter Wednesday, DeSantis said he’s running for president to lead a “great American comeback,” and he’s using the slate of harmful, regressive laws he’s passed in Florida as evidence that he can get that job done. The ACLU’s Gillian[...]
A year ago today, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. As the community of Uvalde, Texas marks the grim anniversary, families of the victims continue to demand answers – and accountability – from law enforcement and elected leaders. Shannon Watts, founder of the gun control advocacy group Moms Demand[...]
More than 100 trans youth from across the country gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol on Monday for Trans Prom – a demonstration to center and celebrate trans joy. They were supported by parents, allies and trans adult – including WAD host Tre’vell Anderson – who spoke with some of the youth organizers at[...]
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in Japan for the G7 summit, where he met with world leaders to continue lobbying for more military support for his country. And just hours after his arrival, Russian officials said troops had captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, a claim Zelenskyy denied.President Joe Biden and House[...]
Publishing giant Penguin Random House and literary organization PEN America — along with a group of authors, students, and parents — sued Florida’s Escambia County School District and school board for banning books about race and LGBTQ+ issues from its libraries. Banned author George M. Johnson joins us to talk about the fight to free[...]
As the clock ticks closer to the June 1st default deadline, top aides to President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are working toward an agreement by Sunday. Meanwhile, Democrats are already looking into other last-ditch efforts – including a petition to force a debt ceiling vote in Congress, and even urging the president to[...]
A former aide to Rudy Giuliani has sued him for alleged sexual assault, harassment, wage theft, and other misconduct. In a 70 page lawsuit filed Monday, Noelle Dunphy says she has recordings of the former Donald Trump attorney making sexist, racist and anti-semitic remarks, and claims he tried to sell off presidential pardons for $2[...]
As debt limit negotiations continue between Republicans and the Biden Administration, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen repeated her warning that the U.S. government could run out of money to pay its bills as early as June 1st. And if a deal isn’t reached before then to avoid default, it could have catastrophic consequences for the global[...]
Turkey’s presidential election is likely heading to a runoff on May 28th. Neither incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who’s been in power for two decades – nor his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, have cleared the 50% threshold to win. The results will determine if Turkey, a NATO ally, will continue its autocratic backslide, or take a[...]
Today marks the official end of Title 42, the Trump-era border policy that allowed U.S. border officials to expel asylum-seekers on public health grounds. We talk to Dara Lind, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, about the end of the policy, and what the restrictions that the Biden administration is putting in its place.Republican-controlled[...]
Today marks the official end of the nationwide COVID-19 public health emergency. It was declared in January 2020, when just six cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the U.S. Now, more than three years later, more than 1.1 million people in the United States in total have died from the virus. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed,[...]
A Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing – and later defaming – writer E. Jean Carroll, ordering him to pay her a total of $5 million in damages. Though Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women over the years, Tuesday’s verdict in the civil case marks[...]
Award-winning journalist and What A Day host Tre’vell Anderson has officially added “author” to their many accolades. Their debut book, We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV & Film, is out today, along with the audiobook and an accompanying limited series podcast. Tre’vell walks us through their process writing the book, the[...]
Eight people were killed and at least seven others were wounded Saturday after a gunman opened fire at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas – making it the 200th mass shooting of the year, and the second deadliest since the Monterey Park attacks in January.King Charles III was officially crowned Saturday as Britain's first new[...]
On Thursday, four members of the Proud Boys – including former leader Enrique Tarrio – were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in the January 6th riot. The trial was the last of three sedition cases brought by the Justice Department against key figures in the insurrection.Another report from ProPublica is raising questions about[...]
On Wednesday, Russia accused Ukraine of trying to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in a drone attack on the Kremlin. Ukraine has denied the accusations, but Russia says it has the right to retaliate.An investigation by the Department of Labor found that McDonald's franchises in at least four states had employed over 300 children to work[...]
With the debt ceiling deadline now projected for June 1st, House Democrats are taking action in case negotiations fail. The move would allow Democrats to collect signatures to force Congress to consider a “clean” bill to raise the debt limit and avoid a catastrophic default.Members of the Writers Guild of America are officially on strike[...]
The Writer’s Guild of America, the union representing thousands of film and TV writers, has called for a strike against Hollywood studios, after both sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. It’s the first major work stoppage to hit the entertainment industry since the 100-day strike of 2007-2008.And in headlines: JPMorgan Chase[...]
For more than two months, Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh has filibustered nearly every single bill that has passed through the state legislature. It’s an effort to keep her Republican colleagues from following other red states to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth. Sen. Cavanaugh joins us to talk about how she’s managed to hold[...]
Writer E. Jean Carroll, who is suing Donald Trump for allegedly raping her in 1996, faced hours of cross examination Thursday – leading to a heated exchange with Trump’s lawyer, who questioned her memory and actions surrounding the alleged attack.The Biden administration has announced plans to open migrant centers throughout Latin America in an effort[...]
Montana Republicans voted to censure Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the first openly transgender person to be elected to the state’s legislature. The vote comes after Rep. Zephyr last week said supporters of a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for young people would have “blood on their hands.” And in Florida, Disney sued Governor Ron DeSantis for[...]
There are growing calls for the Supreme Court to adopt stronger ethics rules. It follows revelations earlier this month that Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose gifts and lavish vacations paid by a major Republican donor, along with a new report from Politico involving a real estate deal between Justice Neil Gorsuch and a law[...]
In a series of high-profile cable news firings Monday morning, Fox News announced that the network agreed to part ways with top host Tucker Carlson — and just minutes later, news broke that CNN terminated longtime anchor Don Lemon after 17 years with the network. President Biden is expected to announce his 2024 bid for re-election[...]
The Supreme Court issued a decision preserving access to the abortion drug mifepristone, meaning access to the medication will likely remain unchanged at least into next year.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unveiled his plan to raise the debt ceiling last week. The proposal has a long list of demands that take aim at the Biden administration’s[...]
The Pentagon is moving American troops to Sudan to prepare for a possible evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in the region. This comes amid a dayslong series of clashes between two warring military factions that has led to hundreds of deaths and injuries.Buzzfeed is shutting down its entire news division after elevating reporting that rivaled[...]
In the latest in the fight against mifepristone, the Supreme Court has delayed its ruling on the abortion pill until Friday at midnight — extending the continued use of mifepristone for a couple more days.In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed in his years-long effort to get[...]
The defamation trial brought by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News was called off after both parties agreed to settle for $787.5 million at the last minute. Crooked news contributor Max Fisher joins us to break down what happened and what comes next.And in headlines: The white homeowner who shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl turned himself[...]
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy proposed a one-year debt ceiling increase on Monday, calling the idea a “responsible, sensible” solution — but it’s unclear if he has the support of his own party to pass the divisive measure.A new report from The Washington Post revealed that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas claimed income for two decades[...]
The defamation lawsuit brought by the election technology company Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News is scheduled to start on Tuesday. Crooked news contributor Max Fisher tells us what’s at stake, and what we can expect over the next few weeks.And in headlines: a shooting in Alabama left at least four people dead and 28[...]
The FBI has arrested 21-year old Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard suspected of leaking classified government documents on Discord early last month. The materials revealed sensitive information about the war in Ukraine, and how the U.S. spies on some of its allies.A federal appeals court partially blocked the decision by[...]
In a unanimous vote, county officials sent State Representative Justin Pearson back to his seat in Tennessee’s House of Representatives. His reinstatement comes less than a week after he and another Black Democratic colleague were expelled for leading a protest on gun reform.And in headlines: California Senator Dianne Feinstein will temporarily give up her seat[...]
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a lawsuit against Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, accusing him of a “brazen and unconstitutional attack” on the criminal prosecution and investigation of former President Donald Trump, and organizing a “transparent campaign to intimidate and attack” the D.A.The Biden Administration has laid out two tough options it may take to[...]
The Justice Department has appealed a Texas judge's decision that suspends the FDA's nationwide approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Meanwhile, a separate ruling in Washington state would bar the agency from taking the medication off the market in at least 17 states.The Pentagon has launched an investigation after highly classified military documents were leaked[...]
Tennessee House Republicans voted to expel two of three Democratic lawmakers for "disorderly behavior," after leading a demonstration inside the state Capitol against gun violence. It marks the first time in state history that any House member has been removed for violating the chamber's rules on decorum.In a bombshell report, the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica found[...]
Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving liberals control of the state’s highest court for the first time in 15 years. Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, joins us to discuss the impact it will have on the battleground state.And in headlines: former Vice President Mike Pence[...]
Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny podcast, breaks down all the charges and where the case goes from here.And in headlines: Janet Protasiewicz won the Wisconsin Supreme[...]
Former President Donald Trump will make his first court appearance in Manhattan today, to answer to criminal charges handed down by a grand jury on Thursday. He’s expected to face dozens of charges related to hush money he paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels.Starbucks is facing more scrutiny, after former CEO Howard Schultz was[...]
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a New York grand jury, making him the first U.S. president to face criminal charges. Harry Litman, senior legal affairs columnist for the LA Times and a former deputy assistant attorney general at the Department of Justice, tells us what we can expect in the coming days[...]
We quickly recap the reported indictment against former President Trump for his alleged role to cover-up his relationship with Stormy Daniels.
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz testified before the Senate HELP Committee on Wednesday. Lawmakers questioned him about the coffee chain’s union-busting activities that have been recorded and reviewed by the National Labor Relations Board over the past several months.The Senate voted 66-30 across party lines to repeal authorizations for the use of military force against[...]
A federal judge ruled that former Vice President Mike Pence must testify in the Justice Department's investigation of former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. He will be expected to testify about any potential illegal acts committed by Trump.At least 40 migrants died Monday night after a fire at[...]
Six people – including three young children – were killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee. Police say the shooter, a 28 year-old, was a former student, and was armed with two assault rifles and a handgun.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to pause a plan to overhaul the country's judicial[...]
Severe weather continued across the Deep South, after intense tornadoes struck Mississippi and Alabama over the weekend, leaving at least 26 people dead and destroying rural towns in one of the poorest areas of the country.A collective of New York Times contributors released an open letter to the newspaper last month, calling out widespread editorial[...]
TikTok CEO Shou Chew testified before Congress Thursday. Lawmakers grilled him for more than five hours over their concerns about the app’s safety, and its ties to China.The Michigan state appeals court ruled that the parents of the Oxford High School shooter can face trial for involuntary manslaughter. They’re accused of ignoring warning signs before[...]
As Donald Trump faces possible criminal charges in New York, the former president faces another, and potentially more serious, legal threat. An appeals court ruled Wednesday that one of his own attorneys must testify before the grand jury investigating his handling of classified documents.The Federal Reserve raised the benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage[...]
Contrary to what he told his supporters, former President Donald Trump was not arrested on Tuesday — though most observers seem to agree that he’ll be indicted soon, over a 2016 hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels.A Fox News producer filed a pair of lawsuits against the network. She alleges that she[...]
The United Nations released a major report on climate change yesterday, offering perhaps the most comprehensive understanding of how the planet is heating. Experts are urging industrialized nations to slash greenhouse gasses roughly in half by 2030.French President Emmanuel Macron survived two no confidence votes in parliament on Monday, all but ensuring that the French[...]
Former President Donald Trump said he expects to be arrested tomorrow in connection with the yearslong investigation into a hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump called on his supporters to protest in opposition.Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Journalist and author Spencer Ackerman, who’s known for[...]
Eleven of the largest U.S. lenders agreed to deposit $30 billion into First Republic Bank in an effort to rescue it. The move was also meant to stop the ongoing panic in the financial world, following the failure of three smaller banks this past week.Starting next Tuesday, tens of thousands of Los Angeles Unified School[...]
A federal judge in Texas held a hearing on Wednesday in a case that could block access to the widely-used abortion medication mifepristone — and suggested he may side with the anti-abortion advocates who want the drug taken off the market.Adult film actress Stormy Daniels met with New York prosecutors, who are investigating the hush[...]
The Pentagon says two Russian fighter jets hit an American surveillance drone over the Black Sea, forcing it to crash into international water. It’s the first known instance of the two countries making contact since the invasion of Ukraine, which U.S. officials warned could lead to a dangerous escalation.North Carolina’s state Supreme Court is rehearing[...]
Following the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the federal government has taken drastic action to protect the financial system, and to make the bank's depositors whole. Business and tech journalist Jo Ling Kent joins us to discuss the backlash from both sides of the political aisle about the intervention — and whether or not[...]
Silicon Valley Bank abruptly shut down on Friday, in what was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history. The bank serviced many startups and other tech companies, and the federal government is now taking steps to protect its deposits, and stop a potential financial crisis.The 95th Academy Awards were held Sunday night, though the[...]
President Biden unveiled his $6.8 trillion budget plan for the 2024 fiscal year. The plan would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade while shoring up Medicare, bolstering military spending, and raising taxes on the wealthiest Americans.A third Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama, just hours before the company’s CEO testified before Congress[...]
A fresh round of public anger is growing in Iran, and the focus is now on a series of suspected school poisonings, which may be targeting girls and young women. Suzanne Kianpour, a foreign affairs correspondent for BBC News, explains why Iranians fear it could be “retaliation” for the women-led protests over the death of[...]
Five women who were denied abortions have filed a lawsuit against Texas over the state’s near-total abortion ban. It’s the first time that pregnant patients who are affected by such laws are taking legal action.Florida Republicans have introduced bills that would further restrict abortion in the state, including one that would prohibit the procedure before[...]
Florida’s 2023 legislative session begins today. Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled state legislature are expected to push Governor Ron DeSantis’s conservative agenda, ahead of his widely-expected 2024 presidential bid.Police in Atlanta, Georgia charged 23 people with domestic terrorism this week for allegedly attacking police during a protest against “Cop City” — a proposed $90 million police[...]
A second Norfolk Southern train derailed in Ohio over the weekend, just over a month after the crash in East Palestine. Local hazmat teams verified that toxins were involved in this latest accident, though it’s raising more questions about rail safety and regulations.President Biden visited Selma, Alabama to mark the anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” a[...]
The House Ethics Committee is officially investigating New York Rep. George Santos over whether he broke campaign finance laws. He’s also facing scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct from a prospective staffer.Lawmakers are sounding the alarm over TikTok, with some members of Congress calling for a total ban of the video-sharing app in the U.S.[...]
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her re-election bid on Tuesday, becoming the first one-term mayor of the city in 40 years. Lightfoot failed to capture enough votes to make it to the April 4th runoff, in a campaign marked by growing concerns over crime. Drug maker Eli Lilly announced that it would cap the out-of-pocket cost[...]
The Supreme Court heard arguments over President Biden’s plan to cancel more than $400 billion in federal student loans, and whether his administration has the authority to do so. We cover the two cases challenging the loan relief program, and how the court's conservative majority responded.And in headlines: a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey, California[...]
The Biden administration has promised new measures to crack down on child labor. It follows a recent investigation by the New York Times, which found that many migrant children are being forced to work in dangerous, labor-intensive jobs.Tennessee’s Republican Governor Bill Lee said he will sign House Bill 9, a measure that would ban public[...]
Abortion rights advocates are bracing for a ruling in a case that could revoke the FDA’s decades-old approval of mifepristone — the most common and effective drug used for medication abortions. Dr. Kristyn Brandi, chair of the advocacy group Physicians for Reproductive Health, tells us how the decision could impact access to reproductive care nationwide.And[...]
Today marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Rolling Stone correspondent Jack Crosbie joins us from Kyiv to reflect on his time covering the conflict. We also check in with Julia Knyupa, a Ukrainian refugee who fled the country on the first day of the invasion, about how her life has changed.And in[...]
Wes Moore made history this year when he was sworn in as Maryland’s first Black governor. He joins us to discuss his vision for his home state — and his improbable journey to its highest office.And in headlines: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were reportedly subpoenaed by the special counsel investigating the insurrection, Norfolk Southern[...]
President Biden reaffirmed his support for Ukraine during a fiery speech in Poland on Tuesday. His address followed his clandestine trip to Kyiv – and hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow will suspend its participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the U.S.Wisconsin voters headed to the polls for[...]
Fisk University made history in January when it became the first historically Black college to launch a women's gymnastics program. Head coach Corrinne Tarver tells us about her journey from being the first Black gymnast to win an all-around NCAA title, to training the next generation of trailblazers.Fisk University made history in January when it[...]
Days after three objects were shot down over North American air space, President Biden confirmed they were not linked to Chinese spy activity – and they were taken down out of an abundance of caution.A report from the special grand jury investigating alleged election interference by former President Donald Trump and his allies was partially[...]
It’s been nearly two weeks since a freight train derailed outside of East Palestine, Ohio and the controlled burn of toxic chemicals it was carrying. Though officials say the area is now safe, some residents are afraid to return home, amid worrying signs that toxins may be lingering in the surrounding environment.The CDC says teenage[...]
A shooting at Michigan State University Monday night left at least three students dead and five others critically injured. It came on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida school shooting, and has, once again, renewed calls for Congress to take on gun control reform.California Senator Dianne Feinstein announced that she will[...]
For years, transgender activists and journalists have criticized the New York Times and other mainstream news organizations for their inadequate – and harmful – coverage of trans issues. Some of that reporting and opinion writing is now being cited in anti-trans state legislation across the country. Journalist Katelyn Burns, co-host of the Cancel Me, Daddy podcast,[...]
After the U.S. military downed a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean last week, three more “unidentified aerial objects'' have been shot down in North American airspace since Friday. While we don’t yet know what they were – or where they’re from – lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say they want answers from[...]
It's Super Bowl Sunday! We're pleased to present the latest episode of America Dissected, tackling America's love of what can be a dangerous (and sometimes deadly) sport just in time for the big game. Host Dr. Abdul El-Sayed reflects on his complicated relationship with football, then interviews Garrett Bush, sports commentator and former college football[...]
The death toll from the earthquakes that have devastated Turkey and Syria passed 21,000 people on Thursday, with many more injured and without shelter. Dr. Houssam al-Nahhas, a Middle East and North Africa researcher at Physicians for Human Rights, tells us about the difficulties of getting relief to people in both countries.And in headlines: federal[...]
Despite some combative moments from Republican lawmakers, Tuesday's State of the Union address was meant to deliver a message of unity to a divided Congress. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to What A Day co-host Juanita Tolliver about some of President Biden's bipartisan wins – and his challenge to Congress to "finish the job."And in[...]
President Biden delivered the annual State of the Union address Tuesday night, speaking to a divided government amid some swipes and heckling from far-right Republicans. Jon Favreau, co-host of Crooked’s Pod Save America, joins us to unpack the president’s message — and his agenda for the year ahead.And in headlines: the death toll from the[...]
A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake and a series of aftershocks struck Turkey and Syria early Monday, killing thousands of people and devastating a region already grappling with civil war and a refugee crisis. The U.S. military on Saturday shot down a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean, days after it entered American airspace. The incident[...]
To kick off our series on Black History Month, What A Day host Juanita Tolliver sits down with Veda Tunstall and Emmett Lewis, descendants of enslaved people brought to Alabama aboard the Clotilda, the last known slave ship in American history, and whose stories are featured in the Netflix documentary "Descendant." What A Day is taking[...]
Tyre Nichols was remembered at a funeral service in Memphis, Tennessee on Wednesday. His family spoke about their grief in the company of political figures from around the country — including civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, who gave the eulogy, and Vice President Kamala Harris.And in headlines: the College Board unveiled the official curriculum[...]
The Biden administration announced it will end the national and public health emergency declarations for COVID on May 11th, marking a new phase in the government’s response to the pandemic. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s “America Dissected” podcast, tells us about the potential health care consequences of the decision, and the benefits that will[...]
The Manhattan district attorney’s office started presenting evidence to a grand jury about former President Donald Trump’s role in paying hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. Journalist Andrea Bernstein, who covers democracy for ProPublica and Trump legal matters for NPR, joins us to discuss the investigation – and whether it will[...]
Memphis authorities released video footage of the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, who was pulled over during a traffic stop on Jan. 7 and died three days later. The release of the videos triggered nationwide protests over the weekend, and led to Memphis police disbanding the so-called SCORPION crime unit, whose officers are accused of[...]
Five former Memphis police officers have been charged with second degree murder for the killing of Tyre Nichols, a Black man who died days after he was violently arrested on Jan. 7th. Footage of the incident is set to be released Friday night — and lawyers for Nichols’ family, who have seen the video, compared[...]
After weeks of pressure, President Biden announced he would send Ukraine M1 Abrams tanks. The decision clears the way for Germany to send over a dozen of their own tanks to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian forces.In an interview with the Associated Press, Pope Francis called laws that criminalize homosexuality “unjust.” It’s the latest[...]
Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor investigating Donald Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state, said criminal charges are "imminent." During a hearing over whether to unseal a special grand jury's final report on the matter, she argued it should remain secret – for now.The Senate Judiciary Committee held its highly[...]
Host Josie Duffy Rice tells us about “Unreformed,” her investigative podcast series about Mt. Meigs — a juvenile reform school outside of Montgomery, Alabama, where thousands of Black children were subjected to abuse for decades. The series follows the stories of former students who were sent to Mt. Meigs as children during the Civil Rights[...]
The city of Monterey Park, California is reeling after a gunman opened fire inside a dance studio Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring 10 others. Though authorities have not determined a motive, the mass shooting happened on Lunar New Year’s Eve in one of the largest Asian American communities in the U.S.Sunday marked 50[...]
As expected, the U.S. government ran up against its legal debt limit of $31.381 trillion on Thursday. In response, the Treasury Department sent a letter to Congressional leaders stating that it has started taking “extraordinary measures” to avoid the government defaulting on its financial obligations.The Supreme Court announced that it has been unable to identify[...]
Thinx, one of the most recognizable brands for period underwear, agreed to pay out $5 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that its signature product contains PFAS — despite having advertised the underwear as safe.A recent New York Times investigation revealed that the National Restaurant Association coerced millions of restaurant workers nationwide into[...]
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the U.S. is on track to hit its debt ceiling by Thursday. The federal government has never defaulted on its debt, but House Republicans say they won’t lift the ceiling without spending cuts or other concessions.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reinstated coveted committee assignments to far-right members of his party –[...]
Today marks 130 years since the United States illegally overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. Healani Sonoda-Pale, an O’ahu-based community organizer and member of the Ka Lāhui Hawai’i political action committee, tells us what this day means to Native Hawaiians and the movement to restore Hawai’i’s sovereignty.And in headlines: a Russian missile strike killed at least 40[...]
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate how classified documents turned up at President Biden's home, and at an unsecured private office he used after his time as vice president. Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Crooked's Pod Save America, joins us to unpack what we know so far, and how the discovery compares[...]
Thousands of flights across the U.S. were canceled or delayed early Wednesday morning after a Federal Aviation Administration computer outage. Officials are calling it the largest national grounding of flights since 9/11, though there’s no evidence to suggest that it was the result of a cyberattack.New York Republican leaders publicly called for Representative George Santos[...]
Another intense winter storm slammed into California Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, wind, and intense wind to the Golden State. It's the latest in a series of atmospheric rivers that have led to the deaths of at least 17 people since late last month, and put millions of Californians under flood warnings.California Rep. Katie Porter announced[...]
The first federal death penalty trial under the Biden administration began in New York on Monday against Sayfullo Saipov. Saipov faces murder and terrorism charges for allegedly using a rented truck to kill eight people on a bike path in 2017.The Golden Globes makes its return to TV tonight after a year off the air.[...]
After four days and 15 rounds of voting, Rep. Kevin McCarthy was finally elected Speaker of the House early Saturday. But in order to get enough votes, he had to cut some deals with the most conservative and hardline members of the GOP.Backers of Brazil's far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country's congressional building,[...]
Once again, Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to secure the votes he needed in the eleventh round of voting for Speaker of the House – even after offering new concessions to the far-right Republicans who continue to oppose him.President Biden announced a major change to border policy, aimed at discouraging migrants from entering the U.S. from[...]
The House of Representatives adjourned for a second day without electing a new speaker, after Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to convince 20 of his Republican colleagues to support his bid. He lost another three rounds of voting Wednesday, leaving no indication when the stalemate will end. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency amid[...]
Republicans made history on Tuesday by failing to select a new House Speaker on the first vote for the first time in 100 years. Rep. Kevin McCarthy couldn’t get enough support from his own party in three rounds of voting, as his colleagues clashed over who should get the speaker’s gavel.Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin[...]
For our first episode of 2023, we talk about the big stories our hosts are watching this year. Stories include: the ongoing war in Ukraine, the effort to reform America’s childcare system, the release of some potentially game-changing films, and the ongoing battle over President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube[...]
As the year comes to a close, we look back at the stories we thought were most memorable in 2022. We talk about the rising momentum of the labor movement, the politicization of drag, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the historic gains Democrats made in the midterm elections.Show Notes:WAD will be on a[...]
Lawmakers introduced a bipartisan agreement on a spending bill to keep the government funded — but it’s bringing out the claws among Republicans. Rep. Kevin McCarthy went after Sen. Mitch McConnell for supporting the spending package, in what may be a move to muster support for his bid to become House Speaker.The Federal Reserve hiked[...]
Federal authorities officially charged FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried with multiple counts of criminal fraud and other financial crimes. It follows the stunning collapse of what was once the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange – while $8 billion in customer funds remain unaccounted for.Twitter abruptly dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the volunteer advisory group formed in[...]
The sports world continues to mourn American soccer journalist Grant Wahl, whose body was returned to the U.S. after he died while covering the World Cup in Qatar. Although whatever caused his sudden death remains a mystery, his family hopes that a pending autopsy will give them answers.Over half a million people have signed a[...]
Congress has until Friday to reach an agreement on a spending package that will fund the government through the next fiscal year, but lawmakers are clashing over what to prioritize. Republicans want to invest heavily in military spending, but Democrats want to put more money toward the social safety net.Karen Bass was officially sworn in[...]
WNBA star Brittney Griner is finally free from Russian imprisonment, 294 days after she was first arrested. U.S. officials negotiated her release, which involved a 1-for-1 prisoner swap for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout.And in headlines: the House passed a landmark bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, tens of thousands of academic workers in[...]
The Washington Post reported that a team hired by former President Donald Trump’s lawyers found at least two documents marked “classified” inside a storage unit in West Palm Beach, Florida. It’s the first indication that more potentially sensitive material was, or could still be, at one of Trump’s properties.China is reportedly easing some of its[...]
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock is heading back to D.C. for a full 6-year term, after defeating Republican challenger Herschel Walker in Tuesday’s special runoff election. Warnock’s victory now gives Democrats an outright majority in the Senate with 51 seats, and brings a whirlwind midterm cycle to a close.And in headlines: the suspect in the Club[...]
Today is election day in Georgia’s Senate runoff. Voters are headed to the polls to decide between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker, in a race that could give Democrats an outright majority in the Senate.This Wednesday marks one year since the state of Hawai’i ordered the U.S. Navy to defuel its[...]
The rule-making arm of the Democratic National Committee voted to reshuffle the presidential primary schedule, making South Carolina the first state to hold a primary in the 2024 elections. The new order will change which voters have an outsized voice in selecting the Democratic nominee for president, and the issues that candidates will center in[...]
In this special bonus episode of What a Day, we look back on the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, and the first woman to seek a major party nomination for president. She would have turned 98 earlier this week.Host Juanita Tolliver sat down with Representatives Barbara Lee[...]
President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program is headed to the Supreme Court. While the plan is blocked for now, the justices will hear arguments in February to decide whether the administration has the authority to cancel federal student loan debt for millions of borrowers.Crooked’s new workplace advice podcast “Work Appropriate” covers everything from how to[...]
House Democrats voted unanimously Wednesday to make New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries their new leader – making him the first Black person to lead a party in Congress.Meanwhile, the House passed legislation that would force rail companies and labor unions to accept a tentative deal to avert a nationwide rail strike — and while progressives[...]
New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a directive to city agencies on Tuesday to begin involuntarily hospitalizing unhoused people who are, presumably, suffering from mental illness – a move sharply criticized by mental health experts and homeless advocates.Today would have been Shirley Chisholm’s 98th birthday. She was the first Black woman elected to Congress[...]
Protesters in China continue to voice their discontent over the country's strict "zero Covid" policies. And while authorities have eased restrictions in some cities in an effort to quell public anger, Beijing isn't backing down from the overall strategy.It's been three weeks since Election Day, but in one Arizona county and two in Pennsylvania, the[...]
A mass shooting left five people dead and dozens of others injured last week at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ bar that’s served as a safe space for the Colorado Springs queer community for over 20 years. Just days later, a gunman opened fire in a Virginia Walmart, killing six people. Both shootings have raised questions about[...]
After leading congressional Democrats for over 20 years, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she won’t be seeking a leadership role in the next Congress. Her decision to step down is expected to pave the way for a new generation of leaders to fill the caucus’s top ranks.Congresswoman Karen Bass is the next mayor of Los[...]
Whether we like it or not, the 2024 campaign season has officially kicked off, after Donald Trump announced he’s running for president for the third time. But many of his allies are already eyeing the exits.Tensions have eased after NATO officials said a missile that killed two people in Poland came from neighboring Ukraine –[...]
Republicans have essentially secured a House majority for the next two years. But the GOP is in disarray, as members vying for leadership positions point fingers at who's to blame for their midterm losses.Young voters turned out in historic numbers this election cycle to support Democrats. Victor Shi, strategy director for the Gen Z-led nonprofit[...]
48,000 academic workers across the University of California’s 10 campuses walked off the job on Monday in the nation’s largest strike of the year. Labor historian and UCLA professor Toby Higbie tells us how we got here and what’s at stake.As winter approaches, experts are warning of a “tripledemic” of RSV, COVID, and the flu.[...]
Democrats have officially retained their majority in the U.S. Senate, after incumbent Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto held off a challenge from her Trump-endorsed Republican challenger, Adam Laxalt.Meanwhile, the governor’s race in Arizona is still too close to call, though Democrat Katie Hobbs holds a slim lead over Republican Kari Lake — and it could[...]
As the vote count continues from Tuesday's midterm elections, both parties are eyeing next month's Senate runoff in Georgia, but Arizona and Nevada are also in the spotlight. Democrats can clinch control of the Senate if incumbents win in at least two of those states.The Supreme Court this week heard arguments in Haaland v. Brackeen,[...]
Pollsters and pundits warned there would be a “red wave” of Republican victories on Election Day, but the results tell a different story. We share some of the big wins for Democrats that have been called so far.Democrat Raphael Warnock is once again heading into a runoff election in the Georgia Senate race. Tia Mitchell,[...]
Election Day has wrapped, but now the wait begins as votes are counted and results pour in from across the country. We walk through what we know so far, and what to watch in some key races.And in headlines: Tropical Storm Nicole is tracking toward Florida, the January 6th committee interviewed Donald Trump’s driver from[...]
Today is Election Day. And Shaniqua McClendon, Crooked’s political director, explains what you need to know if you’re voting today – from what to bring to the polls, to how to respond to voter intimidation.And in headlines: Ukraine accused Russian forces of looting and occupying empty civilian homes in Kherson, a Russian oligarch close to[...]
Elon Musk, who recently acquired Twitter for $44 billion, laid off about half of the company’s staff on Friday. The move also impacted teams that moderate content on the site. New York Times technology reporter Mike Isaac says that’s raising concerns about how well the platform can combat misinformation ahead of the midterm elections.And in[...]
In the run-up to the midterm elections, Republicans have made crime a central issue in their attacks against Democrats. But the fear tactics aren’t backed up by facts.North Korea tried to launch a powerful long-range missile on Thursday, following an intense volley of short-range missile tests earlier this week. And with tensions already high in[...]
President Biden on Wednesday made his closing argument to voters ahead of Election Day. In a speech delivered near Capitol Hill, where violent extremists attempted to overturn the 2020 election, he warned that America’s democratic traditions are on the line this midterm cycle.For our final installment of WAD The Vote, Rep. Sean Casten, the first[...]
As Democrats make their final push on the campaign trail ahead of Election Day, election deniers are making their presence known in person. In Florida, two former members of the Proud Boys were hired as poll workers in Miami-Dade County – a third was dismissed because he’s facing charges for his involvement in the Jan.[...]
The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday over two cases that will decide the fate of affirmative action at American colleges and universities. Jay Willis, the editor-in-chief of Balls & Strikes, tells us what’s at stake if the justices decide to overturn decades of precedent on the issue.And in headlines: federal prosecutors charged the man accused[...]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 82-year-old husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked in their San Francisco home early Friday morning. The alleged assailant was reportedly looking for the Speaker – who was in Washington, D.C. at the time. The attack comes amid heightened fears of political violence before the midterm elections.In Nigeria, more than 600 people have[...]
Brazilians will vote for their next president on Sunday — an election that could be the most decisive in that country’s democratic history. The choice is between leftist challenger Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.The U.S. economy grew 2.6% in the third quarter, but inflation is still driving up costs for[...]
Pennsylvania Senate candidates John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz met on Tuesday for one of the most highly anticipated debates of this midterm election cycle. They covered everything from abortion rights to fracking to immigration, in a race that could determine control of Congress.U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently released a report on how the[...]
Arizona election officials have referred at least six cases of alleged voter intimidation at ballot drop-off boxes to the Justice Department. The complaints describe groups of people – some armed with guns and wearing tactical gear – harassing and taking pictures of voters.Maxwell Frost, who is running for Florida’s 10th Congressional District, is on track[...]
There’s growing concern among Western countries that Russia could be planning a false flag operation in Ukraine – by deploying a so-called “dirty bomb” there, while blaming Ukraine. The Kremlin could use such an attack to justify an escalation in the war.Rishi Sunak won the fight to become Britain's next prime minister, making him the[...]
A federal appeals court has temporarily put a hold on the Biden administration’s student debt forgiveness plan. The challenge comes from six Republican-led states, though the White House said borrowers should still apply for relief.The January 6th committee officially subpoenaed former president Donald Trump, a little over a week after the panel unanimously voted to[...]
Liz Truss abruptly resigned as Britain’s prime minister on Thursday, after just 45 days in office — making her the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom.Hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills are moving through legislatures across the country, many of which specifically target transgender people. Oklahoma House Representative Mauree Turner — the first[...]
In August, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the arrests of several people accused of illegally voting in the 2020 election. But newly released police body camera footage from some of those arrests debunk DeSantis' claims of mass election fraud.Women-led protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini are in their second month, and have[...]
President Biden promised to codify abortion access into federal law next year if voters elect more Democrats to the Senate and maintain their majority in the House. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, joins us to discuss the historic investments her organization is making to mobilize voters ahead of the midterm elections.And[...]
Another deadly round of Russian attacks hit Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early Monday morning – this time, from so-called "kamikaze" drones believed to be made in Iran. Military analysts believe Russia is relying on those weapons because its stockpiles of other weapons are running low.A new ACLU report found that Atlanta’s Fulton County jail is overcrowded[...]
It’s been one month since women began burning their hijabs and leading daily protests in the streets of Iran over the killing of Mahsa Amini. In that time, Iranian security forces have reportedly killed at least 233 protesters — including 32 children.The Biden administration soft-launched its student loan forgiveness application site over the weekend. This[...]
The House select committee investigating the January 6th insurrection held its latest — and potentially last — public hearing on Thursday, and voted to question former President Donald Trump about his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. What a Day’s Juanita Tolliver recaps what we’ve learned so far, and what’s at stake with[...]
A jury in Connecticut ordered Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay nearly $1 billion in damages to the families of eight victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. The verdict is the largest award to date for those families, who say they've suffered for years because Jones has repeatedly claimed the massacre was a[...]
John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania's open U.S. Senate seat, is hanging on to his lead over his Republican opponent, Mehmet Oz. But Republicans are sharpening their attacks by questioning Fetterman’s health and fitness for office, after he suffered a stroke earlier this year.Things are heating up in Arizona's secretary of state race, where[...]
Russia launched its biggest attacks against Ukraine in months, targeting at least 14 regions – including civilian areas – on Monday. Vladimir Putin said the strikes were retaliation for a blast that damaged the only bridge connecting annexed Crimea to Russia.Nury Martinez stepped down as the L.A. City Council president, after she, two other council[...]
Over the weekend, 20 Russian missiles hit civilian areas of Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 13 people and injuring 60 more. These air strikes followed an explosion on Saturday on the bridge between Russia and Crimea, which has both economic and symbolic importance.New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency on Friday after[...]
President Biden announced Thursday he will pardon federal marijuana convictions. The order will impact a few thousand people, since most cannabis convictions happen at the state level, but it will also revisit how cannabis is classified with other drugs under federal law.As Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia continues to gain ground, there are now signs of[...]
President Biden visited Florida on Wednesday to survey the damage from Hurricane Ian, which has left at least 100 people dead in that state. So far, many of those victims are older adults. Dr. Sue Ann Bell, a disaster researcher at the University of Michigan, tells us why older people are especially vulnerable during natural[...]
Conservative leaders have rallied behind Republican Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker, following a report that he paid for an abortion for an ex-girlfriend. It's one of the first October surprises to drop ahead of the high-stakes midterm elections.The federal government has a history of underfunding our election infrastructure, even though the people who run state[...]
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited Puerto Rico on Monday, weeks after Hurricane Fiona tore through the island. The trip – and the pledges of support – was markedly different from when then-President Trump arrived after Hurricane Maria five years ago.Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who is up for re-election in[...]
Florida's death toll from Hurricane Ian soared to at least 74 over the weekend, and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses still do not have electricity. President Biden plans to visit the state Wednesday, after a stop in Puerto Rico to survey damage from Hurricane Fiona.The Supreme Court begins its new term today, with[...]
After leaving a trail of destruction in southern Florida, Hurricane Ian is expected to make a second landfall in South Carolina on Friday. Officials in Charleston are bracing for intense rain, higher-than-usual tides, and a storm surge across the state’s coast.Russian President Vladimir Putin today plans to formally annex separatist regions of Ukraine that supposedly[...]
Hurricane Ian reached Florida Wednesday afternoon as one of the strongest storms to hit the U.S. mainland in decades. Some 2.5 million residents of Tampa and Fort Myers were ordered to evacuate, but thousands stayed behind – even in areas expected to be inundated by extreme storm surge flooding.And in headlines: a human rights organization[...]
Hurricane Ian has knocked out power across Cuba and is barreling toward Florida, where it’s expected to intensify into a Category 3 or 4 storm. Mary Annaïse Heglar, co-host of Crooked’s “Hot Take,” explains how climate change is making hurricanes like Ian stronger, less predictable, and more dangerous.Texas attorney general Ken Paxton is up for[...]
The British pound hit a record low against the U.S. dollar on Monday. We discuss the economic plan by new U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss that sent the currency tumbling, and how international markets are responding.Nearly complete results from Italy’s election showed a clear victory for a right-wing coalition – making it almost certain that[...]
Almost 750 demonstrators were arrested in Russia on Saturday. They were protesting president Vladimir Putin’s declaration from last week of a “partial mobilization” or a draft in which some men are being called up to join the war. Plus, Ukraine's response to Putin's nuclear threats.The number of new cases of monkeypox in the U.S. are[...]
Outrage continues in Iran over the death of a woman detained by that country's "morality police," and at least nine people have been killed in clashes with security forces.Former N.F.L. quarterback Brett Favre has emerged as a key figure in one of the largest welfare fraud cases in Mississippi's history, after text messages revealed his[...]
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a $250 million lawsuit against former President Donald Trump and his three adult children, accusing them of "persistent and repeated" business fraud. Rolling Stone politics reporter Nikki McCann Ramirez joins us to discuss the case and what's at stake for the Trumps.Russian president Vladimir Putin declared a “partial”[...]
The legal battle over sensitive government documents seized from Mar-a-Lago continued on Tuesday, as lawyers for Donald Trump and the Justice Department met for the first hearing overseen by the special master appointed to review the materials.The midterm elections are fast approaching and a lot of candidates and organizations are vying for financial support. Shaniqua[...]
Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest Monday, marking the end of the ten days of public mourning since her death on September 8th.President Biden said in an interview that the pandemic is "over,” prompting swift criticism from public health officials. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” tells us, there's still work to[...]
The entire island of Puerto Rico is without power after Hurricane Fiona made landfall on Sunday. More than 3 million people are in the dark, nearly five years to the day that Hurricane Maria struck.State officials in Alabama said they are not ready to use “nitrogen hypoxia” to execute people on death row – for[...]
The White House announced a tentative agreement with freight rail companies and the unions representing 100,000 workers on Thursday, averting a strike that would have had huge economic consequences.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he paid to fly about 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard – escalating a tactic used by other Republican governors to[...]
Tens of thousands of railroad workers could go on strike Friday, even as top-level negotiators and Labor Department officials met in Washington yesterday to try to reach a deal to avert it. Max Alvarez, editor-in-chief of the non-profit Real News Network, joins us to discuss what's at stake, and why the dispute has reached this[...]
The latest Consumer Price Index report caught investors off-guard Tuesday, after it showed that inflation in August didn't cool off as much as economists had hoped. The disappointing news plunged the stock market to its worst day since June 2020.The midterm elections are coming up, and we're here to help you WAD The Vote. Crooked's[...]
Mourners are paying their respects to Queen Elizabeth II as her remains make the journey to London ahead of her funeral, but protesters are also turning out to hold the royal family accountable for the misdeeds of its past.The Department of Justice filed papers on Monday signaling that it would accept one of the candidates[...]
Yesterday marked 21 years since the September 11th attacks, which claimed nearly 3,000 lives and remains the deadliest act of terror on U.S. soil. Ukraine’s military says it has made significant gains in recent days after taking back some of its territory from Russia in a major counteroffensive.And in headlines: thousands of railroad workers could walk[...]
Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, passed away on Thursday. She was 96 years old. Kristen Meinzer, the cohost of Newsweek’s Royal Report podcast, joins us to discuss what made the queen such an important figure on the world stage.And in headlines: Nevada police arrested a county official in the fatal stabbing[...]
As millions of Californians were trying to stay cool amid a scorching heat wave on Tuesday, overwhelming demand for electricity nearly forced the state to impose rolling blackouts. Katherine Blunt, who covers renewable energy and utilities for the Wall Street Journal, explains why California was so close to the brink.And in headlines: Massachusetts Attorney General[...]
NASA was forced to scrub the test launch for its Artemis I moon mission for the second time on Saturday. Miriam Kramer, a space reporter for Axios, joins us to explain why Artemis has yet to take off. And in headlines: Liz Truss was appointed to replace Boris Johnson as the U.K. 's prime minister, Chileans[...]
Labor Day weekend is coming up, and it's a great time to celebrate American workers. We check in with Labor Secretary Marty Walsh about unions, the state of the job market, and why so many people are “quiet quitting” their jobs. And in headlines: a U.N. report accused China of committing human rights violations against Uyghur[...]
The FDA authorized the first new versions of the Covid-19 vaccines since they were introduced in late 2020, and the updated formulations target the newest Omicron subvariants. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, epidemiologist and host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” tells us what we need to know about the new shots.And in headlines: U.N. nuclear inspectors arrived in[...]
The city of Jackson, Mississippi is under a state of emergency because of ongoing problems with its troubled water system, leaving residents without safe drinking water.Officials in Pakistan say one-third of that country has been submerged by catastrophic flooding, which has left at least 1,100 people dead. And experts warn the worst of the disaster[...]
A federal judge has indicated that she may appoint a “special master” to review the documents that the FBI seized from Mar-A-Lago earlier this month. We go over what that means, and what it means for the Justice Department's investigation into former President Donald Trump.NASA was set to blast off the debut flight of its[...]
The Justice Department released the affidavit that led to the FBI search on former President Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago. Although the document was heavily redacted, it does indicate that Trump had highly classified information about sensitive intelligence gathering, and that the FBI had reason to believe he was trying to obstruct the investigation into[...]
A redacted version of the affidavit that justified the FBI’s search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is expected to be released to the public today. We recap how we got here, and what could come from the unsealed document.It’s been two months since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and at least a dozen[...]
President Biden announced on Wednesday a plan that would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for millions of Americans, and $20,000 for Pell grant recipients. That will allow millions of borrowers to become debt-free, but critics say it won’t benefit those with larger balances nearly as much as full forgiveness – a goal that progressives[...]
Today is Ukraine’s Independence Day, marking 31 years since it broke from the Soviet Union. It also comes six months since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, and Ukrainian officials are concerned that new strikes could come on the symbolic date.California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed legislation on Monday that would have allowed three California cities to[...]
A teenager and her mother are facing criminal charges for allegedly violating Nebraska's abortion ban, and police used their Facebook direct messages as evidence to charge them. Sara Morrison, senior reporter for Vox's Recode, tells us how easy it is for law enforcement to obtain your personal data from the internet and use it against[...]
Extreme weather is taking a toll around the globe, with intense storms battering parts of Europe, and historic drought revealing long-submerged relics in other regions. China is also wrestling with one of its hottest, driest summers on record.A bitter recall campaign forced Chesa Boudin, San Francisco's progressive district attorney, out of office in June. But[...]
A federal judge in Florida announced Thursday he is "inclined" to release parts of the affidavit that led to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago earlier this month. That means it could be made public, giving the Justice Department a week to submit its redactions. Meanwhile, Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump[...]
CDC director Rochelle Walensky announced Wednesday the agency is making big structural and cultural changes, following widespread criticism over its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s America Dissected, joins us to discuss what that overhaul will look like, and why it matters.And in headlines: a deadly explosion erupted at a[...]
The CDC recently reported that new monkeypox cases in New York City appear to be slowing down, though new cases are slowly rising nationwide. Dr. Carlton Thomas, an advocate for queer health and sex positivity, joins us to talk about the stigma surrounding the disease, and safer sex practices for people who are at higher[...]
More allies of former President Donald Trump will have to appear before a special grand jury in Georgia in the coming weeks, as part of the criminal investigation over possible attempts to interfere in the 2020 election. Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal attorney, is now a target of that probe.And as millions of people across the[...]
The Justice Department is investigating former President Donald Trump for potentially violating three federal laws related to handling government documents, including the Espionage Act. That's according to the unsealed search warrant executed at his Mar-a-Lago residence last week. Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny, joins us to discuss Trump's mounting legal problems.Meanwhile, the FBI[...]
Attorney General Merrick Garland made an unexpected announcement yesterday to address the FBI search for confidential documents at Donald Trump’s home at Mar-A-Lago. The Washington Post reports some of those documents involve nuclear weapons. Because of increasing online and in-person threats to FBI officials, Garland went to great lengths to emphasize that the search was[...]
Former President Donald Trump pleaded the Fifth Amendment during depositions for the civil case against him by New York state. The strategy could be advantageous for him since anything revealed could be used in the criminal case against Trump by Manhattan’s District Attorney.Jury selection began Wednesday in Vanessa Bryant’s lawsuit against Los Angeles County. Vanessa[...]
The FBI raided Donald Trump’s Florida property Mar-A-Lago on Monday. A New York Times source says agents were searching for classified documents the former President might’ve taken with him after he left the White House. But the event was just one of several developments in the past few days involving Trump records kept from the[...]
Three men were sentenced in federal court for their role in the February 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery. The man who shot Arbery, Travis McMichael, and his father Gregory McMichael were sentenced to life in prison. William Bryan, who was with the McMichaels that day, got 35 years.A new study published in the Nature Climate[...]
Hot Take’s Mary Annaïse Heglar joins us to talk about the Senate passing the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday. It now heads to the House this week where it’s expected to pass. One of the main pieces of the legislation addresses the climate crisis, but the bill ultimately falls short of many activists’ demands.And in[...]
The U.S. declared a federal public health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak on Thursday after the states of New York, California and Illinois did the same recently.A Russian court convicted WNBA star Brittney Griner of smuggling illegal drugs into the country and sentenced her to nine years in prison — all because she had less[...]
Far-right talk show host Alex Jones took the stand on Wednesday in one of his many defamation cases. Jones has spent the last decade lying repeatedly about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting and claiming that it was a hoax.In headlines: Republican Congresswoman Jackie Walorski died in a car accident, the Justice Department is investigating over[...]
Abortion access in Kansas will be preserved because yesterday the state overwhelmingly voted against a referendum designed to open the door to abortion bans. Meanwhile, the Justice Department sued Idaho on Tuesday over that state’s abortion law — the first lawsuit filed against a state’s anti-abortion law by the Biden administration since the Supreme Court[...]
Kansas votes today on whether the state’s constitution should still explicitly protect the right to an abortion. Ashley All, a spokesperson for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, joins us to discuss how she’s been organizing ahead of the vote.And in headlines: the U.S. killed Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, Cleveland Browns quarterback DeShaun Watson was temporarily suspended,[...]
Indiana state lawmakers on Saturday moved one step closer to banning nearly all abortions. The vote puts the state on track to be one of the first in the nation to enact new abortion restrictions after Roe V. Wade was overturned.President Biden tested positive for COVID again over the weekend. He had one of the[...]
Senate Democrats reached a deal on a historic climate spending package – thanks to a surprise reversal from West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who previously rejected the measure.Judges in North Dakota and Wyoming both put temporary holds on abortion bans that would have taken effect in those states this week.And in headlines: the U.S. economy[...]
The U.S. announced Wednesday that it has officially proposed a deal to Russia for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner as well as former Marine Paul Whelan. Griner also got the chance to speak for herself in court during her trial.The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.75% on Wednesday, continuing its efforts to[...]
WNBA star Brittney Griner is set to testify in Russian court today for the first time since being detained back in February at a Moscow airport. Her defense team hopes that her guilty plea will be taken into account by the court as a mitigating factor in its sentencing.Russia said on Tuesday that it will[...]
Pope Francis apologized on Monday to a crowd of survivors, advocates and others in Alberta, Canada, for the Catholic Church’s historic role in the mistreatment, abuse and even death of Indigenous children throughout the country. We wanted to put the spotlight on Indigenous people and how they reacted to the Pope’s apologies after decades of[...]
About 71 million Americans live in places that were dangerously hot on Sunday. Temperatures from Texas to Arkansas, from Washington DC to Massachusetts faced temperatures that were so high that they were a public health risk.Pope Francis arrived in Canada on Sunday for what he has called a “pilgrimage of penance” to acknowledge and apologize[...]
President Biden tested positive for COVID. He’s fine, but remember — everyone 6 months and over is eligible for vaccination, so get yours today.The January 6th Committee met in prime time last night for its final hearing of the summer. They went moment-by-moment over the 187 minutes where former President Donald Trump failed to stop[...]
A bipartisan group of senators announced a new bill on Wednesday that aims to protect election integrity. The legislation would make it clear that former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election was not okay.Monkeypox cases are spreading throughout the U.S. and the vaccine rollout has hit some bumps. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host[...]
The House passed the Respect for Marriage Act on Tuesday with bipartisan support. The law would mandate that all states recognize same-sex marriage and formally repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act, which federally outlawed same-sex marriage.Meanwhile the White House is hoping to pass a “slimmed down” version of Biden’s domestic policy bill through Congress[...]
Heat waves are devastating people in Europe and North America this summer. In the U.K. it’s hotter than the Sahara Desert, and in the U.S. 35 million Americans are currently living in places with excessive heat warnings this week.The ACLU published “thousands of pages of previously unreleased records” on Monday about the government surreptitiously collecting[...]
None of the 400 law enforcement officials on location at the Uvalde mass school shooting in May did anything for over an hour to stop the gunman who eventually killed 21 people, mostly children. That’s according to a new report released by Texas officials on Sunday.Patients around the country are reportedly having medical care delayed[...]
The House will vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act today in an effort to codify abortion rights — but without a Democratic majority in the Senate as well, it probably won’t go anywhere. Congresswoman Barbara Lee joins us to discuss what Democrats can actually do on a federal level to protect access to abortion[...]
Consumer prices are up 9.1% over this time last year, according to new inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the highest inflation rate in 40 years.President Biden landed in the Middle East on Wednesday and will be there until the end of the week. His administration is focused on building support among[...]
As the U.S. sees another rise in COVID cases, White House officials are working to give all adults access to a second vaccine booster shot. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, an epidemiologist and host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” tells us what we need to know about the Omicron sub-variants driving the current surge in cases.And in headlines:[...]
The House Select Committee investigating January 6th is back in action with another hearing today. Dan Pfieffer, co-host of Crooked’s “Pod Save America,” gives us a refresher on what we’ve learned so far and what to watch for today.And in headlines: Russia is ramping up its attacks on eastern Ukraine, a Minnesota judge struck down[...]
President Biden signed an executive order on Friday to try to protect access to abortion, but it’s not the solution many reproductive rights advocates were seeking. Then on Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators protested the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade over the weekend in D.C. to pressure Congress to codify abortion-related care into law.Former[...]
Embattled UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he’ll be stepping down after three years in office. This comes after many members of the government have lost confidence in his leadership over several scandals throughout his career.After 140 days in custody, WNBA star Britney Griner appeared before a Russian judge and pleaded guilty to the[...]
During an Independence Day parade this Monday, a 21-year-old man in Highland Park, Illinois shot and killed at least seven people and injured many more. We discuss the latest developments and the stories of the victims, who ranged in age from 8 to 88 years old.Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Mississippi abortion provider at the[...]
The Supreme Court issued a ruling on Thursday that limits the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to combat climate change. Our friends at Crooked’s Hot Take podcast recorded such a great episode about climate and the courts this week that we decided to share the episode in this feed too. We’ll be back with[...]
The Supreme Court issued more rulings on Wednesday — one of which dramatically increased the power that states have over Native American tribes and tribal lands. We walk through what was decided yesterday and what’s still to come as the court finishes up its term.In headlines: Ukrainian and Russian officials agreed to the largest prisoner[...]
The latest House January 6th hearing was perhaps the most explosive to date with testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, the top aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. We walk through some of our biggest takeaways from the surprise hearing.The fight to preserve abortion access continues in several states. Kelley Robinson, the executive[...]
The Supreme Court issued more rulings on Monday. There have also been several legal challenges to the trigger laws set to go into effect in states like Louisiana and Utah once the court overturned Roe last Friday.Today is the 53rd anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. In honor of the drag queens of color like Marsha[...]
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 to overturn Roe v Wade on Friday, and throughout the weekend people took to the streets. We hear from you, our listeners, about how you’re affected by the news. And Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny, joins us to answer some of the big legal questions we have about[...]
The Supreme Court announced more rulings on Thursday — one of which dealt a huge blow to gun control advocates. The court struck down a New York State law that had a strict permitting process for people who wanted to carry concealed guns in public. Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny, joins us to[...]
The Senate unveiled a highly-anticipated, bipartisan gun control bill on Tuesday. The chamber voted 64-34 in a procedural vote to allow for its quick passage, which some hope will happen as soon as Saturday. Chip Brownlee, a reporter at The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on gun violence in America, joins us to discuss[...]
The January 6th House committee held its fourth hearing on Tuesday, and we learned more about the effort to overturn the election by former President Donald Trump himself as well as two Republican congressmen. Arizona’s House of Representatives Speaker Rusty Bowers testified that the pressure applied by Trump and his team was continuous, and that[...]
We're about halfway through the January 6th committee hearings scheduled for this month. Yesterday, the committee focused on former President Trump’s efforts to pressure then Vice President Pence to not certify the 2020 election results. Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Pod Save America, joins us to discuss what we learned from the new evidence the committee[...]
The Supreme Court released opinions on Wednesday in six different cases across a range of issues including veterans’ benefits, Medicare reimbursements, and gambling on tribal lands. Those six decisions did not include the case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, but in the meantime abortion access has already ended in many states.A disastrous combo of[...]
Inflation is at a four-decade high, and on Monday, stocks fell to their lowest levels since March 2021. We break down what’s happening in the economy, why, and what you need to know about what the Federal Reserve might do in response at its meeting today.Russian troops are reportedly in control of as much as[...]
The second public January 6th hearing was yesterday. The House committee focused on the lie that the election was stolen and how that fueled the attack on the Capitol.A 16-year-old was essentially sentenced to life in prison in 1996 under Tennessee’s harsh criminal justice system. Our very own Josie Duffy Rice shares her work that[...]
Protesters in hundreds of cities around the country rallied against gun violence, last weekend. And on Sunday, a bipartisan group of Senators announced a deal to increase gun safety measures. If passed, it would lead to enhanced background checks, pave the way for additional red flag laws in states, and more. The overall scope of[...]
Last night was the first of several public hearings by the January 6th House committee, with the purpose to get the insurrection and the bigger effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election back on people’s radars. Congressman and committee member Adam Schiff, joined us before the hearing to explain what he hopes Americans will learn.[...]
The January 6th House committee finally begins its hearings tonight. The committee intends to lay out what happened on the day of the insurrection, the larger effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election and future elections. Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Pod Save America, joins us to discuss what to expect and look out for.And in[...]
Congressmembers yesterday and today are hearing from the family members of the victims of recent mass shootings across the country. They’re there to essentially beg lawmakers to act on both gun violence and white supremacy.The World Bank issued a bad prognosis for the global economy yesterday, saying that a recession is going to be difficult[...]
As abortion access continues to decline on the local level, lawmakers and advocates across the country are devising new ways to protect abortion access as much as they can, where they can. Chito Vela, an Austin City Councilmember, joins us to discuss what he’s doing to decriminalize abortion in Austin, Texas, should Roe be overturned.And[...]
There were at least five mass shootings this weekend in a matter of 27 hours, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This slate of recent mass shootings, which include Buffalo and Uvalde, has compelled Congressional lawmakers to try to take action on gun control. A group of bipartisan senators may present a package on gun[...]
June is Pride Month, the unfortunate time when many corporations claim they support LGBTQ+ people, but also support politicians who actively work against LGBTQ+ rights. It’s not a new phenomenon – even before June, for example, activists called out Disney, which promotes itself as being gay-friendly. We talk about “rainbow washing” with journalist Fran Tirado, and[...]
A jury found that both Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were liable for defamation in their lawsuits against each other. But the jury awarded significantly more in damages to Depp, and his team is treating it as a legal win.One contentious race in California’s primary election next Tuesday is for L.A. County Sheriff, in which[...]
The first of several funeral services started for the victims killed by a gunman at a school in Uvalde, Texas. And over the weekend, the Justice Department said it would open a probe into the local law enforcement’s response to the mass shooting.Two former Minneapolis police officers on trial for aiding and abetting George Floyd’s[...]
Parents and other community members in Uvalde, Texas, are criticizing local police for its handling of the Robb Elementary School shooting where 21 people were killed on Tuesday. In addition, many are wondering why there were differences in the initial statements that officials had made, why it took so long for police to apprehend the[...]
Officials have not confirmed all the identities of the 21 victims – nearly all children – of the Robb Elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. However some family members have started to identify them publicly. Their deaths have sparked widespread outrage over Republicans’ staunch opposition to gun control measures. Nicole Golden, executive director of Texas Gun[...]
A gunman killed at least 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. Officials say they expect the death toll to rise with additional victims hospitalized but in critical condition.Today, President Biden is expected to issue an executive order on federal police reform on the two-year anniversary of the[...]
COVID cases are rising again in the U.S. In just the past month alone, the average number of confirmed cases has doubled according to the CDC. But with many people using at-home rapid tests where results don’t get reported to officials, the actual case count could be much higher. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, epidemiologist and host[...]
A federal judge ruled that the Biden administration could not end a pandemic-related border restriction program known as Title 42. It was set to expire today.The first shipment of infant formula from Europe arrived in Indianapolis on Sunday, one of the first signs of relief to the critical shortage in the U.S. Other shipments are[...]
Oklahoma’s legislature passed the country’s strictest abortion bill. The ban goes further than Texas’ abortion law, and if signed by Republican Governor Kevin Stitt it would take effect immediately.After the New York State Court of Appeals declared maps drawn by the legislature unconstitutional, a court-appointed “special master” released a new set of Congressional districts for[...]
Following Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary elections, Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman won the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. And State Senator Doug Mastriano, one of the leading proponents to overturn the 2020 presidential election in the state, was nominated as the GOP’s gubernatorial candidate. Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something, joins us to discuss various primary[...]
President Biden traveled to Buffalo, New York, yesterday to speak with the families of victims of the white supremacist mass shooting, as well as other community members. Without invoking any particular names, Biden also referenced political and media figures who have attempted to gain from spreading the racist lie of the so-called “replacement theory.”A judge[...]
Federal officials are investigating Saturday’s shooting in Buffalo, New York, as both a hate crime and “racially-motivated violent extremism.” The gunman touted the white supremacist theory that immigrants and folks of color are “replacing” white Americans and voters.It’s primary election day in Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. Watching these states will help us[...]
A white gunman killed 10 people and injured three others on Saturday at a grocery store in a historically Black neighborhood of Buffalo, New York. Local authorities and the FBI are investigating the mass shooting as a hate crime.On Saturday, thousands of people across the U.S. took to the streets to protest the leaked SCOTUS[...]
The January 6th commission issued subpoenas to five Republican Congressmembers including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in order to gain information about communications they had with the White House leading up to the riot, during it, and after. These are critically being issued before the committee begins its public hearings next month.Tomorrow is a nationwide[...]
The Senate failed to pass a bill on Wednesday that would effectively codify the right to an abortion. The bill, called, “The Women’s Health Protection Act,” was expected to fail because Democrats didn’t have enough votes to pass it and beat a filibuster. Democratic New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joins us to discuss what comes next.And[...]
As the Supreme Court considers overturning or scaling back Roe, online privacy and pro-choice advocates are concerned about how police might use data from someone’s phone or computer to prosecute or charge them for seeking an abortion in states where it could be deemed illegal. Sara Morrison, a senior reporter for Recode, joins us to[...]
Michigan has a 1931 law on the books that criminalizes abortion. That law has not been enforced since 1973 when Roe v Wade was decided, but it hasn’t been repealed either. And so it would take effect again should Roe be overturned because the state’s GOP-controlled legislature said they don’t plan to revoke it. We[...]
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, abortion would become illegal in at least 26 states. That means two main things for people who hope to terminate a pregnancy – increased confusion and increased criminalization.Today is Victory Day, an important holiday in Russia that marks the defeat of Nazi Germany 77 years ago. Some reports say[...]
Abortion providers and advocates in several states have been scrambling to figure out how to process the fall out of the Supreme Court leak, what to tell patients, and how to still help them if the procedure is restricted where they are. Susan Braselton, who manages the clinic escort program for the Roe Fund in[...]
Abortion providers across the country are rushing to figure out their next steps in light of this week’s news about abortion and the Supreme Court. Plus, we share some of our listeners’ stories about how Roe has helped them and what it would mean to them if it were overturned.In headlines: The Federal Reserve is[...]
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said that the leaked draft majority opinion on overturning abortion rights is authentic and that “it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.” Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s “Strict Scrutiny” podcast, joins us to answer[...]
Politico has obtained what is says are leaked documents showing the Supreme Court is poised to strike down the constitutional right to abortion. In a draft majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito writes that two landmark rulings – 1973’s Roe v Wade as well as 1992’s Planned Parenthood v. Casey – “must be overruled.”Workers at an[...]
The current COVID wave in the U.S. is relatively mild considering what we’ve seen in the past. For instance, recent data from Johns Hopkins University shows that the daily COVID death rate has really slowed. And COVID hospital admissions are far below what we’ve seen during other surges.After numerous refusals by Ukraine to surrender the[...]
Moderna said on Thursday that they were asking the FDA for emergency use authorization for their vaccine for children under 6. If granted, they would be the first shots available to the youngest of kids.Separately, the FDA announced they will ban the sale of menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars across the U.S. within a year.[...]
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights found that Minneapolis and the city’s police department engaged in a pattern or practice of race discrimination in violation of the state’s Human Rights Act. The two-year-long investigation began after former officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in 2020. Russia released a former U.S. Marine from its custody yesterday in[...]
Harvard University pledged $100 million to redress its ties to slavery. In an email on Tuesday, the school’s president said that the university bore “a moral responsibility to do what we can to address the persistent corrosive effects of those historical practices on individuals, on Harvard, and on our society.”According to multiple reports, President Biden[...]
Elon Musk reached a deal with Twitter on Monday to take over the company for roughly $44 billion. Mike Isaac, a tech reporter for the New York Times, joins us to discuss how we got here and what comes next.And in headlines: President Biden plans to nominate Bridget Brink to be the next ambassador to[...]
The Supreme Court is in session this week and will hear two cases that could have a big impact. The first will be heard today and could affect our First Amendment right to freedom of religion, including the separation of church and state. The other will be heard on Tuesday and could have major implications[...]
The GOP-led Florida state legislature gave the final stamps of approval to a pair of proposals on Thursday. The first redraws Florida’s Congressional voting map in a way that would eliminate two majority Black districts. The other revokes Disney Corporation’s special tax status around Disney World.In headlines: The U.S. will provide $800 million in military[...]
Russia gave Ukrainian forces in Mariupol an ultimatum earlier this week: surrender or die. Russian-backed separatists said only five people surrendered, which could mean that the city could be captured very soon.Voting rights organizations are funneling their support to the people on the ground who oversee local elections ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Amanda[...]
Hours after a federal judge in Florida overturned the CDC’s mask mandate for public transportation, airlines like Delta and United made masks optional. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” gives some advice to help you make your own decision on whether to stay masked.In headlines: President Biden announced actions toward federal student loan[...]
A federal judge in Tampa, Florida, voided the nationwide travel mask mandate on Monday. Last week, the CDC extended that mask mandate for commercial flights, subways, trains, and other forms of public transportation until May 3rd.The Russia-Ukraine war has sparked concerns among U.S. officials about cyber warfare. On Sunday, CBS News reported “evolving intelligence” that[...]
The city of Mariupol has been one of the worst sites of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While Ukrainian forces have held their ground, reports are now saying that Mariupol is likely to fall to Russian forces soon.A man named Richard Moore in South Carolina is scheduled to become the fourth person executed in the United[...]
Alabama became the first state to criminalize the act of providing gender-affirming medical care to trans youth, last week. The bill makes it a felony to prescribe puberty blockers or hormones to trans kids under the age of 19. Kaitlin Welborn, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, joins us to[...]
New York Police arrested a suspect in relation to Tuesday’s mass shooting on a Brooklyn subway. Frank James was apprehended in Manhattan and is accused of shooting ten people, which resulted in many more injuries as well.Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill on Tuesday that makes performing an abortion in the state a felony.[...]
A mass shooting took place on a New York City subway train, Tuesday morning. According to New York’s Fire Department, 10 people were shot and, miraculously, no one died. We recap what we know and what we don’t know about the shooting.And in headlines: Ukrainian fighters in Mariupol accused Russia of using chemical weapons, Oklahoma[...]
President Biden announced a new rule that would prohibit the unregulated online sale of “ghost guns,” or firearms that you can self-assemble from kits with gun parts. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives says that it recovered about 20,000 suspected ghost guns last year, which is ten times more than it did in[...]
Texas authorities arrested 26-year-old Lizelle Herrera, last week, on murder charges for what the local sheriff’s office described as a “self-induced abortion.” Her bond was set at $500,000 and her arrest sparked protests from abortion rights activists over the weekend. But on Sunday, local prosecutors dropped the charge against her.More than 50 people were killed[...]
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black woman to be confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice on Thursday, and the first former public defender to sit on the high court. Three Republicans crossed party lines to support her, including Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah.The United[...]
The Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed Amir Locke earlier this year will not face any criminal charges. Locke was a 22-year-old Black man who was killed while members of the Minneapolis Police SWAT team executed a no-knock warrant on his cousin’s apartment.An FDA advisory committee met yesterday to discuss the next phase of[...]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave an emotional address to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday after his visit to Bucha. In his speech, Zelensky accused Russian troops of atrocities, which included violent murder, rape, and a number of horrific acts.There are a number of states fighting over redrawing their maps even as the midterm[...]
Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island, New York, voted to form the company’s first union in the U.S. last Friday, making a historic win for labor organizers everywhere. The union earned recognition in less than a year into its existence, and it overcame multiple arrests as well as millions that Amazon spent on anti-union consultants.[...]
Signs of a massacre in Bucha, a town near Kyiv, have intensified calls for investigations into possible war crimes by Russia. Footage and photographs from Bucha show the corpses of at least twenty men strewn across the streets. The town’s mayor has said the victims included men and women and at least one child, and[...]
The Biden administration will reportedly end its use of Title 42 by late May. The policy effectively acted as a suspension of the legal asylum process, and has been viewed as inhumane by immigration activists.The BA.2 Omicron subvariant is now the dominant COVID strain in the U.S. This comes as many states begin to close[...]
Over 3.9 million people have fled Ukraine and become refugees since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, according to the United Nations. About 2.3 million of those people have gone to neighboring Poland, and another 600,000 people have crossed into neighboring Romania. Julia Pashkovska, a mother who left her home in central Ukraine, joins us[...]
The House select committee investigating the insurrection is reportedly soon going to seek an interview with Virginia Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. She was found to have lobbied former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to pursue a plan to overturn the 2020 presidential election, sending 29 texts on the[...]
On Saturday, President Biden gave a speech from Warsaw, Poland, where he talked about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But at one point, he briefly spoke off the cuff and said about Russian President Vladimir Putin, “This man cannot remain in power.” White House officials quickly walked back Biden’s statement, saying that the U.S. has no[...]
President Biden spoke in Brussels after meeting with European allies on Thursday, and announced that the U.S. would commit more than $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and welcome 100,000 refugees.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is poised to sign two GOP-backed bills into law: the notorious Don’t Say Gay bill and the Stop WOKE Act.[...]
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson faced her second day of questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday during her Supreme Court confirmation hearings. Like Tuesday, there were some moments of substance in there, but many Republican senators didn’t let up on a bad faith effort to drum up controversies around Judge Jackson that just don’t[...]
Tuesday was the second day of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s confirmation hearings. She faced questions from senators on the Judiciary Committee on a variety of topics, including her religion, abortion rights, critical race theory, war crimes, and child pornography sentencing.The World Health Organization said that as of March 18, at least 62 healthcare[...]
Ukraine rejected Russia’s demand that soldiers surrender the city of Mariupol, on Monday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying in part, “Ukraine cannot fulfill ultimatums.” And in Kyiv, a Russian missile struck a mall, killing at least 8 people according to officials.Republican-led state legislatures have passed an overwhelming amount of anti-abortion legislation in recent months,[...]
Russia's attacks on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol continued through the weekend, with missiles striking an art school where 400 people had taken shelter. Russia is claiming that a bombing it carried out on a Ukrainian ammunition storage site was done with a hypersonic missile, and if this claim is true, it could mark the[...]
Teachers in the Minneapolis Public School district are in the second week of their strike, led by The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59. Tequila Laramee, an associate educator who has been with Minneapolis Public Schools for ten years, joins us to discuss what she and the union are advocating for.At least 130 survivors have[...]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed U.S. Congress on Wednesday to ask for a number of things including a no-fly-zone over his country. The Biden administration did not agree to that request, but it did announce $800 million in military aid to Ukraine including anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, drones, and more. Christopher Miller, a correspondent for[...]
A missile strike on apartment buildings in the Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv on Tuesday killed at least four people and resulted in fires for hours after. The attack prompted a frantic rescue effort, and Kyiv’s mayor announced a 35-hour curfew in the city.Hong Kong is experiencing its worst COVID outbreak since the start of the[...]
On Monday, delegations from Russia and Ukraine met again for talks in hopes of reaching a ceasefire, but the negotiations ended without reaching an agreement. Meanwhile, Russia expanded its missile attacks even further, hitting quiet residential neighborhoods in Kyiv and other cities.After 99 days, the Major League baseball lockout ended last Thursday with a full[...]
Russia launched 30 missiles at a Ukrainian military base over the weekend, killing at least 35 people and wounding at least 134 more.New COVID cases in the U.S. have dropped from 800,000 cases per day at the pandemic’s peak to about 36,000 cases per day. Last week, the CDC announced that 98 percent of the[...]
Russian forces continued to advance in Ukraine after diplomatic talks between the two countries failed to stop the fighting or even to reach a temporary cease-fire on Thursday. As the violence continued, Vice President Kamala Harris called for an investigation into whether Russia committed war crimes against the civilians of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russian civilians face[...]
A Russian airstrike destroyed a maternity hospital in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol on Wednesday. This is the latest example of Russian forces hitting civilians and civilian infrastructure, with United Nations monitors reporting on Wednesday that over 500 civilians have been killed so far. Washington Post journalist Isabelle Khurshudyan, who is currently in Odessa,[...]
President Biden banned the import of Russian oil and natural gas into the United States on Tuesday, which is expected to have a serious impact on the Russian economy. Meanwhile on the ground, reports say that 2 million people have fled Ukraine, including one million children.Recent reports from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change[...]
Today, workers in Hawai’i are rallying at their State Capitol to raise the state’s minimum wage for the first time since 2018. Christy MacPherson, the Lead Community Developer at the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, joins us to discuss how workers are being affected by low wages in the highest cost-of-living state[...]
Today marks 12 days since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Over the weekend, the violence continued in multiple Ukrainian cities, efforts to rescue civilians came under attack by Russian forces, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on NATO nations for further military support and humanitarian aid. Ben Rhodes, Former Deputy National Security Adviser[...]
Russian and Ukrainian delegates agreed to what’s being called “humanitarian corridors” so trapped Ukrainian citizens can leave the country. But after a phone call with Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly believes that the “worst is yet to come” as the invasion heads into its second week.A Texas judge issued a restraining order to[...]
Russian forces captured the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson yesterday, making it the first to fall since the invasion that began last week. Today, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to talk about Russia’s attack with NATO foreign ministers in Belgium, while another round of conversations between Ukraine and Russia are reportedly set[...]
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continued into its sixth day, with explosions shaking the cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv, and the death toll rising. According to the United Nations, approximately 660,000 people have fled Ukraine already, and this could become “Europe’s largest refugee crisis this century.”President Biden gave his first State of the Union address last[...]
On Monday, Russian forces made progress in their efforts to encircle Ukraine’s capital Kyiv despite being slowed down by continued resistance from Ukrainian forces. Russia and Ukraine also sent delegations to southeastern Belarus for initial talks amid hopes that the two countries could come to some kind of agreement, but did not come to a[...]
Ukrainian officials will reportedly talk with Russia as early as today on the border of Ukraine and Belarus. Matt Duss, Senator Bernie Sanders’ foreign policy advisor, joins us to discuss today’s expected talks and what he thinks is on the negotiation table for both sides.President Joe Biden named Ketanji Brown Jackson his nominee for the[...]
Russia invaded Ukraine early Thursday morning, and Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky said that over 130 people died – both soldiers and civilians – and hundreds more were wounded. In a televised statement, Zelensky called for everyone and anyone who is able to join the military to do so, and said Russia is on a “path[...]
In a televised speech early Thursday Moscow-time, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” to protect Donbas, the Russian-backed separatist-held region in eastern Ukraine. Around the same time, explosions were heard in multiple cities throughout the country including Kyiv, Kramatorsk, which is in the disputed Donetsk region, Kharkiv in the northeast, and more.The[...]
President Biden announced sanctions against Russia on Tuesday while referring to President Vladimir Putin’s recent actions as the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.” CNN’s senior international correspondent Matthew Chance, who is currently reporting out of Kyiv, joins us to discuss what’s happening on the ground in Ukraine.And in headlines: Ahmaud Arbery’s killers were[...]
The Russia-Ukraine crisis ramped up this past weekend, and in a controversial address on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two Russian-backed territories in eastern Ukraine: the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. In response, the White House announced sanctions on Ukraine’s separatist regions but not yet Russia, as there had been hopes[...]
On Thursday, there was a big spike in shelling across the front line between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists within Ukraine. The separatists claim that Ukrainians are the ones firing at them, and the fear is that Russia could use this as a “justification” for military action to invade. The Beijing Winter Olympics conclude this[...]
On Wednesday, federal officials announced upcoming guidance changes, which reflects yet another new stage of the pandemic. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, epidemiologist and host of Crooked Media’s “America Dissected,” joins us to discuss what these new policies might look like and answers other questions about the future of COVID.And in headlines: Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva[...]
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the military has ordered some Russian troops near the borders of Ukraine to return to their bases, signaling the potential for a further de-escalation. However, President Joe Biden later said that “an invasion remains distinctly possible,” and that the U.S. had not yet verified if Russian troops[...]
Monday marked the start of in-person early voting in Texas ahead of the state’s March 1st primary. Texas is just one of nearly 20 states that will hold elections this year with more restrictive voting laws in place, a result of Republican-led efforts to validate former President Trump’s lies about the 2020 presidential election. James[...]
Canadian police began arresting those who were part of the ongoing so-called “Freedom Convoy” protests, yesterday. It’s been almost a week since demonstrators blocked the Ambassador Bridge between the U.S. and Canada as an objection to vaccine mandates for truckers doing business across the border. We recap what led us to this moment. The U.S. has[...]
The House January 6th Committee has found gaps in official phone logs from the White House on the day of the insurrection, during times when investigators know that former President Trump was making calls. Plus, new details have emerged regarding Trump’s handling of White House documents, causing concern that he may have destroyed or stolen[...]
Several states announced plans to lift mask mandates this week, but the federal government is taking a more cautious approach, and has communicated that hospitalizations and deaths are still high enough that relaxing guidelines at this point would be premature. Dr. Céline Gounder, a clinical assistant professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at NYU who[...]
This weekend's Super Bowl LVI comes as the NFL is being sued by Brian Flores, a former head coach of the Miami Dolphins who has accused the league racial discrimination in hiring practices. To discuss the lawsuit and racism in the NFL, we're joined by Tyler Tynes, a staff writer for GQ who covers the[...]
The White House released a report yesterday detailing how it wants to increase union participation and collective bargaining in the workforce amid historic lows in union membership across the U.S. This is happening while workers at an Amazon facility in Bessemer, Alabama are in the midst of a union election process after last year’s election[...]
The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Republican-drawn congressional and state legislative maps constituted partisan gerrymanders that violated the state’s constitution. This is just the latest example of courts recently acting as a line of defense against maps that are very clearly drawn to increase Republicans' electoral odds. Michael Li, the senior counsel[...]
South Dakota became the first state to pass an anti-trans bill in 2022 yesterday, and according to a report by the Human Rights Campaign, roughly 280 anti-trans bills will likely move through state legislatures nationwide this year. Chase Strangio, a lawyer for the ACLU and transgender activist, joins us to discuss how we can get[...]
Roe v. Wade was issued just over 49 years ago, and in the months ahead, we're faced with the very real possibility that the Supreme Court could effectively overturn it. Plus, conservative lawmakers in at least 29 states have been racing to pass new anti-abortion restrictions. We're joined by Destiny Lopez, co-president of All* Above[...]
The NAACP is urging the Justice Department to bring federal civil rights charges against Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer who murdered 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. Zooming out, it's not uncommon for people to look to the federal justice system when state courts or local law enforcement decline to hold police officers responsible[...]
As we celebrate the beginning of Black History Month, conservatives are actively and aggressively silencing educators’ ability to talk honestly about history. Book bans are gaining steam with schools banning everything from "The 1619 Project," to Toni Morrison’s "Beloved," to Art Spiegelman’s "Maus." Journalist and activist George M. Johnson joins us to discuss the issue[...]
Concerns of a possible Russian invasion into Ukraine continue to mount, with Britain moving this week to broaden the sanctions it could impose in case of a Russian offensive. The U.S. has reportedly considered its own set of sanctions, which could have severe ramifications for individuals in Russia and conceivably others in Europe as well.[...]
President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to nominating a Black woman to the Supreme Court yesterday, and said that he would announce his choice by the end of February. Plus, Justice Stephen Breyer formally announced his retirement. We were joined by Dan Pfeiffer, former White House Communications Director during the Obama administration and one of the[...]
The 83-year-old Justice Stephen Breyer intends to retire at the end of this Supreme Court term in June, according to multiple reports yesterday. The oldest justice on the court, Breyer has been under enormous pressure to retire while Democrats have the slimmest control of the Senate. Leah Litman, a law professor at the University of[...]
Russia conducted a series of military drills yesterday while Ukraine received a shipment of weapons including antitank missiles from the U.S. These were some of the latest turns since diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Russia have faltered and now both are accusing the other of ratcheting up tensions. Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national[...]
The Supreme Court announced yesterday that it will hear cases on the right of universities to consider race in admissions. The court has historically ruled that universities have a limited right to consider an applicant’s race during the admission process, but the court’s conservative majority could upend decades of precedent. Lawyer and journalist Jay Willis[...]
New U.S. cases of COVID are down slightly from the peak brought on by the Omicron variant. Average daily cases are closer to 700,000 than 800,000, which is where they were earlier in the month, and hospitalizations are at a record high but have started to level off. We look at the numbers and discuss[...]
A number of inquiries into former President Trump’s interference in the 2020 election are advancing. Yesterday, the House committee investigating last year’s insurrection asked Ivanka Trump to testify. Meanwhile, a Georgia District Attorney asked a judge to convene a special grand jury in a separate, ongoing criminal investigation into the former president. Famed fashion journalist and[...]
Today is the first anniversary of President Biden taking office. Yesterday, he held his first formal news conference in months to discuss his administration’s accomplishments and progress over the past year. We share our biggest takeaways from the speech that covered COVID to Congress to Afghanistan, and more. Verizon and AT&T agreed to turn on nationwide[...]
Tensions between the U.S. and Russia are rising after last week’s summit in Geneva ended with no resolution between the two countries over Ukraine. We hear an excerpt of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s exclusive interview with Pod Save The World just hours before he went overseas yesterday to meet with Ukraine’s president and Russia’s[...]
Yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In addition to fighting racial inequality, working to pass major civil rights laws, and more, Martin Luther King Jr. was also well known for critiquing capitalism and how it disenfranchises the working class. Andrew Douglas and Jared Loggins, authors of the book, “Prophet of Discontent: Martin Luther King[...]
The Supreme Court yesterday blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to enforce a vaccine or testing mandate for private employers. Meanwhile, Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin said that they, again, will not support changing the filibuster rules to pass new voting rights measures. More than 8,000 grocery store workers in Colorado have begun a strike against[...]
Hollywood is going through some massive changes. The Golden Globes, usually the start of awards show season, was a non-event when it took place earlier this week because of problems that face the organization that puts it on, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Plus, theatres continue to struggle to lure back moviegoers except with big[...]
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta, Georgia yesterday to make a stand for voting rights. Absent from the audience to Biden’s speech were several Georgia voting rights groups that refused to attend. Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown joins us to discuss why activists like her sat this one out[...]
Former Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud investors, last week. U.S. prosecutors declared the high-profile verdict a win, despite her not being found guilty on a number of other charges. New York Times reporter Erin Griffith joins us to discuss what’s next in the sentencing, and the case’s[...]
President Biden announced last month that his administration purchased 500 million at-home Covid-19 tests that Americans will be able to order for free. That pledge came while the country was dealing with Omicron, which has only continued to fuel an explosive growth in cases. We answer some of the questions of when and where those tests[...]
Voting rights have gone back to being the White House’s top priority, but Congress is struggling to pass protections because Senate Democrats must contend with a potential Republican filibuster. Today, the Supreme Court will hear two challenges to the White House’s vaccine mandate for private employers and healthcare facilities. The federal rule was supposed to take[...]
Today marks a year since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol where supporters of former President Donald Trump tried to violently overturn the 2020 election. Among the Congressmembers who saw all of this unfold is New York Rep. Mondaire Jones. He joins us to discuss the work the House committee is doing to investigate that[...]
The Omicron variant has absolutely exploded in the US in the last few weeks. On Monday alone, the U.S. reported an astonishing record 1.08 million cases, and the CDC estimates that Omicron is responsible for about 95 percent of known infections through January 1st. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed of “America Dissected” joins us again to discuss[...]
2021 is done, and we are excited to tell you all about what you need to know throughout 2022. In our first episode of the year, we talk about the big story our hosts will be keeping an eye on this year. Stories include: the ever-evolving pandemic, the upcoming midterm elections, the future of the criminal[...]
The year is coming to a close, so we look back at the stories we thought were the biggest and most memorable of 2021. We talk about the historic visibility of trans and nonbinary people, the brouhaha over critical race theory, the divisive anti-vaccine movement, and the effort to unionize workers across the country.Show Notes:This is[...]
As we jump head first into the holiday season, COVID-19 news has been overwhelming. Britain logged its highest number of daily COVID cases ever, attributed to a steep rise in confirmed Omicron cases, and organizations in the U.S. are changing their COVID-19 policies. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed joins us to give us a sense of how[...]
Tens of thousands of military families in O’ahu have been living without clean water for weeks after their water well was contaminated with petroleum. Many people got severely ill and some were even hospitalized for skin rashes, chemical burns, and vomiting. Hawai’i Congressman Kai Kahele joins us to discuss the gravity of the situation and[...]
We’ve reached another grim benchmark since the pandemic began almost two years ago. According to the New York Times database, the U.S. has reached 50 million known cases of COVID-19. The country is also on the cusp of passing or has already passed 800,000 deaths, with the last 100,000 happening at a relatively quick pace.USA[...]
At least 100 people have died after tornadoes ripped through at least six states on Friday night. Search and rescue efforts continued throughout the weekend in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled that health providers could sue to block a law like Texas’s abortion ban, which allows private citizens[...]
Today is the last day that Congress is scheduled to be in session for 2021. Just yesterday, the Senate voted and paved the way for Democrats to raise the debt limit so the country doesn’t default on its loans. Crooked Media’s Editor in Chief Brian Beutler joins us to catch us up on what our[...]
Today, votes will be counted in the effort to unionize three Starbucks stores in Buffalo, New York, with the result expected this afternoon. If that vote is successful, they would be the first unionized Starbucks in the country. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh joins us again to discuss labor movements like this one and what’s driving[...]
Redistricting efforts are underway across the country, but it's become a contentious process. The Department of Justice, for example, filed a lawsuit against the newly drawn maps in Texas on Monday, arguing that the maps discriminate against voters of color.Today, we zero in on what redistricting efforts look like in Georgia, a battleground state that[...]
The US Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against Texas over the state's recently updated redistricting maps. The DOJ claims that Texas's maps are unconstitutional and a violation of the Voting Rights Act because they unfairly dilute minority voting power. MLB locked out all of its players last week after a five-year collective bargaining agreement[...]
Omicron cases were found in at least 17 U.S. states and they aren’t all due to travel to southern Africa. Public health officials and experts say that the variant was possibly circulating in the U.S. prior to its initial discovery across the globe, but it’s too early to tell if it causes more severe disease. Descendants[...]
More cases of the omicron variant have been identified in the U.S., and the Biden administration announced a new plan to make at-home rapid tests covered by private health insurance, launch family vaccination clinics, extend the federal mask mandate on public transportation, and more.Mexico agreed to allow the U.S. to restart the controversial “Remain in[...]
The Supreme Court heard a case yesterday that could ultimately reverse the constitutional right to an abortion. And it looks like the justices were leaning towards upholding a Mississippi law that bars abortion after 15 weeks.The first confirmed case of the omicron variant has been identified in the U.S. President Biden urged people to not[...]
Today, the Supreme Court hears what is likely the most consequential reproductive health case in decades. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, will decide whether or not Mississippi can prohibit abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. And the worst case scenario is that the high court uses the case to completely overturn[...]
Over the last 24 hours, world leaders and health officials had more to say about the Omicron variant, even as we wait for more scientific information to come out. The World Health Organization said in part that Omicron poses a “very high” global risk, and multiple countries have imposed controversial travel restrictions. President Biden made[...]
Scientists in South Africa announced on Thursday that they detected a new variant of the coronavirus: Omicron. Cases caused by the variant have been identified in almost a dozen countries, but not yet in the U.S. Epidemiologist and host of “America Dissected” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed gives us a better sense of what we know and[...]
Thanksgiving is almost here in the U.S., where COVID cases are up by more than 20 percent compared to last month. Dr. Ashish Jha, the Dean of Brown’s School of Public Health, helps us understand how we should compare these stats to last year, and what we can expect as we head into the holiday[...]
Attorneys presented closing arguments in the trial of the three Georgia men charged with murdering Ahmaud Arbery, yesterday. Now, we wait for the jury to decide whether they’ll be convicted.On Sunday night, a man plowed his vehicle into a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin. At least five people died and several others were injured in[...]
After four days of deliberation, a Wisconsin jury found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty on all counts on Friday. As a defendant, Rittenhouse had a strong case under the law, but over the weekend, people expressed their discontent with the verdict. We discuss the result in the broader context of the criminal justice system and its[...]
House Democrats are on the verge of passing President Biden's Build Back Better bill, and once they do, it will head to the Senate. The $1.9 trillion social spending bill is a key part of Biden’s agenda.Both that legislation and the recently passed infrastructure bill have provisions to address climate change. And all this week,[...]
This week is Trans Awareness Week, leading up to the Trans Day of Remembrance on Saturday. This year is particularly important because 2021 is the deadliest year on record for trans and nonbinary people in the U.S., according to the Human Rights Campaign. Kate Sosin, the LGBTQ+ Reporter for the non-profit news organization, The 19th,[...]
Mayor-elect of Cleveland, Justin Bibb, comes on the show to discuss his win and what he hopes to achieve in his first 100 days. The 34-year-old had never run for political office before but during the race, he prioritized public safety and policing among other issues, which proved to be successful. And in headlines: Pfizer asked[...]
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees voted to ratify new film and TV contracts after months of negotiations. The results were announced yesterday, and it establishes three year contracts for the union’s over 60,000 impacted members. Yesterday, Georgia’s Republican-led state House approved the bill that would redraw state assembly maps, and the state Senate voted[...]
Britney Spears is finally free. Last Friday, a Los Angeles judge ended her 13 year conservatorship where her father, Jamie, oversaw many aspects of her life. Washington Post’s Ashley Fetters Maloy, who has been covering the court hearings, joins us about what this means for others who are fighting their own conservatorships.And in headlines: President[...]
The 2020 Census data and the redistricting that comes after will have big implications for who gets represented and who gets to stay in power for the next decade. The debate over redrawing maps is currently being worked out in key states such as Florida, South Carolina, and Maryland. Michael Li, senior counsel for the[...]
A new report by the Labor Department shows that inflation continued to spike last month. Consumer prices jumped 6.2 percent between October of this year and last year. That’s the fastest pace since 1990. We also dive into the supply chain issues and labor shortage felt in everyday life. And in headlines: Kyle Rittenhouse took the[...]
The UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, aka COP26, brought together leaders from all over the world to combat climate change, and it wraps up in a few days. Ben Rhodes, the host of Crooked Media’s “Pod Save The World,” is in Glasgow right now with former President Obama. He joins us to break down the[...]
The U.S. ended a year and a half-long pandemic travel ban, reopening borders to vaccinated travelers from 33 countries. Yesterday was an emotional day as families around the world were finally able to reunite after being apart.We take a step back and discuss the Supreme Court during the middle of its term. Jay Willis, who[...]
The Biden administration set a January 4th deadline for companies with 100 or more employees to have their workforce fully vaccinated, or start weekly testing. And this past week, the CDC signed off on Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for children ages 5-11. That means an estimated 28 million kids are eligible. Epidemiologist and host of “America[...]
We discuss more election results and analyze where Democrats and progressives stand now. Some highlights include Michelle Wu becoming the first woman and first person of color as Boston’s mayor. Some lowlights include Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin defeating Democrat Terry McAuliffe for Virginia’s next governor. Voters in Minneapolis also rejected a proposal that would have replaced[...]
Election day has come and gone with several important contests on the line. In New York, Eric Adams triumphed to become the city’s next mayor. And in Minneapolis, voters struck down a ballot measure that would’ve transformed the city’s police department.We also explain that there are a number of elected positions that have an enormous[...]
It’s election day, again! We are following major gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, mayoral contests in Cleveland, Buffalo, Atlanta and Boston, as well as ballot measures, city council, and more. Amanda Litman, co-founder and co-executive director of Run for Something, joins us to break everything down.And in headlines: the COP26 UN Climate Conference[...]
President Biden and other leaders formally endorsed a new global corporate minimum tax at the G20 Summit in Rome. Under this agreement, corporations trying to avoid taxes by moving their profits to low-tax countries will now be forced to pay the difference. The world leaders also made several pledges on the environment ahead of a[...]
After weeks of negotiations, President Biden announced his revamped Build Back Better plan, which includes approximately $1.85 trillion of investments to fight climate change, expand health care, create jobs and more. This plan was originally much much bigger but two Democratic senators, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, are the reasons Dems had to abandon some[...]
Sudan is in the grips of a coup after the military seized control of the country, and in the past several days, thousands of protesters have taken to the streets. Nima Elbagir, CNN’s senior international correspondent, joins us to discuss the news.And in headlines: investigators are still piecing together why a prop gun killed cinematographer[...]
Facebook is in the crosshairs after a drumbeat of stories over the last few weeks all stemming from a set of documents called the Facebook Papers. Some of those documents detailed how the company prioritized engagement over user safety, and described its failure to moderate hate speech and misinformation across the world. We spoke to[...]
Minneapolis residents are voting on a ballot measure, Question 2. If it passes, the city’s police department would be replaced with a Department of Public Safety. But despite what some fear-mongers say, this would not actually replace the police and the police are not being defunded.An FDA advisory committee is expected to meet today to[...]
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed in an incident last week involving a prop gun fired on the set of the film, “Rust.” It is unclear at the moment whether there will be any criminal charges stemming from this incident, but given reports of negligence, cutting corners, and lax safety standards, there will certainly be civil[...]
Join hosts Tre’vell Anderson, Priyanka Aribindi and Josie Duffy Rice each morning as they break down the biggest news of the day, share important stories you may have missed, and show you what “Fox & Friends” would sound like if it were hosted by people whose parents read to them as children.What A Day is[...]
The CDC recommended boosters for certain people who got the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. That means as soon as today, almost 100 millions of people can sign up for a booster in the U.S. Dr. Abdul el-Sayed, epidemiologist and host of Crooked’s “America Dissected” joins us to answer all of our questions.And in[...]
People gathered in solidarity with trans Netflix employees and their allies who held a walkout, yesterday, in protest of the streaming service’s endorsing and platforming of Dave Chappelle’s transphobia. We hear from B. Pagels-Minor, a now-former Netflix employee who was fired for allegedly leaking confidential information to the press, which they deny doing. And in headlines:[...]
Thousands of John Deere workers are on strike after the company and the United Automobile Workers union failed to negotiate a new contract. Jonah Furman, a staff writer and organizer with Labor Notes, joins us to discuss what led to the Deere strike and the national movement by workers demonstrating for better pay and rights.And[...]
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of police officers in two cases dealing with qualified immunity. Both decisions were unsigned, and none of the justices dissented – a possible indication that they are sadly not planning on overturning qualified immunity entirely any time soon.Boston is poised to elect its first woman of color as mayor,[...]
The leadership of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees announced a tentative agreement for a new contract between the TV and film crew members it represents, and Hollywood producers. In the short term, this deal prevents a strike that would have begun today. In February 2020, Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed Black man, was on a[...]
The January 6th commission plans to hold Steve Bannon in criminal contempt for refusing to comply with the committee. Meanwhile, Trump’s lawyers are advising all administration officials who have been subpoenaed to not comply while Trump, himself, fights with the Biden White House over the release of documents related to the event.The midterms aren’t until[...]
President Biden addressed the ongoing supply chain problems that are jacking up prices for consumers and slowing economic recovery, and said that the Port of Los Angeles will begin operating 24/7. Shippers including FedEx and UPS also said that they would commit to shipping more packages during off-peak hours. It’s a big week for booster shots.[...]
For more than a decade, officials in Rutherford County, Tennessee, were arresting kids en masse and placing them in juvenile detention. In this county, children were going to jail over tiny – or even non-existent – infractions. ProPublica and Nashville Public Radio reported this story and Meribah Knight, the lead author, joins us to unpack who[...]
In July of 2014, Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian and his wife were accused of being spies by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and were arrested. Jason was held captive for 544 days, and he’s the host of Crooked Media’s podcast, “544 Days.” He joins us to discuss his experience in captivity. And in headlines: Merck asked the FDA[...]
Guns were involved in three out of every four homicides in 2020, and 2021 is shaping up to be deadly, too. According to the Gun Violence Archive, from January 1st to September 15th of this year, more than 14,000 people died from gun violence in the U.S. Moms Demand Action founder, Shannon Watts, joined us[...]
Players across the National Women’s Soccer League have recently gone public with stories of verbal, emotional, and sexual abuse and harassment. Following these reports of abuse, the league cancelled all five games scheduled for last weekend. And when games resumed on Wednesday, the saga culminated with dramatic moments of silent protests at all league matches.[...]
The Biden administration announced it will overhaul the student loan forgiveness program for public service employees. It was supposed to forgive certain federal loans of people who worked in the public sector or at non-profit jobs for at least 10 years, but about 98 percent of those who applied were denied. The change will help[...]
Ernest Johnson was executed in Missouri, yesterday. Johnson had been on death row for over 25 years after being convicted of the 1994 murder of three people. However, pleas for clemency from his supporters, including Pope Francis, intensified recently, saying Johnson’s intellectual disabilities made the execution unconstitutional and immoral.The FDA’s advisory committee will be considering[...]
Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram were offline for six hours yesterday in what’s been called the most sustained and the largest outage for the company in recent memory. It came a day after CBS aired an interview with a Facebook whistleblower, and on the same day the company filed a dismissal in an anti-trust lawsuit by[...]
Wisconsin's 34-year-old Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes is one of the many Democrats running to beat Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson. Johnson's seat has been seen as one of the most likely to flip to Democratic hands next year. We interviewed Barnes about entering the primary with statewide name recognition and his overt effort to be[...]
Congress approved a short-term spending bill to keep the government open until early December, but Democrats are still scrambling to strike deals on social policies and infrastructure.The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the union representing thousands of workers in the entertainment industry, has been at a months-long impasse in contract negotiations with the[...]
Britney Spears' father has been suspended as conservator of her estate. Her lawyer requested that a separate hearing be set in 30 to 45 days, and #FreeBritney activists hope Spears will be free by her 40th birthday.Members of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the union that represents all kinds of people behind the scenes[...]
After Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have funded the government and raised the debt ceiling, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Congress it would be catastrophic if lawmakers didn’t raise that ceiling. Additionally, the House is supposed to vote on the infrastructure package tomorrow. Crooked Media’s Editor-in-Chief Brian Beutler joins us to break down[...]
After decades of allegations and investigations, a jury convicted R. Kelly, marking the end of a six-week federal trial. He was found guilty of all nine counts that he faced, including charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.Republicans who claim the 2020 presidential election was stolen suffered a humiliating defeat in Arizona. But instead of admitting they[...]
As many as one in five people who became ill with COVID-19 have reportedly developed long-term symptoms that last well after they’ve recovered from the initial infection. Informally called “Long COVID,” the condition is associated with chronic fatigue, brain fogginess, headaches, and more. We interview Dr. Ashish Jha from the Brown School of Public Health,[...]
A CDC advisory board unanimously said that people 65 and older should be allowed to receive a booster shot of the Pfizer-BiONTech COVID vaccine. It also agreed that younger people who might be at high-risk could get a booster as well, but NOT those who are at high risk of being exposed to COVID at[...]
In addition to Gabrielle Petito’s tragic murder, we discuss the horrific rates of people of color who’ve gone missing in America. For example in Wyoming, where Petito’s body was found, 710 Indigenous people went missing between 2011 and 2020, and over half of them were women. In COVID news, President Biden pledged to donate 500 million[...]
In defiance of Texas’ new abortion law, one doctor in the state claimed he performed an abortion. On Monday, two men, neither of whom are in Texas, filed the first lawsuits under the law against that doctor.More than 1,000 Nabisco employees across five states will begin to return to work following a weeks-long strike. It[...]
The Senate’s parliamentarian said that Democrats could not use the $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill to create a pathway to citizenship for the millions of undocumented people in the U.S. At the same time, over 14,000 Haitian migrants began to arrive at the Texas-Mexico border in recent days in order to seek asylum. Several hundreds of[...]
An FDA panel, last week, unanimously approved a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech covid vaccine for people 65 and older, and anyone at risk of severe illness. The full FDA will likely make a formal decision on boosters based on that advisory panel’s recommendations in the coming days, followed by a CDC meeting to decide[...]
Former Minneapolis police officer and convicted murderer Derek Chauvin pleaded not guilty to not one but TWO federal indictments this week in two separate instances of extreme police brutality. He’s currently serving a 22.5 year sentence at a maximum security prison outside of Minneapolis. And starting today, Minneapolis voters will decide on a measure that[...]
Voters in California appeared to send the message to Governor Gavin Newsom that his coronavirus policies were the right way to go after saving him from a recall. The vote also sends a pretty strong political message to Democrats around the country about the pressures they might face for their own pandemic measures. Additionally, President[...]
India Walton, the Democratic nominee for mayor of Buffalo, New York, is poised to win this November. Walton would be the first woman to ever lead the second largest city in the state, and the first self-identified socialist to lead a major American city in over 50 years. She joins us to kick off a[...]
The California recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom wraps up today. Newsom campaigned with President Biden, yesterday, and if he is booted from the Governor’s mansion, polls show he is most likely to be replaced with conservative talk show host Larry Elder. KQED’s political correspondent Marisa Lagos joins us to get a status report on[...]
This past weekend marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and beyond the typical yearly commemoration, the FBI released a newly declassified document detailing contacts that two hijackers had with Saudi associates in the U.S. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Spencer Ackerman, joins us to discuss the history of 9/11, the war on terror, and the latest developments[...]
Tomorrow marks 20 years since 9/11. The terrorist attack caused a ripple effect that has influenced many parts of American history and culture, but it also fueled a rise in Islamophobia. We hear from Shahana Hanif how two decades of anti-Muslim bias has hurt and transformed the lives of American Muslims. When the attack happened,[...]
Yesterday marked the beginning of the federal criminal trial of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the blood-testing startup Theranos. She and her former boyfriend Sunny Balwani were charged with about a dozen counts that include wire fraud for lying to investors as well as patients about what Theranos technology could actually do. The weekly pediatric coronavirus[...]
A law that effectively banned abortions in Texas after the sixth week of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape or incest took effect last Wednesday after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block it. We spoke to Leah Litman, an assistant professor of law at the University of Michigan and cohost of the podcast “Strict[...]
The FAA had to investigate more than 600 incidents involving unruly passengers in the first half of 2021, which is already double the number from the previous two years combined. Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, joins us to discuss how flight attendants, as front-line workers, are dealing with these people.And[...]
After 20 years, the U.S. has pulled out the last of its troops from Afghanistan. We spoke with Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee, who was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization of use of force that led to U.S. troops being in Afghanistan, to discuss the latest developments.And in headlines: officials are[...]
A U.S. military drone blew up a vehicle in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday that was filled with explosives and was believed to be a threat to the international airport. This came after a suicide bombing outside of the airport last Thursday killed at least 170 civilians and 13 American military members, and ISIS-K claimed responsibility. This[...]
California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing a recall election, which could result in getting replaced by a right-wing candidate even if he defeats them by a landslide in vote totals. We spoke with Dan Pfeiffer, a co-host of Pod Save America, about the state of the election, and what voters in California need to know. The[...]
The first U.S. troops started leaving Afghanistan, yesterday, as President Biden decided not to extend the timeline for U.S. withdrawal past the original August 31st deadline. The Taliban said yesterday that they would no longer allow Afghans to evacuate, which is a major departure from their previous position.Full vaccine approval for children younger than 12[...]
The FDA granted full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, making it the first vaccine in the country to move beyond the "emergency use authorization" that's been in place for months now. The announcement was followed by a slew of new vaccine mandates for educators, service members, and more.Republican attacks on voting rights are continuing every[...]
In the new season of “This Land,” journalist Rebecca Nagle investigates who is attempting to take down a federal law that aims to keep Native American foster and adoptive children with Native American communities, and why.Nagle joins WAD to explain how all is not what it seems in a court case where a white couple[...]
On the same day Facebook announced the launch of “Horizon Workrooms,” a virtual reality app for remote work meetings, the Federal Trade Commission filed an updated antitrust suit against the company. The FTC argues that Facebook tried to maintain a monopoly in the social media sphere through acquisitions of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in[...]
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced that a vaccine booster plan can begin September 20, but only if the FDA determines that a third shot for those who got Pfizer and Moderna is deemed safe and effective. Federal health officials estimate that vaccine protection against COVID-19 decreases over time, but their effectiveness against severe disease,[...]
The Biden Administration is expected to announce as soon as today that boosters should be in order for most fully vaccinated people who got either the Pfizer or Moderna shots. The recommended third dose should come approximately eight months after the last shot. But those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will have to[...]
After Taliban fighters took control over Afghanistan this weekend, UN Secretary General António Guterres urged all countries to open their doors to Afghan refugees and refrain from deportations. Panicked civilians flooded the airport in Kabul on Monday, some even clinging to a departing U.S. plane, hoping to escape an uncertain future under Taliban rule. President[...]
The Taliban seized Afghanistan with a takeover of its capital Kabul this past weekend, leading the country’s President Ashraf Ghani and U.S. personnel to flee. Afghan civilians also attempted to leave the country, which led to chaos at the airport in Kabul. We talked about what led to the swift takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban[...]
The Taliban has taken over twelve provincial cities in Afghanistan, and U.S. intelligence officials estimate the country's capital Kabul could also fall within a few months. The takeovers have not affected the timeline of withdrawing U.S. troops from the country. New Census data shows that diversity has grown quickly in the past decade with the greatest[...]
Senators Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema say they might not support a budget bill with a $3.5 trillion price tag, but Democrats in the House won't support the bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure package unless the larger bill passes, too. We spoke with Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal about how House progressives are thinking about these two crucial[...]
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation yesterday, one week after New York Attorney General Leticia James’ office released a damning report detailing allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against the governor by 11 women who worked for him. Cuomo's resignation will take effect on August 24th, at which point Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will[...]
The U.S. is currently seeing over 100,000 new COVID cases each day on average. It’s the highest number since this February, with hospitalizations and deaths up as well. We spoke to epidemiologist and former Detroit health commissioner Dr. Abdul El-Sayed about the state of the pandemic, and whether we should feel like we're moving backwards.[...]
Next year's midterm elections will dictate the future of voter rights, reproductive rights, climate change, pandemic recovery, and more. They may seem far off, but we can start getting ready for 2022 now. We spoke with Crooked's political director Shaniqua McClendon about the "No Off Years" campaign, which aims to support local organizers on the[...]
President Biden announced his goal to make new vehicles greener in his administration’s first major use of federal regulatory power to cut carbon emissions. Still, some climate advocacy groups say that Biden's executive order doesn’t go far enough compared to the plans of other countries to achieve zero emissions. New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo has been[...]
The World Health Organization called for a moratorium on booster shots until the end of September, right as a number of countries have started or are planning to start booster campaigns amid concerns about the Delta variant of coronavirus. COVAX, the program supported by WHO to distribute donated vaccines to nations in need, is struggling[...]
A five month investigation into the conduct of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo found evidence of sexual harassment towards 11 current and former employees, and a sexist and hostile workplace. Nancy Pelosi, President Biden, and many more Democrats have called for Cuomo to resign, but so far he has refused.A National Labor Relations Board officer[...]
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said that students must be in classrooms this year and that schools should require everyone to mask up, but local districts will ultimately decide on their policies themselves. Some workplaces are moving forward with vaccine and mask mandates, but predominantly among their white-collar employees.The House failed to pass an extension[...]
New GDP numbers released by the Commerce Department show that the size of the economy has risen above pre-pandemic levels, but an increased spread of coronavirus could slow that growth. Relatedly, the federal government announced several plans and ideas to address the vaccination slowdown, including cash incentives and reimbursement for federal employees who get the[...]
This year's Olympics is like no other, taking place in the midst of a pandemic, and in a city under a state of emergency in response to rising COVID-19 cases. We talked to The Washington Post's Ava Wallace about what it's like to report on the games this year, but also, the overall experience for[...]
The CDC said yesterday that fully vaccinated people should wear masks in indoor public settings in counties where the transmission rate is "substantial" or "high," after new evidence showed that a vaccinated person could transmit the Delta variant of COVID to others. President Biden may also begin requiring federal employees and contractors to be vaccinated[...]
Federal public health officials are considering updating mask mandates even for vaccinated Americans as we reach another critical point in the pandemic. But some localities are going above and beyond that with vaccine mandates. New York City, for example, will require all city employees to be vaccinated, and California announced a vaccine requirement for all state[...]
The U.S. is at another pivotal point in the pandemic, with loosening restrictions and the rapidly spreading Delta variant leading to a concerning rise in cases, and less than half of the population fully vaccinated. We talked to Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Johns Hopkins University’s Vice Dean for Public Health Practice and Community Engagement, about the[...]
Hundreds of Uber and Lyft drivers went on strike yesterday across nearly a dozen cities in the U.S. to call for the passage of the PRO Act, which would allow employees to unionize and gain greater wage transparency and better benefits. In other labor news, workers at the Frito-Lay plant in Kansas have entered their[...]
Wildfires in the western US and parts of Canada, driven by extreme drought conditions and heat waves, are casting hazy skies across the country. We talked to Brian Kahn, the managing editor of Earther and a lecturer at the Columbia Climate School about how climate change is altering our lives.Some counties nationwide are recommending that[...]
Today marks six months since President Biden entered the White House. We talked with Crooked Media’s editor-in-chief and the host of "Rubicon," Brian Beutler, about Biden’s progress on the $600 billion infrastructure bill, the $3.5 trillion Democrat-led budget bill, the COVID response, voting rights, climate change, and more.And in headlines: the first sentencing for a[...]
Los Angeles County reimposed mask mandates this weekend for everyone indoors in a public space because the Delta variant is causing cases and hospitalization rates to climb. Last week, the seven-day average of cases in the U.S. went up by almost 70 percent in a single week.The Biden administration kicked off a public war against[...]
At its heart, critical race theory is the idea of explaining how systemic racism has persisted in our country’s policies and laws throughout its history. But CRT has become a passion project for conservatives across the nation, who have used the term vigorously to rile up their base, and moved to ban it from being[...]
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is traveling across the country this week to discuss how schools and community colleges can help students after they lost out on so much due to the pandemic, and to outline applications for the $122 billion in education funding from the American Rescue Plan. We asked Dr. Cardona about that[...]
Miners at Warrior Met Coal in Brookwood, Alabama, have been striking for nearly four months in protest of drastic cutbacks to wages and benefits. It’s one of the largest work-stoppages in the state’s recent history. We hear from Haeden Wright, a United Mine Workers supporter and a miner’s wife, and Kim Kelly, a labor reporter[...]
President Biden’s previous plan to combat crime by tightening the reins on gun sales and empowering the DOJ to target firearm traffickers has got a major update. He suggested states use $350 billion from the COVID relief plan to hire more police officers and strengthen crime prevention programs.Democratic state representatives from Texas went to Washington[...]
President Biden signed an executive order last week aimed at boosting competition between businesses and discouraging monopolies. The order includes 72 initiatives, which will encourage the FTC to reinstate net neutrality rules, require airlines to disclose hidden fees, allow cheaper medications to be imported from Canada, and more.The CDC issued guidelines for school districts to[...]
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma reached a deal where 15 states agreed to drop their opposition to the company's bankruptcy plan in exchange for concessions from the Sackler family. The move has paved the way for the company to settle with plaintiffs, who blame Purdue for its role in the country’s opioid crisis, for roughly $4.5[...]
Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his home by a team of mercenaries amid claims by opposition groups that he tried to illegally extend his presidential term by one year. Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph is calling for an international investigation, and Biden promised assistance to fight for a safe and secure Haiti in[...]
Reflecting upon President Biden’s missed July 4th vaccination goals, we talked to epidemiologist and former Detroit health commissioner Dr. Abdul El-Sayed about the spread of the Delta variant and Republican vaccination hesitancy. We also discussed concerns of a potential resurgence of COVID-19 when a partially-vaccinated America returns to indoor, crowded spaces this fall and winter.And[...]
The Supreme Court affirmed two provisions of an Arizona law that restricted voting rights, yesterday. One would void ballots from citizens who voted in the wrong precinct, and the other would restrict voters from having their ballots delivered to a polling station by a third party. The justices also overturned a California law requiring charities to[...]
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court set Bill Cosby free on a technicality after he served part of his sentence for three counts of sexual assault. Back in 2005, when he was a local DA and before he was Trump’s defense lawyer, attorney Bruce Castor promised Cosby that nothing he said in a deposition for a civil case[...]
Intense heat waves in the Pacific Northwest are causing heavy power demands and rolling blackouts. Unprecedented rainfall in the Midwest has caused flooding, which politicians have blamed on a lack of spending on proper infrastructure.Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced a bill to establish a House committee that will investigate the January 6 Capitol riot. The committee[...]
The Delta variant of coronavirus has been detected in 92 countries, leading to lockdowns and the reintroduction of limitations on border crossing. Additionally, researchers in India have identified a variant of the Delta variant they're calling Delta Plus, though it's so far unknown whether it's any more transmissible than the original variant.Mixing and matching the[...]
A 12-story residential building collapsed in Miami last week, resulting in the deaths of at least 9 people, with more than 150 people still missing. An engineering report from 2018 found major structural damage to the building, and it was supposed to undergo repairs this year. There’s a climate change connection, too, with some suggesting[...]
President Biden announced a new $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that will be primarily funded through heightened IRS efforts to reduce tax evasion by corporations and the wealthy. Human infrastructure spending, which covers things like childcare, education, and clean energy, is missing from the deal and would need to be part of a second bill[...]
The Supreme Court ruled that President Biden had the authority to remove the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who was appointed by the former Trump administration. Other SCOTUS rulings from yesterday protected a high school cheerleader's free speech on Snapchat, barred a union from organizing workers at their worksites, and banned police from[...]
The vote to open a debate about the For The People Act, which would make it easier to vote, strengthen campaign finance rules, and end partisan gerrymandering, was blocked in the Senate yesterday with all 50 Republicans united against it. With moderate Democrats like Manchin and Sinema refusing to budge on the filibuster, the future[...]
New York City holds its mayoral primary, today, one of the highest profile elections since the presidential election and a super visible test of ranked-choice voting. Closing messages in the last days touched on police violence, public safety, economic recovery and more. We spoke with Emma Fitzsimmons, City Hall Bureau Chief for the New York[...]
Juneteenth is coming up this Saturday, and Congress just passed legislation to make it a federal holiday. We talk to UCLA Professor Brenda Stevenson about the historic legacy of June 19th, and why it deserved to become a national holiday now more than ever. Plus, we hear about how some people plan to celebrate this[...]
President Biden had his first one-on-one meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Geneva, yesterday. The leaders discussed recent cyberattacks and the state of human rights in their respective countries ... and allegedly, things stayed basically cordial.Next week, the Senate has a scheduled vote on voting rights legislation, and a memo put out yesterday by[...]
The main electric grid operator in Texas, ERCOT, is dropping the ball on providing services again, this time during extreme heat. It’s asking residents to conserve electricity until Friday to keep up with demand. Approximately 12 gigawatts of generating capacity was offline on Monday, and the electricity demand by residents came dangerously close to exceeding[...]
President Biden meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin tomorrow in Geneva for the final stop as part of his overseas trip as President. We spoke with Ben Rhodes, former Deputy National Security Advisor in the Obama administration and a host of "Pod Save the World," to talk about the takeaways from Biden's trip and what[...]
The G7 summit ended on Sunday, with President Joe Biden and several other world leaders pledging to send one billion COVID vaccines to poorer nations and endorsing the idea of a global minimum tax. Today, Biden is set to meet with NATO leaders before meeting with Vladimir Putin in Geneva on Wednesday. Yesterday in Israel, the[...]
On Saturday, four Republican-led states will pull out of the federal government’s pandemic-related unemployment benefits program early. Congress hasn't moved on the wage issue at all, either, with Senate GOP members this week blocking the Paycheck Fairness Act.An extreme drought is affecting the West, with the entirety of Oregon, California, Utah, and Nevada under drought[...]
President Biden is expected to announce a deal today where the U.S. will buy 500 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID vaccine and send them to 100 countries that are short on shots. This is great, but those doses alone won't help us achieve global vaccine equity. We discuss what else is being done and[...]
A more infectious coronavirus variant called the Delta variant is becoming the dominant strain in the UK, accounting for more than 60 percent of new infections there. We discuss what we know and don't know about the variant, which has yet to take hold in a major way in the U.S.International law enforcement agencies arrested[...]
Several social programs launched during the pandemic are set to expire soon, including an eviction moratorium and enhanced unemployment benefits. Federal student loan payments will be due again starting October 1st, with no movement from the White House yet towards cancellation. The Supreme Court ruled that immigrants who came to the U.S. for humanitarian reasons can’t[...]
The twelve year tenure of right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may come to an end as early as this week if the broad coalition of officials that are set to replace him can hold together and form a new government. We spoke with Haggai Matar, the executive director of +972 magazine in Israel about[...]
President Biden had hoped to have 70 percent of adults in the U.S. vaccinated with at least one shot by Independence Day, and we’re close to hitting that goal. Biden also elaborated on his plan to share 80 million vaccine doses by the end of the month, with the first batch of doses headed for[...]
Yesterday, the U.S., Canada, and a number of European countries called for a ceasefire in Ethiopia, where government forces have targeted an ethnic group called Tigrayans with horrific attacks that have been described with elements of a "genocide." Reports have suggested that millions of people have been displaced with an unknown number killed. We spoke[...]
As most of the U.S. prepares to reopen by the end of this month, a World Health Organization official warned, “It would be a monumental error for any country to think the danger has passed.” Peru recently reported that COVID deaths in the country are almost triple than what was previously reported. Plus, the WHO[...]
The past year and more were filled with extreme ups and extreme downs, and as we reflect on that time, we’re looking back on some conversations that moved us, informed us, and made us smile.Today’s show includes interviews with 6th grade special education teacher Monice Seward, NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Sana Khan, a[...]
Congressional Republicans have countered President Biden’s nearly $2 trillion infrastructure proposal with their own plan and a lower price tag: $928 billion. It came as Biden is expected to unveil a $6 trillion budget on Friday, too. We breakdown what’s in the GOP version of the infrastructure bill, and where this puts negotiations.The filibuster is[...]
Amazon plans to buy movie studio MGM for $8.45 billion, which would give the tech company a huge library of movies, shows, and franchises including the James Bond series. Some in Congress want to block the sale. The tech company is also the target of a new antitrust suit from the D.C. Attorney General. The largest[...]
Moderna said that its vaccine trial for 12-17 year olds resulted in zero cases of symptomatic COVID. Also, we discuss so-called breakthrough cases, which happen when fully vaccinated people get coronavirus: Don't worry, they're wildly rare and a sign of the effectiveness of vaccines.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law that would prohibit social media[...]
Today is the 1-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. His friends, family, and the community of Minneapolis will memorialize him with a gathering and a candlelight vigil. Floyd's killing by now-former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin rallied activists to demand that their local police departments reform, be defunded, or be abolished completely. We[...]
The state of the pandemic in the US is looking brighter with infection rates dropping to where they were in June of last year, and hospitalization rates declining, too. But vaccination rates vary widely depending on where you look on a map, with New England showing rates above average and the South showing rates below[...]
The NBA playoffs begin tomorrow after a season that's played out during a global pandemic and a mass movement against police brutality. To discuss this season in context, we're joined by the host of Takeline and ALL CAPS NBA, Jason Concepcion.Israel's security cabinet voted to accept a ceasefire that a Hamas official said would start[...]
Progressive Representatives in the House led an effort to block a $735 million arms sale to Israel in a demonstration of the shifting political attitudes towards the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. We spoke with Simone Zimmerman of B'Tselem USA and Yousef Munayyer at the Arab Center in Washington D.C. to get[...]
Airstrikes have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with numerous vital resources damaged or destroyed. We spoke with Inès Abdel Razek, advocacy director of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy, about the situation on the ground. Also, EU members called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.The House passed an anti-Asian hate crimes bill,[...]
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that directly challenges Roe v. Wade, which deals with a 2018 Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks of gestation. This is not a drill: based on the current makeup of the court, there's a real possibility that Roe could get overturned, which would allow[...]
Since the Centers for Disease Control announced their new relaxed guidance for mask-wearing for vaccinated people, there have been numerous questions about what was behind the decision, how it will affect mask hesitancy, how businesses will respond, and more. To discuss these questions, we’re joined by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, an epidemiologist, physician, and former health[...]
The Center for Disease Control announced revised mask guidelines yesterday, stating that people who are fully vaccinated can safely go maskless and stop social distancing most of the time, even if they are indoors. One hope is that the guidance will cut down on vaccine hesitancy; The Biden administration is effectively telling Americans that you[...]
Congresswoman Liz Cheney was ousted from the House GOP leadership, yesterday, over a failure to pretend that Donald Trump won the election he lost by more than 7 million votes. In the aftermath of this action from House Republicans, 100 members of the party say they plan to release a letter threatening to form a[...]
The coronavirus crisis in India continues to escalate, with the World Health Organization warning of a potentially more transmissible variant and the country reporting over 240,000 deaths. To get a better sense of the situation on the ground, we spoke with Niha Masih. She's a Washington Post reporter in New Delhi.And in headlines: Israeli airstrikes[...]
Israel carried out air strikes on the Gaza Strip, last night, leading to the deaths of at least 20 people. This was in response to rockets launched by Hamas at Israel, and it marked the most destructive moment stemming from the ongoing conflict in Jerusalem. We discuss the circumstances that produced these violent clashes, as[...]
With more and more Americans becoming fully vaccinated against COVID-19, officials have signaled a willingness to revise mask wearing rules again for those who have gotten their shots. Globally, the Biden administration has finally gotten behind the idea of waiving patents on vaccines so that generic versions of the drugs can be produced abroad, especially[...]
Tomorrow, the National Labor Relations Board is set to hold a hearing into the failed unionization vote of workers at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, with the union that sought to represent the workers alleging foul-play. We spoke with Sara Nelson, head of the Association of Flight Attendants, about the hearing, and the state[...]
After delivering on his promise of 200 million shots in 100 days, President Biden has set a new vaccine target: that 70 percent of the adult population get at least one shot by July 4. The Biden administration also plans to change the way doses are portioned out to states by allowing states to request[...]
Four mothers who had been separated from their children at the border by the Trump administration will finally be reunited with them this week, according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas yesterday. These are the first families to be brought together as a result of a task force President Biden created shortly after taking office,[...]
The COVID crisis in India is getting worse by most metrics, with Saturday marking another daily record of new cases. In the U.S., Oregon is emerging as a hotspot. On the brighter side of things, the U.S. vaccination campaign remains extremely successful with over 103 million adults now fully vaccinated.A landmark lawsuit in the decades-long[...]
The pandemic continues to spiral out of control in India, with the country recently topping 200,000 deaths by the official count. The initial flights carrying relief from the U.S. landed yesterday. Vaccine manufacturing supplies from the U.S. will soon follow.The Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday that it’s creating standards over the next year to[...]
President Biden gave his first address to Congress last night, themed largely around moving America out of the most difficult stage of the pandemic and approaching a new normal. Part of that has to do with The American Families Plan, a $1.8 trillion program that would pay for two free years of community college, universal[...]
The CDC issued new guidance yesterday that fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks outdoors unless they’re gathering in a large crowd, and they can safely enjoy many indoor activities with masks. Of course, the key phrase here is “fully vaccinated." Until you’re pumping COVID antibodies, the CDC continues to recommend masking up in[...]
The results of the 2020 Census were released yesterday, and they showed that over the past decade, the U.S. population grew by the slowest pace since the 1930s. The results will change how the 435 seats in Congress are allocated, with a handful of states set to gain or lose a seat. We discuss.The Supreme[...]
The CDC and the FDA have lifted their recommended pause on the Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine, and added a warning label about the very, very rare reported cases of blood clots. But overall vaccination rates in the US are slowing down, indicating that while supply is increasing, demand is decreasing.President Biden lifted the partial[...]
President Biden and 40 heads of state met for the first day of a virtual climate summit, yesterday, and he pledged to cut America’s greenhouse gases in half from where they were in 2005 by 2030. Biden also announced a plan for the US to double the amount of money it gives to other countries[...]
Derek Chauvin has been found guilty, but it's painfully obvious that the issue of police brutality is bigger than the conviction of one officer for murder. For example, today is the funeral for Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old Black man who was killed by police during a traffic stop near Minneapolis. Plus details are still coming[...]
Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, yesterday, and now faces up to 40 years in prison. The verdict represented a rare moment of accountability in a country where law enforcement officers who kill rarely get convicted. We discuss the verdict, along with reactions from elected officials, activists, and[...]
President Biden held bipartisan meetings yesterday to find some middle ground for his massive infrastructure bill. On the left, AOC and Bernie Sanders introduced their own version of the bill with a larger commitment to public housing. But passing any infrastructure bill will likely require budget reconciliation as long as the filibuster remains in place. The[...]
It was another tragic weekend in the midst of our national epidemic of gun violence, with mass shootings taking place in Wisconsin, Texas, Nebraska, and Ohio. That was after the shooting last week at a FedEx warehouse in Indiana, which many have called to investigate as a hate crime against Sikhs. We discuss the shootings,[...]
Only a handful of blood-clotting cases have been reported among recipients of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, but it's predominantly women who have developed these rare symptoms. To answer questions about the “one dose fits all” mode of medical research that can occasionally lead to these kinds of outcomes, we spoke to Rosemary Morgan, a[...]
A CDC committee voted yesterday to keep the pause going on the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least until it meets again. Temporarily stopping use of the vaccine makes sense, but the move also has immediate impacts on the underserved populations that had been relying on the vaccine for protection.Now-former Minnesota police[...]
Federal health officials recommended a pause on giving out the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, yesterday, after they reported that six women experienced rare blood clots. Nearly 7 million people have received the J&J vaccine so far, so the incidents are extremely rare, but all 50 states suspended the vaccine’s use or advised a pause.Today, President[...]
A police officer shot and killed 20-year-old unarmed Black man Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb this Sunday, just a few miles from where former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for the murder of George Floyd. We discuss the details of the killing, plus the reactions from leaders and residents of the[...]
Most adults in America can soon sign up for a vaccine, but we're faced with a new set of COVID-related questions on vaccine passports, virus variants, and more. To give us some answers, we're joined by epidemiologist, physician, and former Detroit health commissioner Dr. Abdul El-Sayed.Plus, Michigan has become the center of America's latest COVID[...]
It's been over two months since the military first seized control of Myanmar. The coup was met with a massive protest movement in the streets, in workplaces, and on the internet. As a response, the military has become increasingly violent in its crackdown, killing over 500 people and jailing thousands more.We spoke to Aye Min[...]
The CDC is continuing to warn about new, more infectious variants of the coronavirus in the US, and is tracking potential spread in daycare centers and youth sports. Meanwhile, Brazil is grappling with its own new variant that has caused infections and deaths to reach new highs this week.Republicans in Kentucky joined together with the[...]
Senate Democrats got the green light to pass more bills with a simple majority vote. On Monday, the Senate’s parliamentarian ruled that the Dems can pass more budget reconciliation bills this year — the same process they used for the relief bill. We explain what this means.President Biden wants states to make all adults eligible[...]
The Biden administration is trying to get corporations to pay their fair share of taxes in order to fund a new jobs and infrastructure package. Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for a global minimum corporate tax rate. We explain.Clinical trials of a low-cost COVID vaccine are beginning in Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam. The[...]
The MLB is officially moving the All-Star Game out of Georgia after Republicans in the state passed a restrictive voting law. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp insinuated the move amounts to so-called “cancel culture.” And in Texas, big businesses are starting to speak out against a similar voter suppression law there before it’s on the books.The[...]
As Biden works to sell his infrastructure plan, we take a look at the money he’s proposing for high-speed internet and what it could do to address equity issues in education.15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had to be tossed out after a factory mix-up in Baltimore. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is[...]
Journalists got a tour this week of a detention facility in Texas housing migrants — the first time the media have gotten access to one since Biden took office. They reported that 4,000 people, including children, were packed into a space designed for only 250.Companies like Coca-Cola and Delta finally spoke out about Georgia’s new[...]
President Biden is in Pittsburgh, today, to unveil a new infrastructure plan that would invest trillions in the country’s roads, bridges, affordable housing, broadband, and manufacturing industry. We explain how Biden might fund the bill and how earmarks might come into play. Today is the Trans Day of Visibility, and it comes at a moment when[...]
Florida is following Georgia’s lead by moving forward on a bill that makes it harder to vote. It’s part of a broader and coordinated effort to roll back voting rights in states across the country, backed by groups like The Heritage Foundation. We explain that, and listen to leaked audio that reveals how Republican donors[...]
The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is set to begin today with opening statements. We explain what to expect and highlight new police reform efforts in cities across the country, including a pandemic decriminalization program in Baltimore that could become permanent.Covid-19 cases are starting to rise again driven by increasing infection rates[...]
In the new Crooked podcast Takeline, hosts Jason Concepcion and Renee Montgomery discuss the recent viral tweet by an Oregon Ducks women’s basketball player, highlighting the unequal support in women’s sports by the NCAA. They are also joined by senior writer for The Athletic Chantel Jennings, who provides more context regarding the treatment of female[...]
Biden held the first press conference of his presidency, yesterday, discussing the state of the nation’s vaccination effort, his views on the filibuster, and more. States are opening up vaccine eligibility, but there's an early pattern emerging of Black and Hispanic people getting smaller shares of vaccinations. The LAPD evicted an unhoused community that had set[...]
In light of the Georgia shooter's claim that his attack was intended to "eliminate" "temptations," activists have talked about the killings in the context of violence targeted at Asian migrant sex workers, an often dehumanized and stigmatized community of AAPI women.We spoke with Yves Tong Nguyen, an organizer with Red Canary Song, a grassroots collective[...]
Boulder police have identified a suspect in Monday’s deadly shooting in Colorado, which killed 10 people. President Biden addressed the nation and called on Congress to not wait "another minute" before working to act gun control laws, including a ban on assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines. An independent oversight board accused Astrazeneca of choosing data that[...]
The AstraZeneca vaccine was shown to completely prevent serious cases of COVID in a US clinical trial. We dig into the efficacy data on it, and what it means for the US and global vaccination campaigns.The House held a hearing on D.C. statehood yesterday. DC has 700,000 residents and a large Black population, but no[...]
Thousands gathered in Georgia and other cities across the country for #StopAsianHate protests over the weekend, calling for solidarity and an end to hatred as well as stricter gun control laws. As we reflect on the horrors of the shootings, we discuss the victims and who they were. Coronavirus cases in the US have plateaued around[...]
European countries including Germany, France, Italy, and Spain will resume using the AstraZeneca vaccine as early as today or next week. This comes the European Medicines Agency found no increased risk of blood clots among millions of vaccinations. The Biden administration announced plans to do "vaccine diplomacy" by sending millions of AstraZeneca doses to Canada[...]
A White gunman attacked three spas in the Atlanta area on Tuesday killing eight people including six women of Asian descent. The shootings happened in the larger context of increasing violence and racism faced by Asian-Americans. Yesterday we talked about the surge in migrants seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border. Today, we spoke to Atlantic staff[...]
Nearly 10,000 children seeking asylum have arrived to the United States southern border since February, and a lack of shelter space has led many of them to detention centers with substandard conditions. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the number of people arriving at the border this year is expected to reach a 20-year high.Moderna is[...]
Italy, Germany, France and several other countries in Europe are halting use of Astrazeneca’s coronavirus vaccine amid concerns over side effects in handful of people. The company is defending the drug while authorities assess the situation further. Derek Chauvin’s defense lawyers have requested to postpone and relocate his trial following news of a $27 million settlement[...]
Covid cases continue to decline, though at a much slower rate than in January. That leveling off, plus the continued threat of variants has public health officials warning people to stay vigilant. Meanwhile, Italy goes back into lockdown. The Governor Cuomo saga continues to worsen with new reporting that his vaccine czar inappropriately called local officials[...]
President Biden said last night that he wants states to make all US adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1st. In the coming days, he and VP Harris have plans to travel to sell the relief bill to the American people, and the first round of direct payments could be going out as[...]
Today marks one year since the World Health Organization officially called the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. The US vaccination effort offers a glimpse of hope, though, with the total number of fully vaccinated Americans now exceeding the number of reported cases we've had nationwide.We spoke with Sana Khan, a PhD student at the University of[...]
The House passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act on Tuesday, a bill that’s been called the biggest expansion of labor rights since the New Deal. Now, the question is whether the filibuster will kill this bill in the Senate… or if the bill will kill the filibuster. We discuss, and hear from Faiz[...]
The CDC said fully vaccinated Americans can safely gather indoors together, and laid out other guidelines for our current stage of the pandemic. The daily rate of vaccination continues to increase, with a record of 2.9 million shots being given last Saturday.The jury selection process in the trial of Derek Chauvin was delayed yesterday due[...]
Senate Democrats passed the $1.9 trillion economic relief bill on Saturday, without any support from Republicans. The final bill pared back some elements of the House's version, including a minimum wage hike. Still, it's a massive cash infusion for low and middle income Americans, and could cut child poverty in half by some estimate.Yesterday was[...]
Republican governors in West Virginia and Alabama have continued to advise wearing masks, bucking the trend of governors in Mississippi and Texas who want to rush things back to normal. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that his state will start sending 40 percent of doses to its most vulnerable neighborhoods.New data out this week from[...]
Jury selection begins next week for the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on George Floyd’s neck and killed him last summer. We spoke to Jamiles Lartey, staff writer at The Marshall Project, about Chauvin’s history of using excessive force and how that could play into the trial.And in headlines: the[...]
Biden is now saying that we'll have enough vaccine doses for every American by the end of May, instead of July. Meanwhile, states like Texas and Mississippi lifting their mask requirements and relaxing restrictions -- something that public health officials have warned against.FBI Director Christopher Wray testified to congress yesterday, defending his agency’s handling of[...]
The coronavirus relief bill moves to the Senate this week. A group of progressive House Democrats are continuing to push for a minimum wage increase in the bill. Meanwhile, Senator Warren and other Democrats introduced a wealth tax proposal aimed at addressing economic inequality. We talk to Representative Pramila Jayapal about why she's pushing for it now.Protests[...]
The US vaccination campaign is accelerating, with the country hitting over 2 million doses a day last Friday and Saturday. Following a plunge in new cases over the last few weeks, health experts are expressing some concern that progress may be plateauing.This week the Supreme Court is hearing a case that could determine the future[...]
The House is expected to pass its COVID relief bill as soon as today, but there's still a question of what happens when the bill gets to the Senate. Yesterday the Senate parliamentarian said the minimum wage increase couldn’t pass via the budget process. We explain the ruling, the reaction and where things could go[...]
The FDA put out analyses yesterday showing that Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine is highly effective, setting the stage for its approval as early as this weekend.The CDC put out new guidelines for safely reopening schools earlier this month, and it comes as the Biden administration has said they are working to get a majority[...]
Former Capitol security officials appeared before the Senate yesterday, citing communications failures for their inadequate response to the January 6th attack on the Capitol. The Senate also confirmed two more members of Biden’s cabinet: Linda Thomas-Greenfield as UN ambassador and Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary. Facebook has now un-banned news on its platform in Australia, after[...]
The Supreme Court threw out the final Trump lawsuit challenging the results of the 2020 election, and also paved the way for Trump’s taxes to be disclosed to a New York Grand Jury.The US is behind other countries in our ability to sequence and track COVID variants, but the White House announced they would devote[...]
The US is approaching 500,000 deaths from Covid-19. But there is good news, too: New studies suggest that the vaccines might prevent transmission, and Biden’s goal of administering 100 million COVID vaccine shots in 100 days seems very much within reach. The extreme weather in Texas is improving, with power back on. Now, the focus is[...]
Black Americans still frequently have to break barriers to become elected, appointed, or hired to do a thing. We spoke to people who have become the 'firsts’ to hold their position this past year, how they feel about it being celebrated, and the pressures that come with their new roles.Congress held its first hearing on[...]
Over two million Texans are still without power, and there’s a new storm on the way that’s expected to prolong the icy conditions. Oregon, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia are among the other states dealing with fallout from the extreme weather.New York’s AG Letitia James sued Amazon this week, alleging that some of its warehouses failed[...]
President Biden was in Wisconsin yesterday on his first official trip since taking office making the pitch for his $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. The House is preparing to vote on the bill by the end of next week, and after that, it heads to the Senate, where we could see a fight over whether[...]
Donald Trump’s second annual impeachment trial is over, after a vote of 57 to 43 led to his acquittal. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced yesterday that an independent commission will be established to investigate the insurrection.Yesterday, the WHO granted emergency use authorization for the AstraZeneca vaccine, which will kick off a UN-backed program to get[...]
President Biden announced yesterday that the US will have enough doses to vaccinate all Americans by the end of July. We talk to Dr. Anthony Fauci about the vaccines on the way, what they’ll mean as we start to face new variants, and mask guidance in the meantime.And in headlines: House managers wrapped up their[...]
The House Impeachment managers began to make their case against Trump yesterday, showing graphic and never-before-seen video footage that illustrated the scale and severity of the attack on the Capitol. We talk about our key takeaways from the day.The CDC updated its information on masks, saying that double masking can greatly reduce Covid transmission. Meanwhile,[...]
The second impeachment trial began yesterday, with Senators voting 56 to 44 to uphold the trial as constitutional and move forward. House managers presented video of the siege on the Capitol paired with Trump’s inflammatory speech to rally-goers beforehand, while Trump’s lawyers tried and failed to frame Trump’s impeachment after leaving office as a “slippery[...]
Trump’s Senate impeachment trial begins today. Trump’s team continues to argue that the trial itself is unconstitutional… that’s what they’ll be debating with House managers today.Many of the country’s largest retail and grocery chains have suspended “hero pay” to essential workers, despite having a profitable 2020. Now cities and counties are trying to increase wages[...]
Coronavirus cases in the US are in decline from last month, and the daily speed of vaccinations has picked up. But concerns over variants continue. A new study supports the idea that the new, more contagious strain first discovered in the UK could become the dominant strain the US by March.Democrats are working to include[...]
The House voted to strip Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments for spreading conspiracy theories and endorsing violence against Democrats on social media. President Biden announced that the United States will end its support of Saudi Arabia’s military campaign in Yemen. A war that has helped create what the UN calls the worst[...]
Amazon faces its first unionization vote in the country in seven years next week in Bessemer, Alabama, and if the workers decide to unionize, it could spark waves of action across the country.We interviewed Christian Smalls, a former Amazon employee, who led a walkout last March at a warehouse in Staten Island and was subsequently[...]
Trump’s second impeachment trial starts next week in the Senate, and yesterday we got a preview of the arguments both sides will be making. We go through the details of legal filings from the House Managers, and the response from Trump's team.Democrats in the Senate voted yesterday to get the budget reconciliation process started, which[...]
The daily pace of vaccinations is picking up, with some states working faster than others. We talk about states that have given the most shots per capita, and what’s led them to succeed relative to the country at-large.Following the 2020 election, Republicans at the state level are doing all they can to pass laws to[...]
A group of Republican Senators are sending Biden a counter-proposal on Covid relief. They want to slash the bill by over a trillion dollars, and limit the size and scope of stimulus checks. They’re framing it as a bipartisan solution, but Democrats are reportedly planning to move forward with their own plan using budget reconciliation.The[...]
The COVID strain first discovered in South Africa was found in the United States for the first time in the state of South Carolina. This strain is more contagious, and there’s some concern that it might be slightly more vaccine resistant than the strains we’ve been dealing with thus far.Robinhood and similar trading platforms restricted[...]
At the Biden team's first public health briefing, officials noted that the number of COVID cases and hospitalizations in the US is on a downward trend, and they also emphasized the importance of genomic sequencing for detecting coronavirus variants.Over 10 million people are still out of work due to the pandemic, and recent data suggest[...]
Impeachment is moving forward in the Senate despite a Republican effort to dismiss it yesterday, but a conviction next month doesn't seem likely.Meanwhile, Senate leaders finally came to an agreement on Monday on how the 50-50 chamber would run, with the filibuster intact. For many of President Biden’s larger goals, he will need Congress to[...]
Pfizer and Moderna say their vaccines may be less effective against a new coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom somewhat inexplicably lifted statewide stay-at-home orders… that decision received quick backlash given the dire state of the pandemic, especially in Southern California.Ice loss around the globe is accelerating at a[...]
The House is expected to send the article of impeachment to the Senate today, with the trial set to begin the week of February 8th. There’s a distinct lack of harmony right now in the GOP, with House members who voted to impeach Trump facing backlash from local party officials, and national Republican leaders trying[...]
Biden released a 200-page national plan yesterday to centralize the COVID response effort, along with a flurry of executive orders and directives targeted at the health crisis. Plus, a more candid Dr. Fauci did his first press briefing under the new administration.The vaccine goal for the Biden administration is 100 million shots in the first[...]
Yesterday was inauguration day, which saw President Biden give his first speech as president on themes of unity, the division in our country, and a need to get back to telling the truth. Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman ever to be Vice President, and the first Black woman and Indian-American woman[...]
Trump leaves office today after four years of hellish incompetence. We reflect on the challenges President Biden and Vice-President Harris will inherit as they takeover.The Senate trial for Trump’s impeachment still looms, as do Cabinet confirmations. Plus, Biden plans to send Congress a major immigration bill today, which is expected to include a path to[...]
Over the weekend, Biden’s team announced the president-elect’s agenda for the first ten days of his term, plus a dozen or so executive actions Biden intends to sign on Inauguration Day. We discuss.Tomorrow's inauguration will have a massive security presence, with tens of thousands of National Guard troops headed to DC. Across the country, authorities[...]
Biden unveiled his proposal for a $1.9 trillion COVID rescue package yesterday, which includes $1,400 stimulus checks, an increase in federal unemployment benefits, plus $160 billion for a national vaccine program.New York attorney general is suing Mayor Bill De Blasio and the NYPD for excessive force against protestors this summer. This marks the first time[...]
The House voted to impeach Donald Trump for the second time yesterday, making him the first president to be impeached twice. Soon-to-be minority leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate won’t take up the impeachment until after Biden takes office, and whether Republicans will convict him remains unknown.There were over 4,400 deaths from COVID-19 in the[...]
The House is planning to vote on impeachment today. Democrats and some number of Republicans are expected to support it, like Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney. The FBI and DOJ held the first press conference since the attack on the Capitol yesterday. Their investigation will likely be a months long process that could lead to hundreds[...]
The business community is responding to the siege on the Capitol by suspending contributions to lawmakers who didn’t vote to certify the election results, or in some cases, suspending political donations altogether.Security concerns continue to arise following the events of last week, including armed protests that the FBI says are being planned in all 50[...]
This week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will try to pass a resolution to get Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment, and if he doesn’t, the House plans to begin the process of impeaching Trump for a second time. We spoke to Representative Mondaire Jones of New York, who experienced the violent[...]
After Trump incited an attack on the nation’s Capitol, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi want Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the President, and a second impeachment of Trump by Democrats is also on the table.Resignations abound in Trump-world right now. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigned yesterday, along[...]
Violent mobs broke into the nation’s Capitol yesterday in a failed coup attempt, which was incited and encouraged by President Trump and many other Republican politicians who continue to reject the results of the election. By evening, lawmakers resumed their effort to certify the election.The two Georgia Senate runoff races were called for Democrats Jon[...]
Votes are coming in from the Georgia runoff elections, with the results generally looking positive for Democrats… but we’re still waiting on the final calls. Congress meets today to certify Joe Biden’s presidential victory, with about a dozen Republican senators and more House Republicans set to object and add hours of needless debate.Yesterday, the Surgeon[...]
Today's Senate runoffs in Georgia will determine control of Congress, the future of economic relief, and the country’s response to existential threats like climate change. We spoke to Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey about the Georgia races, what Biden can do on his own on climate, and how to deal with Republicans who want to erase[...]
In a leaked phone call from this weekend, Trump used every line he could to pressure Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger to overturn the state's election results. About a dozen GOP senators say they’re going to raise objections during the congressional vote to certify the presidential election this week, in a show of election[...]
The future of our democracy hinges on the outcome of two Senate races in Georgia, a state that shocked the nation by flipping for the first time in nearly three decades. In this multi-part podcast, visit the frontlines with two of Atlanta’s own - journalists Rembert Browne and Jewel Wicker as they detail the struggles and[...]
Congressional leaders are putting together the final pieces of an emerging deal on COVID relief, but the negotiations could continue into the weekend. We spoke to Congressman Ro Khanna about the relief bill, the Biden transition and what gives him hope for next year.This year saw the largest-ever racial justice uprisings since the 1960s, following[...]
Congressional leaders think they could pass a roughly $900 billion stimulus bill by the end of the week, which might include direct payments, but won't include money for states and localities. A deal can’t come soon enough: eight million Americans have been pushed into poverty since this summer, while jobless claims (and COVID cases) are[...]
Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was announced as Biden’s nominee for transportation secretary yesterday, and former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm is expected to be picked to lead the Energy Department. We discuss those picks, plus other recent Biden nominees, like Marcia Fudge, Tom Vilsack, and Denis McDonough. The Dolly Parton-backed Moderna vaccine has been reviewed[...]
The first coronavirus vaccines were administered in the US yesterday, and public education efforts also got underway with the HHS and CDC emphasizing the safety of the drug. Congress has one week left to agree on a relief bill before they go on recess. The latest proposal splits provisions into two parts, one that everyone can[...]
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was authorized by the FDA on Friday evening, and the first shipments went out on Sunday. Most state governments intend to follow CDC recommendations and give the first few batches to health care workers and nursing home residents and staff… members of the Trump White House might also get it early.Today is[...]
The FDA’s advisory panel voted to approve emergency authorization of the Pfizer-BionNTech coronavirus vaccine. Once it’s authorized, which could be any day now, an initial shipment of about 6.4 million doses is expected to be sent across the country. The state of the pandemic in the United States is extremely dire, with this week bringing a[...]
Facebook is facing two major antitrust lawsuits, one from the Federal Trade Commission and one from nearly every state in the country. The suits argue that Facebook has turned itself into a social media monopoly by purchasing or unfairly stifling its rivals. As a solution, the FTC is calling for the company to break off[...]
As vaccinations kick off in the UK, the approval process is moving forward here in the US as well. The FDA now says Pfizer’s vaccine offers protection within just 10 days of getting the first dose, though efficacy goes up even further after a second one. Authorization is still pending. The US had planned to[...]
A bipartisan relief bill that had some momentum last week hit a snag after two senators said they won’t support the proposal. We explain. Plus, an update on coronavirus restrictions in New York.The Trump administration has five executions planned between now and January 20th, including that of Brandon Bernard, whose sentence many are fighting to[...]
Biden has reportedly selected California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who led the defense of the Affordable Care Act in the Supreme Court last month, to lead the department of Health and Human Services. We discuss the pick.California Governor Gavin Newsom’s new lockdown order takes effect today in large parts of the state, and will be[...]
There’s about a month left to go until the two Senate runoffs in Georgia, with Republican Senators Loeffler and Perdue walking the line of campaigning as a check on Biden while also not admitting that he will be the President. Meanwhile, Democratic challengers Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are focusing largely on the pandemic and the[...]
The UK became the first country to authorize Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine yesterday, with vaccinations expected to begin next week. In the US, the CDC voted to give health care workers and residents of long term facilities access to the vaccine first, if and when it's approved.CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield predicted that the US could[...]
Attorney General Bill Barr said what is obvious to everyone, that the Justice Department hasn’t found any election of widespread voter fraud that would change the result of the election. As Trump winds down his presidency, he’s reportedly looking into pre-emptive pardons for Ivanka, Eric, Don Jr., Jared Kushner, and his face-melting lawyer Rudy Giuliani. A[...]
Biden officially announced several top members of his economic team, including his picks to lead the Treasury, White House Council of Economic Advisers, and the Office of Management and Budget. We talk about the picks and what it says about Biden's economic priorities.Moderna submitted its vaccine for FDA authorization yesterday, following Pfizer’s submission a couple[...]
New York City is opening up elementary schools next week after city officials faced heavy criticism for appearing to prioritize economic activities like restaurant dining over the well-being of children. Across the country, public school closures have led to a spike in private school matriculation, since private institutions have a better chance of staying open. Trump[...]
Michigan and Wayne County have repeatedly been targeted in Trump’s attempts to overturn the election results. In particular, he and his supporters have singled out Detroit, a heavily Democratic, majority-Black city. We talk to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib about that effort. Plus, we get her take on what’s next for House Democrats and what she’d like[...]
Yesterday brought more bad news about the current state of the pandemic, even as we got more good news about ending it in the future. The entire public school system in New York City, the largest in the country, is going fully remote as cases rise in the city. Meanwhile, the FDA gave emergency use[...]
The US is in an extremely dangerous period of the pandemic, with cases and hospitalizations at record highs, holidays fast approaching, and little in the way of a federal response. Our guest host for today —epidemiologist and former Detroit health commissioner Dr. Abdul El-Sayed — answers our questions about the current state of affairs, vaccine[...]
Pharmaceutical company Moderna announced yesterday that its vaccine is 94.5% effective, according to early data. This comes after Pfizer's announcement last week and raises the prospects that two vaccines could cleared for use on a limited basis by the end of the year.With two senate runoffs set for January, all eyes are on Georgia. We[...]
The federal government still hasn’t affirmed Biden's victory, blocking him from the White House access he needs to get a handle on the transition and the government's pandemic response.America has now surpassed 11 million COVID-19 cases, and the virus is still predominately affecting Black and Brown Americans. Some states are taking sweeping actions to slow[...]
Joe Biden’s lead has only grown since major networks projected him to win the presidential election last weekend, and despite that, Trump has continued to baselessly claim that he is the true winner and delay Biden’s transition process. To better understand the nuances of Trump’s lawsuits and whether we have anything at all to worry[...]
The US is still in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of confirmed cases rising by 70 percent in the past two weeks. The CDC put out a new guidance that said face masks protect the person wearing the mask as well as the people around them—which is one more reason to[...]
Secretary Of State Mike Pompeo made a bad “joke” yesterday that led many to believe Trump will continue to ignore the election results… which is making it harder for President-elect Joe Biden to begin the transition process.Trump’s lawsuits to challenge election results have been mostly unsuccessful and lacking in any evidence. We go through a[...]
Pfizer says an initial analysis of their vaccine found it was more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19. President-elect Joe Biden announced his 13-member pandemic task force, which includes health experts that previously served in Republican and Democratic administrations.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed Trump’s refusal to accept the results of the election yesterday,[...]
The presidential race was called this weekend for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, leading to spontaneous celebrations across the country. Biden and Harris gave their first speeches as President-elect and Vice President-elect on Saturday night, reiterating their message of unity and sketching out a mandate that includes rooting out systemic racism, working towards and economic[...]
A significant number of ballots were counted yesterday in states where races have been too close to call, leading to gains for Joe Biden in Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Georgia. At this point, Trump would need everything to break his way to win the election—and that doesn’t seem likely. Biden’s campaign continued to project confidence yesterday, while[...]
Joe Biden now has the most votes of any presidential candidate in history, and he’s won two more key states in his path to 270 electoral votes: Michigan and Wisconsin. We’re still waiting on calls in five battleground states: Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. We discuss where things stand, and how the two campaigns[...]
Yesterday was Election Day, and it ended as we expected it to: without an official call on the presidential race. There wasn’t a Biden landslide like we hoped, but as we went to record last night, he still had a path to victory. We discuss that path, some surprising and less surprising calls, and how[...]
After four long hard years, we’ve made it to election day… now we just need to make it through the next 24, to 48, to 100-plus hours. We discuss when the results will come in and what we’ll be watching out for. Plus, a look at some key Senate races in states that could flip. And[...]
Over 93 million people have voted as of Sunday night. More than 8 million of those voters are doing so for the first time, according to the data firm TargetSmart. We talk to a group of first time voters about why they are participating this year, and why they’re choosing Biden.The US hit a new[...]
Another 5 million people cast ballots yesterday, bringing the vote total to over 80 million so far. We explain two recent Supreme Court decisions over voting rights in Pennsylvania and North Carolina… and what they could mean for the post-election count.The GDP went up by 7.4 percent in the third quarter, but the economy is still[...]
COVID-19 numbers are up in the US, with more than 500,000 new cases over the past week. Trouble spots include El Paso, TX, where hospitals are stretched to capacity, plus the Dakotas, Wisconsin, and Montana. Europe is also seeing numbers spike, leading some countries to re-implement national shutdowns. There are five days until election day, so[...]
With less than a week until November 3rd, almost 70 million people have already voted in this election as of last night, which is over half the total in 2016.We talk with Charlotte Swasey, the Vice President of polling at Data for Progress, about how things are looking for Biden, how to read the polls,[...]
Amy Coney Barrett was officially confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, cementing a 6-3 conservative majority on the court. Barrett has not said whether she will recuse herself from cases having to do with this election… meanwhile, her confirmation has led even more moderate Democrats to warm up to the idea of court reform or[...]
At least 5 aides of Mike Pence including his Chief of Staff have tested positive for Covid-19, but Pence still isn’t going to quarantine. The country is seeing record numbers of new cases, with over 85,000 new cases last Friday… that fits with a recent admission from White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that[...]
Last night Biden and Trump faced off in the second and final presidential debate. It was less interrupt-y and the candidates discussed everything from the pandemic to climate change and racism. We break down what Biden and Trump had to say, and the biggest news leading into the night. And in headlines: Remdesivir approved, Pompeo signs[...]
The DOJ announced an $8.3 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma yesterday for illegally marketing their painkiller Oxycontin. The settlement doesn’t prevent members of the Sackler family, who own Purdue Pharma, from criminal liability and there is still a criminal case pending. Protests continue in Nigeria against a notorious police unit called SARS, which has been accused[...]
The Justice Department filed a major lawsuit against Google saying that the company is illegally trying to maintain its search dominance using anti-competitive practices. We look at what's the behind the case and what it could mean for Google.Trial volunteers in London will be deliberately infected with COVID-19 to aid in vaccine research starting in[...]
In the final two weeks before November 3rd, Trump has been criticizing his own public health experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci. Meanwhile, Biden and Harris have been defending scientists and their role in public policy.Federal prosecutors charged six men for some of the biggest, most notorious hacks in recent years, including the 2018 Winter Olympics[...]
In the US, we’re now seeing uncontrolled spread of coronavirus as parts of the country get colder and people prepare to gather for the holidays. On Friday, the CEO of Pfizer said his company won’t apply for emergency vaccine authorization until late November at the earliest, which appears to be the nail in the coffin[...]
A new study shows eight million people have fallen into poverty since May, when the CARES Act money started running out, but lawmakers in Washington still can’t agree on a second relief bill. We review the current state of negotiations, and how the delay is affecting Americans in need. Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee wrapped up[...]
Amy Coney Barrett appeared for her last day of Senate questioning yesterday and gave more evasive non-responses. Today is the final day of the hearings, and will feature witness testimony on Barrett’s nomination. Brian Fallon is the executive director of Demand Justice, a group which pushes for progressive structural reforms and political hardball when it comes[...]
Yesterday was day two of Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation hearings, when members of the Senate Judiciary Committee got their first public chance to directly question the nominee. There were a lot of questions, but there weren’t many answers.Safety concerns led Johnson & Johnson to pause a large clinical trial of its COVID vaccine candidate and[...]
Senate hearings began yesterday to consider Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court. Democrats tried to keep the focus on the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans treated the day like they were writing a profile of Barrett for a conservative version of Marie Claire. With three weeks left until November 3rd, we look at[...]
Senate confirmation hearings begin today for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Trump's Supreme Court nominee. The president is scheduled to return to the campaign trail today just over a week after being hospitalized with COVID-19, after his doctor released a memo saying he’s no longer contagious, but providing no other information. Daily new cases of COVID-19 in[...]
Thirteen men were charged yesterday in connection to an alleged violent plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. This is unsurprising when you consider Trump’s “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” tweets from earlier in the year that encouraged armed protestors to mount anti-government and anti-COVID restriction rallies. The fate of next week’s debate is in question after an extended[...]
Last night was the first and only vice presidential debate, with Senator Kamala Harris and VP Mike Pence facing off. Their conversation covered police killings of Black Americans, Trump’s response to the pandemic, Roe v. Wade, and more. We discuss a debate that was a lot more measured than the last one, but still very[...]
Trump said yesterday he won't negotiate with Democrats on another Covid relief before the election. He sent a torrent of other tweets too, all while more people in D.C. continued to test positive, including Trump's senior adviser Stephen Miller and General Mark Milley.Former South Carolina Democratic party chair Jaime Harrison is tied with Senator Lindsey[...]
Trump is now back in the White House after making a Trumpian and very public return, but doctors say he’s still not "out of the woods." Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tested positive along with two deputies in the communications department, but the White House’s contact tracing effort seems to be negligible at best. The Supreme Court[...]
Amidst rosy reports about Trump's condition, we also learned that he received multiple drug treatments over the weekend including dexamethasone, which is typically reserved for patients with severe cases of coronavirus. We look at what his diagnosis, along with other positive cases among Senate Republicans, means for the country and the Supreme Court confirmation process.Following[...]
In a tweet overnight, President Trump said that he and the first lady had tested positive for the coronavirus. The news comes after a White House aid, Hope Hicks, tested positive. She had been traveling with the President in recent days, including to the debate on Tuesday.House Dems passed a new slimmed down relief package[...]
Former Congressman and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy is running for Senate in Mississippi, hoping to be the first Democrat to represent the state in the Senate in over thirty years. He’s nearly tied with his opponent, incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde Smith, who’s previously joked about “public hangings” and held up the legacy of Confederate[...]
The first presidential debate took place in Cleveland last night. It was an extremely bumpy ride, with Trump failing to condemn white supremacy and suggesting once again he might not accept the election results. We discuss the highlights and lowlights of a night that was almost all lowlights. And in headlines: Kentucky’s AG to release grand[...]
Tonight is the first of three debates between Democratic nominee Joe Biden and President Trump. The debate will cover six major topics, which include the economy, the pandemic, and the integrity of the election, but notably, not the environment. We discuss what else to expect and how this debate could affect the election. Reports have revealed[...]
The New York Times published a bombshell report on two decades of Trump’s taxes, showing he paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and in 2017. Trump received massive refunds after reporting losses on his businesses, one of which is currently being reviewed by the IRS, and could cost him $100 million if it’s[...]
While Trump is casually threatening to be an all out dictator, the economic crisis he continues not to solve continues. New unemployment data show the recovery is slowing down. We look at whether Congress is any closer to another relief package. Next week Congress is expected to call in big tech CEOs for another big hearing,[...]
Yesterday, the grand jury in Jefferson County, Kentucky announced that only one of the officers who shot at Breonna Taylor would be indicted… and that officer’s charges don’t have anything to do with Taylor’s killing. Last night following the decision, two police officers were shot in downtown Louisville.We spoke to Kentucky state representative Charles Booker[...]
America has passed the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths in the COVID-19 crisis, which was made far worse by Trump’s abjectly poor leadership. The FDA is expected to roll out new, more rigorous standards for approving the coronavirus vaccines following concerns that Trump would try to push out an unsafe drug. As the election approaches, there[...]
Arizona Senator Martha McSally said she will support a Senate vote when Trump nominates a Supreme Court Justice, but she might not have a chance to participate if she loses her race against Democrat Mark Kelly in November. Since McSally is an appointed Senator instead of an elected one, she could be replaced by Kelly[...]
Supreme Court Justice and gender equality pioneer Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at the age of 87 on Friday. The immediate response online and elsewhere was a mix of grief, fear, gratitude and determination.Within 24 hours of her passing, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Trump both said they would move forward to replace[...]
Two pharma companies released information about their vaccine trials, including details on their timelines and specific metrics they’ll be using to assess efficacy in early data. It’s all part of a push to gain public trust. We explain what to expect, and when. While Congress is still stalled on another relief bill, Republicans in the Senate[...]
Concerns about whether the Biden campaign is doing enough to speak to Latinx voters have grown in recent days following polling that suggests weakness among this group, particularly in Florida. Political consultant and former Bernie Sanders advisor Chuck Rocha joins to discuss.The director of the CDC says that a vaccine for Covid-19 might not be[...]
The city of Louisville, Kentucky has come to a $12 million settlement deal with the family of Breonna Taylor, who was shot and killed by police officers in her apartment six months ago. The agreement also includes several police reforms. We explain.Over 5 million acres have now been burned across the West. We discuss the[...]
Extreme weather continues in the US, with over 4.5 million acres burned across the West Coast and a Category 2 hurricane bearing down on the Gulf Coast. Scientists say two Antarctic glaciers are breaking off and could contribute to large-scale sea level rise, underscoring the need for aggressive environmental policy in the US and abroad. Oracle[...]
Wildfires raged on over the weekend in the West, with millions of acres burned, thousands displaced, and dozens of lives lost. Aside from fighting climate change, one of the most effective ways to manage these fires is regular controlled burns, which is something indigenous tribes were doing for centuries. Two meat processing facilities were fined a[...]
Viral videos of police brutality against Black people have generated outrage, protest, and sustained national attention this year. We talk to Bijan Stephen, a reporter at The Verge, about his latest project called “Capturing The Police,” which examines the impact these videos have on the people who film them.Another 884,000 people filed for unemployment last[...]
Recorded interviews of Donald Trump by Bob Woodward show he understood the threat of coronavirus in February, while he insisted in public it would “disappear” and was no worse than the seasonal flu. Trump addressed these revelations at a press conference yesterday, confirming that he intentionally downplayed the virus because he’s a "cheerleader" for the[...]
The Rochester, NY police chief and other high ranking officers all resigned or took demotions yesterday, following protests over the police killing of Daniel Prude. Prude’s case, along with other recent violent incidents, are leading some to propose alternatives to police intervention for mental health emergencies. Republicans in the Senate are back in session with a[...]
College students have returned to campuses, and so has coronavirus. Northeastern University suspended 11 students for partying, and will not refund them tens of thousands of dollars in tuition payments. At University of Kansas, students are striking and demanding that the university shut down the campus and give hazard pay to workers. Extreme weather over the[...]
Joe Biden will visit Kenosha, Wisconsin later today, where he’ll meet with the family of Jacob Blake. We check in on the continued protests happening there, plus the protests that are continuing in Lafayette, Louisiana, where Trayford Pellerin was killed by police just two days before Blake’s shooting.The Trump administration said it’s not going to[...]
The CDC and the Health Department are moving to ban evictions through December for people who can’t pay because of the pandemic. New York City caved to pressure from teachers unions who threatened to strike over school reopenings, pushing back the start of in-person to later this month.Legal battles over mail-in voting saw major developments in[...]
Joe Biden spoke in Pennsylvania yesterday, where he condemned violence of any kind at recent protests. Trump spoke at the White House yesterday, where he declined to tamp down violence among his supporters and suggested instead that Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old Wisconsin shooter, had acted in self-defense. Coronavirus outbreaks are continuing to pop up at colleges[...]
One man is now dead after a weekend of violence in Portland, Oregon, in which pro-Trump demonstrators drove through the city’s downtown taunting Black Lives Matter protestors. Jay Bishop was a member of a group called Patriot Prayer, a far-right group with ties to white supremacists.Massachusetts holds its primaries on Tuesday. Alex Morse is a[...]
Trump closed out the RNC last night, with a meandering 70-minute long speech that saw him paint a rosy picture of his administration’s handling of COVID-19 and promise a vaccine before the end of the year. Trump also tried to suggest that Biden would usher in chaos, while tending to ignore or misrepresent the chaos[...]
Police arrested 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse yesterday for killing two protestors and injuring a third at demonstrations in Kenosha, Washington against police brutality. Professional athletes joined in calling for justice for Jacob Blake, with teams from the NBA, WNBA, MLB, and more going on strike.Biden and Trump are averaging a near tie at the moment in[...]
Last night’s Republican National Convention brought more speeches from Trump’s employees and family members, including First Lady Melania Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The topic of “school choice” has been referenced often during the RNC—that’s part of a major push from Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to privatize education. In Portsmouth,[...]
Protestors gathered for a second night in Kenosha, Wisconsin following the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, who is reportedly still in intensive care. The three cops that participated in Blake’s shooting have been put on administrative leave, and a state investigation is ongoing. Milwaukee Freedom Fund: https://bit.ly/mkefreedomfundThe Republican Party officially renominated Trump and Pence on[...]
The Republican National Convention begins tonight, predominantly featuring speakers who are Trump’s employees or blood relatives. This weekend, Trump announced that the FDA granted emergency use authorization to a blood plasma treatment for COVID-19… we discuss what that means. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified to the Senate on Friday in his first appearance since the abrupt changes[...]
Last night was the final night of the DNC, featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, former 2020 presidential candidates, and most notably, Joe Biden’s acceptance speech. In a stark contrast to his campaign thus far, Biden barely mentioned Trump by name, talking instead about the enormity of the situation America faces. The state of Michigan announced a $600 million[...]
Last night was the third night of the Democratic National Convention, featuring marquee speeches from VP pick Senator Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama. Overall, programming was more focused on issues, with segments on immigration, climate change, gun violence, and more. New coronavirus antibody data from nearly a million and a half people in New[...]
Last night was the second night of the DNC, featuring beautiful shots of delegates across our gorgeous country, as well as speeches from AOC, activist Ady Barkan, and Dr. Jill Biden. We talk to Crooked’s own Jon Favreau about speech writing for the first digital DNC. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said yesterday that he would suspend cost-cutting[...]
This year’s socially-distanced DNC began last night, with speeches from former First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders, and more. Joe Biden went into the convention with a 7-9 point national lead against Trump, but the next few months are still full of unknowns. Watch the convention along with us every night this week at crooked.com/conventionUNC[...]
The DNC was set to begin today in Wisconsin, but instead, it’s beginning in Zooms across America. We talked to Wisconsin Democrats Senator Tammy Baldwin and party chair Ben Wikler about the state’s recent electoral history and how Biden can win there this year. The USPS warned that it may not be able to accommodate last[...]
This was the first week since March that the number of new unemployment claims in the US fell below one million. Tens of millions remain jobless and the start of Congress’s August recess means it’s unlikely we’ll see new relief legislation before September. Trump said the quiet part out loud yesterday, admitting that his refusal[...]
The last time we spoke with Monise Seward, a 6th grade special education teacher in Georgia, it was April and schools had just begun to tackle remote learning. It's now the new year, and her class remains completely online. We spoke to her about the challenges of the new normal and her thoughts on in-person[...]
Senator Kamala Harris was announced as Biden’s VP pick yesterday, which will make her the first black woman and first Asian American to be a on major party ticket. We discuss her record on the 2020 campaign trail, as an incisive presence in Senate hearings, and as California’s attorney general. The Big 10 and the Pac[...]
Five states hold primaries today, including Minnesota, where Rep. Ilhan Omar is running to keep her seat in Congress. The elections come a week after another progressive, Cori Bush, won a major upset in her race against a longterm incumbent in Missouri. We speak to Bush about her path to politics and check in on[...]
Trump signed a bunch of executive orders and actions over the weekend that he presented as a fix to our economic problems. But the reality is much less transformative. We explain what his actions do (cut unemployment) and what they don't do (protect renters from eviction).ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, is planning to sue[...]
New York’s Attorney General filed a lawsuit yesterday seeking to dissolve the National Rifle Association. AG Letitia James alleges that the NRA has engaged in years of corruption.In the absence of a federal testing strategy, seven governors have formed a purchasing agreement in attempts to get faster COVID antigen tests. In California, problems with the[...]
Joe Biden is no longer traveling to Milwaukee for the DNC, and neither are other primetime speakers like President Barack Obama. A sized-down RNC will be held in Charlotte, with Trump planning to deliver his speech from The White House. Six of the seven largest school districts in the country will begin the school year entirely[...]
The Minneapolis City Council voted to disband the Minneapolis Police Department over a month ago, but achieving that goal requires getting a ballot initiative in front of residents. We discuss that effort and more with Oluchi Omeoga, a co-creator of Black Visions Collective.And in headlines: a deadly explosion in Beirut, the census is ending early,[...]
The school year is officially beginning in some states and there have already been disruptions due to students and staff testing positive for Covid-19. A huge number of students will learn remotely for now, with only 6 of the nation’s 25 largest school districts saying they will do in-person teaching.Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington[...]
Disruptions and delays to the postal service have prompted concern since so many people are planning to vote by mail this year. We break down what’s behind the delay, and how to ensure your vote is counted. Congress still can’t agree on how to structure unemployment benefits in the next relief bill. Midwestern states like Missouri,[...]
The Biden campaign says they will announce his VP pick any day now. According to reports, over a dozen women are being vetted — some more seriously than others. We talk to Crooked Media’s Alyssa Mastromonaco, who helped President Obama select Joe Biden, about what goes into the process in the final days and the importance[...]
Rent is due next week, but we still don’t have a new relief bill to extend federal unemployment assistance and eviction protections. Negotiations have stalled, with Senate Republicans, the White House, and Democrats far apart in negotiations. Federal agents will withdraw from Portland after a deal was reached between Oregon’s governor and the Department of Homeland[...]
The CEO’s of Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Alphabet will testify before Congress today in hearings that will examine whether their companies hurt consumers and stifle competition.The Trump administration isn't getting rid of DACA (yet) but it is trying to restrict it. And the country’s second largest teachers union says they’ll support their members if they[...]
Pharmaceutical company Moderna entered phase three trials of its Covid-19 vaccine, and plans to test the efficacy of their drug on 30,000 healthy participants. The director of the NIH said they plan to reach out to communities that have been hardest hit by the virus to form that sample group. Major League Baseball has already announced[...]
Florida has now passed New York in total known coronavirus cases, making it the second worst-hit state behind California which is nearly twice its size. In Europe, the UK is imposing a two week quarantine on anyone who’s been in Spain after an uptick in virus spread there. Republicans are set to propose their bill for[...]
The federal eviction moratorium from the CARES Act expires today, leaving up to 12 million people vulnerable to eviction if they can’t pay rent. Trump cancelled the Jacksonville portion of the RNC, after he moved the event there from North Carolina. The Justice Department’s Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security will investigate federal law[...]
NBA games start next week with just 22 qualifying teams finishing off the season that the pandemic put on hold back in March. We interview Tania Ganguli, who covers the Lakers for the LA Times and is reporting live from the Disney World basketball “bubble” where games will be held.The world passed 15 million coronavirus[...]
Trump signed a memo yesterday that aims to omit undocumented immigrants from the census count. It seems like a way for Trump to side-step a Supreme Court ruling that removed citizenship questions from the census, and it's unclear how or if he'd even be able to do it. Protests in Portland have only increased in response[...]
Trump says he’s bringing back coronavirus briefings starting today. The largest teachers union in Florida is suing Governor Ron DeSantis for using an emergency order to compel public schools to fully reopen next month. Americans enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at record high rates early on in the pandemic. Food stamps were set to[...]
Civil rights activists Rep. John Lewis and Minister CT Vivian passed away on Friday. Democrats in Congress are urging lawmakers to honor Lewis by passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2020, which would restore voter protections struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013. Federal agents in camouflage are patrolling streets in Portland,[...]
The US, Canada, and Britain are alleging that Russian cyberspies are trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research. In more upbeat pharma news, the biotech company Moderna is making progress with its vaccine, which will soon undergo Phase 3 testing. Last week was the 17th week in a row that new unemployment claims have exceeded 1 million[...]
All 5,300 plus Walmarts and Sam’s Clubs nationwide will begin requiring shoppers to wear masks next week. On the state level, half of the governors in the US have now instituted at least some kind of mask requirement in public settings. New safety recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering,and Medicine say schools should prioritize[...]
We talk to The Atlantic’s Ed Yong about how public health workers and officials are fighting the pandemic, and what we're now learning about the potential long-lasting effects of Covid-19.The Trump administration is now asking hospitals to send data on Covid-19 patients directly to them and not the CDC. And in headlines: Joe Biden announces new[...]
California is re-closing many of its businesses as cases continue to rise. LA County and San Diego County schools have agreed to cancel in-person learning this fall in favor of going back online. White House advisors to the president have been criticizing NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci in recent days. It definitely seems like retaliation for[...]
Arizona’s governor pushed back the start of the school year from early-August to mid-August since his state has the worst Covid-19 numbers in the nation. Teachers unions don’t think that a two-week delay is enough to keep students, staff, and faculty safe. The Biden-Sanders joint task force put out policy recommendations last week, and left-leaning members[...]
Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled that much of eastern Oklahoma is Native American tribal land, and that the state of New York has the power to subpoena Trump’s financial records. The WHO has revised some past positions on coronavirus spread, and is now saying unequivocally that asymptomatic spread is possible, and coronavirus can linger and infect people[...]
As the summer weeks go by, and the virus rages on, the big question remains: How to go back to school in the fall.Trump caused a minor crisis by criticizing the CDC’s recommendations on school reopenings and threatening to cut federal funding for schools that don’t reopen in person. The Supreme Court announced a ruling yesterday[...]
The Trump administration officially started the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization. “Operation Warp Speed,” the government’s program to fast-track Covid-19 vaccine development, signed its largest deal so far, allocating $1.6 billion to the pharmaceutical company Novavax. Plus, an update on testing issues in hotspots across the country.Brazilian President and prominent virus skeptic Jair[...]
Emergency unemployment benefits included in the CARES Act are set to expire at the end of the month. With that deadline looming, and the health crisis raging, we look at what the next potential aid package might include.Some colleges and universities have announced their back-to-Zoom plans for classes in the fall. The faculty at Georgia[...]
Scientists worldwide want the World Health Organization to take a stronger stance on airborne transmission of COVID-19. In the US, records were set last week for the highest number of daily cases, with hotspots that led some governors to halt re-openings or begin re-closings. Trump gave some hall-of-fame dumb speeches this week, stoking division by focusing[...]
New antibody data from the CDC indicates that only 1 in 10 COVID-19 cases in the country have been identified. That still means more than 90 percent of the country hasn’t had the virus. Incidences of police brutality continue to be reported around the country. Three officers resigned and the police chief offered his resignation[...]
Democrats in the Senate blocked a Republican police reform bill yesterday, and Democrats in the House are expected to bring their police reform bill to the floor today. In Colorado, millions are calling for a new investigation into the death of Elijah McClain, who was killed in police custody last year. The country hit its single-day[...]
An estimated 25,000 cases of COVID-19 are tied to U.S. meatpacking plants, where employees work in close quarters and enclosed spaces. We speak with a Smithfield Foods employee out of South Dakota about what it's been like at her facility. Dr. Fauci says the US is experiencing a “disturbing surge” of infections after states reopened too[...]
Trump signed a new executive order yesterday temporarily barring new foreign workers from coming to the US until the end of the year. The tech industry has warned that this order hinders their ability to recruit top talent. In Minneapolis, a city council pledge to dismantle the police department could be harder to implement than expected.[...]
New York, Virginia, and Kentucky have primaries on Tuesday. We speak with two progressive candidates for congress: Jamaal Bowman, who’s running against incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel for New York’s 16th congressional district, and Charles Booker, who’s running against Amy McGrath, for senate in Kentucky.COVID-19 is still happening in the US, whether government officials recognize it[...]
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can’ t immediately end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, because his administration’s reasons for ending it are not sufficient. We explain what comes next. Today is Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. We discuss the day’s significance and why this year’s[...]
COVID-19 cases have plateaued in the US at around 20,000 a day as some states are seeing outbreaks grow. That hasn’t stopped Texas governor Greg Abbot from enforcing his executive order that bans cities from making face coverings mandatory. The police officer who killed Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, Georgia is now facing 11 charges including felony[...]
Trump signed a fairly inconsequential executive order yesterday that is supposed to incentivize police departments to adopt reforms. Across the country, local officials are continuing to respond to protests against police brutality and systemic racism—some making more impactful moves than others. We interview Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley about federal legislation on policing, and why ending qualified[...]
Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act protects LGBTQ+ employees from workplace discrimination in a 6-3 ruling. This is the first major case involving transgender rights, and it comes from a decidedly conservative court. We get into what it means, and how we got here.Plus, the latest on coronavirus, where cases are on the[...]
Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by a white officer in Atlanta this weekend, in another horrific instance of police violence. Atlanta’s police chief subsequently announced she would step down and the officer who shot Brooks was fired. Tens of thousands of people protested violence against Black trans people this weekend in cities across America. These[...]
Police in Seattle abandoned their East Precinct building and ceded about six blocks of the city to protestors, who have now set up the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone or CHAZ. Some conservatives are comparing that area to “Lord of the Flies,” while those on the ground say it’s more like orientation week at Evergreen State[...]
More than a third of states are seeing increases in Covid-19 cases in the last week. It’s hard to draw conclusions about what’s behind that trend—among states that reopened early, some are seeing cases plateau, while others are seeing cases ramp up. Plus, journalist and lawyer Josie Duffy Rice fills in for Akilah Hughes. We discuss[...]
Georgia held its primary yesterday, and in a state where officials have been accused of voter suppression, the elections were rife with issues. Polling stations saw hours-long lines that invariably led some voters to give up. Raquel Willis, writer and trans activist, fills in for Akilah Hughes. We discuss how we can better support black queer[...]
Democrats in Congress introduced the Justice In Policing Act yesterday, which includes a ban on chokeholds, a ban on no-knock warrants, and makes it easier to prosecute police officers. Plus, what New York's legislature is doing to reform policing in their state.Guest-host Dylan Marron fills in for Akilah Hughes. He shares lessons from his podcast “Conversations With People Who[...]
Minneapolis City Council members have said they intend to disband the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a community-based public safety model. On the federal level, Democrats will introduce reform legislation today that, among other things, will change the standard for use of force.We interview Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who recently took the[...]
Trump’s former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis published a scathing indictment of his presidency, and he’s been backed up by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski. Lawmakers in the Congressional Black Caucus are preparing a piece of police legislation that will aim to end racial profiling and qualified immunity.We speak with Dr. Keisha Blain, a professor of African[...]
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has upgraded charges against George Floyd’s killer Derek Chauvin by adding a charge of second-degree felony murder. The three officers on the scene who did nothing to protect Floyd have also been charged, with offenses that include aiding and abetting second-degree murder. One full week of protests has produced immediate changes[...]
Trump’s threat to deploy military to states to help squash unrest would require him to use the Insurrection Act of 1807. We discuss that law’s history and whether Trump would need support from governors to invoke it. Former VP Joe Biden spoke on Monday, discussing inequality, racial injustice, and calling for unity. Biden is now proposing[...]
Protests against racial violence continued in well over 100 cities, leading local officials to continue to take drastic measures like curfews and calling up the National Guard. Police in Washington, DC charged a group of peaceful protestors so that Trump could take a bad photo in front of a church. The organization Campaign Zero gathers data[...]
Protests in response to the police killing of George Floyd continued throughout the weekend. There were demonstrations in over 75 American cities, leading local officials to activate the National Guard in at least 11 states, and impose curfews. At one point, Trump hid underground. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and[...]
President Trump signed an executive order aimed at social media companies yesterday. We explain what's behind it and why legal experts don't think it's going anywhere.Varshini Prakash is the co-founder and executive director of Sunrise Movement. She's also an advocate for the Green New Deal who’s been appointed to Joe Biden’s climate change task force.[...]
The planned site of the Republican National Convention this August is North Carolina, one of the states where coronavirus case numbers are currently on the rise. Governor Roy Cooper’s understandable concerns about this event going forward have led to a low-tier scramble, with Georgia and Florida offering to host. Also in Florida… key American innovation Walt[...]
George Floyd was killed by police officers in Minneapolis this week, in an abusive and excessive show of force. We discuss his murder and the incident in Central Park this Monday where a white woman threatened Christian Cooper, a black man, distorting the facts in an apparent attempt to evoke an aggressive law enforcement response. Click[...]
The US has imposed a ban on flights from Brazil because of a dangerous surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. This comes after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro repeatedly dismissed the severity of the pandemic and mocked social distancing efforts... even as the country became a global hotspot for coronavirus. A federal judge in Florida has ruled[...]
China’s leaders are poised to impose a controversial new national security law in Hong Kong. The law would reportedly ban secession, subversion of state power, foreign interference, and terrorism. All that will essentially put Hong Kong more under China’s control and political system.Facebook has followed Twitter’s lead and will move to allow employees to work[...]
The CDC has quietly posted a report with detailed suggestions about how to reopen. We dig into it and how the states might or might not use it.More than 900 children have been deported since March under a new pandemic border policy. Before, children had the opportunity to speak with a social worker or make[...]
Contact tracing apps have been adopted in countries around the world to track the spread of COVID-19, but they’re not being used as much in the US. American tech companies are working to get these apps up-and-running… despite some privacy concerns. Cybersecurity reporter Patrick Howell O'Neill joins the show to update us on how these[...]
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will testify this morning about the economic crisis and response. We preview the hearing.A biotech company called Moderna reported preliminary results from a phase one trial of their coronavirus vaccine. So far, the results are positive—but the vaccine still has a lot more testing to[...]
Democrats in Congress are launching an inquiry into Trump’s firing of an inspector general at the State Department. It comes after three other inspector generals were also removed from their positions earlier this year.GrubHub is doing great business during the pandemic as more people rely on delivery. But a recent Buzzfeed report shows that the[...]
Today the House is set to vote on a $3 trillion coronavirus relief package that Senate Republicans say is dead on arrival. They’ll also vote on rules to allow for remote voting—which means we could be seeing a lot more technology barriers and funny Zoom mishaps in the near future.Late Wednesday night, FBI agents showed[...]
Former vaccine chief Dr. Rick Bright will testify before a house subcommittee today—he’s the guy who says he was removed from his job because he didn’t want to push for widespread use of unproven anti-malaria drugs as a treatment for coronavirus. Bright’s pre-released statement said we’ll be in trouble if we keep following Trump off[...]
Top U.S. health officials took questions from the Senate Health Committee yesterday on coronavirus. The partially teleconferenced testimonies featured weird background filters, quarantine beards, and one notable poster for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The main takeaway was that the U.S. is far from "out of the woods" in the fight against COVID-19. House Democrats put out[...]
The governor of South Dakota threatened to sue two Sioux tribes over road checkpoints they have set up to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to their reservations. Members of the tribe say that establishing checkpoints is a matter-of-life and death. South Dakota’s governor, who never issued a stay-at-home order for her state, says the checkpoints[...]
Top US health officials are self-isolating and quarantining after a couple White House employees tested positive for coronavirus. Plus, new data reveal a racial bias in enforcement of stay-at-home orders in the US.South Korea has been held up as a model for fighting coronavirus to the rest of the world. Last week, they were faced with[...]
The vaccine race is on, with several companies, governments, and academic labs working on lots of different potential options at once. We dig into the radical ideas to speed things along.Protestors and activist groups in Georgia are calling for the resignation of the district attorney who chose not to arrest the killers of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery,[...]
Vice President Mike Pence says the federal coronavirus task force could be disbanded within a month because of “the tremendous progress we’ve made as a country.” We discuss what that could possibly mean. Wisconsin's Republican-controlled legislature is suing over the state's stay-at-home order, in a case that’s currently being heard by Wisconsin's conservative Supreme Court. We talk[...]
A leaked government projection shows the US daily death toll from Covid-19 reaching 3,000 by June, which would almost double the current rate. Both the model's creator and the White House say that number shouldn’t be taken at face value. The FDA announced that companies selling antibody tests have to submit data that proves their accuracy[...]
As dozens of states reopen, Senator Mitch McConnell wants liability protections for businesses, so that employers won't face the possibility of lawsuits if an employee gets COVID-19. Critics say that puts the economic wellbeing of businesses over the health and safety of workers.Presumptive democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden responded directly to an allegation of sexual[...]
It’s the first of the month, which means rent is due for millions of Americans, workers are going on strike, and more states are reopening. We bring you the latest on strikes from renters and workers. Plus, what’s up with Trump pushing intel agencies for dirt on China. And we’re joined by comedian Whitmer Thomas for headlines:[...]
New GDP data show the economy shrank at a 4.8% annual rate in January, February and March. That’s the worst quarterly decline since the 2008 recession, and unfortunately, the current quarter is probably going to be worse. There’s an experimental drug called Remdesivir that the FDA is reportedly planning to approve for emergency use in treating[...]
Trump signed an executive order aimed at keeping meat-processing plants open by designating them as “critical infrastructure.” The union representing workers at these plants is concerned about being compelled to stay open without proper safety equipment, worker protections, and enforcement. We interview Ed Yong, science writer at The Atlantic, about what we know about the virus[...]
Scientists at Oxford University have developed at Covid-19 vaccine that’s safe and effective in monkeys. Now, they’re moving into wide-scale human trials, and are hoping to test thousands of people by the end of May. In the US, the small business loan program had an imperfect relaunch. Plus, we’re joined by Crooked’s own Jon Favreau for[...]
President Trump might be doing away with his hour-plus daily coronavirus briefings, which is a relief for so-called “privately concerned Republicans” who think they might scare away voters in November. The White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Birx hit the Sunday shows this weekend in Trump’s absence. In states like Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Indiana, Tennessee, and[...]
Senator Mitch McConnell thinks states should declare bankruptcy rather than get bailed out by the federal government. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp gives the green-light to reopen some essential businesses today, including bowling alleys. Some northern regions of China are being subjected to new limitations on movement in response to Covid-19 outbreaks. China is also giving the[...]
The doctor in charge of US government’s effort to develop a coronavirus vaccine was dismissed this week. He says it has to do with his opposition to untested treatments for Covid-19 pushed by President Trump. School closures nationwide have created a massive disruption for students, parents, and teachers. We talk to Monise Seward, a 6th grade[...]
Trump is preparing an executive order that will suspend the issuing of green cards for 60 days. We speak to Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, who says following through on Trump’s order would amount to turning our backs on the same people who are fighting Covid-19 on the front-lines.The Senate passed[...]
As Congress continues to negotiate their next relief bill, Democrats are pushing for a requirement that the administration develop a national testing strategy. Meanwhile, the National Restaurant Association is pushing for an industry bailout.Then, an update on case numbers around the country and the world. Plus, why Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina think it’s a[...]
Congress is nearing a deal on a new round of funding for small businesses, hospitals and to ramp up testing — which experts say is still in too short supply. Plus, the latest on antibody tests and why they are so unreliable. Around the world, Norway debuts a new voluntary tracking app and 100,000 people go[...]
The Trump administration is now saying what everyone else knew all along: it’s up to the states to determine how and when they begin easing out of lockdowns. The CDC is going to hire hundreds of people to ramp up efforts at contact tracing. And the White House is hoping to get 5 million people[...]
Over 80 million Americans should have seen their coronavirus stimulus payments deposited in their bank accounts yesterday. For the rest of us, we'll have to wait for the mail version. Small businesses are seeing their loan program, which has been overloaded and clunky, run out money.Conservative activists gathered in Ohio and Michigan yesterday to protest[...]
After suggesting that he had “total authority” to determine when states reopen their economies, Trump now says the states can decide. Governors are making their own plans, with California, Oregon, and Washington forming a west coast group that will coordinate together. Countries around the world are at different stages of their fight against coronavirus. Some like[...]
We interview Congresswoman Ilhan Omar about what progressives want from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and what steps Congress should take next to address the pandemic. Neighboring states are forming coalitions to make plans to lift restrictions. Coronavirus will delay the result of the census by an estimated four months. And in headlines: Amazon to resume[...]
States are trying different approaches to address coronavirus racial disparities, from forming a task force in Louisiana to opening new testing centers in New York City. We speak to Dr. Abdul El-Sayed about what he’s seen in Detroit, and how structural racism leaves minority communities vulnerable.A new investigation in The New York Times says Trump[...]
Another 6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week, meaning that more than 16 million jobs have been lost in the last three weeks. That puts more pressure on Congress to sort out more economic relief. The White House is reportedly going to announce a coronavirus-economic task force to look into when the economy[...]
Senator Bernie Sanders has dropped out of the 2020 presidential race, but his ideas may live on. Vice President Joe Biden is now the presumptive democratic presidential nominee. We look at how we got here.Then, we talked to Clare Malone, senior political writer at Five Thirty Eight, about the Defense Production Act - and why[...]
Lawmakers are considering a second relief package to provide assistance to people who were left out of the last bill. Some also want to add a rent moratorium, Medicare and Medicaid expansion, and more. We talk to Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) to learn about those efforts.And in headlines: a naval secretary steps down after comments[...]
Wisconsin will be moving forward with in-person voting today, despite efforts to postpone the election for the sake of public health. We check in on what’s happening there and in other states set to vote soon. Plus, we interview Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes about the election and what this means for November.And in headlines:[...]
We interview Keri Blakinger, a reporter at The Marshall Project who covers prisons, on how jails and detention centers are managing release of inmates to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and how the urgent push to get people out is affecting former inmates. Government officials say the coming two weeks could be the most difficult yet[...]
We interview Dr. Shaoli Chaudhuri, a resident at Columbia Medical Center in Manhattan, about what she’s seeing in the Covid-19 epicenter as doctors treat a growing number of patients with the virus - and healthcare workers themselves are getting sick. An astonishing 6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits in the US last week, and there’s[...]
We talk to acting President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Alexis McGill Johnson about the state of reproductive rights during the pandemic, and the efforts several Republican-governed states have taken to restrict abortion access as part of their coronavirus response. Congress is looking at a Phase 4 deal, which could include infrastructure projects. And the Trump[...]
We interview New York Times reporter Caitlin Dickerson about the far-reaching effects the pandemic is having on people in our immigration system: asylum seekers, DACA recipients, undocumented workers, ICE detainees and more. The Trump administration has finally spoken up about their projections for the loss of life that America might experience as a result of Covid-19.[...]
Efforts to bring unhoused people inside have been growing as the coronavirus outbreak takes hold, but advocates say there’s more to be done. We talk to Chris Ko, of the United Way in Los Angeles, to learn more about the situation in that city. Workers across the country are feeling the impact of the pandemic. Employees[...]
Mutual-aid networks, which allow neighbors and community members to pool resources, have blossomed during the coronavirus crisis. We interview Christine Gatson-Michalak, co-founder of the Claremont Mutual Aid Project, about the biggest needs right now. Trump held a press conference yesterday, where he said among other things that social distancing measures will continue until April 30. So[...]
The United States now has the most known COVID-19 cases in the world. We discuss the areas that have been hit hardest and how they’re handling the outbreak Epidemiologist and host of “America Dissected” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed answers more of your most pressing COVID-19 questions.And in headlines: the US indicts Maduro, a half-billion dollar legal win[...]
The senate approved a nearly $2 trillion relief package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic yesterday, after a day of delays and a lot of debate. We discuss what made it into the bill and what didn’t with Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.And in headlines: three states restrict abortion access during Covid-19, everyone’s getting a pandemic[...]
Equipment shortages, exposure, and empathy: we hear from healthcare workers who are fighting Covid-19 on the front lines. Plus, what Democrats are fighting for in the government coronavirus relief package and what Republicans are willing to concede. And how authorities are handling things in New York now that it’s become the epicenter of the US coronavirus[...]
Is America’s internet prepared for all of us to be online all of the time? We interview FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to get her answer. And we discuss how to close digital divide to make sure all students can continue their education online through the pandemic.Trump is suggesting that the economic slowdown resulting from social[...]
We interview Alexis Madrigal, staff writer at the Atlantic and founder of The COVID Tracking project, about the current state of coronavirus testing and why it took so long to get started. Congress still hasn’t reached a deal on the coronavirus relief bill. We discuss where things stand, with five Republican senators in self-isolation and one[...]
We’re joined once again by physician and former Detroit health commissioner Dr. Abdul El-Sayed to discuss Covid-19. We ask him how to evaluate the success of containment strategies, whether you can get coronavirus twice, and more.Congress is still hashing out the details on a the relief bill. Meanwhile, unemployment claims are skyrocketing. And in headlines: Senators[...]
Senator Cory Booker joins us to discuss a proposal he’s drafted with fellow senators to give payments to Americans to help them through the pandemic, and how the current situation reveals the flaws in America’s safety net systems. The Senate passed the House Bill on paid sick leave to help some US workers affected by Covid-19. And[...]
Yesterday, three states voted in the first post-pandemic-declaration elections of the presidential primary, and former Vice President Joe Biden won in all three. Plus, we interview Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon about switching to vote by mail as the primaries continue. And, Several Democratic Senators have been calling for direct cash payments for all Americans under[...]
Covid-19 has hit the US economy hard, devastating the stock market and prompting limited hours and layoffs around the country. We talk to Annie Lowrey, a staff writer at the Atlantic, to help us parse the economic impact of the virus. Florida, Illinois, Ohio, and Arizona were set to go to the polls today on yet[...]
Covid-19 continues to upend events, entire healthcare systems, and economies worldwide. We discuss the latest updates, including a new CDC recommendation on gatherings of 50 people or more and a bill working its way through congress that would help workers who’s jobs have been affected by the pandemic. Sunday brought us the first one-on-one debate between[...]
Physician and former Detroit health commissioner Abdul El-Sayed comes on the show to discuss Covid-19. We ask him about the government response, how to avoid overloading our healthcare system, and what we can take from the way other countries have responded. Subscribe to the new season of his podcast “America Dissected” to stay up to date[...]
The WHO has officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. And last night, President Trump announced new travel restrictions on foreign nationals coming from Europe. We tell you everything you need to know about where we’re at. Senator Bernie Sanders spoke yesterday in his first event since Tuesday’s elections. He said he will stay in the race[...]
It was another good night for former Vice President Joe Biden, who has taken command of the race for the democratic presidential. He won overwhelming victories in Mississippi and Missouri plus a victory in Michigan and Idaho. We discuss the results and where we go from here. COVID-19 cancel culture is in full swing, with some[...]
Yesterday, US stock markets had their worst day since the financial crisis in 2008. So many investors were selling off assets that trading was temporality halted in the morning and by the day’s end, the Dow finished down nearly 8 percent. We discuss this and more COVID-19 updates. Six more states are voting today just a[...]
The presidential primary is in full swing, and unfortunately, so is COVID-19. We look at the precautions campaigns are taking against coronavirus and what states are doing to ensure that voting goes smoothly. Women across Mexico are striking today, in protest of the rise of gender-based violence and killings in the country. Activists are calling on[...]
Senator Elizabeth Warren exited the presidential race on Thursday following disappointing results in her home state and beyond on Super Tuesday. Now, like princes at a formal ball, both Biden and Sanders are vying for her affection. We reflect on Warren's campaign and discuss what’s coming next. It's been 10 years so that means it's census[...]
Super Wednesday kicked off with a bang: former NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropping out of the race. Plus, the race in Maine was narrowly called for Biden. Now we wait as Senator Elizabeth Warren reassesses her path forward after a disappointing night. Some coronavirus updates: the death toll from COVID-19 rose to 11 on Wednesday. American[...]
Yesterday was Super Tuesday, where 14 states and one territory voted in the presidential primary. Former VP Joe Biden over-performed in what some (read: none) are already calling "Joebal Warming," while Senator Bernie Sanders didn’t do as well as some predicted. Final delegate totals are still coming in—we’ll talk you through what we know. And in[...]
Today is Super Tuesday, where 14 states and one territory will vote. It’s the biggest day of the presidential nominating contest so far… and 1,357 delegates are up for grabs. Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a major abortion rights case out of Louisiana, over a law that requires abortion providers to have admitting[...]
The government is beginning to dole out COVID-19 testing kits, and hundreds of medical centers in the US have begun developing their own version of testing in the meantime.The South Carolina primary was this weekend, with former VP Joe Biden scoring a decisive victory. A poor showing from former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg led[...]
South Carolina goes to the polls on Saturday. There are 54 delegates at stake and it’s the first state where black voters make up a majority of the electorate.More coronavirus updates: a whistleblower says more than a dozen federal employees in California weren’t given proper training or protective gear when they were assigned to interact[...]
President Donald Trump held a press conference yesterday in conjunction with the CDC to update the nation on the COVID-19 preparedness plan. That plan involves appointing Vice President Mike Pence to oversee the government's response to the epidemic—but importantly, he’s not really a coronavirus czar, so don’t call him one. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed[...]
Last night seven democratic presidential candidates took the stage in Charleston, South Carolina for the tenth debate of this election cycle and the last one before Super Tuesday. Overall, this one was a mess. We’ll talk you through the big moments, and the ways the candidates tried to define themselves against frontrunner Bernie Sanders. And in[...]
Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein has been convicted on two counts of felony sex crimes. The convictions are the culmination of a month-long trial and testimonies brought by six women. The Supreme Court added a case to its docket on Monday, which will decide whether it was okay for city officials in Philadelphia to end a[...]
Bernie Sanders had a dominating win in the Nevada caucus on Saturday. As of Sunday night, he had captured nearly 47.1 percent of county convention delegates, with former VP Joe Biden in a distant second, followed by Mayor Pete, Senator Warren, and Senator Klobuchar. We discuss the coalition that led Sanders to victory and what to[...]
The Nevada caucuses are on Saturday. It’s the third contest in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and the first where voters of color will have a huge say in the outcome. We tell you everything you need to know about the “Big Bad Battle In The Desert.”Nine people are dead following a shooting at two[...]
Six presidential candidates took the stage in Las Vegas last night for the last debate before the Nevada Caucuses on Saturday. And folks: it was a street fight. We discuss how Bloomberg fared on his first time out (spoiler alert: not well) and some extremely tense moments between our beloved midwesterners. And in headlines: hat birds[...]
President Trump went on a pardoning spree on Tuesday, giving commutations or pardon to 11 individuals convicted of white-collar crime. To make his picks, he took “recommendations” from Rudy Giuliani. Employees at Kickstarter voted to unionize yesterday, making it the first large-scale union at a well-known tech company. We discuss the ‘state of the unions’ in[...]
An extremely rich man wants to do a good thing: Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced a pledge of $10 billion to combat climate change. We discuss how he’s going to spend that money and reactions to the news.Over 73,000 people have been infected with coronavirus and the death toll is above 1,800. The[...]
Major US newspaper publisher McClatchy, which owns The Miami Herald and dozens of other daily newspapers around the country, has filed for bankruptcy. We discuss what we’re missing out on when local journalism outfits bite the dust.Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg has been spending immense amounts of money to promote his presidential campaign[...]
The sentencing recommendation for former Trump campaign advisor Roger Stone got shortened by the DOJ and it all feels awfully corrupt. We discuss what might've happened and how lawmakers are reacting to a possible overreach by President Trump.The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party is resigning amid calls for a partial re-canvass and a large[...]
Senator Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night with around 26 percent of the vote, followed by Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Biden. We talk to Sanders voters at his victory event and give the view on the ground from 2020's first primary.And in headlines: Roger Stone’s lighter sentence, beautiful[...]
Today is the day of the New Hampshire primary, which will hopefully be the first totally worry-free candidate selecting event of the 2020 season. We’re on the ground in NH finding out what’s motivating voters. The Trump administration announced their 2021 budget proposal yesterday, and it included big cuts to social programs like Medicare and Medicaid[...]
The New Hampshire primary is on Tuesday and we’re on-the-ground describing what the 2020 candidates are doing there. We’ll also talk you through a new law passed by the state’s Republican controlled legislature that is causing confusion amongst young voters. The death toll of Wuhan’s coronavirus continues to rise in China. We talk you through the[...]
The Iowa caucuses took place on Monday night and more full results have finally started to come in. 100 percent of precincts have been reported, but most news outlets has yet to declare a winner. Bernie Sanders leads in vote totals and he and Pete Buttigieg differ by just .1 percent in Standard Delegate Equivalents. Following[...]
Yesterday afternoon the Senate voted to acquit President Trump of two articles of impeachment. Senator Mitt Romney had his “Mitt savior” moment when he voted to convict, drawing the ire of Trump and GOP loyalists. A nationwide partial vape ban goes into effect today, as a result of an earlier decision by the Trump administration to[...]
We are on to day three of the never-ending PTA meeting also known as the Iowa caucus and as of yet there is still no declared winner and the state’s Democratic party has not released 100 percent of the vote totals. We do a post-mortem on the event and look ahead to New Hampshire. Today is[...]
The Iowa caucuses were a joyous affair, filled with high hopes, hard work, and spirited neighborly debate. Attempts to report the results of the caucuses were an unmitigated disaster. We talk you through the multiple “victory” speeches, the arguments against letting Iowa kick off the primary season, and more.And in headlines: YouTube doesn’t want your[...]
Tonight is the night of the Iowa Caucuses, so if you haven’t been paying attention, here’s your opportunity to catch up. From a tasteful three-star hotel room in the heart of Des Moines, we discuss how caucusing works and where things stand among the 2020 candidates. Plus, we’re joined by Pod Save America’s lead Iowa[...]
The Trump administration unveiled a new Medicaid plan, which gives states the opportunity to convert part of the public insurance system into block grants. This so called “Healthy Adult Opportunity” could end up reducing health care benefits.Unless the 51 GOP senators get swapped for other, better senators, today is the day that the impeachment will[...]
As of Wednesday night, there are more than 7,700 coronavirus cases in at least 20 countries, including 5 cases in the U.S. Still, it’s not time for you to freak out. We discuss how the media has historically reacted to would-be epidemics and why the CDC says the risk of a stateside coronavirus outbreak is[...]
President Trump’s impeachment defense has rested its case before the Senate. This after they only used 12 of 24 allotted hours to argue against the president’s removal, and after many experts pointed out that their defense of the president is extraordinarily weak-sauce. We discuss what's next and why we should continue to care.There was a[...]
President Trump’s legal team presented their defense in the Senate impeachment trial, charging on despite reports that Security Advisor John Bolton may have dropped bombshells in his upcoming book. We discuss which Republican Senators might break with their party to call Bolton to the stand. The Supreme Court lifted an injunction blocking a Trump administration[...]
There’s just one week until the Iowa caucuses, where voters will get their first chance to pick the candidate they’d like to see go up against Trump. We discuss the state of affairs and ask Pat Rynard, founding and managing editor of Iowa Starting Line, about his thoughts on the race. NBA All-Star and MVP[...]
President Trump mentioned taking a look at cuts to Social Security. We discuss the implications and how the issue of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are showing up in the presidential race. Trump’s White House is also rolling out a new rule to limit so-called “birth tourism.” We discuss what this could mean for literally[...]
Impeachment continued on Wednesday with House managers beginning to lay out their case for why President Trump should be convicted and removed from office. We discuss highlights and re-introduce you to the key Republican Senators who might be feeling the heat. Trump confirmed his intention to widen his infamous travel ban, potentially doubling its scope[...]
The Senate impeachment trial for President Trump began on Tuesday, featuring debates over the rules, furrowed brows, at least one Senator who fell asleep, and no liquids besides water or milk. We discuss other highlights from a long day in court. Cases of a new strain of coronavirus have been detected in China, plus nearby[...]
The impeachment trial for President Trump officially kicks off today in the Senate. We’ll see if it goes exactly the way Mitch McConnell wants it to or if justice can find a way. At yesterday’s Brown and Black Forum in Iowa, an impressively direct group of moderators asked the Democratic candidates some questions of concern[...]
Florida’s Supreme Court passed a ruling that will restrict voting rights for people who have been convicted of a crime, which effectively instates a poll tax. Crooked Media’s editor-in-chief Brian Beutler joins us for an impeachment update: the Senators got sworn in on Thursday, Chief Justice John Roberts got sworn in to preside, and we[...]
The House of Representatives turned in the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Wednesday, kicking off the next phase of the trial of President DJT. That, plus a bombshell MSNBC interview with Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, will give you twice your daily dose of Ukrainegate. Virginia has voted to ratify the Equal Rights[...]
Last night was the seventh democratic debate featuring the smallest candidate pool yet. Just six candidates took the stage: Biden, Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Steyer. We discuss this somewhat uneventful night, along with the new Tom Steyer sports team that we as Americans are all apparently members of. And in headlines: Lev’s paper trail,[...]
Attorney General Bill Barr wants Apple’s help unlocking the iPhone of a Saudi Arabian shooter who opened fire on a naval base last month. We discuss what Apple’s response means for data privacy. In this week's 2020 update, Senator Cory Booker dropped out, supporters of Warren and Sanders are beefing, and there’s a debate tonight where[...]
In the days since the Trump administration killed Qasem Soleimani, there’s been little consensus on why the drone strike was necessary. We discuss Congress’ continuing response to this likely case of Presidential impulsivity. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is now barring refugees from settling in Texas, empowered by a Trump executive order. We discuss whether the[...]
US and Canadian officials think the plane that crashed in Iran was struck by a surface-to-air missile. Further investigation will require lots of countries and agencies working together, and the current circumstances aren’t perfect for a group project. Reports say Nancy Pelosi could send the articles of impeachment to Mitch McConnell by the end of[...]
President Trump announced economic sanctions on Iran following Tuesday’s missile strikes, but he didn’t call for escalation. Congress is taking steps to block military action in the off chance he changes his mind. A new report from the American Cancer Society says the cancer death rate in the US dropped by 2.2 percent from 2016[...]
Iranian forces launched ballistic missiles against two military bases in Iraq that house US troops. Stay tuned today for the White House’s official response. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to more forward with impeachment without hearing witnesses. We discuss what might happen as we roll on towards the bottom of impeachment valley. Puerto Rico[...]
Former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton said that if he’s subpoenaed by the Senate, he’d be willing to give up the goods. We discuss the GOP reaction and what else is new in Trump’s impeachment. Film producer and accused rapist Harvey Weinstein went to trial in New York yesterday. At the same time,[...]
The US assassinated Iranian Major General Qassim Suleimani via drone strike last Friday. We discuss the repercussions and talk with California congressman Ro Khanna about the legislation he’s introducing to block funds being used for military actions without congressional authorization. Wildfires have ravaged Australia for the past few weeks, killing 24 people and destroying thousands[...]
The last Democratic debate of 2019 was last night, featuring impeachment, wine caves, and some of the biggest out-and-out brawls we’ve seen so far. We discuss what stood out in this newly-narrowed field. And in headlines: Wakanda found, Christians against Trump, and Hogwarts is bad at gender studies. Plus, we’re joined by What A Day[...]
The House of Representatives voted to impeach Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. But Pelosi isn’t giving up the articles just yet. We discuss what went down yesterday and where we go from here. We ask the Crooked team about their personal political highlights and lowlights of the past ten years,[...]
Today House Democrats are expected to formally vote to impeach Donald Trump. He now joins Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton on the Mt. Rushmore of impeached presidents. Two mass graves have been found in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which are believed to hold the remains of African-American victims of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. We discuss this heinous[...]
Boeing announced it will stop making 737 Max Jetliners next month. We talk about what it means for the economy, jobs and the whole shabang. Wisconsin is purging hundreds of thousands of people from its voter rolls. Georgia could be next. Stacey Abrams is fighting against this form of voter suppression. Help her fight at[...]
The location of Thursday’s Democratic presidential primary is in question because food service workers at Loyola Marymount are striking. We discuss who will be on the stage (if there is one! We don’t really know!). Trump will probably be impeached this week in the House. You're making history, dude! From there, it’s on to the[...]
The FTC is reportedly considering a court order to block Facebook from integrating WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger into a giant, terrifying “Facebook Megazord.” We discuss that, along with FB’s plans for a content supreme court. The Judiciary Committee is expected to approve two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump, making him the fourth president[...]
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defends his title today as the nation holds general elections. He’ll be facing threats from all sides, including UK Bernie Jeremy Corbyn. Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers announced that they’ve come to a tentative agreement with his accusers. If we learned anything about rich men in power, we should've guessed that Weinstein’s[...]
House Democrats have reached a deal with Trump on the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, which will replace the artist formerly known as NAFTA. We discuss what that means. A new report shows that Greenland’s ice sheets are melting fast. To get technical, they’re now melting in dog years. And in headlines: Spygate 2, SATs,[...]
A report from the Inspector General has revealed Trump’s claim that the FBI spied on him in 2016 to be false. We talk about what else we learned from this scorching hot doc. Report two is from the Washington Post, about how American officials repeatedly lied and hid evidence that the conflict there was unwinnable.[...]
On Saturday, the House Judiciary Committee released their impeachment report, which is essentially the legal roadmap they’ll be following from here on out. We tell you what’s coming as we begin… the final countdown. In 2020 updates, Warren and Buttigieg have bad blood, Bloomberg sounds off on his employee’s salaries, and more. And in headlines:[...]
A multi-million-dollar lobbying group is running ads in early primary voting states against Medicare For All and the public option. In our “We Have Issues 2020” segment, we talk to congresswoman Pramila Jayapal about where the candidates stand on healthcare coverage, and how Medicare For All works as a campaign issue. Speaker of the House[...]
The USDA released a new food stamp rule that would kick an estimated 755,000 people off food benefits. We discuss with US Senator from Michigan Debbie Stabenow and senior Urban Institute fellow Elaine Waxman. A flock of law professors descended on the House Judiciary Committee to offer their expert opinions as to whether President Donald Trump’s[...]
California Senator Kamala Harris suspended her presidential campaign on Tuesday. We discuss the factors that led her to this point, including ones many in the press seem to have overlooked. Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee released their impeachment report, and the White House response produced our new favorite insult. You didn’t hear it from[...]
We talk to presidential candidate and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro about the way the DNC does primaries, whether the Democratic party needs to refocus on poverty, and how he likes his blueberry pancakes. California Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter has pled guilty to spending campaign funds on very necessary purchases like a[...]
The Supreme Court will hear a major gun rights case today, which could lead to the expansion of the Second Amendment. We discuss how we got here, and where we’re headed. Impeachment moves to the House Judiciary Committee this week, marking the triumphant return of Jerry “Scary” Nadler. We review some greatest hits from the[...]
Federal prosecutors have launched a criminal probe of opioid makers and distributors, a type of investigation that’s usually reserved for drug dealers and cartels. We discuss how this might develop. It’s Thanksgiving week! We remind you of the main points you need to know to emerge victorious from every turkey day scuffle in our “What[...]
A judge rules that White House lawyer Don McGahn must testify to congress despite Trump's efforts to block him. Impeachment: Season 2 is gonna be good. The city of London is taking away Uber’s license to operate in London. Looks like you’re gonna have to take the Tube. And in headlines: SHS on the campaign[...]
New leaked documents detail how far the Chinese government has gone to detain ethnic minorities and muslims. We discuss what the documents reveal. More on that, here: https://apnews.com/4ab0b341a4ec4e648423f2ec47ea5c47 Michael Bloomberg is gearing up to spend the combined net worth of every person you will ever meet on his presidential campaign. We discuss how he plans[...]
Fiona Hill and David Holmes close out a week in testimonies and Schiff brings the gavel down with a fiery closing statement. Plus, Sondland’s famous “loves your ass” quote is officially confirmed. Out Magazine executive editor Raquel Willis joins us to discuss The Trans Obituaries Project and what can be done to end anti-trans violence.[...]
During his impeachment hearing, Gordon Sondland confirms the quid-pro-quo and says his orders came from the top dog: El Presidente. We discuss that and the testimony of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper. Ten democratic candidates faced off in a rapid-fire two-hour debate at Tyler Perry Studios in Georgia. We discuss highlights including some[...]
In an epic 12 hour impeach-a-thon, four witnesses took the stand, including Lt. Colonel Vindman, Pence aid Jennifer Williams, former special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker, and Europe and Russia special expert slash spokesman for drinking milk Tim Morrison. We talk through the biggest takeaways. And in headlines: Epstein guards on trial, Madea’s big debate,[...]
The trial of Roger Stone has led Democrats to dust off their old yellowed copies of The Mueller Report, and broaden the impeachment inquiry to crimes Trump may have committed outside of the Ukraine ones. Joe Biden’s recent comments about weed as a “gateway drug” (thank you, Vice President DARE Mascot) lead us to examine[...]
Pete Buttigieg is surging in Iowa, and Michael Bloomberg is kicking off his late-blooming campaign by apologizing for his racist “Stop & Frisk” policy. We discuss this and more in our 2020 primary update. Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed was granted an indefinite stay by the courts last week. We look at the evidence[...]
Two candidates for Louisiana Governor face off in a runoff election on Saturday. We introduce you to Republican Eddie “Stickers” Rispone and Democrat and incumbent Governor John “Across The Aisle” Bel Edwards. A high school in Santa Clarita was attacked by student shooter on Thursday. We discuss the gun violence epidemic, and the measures that[...]
The Trump impeachment made its TV debut on Wednesday, featuring a colorful cast of characters and one shocking Shyamalan twist. We discuss the very biggest moments and the very best bow-tie (hint: George Kent’s). And in headlines: Starbucks goes big, University of Hong Kong lets out early, and former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick says “Why[...]
The impeachment inquiry makes its television debut today. We discuss how previous impeachments were understood once they hit the small screen (TV). Stephen Miller’s emails got leaked and the results are in: they suck! We talk about his correspondence with Breitbart editor Katie McHugh, and how white supremacist ideology has influenced Trump policy. And in[...]
Today the Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether DACA can be ended by the Trump administration. We ask immigration activist Justino Mora how this all feels as a DACA recipient. Republican congressman and proud Islamophobe Peter King has announced his plan to retire. We say: good! And Crooked’s own Jon Lovett joins us for[...]
Public impeachment hearings begin this week. We tell you who’s taking the stand and how to tell them apart using some high-art, elevated cultural touchstones. A public defender supported by the co-founders of Black Lives Matter was elected as San Francisco’s new DA. We talk to former public defender and politician Tiffany Cabán about what[...]
A judge orders President Trump to pay $2 million for using donations to his charitable foundation (good) for personal and political purposes (so bad!). So far, two billionaires have lined up to challenge Donald Trump in 2020 and Michael Bloomberg could be the newest addition to the pack. We test your knowledge in a game[...]
Coming off Tuesday’s elections, we look ahead at key 2020 races, including a vote on Mitch McConnell and the return of Jeff Sessions. Bill Gates pushes back against Senator Elizabeth Warren’s proposed wealth tax. We examine why billionaires might not want to have to give their money away. And in headlines: Ayanna Pressley endorses Elizabeth[...]
The voting results are in from Kentucky, Virginia, and Mississippi! We go over the results in our first annual ‘2019 Election A-WADs.’ It’s a Beshear pleasure. Today in impeachment news, Sondland flips, Lindsay Graham will see no evil and speak no evil, and more. We interview Brian Beutler, Crooked Media’s Editor-in-Chief and host of The[...]
Washington votes today on whether to repeal the state’s ban on affirmative action. We discuss the effects of these bans and what keeps them on the books. Trump formally tells the United Nations he’s backing out of the Paris Climate Agreement. Square-jawed Governor Jay Inslee weighs in. And in headlines: Facebook hits caps lock, writer[...]
Democratic presidential candidates continue to fight for Iowa, with one less tall, counter-standing, former member of the band Foss crowding the field. We discuss what’s new in our 2020 primary update. Kentucky elects its governor this Tuesday! We examine Matt Bevin, the state’s current governor and Trump jacket devotee, along with Andy Beshear, the dem[...]
In today’s big impeachment update, the House votes to endorse the impeachment inquiry. Next up, public hearings. Uh… who needs Disney Plus? The whole Virginia state legislature is up for re-election next Tuesday, and Democrats need to flip four seats to win control of state government. We tell you what’s at stake. HINT: it’s a[...]
Big impeachment updates: Alexander Vindman tells Congress that the White House hid details of Trump’s perfect call, and we tell you what’s to come in must-see T (T is testimonies). Deadspin writers resign en masse following a letter from their corporate owners telling them to “stick to sports." And in headlines: Epstein plot thickens, Kamala[...]
The NCAA votes to start the process of allowing college athletes to get money while they get an education. We get presidential candidate Andrew Yang’s take on the news. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenberg faces the Senate Commerce Committee to answer questions about two crashes involving the 737 Max, and what his company could’ve done to[...]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces a resolution that will formalize the impeachment inquiry. Expect more Rudy. You know who else isn’t cool with Facebook’s policy of allowing politicians to lie in paid ads? Facebook employees. We discuss their open letter to CEO Mark Zuckerburg. And in headlines: car companies side with Trump, Missouri’s last abortion[...]
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died in a raid by U.S. special forces in Syria. President Trump announced the success his favorite way: a press conference that will haunt our dreams. California wildfires are causing massive evacuations and blackouts. We tell you why it’s happening and why it matters, super quick, before we lose power.[...]
Can’t keep up with the flood of news every morning? We got you covered: What A Day, a new podcast from your friends at Crooked Media, will cut through all the chaos and crimes to help you understand what matters and how you can fix it - all in just fifteen minutes.Join comedian Akilah Hughes[...]

What A Day cuts through all the chaos and crimes to help you understand what matters and how you can fix it’all in just 20 minutes. Hosts Tre’vell Anderson, Priyanka Aribindi, Josie Duffy Rice, and Juanita Tolliver break down the biggest news of the day, share important stories you may have missed, and show you what ‘Fox & Friends’ would sound like if it were hosted by people whose parents read to them as children. New episodes Monday through Friday at 5 a.m. EST.

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