C-SPAN Radio - Washington Today

Former FBI Director James Comey pleads not guilty in federal court in Alexandria to two felony charges related to previous testimony before Congress. We will talk with The Hill's courts reporter Ella Lee, who was in the courtroom, about the arraignment and what is next in this case (1); President Donald Trump holds a roundtable at the White House with journalists he says were attacked by anti-ICE Antifa protesters in Portland, Oregon; Federal government shutdown now at Day 8 and the situation remains the same: Senate again votes down competing Republican and Democratic temporary government funding bills; Arizona's two Democratic U.S. Senators confront Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson over the delayed swearing-in of a newly elected Democratic Congresswoman from Arizona, who would provide the crucial 218 signature on a discharge petition to force release of the federal files on the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; IMF Managing Director gives an update on the world economy ahead of next week's IMF/World Bank meetings; Supreme Court hears oral argument in a case brought by Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), who seeks standing to sue over Illinois' mail-in voting law that allows ballots postmarked by election day but which arrive later to be counted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal government shutdown at Day Seven shows no sign of ending soon; White House memo says the 750,000 federal government employees furloughed are not entitled to backpay when the government reopens; President Donald Trump meets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House to discuss trade and tariffs; Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee, pointing to a report this week that the FBI as part of its investigation of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol tracked Republican lawmakers' private phone records; Attorney General Bondi also has tense exchanges with Democratic Senators over everything from the Epstein files to a dropped ethics case against Border Czar Tom Homan and the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey; Supreme Court hears a case challenging a Colorado law that bans 'conversion therapy' for LGBTQ minors; today is the two year anniversary of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Senate is back without a deal to end the government shutdown that's now in its sixth day. Meanwhile, the legal showdown over White House efforts to deploy National Guard troops into US cities continues. The State of Illinois and the City of Chicago sued the Trump administration today to stop the deployment of National Guard troops, while Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order declaring city property "ICE-free zones". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion about the government shutdown and its impact on federal workers, with Max Stier – President & CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. Then, Retired Army Colonel Peter Mansoor – now a military historian at Ohio State University - discusses President Trump and Secretary Hegseth's speech to generals earlier this week. Finally, a conversation with Rob Henderson of the Manhattan Institute on combating political extremism in the U.S. -- and why some young men are increasingly being radicalized online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Day Three of the federal government shutdown, the Senate votes for a fourth time on the same Republican and Democratic proposals and again each fails to reach the 60 votes required to pass; President Donald Trump posts a video depicting OMB Russell Vought as the Grim Reaper as the president considers widespread layoffs of federal workers now on furlough with the government shutdown; Director Vought announces on X over $2 billion in federal funding for transit projects in Chicago is being suspended due to concerns about 'race-based contracting'; Labor Department jobs report for September that would have come out today did not because of the government shutdown; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he directed, on President Donald Trump's orders, a lethal strike against a drug smuggling boat off the coast of Venezuela that the Secretary says was "affiliated with Designated Terrorist Organizations", and that four people onboard were killed; President Trump says Hamas has agreed to the peace plan with Israel and he and the Israeli Prime Minister presented, after President Trump sets a deadline for Hamas or ,  'all hell' will 'break out'; Senate Republicans block a Democratic request to extend a cybersecurity law that expired with the end of the fiscal year on Wednesday that provides legal protections for critical infrastructure like electrical grids, transportation, and communications to share cyber intelligence with the federal government and each other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Day Two of the federal government shutdown and zero chance it will be settled today, with the Senate not conducting votes because of the Jewish holiday. Republicans and Democrats are again trading accusations over which party is at fault for the impasse, and debate over health care continues, including the Republican accusation that Democrats want to provide care for illegal immigrants; President Donald Trump posts that he is meeting with OMB Director Russell Vought to see which "Democrat Agencies" might be cut. President says the "Radical Left Democrats" gave him an "unprecedented opportunity" with the government shutdown; Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) talks about how the federal government shutdown is affecting the people of his state; Rep. Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) and Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) on the government shutdown's impact on the many federal workers in their districts; Israel intercepts an international aid flotilla heading to Gaza; we remember conservationist Jane Goodall, best known for her work with chimpanzees, who has died at age 91. We will hear her from a 2020 appearance at the National Press Club in Washington, from C-SPAN's video library. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Day one of the federal government shutdown, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers on furlough, White House preparing for layoffs, some government services suspended and both parties blaming the other. We will hear from the Vice President JD Vance, Congressional leaders, and some rank-and-file Members of Congress explaining the situation to their constituents; Health care is one of the key issues in the shutdown. Democrats say Republicans are refusing to extend help to keep millions from seeing insurance costs skyrocket. Republicans say Democrats want to give health care to illegal immigrants. We will talk to Newsweek Politics Reporter Daniel Gooding about his 'fact check' article (20); Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD) talks about help his state is providing to those hurt by the federal government shutdown; Trump Administration says $18 billion for two big infrastructure projects in New York, for a commuter train tunnel under the Hudson River and Second Avenue subway line, is being withheld to investigate what the Transportation Department calls “discriminatory, unconstitutional contracting processes” involving Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI); a nominee for a seat on the National Labor Relations Board who is currently chief labor counsel for Boeing gets tough questions at a Senate confirmation hearing by a Republican Senator about a Boeing union contract dispute; Federalist Society preview of the Supreme Court case challenging President Donald Trump authority to impose global reciprocal tariffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal government shutdown is looking like it is going to happen with President Donald Trump and Republicans and Democrats in Congress sticking to their positions about what must be included and not included in a funding extension, and no compromise agreement in sight that can get the needed 60 votes in the Senate to pass; President Trump and Pfizer CEO announce a deal to sell Pfizer prescription drugs at lower prices to Medicaid patients; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump tell hundreds of senior U.S. military officials meeting at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia there will now be “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness and “woke” culture in the military is over. President Trump also says he wants the military to use U.S. crime-ridden cities as training grounds; A Senate hearing on the Quiet Skies airline passenger screening program and allegations of weaponization by the Biden Administration, with people put on terrorist watch lists for political reasons and not because of any real threat to public safety; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer tells the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool  that Great Britain faces a "battle for the soul of the country" against the rise of the populist far right represented by UK Reform Party leader Nigel Farage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), along with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) all meet at the White House to try to reach a deal to keep the federal government open past Tuesday night. President Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce a plan to end the war in Gaza. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield (D) sues the federal government to stop President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Portland. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion with former Democratic Congressmen Tim Roemer – and Republican Congressman Charles Boustany from the non-profit group Issue One -- on efforts to reduce political polarization in the U.S. Then, Former FCC Chair Tom Wheeler discusses the Jimmy Kimmel controversy and the role the agency plays in what stations can broadcast on U.S. airwaves. Finally, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary discusses the administration's new policy approach on vaccine policy and autism research. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Congress is out of session, and President Donald Trump spent the day in New York at the Ryder Cup golf tournament, Washington Today look at some of the major stories this past week, including: *Former FBI Director James Comey is indicted for lying to Congress. President Trump says it is justice and not revenge against a political opponent. *Deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas leads to more bipartisan calls for an end to politically-inspired violence. *Chances grow for a federal government will shut down with Republicans and Democrats seemingly far apart on a funding deal. *FDA warns that using pain reliever acetaminophen in Tylenol during pregnancy increases the risk of autism. President Trump goes further, saying 'don't take Tylenol if you are pregnant.' *United Nations General Assembly meets  to hear speeches from President Trump and other world leaders. Today, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke, but not before a mass walkout of delegates in protest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

White House prepares for widespread layoffs of federal workers at government agencies if there is a government shutdown starting October 1st, the new fiscal year. We will hear from the House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, President Donald Trump, and talk with Reuters congressional reporter Bo Erickson (10); President Trump signs a deal to facilitate the sale of TikTok from a Chinese-based company to a group of American investors; Texas law enforcement says the 29 year old who open fired at a Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, killing one person, wounding two more, wrote a note that said “hopefully this will give ICE agents real terror”; Turkey's President visits the White House Oval Office. President Trump calls on Turkey to stop buying Russian oil. The two also talk about Turkey buying U.S. F-35 fighter planes; Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas tells the UN General Assembly that Hamas would not be part of governing a future Palestine state; Actor Matt Damon speaks the Clinton Global Initiative conference in New York City about his non-profit's work to bring clean water to as many people as possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A gunman kills two detainees at an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas in what the FBI Director Kash Patel says looks like a politically motivated attack. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says of this, and other recent attacks, "This violence is wrong and needs to stop"; ABC late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel returns to the airwaves after being suspended over comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's murder, and his monologue gets tens of millions of online views; former President Bill Clinton talks about the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of the press at Clinton Global Initiative Conference and warns partisan disagreements have become so deep they are threatening the country as a whole; Adelita Grijalva (D) wins a special election for the U.S. House seat in Arizona held by her late father until his death earlier this year; Ben Carson, former HUD Secretary, takes a job as National Nutrition Adviser in the Trump Administration; NASA astronauts going to the moon in early 2026 talk about their mission; presidents of Ukraine and Iran speak at the United Nations General Assembly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump speaks at the opening the 80th session of the United Nations on his “America First” agenda, criticizing the UN for being ineffective at preventing or stopping wars and Europe for his immigration policies; President also meets in New York City with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and in a post said Ukraine should be able to win the war against Russia and get all its land back; President Trump cancels a meeting with the House and Senate Democratic leaders to discuss federal government funding, a week before the deadline to prevent a shutdown, amid a standoff over the Democrats' insistence of including health care funding provisions; Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell tells a Chamber of Commerce in Rhode Island there is no risk-free path in deciding interest rate policy to balance lowering inflation and increasing job growth; "107 Days", the memoir from former Vice President Kamala Harris, 2024 dem presidential nominee, goes on sale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump joins federal health officials to announce that pain reliever acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, used by pregnant women, is linked to rising cases of autism, and that the drug Leucovorin is a potential treatment for autism; Disney says late night host Jimmy Kimmel is returning to the air on ABC, less than a week after his show was suspended over Kimmel's comments on the Trump Administration reaction to the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; White House says President Trump has every right to voice his frustration that his political opponents who brought criminal charges against him, including NY Attorney General Letitia James, have not yet been charged with crimes themselves; leaders of France & Great Britain announce recognition of Palestine as an independent country as they criticize how Israel has conducted the war against Hamas in Gaza. Israel's Ambassador to the UN calls the recognition 'theater' 'detached from reality'; new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz speaks at the UN Security Council for the first time, condemning Russia for sending its fighter planes over Estonian airspace; NASA announces the newest class of astronaut candidates who could one day fly on missions to the moon and Mars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a conversation on how Americans are viewing the economy right now with Heather Long - Washington Post columnist and chief economist for Navy Federal Credit Union. Then, we speak with National Constitution Center President & CEO Jeffrey Rosen about the history and significance of Constitution Day – commemorated earlier this week -- and the role the founding document continues to play in current political debates. Finally, former Centers for Disease Control & Prevention director Dr. Tom Frieden discusses the Trump administration's approach to vaccines – and public health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Senate fails to pass two versions of a government funding extension to avoid a shutdown At the end of the month: a Republican one that the House passed today that funds the government for another 7 weeks, and a Democratic one that does that but also extends Obamacare insurance subsidies; House passes a resolution to honor the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was shot and killed, and condemn all political violence, but about half the House Democrats vote no & present or skip the vote, pointing to Kirk's political positions; In the investigation of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, House Oversight Committee hears from Alex Acosta, former U.S. Attorney for South Florida, who negotiated a plea deal with Epstein in 2008; A federal vaccine advisory panel votes to tighten requirements for the coronavirus vaccine, make changes to the MMRV vaccine guidelines and postpone action on Hepatitis B. We will talk about it with New York Times Science and global health reporter Apoorva Mandavilli (35); Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at the Pentagon's National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the final day of his state visit to Great Britain. The two announce what they call a "U.K.-U.S. Tech Prosperity Deal" and answer questions at a news conference about the wars in Ukraine & Gaza. We hear from the leaders and talk about the state visit with C-SPAN's Westminster Correspondent Peter Knowles (13); President Trump praises ABC's suspension of late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, at the prodding of the FCC Chair, for the host's comments about Republicans' reaction to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Democrats are saying this is the latest example of the president stifling dissent; House debates a resolution to honor the life and legacy of Charlie Kirk, and condemn political violence of all stripes; Washington, DC's Mayor, Council Chair and Attorney General testify before the U.S. House Oversight Committee about crime in the DC and the effect of President Trump's federalization of the DC police and surge of federal law enforcement and National Guard troops; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announces that, for the first time, an organization that distributes donated organs has been decertified for unsafe practices, administrative errors and underperformance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Reserve announces an interest rate cut of a quarter percentage point, lowering borrowing costs for the first time since December. Newest Fed Governor Stephen Miran, who has taken a leave of absence from his job as chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, votes for a bigger cut of 0.5%; U.S. House begins work on the federal government funding extension to prevent a shutdown at the end of the month, debating and voting a resolution to set the rules for House floor debate on the funding measure itself; Former Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Susan Monarez tells the Senate Health Committee that she was fired by Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for refusing to provide "blanket approval" for changes to vaccine recommendation not supported by science. She says, "Even under pressure, I could not replace evidence with ideology"; President Donald Trump & First Lady Melania Trump are welcomed for their state visit to Great Britain by the King & Queen with a carriage ride on the grounds of Windsor Castle, a military parade, RAF flyover, a chapel choir, and a lavish banquet; FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before the House Judiciary Committee about the Epstein files and politically-inspired violence; Former President Barack Obama discusses the current political climate after the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee about accusations the agency is being politicized, whether all the Epstein files will be released and his handling of the investigation into the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk; Utah County's Attorney General says the suspect in the Kirk shooting is being charged with aggravated murder, with an aggravating factor that Kirk was targeted for his political beliefs, and the state will pursue the death penalty; Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA), who was targeted for his views, calls on all political violence to be condemned; U.S. House to vote on an additional $30 million for additional security for members of Congress and $28 million for Supreme Court Justices; House Republicans present a 7-week temporary federal government spending bill to prevent a shutdown at the end of the month, but Democrats are opposing it because it does not make changes they are seeking to healthcare programs; House takes up a bill to allow 14 year old defendants in Washington, DC charged with violent crimes to be tried as adults; President Donald Trump flies to Great Britain for a state visit; reaction to Israel's ground assault on Gaza City; actor and activist Robert Redford has died. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump announces he's sending the National Guard into Memphis, Tennessee to combat crime; Vice President JD Vance host the late Charlie Kirk's daily radio show; talks continue in Congress to keep the government open and funded past the end of the month.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First – we chat with Punchbowl News congressional reporter Max Cohen about the prospects for a potential government shutdown in a few short weeks – and the political and policy obstacles to a potential deal. Then: Vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit discusses his recent removal from the FDA vaccine advisory committee – and his concerns about Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's leadership at HHS. Finally: a conversation with Republican Mike Bost of Illinois - Chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee-- on this week's 9/11 anniversary, veterans' issues, and the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) announces the arrest in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk of 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson of Utah; President Donald Trump says he will send National Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, the next city he is targeting with federal resources to reduce crime; former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre gives a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight Committee in its investigation of former President Biden's mental fitness while in office; The Hill's health care reporter Nathaniel Weixel on President Trump's Executive Order signed this week targeting pharmaceutical drug TV ads (30); NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Alexus Grynkevich launch "Eastern Sentry," a boost in military assets on the Eastern front in response to Russian drones flying into Polish airspace this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FBI releases photos of a person of interest in the shooting death of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk and asks the public for help in identifying him. FBI also gives an update on the evidence recovered so far, including the suspected firearm used; President Donald Trump announces he will award Charlie Kirk a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom; House & Senate Democratic Leaders are asked about President Trump blaming the shooting on the 'radical left'; solemn ceremonies on this 24th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks at Ground Zero in New York City,  at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania; Gen. Christopher Mahoney, Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chair nominee, is asked at his Senate confirmation hearing about handling a potential order from President Trump to deploy more U.S. troops to more U.S. cities to fight crime; Senate Republicans unilaterally change the rules to make it easier to confirm President Trump's nominees; bipartisan group of Senators introduce a bill to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism over its kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children; Herschel Walker, former professional football star & Republican nominee for U.S. Senator, testifies at his Senate hearing as nominee for U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk is shot and killed at an event at Utah Valley University; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) forces a vote in the Senate on an amendment to release all the files related to the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says Russia flying drones over Poland "reckless and dangerous… whether it was intentional or not". Poland shot down the drones with the aid of NATO allies; U.S. House of Representatives votes on whether to continue U.S. aid to Ukraine for its war with Russia; Senate Banking committee approves the nomination of Stephen Miran for Federal Reserve Board governor in a party-line vote; Rep.-elect James Walkinshaw (D-VA) is sworn-in after winning Tuesday's special election; Attorney General Pam Bondi announces a major seizure of illegal vaping products around the country smuggled in from China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Administration's Make America Health Again (MAHA) Commission releases a report with strategies to fight childhood chronic disease that focuses more on nutrition and lifestyle changes rather than government regulations; White House says President Donald Trump would be willing to bring in a handwriting expert to show that it is not his signature on a suggestive birthday congratulations 20 years ago to the late sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein; former researchers at tech giant Meta tell a Senate subcommittee that the company downplayed research on the dangers to children of its virtual reality devices and apps; discussions are ongoing over extended federal government funding past the October 1st deadline to avoid a shutdown, but few signs of an agreement between Republicans and Democrats; President Trump criticizes Israel for a military attack in Doha, Qatar targeting Hamas leaders; House begins debate on the annual defense authorization bill (NDAA); House task force holds a hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), with military veterans telling Members they have video of flying things they cannot explain and subcommittee member Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) saying, “I don't really know what is true… I do know when we're being lied to and we are definitely being lied to." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News from the Supreme Court today….In a 6-3 decision, it blocked a federal judge's ruling that restricted federal officers' ability to conduct immigration stops in the Los Angeles area…. The Court also received… a formal request from the White House to let it hold back 4 billion dollars of congressionally approved foreign aid. The appeal comes after a federal judge ruled last week that the administration must spend the money… -On Capitol Hill, multiple media accounts this afternoon say Congressional leaders are trying to de-escalate a standoff over the Sept. 30 government funding deadline, with both Republicans and Democrats saying they'd be open to a short-term bill that wouldn't include substantial funding cuts…. Meanwhile, Senate Republican leader John Thune is taking the first steps to change rules on executive nominations… This after Democrats blocked several of the president's picks before August recess…. -From the Washington Post…A divided Supreme Court on Monday lifted a ruling by a lower-court judge who placed limits on immigration raids in the Los Angeles area after finding federal agents were indiscriminately targeting people based on race and other factors… The justices sided with the Trump administration, which argued that a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge was hampering its ability to crack down on illegal migration and that the stops by authorities were not unlawful…. The Post goes on to write…The majority did not offer a rationale for the decision, which is common in cases decided on the Supreme Court's emergency docket…. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a concurring opinion that illegal immigration is a major issue in the Los Angeles area…. He added…“To be clear, apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion; under this Court's case law regarding immigration stops, however, it can be a ‘relevant factor' when considered along with other salient factors… Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Kentanji Brown Jackson sharply disagreed… Justice Sotomayor wrote “We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job…Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.” That from The Washington Post… Now….we'll hear what California Attorney General Rob Bonta had to say about the decision coming up… But now to the White House request to hold back 4 billion dollars in federal aid… NBC News' Lawrence Hurley reporting today… The case marks a showdown over to what extent the president can refuse to spend money that Congress has appropriated, a brewing issue as the Trump administration has embraced a sweeping view of presidential power since taking office again in January…. In the new filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer described the case as raising “a grave and urgent threat” to the power of the presidency…. Under the Constitution, it is the job of Congress to allocate funds that the president can spend…. While the Trump administration has said it wants to withhold the 4 billion dollars…it has said it plans to spend another 6.5 billion dollars that Congress appropriated... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. Congress returned to Washington this week – and immediately was consumed by the Epstein files controversy and the looming government funding deadline at the end of the month. We talk with two lawmakers – on opposites sides of the aisle -- about potential Congressional action on the matter: Democrat Al Green of Texas and Republican Adrian Smith of Nebraska. Then – a conversation with Cook Political Report Senior Editor David Wasserman on how redistricting efforts in several states COULD impact the 2026 midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labor Department says the U.S. added just 22,000 jobs in August, lower than expectations, and the unemployment rate goes up to 4.3%. President Donald Trump says the real jobs numbers will be next year, after his policies have a chance to take effect; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) talks about her vision of keeping the needs of the U.S. middle class front and center in U.S. foreign policy; Heritage Foundation think tank is about to publish a paper recommending government policies reward and promote married heterosexual couples having more children. We will talk about the implications with Jay Zigmont, CEO of Childfree Trust (12); President Trump to sign an Executive Order on renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, the name it had from its creation in 1789 until 1949; U.S. Attorney for the DC Jeanine Pirro says two 17 year old suspects have been arrested in the fatal shooting of a 21-year old Capitol Hill intern in June.. and they will be tried as adults; New York City Mayor Eric Adams says he is staying in the race for reelection as an independent, after reports the Trump Administration made him job offers to drop out to try to block the election of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani; British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigns after admitting  she failed to pay enough taxes when she bought an apartment, leading to a major shakeup in the Labour government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. defends his vaccine policy changes and firing of top officials at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, before the Senate Finance Committee. Almost all the committee's Democrats are calling on him to resign. Secretary Kennedy is also asked about studies on the causes of autism, and about his comments following the school shooting in Minneapolis on side effects of antidepressants; Federal Reserve Governor nominee Stephen Miran tells the Senate Banking Committee he is committed to the independence of the Fed, as he gets questions about any plans to return to his current job at the White House when his term ends in January; Director of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services talks about bringing in armed law enforcement to the agency and making the U.S. citizenship test tougher; Missouri's legislature takes up a Congressional redistricting map to flip a Democratic seat to Republicans, part of a nationwide effort led by the White House in red states, being countered by Democrats in blue states; First Lady Melania Trump hosts a meeting of the White House Task Force on AI Education at the White House with the leaders of large technology companies including Google, Meta & Apple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Survivors of sexual abuse by the late Jeffrey Epstein tell their emotional, personal stories in a news conference on Capitol Hill with Members of Congress of both parties who have been calling for the release of all the Justice Department files in the investigation of Epstein; President Donald Trump again calling that effort on the Epstein files a "Democrat hoax" meant to detract from his Administration's policy successes; White House and Trump campaign officials reportedly meet with House Republicans on the messaging surrounding the major tax cut and spending cut bill signed into law this year; Bipartisan House members introduce a bill to bank individual stock trading by Members of Congress; President Trump says he is now considering whether to surge federal law enforcement to New Orleans before Chicago; Nigel Farage, leader of Great Britain's right-wing Reform Party, testifies before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee about what he says is an unreasonable restriction of online free speech in his country; Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to the Harlem Hellfighters, the African-American Army infantry regiment that spent 191 straight days in combat during WWI, more than any other American military unit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump says, "we're going in" and "I didn't say when", when asked if he plans to send the National Guard to Chicago to combat crime. Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL) responds; a federal judge rules President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth violated federal law by using the U.S. military to help carry out law enforcement activities in Los Angeles this summer; Congress is back in session after the August break to consider federal government funding. They have until the end of the month to avoid a shutdown; Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduces the discharge petition he promised to try to force a House vote to release all the files related to the investigation of the late sex offender and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein; President Trump announces U.S. Space Command headquarters is moving from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama; a ceremony is held at the WWII Memorial in Washington commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, VJ Day, when Japan formally surrendered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion with Competitive Enterprise Institute's Ryan Young, about the Trump Administration's purchase of a 10% stake in the Intel corporation. Then, Nadia Bilbassy-Charters (bill-bey-zee) of Al Arabiya News Channel and Jacob Magid (MAG-id) of the Times of Israel discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict & President Trump's efforts to bring an end to the war. Finally, Journalist and author Trymaine Lee (trih-mane) discusses his documentary "Hope in High Water: A People's Recovery Twenty Years After Hurricane Katrina." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina devastating Louisiana, Mississippi and other parts of the Gulf Coast, tributes to those lost, pride in the rebuilding and recovery, and thoughts of preparing for future storms; President Donald Trump says he will cut $4.9 billion for foreign aid through a 'pocket rescission', which will not give Congress a chance to vote on it. Some Members of Congress, Democrats & Republicans, say that is illegal and unconstitutional; Transportation Department cuts nearly $700 million in contracts for 12 wind energy farms, calling the projects wasteful'; new tariffs on once-exempt small value packages have taken effect We will talk with New York Times business reporter Peter Eavis about what this means for you the next time you order something shipped from outside the U.S. (25); United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on Russia's continued deadly bombardment of Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv; former Rep. Randy 'Duke' Cunningham (R-CA) has died. He was a war hero who went to prison after pleading guilty to taking bribes from defense contractors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez was removed from her position because she did not align with President Donald Trump's “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) agenda. She is challenging the dismissal and her lawyers say she chose "protecting the public over serving a political agenda"; Questions to Secretary Kennedy & the White House over how to respond to gun violence like the shooting at the Catholic School in Minneapolis, where a gunman killed two children, and the Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota talks about what is known about the shooter's motives; Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) deploys police teams to cities to combat crime, and is asked whether it is in response to President Trump's threat to deploy National Guard to more U.S. cities; President Trump suggests holding a Republican National Convention in 2026 before the midterm election; Vice President JD Vance speaks in La Crosse, Wisconsin about the Republican tax cut & spending cut bill, the one dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill; Russian missiles hit a European Union building in the Ukrainian capital city Kyiv; Germany, France and Great Britain tell the United Nations they plan to re-impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, known as snapback sanctions under the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A gunman kills two children and injures 17 other children and adults at a Catholic school in Minneapolis during a mass celebrating the first day of school before killing himself. FBI Director Kash Patel says it is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime against Catholics; Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser says the three weeks after President Donald Trump's sent federal law enforcement officers to help fight crime in DC, the crime rate has fallen. She says that shows what could be done if DC were able to hire additional police; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says his department will take over management of Union Station in Washington from Amtrak as part of the President's moves to reduce crime and homelessness. Duffy says the station has “fallen into disrepair” and it should be a “point of pride” for the city; AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler in a pre-Labor Day "State of the Unions" address criticizes President Trump's policies, saying, “This is the choice working Americans have been given: chaos or the same broken status quo. An authoritarian who tells us only he can make things great again, or convincing ourselves everything is already great"; FDA approves COVID vaccines with more restrictions; United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on the war in Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawyers for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook say she will sue after President Donald Trump said he is firing her after allegation of mortgage fraud. Cook says the president does not have that power; President Trump says he wants anyone who commits a murder in Washington, DC to be given the death penalty. DC Council repealed the death penalty in 1981; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says California, Washington state and New Mexico will lose federal funding if they do not comply with new federal rules on English proficiency for commercial vehicle drivers; Resolution calling for an end to U.S. weapons shipments to Israel, over the war in Gaza, fails at the Democratic National Committee summer meeting in Minneapolis; South Korea's President talks about strategy for his meeting Monday with President Trump to avoid what he calls a "Zelensky moment"; First Lady Melania Trump announced a new "Presidential AI Challenge" for students to use AI technologies to find solutions to community problems; Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce engagement comes up at a White House Cabinet meeting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump welcomes the South Korean President and signs executive orders on the National Guard in DC, ending cash bail and prosecuting burning the American flag; judge orders ICE to keep Kilmar Abrego Garcia in the U.S.; Democratic National Committee starts it summer meeting in Minneapolis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal.  First, a conversation with Yevheniia Kravchuk -- a Member of Ukraine's Parliament about President Zelensky's White House meeting earlier this week - and a potential peace deal to end the fighting between her country and Russia.  Then, Steven Camarota of the Center for immigration Studies and David Bier of the Cato Institute discuss Trump Administration's deportation & immigration policies and their impact on the economy.  Finally, Bipartisan Policy Center's Matthew Weil discusses President Trump's vow to do away with mail-in ballots and some voting machines ahead of next year's midterms.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justice Department released a transcript and audio recordings of the interview that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. From July 24th, 2025 here is the complete first day of the testimony. And a warning, there might be language that some find offensive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Justice Department released a transcript and audio recordings of the interview that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted with Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. From July 24th, 2025 here is the complete first day of testimony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signals a possible cut in interest rates in the near future and stocks rally on Wall Street; FBI agents raid former National Security Adviser John Bolton's home in Maryland home and office in Washington. Sources tell media outlets it is part of a national security investigation involved classified material; Justice Department releases the full transcripts & audio of the Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's prison interview with sex trafficker Ghislane Maxwell, one-time girlfriend of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; Republican National Committee elects a new chair, Joe Gruters from Florida, after chair Michael Whatley resigns to run for U.S. Senator from North Carolina; Texas Senate moves towards a final passage vote on a new election map designed to get Republicans five more U.S. House districts; President Donald Trump says Chicago and New York are the next two cities where he may deploy the National Guard; Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov the agenda is not ready for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices