Capitol Fight Club

The guys are back and moderator-free with John Gray’s departure into the Trump administration. Taking his place is former referee Nate Madden in a no-holds-barred return to Conservative Review’s weekly policy cage match. Round 1: Nate, Brian, and the Sams dive into the recent dustup surrounding Attorney General Jeff Sessions and whether or not he was right to recuse himself. Round 2: The gang hashes out Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress. The guys outline the good, the bad, and the ugly. Round 3: GOP leadership has been keeping its Obamacare replacement plan a secret from voters and members of Congress. Shouldn’t the people know what’s in it before we pass it? And what should the replacement plan look like? About the Show: Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus (usually) two on the Left. Darling and worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. He and Madden both write for Conservative Review. “The Sams” are co-founders of the District Sentinel, a news co-op here in D.C.

The guys are back and moderator free with John Gray’s departure into the Trump Administration. Taking is place is former referee Nate Madden in a no-holds bar return to Conservative Review’s once-again-weekly policy cage match.   Round 1: Nate, Brian, and the Sams dive into Trump’s Supreme Court pick, Neil Gorsuch and whether or not Senate Democrats will actually be able to block him. Round 2: The gang discusses the recent riots at U.C. Berkeley over political provocateur and Breitbart Editor Milo Yiannopoulos. Was this a justified response to perceived tyranny, or wanton domestic terrorism against free speech? You decide. Round 3: An ocean of ink has been spilled over Trump’s contested “Muslim ban” – the travel suspension affecting seven high-risk countries – in the closing bout, the guys discuss the measure (and the following media firestorm) and what it means for liberty and security here in the United States and elsewhere.

The Sams are back at for the first time since the election for the fightingest Capitol Fight Club ever. As John and Brian take their election victory lap, the Sams pony up and to fulfill the terms of a lost bet. Round 1: John, Brian, and the Sams dive into Trump’s most recent cabinet picks, which soon turns into an all-out brawl over fiscal policy, the federal reserve, and President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tax cuts. Round 2: The gang discusses the recount efforts led by Green Party Candidate Jill Stein in the wake of the election, while the Sams take some pot shots at Hillary Clinton’s terrible campaign strategy, while both sides trade blows about the Electoral College. Round 3: The death of Fidel Castro resonated around the world. The four debate his legacy, with a heated exchange about whether the Cuban Communist was a brutal dictator or a Marxist hero. About The Show Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus (usually) two on the Left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review.  Nate Madden of CR is the moderator and producer of the podcast.

In our first time back in the ring since last week’s election results, the beltway is abuzz with cabinet talk. The Sams are out this week, so Brian and John are joined by the Daily Caller’s Chris Bedford and former Reagan administration official Bruce Fein to talk about the forthcoming Trump cabinet, what they actually remember from election night, and how Facebook employees are once again trying to censor your newsfeed. Round 1: John, Brian, Bruce, and Chris delve into the future of Trump’s administration. What do recent high profile picks like Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. (A, 87%) as Attorney General, Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., (C, 77%) as CIA director mean for the next four years? Is Trump starting to channel Lincoln, like John Gray writes elsewhere at CR? Round 2: The gang discusses the latest Silicon Valley attempt to crack down on conservative media by limiting so-called ‘fake news” sites, and what it means for free speech in the media market going forward. About The Show Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus (usually) two on the Left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review.  Nate Madden of CR is the moderator and producer of the podcast.

With just days before voters cast their ballots and on the heels of potentially devastating news for the Clinton campaign, this week’s three-round Capitol Fight Club is all about elections. Round 1: John, Brian, and The Sams delve into whether or not FBI director James Comey was right to update Congress about the status of Hillary Clinton’s email investigation, setting off the 2016 election’s most recent firestorm. What kind of precedent will this set for the bureau and for future elections?   Round 2: Tuesday’s election, like all elections, is about far more than who will occupy the Oval Office for the next four years. One of this cycle’s biggest nail biters has become whether or not Republicans will keep control of the Senate. Listen to what the guys say about the potential of the Senate changing hands and what that will mean for the future of the Supreme Court. Round 3: So you’re saying there’s a chance? In light of the FBI’s recent announcement about Hillary’s investigation, the polls seem to be tightening between her and Donald Trump. In the last Capitol Fight Club round before Election Day, the guys weigh in with their predictions about America’s next commander in chief. About The Show Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus two on the Left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of CR is the moderator and producer of the podcast.

Warning: Explicit language In Episode 26 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks, and Sam Knight battle over who won Wednesday night’s debate in Las Vegas, where the two candidates stand heading into the last leg of the election, and what we learned about the Democratic nominee and her inner circle courtesy of some leaked emails. Round 1 Brian Darling has a new piece up on the cite outlining 4 reasons Trump could still win the election. The guys discuss whether he has a point … or completely lost his mind. Round 2 Wind energy is booming in a handful of red states thanks to some help from the federal government. The guys hash it out over whether or not your tax dollars ought to be going to fund these sorts of green projects, or whether market forces should drive the future of energy. About The Show Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus two on the Left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of CR is the moderator and producer of the podcast.

Warning: Explicit language In Episode 26 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks, and Sam Knight battle over who won Wednesday night’s debate in Las Vegas, where the two candidates stand heading into the last leg of the election, and what we learned about the Democrat nominee and her inner circle courtesy of some leaked emails. Round 1 Who won the second presidential debate Wednesday night in Las Vegas? Will Trump’s performance be enough to turn his numbers around before the election? Round 2 What do the recent WikiLeaks email dumps show us about the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton, and her fitness to be president? Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus two on the Left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of CR is the moderator and producer of the podcast.

Warning: Explicit language In Episode 25 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight battled over where Donald Trump should go from here, how he did in the debates and what the recent release of lewd footage about Donald Trump says about his chances in over the next month. Round 1 centered around who won the second presidential debate Sunday night in St. Louis. Round 2 focused on the tape itself, what it says about Trump’s character and what it means for congressional republicans running for re-election. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus two on the Left.  Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,”  Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of CR is the producer and the moderator of the podcast.

Warning: Explicit language In Episode 24 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight battled over who won Tuesday night's vice presidential debate and what recent revelations about Donald Trump’s taxes tell potential voters about his candidacy, if anything. Round 1 centered around whether Senator Tim Kaine or Governor Mike Pence won Tuesday night’s VP presidential debate, with a surprising 3-1 vote split on the winner, and what Kaine and Pence’s stances on foreign policy and abortion could mean for their respective running mates in November. Round 2 centered around the recent New York Times story about Donald Trump’s 1995 tax returns and what that means for Trump’s business narrative, as well as a similar-yet-underreported story about Hillary Clinton from two years ago. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus two on the Left.  Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,”  Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of CR is the producer and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 23 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight battled over who won Monday night's presidential debate. The three rounds covered the economy, national security, and what this means for the campaign trail leading into the next debate on October 9. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the Right versus two on the Left.  Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,”  Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 22 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight argued and discussed whether the bombings over the weekend will impact the elections, the upcoming presidential debates and single payer health care.    Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left.  Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,”  Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel.  Nate Madden of Conservative Review is the producer the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 21 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight battled over whether Hillary fumbled away the election with her “basket of deplorables” comment, Snowden’s viability for an Obama pardon and whether blocking oil pipelines will save the planet from fossil fuels.   Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 20 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight battled over whether Colin Kaepernick’s of the San Francisco 49ers was making a stand or standing on the U.S. flag, the latest Anthony Weiner antics and whether laws were broken when the EpiPen hiked prices.   Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 19 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight battled over the electability of Trump and President Obama’s order to shut down privately run federal prisons.   Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 18 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight battled over the economic plans of Hillary versus Trump and federally funded space travel.   Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

WARNING: Explicit language throughout In Episode 17 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight did it live. We had our first live taped to podcast event at O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub in Arlington, VA. It was a blast.  Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 16 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight debated the Cruz performance at the Republican convention and the banking regulatory law Glass-Steagall. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

  In Episode 15 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight debated a bill that was signed into law aimed at fighting opioid addiction and who are the best Members of Congress.   Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 14 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden debated Hillary Clinton dodging prosecution for her email scandal. Also debated was the tricky issue of the proper way to score lost revenues to the government as a result of tax cut proposals. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 13 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over legislation to solve the financial crisis in Puerto Rico and whether the Benghazi Report had details that hurt Hillary’s chances for President.   Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 12 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over whether regulating the Internet in the name of “Net Neutrality” is good or bad. We also debated the big issue of the week – the sit-in in the House of Representatives for the proposition of “No Fly, No Buy” gun control bill.  Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray (editor of The Ideas Factory) worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.   Feel free to follow us on Twitter @CapFightClub and email us at CapitolFightClub@gmail.com if you want to contact the show. Thanks for listening.

In Episode 11 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden went toe-to- toe over whether we need gun control or less refugees and asylum seekers from nations that are incubators of terrorism, before delving into the issue of for-profit colleges in light of recent scandals associated with both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

In Episode 9 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over Dodd-Frank repeal, whether Republicans regret blocking Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to be head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the irrational #NeverTrump movement.

In Episode 9 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over the whether the government should dedicate more resources to fight climate change and whether anti-Trump protesters deserve praise or a punch in the face.

In Episode 8 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over the Federal Elections Commission’s (FEC) ruling this past week on an alleged campaign finance violation by a coal company during the Romney campaign and whether Facebook discriminates against conservatives. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray worked for Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 7 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over Obama’s regulatory state and Hillary v Trump on guns.  Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray worked for Sen. Paul and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

In Episode 6 of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over postal banking and the idea that Republicans have won the first segment of POTUS 2016 with a vibrant and diverse bank of candidates making the case for #NeverHillary

In the fifth episode of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over #NeverTrump versus #NeverHillary. They also discussed whether the Consumer Financial Protection Bureua (CFPB) protects consumers – or hurts them. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray worked for Sen. Paul and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

The Sams challenge Brian and John to defend Right to Work laws Who is really benefiting from unions and have they outlived their purpose? The Establishment! Which party has the worst establishment? GOP or the Democrats?

In the third episode of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks and Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over the North Carolina bathroom law and Curt Schilling being bounced from ESPN. Also, a fight commenced on whether the national minimum wage should be hiked to $15 – or even exist at all. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face-off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray worked for Sen. Paul and both write for Conservative Review. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden of @CR is the ref and the moderator of the podcast.

  In the second episode of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks, Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over taxing Wall Street and whether to defund the Clean Water Act. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling and Gray worked for Sen. Paul. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Nate Madden is the ref and the moderator of the podcast. Round 1  The first segment was all about sin taxes and whether it would be a smart policy to tax high frequency trading on Wall Street. The hook for the segment was Sam Knight’s piece “Despite Proposing Rule Last Fall, CFTC Lacks Resources to Oversee High Frequency Trading” at the District Sentinel published April 12, 2016. The Sams want to tax as a means to raise cash and deter high frequency trading. The freedom lovers argued that the proper role of taxation is to merely raise enough money to run a very small government – not to social engineering.   Round 2 The second segment was a debate on the idea that Congressional Republicans should use the power of the purse to defund the Clean Water Act, because average landowners are being bullied by the government when they try to fill in water on their own private property. Gray wrote a piece titled “The One Thuggish Regulation McConnell Needs To Defund Now” on April 7, 2016. The Sams thought it was madness to argue for defunding an environmental regulation. Gray provided a hard core defense of small government and the idea that landowners should not be regulated by bureaucrats from far away D.C. – and threatened with jail time for filling in some standing water on their private property.  Another fun debate that got hot late in the episode. No agreement but another great debate for you to enjoy.

Capitol Fight Club – Voter ID Laws and Bernie v Trump’s Foreign Policy By John Gray, Brian Darling and Nate Madden In the premier episode of Capitol Fight Club, John Gray, Brian Darling, Sam Sacks, Sam Knight and Nate Madden battled over voter ID laws and who has a better foreign policy – Bernie or Donald Trump. Capitol Fight Club is a weekly face off between two political insiders on the right versus two on the left. Darling is a conservative libertarian who worked in the Senate for years, including a two year hitch with Sen. Rand Paul. Gray worked for Sen. Paul too and worked on the House side for the Budget Committee. Nate Madden is the ref and the moderator of the podcast. Our progressive friends, “The Sams,” Sam Sacks and Sam Knight, are the co-founders of the progressive blog The District Sentinel. Great blog and a good way to see how the other side thinks. Round 1 In Round 1 we battled over the idea of whether voter ID laws are suppressing voters from showing up. We reference the election in Wisconsin where the voters were felling the Bern. Brian and John, although not in love with Americans being forced to run around with a National ID card, made the case that liberals use this issues to play the race card against Republicans. Sam Sacks made an impassioned case that it is time to abolish these laws and force the federal government to defend the right to vote. Round 2 Round 2 was a segment dedicated to John Gray’s piece in Conservative Review titled, “Trump is Right, America is funding the Defense of the Free World.” We used that piece to battle between the Bernie foreign policy of a war against Global …. Warming versus Trump’s tough talk about how to defeat Islamic Extremists. Although the libertarians and progressives are all against nation building, they disagreed about who would be a better leader. It was an exciting bout and we expect the next episode to draw some blood and for all to leave with a few bruised egos. Hope you enjoy.