Podcast appearances and mentions of annie karni

Nicolle Wallace discusses the latest in the case of mistakenly deported man Kilmar Abrego Garcia as the government continues to refuse to return him to the United States, Harvard University's decision to fight back against the Trump administration, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's financial disclosures, and more. Joined by: Laurence Tribe, Claire McCaskill, Andrew Weissmann, Allen Orr, Lisa Rubin, Elizabeth Bumiller, Basil Smikle, Mini Timmaraju, Kristy Greenberg, and Annie Karni.

In a special episode, Jonathan Freedland and Annie Karni of the New York Times look at what seems to be a long-term question for US politics. With Republicans fighting each other in the House and Senate, and Democrats struggling to command the room, is Congress broken? Annie's new book with Luke Broadwater is called Mad House: How Donald Trump, Maga Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man With Rats in His Walls Broke Congress

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss liberal judge Susan Crawford's sweeping victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race; Trump's new, nearly universal massive tariffs; and the dangerously casual standards the government is using to deport alleged gang members despite acknowledged mistakes. Here are this week's chatters: Emily: Stephanie Nolen for the New York Times: Millions of Women Will Lose Access to Contraception as a Result of Trump Aid Cuts. John: Arthur Delaney for HuffPost: Emails Confirm Social Security Administration Canceled Maine Contracts As Political Payback; Fatima Hussein and Patrick Whittle for the Associated Press: Social Security's acting leader faces calls to resign over decision to cut Maine contracts. Bodkin on Netflix. David: Book Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space, by author Adam Higginbotham; Movie The Intern with Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway (official trailer on YouTube: The Intern); book Emma by Jane Austen (Emma ebook at Project Gutenberg; Emma at Jane Austen's House). Listener chatter from Emma in Lebanon, New Hampshire: Vermont's ‘Mr. Maple' Has Great Stories To Tell For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily talks with Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater about their new book, Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, A Former Used Car Salesman, A Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man With Rats In His Walls Broke Congress. In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with author Adam Higginbotham about his new book, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis Research by Emily Ditto Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss liberal judge Susan Crawford's sweeping victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race; Trump's new, nearly universal massive tariffs; and the dangerously casual standards the government is using to deport alleged gang members despite acknowledged mistakes. Here are this week's chatters: Emily: Stephanie Nolen for the New York Times: Millions of Women Will Lose Access to Contraception as a Result of Trump Aid Cuts. John: Arthur Delaney for HuffPost: Emails Confirm Social Security Administration Canceled Maine Contracts As Political Payback; Fatima Hussein and Patrick Whittle for the Associated Press: Social Security's acting leader faces calls to resign over decision to cut Maine contracts. Bodkin on Netflix. David: Book Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space, by author Adam Higginbotham; Movie The Intern with Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway (official trailer on YouTube: The Intern); book Emma by Jane Austen (Emma ebook at Project Gutenberg; Emma at Jane Austen's House). Listener chatter from Emma in Lebanon, New Hampshire: Vermont's ‘Mr. Maple' Has Great Stories To Tell For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily talks with Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater about their new book, Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, A Former Used Car Salesman, A Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man With Rats In His Walls Broke Congress. In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with author Adam Higginbotham about his new book, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis Research by Emily Ditto Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss liberal judge Susan Crawford's sweeping victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race; Trump's new, nearly universal massive tariffs; and the dangerously casual standards the government is using to deport alleged gang members despite acknowledged mistakes. Here are this week's chatters: Emily: Stephanie Nolen for the New York Times: Millions of Women Will Lose Access to Contraception as a Result of Trump Aid Cuts. John: Arthur Delaney for HuffPost: Emails Confirm Social Security Administration Canceled Maine Contracts As Political Payback; Fatima Hussein and Patrick Whittle for the Associated Press: Social Security's acting leader faces calls to resign over decision to cut Maine contracts. Bodkin on Netflix. David: Book Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space, by author Adam Higginbotham; Movie The Intern with Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway (official trailer on YouTube: The Intern); book Emma by Jane Austen (Emma ebook at Project Gutenberg; Emma at Jane Austen's House). Listener chatter from Emma in Lebanon, New Hampshire: Vermont's ‘Mr. Maple' Has Great Stories To Tell For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily talks with Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater about their new book, Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, A Former Used Car Salesman, A Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man With Rats In His Walls Broke Congress. In the latest Gabfest Reads, David talks with author Adam Higginbotham about his new book, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Kevin Bendis Research by Emily Ditto Want more Political Gabfest? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Political Gabfest show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or visit slate.com/gabfestplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lincoln Project's Rick Wilson dissects Signalghazi’s continued fallout.The New York Times' Annie Karni details her new book Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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No matter how hard Republicans try to spin the sharing of top secret military attack plans on an insecure app, the colossal f***up of an administration that claimed it was rooting out incompetence is plain on its face. And while Jeffrey Goldberg told Tim Tuesday that he was mulling over releasing the Signal messages, he went ahead and did so after the administration accused him of lying and sneaking into the Signal group chat. Plus, Russia pretends to agree to a cease-fire, Breitbart kind of grows up, and a new book examines Capitol Hill's craziness—including Trump's control of the House GOP, Nancy Mace's delusions of grandeur, and Schumer's infinite faith in the Republican Party of old. Michael Weiss, Ben Smith, and Annie Karni join Tim Miller. show notes Annie's new book, "Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress" Ben's pod, "Mixed Signals" More on Tulsi's Vatican trip paid by a Belgian businessman with ties to the Kremlin Ben's interview with Megyn Kelly at Semafor Events Phillips O'Brien's Substack piece on the “Black Sea Ceasefire” 

Alicia Menendez – in for Nicolle Wallace – is joined by Carol Leonnig, Tim Miller, Paul Rieckhoff, Sen. Mark Kelly, Annie Karni, Luke Broadwater, Rep. Jim Himes, Sam Stein, Harry Litman, Marc Elias, and Martin O'Malley.

President Trump's top intel officials questioned before Congress after attack plans were accidentally shared with a journalist in a Signal group chat. Plus, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz tries to explain what happened. And, consumer sentiment hits a 4-year low as the President's ' tariff “liberation day” approaches. Nayyera Haq, Luke Broadwater, Annie Karni, David Jolly, Conor Lamb, and Max Chafkin join as Ayman Mohyeldin hosts The 11th Hour this Tuesday night. 

How did MAGA come to control Congress? It's the story New York Times reporters Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater chart in a new book exposing what they call the unparalleled dysfunction of the 118th congress, where Republicans ground federal legislation to a standstill and pushed moderates out, to the point that “the moments Congress worked felt like brief interruptions of a long fall down a rabbit hole.” We talk to Karni and Broadwater about how MAGA extremism became mainstream in Congress, along with the latest political news. Their book is “Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress.” Guests: Annie Karni, congressional correspondent, New York Times; co-author, "Mad House" Luke Broadwater, White House reporter, New York Times; previous congressional correspondent, The Times; co author,"Mad House" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni and White House reporter Luke Broadwater, co-authors of Mad House: How Donald Trump, Maga Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby and a Man with Rats in his Walls Broke Congress (Random House, 2025), discuss their new book about dysfunctional House Republicans—and the extent to which the GOP-led Congress has provided a rubber stamp to President Trump's agenda.

Jen Psaki breaks down Donald Trump's unprecedented assault on the judicial branch of government, explaining how the administration's defiant attitude toward the court breaks with that of former presidents who were dealt tough rulings in the past. Representative Jamie Raskin joins to discuss the implications of their defiance, and the danger the administration poses to due process under the law. Next, Jen is joined by the chair of the Progressive Caucus in the House, Representative Greg Casar, who was with Bernie Sanders and AOC on their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. They discuss the massive turnout at these rallies and how hearing from angry voters directly could shake up the party. Jen also reflects on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's handling of the GOP's government funding bill, and the implications for Democrats if they don't find a strategy moving forward. New York Times correspondents Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater later join Jen to talk about their new book “Mad House” and the evolution of Congressional dysfunction, as well their thoughts on what's happening in Democratic leadership. Finally Jen discusses Elon Musk's growing Tesla problem, and the scuttled plan to brief him on U.S. plan in case of war with China.Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psakihttps://bsky.app/profile/insidewithpsaki.msnbc.com

How is the Democratic Party navigating the dominance of President Trump — and reckoning with the reality that more and more voters have been souring on its message?The Times journalists Michael Barbaro, Shane Goldmacher, Reid J. Epstein and Annie Karni discuss the state of the Democrats.Guests: Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times; Reid J. Epstein, a New York Times reporter covering politics; Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent at The New York Times.Background reading: “We have no coherent message”: Democrats have struggled to oppose President Trump.Democrats chose a political operator from Minnesota as their new leader.The House Democratic Super PAC created a $50 million fund targeting the working class.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) joins Michael to talk about President Trump's tariff plans, trade, and other headlines surrounding the new President and Congress. Michael opens the conversation asking about a July 10, 2024 Senate Democratic Caucus meeting that was written about by Annie Karni and Luke Broadwater in a forthcoming book "Mad House." Senator Coons was not interviewed for that book, and shares his version of what happened inside that room, regarding discussions about calls for then-President Biden to leave the 2024 presidential race, for the first time today. Original air date 3 February 2025.

Nicolle Wallace on Kristi Noem's confirmation hearing, TikTok's uncertain future, what resistance might look like in Trump's second term, and the anti-abortion movement's ongoing efforts to erode reproductive rights. Joined by: Vaughn Hillyard, Alicia Menendez, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tim Miller, Symone Sanders-Townsend, Mini Timmaraju, Charlie Sykes, Molly Jong-Fast, Luke Broadwater, and Annie Karni.

Jen Psaki reflects on the eye-popping revelations from the House Ethics Committee about Matt Gaetz, and how it shows that Trump's GOP clearly lives by a different standard -- a lower one. Jen is joined by Rep. Jasmine Crockett and MSNBC host Katie Phang to react to the committee's findings, including whether Gaetz could still be held accountable. Next, Jen is joined by political analyst Brendan Buck and reporter Annie Karni to preview the upcoming fight for Speaker of the House in the wake of the Gaetz bombshell. Then, Jen shares some thoughts on the precarious relationship between president-elect Trump and Elon Musk and how difficult their inevitable breakup may be. Later, Jen is joined by Rep. Jim Himes to discuss whether Musk is using his proximity to the presidency to benefit himself financially and concerns about Musk handling sensitive information. Finally, Jen is joined by Former White House Counsel Bob Bauer and Former Assistant Attorney General Jack Goldsmith to discuss Trump's plans to dismantle government and push the limits of presidential power in a second term.Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki 

Trump's Trials is now Trump's Terms. Each episode, host Scott Detrow curates NPR coverage of the incoming Trump administration.This episode: Trump campaign manager Susie Wiles will be the first woman to serve as White House chief of staff. Annie Karni of the New York Times tells NPR's Steve Inskeep what her selection reveals about women in Trump's inner circle — and why they sometimes fare better than men.Support NPR and hear every episode sponsor-free with NPR+. Sign up at plus.npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Annie Karni, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, talks about the various people President-elect Trump has chosen for top positions, and how Republican leadership is responding to his picks.

Annie Karni, congressional correspondent at The New York Times, talks about the latest national political news of the week, including legislation that recently passed the House on antisemitism, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's latest attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson and more.

Congress has taken on the "complicated" task of legislating antisemitism. Annie Karni, congressional correspondent at The New York Times, talks about the latest national political news of the week, including legislation that recently passed the House on antisemitism, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's latest attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson and more. 

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (04/17/2024): 3:05pm- On Tuesday, Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) requested that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) resign—after Speaker Johnson announced he plans to hold a vote on Ukraine aid funding later this week. Massie joins Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) as Republican members of Congress now vocally opposed to Johnson remaining in power. Working with a slim Republican majority in the House (218-213 with 4 vacancies), is Johnson now in serious jeopardy of being removed as Speaker? On Wednesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said “Republicans need real leadership” and seemed to suggest Johnson should be replaced in favor of someone who is more fiscally responsible. 3:20pm- Annie Karni of The New York Times writes: “Speaker Mike Johnson's elaborate plan for pushing aid to Ukraine through the House over his own party's objections relies on an unusual strategy: He is counting on House Democrats and their leader, Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, to provide the votes necessary to clear the way for it to come to the floor.” You can read the full article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/17/us/politics/johnson-democrats-ukraine-aid-plan.html 3:30pm- The Wall Street Journal writes: “Seven jurors for Donald Trump's hush-money case were selected quickly Tuesday afternoon after a sluggish start, a pace that could clear the way for trial testimony to begin next week. Three women and four men have been chosen so far for a jury that will be the first ever to decide criminal charges against a former president. The jurors, all Manhattan residents, include a charter-school teacher, a software engineer, a salesman, a corporate lawyer and an oncology nurse.” You can read the full report from Corinne Ramey, James Fanelli, and Alex Leary here: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/jury-for-donald-trumps-hush-money-trial-takes-shape-an-oncology-nurse-a-software-engineer-a-teacher-5a65e772?mod=hp_lead_pos4 3:40pm- While speaking with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori expressed concern about the anonymity and safety of the jurors serving on the Trump “hush money” trial. Khardori explained: “Now, this is not the fault of the media…Responsibility to guard all of the very specific information that we're learning [about the jury] resides with the D.A.'s office and with the judge. I'm a little surprised that we are learning all of this because I do not think this jury is going to remain anonymous, necessarily, if they keep this up.” 4:05pm- An arrest warrant has been issued for Pennsylvania State Representative Kevin Boyle (D) after he allegedly violated a protection order by contacting his estranged wife. Earlier this year, a video of Boyle went viral when he drunkenly berated workers at a Pennsylvania bar. In the video he continually threatens to have the bar closed and asks, “do you know who I am?” 4:20pm- Following his Tuesday court appearance, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stopped at a New York City bodega and spoke with supporters. 4:40pm- On Wednesday, the Senate concluded its impeachment trial of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas—dismissing the charges. The House voted in favor of impeaching Mayorkas earlier this year. From the floor of the Senate, Sen. Mike Lee argued that the chamber's Democratic leadership did not take the proceedings seriously. 5:00pm- Benjamin Wesier and Tracey Tully of The New York Times write: “Senator Robert Menendez may blame his wife, Nadine Menendez, for the bribery charges the couple is facing by claiming that she hid information from him and led him to believe that ‘nothing unlawful was taking place,' according to court papers unsealed on Tuesday…The senator and his wife are accused of accepting cash, gold and a luxury car in exchange for Mr. Menendez's willingness to use his political influence to help allies in New Jersey and to aid the governments of Egypt and Qatar. All four defendants have pleaded not guilty.” You can read the full article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/16/nyregion/robert-menendez-bribery-trial.html 5:20pm- On HBO's Real Time, Bill Maher admonished far-left Democrats in Dearborn, Michigan for chanting “death to America” at recent rallies. Congresswomen Ayana Pressley, Katie Porter, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez all refused to condemn the chants when confronted by Fox News. In the past, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has also refused to condemn the chants. 5:35pm- Julie Kelly— Political Commentator & Author of “January 6: How Democrats Used the Capitol Protests to Launch a War on Terror Against the Political Right”—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss Supreme Court oral argument in Fischer v. United States, a case which will determine whether obstruction laws can be used to charge January 6thdefendants. You can find Kelly's book here: https://a.co/d/eyz9CMX 6:05pm- While speaking to the press before boarding Air Force One, President Joe Biden seemingly suggested that his uncle was eaten by cannibals in New Guinea…wait. what? 6:30pm- Alfredo Ortiz—President & CEO of Job Creators Network—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss President Joe Biden's recent trip to Scranton, PA. Ortiz debunks the narrative that “Bidenomics” has been a success, reflecting on the massive increase in food costs. Plus, could Donald Trump win the Hispanic vote in 2024? Ortiz notes that during the Trump Administration, Hispanic home ownership reached record highs. You can find Ortiz's book, “The Real Race Revolutionaries: How Minority Entrepreneurship Can Overcome America's Racial and Economic Divides,” here: https://a.co/d/5Pv5sX3 6:40pm- Vimal Patel of The New York Times writes: “Erwin Chemerinsky, the law school dean, hosted the dinner on Tuesday night in the backyard of his Oakland, Calif., home. The party was supposed to be a community building event, open to all third-year law students, with no speeches or formal activities. But a third-year law student and a Palestinian activist, Malak Afaneh, stood up at the event, holding a microphone, and launched into a speech.” In the video, which has gone viral on social media, the activists bizarrely claim they have a constitutional right to protest inside a private home. You can read the full article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/12/us/uc-berkeley-palestinian-protest-free-speech.html

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: 3:05pm- On Tuesday, Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY) requested that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) resign—after Speaker Johnson announced he plans to hold a vote on Ukraine aid funding later this week. Massie joins Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) as Republican members of Congress now vocally opposed to Johnson remaining in power. Working with a slim Republican majority in the House (218-213 with 4 vacancies), is Johnson now in serious jeopardy of being removed as Speaker? On Wednesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said “Republicans need real leadership” and seemed to suggest Johnson should be replaced in favor of someone who is more fiscally responsible. 3:20pm- Annie Karni of The New York Times writes: “Speaker Mike Johnson's elaborate plan for pushing aid to Ukraine through the House over his own party's objections relies on an unusual strategy: He is counting on House Democrats and their leader, Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, to provide the votes necessary to clear the way for it to come to the floor.” You can read the full article here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/17/us/politics/johnson-democrats-ukraine-aid-plan.html 3:30pm- The Wall Street Journal writes: “Seven jurors for Donald Trump's hush-money case were selected quickly Tuesday afternoon after a sluggish start, a pace that could clear the way for trial testimony to begin next week. Three women and four men have been chosen so far for a jury that will be the first ever to decide criminal charges against a former president. The jurors, all Manhattan residents, include a charter-school teacher, a software engineer, a salesman, a corporate lawyer and an oncology nurse.” You can read the full report from Corinne Ramey, James Fanelli, and Alex Leary here: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/jury-for-donald-trumps-hush-money-trial-takes-shape-an-oncology-nurse-a-software-engineer-a-teacher-5a65e772?mod=hp_lead_pos4 3:40pm- While speaking with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori expressed concern about the anonymity and safety of the jurors serving on the Trump “hush money” trial. Khardori explained: “Now, this is not the fault of the media…Responsibility to guard all of the very specific information that we're learning [about the jury] resides with the D.A.'s office and with the judge. I'm a little surprised that we are learning all of this because I do not think this jury is going to remain anonymous, necessarily, if they keep this up.”

In a pointed speech from the Senate floor this month, the majority leader, Chuck Schumer, called for Israel to hold a new election and for voters to oust the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.Soon after, Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for the Times, sat down with Mr. Schumer to understand why he did it.Guest: Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Schumer, America's highest-ranking Jewish elected official, said he felt obligated to call for new leadership in Israel.His speech was the latest reflection of the growing dissatisfaction among Democrats with Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: On Sunday, leadership in the U.S. Senate released the details of a bipartisan bill designed to reduce illegal border crossings, send $60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, and $14.1 billion in aid to Israel. The 370-page bill mandates a border shutdown if more than 5,000 migrants unlawfully enter the U.S. in a single day. However, the shutdown cannot exceed 270 days in the bill's first year, 225 in the second year, and 180 days in the third year. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has said the proposed “Senate border bill will not receive a vote in the House.” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has echoed a similar sentiment—and announced the House will instead vote on a standalone bill later this week that will provide $14.3 billion of aid to Israel. Annie Karni of The New York Times notes: “By Monday evening, [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell was privately acknowledging that the measure had hemorrhaged support among Republicans, and recommending they move to block it unless Democrats agreed to debate it further and allow them to propose changes.” You can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/us/politics/republicans-border-deal.html In a video posted to X, Tucker Carlson announced that he will be interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin. The interview will be posted to X and will be free to watch. For the second consecutive year, President Joe Biden will not grant an interview to the television station broadcasting the Super Bowl. Traditionally, the president participates in an interview prior to kickoff which is viewed by millions of people across the country. Upon hearing the news, former President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social: “Crooked Joe Biden has just announced that he will not be doing the big Super Bowl Interview. A great decision, he can't put two sentences together. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REPLACE HIM—would be ‘RATINGS GOLD!'” On Tuesday, President Joe Biden spoke from the White House imploring the U.S. Congress to pass a proposed border bill crafted by a bipartisan group of Senators—James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT). However, it seems increasingly unlikely that the bill has enough support to even pass in the Senate let alone the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. During his address, President Biden blamed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for sabotaging the legislation by denouncing it in the press and on social media. The House of Representatives' attempt to impeach Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has failed with a vote of 214-216. Four Republicans joined Democrats and voted “nay”— Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Ken Buck of Colorado, Blake Moore of Utah, and Tom McClintock of California.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (02/06/2024): 3:05pm- In a 57-page opinion, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit unanimously rejected Donald Trump's argument that presidential immunity legally shields him from criminal charges related to his challenging of the 2024 presidential election results. The judges wrote: "We cannot accept former President Trump's claim that a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power—the recognition and implementation of election results. Nor can we sanction his apparent contention that the Executive has carte blanche to violate the rights of individual citizens to vote and to have their votes count." Trump has vowed to appeal the decision—which will mean the case will be heard by the full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals or the U.S. Supreme Court. You can read the full text of the ruling here: https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/full-text-trump-immunity-ruling-appeals-court-rcna137482 3:15pm- Joe Barrett of The Wall Street Journal writes: “The mother of a Michigan teen who killed four students at his high school in 2021 was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter, the first time a parent of a school shooter has been convicted of homicide in connection with the attack. Jennifer Crumbley, whose son, Ethan, pleaded guilty to four counts of murder in the killings at Oxford High about 40 miles north of Detroit and is serving life in prison, lowered her head slightly but showed little other reaction as the verdict was read in an Oakland County courtroom. The judge set a sentencing date of April 9. Crumbley's husband, James Crumbley, will stand trial for the same charges in a separate trial next month.” You can read the full report here: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/mother-of-michigan-school-shooter-ethan-crumbley-found-guilty-of-manslaughter-ccd8bfff?mod=hp_lead_pos1 3:40pm- Country singer and songwriter Toby Keith has passed away at the age of 62 after a battle with stomach cancer. 3:55pm- Don't wish “The Greater Chris” a happy birthday… 4:05pm- According to reports, the House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday—alleging that he has willfully refused to enforce existing U.S. border security laws. With only a slim majority in the House, it is uncertain whether Republicans will have enough votes to successfully impeach Mayorkas. 4:15pm- On Sunday, leadership in the U.S. Senate released the details of a bipartisan bill designed to reduce illegal border crossings, send $60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, and $14.1 billion in aid to Israel. The 370-page bill mandates a border shutdown if more than 5,000 migrants unlawfully enter the U.S. in a single day. However, the shutdown cannot exceed 270 days in the bill's first year, 225 in the second year, and 180 days in the third year. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has said the proposed “Senate border bill will not receive a vote in the House.” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has echoed a similar sentiment—and announced the House will instead vote on a standalone bill later this week that will provide $14.3 billion of aid to Israel. Annie Karni of The New York Times notes: “By Monday evening, [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell was privately acknowledging that the measure had hemorrhaged support among Republicans, and recommending they move to block it unless Democrats agreed to debate it further and allow them to propose changes.” You can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/us/politics/republicans-border-deal.html 4:40pm- In a 57-page opinion, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit unanimously rejected Donald Trump's argument that presidential immunity legally shields him from criminal charges related to his challenging of the 2024 presidential election results. The judges wrote: "We cannot accept former President Trump's claim that a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power—the recognition and implementation of election results. Nor can we sanction his apparent contention that the Executive has carte blanche to violate the rights of individual citizens to vote and to have their votes count." Trump has vowed to appeal the decision—which will mean the case will be heard by the full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals or the U.S. Supreme Court. You can read the full text of the ruling here: https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/full-text-trump-immunity-ruling-appeals-court-rcna137482 4:45pm- On Tuesday, President Joe Biden spoke from the White House imploring the U.S. Congress to pass a proposed border bill crafted by a bipartisan group of Senators—James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT). However, it seems increasingly unlikely that the bill has enough support to even pass in the Senate let alone the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. During his address, President Biden blamed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for sabotaging the legislation by denouncing it in the press and on social media. 5:05pm- In a bombshell report from Tim Golden of ProPublica: “Years before Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected as Mexico's leader in 2018, U.S. drug-enforcement agents uncovered what they believed was substantial evidence that major cocaine traffickers had funneled some $2 million to his first presidential campaign. According to more than a dozen interviews with U.S. and Mexican officials and government documents reviewed by ProPublica, the money was provided to campaign aides in 2006 in return for a promise that a López Obrador administration would facilitate the traffickers' criminal operations.” You can read the full report here: https://www.propublica.org/article/mexico-amlo-lopez-obrador-campaign-drug-cartels 5:20pm- While appearing on Fox News with Bret Baier, Rep. Chip Roy explained exactly why the proposed Senate border bill does not do enough to secure the U.S. Southern border—noting that children won't count towards the 5,000 migrants per day necessary to trigger an immediate border shutdown, which he fears may encourage child trafficking. 5:30pm- Would you pay $17.59 for a Big Mac meal at McDonald's? PLUS, why is the moon shrinking? 5:40pm- During a House hearing addressing allegations that the federal government partnered with Big Tech to censor speech online, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan (R-OH) revealed that email exchanges indicate the White House pressured Amazon to remove books that questioned the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. 5:50pm- According to reports, the House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday—alleging that he has willfully refused to enforce existing U.S. border security laws. Karoun Demirjian of The New York Times explains: “The G.O.P. can afford no more than two defections, and two Republicans—Tom McClintock of California, below pictured first, and Ken Buck of Colorado—are already committed nos. A handful of others are on the fence. But when asked if they had the votes to impeach, Speaker Mike Johnson said: ‘I believe we do.'” 6:05pm- On Sunday, leadership in the U.S. Senate released the details of a bipartisan bill designed to reduce illegal border crossings, send $60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, and $14.1 billion in aid to Israel. The 370-page bill mandates a border shutdown if more than 5,000 migrants unlawfully enter the U.S. in a single day. However, the shutdown cannot exceed 270 days in the bill's first year, 225 in the second year, and 180 days in the third year. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has said the proposed “Senate border bill will not receive a vote in the House.” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has echoed a similar sentiment—and announced the House will instead vote on a standalone bill later this week that will provide $14.3 billion of aid to Israel. Annie Karni of The New York Times notes: “By Monday evening, [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell was privately acknowledging that the measure had hemorrhaged support among Republicans, and recommending they move to block it unless Democrats agreed to debate it further and allow them to propose changes.” You can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/us/politics/republicans-border-deal.html 6:10pm- In a video posted to X, Tucker Carlson announced that he will be interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin. The interview will be posted to X and will be free to watch. 6:25pm- For the second consecutive year, President Joe Biden will not grant an interview to the television station broadcasting the Super Bowl. Traditionally, the president participates in an interview prior to kickoff which is viewed by millions of people across the country. Upon hearing the news, former President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social: “Crooked Joe Biden has just announced that he will not be doing the big Super Bowl Interview. A great decision, he can't put two sentences together. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REPLACE HIM—would be ‘RATINGS GOLD!'” 6:35pm- On Tuesday, President Joe Biden spoke from the White House imploring the U.S. Congress to pass a proposed border bill crafted by a bipartisan group of Senators—James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT). However, it seems increasingly unlikely that the bill has enough support to even pass in the Senate let alone the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. During his address, President Biden blamed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for sabotaging the legislation by denouncing it in the press and on social media. 6:50pm- The House of Representatives' attempt to impeach Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas has failed with a vote of 214-216. Four Republicans joined Democrats and voted “nay”— Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, Ken Buck of Colorado, Blake Moore of Utah, and Tom McClintock of California.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 2: According to reports, the House of Representatives is expected to hold a vote to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday—alleging that he has willfully refused to enforce existing U.S. border security laws. With only a slim majority in the House, it is uncertain whether Republicans will have enough votes to successfully impeach Mayorkas. On Sunday, leadership in the U.S. Senate released the details of a bipartisan bill designed to reduce illegal border crossings, send $60 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, and $14.1 billion in aid to Israel. The 370-page bill mandates a border shutdown if more than 5,000 migrants unlawfully enter the U.S. in a single day. However, the shutdown cannot exceed 270 days in the bill's first year, 225 in the second year, and 180 days in the third year. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has said the proposed “Senate border bill will not receive a vote in the House.” Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has echoed a similar sentiment—and announced the House will instead vote on a standalone bill later this week that will provide $14.3 billion of aid to Israel. Annie Karni of The New York Times notes: “By Monday evening, [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell was privately acknowledging that the measure had hemorrhaged support among Republicans, and recommending they move to block it unless Democrats agreed to debate it further and allow them to propose changes.” You can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/us/politics/republicans-border-deal.html In a 57-page opinion, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit unanimously rejected Donald Trump's argument that presidential immunity legally shields him from criminal charges related to his challenging of the 2024 presidential election results. The judges wrote: "We cannot accept former President Trump's claim that a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power—the recognition and implementation of election results. Nor can we sanction his apparent contention that the Executive has carte blanche to violate the rights of individual citizens to vote and to have their votes count." Trump has vowed to appeal the decision—which will mean the case will be heard by the full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals or the U.S. Supreme Court. You can read the full text of the ruling here: https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/full-text-trump-immunity-ruling-appeals-court-rcna137482 On Tuesday, President Joe Biden spoke from the White House imploring the U.S. Congress to pass a proposed border bill crafted by a bipartisan group of Senators—James Lankford (R-OK), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Chris Murphy (D-CT). However, it seems increasingly unlikely that the bill has enough support to even pass in the Senate let alone the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. During his address, President Biden blamed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump for sabotaging the legislation by denouncing it in the press and on social media.

Biden frames the 2024 presidential race as a fight for democracy while Trump and his allies call the insurrectionists “hostages.” Then, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is hospitalized without informing the White House, conservatives continue to wage war on the Ivy League, and New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni joins to talk about a deal to avoid a potential shutdown and the GOP effort to impeach Biden's Homeland Security Secretary.

House Republicans finally elected a new speaker: Mike Johnson, a little-known representative from Louisiana. New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni joins Preet to discuss the Speaker's chaotic rise to power, and what his election says about the state of the GOP and Congress.   Take the CAFE survey to help us plan for our future! Stay Tuned in Brief is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Please write to us with your thoughts and questions at letters@cafe.com, or leave a voicemail at 669-247-7338. For analysis of recent legal news, join the CAFE Insider community. Head to cafe.com/insider to join for just $1 for the first month.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Wednesday, October 18, and reports on President Biden's historic visit to Israel and the House speaker fight. Richard Engel, Aaron David Miller, Annie Karni, David Corn and David Rothkopf join.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 1: On Wednesday, the House of Representatives once again voted to fill the speakership position left vacant following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Republican nominee for speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), received 199 votes—well short of the 217 votes he needed to win a majority of the House and one fewer vote than he received on Tuesday. It seems increasingly unlikely that House Republicans will be able to coalesce behind one candidate. Consequently, many House members are calling for a temporary expansion of powers granted to Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC). According to Annie Karni of The New York Times, “Scott Perry, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus that Jordan helped establish, says he won't support any resolution to empower Patrick McHenry, the speaker pro tem. Perry says he hopes Jordan keeps fighting, adding that the race is simply about ‘stamina.'” You can read updates as they unfold here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/18/us/house-speaker-vote-jim-jordan On Wednesday, President Joe Biden delivered an address from Tel Aviv, Israel and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While taking questions from the press, Biden discussed a deadly strike on a hospital in Gaza: "Based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you. But there's a lot of people who are not sure." The Wall Street Journal reports, “Israel, the U.S. government and independent security experts cast doubt Wednesday on Palestinian claims that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital compound, saying the preliminary evidence pointed to a local militant group. Independent analysts poring over publicly available images of Tuesday's explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza and its aftermath say the blast site doesn't bear the hallmarks of a strike with a bomb or missile of the types usually used by Israel….The U.S. has collected ‘high confidence' signals intelligence indicating that the blast at the hospital in Gaza was caused by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, U.S. officials said, buttressing Israel's contention that it wasn't responsible for the blast.” You can read more from the report from journalists Margherita Stancati, Yaroslav Trofimov, Nancy A. Youssef, and Stephen Kalin here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-tries-to-back-up-claims-it-didnt-attack-gaza-hospital-a8cc3405 Rich accuses Momma Zeoli of purchasing the worst frozen pizza he has ever tasted. RNC Research on X notes that progressive representatives Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Summer Lee have not removed social media posts falsely blaming Israel for a missile strike on a hospital in Gaza—which has now been attributed to Palestinian terrorists accidentally misfiring a rocket.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: Michele Exner—Senior Advisor for Parents Defending Education—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss her latest opinion piece in The Daily Caller, “The Real Reason Why Many Young Americans Side with Pure Evil.” You can read her editorial here: https://dailycaller.com/2023/10/17/opinion-the-real-reason-why-so-many-young-americans-are-siding-with-pure-evil-michele-exner/ The Wall Street Journal reports, “Israel, the U.S. government and independent security experts cast doubt Wednesday on Palestinian claims that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital compound, saying the preliminary evidence pointed to a local militant group. Independent analysts poring over publicly available images of Tuesday's explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza and its aftermath say the blast site doesn't bear the hallmarks of a strike with a bomb or missile of the types usually used by Israel….The U.S. has collected ‘high confidence' signals intelligence indicating that the blast at the hospital in Gaza was caused by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, U.S. officials said, buttressing Israel's contention that it wasn't responsible for the blast.” You can read more from the report from journalists Margherita Stancati, Yaroslav Trofimov, Nancy A. Youssef, and Stephen Kalin here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-tries-to-back-up-claims-it-didnt-attack-gaza-hospital-a8cc3405 On Wednesday, the House of Representatives once again voted to fill the speakership position left vacant following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Republican nominee for speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), received 199 votes—well short of the 217 votes he needed to win a majority of the House and one fewer vote than he received on Tuesday. It seems increasingly unlikely that House Republicans will be able to coalesce behind one candidate. Consequently, many House members are calling for a temporary expansion of powers granted to Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC). According to Annie Karni of The New York Times, “Scott Perry, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus that Jordan helped establish, says he won't support any resolution to empower Patrick McHenry, the speaker pro tem. Perry says he hopes Jordan keeps fighting, adding that the race is simply about ‘stamina.'” You can read updates as they unfold here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/18/us/house-speaker-vote-jim-jordan While appearing on the All In Podcast, billionaire venture capitalist and democrat donor Chamath Palihapitiya concedes that now, in hindsight, he realizes former President Donald Trump's policies were actually effective and good. He explained: “so much of the work that happened in [the Trump] administration turned out to be right” but no one wanted to acknowledgement is at the time because of “Trump derangement syndrome.”

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (10/18/2023): 3:05pm- On Wednesday, the House of Representatives once again voted to fill the speakership position left vacant following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Republican nominee for speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), received 199 votes—well short of the 217 votes he needed to win a majority of the House and one fewer vote than he received on Tuesday. It seems increasingly unlikely that House Republicans will be able to coalesce behind one candidate. Consequently, many House members are calling for a temporary expansion of powers granted to Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC). According to Annie Karni of The New York Times, “Scott Perry, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus that Jordan helped establish, says he won't support any resolution to empower Patrick McHenry, the speaker pro tem. Perry says he hopes Jordan keeps fighting, adding that the race is simply about ‘stamina.'” You can read updates as they unfold here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/18/us/house-speaker-vote-jim-jordan 3:15pm- On Wednesday, President Joe Biden delivered an address from Tel Aviv, Israel and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While taking questions from the press, Biden discussed a deadly strike on a hospital in Gaza: "Based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you. But there's a lot of people who are not sure." 3:30pm- The Wall Street Journal reports, “Israel, the U.S. government and independent security experts cast doubt Wednesday on Palestinian claims that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital compound, saying the preliminary evidence pointed to a local militant group. Independent analysts poring over publicly available images of Tuesday's explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza and its aftermath say the blast site doesn't bear the hallmarks of a strike with a bomb or missile of the types usually used by Israel….The U.S. has collected ‘high confidence' signals intelligence indicating that the blast at the hospital in Gaza was caused by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, U.S. officials said, buttressing Israel's contention that it wasn't responsible for the blast.” You can read more from the report from journalists Margherita Stancati, Yaroslav Trofimov, Nancy A. Youssef, and Stephen Kalin here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-tries-to-back-up-claims-it-didnt-attack-gaza-hospital-a8cc3405 3:40pm- Rich accuses Momma Zeoli of purchasing the worst frozen pizza he has ever tasted. 3:50pm- RNC Research on X notes that progressive representatives Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Summer Lee have not removed social media posts falsely blaming Israel for a missile strike on a hospital in Gaza—which has now been attributed to Palestinian terrorists accidentally misfiring a rocket. 4:05pm- Libby Emmons of The Post Millennial writes, “Twitter user Douglass Mackey [has been] sentenced to 7 months in prison after being found guilty of election interference for making memes disparaging Hillary Clinton.” She notes, “[t]here was no evidence to suggest that any voter attempted to cast their ballot via text in response to Mackey's meme.” How could any court criminally punish satirical speech on social media? Could the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately end up hearing this freedom of speech case? You can read more here: https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-twitter-user-douglass-mackey-sentenced-to-7-months-in-prison-after-being-found-guilty-of-election-interference-for-making-memes-disparaging-hillary-clinton?utm_campaign=64483 4:40pm- David Averre of The Daily Mail writes: “Israel's Defence Forces have released a slew of evidence they claim proves an overnight explosion at a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of people was caused by a misfiring rocket launched by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In an audio clip procured by Israeli military intelligence, two alleged Hamas terrorists can be heard discussing the explosion and confirming the rocket came from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) - an independent jihadist group. 'They are saying (the rocket) belongs to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It's from us?' one alleged Hamas member asks in the clip provided by Israel's military intelligence.” You can read Averre's article here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12643229/Israel-blast-Gaza-hospital-Palestine-video-rocket-misfire.html 5:05pm- Dr. EJ Antoni—Economist & Research Fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget—joins The Rich Zeoli Show for The Drive at 5. Dr. Antoni reacts to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen claiming that the U.S. can easily afford to fund wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. How is that possible when our country's annual budget remains imbalanced, and the current national debt exceeds $33 trillion? You can read Dr. Antoni's most recent commentary in the Telegraph Herald, “Worsening Economy Pushes Consumers Near the Breaking Point,” here: https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/opinion/article_49736bc5-9bd4-5b20-82b0-1cd8a5c2eeb0.html 5:30pm- Rich has a highly respected economist in-studio and decides to ask him if Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sounds like Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs! 5:40pm- In a House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing, University of Chicago Professor, and Economist, Casey Mulligan revealed that government regulations are costing American households massive amounts of money. Mulligan explains: “The most notorious cost of regulation is the paperwork, sometimes known as ‘red tape.' The federal executive branch alone issues thousands of new regulations each year that add to the 200,000 pages of federal rules already in place. One finding is that the rules finalized by the Biden Administration through the end of 2022 impose costs of nearly $10,000 per household, which is $1,300 more than the burden of the Obama Administration rules during the comparable timeframe.” You can read more here: https://oversight.house.gov/release/hearing-wrap-up-the-biden-administrations-regulatory-blitz-jeopardizes-americas-economy%EF%BF%BC/ 6:05pm- Michele Exner—Senior Advisor for Parents Defending Education—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss her latest opinion piece in The Daily Caller, “The Real Reason Why Many Young Americans Side with Pure Evil.” You can read her editorial here: https://dailycaller.com/2023/10/17/opinion-the-real-reason-why-so-many-young-americans-are-siding-with-pure-evil-michele-exner/ 6:30pm- The Wall Street Journal reports, “Israel, the U.S. government and independent security experts cast doubt Wednesday on Palestinian claims that an Israeli airstrike was responsible for a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital compound, saying the preliminary evidence pointed to a local militant group. Independent analysts poring over publicly available images of Tuesday's explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza and its aftermath say the blast site doesn't bear the hallmarks of a strike with a bomb or missile of the types usually used by Israel….The U.S. has collected ‘high confidence' signals intelligence indicating that the blast at the hospital in Gaza was caused by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, U.S. officials said, buttressing Israel's contention that it wasn't responsible for the blast.” You can read more from the report from journalists Margherita Stancati, Yaroslav Trofimov, Nancy A. Youssef, and Stephen Kalin here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-tries-to-back-up-claims-it-didnt-attack-gaza-hospital-a8cc3405 6:40pm- On Wednesday, the House of Representatives once again voted to fill the speakership position left vacant following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Republican nominee for speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), received 199 votes—well short of the 217 votes he needed to win a majority of the House and one fewer vote than he received on Tuesday. It seems increasingly unlikely that House Republicans will be able to coalesce behind one candidate. Consequently, many House members are calling for a temporary expansion of powers granted to Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC). According to Annie Karni of The New York Times, “Scott Perry, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus that Jordan helped establish, says he won't support any resolution to empower Patrick McHenry, the speaker pro tem. Perry says he hopes Jordan keeps fighting, adding that the race is simply about ‘stamina.'” You can read updates as they unfold here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/18/us/house-speaker-vote-jim-jordan 6:55pm- While appearing on the All In Podcast, billionaire venture capitalist and democrat donor Chamath Palihapitiya concedes that now, in hindsight, he realizes former President Donald Trump's policies were actually effective and good. He explained: “so much of the work that happened in [the Trump] administration turned out to be right” but no one wanted to acknowledge it at the time because of “Trump derangement syndrome.”

MSNBC's Ari Melber hosts "The Beat" on Wednesday, October 11, and reports on the Israel-Hamas war and House GOP chaos. Annie Karni, Dennis Ross and John Brennan join.

As the House returns to session, Rep. Kevin McCarthy has ordered an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Annie Karni, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, discusses this development and other headlines in Congressional news.

As Congress returns from summer recess, they face several important issues, including averting a budget-related shutdown, and whether the GOP can impeach Biden for his son's dealings. On Today's Show:Annie Karni, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, discusses this development and other headlines in Congressional news.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has faced rebellions in his chamber, from the ultra conservative Freedom Caucus. Another hard right group, "the Twenty," is even more disruptive. These groups could lead us to a government to shutdown in the fall. Terry Gross spoke with New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has faced rebellions in his chamber, from the ultra conservative Freedom Caucus. Another hard right group, "the Twenty," is even more disruptive. These groups could lead us to a government to shutdown in the fall. Terry Gross spoke with New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni.

Michael McCusker reads material from the New Yorker magazine. The headline is “Finally, the Trump Case We’ve Been Waiting For,” and Susan B. Glasser is the article’s author. Additionally, from the New York Times, “Democrats Try a Novel Tactic to Revive the Equal Rights Amendment,” written by Annie Karni.

Earlier this month, a group of hard-right Republicans hijacked the floor of the House of Representatives in protest against Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The mutiny, staged by nearly a dozen members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, raised questions about whether the speaker could continue to govern his slim and fractious majority.Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The Times, explains how and why this small group of members made the chamber ungovernable.Guest: Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: In early June, members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus refused to surrender control of the floor, forcing Republican leaders to scrap votes for the week and leaving speaker Kevin McCarthy facing what he conceded was “chaos.”The group effectively shut down the House floor, calling the speaker's fiscal compromise with President Biden a betrayal.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

For the past few months, a single lawmaker has prevented Democrats from carrying out their agenda in Congress. For now, there is no simple solution in sight. Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The Times, explains the issue surrounding Senator Dianne Feinstein.Guest: Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Ms. Feinstein, who has been absent from the Senate for more than a month after being diagnosed with shingles, sought a temporary replacement on the powerful Judiciary Committee.High-profile absences have created complications for Democrats in Congress and prompted new questions about the future of the Republican leadership.For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Guests: Jacob Glick, Rep. Dan Goldman, Annie Karni, Claire McCaskill, Michael SteeleThe partial Fulton County grand jury report is out, as the Proud Boys move to subpoena Trump in their seditious conspiracy trial. Tonight: Congressman Daniel Goldman on the big moving pieces in the Trump investigations. Plus, the President shares what he knows about the UFOs America is shooting down. Then, as Trump's first challenger sidesteps Trump, Claire McCaskill and Michael Steele on the policy issues Republican candidates cannot avoid. And what we know about John Fetterman's health as the senator announces he is being treated for clinical depression. 

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: The video game Madden—relying on artificial intelligence— is predicting the Philadelphia Eagles will defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. If the Eagles do win, should city schools have a delayed opening on Monday? Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by Special Counsel Jack Smith who is examining former President Donald Trump's alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. According to reports, during a Friday search of Pence's Indiana home, FBI officials found new classified documents. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was hospitalized on Wednesday night after feeling lightheaded at a Democrat retreat. According to reports, the symptoms are not believed to be related to the stroke Fetterman suffered in 2022, though he remains hospitalized as doctors monitor him for potential seizures. In her latest article, New York Times journalist Annie Karni writes of Sen. Fetterman: “He has had to come to terms with the fact that he may have set himself back permanently by not taking the recommended amount of rest during the campaign. And he continues to push himself in ways that people close to him worry are detrimental.” Read the article at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/us/politics/john-fetterman-senate-stroke.html 94.1 WIP afternoon show host John Marks—John Marks & Ike Reese— joins The Rich Zeoli to preview Sunday's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (02/10/2023): 3:05pm- On Friday afternoon, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs John Kirby announced that a U.S. fighter jet shot down a “high altitude object” over Alaska. 3:15pm- Air Force Brigadier General and Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder confirmed a U.S. F-22 Raptor fighter jet shot down an object roughly the size of a small car over Alaska. Brig. Gen. Ryder would not confirm the object's origins or whether it was another Chinese reconnaissance balloon—though, he did note the object is not believed to have been maneuverable.  3:40pm- John Paul Mac Isaac—Author of “American Injustice: My Battle to Expose the Truth”—joins The Rich Zeoli to discuss his new book which documents his experience being caught-up in the Hunter Biden laptop scandal. In 2019, Hunter Biden commissioned John Paul's Wilmington, Delaware electronic repair shop to fix his liquid-damaged laptops. John Paul explains, “[c]oncerned that I was sitting on evidence in a criminal investigation, I set out to hand everything over to the FBI'' after Biden never returned to collect his property. He continues, “[w]hen the story broke, Big Tech and social and mainstream media blocked the reporting” and “[m]y actions were labeled Russian disinformation.” Despite doing the right thing every step of the way, John Paul unfairly had his character attacked—ultimately, resulting in the forced closure of his business, The Mac Shop. PLUS Zeoli announces that John Paul Mac Isaac will be joining him for a 1210 WPHT Speaker Series on February 23rd in person at FOP Lodge #5! Ticket information will be available soon. 4:25pm- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added the COVID-19 vaccine to routine immunization schedules for adults and children over six months old. While the immunization schedule does not make vaccination mandatory, the CDC's recommendation could be adopted by states that ultimately choose to make it mandatory for students.  4:45pm- During Wednesday's House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY) accused the Twitter account “LibsofTikTok” of lying about gender conversion therapy procedures being performed on children at Boston Children's Hospital and, subsequently, motivating a bomb threat at the hospital. In a new opinion editorial, the person behind the Libs of TikTok account wrote that Rep. Ocasio Cortez “lied about me on the House floor”—linking to several videos of Boston Children's Hospital promotional videos featuring several doctors at the hospital who openly discuss and advocate for gender conversion procedures on children. Will AOC apologize for spreading misinformation?  5:00pm- Air Force Brigadier General and Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder confirmed a U.S. F-22 Raptor fighter jet shot down an object roughly the size of a small car over Alaska. Brig. Gen. Ryder told reporters the object “posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian aircrafts.”  5:10pm- According to reports, President Joe Biden will not be participating in a pre-game “Super Bowl interview” with Fox on Sunday. Traditionally, the president of the United States conducts an interview with the television station broadcasting the big game.  5:25pm- Henry baselessly insists the “high altitude object” shot down by United States fighter jets over Alaska was a UFO created by extraterrestrials.  5:45pm- Mystery Movie Clip: featuring the longest, strangest film title in the history of the contest.  5:50pm- According to a report from former FBI Special Agent Kyle Seraphin, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) field office recently released a memo warning of “radical traditionalist Catholic ideology.” Following backlash, the FBI announced they would retract the document.  6:05pm- The video game Madden—relying on artificial intelligence— is predicting the Philadelphia Eagles will defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. If the Eagles do win, should city schools have a delayed opening on Monday? 6:10pm- Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by Special Counsel Jack Smith who is examining former President Donald Trump's alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. According to reports, during a Friday search of Pence's Indiana home, FBI officials found new classified documents. 6:30pm- Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) was hospitalized on Wednesday night after feeling lightheaded at a Democrat retreat. According to reports, the symptoms are not believed to be related to the stroke Fetterman suffered in 2022, though he remains hospitalized as doctors monitor him for potential seizures. In her latest article, New York Times journalist Annie Karni writes of Sen. Fetterman: “He has had to come to terms with the fact that he may have set himself back permanently by not taking the recommended amount of rest during the campaign. And he continues to push himself in ways that people close to him worry are detrimental.” Read the article at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/us/politics/john-fetterman-senate-stroke.html 6:50pm- 94.1 WIP afternoon show host John Marks—John Marks & Ike Reese— joins The Rich Zeoli to preview Sunday's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Annie Karni, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, discusses which committees GOP congress members were assigned to, the changing role of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and what that says about the priorities of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

With a new Speaker installed, Congress is back in full swing. David Rothkopf sits down with Annie Karni of the New York Times and Norm Ornstein of the Words Matter podcast to talk about what has happened so far. Can the new House majority govern? Will the press corps adapt to the new challenge of covering a performative Congress? Where will this all lead? Find out the answers to these and other pressing questions during this thoughtful conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a new Speaker installed, Congress is back in full swing. David Rothkopf sits down with Annie Karni of the New York Times and Norm Ornstein of the Words Matter podcast to talk about what has happened so far. Can the new House majority govern? Will the press corps adapt to the new challenge of covering a performative Congress? Where will this all lead? Find out the answers to these and other pressing questions during this thoughtful conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The results are in: The Democrats will keep the Senate, the Republican will take the House. In this episode, in preparation for the 118th Congress, Jen analyzes the detailed policy documents released by the House Republicans to see what they could reasonably accomplish, who their policies would help or hurt, and how they will likely wield their power in a politically divided Congress. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the show notes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd263-republicans-take-the-house Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD258: Gain of Function Research CD256: Poisonous Pet Collars CD224: Social Media Censorship CD218: Minerals are the New Oil CD177: Immigrant Family Separations CD146: Repeal & Replace CD135: Education is Big Business (Every Student Succeeds Act) CD129: The Impeachment of John Koskinen The Southern Border David J. Bier. Sep 14, 2022. “Fentanyl Is Smuggled for U.S. Citizens By U.S. Citizens, Not Asylum Seekers.” Cato Institute. “Security Subcomittee.” May 2022. The Healthy Future Task Force. “House Republicans: We Must Secure the Southern Border.” Jul 2022. American Security Task Force. “Humanitarian crisis at the U.S. border.” American Federation of Teachers. Sean Altekruse et al. January 17, 2020. “Socioeconomic risk factors for fatal opioid overdoses in the United States: Findings from the Mortality Disparities in American Communities Study (MDAC).” PLOS One 15(1). Tiffany Stecker. Feb 20, 2019. “Border Barrier No One Wants Grows Without Money to Slow Spread.” Bloomberg Law. Censorship “Big Tech, Censorship, & Data Task Force.” Sep 2022. China “Why Taiwan Matters.” Sep 2022. China Task Force. Commitment to America Megan Loe. Oct 25, 2022. “Cuts to Social Security and Medicare detailed in viral image aren't part of House GOP plan.” Verify. “The Republican Commitment to America.” House Republicans. “Commitment to America One Pager.” House Republicans. “An Economy That's Strong.” Sep 20, 2022. House Republicans. “Sound Money, Fiscal Discipline, & Budget Enforcement.” Sep 2022. Jobs and the Economy Task Force. Energy and the Environment “Build Resilient Communities.” August 9, 2022. The Energy, Climate, & Conservation Task Force. Mining “Securing U.S. Supply Chains.” Sep 2022. The Energy, Climate, & Conservation Task Force. John Emeigh. Jun 2, 2022. “Water level in the Berkeley Pit remains unchanged after two years.” KXLF Butte. Betsy Smidinger. August 30, 2021. “Fifth Five-year Review Report for Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site Silver Bow and Deer Lodge Counties, Montana.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area, Butte, Montana: Cleanup Activities.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ryan DeMars. 2012. “Health Hazards from Mining in Butte, Montana.” Teach the Earth. “1955: The Open Pit Mine Era: The Berkeley Pit.” Clark Fork Watershed Education Program. Dams “Why aren't we looking at more hydropower?” Mar 2, 2021. MIT Climate Portal. Fossil Fuels “Beat China and Russia.” Jun 17, 2022. The Energy, Climate, & Conservation Task Force. “Unlock American Resources.” Jun 10, 2022. The Energy, Climate, & Conservation Task Force. Jeff Brady and Neela Banerjee. Jun 9, 2021. “Developer Abandons Keystone XL Pipeline Project, Ending Decade-Long Battle.” Gutting Environmental Law “Let America Build.” Jun 10, 2022. The Energy, Climate, & Conservation Task Force. Pesticides “Conservation with a Purpose.” Jul 15, 2022. The Energy, Climate, & Conservation Task Force. “Does glyphosate cause cancer?” Jul 8, 2021. Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Emily Dixon. Feb 15, 2019. “Common weed killer glyphosate increases cancer risk by 41%, study says.” CNN. Water “Why California Farmers Are Conflicted About Using Less Water.” May 11, 2015. NPR. Seth Siegel with Naty Barak. Jun 1, 2017. “How Drip Irrigation Can Change the World: Adoption is still low for a technology that saves water, reduces use of fertilizer and increases agricultural yield.” Real Assets Adviser 4(6). Healthcare “Security Subcommittee.” Aug 2022. The Healthy Future Task Force. “Affordability Subcommittee.” Jul 2022. The Healthy Future Task Force. “Doctor-Patient Relationship Subcommittee.” Jun 2022. The Healthy Future Task Force. “Subcommittee on Modernization.” Jun 2022. The Healthy Future Task Force. Financial Regulations “Securing U.S. Supply Chains.” Sep 2022. Jobs & the Economy Task Force. “Growth Through Innovation.” Sep 2022. Jobs & the Economy Task Force. “Beat China and Russia.” Jun 2022. The Energy, Climate, & Conservation Task Force. Parents Bill of Rights “Parents Bill of Rights Fact Sheet.” Committee on Education & Labor Republicans. “Republican Solutions for America's Education System.” Committee on Education & Labor Republicans. 2014 Government Funding 113th Congresss. “H.R.2775 - Continuing Appropriations Act.” 113th Congress. “Roll Call 550 | Bill Number: H. R. 2775.” Oct 16, 2013. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Workforce Education “Getting Americans Back to Work.” Jul 2022. Jobs & the Economy Task Force. Speak Out Act 117th Congress. “S.4524: Speak Out Act.” Emilie Shumway. Nov 16, 2022. “Congress passes bill voiding NDAs in cases of sexual assault, harassment; Biden expected to sign.” Legal Dive. Respect for Marriage Act 117th Congress. “H.R.8404: Respect for Marriage Act.” Annie Karni. Nov 16, 2022. “Same-Sex Marriage Rights Bill Clears a Crucial Senate Hurdle.” The New York Times. Maggie Astor. Nov 16, 2022. “Here Are the 12 Republicans Who Voted to Protect Same-Sex Marriage.” The New York Times. Al Weaver. Nov 16, 2022. “Senate votes to advance same-sex marriage bill.” The Hill. Soon-to-be Laws S.4524: Speak Out Act H.R.8404: Respect for Marriage Act Audio Sources House Republicans Unveil the Commitment to America Sep 23, 2022 Kevin McCarthy on YouTube Clips Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH): They told us so many things that turned out not to be accurate. I mean, just think about it, they told us this thing didn't come from a lab. Sure looks like it did. But they want us to believe it was a bat to a penguin to Joe Rogan. And then we all got, it right? I'm just a country boy from Ohio. But I kind of think it probably came from a lab. I asked Dr. Burks a question three months ago in a hearing. I said Dr. Burks, when the Biden administration told us that the vaccinated couldn't get it, were they guessing or lying? Interesting. She paused and said, Well, Congressman, I like to think they hoped. I said, so it was a guess, a lie, or a hope. I'm not against the vaccine. I'm just saying that we're big boys and girls, we can handle the truth. Give us the facts. We are committed to doing the investigations that need to be done. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA): On our very first bill we're going to repeal 87,000 IRS agents. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA): We believe in fairness. We should ensure women only compete in women's sports. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA): We will have oversight hearings on what happened. Who was responsible for opening up America's southern border? How many have come in? How many are on the terrorist watch list that we know of, and when will we start doing something about it? In our commitment to America, we talk about securing America's border and holding them accountable. We will give Secretary Mayorkas a reserved parking spot, he will be testifying so much about this. So that's the kind of oversight we're going to be doing. U.S. House Session February 5, 2014 “Little fish” montage featuring Former Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA), Former Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). U.S. House Session October 8, 2013 Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX): I am very proud of not only what our Speaker is doing but of our majority leader, ERIC CANTOR, and our whip, KEVIN MC CARTHY. U.S. House Session October 1, 2013 Former Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA): In fact, House Republicans have passed three continuing resolutions, or temporary spending bills, to keep this government open and to either defund or to delay ObamaCare—which the majority of Americans support. They were against it 31⁄2 years ago; they are against it today; and they support what we are doing in the Republican House of Representatives. I praise and commend Speaker JOHN BOEHNER and the leadership of ERIC CANTOR and KEVIN MCCARTHY for the strength that they have had in regard to this and for being so inclusive for every single member of our caucus. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

In the wake of the brutal attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul, and anticipating the midterms, writer and longtime Bay Area resident Matthew Clark Davison joins Fiction/Non/Fiction hosts V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss Nancy Pelosi's political trailblazing and what it's like to live in her district. Davison talks about how he's seen Pelosi support marginalized groups through the years and his own early impressions of her. He also reads from his novel, Doubting Thomas, which includes some of San Francisco's political history, especially as it pertains to gay communities. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/. This podcast is produced by Anne Kniggendorf. Selected Readings: Matthew Clark Davison Doubting Thomas  Others: Nancy Pelosi “Nancy Pelosi Says Attack on Husband Will Affect Her Political Future,” by Eduardo Medina, The New York Times “The Facts about the Attack on Paul Pelosi, According to Prosecutors,” by The New York Times “Pelosi, Vilified by Republicans for Years, Is a Top Target of Threats,” by Annie Karni, Catie Edmondson and Carl Hulse, The New York Times Janice Mirikitani Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 5 Episode 19: “The Danger is Larger Because the Voice is Bigger.” Alexandra Billings on the Surge in Anti-Trans Legislation Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 6 Episode 5: The Author of Election on the Election: Tom Perrotta Talks Tracy Flick's Return and the Midterms Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 5 Episode 8: Paul Lisicky and Terese Marie Mailhot on the Long-Term Mental Health Effects of the Pandemic Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 1 Episode 12: C. Riley Snorton and T Fleischmann Talk Gender, Freedom, and Transitivity “What ‘news deserts,' Americans must ensure what they're consuming is legit,” hosted by Steve Chiotakis, KCRW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recently signed gun law, S. 2938: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, contained a surprise dingleberry postponing a regulation designed to save seniors money on their pharmaceutical drugs by prohibiting kickbacks to an industry few have heard of: Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). This little-known but extremely powerful industry deserves much of the blame for ever rising prescription drugs costs in the United States. In this episode, Jen gives you the scoop on PBMs and how they make their money at the expense of Americans who are most dependent on medications. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! View the shownotes on our website at https://congressionaldish.com/cd255-pharmacy-benefit-managers-pbms We're Not Wrong Berlin Meetup Contact Justin at WereNotWrongPod@gmail.com Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD134: The EpiPen Hearing US Healthcare Landscape Jessi Jezewska Stevens. Apr 23, 2020. “A Brief History of the Great American Healthcare Scam.” Bookforum. Tanza Loudenback. Mar 7, 2019. “The average cost of healthcare in 21 different countries.” Insider. Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden. 2019. “Insulin: Examining the Factors Driving the Rising Cost of a Century Old Drug [Staff Report].” U.S. Senate Finance Committee. “Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population.” Kaiser Family Foundation. Sara R. Collins and David C. Radley. Dec 7, 2018. “The Cost of Employer Insurance Is a Growing Burden for Middle-Income Families.” The Commonwealth Fund. PBMs What are PBMs? JC Scott. Jun 30, 2022. “Drug manufacturers are root cause of high drug costs; PBMs drive costs down.” The Hill. Zach Freed. Jun 22, 2022. “The Pharmacy Benefit Mafia: The Secret Health Care Monopolies Jacking Up Drug Prices and Abusing Patients and Pharmacists.” American Economic Liberties Project. Adam J. Fein. Jun 22, 2021. “The Top Pharmacy Benefit Managers of 2020: Vertical Integration Drives Consolidation (rerun).” Drug Channels. “Flash finding: How drug money from sick people really works.” Nov 11, 2021. 46brooklyn. Adam J. Fein. Feb 3, 2019. “Don't Blame Drug Prices on ‘Big Pharma.'” The Wall Street Journal. How PBMs Make Money “DIR Fees.” National Association of Chain Drug Stores. “How PBMs Make Money: PBM Practices & Profits.” RxSafe. True North Political Solutions. Oct 25, 2017. “White Paper: DIR Fees Simply Explained.” Pharmacy Times. ACA “Vertical Integration” Loophole Peter High. Jul 8, 2019. “A View From Inside Cigna's $67 Billion Acquisition Of Express Scripts.” Forbes. Angelica LaVito. Nov 28, 2018. “CVS creates new health-care giant as $69 billion merger with Aetna officially closes.” CNBC. David Dayen. Oct 12, 2018. “Why the Aetna and CVS Merger Is So Dangerous.” The American Prospect. Jeff Byers. April 12, 2018. “Optum a step ahead in vertical integration frenzy.” Healthcare Dive. Graph: Optum opens up wider market for UnitedHealth Group Graph: Optum's pharmacy business contributes the majority of its revenue Susan Morse. May 10, 2017. “Secret weapon: UnitedHealth's Optum business is laying waste to old notions about how payers make money.” Healthcare Finance. Lobbying “Client Profile: Pharmaceutical Care Management Assn.” Open Secrets. The Demise of Independent Pharmacies Christine Blank. Oct 17, 2019. “Independents Prepare to Close Up Shop.” Drug Topics. Paulina Firozi. Aug 23, 2018. “The Health 202: Here's why rural independent pharmacies are closing their doors.” The Washington Post. What Is a Formulary? Ana Gascon Ivey. May 19, 2020. “A Guide to Medication Formularies.” GoodRx. Previous Delays in Rebate Regulation Paige Minemyer. Jan 29, 2021. “In a win for PBMs, Biden administration delays rebate rule.” Fierce Healthcare. Paige Minemyer. Jan 12, 2021. “PCMA sues Trump administration over rebate rule.” Fierce Healthcare. “Incorporating the Effects of the Proposed Rule on Safe Harbors for Pharmaceutical Rebates in CBO's Budget Projections—Supplemental Material for Updated Budget Projections: 2019 to 2029.” May 2019. Congressional Budget Office. The Gun Law Passage Process Office of the Clerk. May 18, 2022. “Roll Call 212 | Bill Number: S. 2938.” U.S. House of Representatives. Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board. May 12, 2022. “Republican lawmakers should be ashamed for failing to honor Justice Joseph Hatchett.” Miami Herald. Annie Karni. Apr 12, 2022. “House G.O.P., Banding Together, Kills Bid to Honor Pioneering Black Judge.” The New York Times. Background on Most Important Provisions Mary Katherine Wildeman. May 26, 2022. “Data show most school shootings carried out by young adults, teens.” CT Insider. Jeffrey Pierre. May 26, 2022. “Experts say we can prevent school shootings. Here's what the research says.” NPR. The Dingleberry Erik Sherman. Jun 30, 2022. “Gun Safety Bill Extends Drug Middlemen Protection From Anti-Kickback Measure.” Forbes. Molly Rutherford. Jun 28, 2022. “Gun legislation provision puts drug supply chain profits over patients.” The Hill. Marty Schladen. Jun 22, 2022. “Deep inside the gun bill: a break for prescription drug middlemen.” Iowa Capital Dispatch. Poland Train Station Taylor Popielarz, Maureen McManus and Justin Tasolides. Mar 25, 2022. “‘The help given is remarkable': Inside the Poland train station that's become a hub for Ukrainian refugees.” Spectrum News NY1. The Law and the Regulation S. 2938: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Senate Vote: 65-33 (All Nos GOP) House Vote: 234-193 (All Nos GOP) Jen's Highlighted PDF of S. 2938: Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Fraud and Abuse; Removal of Safe Harbor Protection for Rebates Involving Prescription Pharmaceuticals and Creation of New Safe Harbor Protection for Certain Point-of-Sale Reductions in Price on Prescription Pharmaceuticals and Certain Pharmacy Benefit Manager Service Fees U.S. Health and Human Services Department November 30, 2020 Audio Sources The State of Competition in the Pharmacy Benefits Manager and Pharmacy Marketplaces November 17, 2015 House Committee on the Judiciary Witnesses: Bradley J. Arthur, R.Ph., Owner, Black Rock Pharmacy David Balto, Law Offices of David A. Balto PLLC Amy Bricker, R.Ph. Vice President of Retail Contracting & Strategy, Express Scripts Natalie A. Pons, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, CVS Health Clips 53:48 Bradley Arthur: The Big Three PBMs control almost 80% of the entire market and these PBMs have the upper hand both in negotiating the contract with the payer, as well as strongly influencing the actual plan design itself. The PBM industry typically states that they can use their economic power to harness enhanced market efficiencies, but for whom? However, the staggering annual revenues that continue to grow each year of the big three suggests that these efficiencies are going directly to their corporations' bottom lines. Small community pharmacies like mine are faced on a daily basis with the impact of the PBMs' disproportionate market power. Community pharmacies routinely must agree to take-it-or-leave-it contracts from the PBMs just to continue to serve our long-standing patients. As if that weren't enough, the PBMs also directly set the reimbursement rates for pharmacies, the very same pharmacies that stand in direct competition of some of these PBM-owned mail-order and specialty pharmacies. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the PBMs present employer and government payers with carefully tailored suggested plans designs that steer beneficiaries to these PBM-owned entities. Drug Pricing in America: A Prescription for Change, Part I January 29, 2019 Senate Committee on Finance Witnesses: Kathy Sego, Mother of a Child with Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Ph.D., President, American Action Forum Mark E. Miller, Ph.D., Vice President of Health Care, Laura and John Arnold Foundation Peter B. Bach, MD, MAPP, Director, Memorial Sloan Kettering Center for Health Policy and Outcomes Clips 1:57:30 Sen. John Cornyn (R - TX): Can anybody on the panel explain to me why we have a general prohibition against kickbacks — they call them rebates — under the Social Security Act, but we nevertheless allow it for prescription drug pricing? What's the sound public policy reason for excluding prescription drug pricing from the anti-kickback rule under federal law? Douglas Holtz-Eakin: I can't explain that and won't pretend to. [laughter] Sen. Cornyn: I thought I was the only one who didn't understand the wisdom of that. Well, it's not a transparent arrangement and it does produce upward pressure on drug prices. And obviously, the negotiations between the PBM and the pharma in terms of what the net cost is, is not transparent, nor is it delivered to the consumer. Is it Dr. Miller? Dr. Bach? Peter Bach: It's delivered to the consumer indirectly through the reduction of the total cost of the benefit, but it is not delivered to the actual consumer using the drug, and that is a disassociation, that is a problem. Because it essentially reverses the structure of insurance. Lowering the total costs are people who use it the least, and raising the costs are people who use it the most, relative to if you allowed the rebate to be used at the point of sale, including all discounts. 1:59:49 Douglas Holtz-Eakin: If we had the negotiation be about the upfront price, so instead of a high list price and a rebate, you just negotiate a lower price, that would be the price that Ms. Sego would pay and insurance companies would look at that and say, okay, she's not paying as much as she used to, we're going to have to make up that money somewhere else and they might raise premiums. That means that people who don't have extreme insulin drug costs would pay a little bit more in a premium every month, and people who have extremely devastating medical conditions and high health care costs would get less costs. That's exactly what insurance is supposed to do. And so the rebate system is more than giving strange incentives on pricing. It's undercutting the purpose of insurance in general. Drug Pricing in America: A Prescription for Change, Part II February 26, 2019 Senate Committee on Finance Witnesses: Richard A. Gonzalez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AbbVie Inc. Pascal Soriot, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca Giovanni Caforio, M.D., Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Jennifer Taubert, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chairman, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Merck & Co., Inc. Albert Bourla, DVM, Ph.D., Chief Executive Office, Pfizer Olivier Brandicourt, M.D., Former Chief Executive Officer, Sanofi Clips 1:22:03 Albert Bourla: Adverse incentives that favor higher cost biologics are keeping biosimilars from reaching patients. In many cases, insurance companies declined to include lower cost biosimilars in their formularies because they would risk losing the rebates from covering higher cost medicines. I can't think of a more concerning example of a broken system and we need to do something about it. 1:33:35 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R - IA): So many of you have voiced support for the recent rebate rule proposed by the administration. Should the administration finalized this rule, will you commit to lowering your drug prices? Richard Gonzalez [CEO, AbbVie]: Mr. Chairman, we are supportive of the rule. We'd like to see it in its final form, obviously, to make a final decision, but we are supportive of taking the discount to the patient at the point of sale. Sen Grassley: Okay. AstraZeneca? **Pascal Soriot [CEO, AstraZeneca]**The same for us Senator, I would go one step further: if the rebates were removed from the commercial sector as well, we will definitely reduce our list prices. Sen Grassley: Okay. And Bristol? Giovanni Caforio [CEO, Bristol-Myers Squibb]: We have the same positions. Sen Grassley: Okay. Johnson and Johnson? Jennifer Taubert [EVP, J&J]: Yes, we're supportive, and that definitely would be my goal. We would just need to see the final legislation, provided that there aren't additional fees that are added into the system to compensate for the rebates. Sen Grassley: Merck? **Kenneth C. Frazier: I would expect that our prices would go down if we change the system. Again, on the commercial side as well as the Medicare side. Sen Grassley: Okay, Pfizer? Albert Bourla [CEO, Pfizer]: It is a very clear intention that we will not keep a single dollar from these rebates. We will try to move every single penny to the patients and we think if this goes also to the commercial plants that will be even better for more patients. Sen Grassley: Okay. Sanofi? Olivier Brandicourt [Former CEO, Sanofi]: Lowering list price has to be linked to better access and affordability at the counter for the patients. 1:35:20 Sen. Ron Wyden (D - OR): Is it correct that your company, and nobody else, sets the starting price for all drugs sold by Pfizer? Yes or no? Albert Bourla: It is a negotiation with PBMs and they are very powerful. Sen. Wyden: But you still get to set the list price? Albert Bourla: Yes, but we set this price and the rebate limit(?). 1:35:40 Sen. Ron Wyden (D - OR): Is it correct, when a hypothetical patient, let's call her Mrs. Jones, goes to pay for her drug at the pharmacy counter, her coinsurance is based on the price of the drug you set? Albert Bourla: It is correct in many cases. Sen. Wyden: Okay. I just want you all to know that the number one reason consumers are getting hammered, is because these list prices, which you have the last word with respect to where they are, are unaffordable. And the high prices are tied to what the consumer pays at the pharmacy counter. And all this other stuff you talk about, the rebates and the discounts and the coupons, all this other stuff is window dressing, all of that. And the fact is on Part D, 40% of the drugs don't even have a rebate. So I want it understood, particularly because I've asked you, Mr. Borla, I think you and others in the industry are stonewalling on the key issue, which is actually lowering list prices. And reducing those list prices are the easiest way for American consumers to pay less at the pharmacy counter. 2:12:45 Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE): First is eliminating rebates to PBMs. That's the first one, eliminating rebates to PBMs. The second is value based arrangements. And the third is increasing transparency industry-wide on how you set your prices. 2:13:20 Richard Gonzalez: We clearly support providing the discount at the patient level, eliminating rebates essentially. 2:14:10 Pascal Soriot: If the rebates, as I said earlier, were to be removed from Part D and the commercial sector, we would actually reduce our list prices. 2:15:10 Giovanni Caforio: I would say that not only do we support all three elements that you mentioned, but I do believe those three elements together with the continued effort to develop a generic and biosimilar market would mean significant change, and would clearly alleviate the concerns that patients have today. 2:14:44 Jennifer Taubert: We are very supportive of all three elements that you outlined 2:15:52 Kenneth Frazier: We too support all three. 2:15:55 Albert Bourla: All three elements are transformational for our industry, will disrupt it. However, we do agree that these are the three things that need to be done and also I believe that will have significant meaningful results if we do. 2:16:10 Olivier Brandicourt: We support the three Senator, but we want to keep in mind at the end of the chain the patient has to benefit, so if rebates are removed it has to be to the benefit of patients. Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE): Good, thanks. 2:18:10 Albert Bourla: 50% of the American people are in commercial plans and these rebate rules apply to Medicare. If the rules apply to all, definitely the list price will go down. 2:18:30 Albert Bourla: The list price is not irrelevant, it's very relevant for a lot of people because they have to pay list price during the deductible period. However if the rebate rule is applied, then they become irrelevant because the patients will not be paying the list price at the purchase point. 2:19:10 Sen. John Thune (R-SD): How would manufacturers respond if the rebate rule were finalized for government programs? I mean, what does that what does that mean for the commercial market? Albert Bourla: Senator, as I said before, all these proposals that they're discussing, [undistinguishable], eliminating the rebate rule, are transformational and will disrupt the way we do business. I don't know exactly how the system will evolve, and I really don't favor a bifurcated system. I would like to have a transparent single system across both parts. So we need to see how the whole thing will evolve. 2:25:26 Johnny Isakson (R-GA): Who sets the discount and who sets the rebate? 2:26:20 Richard Gonzalez: We negotiate with payers, so managed care and PBMs— Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA): You're a supplier though, so you have to go negotiate with the PBMs and those people, is that right? Richard Gonzalez: Correct, and they negotiate aggressively. Sen. Isakson: Is that pretty much true with everybody, that they're the major component between the end retail consumer price and the origin of the product? Richard Gonzalez: Yes, Senator. Sen. Isakson: Well, that seems like that's someplace we ought to focus, because that's where the distorted numbers come in. Johnson & Johnson, Janssen, in your testimony, you talked about your average list price of 8.1%, up, but an average net price change of only 4.6%. So while your gross went up 8.6, your net went down 4.6 In the same pricing period. How does that happen? If you're setting the price, how does it not go up on the bottom? Jennifer Taubert: Yeah, and in fact, in 2018, our net price actually declined 8.6%, so even more than that. The intermediaries in the system are very, very effective negotiators— Sen. Isakson: Tell me who the intermediaries are. Jennifer Taubert: Those would be the PBMs and the insurers. Sen. Isakson: …and the insurance companies? Jennifer Taubert: Right, and they set the formularies for patients. Sen. Isakson: And they're not the same. They're two different people? Jennifer Taubert: Yes, correct. 2:40:45 James Lankford (R-OK): All of you have mentioned the rebate issue has been a problem and that insurance companies and PBMs are very effective negotiators. Part of the challenge of this is, health insurance companies pay their PBM based on the quality of their negotiation skills, cutting a price off the list price. And so if a list price is higher and a rebate is higher, that also gives preference to them. So the difficulty is, as you raise list price, and the rebate gets larger, the insurance company gives that preference, making it harder for biosimilars. Am I tracking this correctly? 2:43:00 Albert Bourla: Here in the US, the penetration of biosimilars is much lower than in other places, but it is disproportional to different parts of the US healthcare system. For example, in open systems, systems where the decision maker it is a PBM, the one biosimilar we have has a market share of 5% in the US. In closed systems, in systems like Kaiser, for example, integrated healthcare systems where the one who decides has the whole cost of the healthcare system in its interest, we have 73%. 5% and 73% for the same product. I agree with what Mr. Fraser said that we need to create incentives, but I would add also that we need to break this rebate trap that creates significant disincentives for providers, and the healthcare system, and insurance companies. 3:19:25 Kenneth Frazier: If you went back a few years ago, when we negotiated to get our drugs on formulary, our goal was to have the lowest copay by patients. Today the goal is to pay into the supply chain the biggest rebate, and so that actually puts the patient at a disadvantage since they're the only ones that are paying a portion of the list price. The list price is actually working against the patient. 3:19:50 Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT): Why do we have a system today? Where you all are setting, I'll just say very, very high list prices, which is the starting point for negotiation. Why? Olivier Brandicourt: Senator, we're trying to get formulary position. With those list prices. High list price, high rebates. It's a preferred position. Unfortunately the preferred position doesn't automatically ensure affordability at the end. Kenneth C. Frazier: Senator, If you bring a product to the market with a low list price in this system, you get punished financially and you get no uptake because everyone in the supply chain makes money as a result of a higher list price. Drug Pricing in America: A Prescription for Change, Part III April 9, 2019 Senate Committee on Finance Witnesses: Steve Miller, MD, Former Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer, Cigna Corporation Derica Rice, Former Executive Vice President and President, CVS Health and CVS Caremark William Fleming, Pharm.D., Segment President, Healthcare Services, Humana Inc. John Prince, Chief Executive Officer, OptumRx Mike Kolar, JD, Interim President & CEO, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Prime Therapeutics LLC Clips Sen. Ron Wyden (D - OR): Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers first showed up decades ago, back when prescription drugs were being utilized more extensively. The PBMs told the insurance companies, “we're the ones who know drug pricing, we will handle the negotiations for you.” But there is little evidence that the pharmaceutical benefit managers have actually held down the prices in a meaningful way. In fact, most of the evidence shows just the opposite. Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers actually make more money when they pick a higher price drug over a lower price drug. Colleagues, let's remember that all the way through this discussion, benefit managers make more money when they pick a higher price drug over a lower price drug. The logic on this isn't exactly complicated, graduate-level economics. PBM profits are based on taking their slice of the prescription-drug pie. More expensive drugs means there's a bigger pie. When there's a bigger pie, [there are] bigger slices for the pharmaceutical benefit managers. 50:24 Mike Kolar: Rebates and the role they play have been key areas of focus in the drug cost debate. In our view, rebates are a powerful tool to offset high prices, which are set by pharmaceutical companies, and pharmaceutical companies alone. The fact that rebates are not offered on many of the highest cost drugs, and that studies show no correlation between prices and rebates underscore that rebates are a key to mitigating rather than causing high drug prices. We pass rebates through fully to our plans, and we believe our plans should be able to choose how to apply these rebates in ways that best serve their members and market needs by balancing premiums and cost sharing. 56:05 Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): I'd like to talk about consolidation, including the recent integration of PBMs with insurance companies. Last year I wrote to the Justice Department on the issues, it reported that the three largest PBMs who are before us today now covers 71% of Medicaid, Medicare Part D enrollees and 86% of standalone Drug Plan enrollees. 57:45 Derica Rice: This is a highly competitive space. In addition to the three that you've pointed out here, CMS has noted there are over 60 PBMs across the US. Therefore, the competition, there's many options for the employers that are out there, government entities, as well as unions to choose from given their specific needs. 1:10:35 Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI): So when we look at Express Scripts has 100 million Americans covered, CVS 90 million, OptumRx 65 million, Prime Therapeutics 27 million, Humana 21 million, and yet Americans still pay the highest prices in the world. Even though you are negotiating for millions of people. The VA has its own pharmacy benefit manager service, they negotiate for 9 million veterans, and they pay, on average, 40% less for the same drugs that the rest of the healthcare system pays for. Despite greater volume, you are unable to secure these kinds of low prices. With all due respect, you guys are pretty bad negotiators. Given the fact that the VA can get 40% less. And so I'd like to know from each of you why that's the case. Dr. Miller? Steve Miller [Former EVP and Chief Clinical Officer, Cigna Corporation]: Yes. Part of the equation is giving patients choice. At the VA, they actually limit their formulary more than any of us at this table do. So oftentimes, they'll have one beta blocker, one ace inhibitor. And so if it's going to get to that level of choice, then we could get better prices also. Sen. Stabenow: Let me jump in, in the interest of time. I know you create nationwide drug formularies, you have pre-authorization, you give preferred status to certain medications. So you don't use any of those tools that the VA is using? Because you do. Steve Miller: We definitely use those tools, but we also give people choice. It's crucial for both physicians and patients to have the choice of the products they want to be able to access. Many of our plans want us to have broad formularies and when you have more products, it means you move less market share. Sen. Stabenow: So basically you're saying a 40% premium gives them more choice. 1:24:30 Sherrod Brown (D-OH): If the administration's rebate rule were finalized as proposed, would you in some way be required to change the way you do business? Mike Kolar: Yes, Senator we would. John Prince: Yes. William Fleming: Yes. Derica Rice: Yes. Steve Miller: Yes. Sen. Brown: Thank you. 1:25:05 Sherrod Brown (D-OH): What percentage of prescriptions that you fill across Part D actually receive a rebate? Roughly what percentage? Mike Kolar: So Senator, approximately 8% of the prescriptions that we cover in Part D are associated with a rebate. Sen. Brown: Okay, Mr. Prince? John Prince: Senator, I don't know the exact number, I know our overall business is about 7%. Sen. Brown: Okay, thank you. William Fleming: About 7-8%. Derica Rice: Senator, I do not know the exact number but we pass through 100% of all rebates and discounts. Sen. Brown: [Grunt] Steve Miller: 90% of the prescriptions will be generic. Of the 10% that are branded, about two-thirds have rebates. So it's about seven-- Sen. Brown: 7-8% like the others. Okay. To recap, PBMs do not set drug prices. Forcing you to change the way you do business -- as the administration's rule would — will not change that fact. And while the rule might impact a small percentage of drugs and Part D that receive a rebate, it does nothing to lower costs, as your answer suggests, for the other 90% of prescriptions you fill. Most importantly, absolutely nothing in the proposed rule would require Secretary Azar's former employer or any other pharma company to lower the price of insulin or any other drug. It's important to establish that, so thank you for that. 1:41:40 Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV): Let me ask you, Dr. Fleming, in your testimony, you say Humana's analysis of the rebate rule -- and we're talking about the administration's rebate rule now — found that approximately 17% of beneficiaries will see savings at the pharmacy counter as a result of this rule. Can you tell me a little bit more about who these people are? And what kind of conditions do they have? William Fleming: Senator, there will be a number of members who are taking brand drugs for which we get rebates and so it could vary all the way from the common chronic conditions, things like diabetes or hypertension or high cholesterol, all the way over to occasionally, not usually, but occasionally on the specialty drug side. When you think of some medications like treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, places where there's competition. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Guests: Kyle Cheney, Annie Karni, David Rohde, Jeff Sharlet, Elie MystalThe "mob boss" playbook exposed. Tonight: New details about the Trumpworld figure attempting to influence testimony. And new reporting on the DOJ's supervision of the Trump investigation—and the case that a potential criminal prosecution is growing closer. Then, connecting the dots between new anti-gay laws in Florida and a right-wing mob's attempt to storm a drag show. And Elie Mystal puts this radical term from the Supreme Court into perspective.                

A bipartisan group of senators is making progress on a framework for gun legislation after a spate of recent mass shootings. Plus, the White House pivots its messaging on inflation and the economy amid soaring prices. Join moderator Yamiche Alcindor, Eugene Daniels of POLITICO, Annie Karni of The New York Times and Amara Omeokwe of The Wall Street Journal as they discuss these stories and more.

Guests: Jon Swaine, Annie Karni, Zoe Tillman, Sen. Gary Peters, Rep. Katie PorterTonight: Rudy Giuliani's reported attempt to commandeer voting machines, the anti-vax leader who just took a Capitol riot plea deal, and subpoena day for the offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Sweep. Then, Congresswoman Katie Porter on the announcement of a stock trading ban for members of Congress. And the surprising rescue of the U.S. Postal Service after decades of Republican attempts to kill it. 

Nicolle Wallace discusses the RNC's censure of Reps. Kinzinger and Cheney. Plus, Pence says Trump is wrong to claim he could have overturned the election, the surprisingly positive January jobs report, Rep. Clyburn pushes his pick for the Supreme Court vacancy, Michael Flynn's ongoing role in Trumpworld, a new phase in the Fulton County district attorney's probe into Trump's attempted election interference, Putin and Xi find common ground, and Team USA's new uniforms as the Winter Olympics kick off in Beijing.Joined by: Jonathan Karl, Annie Karni, Steve Schmidt, Ron Klain, Rev. Al Sharpton, Robert Gibbs, John Heilemann, Dan Goldman, Mara Gay, Greg Bluestein, Rick Stengel, Clint Watts, and Eric Haze

The war in Afghanistan is over. In this episode, we document how and why the Biden administration finally admitted defeat in our 20 year attempt to create a new government in Afghanistan and we take a hard look at the lessons we need to learn. Afghanistan is a country in a far away land, but there are disturbing similarities between the Afghanistan government that just collapsed and our own. We'd be wise not to ignore them. Executive Producer: Rachel Passer Executive Producer: Anonymous  Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Support Congressional Dish via Patreon (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536. Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD236: January 6: The Capitol Riot CD218: Minerals are the New Oil CD210: The Afghanistan War CD124: The Costs of For-Profit War How We Got Here Craig Whitlock. The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War. Simon and Schuster, 2021. Patrick Tucker. August 18, 2021. “Trump's Pledge to Exit Afghanistan Was a Ruse, His Final SecDef Says.” Defense One. Eugene Kiely and Robert Farley. August 17, 2021. “Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan.” FactCheck.org. Eric Schmitt and Jennifer Steinhauer. July 30, 2021. “Afghan Visa Applicants Arrive in U.S. After Years of Waiting.” The New York Times. Craig Whitlock, Leslie Shapiro and Armand Emamdjomeh. December 9, 2019. “The Afghanistan Papers: A secret history of the war.” The Washington Post. Mark Landler and James Risen. July 25, 2017. “Trump Finds Reason for the U.S. to Remain in Afghanistan: Minerals.” The New York Times. John F. Harris. October 15, 2001. “Bush Rejects Taliban Offer On Bin Laden ” Washington Post. The Evacuation: Those Left Behind William Mauldin. September 2, 2021. “Afghanistan Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Staff Left Behind.” Wall Street Journal. Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Annie Karni. August 29, 2021. “Series of U.S. Actions Left Afghan Allies Frantic, Stranded and Eager to Get Out.” The York Times. Sami Sadat. August 25, 2021. “I Commanded Afghan Troops This Year. We Were Betrayed.” The New York Times. Marjorie Censer. August 18, 2021. “US contractors rush to get former employees out of Afghanistan.” Defense News. Siobhan Hughes. August 18, 2021. “Afghanistan Veterans in Congress Trying to Prevent ‘a Death Warrant' for Helping America.” Wall Street Journal. Alex Sanz and Tammy Webber. August 18, 2021. “US friends try to rescue brother in arms in Afghanistan.” AP News. Seth Moulton. June 04, 2021. "Moulton, Bipartisan Honoring Our Promises Working Group to White House: Evacuate our Afghan Partners.” Contractors in Afghanistan Matt Taibbi. August 18, 2021. “We Failed Afghanistan, Not the Other Way Around.” TK News by Matt Taibbi on Substack. Jack Detsch. August 16, 2021. “Departure of Private Contractors Was a Turning Point in Afghan Military's Collapse.” Foreign Policy. Matt Stoller. July 15, 2021. “‘A Real S*** Show': Soldiers Angrily Speak Out about Being Blocked from Repairing Equipment by Contractors.” BIG by Matt Stoller. Lynzy Billing. May 12, 2021. “The U.S. Is Leaving Afghanistan? Tell That to the Contractors.” New York Magazine. Oren Liebermann. March 29, 2021. “Pentagon could open itself to costly litigation from contractors if US pulls out of Afghanistan this year.” CNN. Lucas Kunce and Elle Ekman. September 15, 2019. “Comment Submitted by Major Lucas Kunce and Captain Elle Ekman.” [Regulations.gov(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulations.gov). Aaron Mehta. Oct 25, 2016. “30 Years: William Perry — Reshaping the Industry.” Defense News. Jared Serbu. August 22, 2016. “DoD now awarding more than half its contract spending without competitive bids.” Federal News Network. 41 U.S. Code § 3307 - Preference for commercial products and commercial services. Money: Lost and Gained David Moore. August 23, 2021. “Lawmakers Benefit From Booming Defense Stocks.” Sludge. Lee Fang. August 20, 2021. “Congressman Seeking to Relaunch Afghan War Made Millions in Defense Contracting.” The Intercept. Anna Massoglia and Julia Forrest. August 20, 2021. “Defense contractors spent big in Afghanistan before the U.S. left and the Taliban took control.” OpenSecrets.org. Stephen Losey. April 16, 2021. “The Bill for the Afghanistan War Is $2.26 Trillion, and Still Rising.” Military.com. Eli Clifton. February 16, 2021. “Weapons Biz Bankrolls Experts Pushing to Keep U.S. Troops in Afghanistan.” Daily Beast. Open Secrets. 2021. Defense: Lobbying, 2021. Open Secrets. 2021. Defense: Money to Congress. Laws S.1790 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 Sponsor: Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) Status: Became Public Law No: 116-92 on December 20, 2019 H.R. 3237: Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 Sponsor: Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) Status: Signed into law, 2021 May 20 House Vote Breakdown Congressional Budget Office Score Law Outline TITLE IV: BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF THE AFGHAN SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM Sec. 401: Amends the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 to expand eligibility to include Afghans who worked not only for the US Government for more than 1 year but also our allies as an off-base interpreter or if they performed "activities for United States military stationed at International Security Assistance Force (or any successor name for such Force). Increases the number of Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) to Afghan partners by 8,000, for a total of 34,500 allocated since December 19, 2014. Sec. 402: Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of state to jointly waive for 1 year (maximum 2 years with an extension) the requirement that Afghan partners eligible for SIVs get a medical exam before they can receive their visa. The Secretary of Homeland Security has to create a process to make sure Afghan SIV holders get a medical exam within 30 days of entry into the United States. Sec. 403: Allows the surviving spouse or child or employee of the United States Government abroad to be eligible for immigration into the United States if the employee worked for our government for at least 15 years or was killed in the line of duty. It also expands entry permissions for Afghan SIV applicants in addition to those who have already been approved. This is retroactive to June 30, 2021. Policies for Visa Processing: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Policy Manual, Chapter 9: Certain Afghan Nationals U.S Department of State -- Bureau of Consular Affairs. “Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans - Who Were Employed by/on Behalf of the U.S. Government.” Audio Sources Gen. Mark Milley: "There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days." August 18, 2021 General Mark Milley: The time frame of rapid collapse that was widely estimated and ranged from weeks to months, and even years following our departure, there was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days. Central Command submitted a variety of plans that were briefed and approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense and the President. These plans were coordinated, synchronized and rehearsed to deal with these various scenarios. One of those contingencies is what we are executing right now. As I said before, there's plenty of time to do AARs(After Action Reviews) and key lessons learned and to delve into these questions with great detail. But right now is not that time. Right now, we have to focus on this mission, because we have soldiers at risk. And we also have American citizens and Afghans who supported us for 20 years also at risk. This is personal and we're going to get them out. President Biden on Afghanistan Withdrawal Transcript July 8, 2021 Sound Clips 01:30 President Biden: When I announced our drawdown in April, I said we would be out by September, and we're on track to meet that target. Our military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31. The drawdown is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritizing the safety of our troops as they depart 3:40 President Biden: Together with our NATO allies and partners, we have trained and equipped nearly 300,000 current serving members of the military, the Afghan national security force, and many beyond that are no longer serving. Add to that hundreds of thousands more Afghan national defense and security forces trained over the last two decades. 04:04 President Biden: We provided our Afghan partners with all the tools, let me emphasize, all the tools -- training, equipment -- of any modern military. We provided advanced weaponry, and we're going to continue to provide funding and equipment and we'll ensure they have the capacity to maintain their Air Force. 5:54 President Biden: We're also going to continue to make sure that we take on Afghan nationals who worked side by side with US forces, including interpreters and translators. Since we're no longer going to have military there after this, we're not going to need them and they'll have no jobs. We're [sic] also going to be vital to our efforts. they've been very vital, and so their families are not exposed to danger as well. We've already dramatically accelerated the procedure time for Special Immigrant Visas to bring them to the United States. Since I was inaugurated on January 20, we've already approved 2,500 Special Immigrant Visas to come to the United States. Up to now, fewer than half have exercised the right to do that. Half have gotten on aircraft and come commercial flights and come and other half believe they want to stay, at least thus far. We're working closely with Congress to change the authorization legislation so that we can streamline the process of approving those visas. And those who have stood up for the operation to physically relocate 1000s of Afghans and their families before the US military mission concludes so that, if they choose, they can wait safely outside of Afghanistan, while their US visas are being processed. 8:13 President Biden: For those who have argued that we should stay just six more months, or just one more year, I asked them to consider the lessons of recent history. In 2011, the NATO allies and partners agreed that we would end our combat mission in 2014. In 2014, some argued one more year. So we kept fighting. We kept taking casualties. In 2015, the same, and on and on. Nearly 20 years of experience has shown us that the current security situation only confirms that just one more year of fighting in Afghanistan is not a solution, but a recipe for being there indefinitely. It's up to the Afghans to make the decision about the future of their country. Others are more direct. Their argument is that we should stay with the Afghans and Afghanistan indefinitely. In doing so they point to the fact that we we have not taken losses in this last year. So they claim that the cost of just maintaining the status quo is minimal. 9:19 President Biden: But that ignores the reality, and the facts that already presented on the ground in Afghanistan when I took office. The Taliban is at its strongest militarily since 2001. The number of US forces in Afghanistan had been reduced to a bare minimum. And the United States and the last administration made an agreement that they have to with the Taliban remove all our forces by May 1 of this year. That's what I inherited. That agreement was the reason the Taliban had ceased major attacks against US forces. 9:55 President Biden: If in April, I had instead announced that the United States was going to go back on that agreement, made by the last administration, the United States and allied forces will remain in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future, the Taliban would have again begun to target our forces. The status quo was not an option. Staying would have meant US troops taking casualties, American men and women back in the middle of a civil war, and we would run the risk of having to send more troops back in Afghanistan to defend our remaining troops. Once that agreement with the Taliban had been made, staying with a bare minimum force was no longer possible. 10:34 President Biden: So let me ask those who want us to stay: how many more? How many 1000s more Americans' daughters and sons are you willing to risk? How long would you have them stay? Already we have members of our military whose parents fought in Afghanistan 20 years ago. Would you send their children and their grandchildren as well? Would you send your own son or daughter? After 20 years, a trillion dollars spent training and equipping hundreds of 1000s of Afghan National Security and Defence Forces. 2,448 Americans killed, 20,722 more wounded, and untold 1000s coming home with unseen trauma to their mental health. I will not send another generation of Americans to war in Afghanistan with no reasonable expectation of achieving a different outcome. 11:51 President Biden: Today the terrorist threat has metastasized beyond Afghanistan. So, we are repositioning our resources and adapting our counterterrorism posture to meet the threats where they are now: significantly higher in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. 12:07 President Biden: But make no mistake, our military and intelligence leaders are confident they have the capabilities to protect the homeland and our interests from any resurgent terrorist challenge emerging or emanating from Afghanistan. We're developing a counterterrorism over-the-horizon capability that will allow us to keep our eyes firmly fixed at any direct threat to the United States in the region and act quickly and decisively if needed. 12:38 President Biden: We also need to focus on shoring up America's core strengths to meet the strategic competition competition with China and other nations that is really going to determine our future. 14:58 Reporter: Is the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan now inevitable? President Biden: No. It is not. Because you have the Afghan troops, 300,000. Well equipped, as well equipped as any army in the world, and an air force against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is not inevitable. 15:45 President Biden: Do I trust the Taliban? No, but I trust the capacity of the Afghan military who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war. 18:07 Reporter: Your own intelligence community has assessed that the Afghan government will likely collapse President Biden: That is not true 18:53 President Biden: And I want to make clear what I made clear to Ghani, that we are not going to walk away and not sustain their ability to maintain that force. We are. We're going to also work to make sure we help them in terms of everything from food necessities and other things in the region. But there is not a conclusion that in fact, they cannot defeat the Taliban. I believe the only way there's going to be -- this is now Joe Biden, not the intelligence community -- the only way there's only going to be peace and secure in Afghanistan, is that they work out a modus vivendi with the Taliban, and they make a judgement as to how they can make peace. And the likelihood there's going to be one unified government in Afghanistan, controlling the whole country is highly unlikely. 21:30 Reporter: Mr. President, how serious was the corruption among the Afghanistan government to this mission failing there? President Biden: First of all, the mission hasn't failed yet. 22:00 President Biden: There were going to be negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan national security forces, and the Afghan government that didn't come to fruition. So the question now is where do they go from here? The jury is still out, but the likelihood there's going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely. 23:20 Reporter: Mr. President, "speed is safety," as you just said in your remarks. Are you satisfied with the timeline of relocating Afghan nationals? Is it happening quickly enough to your satisfaction if it may not happen until next month at the end? President Biden: It has already happened, there have already been people, about 1000 people have gotten on aircraft and come to the United States already on commercial aircraft. So as I said, there's over 2500 people, that as from January to now, have have gotten those visas and only half decided that they wanted to leave. The point is that I think the whole process has to be speeded up -- period -- in terms of being able to get these visas. Reporter: Why can't the US evacuate these Afghan translators to the United States to await their visa processing as some immigrants of the southern border have been allowed to? President Biden: Because the law doesn't allow that to happen. And that's why we're asking the Congress to consider changing the law. President Biden Remarks on Afghanistan Strategy Transcript April 14, 2021 Sound Clips 00:38 President Biden: I'm speaking to you today from the Roosevelt -- the Treaty room in the White House -- the same spot where in October of 2001, President George W. Bush informed our nation that the United States military had begun strikes on terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. It was just weeks, just weeks after the terrorist attack on our nation that killed 2,977 innocent souls, that turned Lower Manhattan into a disaster area, destroyed parts of the Pentagon and made hallowed ground in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and sparked an American promise that we would never forget. We went to Afghanistan in 2001, to root out al Qaeda to prevent future terrorist attacks against the United States planned from Afghanistan. Our objective was clear, the cause was just, our NATO allies and partners rallied beside us. And I supported that military action along with the overwhelming majority of the members of Congress. More than seven years later, in 2008 weeks before we swore the oath of office -- President Obama and I were about to swear -- President Obama asked me to travel to Afghanistan and report back on the state of the war in Afghanistan. I flew to Afghanistan to the Kunar Valley, a rugged, mountainous region on the border of Pakistan. What I saw on that trip reinforced my conviction that only the Afghans have the right and responsibility to lead their country. And that more and endless American military force could not create or sustain a durable Afghan Government. I believed that our presence in Afghanistan should be focused on the reason we went in the first place: to ensure Afghanistan would not be used as a base from which to attack our homeland again. We did that, we accomplished that objective. I said, along with others, we would follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell if need be. That's exactly what we did. And we got him. It took us close to 10 years to put President Obama's commitment into form. And that's exactly what happened Osama bin Laden was gone. That was 10 years ago. Think about that. We delivered justice to Bin Laden a decade ago. And we've stayed in Afghanistan for a decade since. Since then, our reasons for remaining in Afghanistan have become increasingly unclear, even as the terrorist threat that we went to fight evolved. Over the past 20 years, the threat has become more dispersed, metastasizing around the globe. Al Shabaab in Somalia, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, on Al Nusra in Syria, ISIS attempting to create a caliphate in Syria and Iraq and establishing affiliates in multiple countries in Africa and Asia. With the terror threat now in many places, keeping 1000s of troops grounded and concentrated in just one country at a cost of billions each year makes little sense to me and our leaders. We cannot continue the cycle of extending or expanding our military presence in Afghanistan, hoping to create ideal conditions for the withdraw and expecting a different result. I'm now the fourth United States President to preside over American troop presence in Afghanistan: two Republicans, two Democrats. I will not pass this responsibility on to a fifth. After consulting closely with our allies and partners, with our military leaders and intelligence personnel, with our diplomats and our development experts, with the Congress and the Vice President, as well as with Mr. Ghani and many others around the world. I concluded that it's time to end America's longest war. It's time for American troops to come home. 5:01 President Biden: When I came to office, I inherited a diplomatic agreement, duly negotiated between the government of the United States and the Taliban, that all US forces would be out of Afghanistan by May 1 2021, just three months after my inauguration. That's what we inherited. That commitment is perhaps not what I would have negotiated myself, but it was an agreement made by the United States government. And that means something. So in keeping with that agreement, and with our national interest, the United States will begin our final withdrawal beginning on May 1 of this year. 8:11 President Biden: You all know that less than 1% of Americans serve in our Armed Forces. The remaining 99%, we owe them. We owe them. They've never backed down from a single mission that we've asked of them. I've witnessed their bravery firsthand during my visits to Afghanistan. They've never wavered in their resolve. They paid a tremendous price on our behalf and they have the thanks of a grateful nation. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) High-Risk List Center for Strategic and International Studies Transcript March 10, 2021 Speaker: John Sopko - Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Sound Clips 7:40 John Sopko: But right now, that state is under threat. In the wake of the February 2020 withdrawal agreement, all is not well. Compromise appears in short supply on either side. Taliban attacks have actually increased since the agreement was signed. Assassination of prominent officials, activists, journalists, aid workers and others have also increased, including an unsuccessful attack on one of the female members of the peace negotiating team. And the Taliban offensive on Kandahar city last October, as peace negotiations were ongoing, may well have succeeded, were it not for U.S. air support. Peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have achieved little for Afghanistan so far, and only time will tell as to whether the new Biden administration initiative will bear fruit. And the Afghan people's fears for its own government survival are exacerbated by the knowledge of how dependent their country is on foreign military and financial support. 12:56 John Sopko: Another equally serious threat to Afghanistan's stability has also largely been ignored as we focus on the boots on the ground in Afghanistan. And that is the provision of last year's U.S.-Taliban agreement that stipulates that in addition to the departure of U.S. and coalition troops, or non-diplomatic civilian personnel: private security contractors, trainers, advisors, and supporting service personnel also must leave the country by May 1. Should this come to passSIGAR and many others believe this may be more devastating to the effectiveness of the Afghan security forces than the withdrawal of our remaining troops. Why is that? Because the Afghan government relies heavily on these foreign contractors and trainers to function. In the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 there are over 18,000 Defense Department contractors in Afghanistan, including 6000 Americans, and 7,000 3rd country nationals, 40% of whom are responsible for logistics, maintenance, or training tasks. Now, it is well known that the Afghan security forces need these contractors to maintain their equipment, manage supply chains, and train their military and police to operate the advanced equipment that we have purchased for them. For example, as of December, the Afghan National Army was completing just under 20% of its own maintenance work orders, well below the goal of 80% that was set and the 51% that they did in 2018. So that's actually going down. The Afghan National Police were just as bad if not worse, undertaking only 12% of their own maintenance work against a target of 35% and less than the 16% that we reported in our 2019 high risk list. Additionally, and more troubling. The Department of Defense does train, advise and assist command air, or commonly called TAC air recently reported that since late 2019, they have reduced their personnel in Afghanistan by 94%, and that the military drawdown now requires near total use of contract support to maintain the Afghan Air fleet. They assess that quote “further drawdown in the associated closure basis will effectively end all in country aviation training contracts in Afghanistan.” Again, why is this significant? Why do we view this as a high risk? Namely because contractors currently provide 100% of the maintenance for the Afghan Air Force, UAE 60 helicopters and CE 130 cargo aircraft and a significant portion of Afghans Light Combat Support aircraft. TAC air this January gave a bleak assessment, namely, that no Afghan airframe can be sustained as combat effective for more than a few months in the absence of contractor support. 17:51 John Sopko: Continued funding for U.S. reconstruction programs aimed at promoting economic development, rule of law, respect for human rights, good governance and security for the Afghan people may be more significant, because it may be the primary lever left for the US and other donors to influence that country. It appears that even the Taliban understand Afghanistan's dire need for foreign assistance. Because, as one of the few commitments that the US had to make last year was, “to seek economic cooperation for reconstruction, with the new post settlement, Afghan Islamic government.” Now how much the donor community wishes to stay involved will of course depend on what that government looks like and how it behaves. Numerous officials, including then Secretary of State Pompeo and Ambassador Halley, have stated that the US will be able to advance its human rights goals, including the rights of women and girls with the Taliban by leveraging or conditioning this much needed financial assistance. But unfortunately, as SIGAR has long reported, even when conditionality involved only dealing with the Afghan government, donors do not have a stellar record of successfully utilizing that conditionality to influence Afghan behavior. 27:19 John Sopko: Today our report suggests the donor community should realize the Afghan government is focused on a single goal, its survival. Afghanistan is more dependent on international support than ever before. It may not be an overstatement that if foreign assistance is withdrawn and peace negotiations fail, Taliban forces could be at the gates of Kabul in short order. Hearing: A PATHWAY FOR PEACE IN AFGHANISTAN: EXAMINING THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AFGHANISTAN STUDY GROUP House Committee on Oversight and Reform: Subcommittee on National Security February 19, 2021 Testimony was heard from the following Afghanistan Study Group officials: Kelly A. Ayotte, Co-Chair; News Corp Board of Directors since April 2017 BAE Systems Board of Directors since June 2017 Blackstone Board of Directors Boston Properties Board of Directors Caterpillar Board of Directors Board of Advisors at Cirtronics General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. (Retired), Co-Chair Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Obama and Trump presidencies. Lockheed Martin Board of Directors since February 2020 Nancy Lindborg, Co-Chair President and CEO of the David Lucile Packard Foundation Former President and CEO of the US Institute for Peace Former Assistant Administrator for the bureau for democracy conflict and humanitarian assistance at USAID During the mid-Obama years. Sound Clips 3:13 Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): I'd also like to take a moment to thank the nonpartisan US Institute of Peace for the support and expertise they provided to the study group during the course of its work. 3:23 Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA): In the fiscal year 2020 omnibus bill Congress led by Senator Graham Senator Patrick Leahy and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee of state foreign ops and related programs. They tasked the independent and bipartisan Afghanistan study group to quote, consider the implications of a peace settlement or the failure to reach a settlement on US policy, resources and commitments in Afghanistan. After nearly nine months of review and consultation with current and former US and Afghan government officials, allies and partners and other key stakeholders, the Afghanistan study group issued its final report earlier this month. 15:12 Kelly Ayotte: We recommend that US troops remain beyond may 1. We believe a precipitous withdrawal of US and international troops in May, would be catastrophic for Afghanistan, leading to civil war, and allow the reconstitution of terror groups which threaten the United States within an 18 to 36 month period. 15:41 Kelly Ayotte: Let me be clear, although we recommend that our troops remain beyond may 1, we propose a new approach toward Afghanistan, which aligns our policies, practices and messaging across the United States government to support the Afghan peace process, rather than prosecute a war. Our troops would remain not to fight a forever war, but to guarantee the conditions for a successful peace process and to protect our national security interests to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a haven again, for terrorists who threaten the United States of America. 37:15 General Joseph F. Dunford: Do we need to increase forces if the Taliban don't accept an extension past the first of May, and if they then would re initiate attacks against US forces? and Chairman, we heard exactly what you heard. In the fall. What we were told by commanders on the ground in the department of fence was that 4500 US forces, in addition to the NATO forces that are there was the minimum level to address both the mission as well as protection of our forces in the context of the conditions that existed in the fall in as you've highlighted, those conditions have only gotten worse since the fall so in in our judgment 2500 would not be adequate. Should the Taliban re initiate attacks against the United States Hearing: Examining the Trump Administration's Afghanistan Strategy House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Subcommittee on National Security January 28, 2020 Witness: John Sopko - Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) Sound Clips 48:54 John Sopko: We've almost created a system that forces people in the government to give happy talk success stories because they're over there on very short rotations. They want to show success. The whole system is almost geared to give you, and it goes up the chain of command, all the way to the President sometimes. He gets bad information from people out in the field because somebody on a nine month rotation, he has to show success, and that goes up. 54:24 John Sopko: Maybe incentivize honesty. And one of the proposals I gave at that time,be cause I was asked by the staff to come up with proposals, is put the same requirement on the government that we impose on publicly traded corporations. Publicly traded corporations have to tell the truth. Otherwise the SEC will indict the people involved. They have to report when there's a significant event. So put that onus, call it The Truth in Government Act if you want, that you in the administration are duty bound by statute to alert Congress to significant events that could directly negatively impact a program or process. So incentivize honesty. 1:10:25 John Sopko: Over 70% of the Afghan budget comes from the United States and the donors. If that money ended, I have said before and I will stand by it, then the Afghan government will probably collapse. Wartime Contracting Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs September 21, 2011 Witnesses: Charles Tiefer: Commissioner on the Commission on Wartime Contracting Clark Kent Ervin: Commissioner on the Commission on Wartime Contracting Sound Clips 1:11:30 Charles Tiefer: Our private security in Afghanistan appears to be a major source of payoffs to the Taliban. Our report has the first official statement that it's the second-largest source of money for the Taliban. Sen. Carl Levin: After drugs. Charles Tiefer: After drugs, that's right. 1:25:18 Clark Kent Ervin: It's critical that the government have a choice, and that means that there needs to be at least a small and expandable, organic capacity on the part of these three agencies to perform missions themselves, so the next time there's a contingency, the government has a choice between going with contractors and going in-house and the determination can be made whether it's more effective to do it either way, whether it's cheaper to do it either way. As we said at the inception, right now the government doesn't have an option. Contractors are the default option because they're the only option. President George W. Bush announces U.S. Military Strikes on Afghanistan October 7, 2001 President George W. Bush: Good afternoon. On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against Al-Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime. More than two weeks ago, I gave Taliban leaders a series of clear and specific demands: close terrorist training camps, hand over leaders of the Al-Qaeda network, and return all foreign nationals including American citizens unjustly detained in your country. None of these demands were met and now the Taliban will pay a price by destroying camps and disrupting communications. We will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their evil plans. ** International Campaign Against Terrorism Senate Foreign Relations Committee October 25, 2001 Witness: Colin Powell: Secretary of State Sound Clip 27:00 Colin Powell: Our work in Afghanistan though, is not just of a military nature. We recognize that when the Al Qaeda organization has been destroyed in Afghanistan, and as we continue to try to destroy it in all the nations in which it exists around the world, and when the Taliban regime has gone to its final reward, we need to put in place a new government in Afghanistan, one that represents all the people of Afghanistan and one that is not dominated by any single powerful neighbor, but instead is dominated by the will of the people of Afghanistan. Executive Producer Recommendations Elect Stephanie Gallardo 2022 Krystal Kyle and Friends. August 21, 2021. “Episode 35 Audio with Matthew Hoh.” Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)

Nicolle Wallace discusses the CDC relaxing guidelines on wearing masks outdoors. Plus, a look at the results of the 2020 census, Biden set to discuss police reform in his speech to Congress tomorrow, the ongoing fight against right-wing disinformation, the DHS announces it will undertake a review to root out extremism, the rift between Kevin McCarthy and Liz Cheney gets deeper, the Pentagon’s struggles to curb sexual assault in the military, and a state offers a $100 savings bond to young people who get vaccinated against covid.  Joined by: Dr. Kavita Patel, Frank Figliuzzi, Annie Karni, Donna Edwards, David Jolly, Carmen Best, Mike Memoli, Miles Taylor, Clint Watts, Carol Leonnig, Eugene Daniels, Robert Gibbs, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and Dr. Peter Hotez 

Plus... Derek Thompson on "The Pandemic's Wrongest Man," Kate Bennett on the confessions in Hunter Biden's memoir, and David Zurawik on Matt Gaetz's quest for media stardom. Sara Sidner, Kethevane Gorjestani, Jim Acosta, Annie Karni, Abigail Tracy, David Zurawik and Derek Thompson join Brian Stelter. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Nicolle Wallace discusses the third day of the Derek Chauvin murder trial. Plus, two Capitol Police officers sue Trump for inciting the January 6th riot, Joe Biden details his $2T infrastructure plan, Congressman Matt Gaetz is under investigation by the DOJ for possible sex trafficking, and companies in Georgia speak out against the state's new voting restrictions. Joined by: Joyce Vance, David Henderson, Shaquille Brewster, Neal Katyal, Elizabeth Neumann, Luke Broadwater, Annie Karni, Vaughn Hillyard, Matt Miller, Katie Benner, Eugene Robinson, and Alicia Menendez 

Alex Wagner, in for Nicolle Wallace, discusses Biden's first formal press conference. Plus, the president calls Republican efforts to restrict voting "sick," Biden doubles his vaccine goal, tech giants face questioning on online disinformation, prosecutors are widening their net on the insurrection investigation and domestic terror, and how to combat the hate crimes against the AAPI community.Joined by: Matthew Dowd, Annie Karni, Jason Johnson, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Reverend Al Sharpton, Dr. Kavita Patel, Nick Confessore, Kara Swisher, David Jolly, Anne Gearan, Ben Rhodes, Eddie Glaude, Andrew Weissmann, Matt Miller, Andrew Yang, and Errin Haines

In episode 38, Rabbi Hannah speaks with Havurah member Annie Karni, the current White House correspondent for the New York Times, about what it's like to cover the Biden White House after four years of Trump Administration drama and chaos. Also, do Jews believe in Heaven? And tweeting about religion can be tricky. Rabbi Hannah shares her final thoughts on Stranger Things and Purim, and our closing music is Zum Gali Gali from the beautiful Elana Jagoda.

Nicolle Wallace discusses President Biden announcing his goal to return to normal by next Christmas. Plus, millions in Texas are without power during freezing temperatures, the continued threat of the radicalized insurrectionists, Biden makes a point to move on from his predecessor, the debate over reopening schools, extremist groups in the military, and the disarray behind Trump’s team of impeachment lawyers.  Joined by: David Plouffe, Dr. Irwin Redlener, Eugene Daniels, Beto O’Rourke, Matthew Dowd, Tom Winter, Frank Figliuzzi, Tim Miller, Basil Smikle, Annie Karni, Randi Weingarten, Dr. Nahid Bhadelia, Gen. Barry McCaffrey, Rep. Anthony Brown, and Michael Schmidt

"I already have a family and a religion and so I've never looked at my political party to replace either," 2016 presidential candidate Evan McMullin says. He tells Chuck Todd about his explorations into a new faction of the GOP ... and possibly a third party. NYT's Annie Karni and Punchbowl's Jake Sherman join to discuss President Biden's To-Do list.

With just hours until the final Biden-Trump debate, Joe Biden spent the last day before the final presidential debate preparing for his face-to-face with Trump while Barack Obama hit the trail. Meanwhile, Trump held yet another huge rally ignoring the risk to his supporters from Covid-19. We discuss that and more with Jonathan Lemire, Annie Karni, Jason Johnson, Jo Ling Kent, Frank Figliuzzi, Emily Jane Fox, and Dr. Irwin Redlener.

There are just over three weeks until Election Day and President Donald Trump is trailing Joe Biden in national polls by double digits. Sidelined with COVID-19 and unable to participate in traditional campaign events, the president has taken to Twitter, cable TV, and homemade videos to pitch voters on promises to deliver everything from free coronavirus drug cocktails to stimulus checks. Amidst the political theatre, more than six million voters have cast their ballots. Laura Barrón-López, national political reporter at POLITICO, and Clare Malone, senior political writer at FiveThirtyEight breakdown the state of the race for the White House. Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence gathered in Utah on Wednesday for the first and only vice presidential debate. The advanced age of President Donald Trump and Joe Biden against the backdrop of a highly contagious pandemic has emphasized the role of vice president. Maya King from POLITICO and Annie Karni from the New York Times explain what role Harris and Pence will play between now and Election Day. An unusually competitive senate race in South Carolina is among the many twists and turns of this election cycle. Lindsey Graham, Senator from South Carolina, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Trump loyalist is fighting for his political career. The latest polling has Senator Graham virtually tied with charismatic newcomer, Democrat Jaime Harrison. Danielle Vinson, professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University, explains why the state is in play in this year and what Senator Graham misunderstood about South Carolina's electorate.  It's been four years since Donald Trump was elected after one of the most unconventional and divisive campaign cycles in recent history. During his norm-shattering first term, President Trump has been impeached, emboldened far-right groups, refused to release his tax returns, and attempted to use his status to influence the Department of Justice. Moments that would've ended anyone else's political ambitions are just bumps in the road for Donald Trump. The authors of "After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency" describe how Trump has taken advantage of his office and how the presidency could be reformed to prevent similar abuse. Bob Bauer is a senior adviser to the Biden campaign and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama and Jack Goldsmith is a professor at Harvard Law and served as George W. Bush’s assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel.

There are just over three weeks until Election Day and President Donald Trump is trailing Joe Biden in national polls by double digits. Sidelined with COVID-19 and unable to participate in traditional campaign events, the president has taken to Twitter, cable TV, and homemade videos to pitch voters on promises to deliver everything from free coronavirus drug cocktails to stimulus checks. Amidst the political theatre, more than six million voters have cast their ballots. Laura Barrón-López, national political reporter at POLITICO, and Clare Malone, senior political writer at FiveThirtyEight breakdown the state of the race for the White House. Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence gathered in Utah on Wednesday for the first and only vice presidential debate. The advanced age of President Donald Trump and Joe Biden against the backdrop of a highly contagious pandemic has emphasized the role of vice president. Maya King from POLITICO and Annie Karni from the New York Times explain what role Harris and Pence will play between now and Election Day. An unusually competitive senate race in South Carolina is among the many twists and turns of this election cycle. Lindsey Graham, Senator from South Carolina, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Trump loyalist is fighting for his political career. The latest polling has Senator Graham virtually tied with charismatic newcomer, Democrat Jaime Harrison. Danielle Vinson, professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University, explains why the state is in play in this year and what Senator Graham misunderstood about South Carolina's electorate.  It's been four years since Donald Trump was elected after one of the most unconventional and divisive campaign cycles in recent history. During his norm-shattering first term, President Trump has been impeached, emboldened far-right groups, refused to release his tax returns, and attempted to use his status to influence the Department of Justice. Moments that would've ended anyone else's political ambitions are just bumps in the road for Donald Trump. The authors of "After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency" describe how Trump has taken advantage of his office and how the presidency could be reformed to prevent similar abuse. Bob Bauer is a senior adviser to the Biden campaign and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama and Jack Goldsmith is a professor at Harvard Law and served as George W. Bush’s assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel.

There are just over three weeks until Election Day and President Donald Trump is trailing Joe Biden in national polls by double digits. Sidelined with COVID-19 and unable to participate in traditional campaign events, the president has taken to Twitter, cable TV, and homemade videos to pitch voters on promises to deliver everything from free coronavirus drug cocktails to stimulus checks. Amidst the political theatre, more than six million voters have cast their ballots. Laura Barrón-López, national political reporter at POLITICO, and Clare Malone, senior political writer at FiveThirtyEight breakdown the state of the race for the White House. Senator Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence gathered in Utah on Wednesday for the first and only vice presidential debate. The advanced age of President Donald Trump and Joe Biden against the backdrop of a highly contagious pandemic has emphasized the role of vice president. Maya King from POLITICO and Annie Karni from the New York Times explain what role Harris and Pence will play between now and Election Day. An unusually competitive senate race in South Carolina is among the many twists and turns of this election cycle. Lindsey Graham, Senator from South Carolina, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Trump loyalist is fighting for his political career. The latest polling has Senator Graham virtually tied with charismatic newcomer, Democrat Jaime Harrison. Danielle Vinson, professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University, explains why the state is in play in this year and what Senator Graham misunderstood about South Carolina's electorate.  It's been four years since Donald Trump was elected after one of the most unconventional and divisive campaign cycles in recent history. During his norm-shattering first term, President Trump has been impeached, emboldened far-right groups, refused to release his tax returns, and attempted to use his status to influence the Department of Justice. Moments that would've ended anyone else's political ambitions are just bumps in the road for Donald Trump. The authors of "After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency" describe how Trump has taken advantage of his office and how the presidency could be reformed to prevent similar abuse. Bob Bauer is a senior adviser to the Biden campaign and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama and Jack Goldsmith is a professor at Harvard Law and served as George W. Bush’s assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel.

Nicolle Wallace discusses Donald Trump announcing he will leave Walter Reed Medical Center after nearly 72 hours. Plus, more White House staffers test positive for coronavirus, the national security risks of Trump having Covid, Trump flouting CDC guidelines, and Seth Meyers talks about hosting a late night show during a pandemic.Joined by: Peter Baker, former Senator Claire McCaskill, Laurie Garrett, Dr. Vin Gupta, Olivia Troye, Dr. Lipi Roy, former congressman David Jolly, Annie Karni, Carol Leonnig, Seth Meyers, and Mark Leibovich

The president was hospitalized on Friday at Walter Reed Medical Center due to his Covid-19 diagnosis. Plus, a growing number of people close to the president - including his campaign manager and two Republican senators - have also announced they tested positive for the virus. We discuss that and more with Dr. Vin Gupta, Robert Costa, Annie Karni, Jonathan Karl, Michael Moore, and Jon Meacham.

With just about a month until the final deadline to vote in the 2020 election, President Trump has contracted COVID-19. So what happens next for his campaign, and his White House? On Today's Show:Annie Karni, White House reporter for The New York Times and MSNBC and NBC News contributor, brings us what we know about the President's health, and what it means for a country in the throes of a viciously contentious election.  NOTE: In this episode, Annie Karni reports that Trump's public schedule included a conference call with senior groups about the dangers of COVID-19. The New York Times has since reported that the President was not on that call, with Vice President Mike Pence taking his place. 

Annie Karni, White House correspondent for The New York Times, MSNBC and NBC News contributor, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus. Karni reports on how this news will affect the White House and the election, with just about a month to go. 

Nicolle Wallace discusses more evidence coming to light that Donald Trump knew just how deadly the coronavirus was while he was publicly downplaying it. Plus, Trump’s Justice Department opens a criminal investigation into the publication of John Bolton’s book, the wildfires continue to rage across the west, and the city of Louisville, KY settles a civil suit with Breonna Taylor's family for $12 million. Joined by: Former Democratic Congresswoman Donna Edwards, New York Times White House correspondent Annie Karni, former Obama White House health policy director Dr. Kavita Patel, New York Times Washington correspondent Mike Schmidt, former top State Department official Rick Stengel, ProPublica senior environmental reporter Abrahm Lustgarten, and NBC News correspondent Cal Perry

On the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, Trump made a wild and irresponsible claim about his opponent citing zero evidence. We have that and much more including an exclusive interview with Edward Snowden who discusses Russia interfering in U.S. elections. Also joining the program are Jon Meacham, Annie Karni, Michael Schmidt, and Dr. Nahid Bhadelia.

Joe Biden visited Kenosha, WI, meeting with community leaders and speaking by phone with Jacob Blake. Trump meanwhile, facing more polls showing him trailing Biden in key states, headed to Pennsylvania for a campaign event filled with attacks and falsehoods. Jonathan Lemire, Annie Karni, Mara Gay, Neal Katyal, Dr. Austin Baeth, Dan Balz, and Mike Murphy all join the program.

Wall Street Journal White House reporter Michael Bender and New York Times White House correspondent Annie Karni join Chuck to talk about fallout from President Trump's attempt to kickstart his campaign.