Podcast appearances and mentions of brennan center

Ralph welcomes Dr. Mimi Syed to discuss the recent report from Brown University's Costs of War Project: “Lethal Precision Without Accountability: Israeli Government ‘Quadcopter' Use in Gaza.” Then, Ralph speaks to Joel McCleary (former Deputy Assistant to President Jimmy Carter and international consultant) about his “Dancing in the Dark” essay series on the strategies that Trump is using to hold onto power at almost any cost.Dr. Mimi Syed is an emergency medicine physician and assistant clinical professor at University of Washington and Washington State University, and a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Syed served in Gaza at both al-Aqsa Hospital and Nasser Hospital, where she documented severe injuries from drone strikes and she has firsthand experience treating civilians targeted by the IDF. She is co-author of the Costs of War Project's new report: Lethal Precision Without Accountability: Israeli Government “Quadcopter” Use in Gaza.A lot of the attention has essentially fallen off from Gaza because of this so-called ceasefire…And the media (Western media) unfortunately is complicit in this—has no interest in covering Gaza, has no interest in covering the ongoing slaughter that's happening in Gaza.Dr. Mimi SyedThe irony of all of this is that the drones and the capabilities that these drones have to shoot and to distinguish between a civilian and a combatant—the whole purpose of this is to mitigate civilian harm. And instead, perversely, they're being used for the opposite. They're being used to target civilians and children. And in the U.N. report, they specifically talk about a soldier describing the experience, saying that it's like a video game. He can be sitting somewhere far away, away from the dangers of a military zone, away from the dangers of combatants, and essentially target whoever he wants, and shoot. And these drones have the capability of distinguishing between a child, an adult, a combatant. And most of these cases that I documented, the child was by themselves. There was no other adult harmed.Dr. Mimi SyedJoel McCleary served as Deputy Assistant to the President during the Carter Administration. As president of the Sawyer-Miller Group he oversaw international strategic advisory work for fourteen prime ministers and presidents. Currently, he is Managing Partner of Four Seasons Ventures, which has conducted in-depth studies for the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security on biodefense. These studies reviewed the emergency powers of the President in the event of a pandemic or major biological weapons attack. He is co-founder of the nonpartisan nonprofit Keep Our Republic.November 3rd is just the prelude to January 3rd—the game (so to speak) is who controls the Speakership. And that is determined by the certified members who are certified by the current House—they will determine who meets on January 3rd. So obviously what Trump does not want (or any President does not want) is there to be an opposing party's Speaker.Joel McClearyWe're not saying that anything is inevitable. We're just saying what is possible if you look at what they're saying and if you look at where they might go if they feel compelled to do so. So NSPM-7 is probably the most frightening aspect of this whole thing. And what's most frightening is how few people have focused on it. All of us need to read these documents at the ACLU (the Brennan Center has done fantastic work). And Mark Medish and I just are appalled that still, in Democratic circles or other circles, we are not yet comprehending the meaning of NSPM-7 and how it threatens each one of us in reality.Joel McClearyNews 8/21/26* This week, another round of primaries were held, most notably in Florida. For progressives, the biggest victory is that of Angie Nixon, a DSA-backed member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing Jacksonville. Nixon trounced her opponent – Alex Vindman, who testified against Trump during the 2019 impeachment effort – winning 56% of the vote to his 44% despite being outspent by a margin of 16 to 1. Forbes reports that in her victory speech, Nixon said “We have proved that everyday people are more powerful than corporations and billionaires…We went up against the political establishment, against millions of dollars of outside spending…and we won. This win was for the little guys and girls…We, the hardworking everyday people of Florida, sent a shock wave to the Washington, D.C., establishment.” Unfortunately, Nixon's candidacy, like that of any statewide Democratic campaign in the Sunshine State, remains a long shot. The last Democrat to win a U.S. Senate seat in Florida was former astronaut Bill Nelson in 2012.* More disappointing were the down-ballot results in these primaries. In the 20th congressional district, a majority-minority district centered on Broward County, Debbie Wasserman Schultz won with 45% of the vote, according to NBC. She defeated four Black candidates, including young progressive Elijah Manley. Wasserman Schultz previously represented the 25th district, but following the Republican-led mid-decade redistricting program carried out in Florida, she opted to seek reelection in this heavily Democratic seat. The Black candidates had tried and failed to consolidate behind a single choice.* And in Florida's 25th congressional district, ultra-zionist incumbent Congressman Jared Moskowitz “warded off” a challenge from his left in the form of Oliver Larkin, a DSA-backed union organizer. Larkin drew substantial media attention, first when he appeared on Fox and, asked about immigration and crime, he demanded accountability for “this pedophile president Donald Trump” and others implicated in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and again during an interview with WPLG Local 10 when Larkin was “faced with genocide denial.” According to the Middle East Eye, Larkin “raised the topic of Israel's genocide in Gaza, pointing to statements and findings from institutions such as the United Nations, Amnesty International and Israeli human rights organisation B'Tselem,” which the interviewer, Glenna Milberg incorrectly dismissed as “factually incorrect.” Larkin “outlined Israel's deliberate targeting of civilians, restrictions on humanitarian aid and attacks on churches, schools and other places of worship,” and Milberg again “interrupted and said his account was ‘factually not correct.'” The Middle East Eye writes that the exchange was then “cut short when Milberg said she was being told they had to wrap up the interview.”* Turning to Texas, NOTUS reports Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico – capitalizing on the acrimonious primary battle between sitting Republican Senator John Cornyn and his victorious primary opponent Texas AG Ken Paxton – has taken the extraordinary step of bringing a Cornyn aide onto his campaign. According to this piece, “Jacob Smith, who worked for Cornyn for five years as a deputy legislative director and policy adviser, is taking on the role of deputy policy director for Talarico's campaign.” In a statement, Smith said that he is “proud” to join Talarico's campaign and that “Instead of playing partisan politics, Talarico speaks to the needs of everyday people who day in and day out work too hard for too little.” Smith also laid into Paxton, calling him “the most corrupt, self-dealing politician in Texas who would sell their futures to the highest contributor just to hold onto power,” and urging “fellow Republicans who know Ken Paxton is unfit to serve in the Senate to finally hold him accountable at the ballot box.” This piece quotes an anonymous “Republican operative” who characterized this kind of “cross-party hire” as “unheard of.” He added that Talarico has a “better chance than any Democrat has had in the state in a very long time.”* In more primary news, last week we discussed the victory of former Hartford, Connecticut Mayor Luke Bronin over 14-term incumbent Congressman John Larson. That same day, the Lever published an exposé of Stephen Mandel, a Connecticut-based billionaire hedge fund manager and Democratic mega-donor who is the “largest bankroller of a nascent political machine promising to ‘redefine' the Democratic Party.” Via two organizations – Majority Democrats and the Bench – Mandel and his wife have funneled tens of millions of dollars to candidates of their choosing in an attempt to form a “new [political] center.” According to this report, Bronin amassed a “sizable war chest,” during his primary challenge against Larson, much of which traces back to Mandel. Not only that, apparently, Bronin “used to be on the payroll of a nonprofit funded by the billionaire,” and his campaign's policy stances reflect the network's preferences and priorities. The Lever notes that, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Mandels did not return their requests for comment.* In more Connecticut news, in the wake of Larson's defeat, local media is beginning to question whether Senator Richard Blumenthal should run for another term in 2028, with WTNH noting that he will be 82 at the end of his current term. While Blumenthal has not formally announced that he will run for a fourth senate term, he did confirm that he has a campaign committee and it is raising money. This piece notes that Blumenthal is the second oldest member of Connecticut's congressional delegation, behind only Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, 83, who represents the state's third congressional district. With the increased scrutiny on aging Democrats, and donors like Stephen Mandel bankrolling primary challenges by younger candidates, Blumenthal's decision of whether or not to run or anoint a successor could prove critical. For his part, Blumenthal is quoted saying “Age is a state of mind…and I am very, very happy doing my job right now, as energetically as I feel is appropriate.”* Senator Blumenthal features prominently in another story this week from a different part of Washington. NOTUS reports that on K Street, lobbyists for the defense industry – literally the military industrial complex – are “girding for aggressive investigations of President Donald Trump's Pentagon and the companies that do business with it,” if the Democrats retake one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections. This piece emphasizes that Democrats have “spent two years seething that the Trump administration shut Congress out of decisions about the Pentagon, from the Iran war to politically connected contractors and a defense budget that's ballooned to $1.5 trillion.” Lobbyists are reported to be particularly wary of their clients being caught between outraged congressional Democrats and an uncooperative White House for the next two years. Blumenthal, the top Democrat on the Senate Investigations Subcommittee, is already zeroing in on 1789 Capital, where Donald Trump Jr. is an investor, and American Ventures, where Eric Trump is an investor, both of which received billions of dollars in government awards. He is quoted saying “We need to look into whether Trump's sons are profiting from investments in defense contractors that involve insider information or contracts awarded in ways that compromise defense interests.” Other investigations he signaled they might pursue include a probe of “the administration's growing reliance on single-source contracts and whether the administration has given preferential treatment to companies with political ties, particularly those that donated to Trump's White House ballroom project.” In the House, Democrats on the Armed Services Committee will likely focus on “military strategy, acquisition decisions and the Pentagon's rapidly growing budget,” while the Oversight Committee, is more focused on “corruption, conflicts of interest, companies connected to Trump allies such as SpaceX and other ethics issues.” When Republicans won control of the House, Senate, and presidency in 2024, many lobbying firms axed their Democratic staff. It seems they are beginning to regret that decision.* Our next two stories have to do with the AI boom. First, in Wisconsin, the politics of AI data centers have come to in large part define the ongoing race to succeed Democrat Tony Evers as Governor. DSA-backed candidate Francesca Hong rode her vow of a moratorium on new data center construction to front-runner status in the primary, only to lose by a hair to Evers' last minute chosen successor, David Crowley. Since becoming the nominee, Crowley has refused to adopt Hong's signature issue and his opponent, Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany is taking full advantage. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Tiffany's campaign has released a new TV ad labeling his opponent “data center David Crowley.” In the ad, Crowley is “seen saying Wisconsin has the opportunity to be ‘an AI and a data hub not only for the entire country, but for the entire globe.'” Ironically, Tiffany himself has cast “pro-data center votes in Congress” and Crowley's campaign argues that Tiffany “wouldn't be as hard on developers as his campaign claims,” though he is now campaigning on “ending state subsidies for data centers and creating additional protections for ratepayers and the state's farmland and water.”* Next, a stunning feat of reporting by 404 Media exposed how “Amazon is buying massive quantities of books, scanning them for AI training data, and destroying them in the process.“ To investigate this, the outlet placed a tracking device in a rare book that they suspected would be acquired by an AI company for training data. Then, when indeed it was, they followed the book around the country to its final destination – an Amazon warehouse in Las Vegas, Nevada – where employees say that “all [they] do is scan books..Some are assigned to cut books, and others go to receive where they get books and scan the bar codes.” The printed book is destroyed in the process. The logo of the Amazon team that works at this warehouse, called VGT3, is a dinosaur, brandishing its teeth and with a book in its hands. The piece notes that the AI company Anthropic has previously been sued for engaging in the practice of destroying rare books in order to feed them into their large language models, or LLMs, on copyright grounds, but the “judge in the lawsuit ruled it was fair use and not a copyright violation for Anthropic to scan a book for training data in part because it destroyed the original, printed copy.” The author of this piece notes that these rare books are not necessarily monetarily valuable – they could be rare because “not many copies of them were ever printed,” or “they are in a foreign language not many people speak.” Still, as one bookseller said “There are different types of value…[besides monetary value] There's historical value, intellectual value, sentimental value. All sorts of things, and all of those the AI companies don't care about. They just want the content as a bunch of words strung together.”* Finally, we turn to the Vatican, where, Drop Site reports, Pope Leo XIV is using his pulpit to call for the opening of humanitarian corridors for civilians in Sudan. In his weekly Angelus address, the first American Pope highlighted “the plight of civilians in the besieged city of el-Obeid.” In addition to his call for humanitarian corridors, the pontiff called for both sides to “cease attacks on civilian targets.” Drop Site explains that El-Obeid, the largest city in Kordofan – the region comprising central Sudan – has faced intense drone attacks as the rebels of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) battle the Sudanese army for supremacy in the region. An RSF siege has “left over 500,000 people in famine conditions for months and without supplies.” The United Nations warns that if El-Obeid falls, it could follow in the mold of el-Fasher, which fell to the RSF last year and resulted in “mass ethnic cleansing massacres by the RSF that killed an estimated 60,000 people.” We can only hope that the world will heed the Pope's plea for peace and humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Sudan.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Talking Points Memo’s Josh Marshall stops by to talk about Trump’s historically low approval rating.Then we’ll talk to the Brennan Center’s Michael Waldman about election security heading into the midterms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's no secret that 250 years later, we are still trying to define “liberty and justice for all,” the values at the foundation of America's creation.The dark parts of our nation's history are charged with racism, corruption, police brutality, and inequality. Many of our institutions are still shaped by the same history.On a national level, a president who avoided punishment for his felony convictions, hundreds of unwarranted ICE arrests with no investigation, and more than 3 million pages of incriminating information against our nation's wealthiest with no arrests to date.Now more than ever, accountability seems to be different depending on your racial, political, or economic status.But this lack of accountability doesn't stop at the federal level. It trickles down into our local institutions.We're talking about the topic on this hour of All Sides.Guests:Jillian Snider, adjunct lecturer, John Jay College of Criminal JusticeSarah Chayes, author, On Corruption in America, former NPR reporterKyle Strickland, attorney, former CCPRB memberDaniel Weiner, senior director, Brennan Center's Elections & Government Programphoto: J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Headed into the US midterm elections season, the information environment continues to evolve. Millions of people now use AI chatbots, both to retrieve information about elections and to create it. Last week, the Brennan Center for Justice put out an expert brief tackling the question, “Does AI Fight or Fuel Election Disinformation?” Justin Hendrix spoke to one of its authors, Lawrence Norden, vice president of the Elections and Government Program at the Brennan Center.

In an era of executive overreach, Congress and the Supreme Court are becoming less effective at reigning in presidential power. America's three branches of government–the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial–were created to regulate each other. But the nation's founders didn't anticipate headwinds like the rise of modern political parties. A healthier inter-branch dynamic is needed, says a panel of leading scholars, to create a stable environment for the American concept of government to succeed. Journalist John Dickerson leads a conversation with Georgetown Law Professor Stephen Vladeck, Harvard Law Professor Jack Goldsmith, and Maya Kornberg, a senior research fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice.

A new report from Virginia State University reveals disparities related to education level, employment and household wealth for Black men and boys in America. On today’s “Closer Look with Rose Scott,” Dr. Wes Bellamy joins us to examine the findings and hear solutions to closing these economic related gaps. Bellamy is the executive director of the John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership and an associate professor of political science and public administration at VSU. Also, the midterm elections are fast approaching, and the Brennan Center for Justice is closely monitoring potential changes impacting the nation's election systems. Wendy Weiser, the Brennan Center’s vice president for democracy, says this is due to the Trump Administration's messaging regarding sending ICE and other federal agents to polling sites to monitor and possibly intimidate voters. On today’s show, Weiser reveals the laws and safeguards that are in place to prevent unlawful disruptions, and shares what citizens should do to protect their right to vote. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congress can't solve America's biggest challenges if it's stuck—and this conversation explored why, and what it will take to move forward.On August 5, Dr. Maya Kornberg, Senior Research Fellow at the Brennan Center ‪and author of "STUCK: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress", and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), examined the forces that keep Congress from delivering results, including relentless fundraising demands, the growing threat of political violence, media incentives, and outdated institutional structures. Despite these barriers, both speakers emphasized that meaningful reform is possible through stronger ethics rules, campaign finance reform, better-resourced congressional staff, and a renewed commitment to making government work for the people it serves. They also challenged Americans to embrace a forward-looking vision of democracy that reflects the nation's growing diversity rather than clinging to the past.The discussion closed with a clear reminder that protecting democracy requires more than voting—it demands sustained civic engagement. With Election Day approaching, attendees were encouraged to take action every day by organizing, advocating, and helping build a government that truly represents the American people.Check out Dr. Maya Kornberg's book STUCK here:https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/54126/stuck?utmLearn more about the Brennan Center for Justice here:https://www.brennancenter.org/ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:Maya L. Kornberg, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow and manager at NYU Law's Brennan Center for Justice. She is the author of the book “Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress” (Johns Hopkins University Press) and “Inside Congressional Committees: Function and Dysfunction in Lawmaking” (Columbia University Press). Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, NPR, BBC, The New York Times, Newsweek, The Hill, Slate, and other outlets.Congresswoman Lauren Underwood represents Illinois' 14th Congressional District and is the first woman, first person of color, and first millennial to serve her community in Congress. A registered nurse, she is the co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, leading efforts to improve maternal health outcomes and eliminate disparities. She also serves as Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee and on the House Appropriations Committee. Before Congress, Rep. Underwood served as a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she helped implement the Affordable Care Act and strengthen the nation's public health. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigtentnews.substack.com

The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Aug. 3, 2026Virginia's Governor Has Restored Rights to Over 66,000 Formerly Incarcerated Citizens. November's Question 3 Would Make it Automatic.Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger announced July 31st that she has restored the voting and civil rights to over 66,000 formerly incarcerated citizens since she took office in January.   Virginia is only one of three states where withholding those rights remains in the state constitution.Some podcasting platforms strip out our links.  To read our resources and see the whole script of today's report, please go to our website at https://AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgToday's LinksArticles & Resources:Office of the Governor - Governor Spanberger Restores Voting Rights for More Than 66,000 Virginians Virginia Mercury - Spanberger restores voting rights to more than 60,000 VirginiansNAACP Virginia State Conference - NAACP Virginia State Conference Commends Governor Spanberger for Restoring Voting Rights to More Than 66,000 Virginians BallotPedia - Virginia Question 3, Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Upon Release Amendment (2026) Brennan Center for Justice - Can People Convicted of a Felony Vote?  Commonwealth of Virginia - Restoration of Rights ProcessRelated ADM Reports:American Democracy Minute - (2023) Virginia's Governor Ended Automatic Voting Rights Restoration for 12,000 Returning Felons this Year.  A State Error Almost Disenfranchised 3,400 More.Groups Taking Action: The Advancement Project, Restoration of Rights Project, Fair Elections CenterRegister or Check Your Voter Registration:U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your StateFind all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.orgSubscribe for FREE at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most podcasting platforms.#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #RightsRestoration #Virginia #GovSpanberger #ReturningCitizens

Photo: Santa Fe Indian School campus. (Courtesy Administration for Native Americans for Children & Families) U.S. Rep Melanie Stansbury (D-NM) introduced two bills this week to modernize the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and potentially bring higher teacher salaries and more federal funding for tribal schools. KUNM's Jeanette DeDios (Jicarilla Apache and Diné) has more. The Indigenous Students Excel through Parity Act and its supporting Act II bill would create a study under the Department of Interior (DOI) to recommend reforms in order to provide funds that could increase teacher pay, and provide more educational opportunities. An identical bill is sponsored in the Senate by U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY). DOI administers BIE, which funds 183 schools across the country. New Mexico has one of the highest concentrations of BIE-funded schools with 44. Despite this, Rep. Stansbury says BIE schools have traditionally been underfunded, but they are competing with state-funded schools to recruit teachers. “So what this bill would do is study the current formula funds that are allocated per student to these tribally controlled schools to evaluate one how to increase funding per student, how to address increasing teacher and staff pay, and how to make sure that those schools who have extra costs and needs can have their needs met.” Stansbury says the goal of the bills is to bring teacher salaries in tribal schools up to the same level as those in state-funded schools. “If you’re a teacher, I mean, think about it, and you really want to work in a tribal community, whether you are a Native person yourself or not. And you’re looking at the difference of getting paid, let’s say, $50,000 by the federal government versus going and teaching in APS (Albuquerque Public Schools) making $60,000, you know, you’re going to have to make that economic decision for yourself and your family, and so we don’t want teachers to have to make that decision. We want teachers to be teaching in the schools they want to.” The proposed bill does not have a cost included with it, but if the study recommendations are enacted, BIE would have to boost funding for tribal schools. Jaynie Parrish and her father drop off ballots at the one county ballot box in their town of Kayenta, Ariz., left, and members of Arizona Native Vote's Hopi team, the Firekeepers, register younger community members in Bacavi, Ariz. (Photos: Jason Biggs / courtesy Jaynie Parrish) The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day can still be counted. While the move is a win for Arizona’s Indigenous voters, it highlights the challenges Native people still face in rural parts of the state, as Mark Moran reports. Voting rights advocates say the debate highlights the challenges Native people face in trying to submit a ballot in person. The sheer geography, vast distances between physical polling places, and lack of transportation all present obstacles for Indigenous voters. In many places, the nearest polling place may be miles away, but Arizona Native Vote’s Jaynie Parrish says many people on reservations also lack physical addresses, which creates its own set of problems. “Even in some rural towns, they have physical addressing, but not on a lot of Tribal lands. We still predominantly use PO boxes. That means we have to go to a U.S. Post Office or another location to pick up mail, but our folks still vote by mail.” The Trump administration has pushed back on the high court’s ruling, asking justices to allow the president’s executive order to be implemented. The attempt to reject mail-in ballots received after Election Day is among a host of bold policy choices under the Trump administration. Parrish also points to efforts to challenge voter citizenship, which she says hit especially hard on Native reservations. “It’s just absurd. You get a look on people’s face when we have to explain this or when they hear about the news or what this means, and it’s another barrier. And it’s ridiculous to ask First Peoples, Indigenous Peoples of their citizenship.” According to research from the Brennan Center, Indigenous voters were about 7% less likely to cast their ballot by mail in the last General Election, reflecting a wider lack of participation among Natives. Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up for our daily newsletter today. Download our NV1 Android or iOs App for breaking news alerts. Check out today’s Native America Calling episode Thursday, July 30, 2026 — The Menu: food heals in books ‘Our Knives Will Save Us’ and ‘Raven, Rising’

Overwhelming majorities of voters think that corruption is a problem, according to research from the Brennan Center for Justice. Democrats plan on making allegations of corruption a key part of their midterm strategies, but will that succeed in getting voters' support?This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, congressional reporter Eric McDaniel, and senior political correspondent Mara Liasson.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Subscribe now for ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content. Is Congress irreparably broken or temporarily stuck as it fails to act as a co-equal branch of government willing to check a rogue executive? And how did it get this way? In the aftermath of Vietnam and Watergate, the winds of political change swept young, ambitious reformers into the halls of Congress, and they left an important legislative legacy. But in the decades since, Congress' potential to affect meaningful change — and prevent unnecessary wars — has been whittled away. Maya Kornberg is here to explain why. Maya Kornberg is a senior research fellow at NYU Law's Brennan Center for Justice, and the author of Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress. Further listening: Iran and the Laws of War w/ Adil Haque Obama and Libya w/ Jeremi Suri

On today's podcast, Executive Editor Natalie Orpett sits down with Liza Goitein and Joseph Nunn of the Liberty and Security Program at the Brennan Center, and Lawfare Senior Editor Loren Voss. They talk about the state laws governing the National Guard—what they allow, what they prohibit, and what it means for domestic deployments in the United States. What is the National Guard allowed to do, especially when operating in a hybrid status where the mission is defined by the president but the governor retains command and control? State laws are complex, varied, and sometimes facially unconstitutional. The Brennan Center recently published a compendium of those state laws at https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/state-and-territorial-laws-governing-national-guard. To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're about 110 days out from the midterms, and the threats to our elections are mounting. This week alone, President Trump fired all remaining members of the Election Assistance Commission, the federal agency that helps states fund and administer elections. At the same time, a federal judge blocked baseless subpoenas targeting election workers in Fulton County, while the Department of Justice sent threatening letters to election officials across the country.On this week's episode of The Briefing, Michael Waldman is joined by fellow Brennan Center experts to break down the federal government's latest attacks on our elections — and the relentless work to push back and protect the vote.Recorded on July 13, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:1) Talks between the US and Iran over a permanent peace deal are continuing, according to an American official, despite clashes that threatened to shatter an already fragile ceasefire. The US is still committed to finding a diplomatic solution with Iran, with ongoing discussions described as technical talks, aiming to agree a permanent peace by around mid-August. The US and Iran are trying to resolve issues including the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, with the US seeking a moratorium on Iran enriching uranium and the relinquishment of existing stocks of near-bomb grade uranium.2) President Trump fired two Democratic members of the US Election Assistance Commission, and the Republican member resigned, according to a White House official. The commission's bipartisan mission is to help election officials improve the administration of elections and help Americans participate in the voting process, as stated on its website. The terminations were called "deeply concerning" by Michael Waldman, president of the Brennan Center for Justice, who said they leave the agency without leadership and unable to carry out its major responsibilities.3) SK Hynix's US debut is paving the way for a fresh wave of leveraged products tied to the South Korean memory giant's shares. At least half a dozen products will launch next week, delivering two times the daily return of SK Hynix's American depositary receipts, with some preparing inverse wagers. The emergence of leveraged ETFs is not viewed as a healthy sign as it may be indicative of late-cycle retail behavior and could fuel already heightened volatility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss why an insurgent candidate with so many red flags got so far, how shocking new details about Trump's 2025 income show billions in earnings while those who bought his crypto lost billions, and what everyone lost when the president decided World Cup rules didn't apply to us.For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David talk with guest Jesse Wegman, Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, about his new book The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution. Wilson, a Scottish-born delegate at the Constitutional Convention, argued that the people—not the states—held true governing power, pushing for a directly elected president, only to be erased from history after his career collapsed into debt and disgrace. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily Bazelon talks with Senator Chris Murphy about his new book, Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America. Murphy lays out a provocative agenda for Democrats to call Americans to national service, break up corporate power, rebuild local communities, and create a bigger tent that reaches disaffected conservatives hungry for change. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Nina Porzucki Research by Emily DittoYou can find the full Political Gabfest show pages here. 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. Find out more about David Plotz's monthly tours of Ft. DeRussy, the secret Civil War fort hidden in Rock Creek Park. Follow@SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfestNeed to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss why an insurgent candidate with so many red flags got so far, how shocking new details about Trump's 2025 income show billions in earnings while those who bought his crypto lost billions, and what everyone lost when the president decided World Cup rules didn't apply to us.For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David talk with guest Jesse Wegman, Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, about his new book The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution. Wilson, a Scottish-born delegate at the Constitutional Convention, argued that the people—not the states—held true governing power, pushing for a directly elected president, only to be erased from history after his career collapsed into debt and disgrace. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily Bazelon talks with Senator Chris Murphy about his new book, Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America. Murphy lays out a provocative agenda for Democrats to call Americans to national service, break up corporate power, rebuild local communities, and create a bigger tent that reaches disaffected conservatives hungry for change. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Nina Porzucki Research by Emily DittoYou can find the full Political Gabfest show pages here. 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. Find out more about David Plotz's monthly tours of Ft. DeRussy, the secret Civil War fort hidden in Rock Creek Park. Follow@SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz discuss why an insurgent candidate with so many red flags got so far, how shocking new details about Trump's 2025 income show billions in earnings while those who bought his crypto lost billions, and what everyone lost when the president decided World Cup rules didn't apply to us.For this week's Slate Plus bonus episode, Emily, John, and David talk with guest Jesse Wegman, Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, about his new book The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution. Wilson, a Scottish-born delegate at the Constitutional Convention, argued that the people—not the states—held true governing power, pushing for a directly elected president, only to be erased from history after his career collapsed into debt and disgrace. In the latest Gabfest Reads, Emily Bazelon talks with Senator Chris Murphy about his new book, Crisis of the Common Good: The Fight for Meaning and Connection in a Broken America. Murphy lays out a provocative agenda for Democrats to call Americans to national service, break up corporate power, rebuild local communities, and create a bigger tent that reaches disaffected conservatives hungry for change. Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com. (Messages may be referenced by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Nina Porzucki Research by Emily DittoYou can find the full Political Gabfest show pages here. 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. Find out more about David Plotz's monthly tours of Ft. DeRussy, the secret Civil War fort hidden in Rock Creek Park. Follow@SlateGabfest on X / https://twitter.com/SlateGabfest Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Michael is joined by Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, for a wide-ranging conversation on the power of coalition building in a moment of deep challenge. Drawing on her experience as a lifelong activist and the daughter of influential organizers, Wiley offers perspective and stresses urgency. At a time marked by rising discriminatory rhetoric, the weaponization of government power, and growing concerns about corruption, she offers a clear sense of what comes next and why collective action still matters.Check out Maya Wiley's memoir here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/maya-wiley/remember-you-are-a-wiley/9781538739952/ Recorded on July 7, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

Part 1: We talk with Michael Tomasky, editor of The New Republic.We discuss his novel, "Killing Baby Hitler."We also discuss how the middle class in the US has been eroded by the Republican party with their policies. What should Democrats do?Part 2:We talk with Jesse Wegman, a senior fellow with the Office of the President at the Brennan Center.We discuss the importance of one of the original Founders, James Wilson, and his ideas, which varied from the prevailing ideas of government role and responsibilities at the time of the formation of the US. Most of the Founders were rich men who expected the government to serve them, rather than the populace at large. Wilson's ideas were different.  WNHNFM.ORG  productionMusic: "That's how every empire falls, " John Prine

Senior Fellow in the Office of the President at the Brennan Center for Justice and journalist Jesse Wegman discusses his new book, The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

The Supreme Court is reshaping the balance of power in America—and understanding what comes next has never been more important.On Monday, June 29, in this timely BigTentUSA conversation, Michael Waldman, President and CEO of the Brennan Center‬, joined Boston Globe journalist Kimberly Atkins Stohr to unpack the Court's most consequential rulings of the term and what they mean for democracy, civil rights, immigration, executive power, and the rule of law. They explored landmark decisions limiting nationwide injunctions, expanding presidential authority, and signaling a diminished role for Congress, while emphasizing the real-world consequences these rulings will have for Americans. Throughout the discussion, the speakers stressed that the Constitution ultimately depends on an engaged public and accountable elected leaders. They urged viewers to stay informed, support organizations defending democratic institutions, advocate for a stronger Congress, and participate in every election.The message was clear: protecting democracy isn't someone else's job—it's a responsibility that belongs to all of us.Request letters for letter writing from BigTent:https://bigtentusa.org/act-now/ Check out the Brennan Center for Justice website:https://www.brennancenter.org/Learn more about Michael Waldman here:https://www.brennancenter.org/about/l...Check out Kimberly's work here:https://www.bostonglobe.com/about/sta... ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:Michael Waldman is president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. A nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to improve systems of democracy and justice so they work for all, the Brennan Center is a leading national voice on voting rights, money in politics, criminal justice reform, and constitutional law. Waldman is a constitutional lawyer and writer who is an expert on the presidency and American democracy. He has led the Center since 2005. He was a member of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States in 2021.Kimberly Atkins Stohr is a senior opinion writer and columnist at The Boston Globe. She is also an MSNBC contributor, a frequent panelist on NBC's “Meet the Press,” and co-host of the weekly Politicon legal news podcast "#SistersInLaw". Previously, Kim was the inaugural columnist for The Emancipator, a collaboration between The Boston Globe and Boston University's Center for Antiracist Research that reframes the conversation about racial justice and equality. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bigtentnews.substack.com

As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, the Supreme Court has ended its term with a slew of rulings that further undermine our constitutional system of checks and balances and allow more money to flood our political system.What do the Court's most recent rulings mean for executive power? Where does Congress fit in? Can any campaign finance regulation ever be legal? Is birthright citizenship living on borrowed time? How can we fight back? These are some of the questions Brennan Center experts discuss in-depth in this week's episode. Take a listen and share with friends.Recorded on July 1, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

HER 250, Episode 2: Race, Erasure, and the Women Who Were Told to Wait Their TurnIn 1913, more than five thousand women marched on Washington to demand the vote — and Black women were told to march at the back. Ida B. Wells refused.In Episode Two of HER 250, Dr. Crystallee Crain pulls apart the suffrage movement's celebrated history to show what it cost the women it left behind. She names what's usually left out of the textbooks: Elizabeth Cady Stanton's documented opposition to Black men receiving the vote before "educated" white women,and Susan B. Anthony's strategic distancing of the movement from Black suffragists to preserve support among white Southern women.Then she turns to the women who built power anyway. Ida B. Wells, born into slavery in 1862, founded the first Black women's suffrage club in Chicago and stepped back into a segregated march rather than accept the back of the line. Mary Church Terrell co-founded the National Association of Colored Women in 1896, building national infrastructure for Black women's civic power at a time when white-led organizations shut the door. And Fannie Lou Hamer — sharecropper, organizer, and survivor of a forced sterilization she later named the "Mississippi appendectomy" — delivered 1964 Democratic National Convention testimony so powerful that President Lyndon Johnson called an emergency press conference just to keep it off live television. It aired anyway.The episode closes with Dr. Crain connecting this history to Kimberlé Crenshaw's 1989 framework of intersectionality — naming what Black women had been living and organizing around for a century before it had a name.References[1] The scale and date of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession is documented by the Brennan Center for Justice, "The 19th Amendment, Explained" (brennancenter.org).[2] The order for Black women to march at the back of the 1913 procession is documented by the National Park Service, "A Noble Endeavor: Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Suffrage" (nps.gov).[3] Elizabeth Cady Stanton's documented opposition to Black men's enfranchisement ahead of white women is sourced from the National Women's History Museum, "Votes for Women Means Votes for Black Women" (womenshistory.org), and corroborated by the Brennan Center for Justice.[4] Susan B. Anthony's strategic distancing from Black suffragists is documented in Paula J. Giddings, Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching (Amistad/HarperCollins, 2008), as referenced by the National Park Service and American Heritage magazine.[5] Ida B. Wells's founding of the Alpha Suffrage Club (January 1913) and her defiance of the segregation order at the Washington march are documented by AAUW (aauw.org), WTTW Chicago, and the National Park Service.[6] Mary Church Terrell's 1896 founding of the National Association of Colored Women is documented by the Brennan Center for Justice and the National Women's History Museum.[7] Fannie Lou Hamer's 1961 forced sterilization, her coining of the term "Mississippi appendectomy," and her August 22, 1964 DNC testimony are documented by PBS American Experience (pbs.org), the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (nmaahc.si.edu), and the Center for Constitutional Rights (ccrjustice.org).[8] Kimberlé Crenshaw's introduction of "intersectionality" is sourced from her foundational paper, "Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics," University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989.SoundEpidemic SoundSeaview Title: Sulu

In this week's episode, Jesse Wegman joins Michael Waldman to discuss his new book, The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution, the first major biography of James Wilson. Wilson was a coauthor of the Constitution (his words: “We the People”). He signed both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, was one of the first Supreme Court justices — and died on the run from the law. Wegman explores Wilson's long-lasting impact, his fall from grace, and the enduring relevance of his expansive vision for American democracy.Recorded on June 23, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

As Trump holds a bipartisan housing bill hostage to disenfranchise voters with the SAVE America Act, one person in America has been given a lifesaving drug and no one knows who it is, plus back-to-back earthquakes rocked Venezuela right as I hit record. Trump Tries to Disenfranchise Voters (Again)-via AP News, NBC News, NBC News, Brennan Center, Native American Rights Fund, and NPR Medical Mystery-via Forbes and STAT News Venezuela-via NBC NewsTake the pledge to be a voter at raisingvoters.org/beavoterDecember.on AmazonSubscribe to the Substack: kimmoffat.substack.comAll episodes can be found at:kimmoffat.com/thenewsAs always, you can find me onInstagram/Twitter/Bluesky @kimmoffat andTikTok @kimmoffatishere

Rebecca, Liz, and Alison speak with Rachel Levinson-Waldman from the Brennan Center for Justice about the Trump administration and current Congress weaponizing the government to attack nonprofits and punish speech and viewpoints they don't like. They explore how executive orders and anti-terrorism statutes are being abused to investigate, defund, and intimidate civil society, and how this strategy is essential to the broader project to transform America from a democracy to an autocracy.   Show Notes Rachel Levinson-Waldman's Bio Brennan Center for Justice  Trump Administration Documents Presidential Memo - "Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence" Bondi Memo - "Implementing National Security Presidential Memorandum-7: Countering Domestic Terrorism" "2026 Counterterrorism Strategy" 2027 FBI Budget Request to Congress Executive Order Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization Department of Justice - "The Biden Administration's Weaponization of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act" Executive Order - "Guaranteeing Fair Banking for All Americans"   Articles and Reactions NPR - "'We're not afraid': George Soros' foundation on being Trump's next target" (Open Society Foundation) Lawfare - "The Politically Motivated Indictment of Southern Poverty Law Center"  Civil Society Rights & Resiliency Resources - Charity & Security Network  "What NIJ Research Tells Us About Domestic Terrorism" Cato at Liberty Blog - "Politically Motivated Violence Is Rare in the United States" (right-wing extremists account for 11% of politically motivated killings, while left-wing extremists account for 2%) Brennan Center for Justice - "Trump's Orders Targeting Anti-Fascism Aim to Criminalize Opposition"  ACLU - "How NSPM-7 Seeks to Use "Domestic Terrorism" to Target Nonprofits and Activists" Just Security - "How Designating Antifa as a Foreign Terrorist Organization Could Threaten Civil Liberties" Lawfare - "The Bondi Memo's Quiet Rewriting of Domestic Terrorism Rules" Lawfare - "You Can't Designate 'Antifa.' Banks and Platforms Will Act Like You Did Anyway"   Check us out on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and X. Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the Ohio Organizing Collective, the state's leading voter registration organization. This is part of the latest and most aggressive escalation in the DOJ's ongoing investigation over alleged voter fraud. This show of force raises serious questions about voting rights, election administration, and public trust in the integrity of elections. In this urgent episode of The Briefing, Michael Waldman breaks down what happened and what this means for the future of American democracy.Recorded on June 16, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

American politics feels like it is increasingly polarized with no end in sight - how exactly did we get here, and is there a way out? Joining me this week is Dr. Maya Kornberg, author of Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress. In this episode we explore the history, challenges, and reforms of Congress of the past 50 years and what lessons we can learn from prior freshman classes in pushing future changes. Our conversation also covers the rise in political violence, the influence of campaign finance, and the of civic engagement. Learn more about Dr. Kornberg's work by visiting her website: mayakornberg.comCheck out the Brennan Center for Justice website here. And be sure to grab your copy of Stuck via my bookshop storefront. Support the show

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is key to U.S. counterterrorism efforts.It authorizes U.S. intelligence agencies to intercept the electronic communications of foreign nationals, outside the United States.But foreign nationals also talk to Americans. And lawmakers in both parties have long protested that this collection of phone calls, text messages and emails allow government agencies to monitor the conversations of Americans without a judicial warrant.And FISA 702 is on a path to expire after Friday.Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice explains her proposal for reform. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Vincent Acovino, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon. It features additional reporting by Eric McDaniel. Our interim executive producer is Courtney Dorning.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

At the beginning of his second administration, Trump said about accusations of corruption and conflicts of interest: “I found out that nobody cared, and I'm allowed to.” According to a new Brennan Center poll, that is emphatically false. Americans care deeply. And they are furious.Voters see corruption as a deep-seated issue embedded in the structure of our government. They are tired of lawmakers serving private interests over their own. And they are hungry for bold, new solutions.Listen as Brennan Center experts break down the findings of our new poll and discuss how lawmakers should respond to their constituents' demands.  Recorded on June 10, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

This month, the Supreme Court will likely finish its work for the year. Already this term, it has aggressively and controversially asserted its authority — most recently gutting the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais.Soon, the Court is expected to rule on cases that could dramatically alter the constitutional order. Some will tell us whether the Court will stand up to Trump's extraordinary bid for expanded executive power. Other cases will determine the future of elections and representation. All will reveal whether the Court is playing its proper role in our democracy at this moment.Listen as experts break down the cases that will matter most and discuss how this Supreme Court will be remembered in the coming years.Speakers:Tom Wolf, Director of Democracy Initiatives, Brennan CenterWilfred Codrington III, Walter Floersheimer Professor of Constitutional Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Host: Michael Waldman, President, Brennan CenterRecorded on June 1, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

Today, there is a great deal of ferment on the right. The primary ideas and policies are very different from those that previously dominated conservative politics. They are obscure and provocative and often run counter to the traditional U.S. embrace of liberalism and constitutional democracy. And they are increasingly influential in Washington and elsewhere.Listen as Laura Field, author of Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right, dives into the characters, ideas, and institutions that have shaped the creation of the intellectual movement behind the MAGA new right.Check out Furious Minds here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691255262/furious-minds?srsltid=AfmBOoozolQd2eDrGtMZLSzjlnw59ENrh-gr034Jfn3H2xN3M1jfO-s3. Recorded on May 22, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

In recent days, the news has been filled with some eyebrow-raising choices by the Trump administration.Like the disclosure of thousands of stock trades, being granted immunity from IRS audits, and the DOJ's nearly $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.These actions have raised questions from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Michael Waldman, president and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice, a non-partisan legal think tank, says these actions amount to "corruption in plain sight." For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Tyler Bartlam and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Peter Ellena and Ted Mebane.It was edited by Tinbete Ermyas.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Here at The Bulletin, we're beginning our summer programming. We'll be re-airing the best segments from the past four years of the show. This week: Christian universities are closing at a notable rate. Alan Nobel joins Russell Moore and Clarissa Moll to discuss the reasons for this trend and the implications. Then, Clarissa talks with author and former Obama speechwriter David Litt about developing an unlikely friendship with his MAGA brother-in-law. Then, we consider how churches can effectively and appropriately engage the world in the age of screens and digital media. REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: It's Only Drowning: A True Story of Learning to Surf and the Search for Common Ground by David Litt GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  Join the conversation at our Substack.  Find us on YouTube.  Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS:  Alan Noble is an associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University and author of numerous books and articles. Alan's writing appears in Modern Reformation, Christianity Today, Vox, Buzzfeed, and The Atlantic.  David Litt is a New York Times bestselling author and a semi-finalist for the James Thurber Prize for American Humor. A former senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama, David was described as "the comic muse for the president" for his work on the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Since leaving the White House, he's written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, TIME, and The Guardian, among others, and served as a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly news analysis podcast from Christianity Today, with editor-at-large Russell Moore and executive editor of news Clarissa Moll. Each episode offers commentary on current events and headlining news with a roundtable of premier guests, and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world   The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tarabuster Tuesdays with Tara Devlin. May 19, 2026

Kareem Crayton, vice president of the Washington, D.C. office and Southern Politics Program lead at the Brennan Center for Justice, assesses whether Karl Rove could be right in saying the GOP redistricting plan could backfire in favor of Democrats, and what it could mean for Black political power.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

The Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais has set off a redistricting race to the bottom. States, particularly in the South, are scrambling to redraw their maps to undercut Black representation — all in the name of partisanship.It marks the end of a project, since the passage of the Voting Rights Act, to restrict the right to vote. And the frenzy that has ensued represents the worst of partisan impulses. Listen as Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, creator of the popular Substack The Long View, and author of the recent book In Defense of Partisanship, discusses how we got here — and how lessons from history can help us develop a more productive two-party system and a more equitable democracy. Check out The Long View here: https://julianzelizer.substack.com.Check out In Defense of Partisanship here: https://globalreports.columbia.edu/books/in-defense-of-partisanship.Recorded on May 20, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

Convicted felon Trump went to China and brought his son Eric along on the nepo-baby express. Eric runs the family business. And by "family business," we mean a transnational crime network of bribes operating like a geopolitical yard sale, selling out our country to the highest bidder. While they were there, Dictator Xi Jinping told the U.S. to back off defending Taiwan. And Trump, in defiance of decades of established U.S. foreign policy, is suddenly sounding suspiciously wishy-washy on approving arms deals for Taiwan. Which is just music to Xi's ears. It's the 1930s all over again, complete with secret alliances of transactional autocrats, and the people forced to build their own resistance networks in the storm.  How do we get through this era without having to literally storm the beaches of Normandy again? To help us figure it out, we're bringing you Part II of our discussion with Ciara Torres-Spelliscy. She is a Brennan Center fellow, a law professor at Stetson University, and the author of Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians. (And if you missed Part I, where we discussed how American corporations funded Trump's violent January 6th coup attempt, go back and listen to it right here). It's easy to despair right now, but the resilience of the people, especially powerful community networks, reminds us that the Constitution still matters, and protects everyone on our soil. We are not powerless against a corporatocracy eager to cash in on transactional autocrats. We just need to confront the absolute, unmitigated disaster that was the Reagan Revolution, undo its damage by building localized power through groups like the States Project, and commit to a relentless, stubborn defiance. We can and will do it, together. Because there's no other choice.  To listen to this full episode, subscribe at the Truth-teller tier, which is just $5 a month, or higher on Patreon. We have discounted annual subscriptions, and you can even give the gift of membership to that uncle who still thinks trickle-down economics works. A massive thank you to everyone who subscribes to Gaslit Nation—we literally could not make this show without you. Show Notes: Corporatocracy How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians https://nyupress.org/9781479828371/corporatocracy/ Corporatocracy - Part I: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/corporatocracy 'No idea it was coming': Pentagon officials stunned by Hegseth decision on troops in Poland https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/14/poland-pentagon-hegseth-troop-withdrawl-surprise-00922169 Eric Trump, Who Runs the Family Business, Hops Along on the Plane to China https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/us/politics/eric-trump-china.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ilA.uxcA.YKSI7CnAWkZs&smid=url-share Poland railway blast was unprecedented act of sabotage, says Donald Tusk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/17/poland-railway-blast-was-unprecedented-act-of-sabotage-says-donald-tusk Opening clip: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mlvc3nzpjc23

Both Democrats and Republicans have turned to redistricting to improve their chances in this fall's midterm elections. But a recent court case striking down a Democrat-leaning redistricting map in Virginia and a Supreme Court decision rolling back the Voting Rights Act, have dimmed hopes for Democrats. All this while Republican state legislatures lock in maps that give their party an edge. We talk about what it all means for the midterm elections and beyond. Guests: Erin Covey, editor of the U.S. House of Representative, The Cook Political Report Kareem Crayton, vice president, Brennan Center for Justice's Washington, D.C. office; Crayton is an expert on redistricting Nick Corasaniti, reporter, the New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gaslit Nation unmasks the real villain: the corporations hijacking our democracy, using Trump as a distraction as they loot and destroy our country. Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a Brennan Center fellow and professor of law at Stetson University College of Law, and author of Corporatocracy: How to Protect Democracy from Dark Money and Corrupt Politicians, explains how corporations funded Trump's violent coup attempt on January 6, 2021.  In Part I of our discussion, Torres-Spelliscy shows us the inner-workings of corporate greed, and why boardrooms are fine with Trump chaos. In Part II of our discussion, out Thursday in our bonus show for Patreon (get access to that for $5/month at the Truth-teller level), we discuss concrete ways to fight back, including as the corporate lobbyists on the Supreme Court kill what's left of the Voting Rights Act, which Americans gave their lives for.  Gaslit Nation is being censored by the corporations that run Big Tech. We see a drop in views after one of our videos, on a topic such as exposing Epstein's transnational crime network, receives a lot of views. We immediately see a drop in viewership of our videos that come after. Your help amplifying Gaslit Nation–sharing our episodes on your social media, joining our Patreon even as a free member to help amplify our voice–makes a big difference in fighting back. America is sinking in a Trumpian swamp of corporate greed and corruption, but the people can and must organize to build a better world–like generations before us who prevailed to give us the rights under attack today.  Thank you for everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you.  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state. Join here! The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult, available on Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world. 

Historian and New York Times bestselling author Jemar Tisby joins Mark Labberton to confront the Supreme Court's 6–3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which has eviscerated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and reopened the door to racial gerrymandering across the South. Recorded in the immediate aftermath, the conversation traces the long arc from the Three-Fifths Clause and Dred Scott through Selma to this hour. "This has landed in the black community harder and heavier than a lot of what we've seen during the Trump administration." In this episode with Mark Labberton, Tisby reflects on the history of black disenfranchisement, the cynicism of colorblind jurisprudence, and what remains of multiracial democracy in America. Together they discuss how the legal architecture of Jim Crow reemerges under neutral language, John Roberts's decades-long campaign against the Voting Rights Act, Justice Kagan's umbrella analogy, the suspension of Louisiana's primary, the black church's response, and why this midterm may be the country's last political chance. Episode Highlights "This has landed in the black community harder and heavier than a lot of what we've seen during the Trump administration, and that's saying a lot." "It boggles the mind that folks sitting on the highest court in the land who have been to all these Ivy League schools, have literally decades of experience, can get it so wrong and stand so arrogantly on such faulty reasoning." "Colorblindness only works if you're starting from a level playing field." "These are not good-faith actors, not people wanting a representative democracy, but people wanting to consolidate power, which we call minority rule." "If you can't win on the merits of what you believe, then you have to rig the system so that no one can get you out of office." About Jemar Tisby Jemar Tisby is a New York Times bestselling author, historian, speaker, and professor of history at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically black college in Louisville. He holds a BA from the University of Notre Dame, an MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary, and a PhD in history from the University of Mississippi, where he studied race, religion, and social movements in the twentieth century. He is the founder of The Witness, Inc., a black Christian collective, and the author of The Color of Compromise, How to Fight Racism, and The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance. His commentary appears on CNN and in The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, and he writes Footnotes, a top-ranked history publication on Substack. Helpful Links and Resources Jemar Tisby's website: https://jemartisby.com Footnotes by Jemar Tisby (Substack): https://jemartisby.substack.com The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance (most recent book): https://jemartisby.com/the-spirit-of-justice/ The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism (bestseller): https://www.zondervan.com/9780310113607/the-color-of-compromise/ How to Fight Racism: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/how-to-fight-racism-jemar-tisby The Justice Briefing podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/footnotes-with-dr-jemar-tisby/id1460240056 Louisiana v. Callais, opinion of the Court (April 29, 2026): https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-109_21o3.pdf Elie Mystal, "The Supreme Court Has Completed Its Quest to Kill the Voting Rights Act," The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/supreme-court-demolishes-voting-rights-act/ "Sing Out, March On"—Joshuah Campbell's tribute to John Lewis, Harvard 2018 Commencement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=mKNRXQemxWQ NAACP Legal Defense Fund—Louisiana v. Callais case page: https://www.naacpldf.org/case-issue/louisiana-v-callais/ Brennan Center for Justice—Louisiana v. Callais: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/louisiana-v-callais Show Notes Why this conversation now: the SCOTUS ruling on the Voting Rights Act last week News breaking through a group text of lawyers, organizers, clergy, nonprofit leaders "This has landed in the black community harder and heavier than a lot of what we've seen during the Trump administration." John Lewis, SNCC, and the march from Selma to Montgomery A baton hard enough to crack the skull, the hardest bone in the body "It boggles the mind that folks sitting on the highest court in the land…can get it so wrong and stand so arrogantly on such faulty reasoning." Allen Temple Baptist in Oakland—watermelons, bubbles, and jelly beans on a Sunday morning The Three-Fifths Clause and the architecture of representation Dred Scott v. Sandford—"property can't sue" Reconstruction Amendments: 13th, 14th, 15th—birthright citizenship newly under threat Jim Crow's neutral codes: poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses Voting Rights Act of 1965 as the culmination of the civil rights movement Edmund Pettus Bridge—Bloody Sunday going viral in its day LBJ signs the bill with Rosa Parks and MLK in the room Elie Mystal in The Nation: gerrymandering with plausible deniability—https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/supreme-court-demolishes-voting-rights-act/ Shelby County v. Holder, 2013—preclearance gutted Roberts's tautology—stop discriminating to stop discrimination "Colorblindness only works if you're starting from a level playing field." Cast and umbrella analogies for premature dismantling of civil rights remedies Plaintiff Bert Callais's January 6 ties; Louisiana's roughly one-third black population Governor Jeff Landry's emergency order suspends Louisiana's May primary mid-election "These are not good faith actors…people wanting to consolidate power, which we call minority rule." "If you can't win on the merits of what you believe, then you have to rig the system so that no one can get you out of office." The activism horizon—courts, churches, voter registration, midterm turnout, NAACP, LDF, Brennan Center The last political chance before competitive authoritarianism #VotingRightsAct #JemarTisby #LouisianaVCallais #SCOTUS #CivilRights #BlackChurch #FaithAndJustice #SelmaToMontgomery #Democracy #MarkLabberton Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

We discuss the myriad of ways to fix Congress, ranging from campaign finance reform and age limits to town hall meetings and stopping violence against members of Congress.    Maya's civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Engage with your member of Congress! Share what matters for you and demand your member to take action   Maya Kornberg is senior research fellow at NYU Law's Brennan Center for Justice and author of Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress.   Let's connect! Follow Future Hindsight on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/futurehindsightpod/   Discover new ways to #BetheSpark:  https://www.futurehindsight.com/spark    Follow Mila on X:  https://x.com/milaatmos    Follow Maya on X:  https://x.com/KornbergMaya    Read Stuck:  https://bookshop.org/shop/futurehindsight    Sponsor:  Thank you to Shopify! Sign up for a $1/month trial at shopify.com/hopeful.   Early episodes for Patreon supporters: https://patreon.com/futurehindsight  Credits:  Host: Mila Atmos  Guests: Maya Kornberg Executive Producer: Zack Travis Executive Editor: Mila Atmos

The Supreme Court last week dealt a major blow to the Voting Rights Act, the 1965 landmark law long celebrated as the crown jewel of the civil rights era. In a 6-3 ruling along ideological lines, the conservative majority dismantled the remaining protections guaranteeing the equal opportunity for fair representation. Scott and Marisa discuss what the decision means for 2026 elections and beyond with Kareem Crayton, vice president of the Washington office of the Brennan Center for Justice. Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown's weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does it feel like Congress can't get anything done — even when the stakes are so high? In this episode, I'm joined by political scientist and senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, Maya L. Kornberg, to discuss her book Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress. Drawing on congressional records and interviews with lawmakers, Maya reveals a system under strain — shaped by relentless fundraising, shrinking staff capacity, the pressures of social media, and even the threat of political violence. But this isn't just a diagnosis. It's also a roadmap for reform — and a conversation about how Congress could actually start working again.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, allows government agencies to collect information about foreign nationals located abroad. That surveillance can happen without a warrant and the government can order email providers to turn over any messages of a particular foreigner, including those with a U.S. citizen.Section 702 is set to expire this week. President Donald Trump has called for its extension, but there are Congressional lawmakers in both parties who oppose the kind of surveillance the law allows for. Elizabeth Goitein at the Brennan Center for Justice has testified before Congress advocating for reform of the law. She says right now it lets agencies search through Americans' sensitive data.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, allows government agencies to collect information about foreign nationals located abroad. That surveillance can happen without a warrant and the government can order email providers to turn over any messages of a particular foreigner, including those with a U.S. citizen.Section 702 is set to expire this week. President Donald Trump has called for its extension, but there are Congressional lawmakers in both parties who oppose the kind of surveillance the law allows for. Elizabeth Goitein at the Brennan Center for Justice has testified before Congress advocating for reform of the law. She says right now it lets agencies search through Americans' sensitive data.

Today on the Gist, the US and Iran are supposedly in peace talks, but the real terror might just be the Iranian Navy's choice of "loose ski masks." Then, Maya Kornberg from the Brennan Center for Justice joins the show to discuss her new book, Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress. A look back at wave elections, like the class of '74 and the '94 Gingrich revolution, explains how procedural changes, centralized party power, and the gutting of independent expertise have led to today's dysfunctional legislative branch. Finally, in the spiel, looking back at the blocked JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger now that the Trump administration is proposing a government bailout for the failing carrier. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@amplitudemediapartners.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Michael dives into the complexities of institutional risk aversion, using the Marshall fire and Xcel Energy as a case study. He argues that the company's decision to shut off power during adverse conditions is a disproportionate response to the risk, and that the real issue lies in the underlying infrastructure. Michael also touches on the topic of the Save Act and the importance of addressing election integrity. He shares some surprising statistics on voter fraud, citing the Heritage Foundation and the Brennan Center. This episode explores the intersection of policy, politics, and the pursuit of truth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.