Podcast appearances and mentions of Dick Durbin

Episode #220 of the PricePlow Podcast brings Ben Kane and guest host Joey Savage to Washington, DC for the 2026 NPA (Natural Products Association) Fly-In Day. Their guest on the US Capitol steps at sunset: Uday Gosalia, founder of UGo Beyond and a proud advisor to Future Nutra. This year’s trip had a sharper edge than most. For the first time in several years, the industry came to DC specifically in opposition to active legislation, not just to make a general case. Two bills are in play: Senator Dick Durbin’s Dietary Supplement Listing Act of 2026 (S.3677), which would require every supplement SKU registered with the FDA before market entry, and the Dietary Supplement Regulatory Uniformity Act (H.R. 7366), introduced by Rep. Nick Langworthy, which needs a Senate companion to stop states from layering their own supplement restrictions on top of federal law. The conversation covers those two bills, the drug preclusion clause risk, what actually happens when you explain DSHEA to a senator’s staffer, and why consistent DC presence matters more than any single meeting. Our NPA Fly-In Day preparation guide and Episode #100 with NPA CEO Dan Fabricant offer essential background on PricePlow’s history at these events. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and sign up for FDA news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/uday-gosalia-220 Video: Uday Gosalia and Future Nutra Oppose MPL at NPA 2026 Fly-In Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7WBa-IPH5I Detailed Show Notes: Uday Gosalia (UGo Beyond) at the NPA 2026 Fly-In Day (0:00) – Introductions (1:45) – The 2026 NPA Fly-In: Industry on the Offensive (2:15) – Opposing S.3677: The Mandatory Product Listing Problem (5:00) – H.R. 7366: Protecting Supplement Access for Minors (7:15) – HSA/FSA Eligibility and the Enforcement Gap (8:00) – Rep. Jim McGovern: An Unexpected Ally (11:00) – Teaching the Hill: Explaining How Supplements Are Regulated (12:45) – Do Your Legislators Take Supplements? (14:30) – The Ashwagandha “Gotcha” Moment (15:45) – DC Is More Accessible Than You Think Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Uday Gosalia and UGo Beyond LinkedIn: Uday Gosalia (UGo Beyond) Sign Up for FDA News on PricePlow Resources Mentioned in This Episode NMN, FDA, and the Supplement Industry’s Winning Battle Against Pharma NPA Fly-In Day Guide: How to Come Prepared for a “Lobby Day” Dan Fabricant (NPA): Why You Need to Show Up in Washington DC (Episode #100) The NPA is Fighting Dick Durbin’s 2022 Supplement Bill (Episode #067) Thanks to Uday Gosalia for joining from the Capitol steps, and to Joey Savage and Future Nutra for making this episode happen. For anyone ready to get involved in supplement advocacy, our NPA Fly-In D… Read more on the PricePlow Blog

Pat Brady, SVP of Mercury Public Affairs, former Chairman for the Illinois Republican Party, joins Wendy Snyder, filling in for Lisa Dent, to discuss his thoughts on the situation regarding the Bears stadium as we enter the homestretch to the legislative deadline. They later touch on the retirement of Senator Dick Durbin.

Ralph welcomes international security expert Paul Rogers to discuss the US-Israeli war on Iran. Then, Ralph speaks to constitutional law experts Bruce Fein and John Bonifaz about their upcoming impeachment symposium.Paul Rogers is Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies in the Department of Peace Studies and International Relations at Bradford University, and an Honorary Fellow at the Joint Service Command and Staff College. He is open Democracy's international security correspondent.I think if you look at the war overall, then essentially of the three (I use the term as a crude term) participants, the one that is basically doing most badly is the United States, followed by Israel, followed least by Iran. Relatively speaking, the Iranians (particularly the Revolutionary Guard Corps) are closer to where they wanted to be, which is not true of the United States and certainly isn't true to a very large extent of the Israelis as well. In other words, the war is going badly. for the people who are determined to try and defeat Iran.Paul RogersPeople tend to think Iran is on its own against these huge odds. Well, it isn't. In many ways, certainly Russia and certainly China have a real interest in what is happening. But as far as China is concerned, they will not help directly. They will not, in other words, as far as we know, arm Iran without payment. They will see them as a reasonable customer. I think (more widely than we realize) as far as you get away from D.C., then I think you see the world in a rather different way, particularly across the global south it is certainly seen in a different way…And I would come back to a point which I think is a fair point made earlier—essentially, the Iranian Republican Revolutionary Guard Corps has been working towards this time for decades. And they will not be easily dislodged. It could happen eventually, but I think it's highly unlikely.Paul RogersJohn Bonifaz is a constitutional attorney and the co-founder and president of Free Speech For People. Mr. Bonifaz previously served as the executive director and general counsel of the National Voting Rights Institute, and as the legal director of Voter Action. He is the author of Warrior-King: The Case For Impeaching George W. Bush and the co-author (with Ron Fein and Ben Clements) of The Constitution Demands It: The Case For The Impeachment of Donald Trump.Threatening to execute members of Congress is unique to Trump. Kidnapping people off the streets and sending them to foreign torture prisons is unique to Trump. Freezing public funds that have been duly appropriated by the United States Congress and not distributing those funds is unique to Trump. Attacking the United States judiciary, refusing to comply with multiple court orders issued by federal courts across the country is unique to Trump. Engaging in these murders on the high seas…these paramilitary attacks on people in the Pacific and in the Caribbean is unique to Trump. Now, it's true that there have been other violations of the War Powers Clause…But the scale of the War Powers violations today is unique to Trump. And this current new, illegal, and unconstitutional war against Iran is threatening the entire world. And so I think that whether they be Democrats or Republicans or Independents, they have to wake up and recognize they have a duty here.John BonifazBruce Fein is a Constitutional scholar and an expert on international law. Mr. Fein was Associate Deputy Attorney General under Ronald Reagan and he is the author of Constitutional Peril: The Life and Death Struggle for Our Constitution and Democracy, and American Empire: Before the Fall.Ralph, me and John have been trying to impeach Presidents—Democrat, Republican—for decades for these illegalities. The idea that we picked out Trump is absurd. Look at my history. Half of my life has been devoted to getting Presidents impeached and removed from office…So the idea that this is partisan, at least among us, is factually absurd.Bruce FeinI think we need to be even more candid about the nature of the crimes. This is not just illegal wars under the Constitution. He is committing the crime of aggression, the same crime that we sentence Nazis to death at Nuremberg for committing aggression against Poland, against Denmark, against Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, etc.Bruce FeinThis is what is defined as a dictator by any ordinary use of the English language. We need to get away from “authoritarian,” “Oh, he's pushing the envelope.” This is what dictators do. He stated, “I can do anything I want.” And he does it. He kills people. He deports them without due process. He spies on them. He suppresses free speech by using the government to penalize anyone who says anything that's critical, detracts from Mr. Trump. I mean, it is impossible to conceive of the framers thinking anyone like Donald Trump, given his words and his actions, would remain in office more than a fortnight if Congress was doing its duty.Bruce FeinNews 4/3/26* This week, the Trump administration backed down and allowed the Russian oil tanker Anatoly Kolodkin to pass through the American blockade and deliver a shipment of 730,000 barrels of oil to Cuba. The AP writes, the shipment could produce about 180,000 barrels of diesel, enough to feed Cuba's daily energy demand for nine or 10 days. Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío commented on the situation, “The arrival of an oil tanker to a country has likely never generated so much news as the Russian one to Cuba…It's a sign of the brutal siege Cubans endure with heroism and stoicism. It's a demonstration of the criminal cruelty of imperialism against a nation that refuses to be dominated.” Trump's public statements on the matter however loom ominously over the island nation. On Sunday night, Trump told reporters “Cuba's finished…whether or not they get a boat of oil, it's not going to matter.”* In more news of Trump backing down, or “chickening out” as the saying goes, the Wall Street Journal reports that Trump is telling his inner circle that he is willing to end the military operation in Iran without reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he wants the U.S. to stick to its original 4-6 week timeline and focus on “hobbling Iran's navy and its missile stocks…while pressuring Tehran diplomatically.” This report adds that if this fails, Trump plans to “press allies in Europe and the Gulf to take the lead on reopening the strait.” This aligns with Trump's recent statements on Truth Social, telling allies like the UK to “Go get your own oil!” With all of this said, Trump has sent the USS Tripoli and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to the region, is weighing the deployment of another 10,000 ground troops, and is considering a “complex and risky mission to seize the regime's uranium,” all while calling the war an “excursion” and “a lovely stay.”* Meanwhile, 25 Senate Democrats have signed a letter by Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia requesting that Senator Roger Wicker, the Republican Chairman of the Armed Services Committee launch a bipartisan probe – complete with hearings and a report – into the strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School for girls in Minab, Iran at the beginning of the war. This letter notes that the majority of those killed were girls between ages seven and 12. Moreover, this letter implies that the Pentagon chose this target based on wildly outdated intelligence, raising grave questions about the competence of the military apparatus. While several high-ranking Democrats signed this letter, including Dick Durbin and Cory Booker, along with progressives like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's name is nowhere to be found.* Elsewhere in the region, the Israeli Knesset has passed a new law effectively proscribing the death penalty exclusively to Palestinians. Human Rights Watch states “the bill imposes the death penalty for the deliberate killing of a person with the intention of negating the existence of the State of Israel.'” HRW adds that the new law “mandates execution by hanging, restricts access to legal counsel and visits from family members, limits external oversight, and grants immunity to those involved in carrying out executions.” In a piece calling for the immediate repeal of this law, Erika Guevara-Rosas of Amnesty International writes “By authorizing military courts, which have a conviction rate of over 99% for Palestinian defendants and which are notorious for disregarding due process and fair trial safeguards, to impose effectively mandatory death sentences and ordering the execution within just 90 days of the final ruling, Israel is brazenly granting itself carte blanche to execute Palestinians while stripping away the most basic fair-trial safeguards.” In an interview with CNN, Mustafa Barghouti said this law “confirms very serious fascist tendencies in Israel” and “consolidates further the system of apartheid.”* Anti-Palestinian extremism continues to grow within the United States as well. Al Jazeera reports that last week, domestic law enforcement “foiled a plot against prominent Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani in New York City.” Kiswani is the founder of Within Our Lifetime, a pro-Palestine and anti-Zionist group active in the City. The suspect, apprehended by the FBI in an undercover operation, has been identified as a New Jersey man named Andrew Heifler, a young man affiliated with an offshoot of the far-right Jewish Defense League (JDL), described as an extremist group with a history of violent attacks targeting Arab American activists during the 1970s and 1980s. Heifler was reportedly planning to target Kiswani's home with Molotov cocktails. Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the plot, saying “We will not tolerate violent extremism in our city. No one should face violence for their political beliefs or their advocacy…Our city must meet hate with solidarity, and meet fear with an unshakable commitment to justice and to one another.” Kiswani vowed that she “will not stop speaking up for the people of Palestine.”* Also in New York, Congresswoman and possible 2028 presidential candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held a private meeting with the powerful local branch of the Democratic Socialists of America. During this meeting AOC was asked whether she would support the imposition of an arms embargo on Israel. According to City and State NY, AOC affirmed that she would and stated that “The Israeli government should be able to finance their own weapons if they seek to arm themselves.” Pressed on whether she would vote against so-called defensive capabilities – namely the Iron Dome – Rep. Ocasio-Cortez definitively answered “yes.” This marks an evolution of her position; AOC previously voted “present” on a bill to provide $1 billion in funding for the Iron Dome in 2021. Many read this as an acknowledgment from AOC that the politics of this issue have shifted, particularly on the Left, and in order to shore up her progressive support she needs to stake out a bold position now.* Turning to the international progressive movement, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has led Spain in a Leftward direction since 2018 despite the rise of the European Right is convening a summit of progressive forces in Barcelona slated for April 17th and 18th. Sánchez, who has chaired the Socialist International since 2022, emphasized that the Right has “for years woven a network of alliances to propagate their national populist discourses adapted to each country,” and stressed that the Left must do the same to remain politically viable, per El País. Notable attendees include Brazilian President Lula, outgoing Colombian President Gustavo Petro and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. There have been many attempts to unite the international Left, with mixed results, but it is never too late to try.* In our final story on the international Left, the New Democratic Party of Canada – the country's third largest and most progressive major party – has selected former journalist and activist Avi Lewis as their new leader, the BBC reports. This story notes that Lewis' elevation comes in the context of the NDP suffering a steep decline in recent years, going from the main opposition party in 2011, to holding just six seats in Canada's House of Commons today. Lewis – grandson of one of the party's founding members and son of Stephen Lewis, who led the Ontario NDP and served as the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations – ran on a platform designed to revive the struggling party by “prioritising worker rights in the age of artificial intelligence, ending new oil and gas pipelines and projects, and exploring state-owned, non-profit grocery stores.” Despite his illustrious lineage, Lewis holds no seat in parliament and therefore cannot participate in official debates. The NDP faces an uphill climb not only back to power but even to relevance. According to this story, “a quarter of past voters…see the party as ‘irrelevant'...and 40% say its best days are behind it.”* In Los Angeles, a shocking new poll shows City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who entered the race at the last possible moment, in a commanding lead. In this poll, Raman drew 33% support, with incumbent Mayor Karen Bass trailing at 17%, statistically tied with another insurgent progressive candidate, Rae Huang. Other candidates – tech executive Adam Miller and former reality television personality and registered Republican Spencer Pratt – round out the field with 13% and 12% respectively. This poll appears to be an outlier. Other recent polls have shown Bass at 20% to Raman's 9%, and Bass at 25% with Raman at 17%. But, if this poll is accurate, it would be a stunning testament to the success of Raman's campaign thus far and a massive warning signal to Bass. If the Mayor slips any further, she could find herself locked out of the general election by Los Angeles' top-two “jungle primary” structure. This from the LA Times.* Finally, we turn to the world of professional sports. This week, Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar introduced the Home Team Act, which, if passed, would require the owners of major league sports teams to allow local communities the option to buy a team before unilaterally relocating across state lines or to a different metro area. This announcement sent ripples through the sports world, with many fans excited by the prospect of keeping their home teams at home. ABC7 Chicago notes that “Sanders specifically mentioned the Bears' threat to leave Chicago,” while the San Diego Union-Tribune believes this bill could keep the Padres in San Diego despite multiple offers to sell. San Diego has been particularly sensitive to this threat since the Chargers left for LA in 2017. In the press conference announcing this bill, Bernie unsubtly displayed the jerseys of the Brooklyn Dodgers, his hometown team, which famously relocated to Los Angeles ahead of the 1958 baseball season.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

With the trial just about wrapped up Grace is waiting for the verdict. Then, Angel's father was at a hearing yesterday and confronted Dick Durbin.  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

Chicago just held a press conference to unveil a snowplow named "Abolish ICE" — with Mayor Brandon Johnson grinning for the cameras — days after an 18-year-old girl was murdered in his city by an illegal immigrant that sanctuary policies shielded from deportation. Then it got worse: in Fairfax County, Virginia, a 19-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador was enrolled in a public high school with 14-year-old girls, where he's now accused of groping them between classes. Larry O'Connor connects the dots between Chicago's sanctuary city failures, JB Pritzker's hypocrisy on "tyranny," Dick Durbin's silence, and a Virginia school policy that allows 22-year-old illegal immigrants to sit in classrooms with freshmen. Larry O'Connor breaks down Trump's explosive cabinet meeting on Iran, Venezuela's oil boom, and the reporter who actually asked the President to reveal his secret war plans on live television. SHOP OUR MERCH: https://store.townhallmedia.com/ BUY A LARRY MUG: https://store.townhallmedia.com/products/larry-mug Watch LARRY with Larry O'Connor LIVE — Monday-Thursday at 12PM Eastern on YouTube, Facebook, & Rumble! Find LARRY with Larry O'Connor wherever you get your podcasts! SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7i8F7K4fqIDmqZSIHJNhMh?si=814ce2f8478944c0&nd=1&dlsi=e799ca22e81b456f APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/larry/id1730596733 Become a Townhall VIP Member today and use promo code LARRY for 50% off: https://townhall.com/subscribe?tpcc=poddescription https://townhall.com/ https://rumble.com/c/c-5769468 https://www.facebook.com/townhallcom/ https://www.instagram.com/townhallmedia/ https://twitter.com/townhallcomBecome a Townhall VIP member with promo code "LARRY": https://townhall.com/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sen. Dick Durbin's retirement will reduce Illinois' clout in D.C. Crain's reporter John Pletz discusses with host Amy Guth. Plus: Supreme Court justices signal skepticism of post-Election Day mail ballot deadlines, including Illinois'; Fed's Goolsbee says he could see circumstances for rate hike; Uber to invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian in robotaxi bet; and Uncommon Ground seeks new operator as longtime Wrigleyville restaurateurs plan to retire. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Illinois Democrats picked Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton as their nominee to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. The Chicago-based politician defeated two sitting Democratic congress members to move on to the November election. STLPR Metro East reporter Will Bauer discusses Stratton's victory and other notable results from the Illinois primary election on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air.”

This week, airline CEOs are now pressuring congress to fund DHS.  Democrats in Congress are investigating money donated to Trump's library. And, Dick Durbin and Jamie Raskin are making a criminal referral to the Department of Justice to investigate Kristi Noem for perjury. John Thune is set to kick off debate on the SAVE Act which would intentionally disenfranchise millions of likely Democratic voters and targets the trans community. https://harrydunnformd.com/ Thank you, DeleteMe. Go to joindeleteme.com/CLEANUP, and enter code CLEANUP at checkout for 20% off your DeleteMe plan. Allison Gillhttps://muellershewrote.substack.com/https://bsky.app/profile/muellershewrote.comHarry DunnHarry Dunn | Substack@libradunn1.bsky.social on BlueskyWant to support this podcast and get it ad-free and early?Go to: https://www.patreon.com/aisle45podTell us about yourself and what you like about the show - http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mary Ann Ahern, NBC 5 Chicago political reporter, joins Bob Sirott to share the results from the Illinois Primary Election, including who will continue on in the race for Senator Dick Durbin’s seat and the Illinois Governor race between current Governor J.B. Pritzker and Republican nominee, former State Senator Darren Bailey. She also talks about […]

Here are todays topics. I sent yesterday's as well in an earlier emailIran latest - Israel takes out two more top leaders of the country A basic monthly bill Americans can't dodge is becoming a midterm flashpoint Illinois Senate primary follow-up - how's the race shaping up to replace longtime Senator Dick Durbin?  President Trump news of the day 

3.16.2026 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Hormuz Oil Crisis. Voting Rights Lawsuit. Shutdown Clash Between Casar & Cornyn As the Middle East conflict widens and the Iranian regime maintains its chokehold on the critical Strait of Hormuz, Trump is trying to "encourage" other nations to help open up the passage way so that about a fifth of the world's oil can flow again. Retired Armu Brig. Gen. Arnold Gordon-Bray is here to explain what's happening. Illinois voters head to the polls on Tuesday for primaries. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is running for Sen. Dick Durbin's seat. She's here to tell folks why she's the best choice. The League of Women Voters and five state and other organizations are headed to court on Tuesday to challenge a new rule that bars nonpartisan civic engagement groups from providing voter registration and promoting civic engagement. We'll talk to one of the groups connected to the lawsuit. Texas Congressman Greg Casar and Senator John Cornyn got into a heated exchaged about TSA agents working without pay during a partial government shutdown. And Sinners win big during the Oscars. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dylan Sharkey joins the show on Illinois Primary Election Day to break down what's at stake across the state. He explains a key ballot question on a federal education scholarship program and why it's become politicized despite using federal funds. Sharkey also discusses the Democratic Senate primary to replace Dick Durbin, the Republican governor's race, and how turnout, Chicago influence, and Governor JB Pritzker's role could shape the future of Illinois politics.

It's Casual Friday on The Majority Report   On today's program:   NBC's Richard Engel speaks with top adviser to Netanyahu, Ophir Falk about what specifically was the reasoning for going into Iran at this time to which he has no answer.   Stephen Miller needs you to go inside your head and imagine if Iran had a nuclear weapon and then you'll understand why we went into Iran at this point.   Founder and editor-in-chief of Zeteo, Mehdi Hasan joins the program to wrap up the week's news.   In the Fun Half:   Senators John Cornyn and Dick Durbin have a tense exchange over the SAVE Act.   Sam Altman says that he sees a future where intelligence is a utility that is sold to the public on a meter.   NEWSMAX 2 interviews Trump rally attendees about their thoughts on Thomas Massie and the war in Iran.   Kathy Hochul seems like she might be closer to approving Mamdani's request of a tax on the ultra-wealthy.   A farmer in Iowa details the 77% increase in the price of fertilizer after only 12 days of war in Iran   all that and more   To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: ROCKET MONEY: Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster: RocketMoney.com/MAJORITY SUNSET LAKE:  Head on over to SunsetLakeCBD.com and use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) for 20% off of your entire order. Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker surveys the destruction left behind after a series of wild storms rip through Kankakee County, destroying homes and buildings. Plus, the Illinois primary election is next week, and all eyes are on the tight race to replace longtime retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. We also talk about campaign finances and the use of AI in technology in political ads. In the Loop breaks down those stories and more with Axios Chicago reporter Carrie Shepherd, WBEZ politics editor Dave McKinney and local journalist Leigh Giangreco. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

In one-party states, turnover is rare. So when Dick Durbin gives up the Senate seat he's held since 1997, we'd expect some movement. And, wow oh wow, are ambitious Illinis on the move! To introduce us to the ensemble casts crowding up key races, Henry sits down with Cook Political Report's Erin Covey. Henry also […]

During this final week before Primary Day in Illinois, Republican candidates are making their final pitches to voters for who is best to replace veteran U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. In The Loop checks in with three candidates in the GOP race: Chicago lawyer Jeanne Evans, entrepreneur Casey Chlebek and former chairman of the Illinois Republican party Don Tracy. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

During this final week before Primary Day in Illinois, the Democratic candidates are making their final pitches to voters for who is best to replace veteran U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. Polls show Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the lead. In The Loop checks in with the frontrunners on the campaign trail. You can find our interviews with Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton if you scroll through our feed. Today, we sit down with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Illinois' Primary Election Day is less than a week away as voters decide who will represent Democrats and Republicans in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. In the second of a two-part series, we'll bring you recaps of our interviews with the candidates.

The Morning Xtra with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! The 8 o'clock hour is brought to you by Central Heating & Air, your Atlanta Carrier Experts. 770-GET-HEAT, Centralheat.com First thing to know: CNN had to cover their butts, but the internet lives forever The Democrats fear they won’t have power for 50 years The SAVE Act Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WBBM political editor Geoff Buchholz updates the Democratic primary in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

WBBM political editor Geoff Buchholz updates the Democratic primary in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

WBBM political editor Geoff Buchholz updates the Democratic primary in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

During this final week before Primary Day in Illinois, the Democratic candidates are making their final pitches to voters for who is best to replace veteran U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. Polls show Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the lead. In The Loop checks in with the frontrunners on the campaign trail. We'll bring you our conversation with Rep. Krishnamoorthi on Wednesday, and you can find our interview with Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) if you scroll through our feed. Today, we sit down with Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

This Day in Legal History: Blue Sky LawsOn March 10, 1911, Kansas enacted the first “blue sky law” in the United States, marking a significant development in the regulation of securities markets. The statute was designed to protect investors from fraudulent investment schemes that had become increasingly common in the early twentieth century. At the time, promoters frequently sold speculative securities with little oversight and few consequences if the ventures failed. Kansas lawmakers responded by creating a system that required securities offerings to be reviewed before they could be sold to the public. State officials were given authority to examine proposed investments and determine whether they were legitimate.The name “blue sky law” reflected the legislature's concern that many promoters were selling investments backed by nothing more than empty promises. Lawmakers wanted to prevent the sale of securities that had no real value or financial foundation. Kansas banking commissioner Joseph Norman Dolley played a central role in advocating for the law and persuading the legislature to adopt stronger investor protections. His efforts reflected growing public concern about financial fraud and the need for government oversight of securities markets.The Kansas statute quickly became a model for other states. Within a few years, many states adopted their own versions of blue sky laws, creating a patchwork system of state-level securities regulation. These laws helped establish the principle that governments could require disclosure and review before securities were sold to the public. The idea later influenced the development of federal securities regulation during the New Deal era. In particular, the framework helped shape the Securities Act of 1933, which created nationwide disclosure requirements for securities offerings.Live Nation Entertainment has reached a proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in a major antitrust case challenging the company's dominance in concert promotion and ticketing. The agreement was disclosed during a court hearing and could resolve part of a lawsuit brought by federal regulators and more than two dozen states. Live Nation is also negotiating separately with state attorneys general in an effort to reach a broader nationwide resolution of related claims.Under the proposed deal, the company would pay roughly $200 million in damages to participating states and accept structural reforms aimed at reducing its market power. Regulators had argued that Live Nation's control of venues, artist promotion, and ticketing—particularly through Ticketmaster—allowed the company to inflate prices and limit competition. The lawsuit was filed in 2024 and initially sought to break up the company by forcing a sale of Ticketmaster.The settlement instead focuses on changing how the ticketing market operates. Ticketmaster would be required to open parts of its technology platform to competing ticket sellers, allowing third-party companies to list tickets directly through its system. The deal would also limit the length of Live Nation's exclusive contracts with venues to four years and permit venues to allocate some ticket inventory to rival platforms.The case gained political attention after widespread complaints about long online queues and high prices during the 2022 Taylor Swift Eras Tour ticket sales. A federal judge had allowed the antitrust case to proceed to trial after rejecting Live Nation's attempt to dismiss it earlier this year. If finalized, the settlement would impose oversight and competition requirements on the company rather than break it up.Live Nation reaches settlement with DOJ in antitrust case | ReutersDemocratic U.S. senators plan to introduce legislation that would extend the time prosecutors have to bring foreign bribery cases from five years to ten. The proposal, called the FCPA Reinforcement Act, is led by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Dick Durbin along with several other Democratic lawmakers. It responds to recent Justice Department decisions to scale back enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a 1977 law that prohibits companies operating in the United States from bribing foreign officials.Supporters of the bill argue that international corruption investigations are complex and often take years to uncover, making the current five-year statute of limitations too short. The proposed law would temporarily extend the deadline for bringing anti-bribery charges to ten years for an eight-year period. Lawmakers say the change is meant to ensure companies can still be held accountable for misconduct even if enforcement priorities shift.The proposal also signals to corporations that compliance obligations remain important despite the current enforcement slowdown. Some legal experts worry that reduced federal enforcement could lead companies to scale back anti-corruption compliance programs or stop voluntarily reporting violations. Although the bill may face difficulty passing in the current Congress, it indicates that some lawmakers want to preserve strong anti-bribery enforcement and may pursue stricter oversight in the future.US lawmakers plan bill allowing 10 years to bring bribery cases | ReutersA divided federal appeals court has refused to allow the Trump administration to end immigration protections for more than 350,000 Haitians living in the United States. In a 2–1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declined to pause a lower court ruling that blocked the Department of Homeland Security from terminating Haiti's Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The ruling means the protections will remain in place while the administration continues its appeal.TPS is a humanitarian program that allows people from certain countries facing crises—such as armed conflict, natural disasters, or political instability—to remain in the United States temporarily and obtain work authorization. Haitians first received TPS after the devastating 2010 earthquake, and the designation has been repeatedly renewed because of ongoing instability in the country.The Trump administration sought to end Haiti's TPS designation as part of a broader effort to scale back the program, arguing that it was never intended to function as long-term legal status. But a federal district judge previously ruled that the government's attempt to terminate the protection likely violated both TPS procedures and constitutional equal-protection principles. The appeals court majority agreed that sending Haitian migrants back now could expose them to severe violence and humanitarian risks due to Haiti's deteriorating conditions.One judge dissented, arguing the case was legally similar to disputes where courts allowed the administration to end TPS protections for Venezuelans. The Department of Homeland Security said it plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. For now, the decision preserves legal status and work authorization for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants while the litigation continues.Trump cannot end protections for 350,000 Haitians, US appeals court rules | ReutersMy column for Bloomberg this week examines the surprising milestone that renewable energy generated 26% of U.S. electricity in 2025—even as federal clean-energy incentives were being rolled back. At first glance, that record share might suggest the transition to renewables is unstoppable. In reality, much of the current growth reflects investment decisions made years earlier, when generous subsidies from the Inflation Reduction Act and related policies were still in place. Large wind and solar projects often take three to seven years to move from financing and permitting to full operation. That means many facilities coming online today were funded under a very different policy environment than the one developers face now.Recent changes to federal tax policy have scaled back or eliminated several incentives that previously supported renewable development and electric vehicle adoption. These changes do not immediately halt construction, but they alter the financial calculations for the next generation of projects. Renewable energy projects rely heavily on financing structures that incorporate tax credits, equity partnerships, and long-term debt. When incentives shrink or become uncertain, developers must either accept greater risk or secure more expensive capital. At the same time, unresolved federal rulemaking and regulatory uncertainty are adding another layer of caution for investors. Although wind and solar technology costs have declined and can remain competitive with fossil fuels, policy instability can still erode project margins.The key point is that energy statistics describe what is already built, while investment decisions determine what the energy system will look like years from now. Current renewable growth may therefore reflect past policy rather than present conditions. Financing data already shows signs of slowing investment in green energy. To maintain steady development, policymakers should avoid abrupt tax-credit expirations and instead adopt predictable, multi-year phaseouts that allow markets to adjust. Agencies could also reduce uncertainty by finalizing or withdrawing proposed energy regulations within clear timelines. Stable rules make it easier for investors to commit capital to projects designed to operate for decades. The next investment cycle will reveal whether today's policy environment supports continued energy expansion or discourages it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

In the race to replace veteran U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, analysis from the New York Times shows Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Congresswoman Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton are leading in the polls. During this final week before Primary Day in Illinois, candidates are making their final pitches to voters, and the process can be a 24/7 grind of glad-handing, raising money and not sleeping. In The Loop checks in with the leading candidates on the campaign trail. First up: Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02). We'll bring you our conversations with Lt. Gov. Stratton and Rep. Krishnamoorthi on Tuesday and Wednesday on this podcast. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

With less than two weeks before the Illinois March 17 primary, the three major Democratic contenders to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin are pulling off all the stops to prevail. St. Louis Public Radio Metro East reporter Will Bauer and Capitol News Illinois statehouse reporter Brenden Moore preview Illinois' high stakes primary contests on “The Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air."

3.4.2026 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Iran War Escalates. Robin Kelly Eyes Durbin Seat. Georgia GOP Racist Ad. Talarico Defeats Crockett As Operation Epic Fury enters its fourth day, tensions continue to rise in the war between Israel and Iran -- and the United States. Retired Army Lieutenant General Russel Honore and Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly be here to discuss this war. Representative Kelly will also discuss her desire to replace Senator Dick Durbin. More on blatant racism in America from MAGA Republicans. Georgia Republican State Senator Greg Dolezal is under fire for posting a racist ad. We'll talk to the Democratic Senate Minority Leader, who called him out for his Racist 'Sharia law' video. The city of Atlanta is being described as a tale of two cities. The Co-Founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot, Ryan Wilson, will join us to talk about why a seven-mile difference in Atlanta can mean a 20-year gap in life expectancy -- and what Atlanta's Mayor plans to do about it. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are releasing today on our Consumer Finance Monitor podcast our host Alan Kaplinsky's discussion with Marisa Calderon, President and CEO of Prosperity Now, about two high-profile policy proposals raised or embraced by President Trump as part of a broader populist affordability agenda: 1.         A nationwide 10% cap on credit card interest rates for one year. 2.         The Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA), long championed by Senator Dick Durbin which would require large credit card issuers to enable at least two unaffiliated payment networks (only one of which could be MasterCard or VISA) on their cards. Each proposal is framed as pro-consumer. Each has generated significant pushback from banks, card issuers, and trade associations. However, even consumer advocacy groups have raised serious questions about the wisdom of such initiatives. Prosperity Now is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing economic mobility, with a focus on those facing economic barriers. Each raises fundamental questions about how to balance affordability and access in the consumer credit market. Our discussion focused on a central theme: affordability is a real and pressing concern, but policy design matters enormously. Credit Card APRs: A Real Affordability Pressure As Calderon emphasized, policymakers are not wrong to focus on credit card interest rates. Average credit card APRs now hover around 22%, up sharply from roughly 13% a decade ago. Approximately half of cardholders carry a balance, and many rely on credit cards not for discretionary spending, but as liquidity bridges, covering emergency medical bills, car repairs, groceries, and other essentials. For lower and moderate-income households, credit cards are often the only readily available, regulated source of short-term liquidity. That makes rising APRs particularly painful. Calderon's formulation is apt: policymakers have identified the right problem. The harder question is whether they have identified the right solution. The 10% Interest Rate Cap: Lessons from History The proposal to impose a flat 10% nationwide cap on credit card interest rates for one year would represent an unprecedented federal intervention into unsecured revolving credit markets. Credit cards are unsecured and priced for risk. Interest margins help issuers cover expected charge-offs, volatility, and operational costs. If pricing flexibility is removed, lenders cannot simply absorb the loss, they adjust. Historically, those adjustments take predictable forms: •                 Tighter underwriting standards •                 Higher minimum credit scores •                 Lower credit limits •                 Reduced rewards programs •                 Increased non-interest fees •                 Exit from higher-risk market segments The likely result, as Calderon noted, is credit contraction, particularly affecting marginal and lower-income borrowers. The most relevant historical example may be the 1980 credit controls imposed during the Carter Administration, which were rescinded within months after causing severe market disruption. A more targeted example is the 36% APR cap under the Military Lending Act, which illustrates both the importance of bipartisan legislative design and the reality that even well-intentioned caps can reduce access at the margins. Recent Federal Reserve research on state usury caps reinforces this concern: when interest rate ceilings are imposed, credit to higher-risk borrowers contracts, credit to lower-risk borrowers expands, and delinquency rates do not meaningfully improve. In other words, credit is reallocated, not necessarily improved. Even a "temporary" cap may have durable consequences. Issuers that exit certain segments or reduce credit lines are not obligated, and may not be economically inclined, to restore them once the cap expires. Credit score impacts and reduced access can linger well beyond the formal life of the policy. As Calderon put it, blunt price controls are a chainsaw when what is needed is a scalpel. Affordability in Context: What Drives Household Budgets? An additional consideration is scale. Research recently highlighted by the Consumer Bankers Association shows that the fastest-growing household expenses from 2013–2024 were healthcare, shelter, food, and vehicles. Credit card interest represents a relatively small share of average household expenditures. This does not minimize the pain of high APRs, especially for households carrying persistent balances, but it does raise an important structural question: can credit card rate caps meaningfully solve broader affordability challenges rooted in housing, medical costs, food inflation, and transportation? Credit cards are often the mechanism households use to cope with those rising costs. Constraining access to that liquidity may exacerbate, rather than relieve, financial stress. The Credit Card Competition Act: Structural Reform or Indirect Price Control? The second proposal we discussed, the Credit Card Competition Act (the "CCCA"), takes a different approach. Rather than capping interest rates, the CCCA would require large issuers to offer merchants at least two unaffiliated network routing options (only one of which could be Visa or Mastercard). The theory is that routing competition would reduce interchange fees ("swipe fees"), lowering merchant costs and ultimately consumer prices. Merchants have generally supported the proposal. Banks and card issuers have strongly opposed it. The consumer-facing promise is straightforward: lower merchant fees should translate into lower retail prices, but history complicates that assumption. The Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Act imposed caps on debit card interchange fees for large issuers and included routing requirements. While interchange revenue declined, Calderon pointed out that empirical evidence suggests that cost savings were not consistently passed through to consumers in the form of lower prices. At the same time, banks offset lost revenue through higher account fees and reduced benefits. A similar dynamic could unfold in the credit card market. Interchange revenue helps fund: •           Rewards programs •           Fraud detection and prevention •           Customer service infrastructure •           Risk management If that revenue is compressed, issuers may respond with tighter underwriting, reduced rewards, or new fee structures. As Calderon observed, although the CCCA operates through indirect price pressure rather than a direct APR ceiling, downstream effects could look similar. Distinguishing Populist Framing From Durable Reform Both the rate cap and the CCCA are framed as pro-consumer, populist reforms. The political appeal is clear, but distinguishing headline appeal from durable consumer benefit requires careful analysis. Calderon suggested several guideposts policymakers should consider: •                 Access – Does the reform preserve or expand access for low- and moderate-income borrowers? •                 Incidence – Who actually captures the gains? Consumers, merchants, intermediaries, or some combination? •                 Substitution effects – Does the policy push consumers toward higher-cost, less-regulated alternatives such as payday or fringe products? •                 Durability – What happens after implementation? Do markets rebound, or do credit line reductions and underwriting changes persist? These questions are not ideological. They are structural. Affordability and access are not opposing values. The policy challenge is designing reforms that alleviate financial strain without narrowing the regulated credit tools families rely on when emergencies arise. The Bottom Line Affordability concerns are real. Rising APRs are real. Financial stress among many households is real. But blunt price caps may reduce rates on paper while reducing access in practice. Structural competition mandates may promise savings that do not materialize at the checkout counter. Durable consumer protection requires careful calibration — the scalpel, not the chainsaw. For industry participants, policymakers, and advocates alike, the takeaway is straightforward: evidence and market mechanics matter. Populist framing may win headlines, but long-term financial stability depends on policy design that accounts for how credit markets actually function. As always, we will continue to monitor these proposals and their evolution in Congress and the Administration.  It may be noteworthy that President Trump did not mention either proposal during his almost two-hour State of the Union Address on January 24th. Consumer Finance Monitor is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr, and the founder and former chair of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Group. We encourage listeners to subscribe to the podcast on their preferred platform for weekly insights into developments in the consumer finance industry.

Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton explains why she is running for the state's open U.S. Senate seat, left by Dick Durbin, in the upcoming Democratic primary on March 17.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Who do you think the unreasonable people who're saying unreasonable things, are rooting for? Do you think Chuck You Schumer, Hakeem Jefferies and Dick Durbin are rooting for a quick win for Israel and the U.S.? Or do you think they're (not-so) privately rooting for “a forever war”? 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended her department's immigration enforcement tactics in front of a Senate committee on Tuesday and pushed back against criticism from Democrats who say she wrongly disparaged two protesters killed by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.It was Noem's first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of the two protesters galvanized widespread opposition to how the Trump administration is executing its mass deportation agenda, a centerpiece policy of President Donald Trump's second term. At the time, Noem portrayed the protesters, two U.S. citizens, as agitators, although accounts from local officials and bystander video contradicted assertions from her and other administration officials.In one exchange, retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina called her leadership a “disaster” and skewered her handling of the immigration crackdown and her management of emergency response.In the hearing, which stretched nearly five hours, Noem defended her agency's treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities, and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers.“I want to address the dangerous environment that our ICE officers face on the streets today," Noem said. “They are facing a serious and escalating threat as a result of deliberate mischaracterizations of their heroic work and rhetoric that demonizes our law enforcement.”Since the deaths in Minneapolis, the administration has taken steps meant to tone down tensions, including drawing down the operation there. But the administration has continued pressing restrictions against both legal and illegal immigration, has been buying up warehouses for immigration detention and persisting in federal enforcement in areas around the country. Noem said about 650 investigators remain in Minnesota as part of a broader fraud probe.The immigration tactics of Noem's department have triggered a clash in Congress over its routine funding, which remains unresolved, although a spending bill passed last year granted it a significant infusion of cash for the Republican administration's mass deportation policy. Noem called the partial shutdown “reckless” and blamed Democrats for a move she said put national security at risk.Her appearance in front of the Judiciary Committee also comes after a weekend shooting at a bar in Texas that is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, leading to concerns that the escalating conflict in Iran could have repercussions for security in the U.S.Noem blames chaotic situation for her characterization of killed protestersIn what was initially billed as an effort to root out fraud in Minnesota, Homeland Security sent hundreds of officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to the state. They were met by protesters who organized marches, patrolled neighborhoods for ICE activity with whistles and ferried food to immigrants too afraid to leave their homes.Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Jan. 7, setting off intense protests demanding an end to the operation. Then on Jan. 24, Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire on another Minnesota resident, Alex Pretti, who had been filming enforcement operations.Those deaths led to cries for accountability and transparency. Noem, whose initial comments portrayed both Good and Pretti as the aggressors, has come under withering criticism by Democrats and some Republicans, who have called for her to resign.Democrats repeatedly questioned Noem about her initial comments and called on her to apologize.“You and your agency rushed to brand these victims as, quote, domestic terrorists,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee. “We have ample video evidence and eyewitness testimony proving you are wrong. Your statements caused immeasurable pain to these families.”Noem said she was relying on information from people on the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.“I was getting reports from the ground from agents at the scene, and I would say that it was a chaotic scene,” she said.After public outrage over the deaths, Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to take control of operations. Homan has since announced a drawdown of the ICE and CBP officers who had been sent to Minnesota to carry out what had been dubbed Operation Metro Surge, although he's been adamant that the president's mass deportation agenda will continue.Noem also faced some Republican criticismRepublicans largely kept the focus on the large numbers of migrants who came into the country under former President Joe Biden, portraying Noem as the leader of a cleanup effort of the former administration's mess.But she did come under some harsh questioning by members of her own party. Tillis, who called on Noem to resign following the shootings in Minneapolis, criticized her for erroneously arresting American citizens, for failures in her disaster recovery agency and for how she shot her own dog.“What we've seen is a disaster under your leadership, Miss Noem, a disaster," Tillis said. “What we've seen is innocent people getting detained that turn out are American citizens.”Tillis, who has already announced that he is not running for another term., added: “We're beginning to get the American people to think that deporting people is wrong. It's the exact opposite. The way you're going about deporting them is wrong."Another Republican, Sen. John Kennedy from Louisiana, also pushed her to explain why her department paid more than $200 million for an ad campaign she appeared in last year encouraging migrants to leave the country voluntarily and questioned whether Trump knew about the price tag ahead of time.Noem, who is set to appear Wednesday in front of a House committee, defended those ads, saying they were effective and went through the regular department bidding process.“Well, they were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy said.

Washington Post personal finance columnist, Michelle Singletary, tells the moving story of how a visit to her grade school by the Reverend Jesse Jackson inspired her life and career as described in her column, “How the Rev. Jesse Jackson Taught Me to Keep Hope Alive." Then Ralph welcomes Professor Eric S. Fish from U.C Davis School of Law to explain how grand juries are no longer rubber-stamping frivolous cases brought to them by the Trump Administration. Plus, Ralph gives us his take on Trump's marathon State of the Union speech and the Democratic response.Michelle Singletary writes the nationally-syndicated personal finance column “The Color of Money,” which appears in the Washington Post on Wednesdays and Sundays. In 2021, she won the Gerald Loeb award for commentary. She has written four personal finance books, including, What to Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide and The 21-Day Financial Fast: Your Path to Financial Peace and Freedom.The Trump administration's destruction of diversity, equity, and inclusion—they misunderstand what that means. It doesn't mean that you're giving jobs to people who are unqualified. It means that you recognize that the playing field wasn't even, and let's even this playing field. I liken it to a football team. You can't have a football team of all quarterbacks and win. You have to have a quarterback, a running back, a linebacker, you have to have a good kicker. It's the same thing—your team has to encompass people that represent all kinds of abilities to have a winning team. So DEI isn't a giveaway. It isn't charity. It recognizes that when you have people from different backgrounds and different perspectives and different skill levels, you have a winning team.Michelle SingletaryEric S Fish is professor of law at the UC Davis School of Law. Professor Fish's primary research is in criminal law, with particular focus on the ethical duties of participants in the criminal process, the structure of immigration crimes, and the system's emphasis on administrative efficiency. He has also served as a public defender, first with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, and later as a Federal Defender in San Diego.This has been a really remarkable series of rejections of the Trump administration's prosecutions by ordinary people serving on grand juries, and one that is largely unprecedented in modern American history. I can't think of another example of grand juries rejecting such high-profile cases (and so many of them). Nothing really comes to mind. So in a certain sense, one might say this is the grand jury's original purpose…Initially they were a democratic institution of governance. They were a local check on the colonial oppression of the British (at least in the early colonial period). They refused to indict prosecutions under the Stamp Act, under the revenue laws. They were a tool of anti-colonial resistance to British oppression, and this seems at least broadly analogous to that—local grand juries in places like Minnesota, Chicago, Washington, D.C. are rejecting the Trump administration's attempts to prosecute its political enemies and bring trumped-up charges against protesters.Eric S. FishAll in all, [the State of the Union address] was fodder for political scientists for years to come. A dictatorial serial law violator, self-enriching chronic liar, cruel, vicious to vulnerable people and people without power (which is a majority of the people) elected dictator. This speech—which went for one hour and 48 minutes, the longest State of the Union speech ever—will be analyzed for a long time with the question at the center of the analysis being: How could so many tens of millions of voters be taken in by Trump's mouth, his lies, his false statements, his fantasies, his fake promises, his lack of any kind of record, whether as a businessman where he used bankruptcies as a strategy…and his record as a politician in his first term? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. And it's too easy to say that the Trump voters couldn't stand the Democrats who abandoned them. That's not enough. They could have not voted for Trump. They could have written in a vote. They could have voted for the Green, Libertarian, or other minor parties. They can't use the Democrats as a 100% excuse for voting for Trump. And a lot of them didn't. They just liked Trump. They liked his prejudices. They liked his lies. They liked his fantasies. They liked his fake promises.Ralph NaderNews 2/27/26* Our top stories this week come to us from our southern neighbor, Mexico. First, on February 22nd, Mexican authorities announced they had successfully conducted an operation resulting in the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, aka “El Mencho,” who headed the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In retaliation, the cartels launched a wave of violence throughout the country. Bafflingly, given the obvious enmity between the cartels and the government of Claudia Sheinbaum, Elon Musk implied that Sheinbaum is in the pocket of the very drug cartels with whom she is practically at war. Reuters reports Musk “responded to a 2025 video of Sheinbaum discussing cartel violence and alleged that she was ‘saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say.” Reuters notes that Musk did not provide further evidence. In fact, much of the strength of the Mexican cartels would actually be more accurately attributed to the United States. As USA Today writes, Mexican officials recovered a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 10 long arm [rifles], handguns, and grenades, from El Mencho's weapons stockpile. Mexican Defense Minister, Ricardo Trevilla Trejo estimated that about 80% of the recovered weapons were purchased in the United States and smuggled into Mexico. This represents just the tip of the iceberg of the so-called “iron river” of firearms flooding Mexico's black market from the U.S. As opposed to the lax gun laws in the states, gun ownership in Mexico is “tightly restricted…[and] There is only one military-run gun store in the country.”* Meanwhile, President Sheinbaum is bucking American pressure by continuing to send humanitarian aid to the tiny, embattled island nation of Cuba. AP reports that last week, “Two Mexican Navy ships laden with humanitarian aid docked in Cuba…two weeks after…President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to the island.” These ships carried 800 tons worth of bundles of “Made in Mexico” goods, including rice, beans, amaranth and crackers — complemented by a bottle of oil, large cans of sardines and canned peaches. Another 1,500 tons of powdered milk and beans are expected to be sent to Cuba in the coming days. The U.S. has taken a more bellicose line with Cuba than it has in quite some time, even taking naval action in the waters surrounding the island, making Mexico's support that much more critical.* In another Cuba story, a diplomatic incident is unfolding this week regarding a Florida-registered speedboat. According to the island's government, the boat, carrying 10 passengers, entered Cuban territorial waters and opened fire on Cuban soldiers. The Cubans responded in kind, killing four people aboard the craft and wounding six others. According to the Cuban authorities, most of the passengers “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.” These include Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, both wanted by Cuban authorities based on their involvement in “the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of…acts of terrorism.” The Cubans also claim to have arrested one Duniel Hernández Santos, who was supposedly “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration.” They claim Hernández Santos has confessed. American authorities have so far evinced confusion more than anything else, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying “We're going to figure out exactly what happened.” This from AP.* Whatever cloak and dagger games the administration may be playing in the Caribbean, they have been pointedly unsubtle about their saber rattling regarding Iran – and the reaction from Congress has been meager. While anti-war members in the House and Senate are pushing war powers resolutions, namely Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie along with Senator Tim Kaine, not even the nominal opposition party is supporting these efforts. According to Capital & Empire, Democrats are seeking to “dampen momentum” and even “prevent the Iran war powers vote from advancing.” Democrats Josh Gottheimer and Jared Moskowitz, both arch Iran hawks, have publicly stated they will not back the war powers resolution, and many others have sought to split the difference, saying Trump should only move on Iran after consulting with Congress. As the Hill notes, the Senate did pass a war powers resolution restricting the president's use of military force against Iran without congressional approval during Trump's first term, with eight Senate Republicans backing the Democrats in support of the bill. It is hard to imagine such a bipartisan show of force this time around.* In more disappointing congressional news, on Tuesday the House voted down the bipartisan ROTOR Act, which would have beefed up aviation safety standards, NPR reports. This bill was drafted in the wake of the deadly midair collision over Washington D.C. last year. This bill, principally authored by Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees transportation, would have required wider use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast – safety technology designed to transmit an aircraft's location to other aircraft. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in December, with the support of the Defense Department – now styling itself the Department of War – but the Pentagon yanked its support just before the House vote, citing “unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks.” The final House vote was 264 in favor and 133 opposed, 132 Republicans and Democrat Lizzie Fletcher of Texas. Despite the lopsided majority in favor, the bill needed a two-thirds vote to pass and was therefore defeated by the minority.* In another aviation related story, FBI Director Kash Patel is embroiled in a new scandal based on his alleged misuse of the FBI's Gulfstream jets for personal travel. CNN reports Patel's frequent jetsetting has even caused delays or issues in high-profile investigations, such as the assassination of rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk and the Brown University shooting last December. According to a letter authored by Senator Dick Durbin, Patel's incessant misuse of the official FBI planes for personal travel “has even frustrated White House and DOJ senior staff.” This story hits particularly hard at the present moment, with images of Patel chugging beer in the locker room celebration of the Olympic men's hockey team going viral. The FBI then had to spend days running cover for Patel, claiming the director was in Italy for “long-planned official business,” which just happened to coincide with the occasion.* Our next two stories concern AI. First, a new Public Citizen report documents how the AI industry is deploying a veritable army of lobbyists on Capitol Hill, absolutely dwarfing not only their opposition, but practically every other industry as well. According to this report, more than one quarter of all federal lobbyists are now lobbying on AI issues, representing a rise in lobbyist activity on AI issues of more than 265 percent over the past three years. This report finds the Chamber of Commerce hired the most AI lobbyists in 2025 at 91, followed by Microsoft at 63, Meta at 55, Intuit at 51, and Amazon at 48. This meteoric rise in AI lobbying activity is sure to give the industry massive firepower in the halls of Congress, ensuring a favorable regulatory environment for years to come. This will be particularly critical for data centers, which have faced a rash of local opposition. Per this report, that particular subset of the AI lobbying industry has expanded by a staggering 500 percent since 2023.* For all its newfound political clout however, the AI business seems to have found itself a formidable new opponent – Pope Leo XIV. This week, Pope Leo addressed priests from the Diocese of Rome and implored them to resist “the temptation to prepare homilies with Artificial Intelligence.” The pontiff argued “Like all the muscles in the body, if we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence must also be exercised a little so as not to lose this capacity.” He added that “to give a true homily is to share faith,” and that AI “will never be able to share faith.” This from Vatican News.* Turning to media news, this week, Paramount submitted a new offer to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Paramount's new bid amounted to $31 per share and, following a period of consultation with the Warner board of directors, this offer was deemed “superior” to the proposed deal with rival bidder Netflix. This triggered a clause in the Netflix merger agreement giving the streamer four days to submit a new, superior offer. However, that same day Netflix issued a statement officially declining to submit a new, higher offer, with representatives writing “the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer,” means “the deal is no longer financially attractive.” With Netflix out of the way, Paramount, led by Trump-aligned billionaire scion David Ellison, will now proceed with their acquisition of Warner Bros., including their prodigious intellectual property back catalogue and the cable news titan, CNN. A friendly relationship with the Trump administration means regulators are unlikely to hold up this deal. The Ellisons have already acquired CBS News, installing Bari Weiss as “editor-in-chief.” It seems likely they will follow a similar playbook regarding CNN.* Our final stories this week concern the continuing fallout of the Epstein scandal. This week saw the arrest of former British-U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson, joining Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) in the collection of high profile British individuals arrested in connection with the Epstein scandal. Meanwhile, at Harvard, former University President Larry Summers will resign from his academic and faculty appointments, including his University Professorship, at the Ivy League school following the conclusion of this academic year. Until then, he will remain on leave, per the Crimson. Summers regularly exchanged messages with Jeffrey Epstein about topics ranging from women, to politics, to Harvard-related matters as late as July 2019, the day before Epstein's final arrest. But the most noteworthy Epstein-related news this week came from Chappaqua, New York. On Thursday and Friday, Bill and Hillary Clinton testified about their relationships with the late financier and sexual predator. After much wrangling, these potential blockbuster hearings were held behind closed doors on the Clintons' home turf. What exactly was said remains shrouded in mystery. According to the BBC, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said he hopes to make videos of both Hillary and Bill Clinton's depositions publicly available soon. Robert Garcia, the Democratic Ranking Member on the committee, said a “new precedent” had been set by calling a former president to testify and demanded that Trump be called to testify before the committee next. We shall watch this space.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

There's a crowded field of candidates running for Illinois' open U.S. Senate seat this year. Immigration enforcement has been a top issue in the race. We'll hear from Democrats and Republicans vying to succeed outgoing U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

Jason Kander and Ravi Gupta break down the Pentagon's escalating showdown with Anthropic, as the Pentagon threatens to cut ties or invoke the Defense Production Act while new war-game research from King's College London shows models from OpenAI, Google, and others recommending nuclear use far more often than humans, alongside a viral video of Sam Altman. They analyze Donald Trump's State of the Union theatrics on the economy and culture wars, the “two-tier economy” warning from McDonald's's CEO, his use of the gallery for viral moments on immigration and trans issues, and stark rhetoric from Mike Johnson. Kander and Gupta also dive into the Epstein files, with NPR reporting missing Trump documents, arrests in the U.K. of Prince Andrew and Peter Mandelson, and renewed questions about why there's no U.S. accountability. Plus, they discuss the tariff decision and the fallout from attacks on the Supreme Court, including warnings from National Review's Andrew McCarthy, an ICE training whistleblower, flight delays tied to Kash Patel that Dick Durbin says hampered the FBI, a youth surge for James Fishback in Florida, and House leadership refusing to call on Tony Gonzales to resign. This and more on the podcast that helps you, the majority of Americans who believe in progress, convince your conservative friends and family to join us—this is Majority 54! Smalls: Get 60% off your first order plus free shipping at https://Smalls.com/MAJORITY54. Nutrafol: Find out why Nutrafol is the best-selling hair growth supplement brand at https://Nutrafol.com and enter the promo code MAJORITY. Check out Ravi's Substack: https://realravigupta.substack.com/p/how-to-stay-off-the-island Join Squadra at https://joinsquadra.com Majority 54 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majority_54 Majority 54 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/majority54 Jason on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonKander Jason on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonkander/ Ravi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviMGupta Ravi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravimgupta Ravi on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show The Ken Harbaugh Show: https://meidasnews.com/tag/the-ken-harbaugh-show Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Illinois U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who holds a massive fundraising advantage, is among three leading Democrats in the primary to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. On this episode of Politically Speaking, St. Louis Public Radio's Will Bauer and Jason Rosenbaum ask Krishnamoorthi why Illinoisans should send him to the Senate.

Aaron McIntire leads with U.S. strikes sinking narco-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific, killing two and saving American lives as President Trump details the strategy to crush fentanyl flows first at sea then inland. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces congressional scrutiny over documented Epstein Island visits with his family in 2012, defending it as a brief lunch stop during a vacation while Speaker Mike Johnson dismisses calls for resignation. Beef prices continue climbing due to historic low cattle inventories from drought and wildfires, prompting Trump to expand imports from Argentina to ease consumer costs despite impacts on U.S. ranchers. Democrats express open concern over massive Republican fundraising advantages heading into midterms, while Sen. Dick Durbin vows to oppose the SAVE Act requiring proof of citizenship to vote. Plus, a CBP exchange exposes birth tourism exploitation, the latest on the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case, and Pete Hegseth's candid assessment of DoD inefficiencies.   A.M. Update, Aaron McIntire, narco boat strikes, Howard Lutnick Epstein, beef price surge, SAVE Act opposition, birth tourism, Nancy Guthrie disappearance, Pete Hegseth DoD, Republican fundraising, fentanyl crackdown, conservative news, daily update

From power companies asking people to unplug their EVs during deep freezes ❄️⚡ to explosive claims buried inside Epstein records, Tara connects the dots between media narratives, selective outrage, and political strategy. This episode moves from lighthearted winter chaos to deadly serious allegations—highlighting what gets amplified, what gets ignored, and why misinformation has become a political weapon.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum and Will Bauer talk with U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly – one of the three major candidates running to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, STLPR's Jason Rosenbaum and Will Bauer talk with U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly – one of the three major candidates running to succeed U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

In safe and many-mandered Illinois, Democratic primary elections are where the action is. And when an abiding figure like Dick Durbin announces he's giving up his US Senate seat, you can expect an eventful season. To take a close look at the flurry of ambitious hopefuls in that race, along with the ensemble-sized casts running in […]

In this January 23 episode of MAHA News, hosts Jordan Sather and Nate Prince break down several major health policy developments making headlines. The discussion covers Senator Dick Durbin's proposed legislation targeting dietary supplements and what it could mean for consumer access, regulatory authority, and the supplement industry. Jordan and Nate also examine the announcement that the United States will no longer participate in the World Health Organization, along with the implications for global health governance and national sovereignty. The episode further explores new efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services to study the potential health impacts of electromagnetic fields, including why these studies are being revisited and what questions remain unanswered. Throughout the episode, the hosts focus on transparency, informed consent, and the importance of questioning centralized control over health decisions as new policies and research initiatives take shape.

Why did Chicago just agree to ban some hemp products? Who is falling behind in the race to replace Sen. Dick Durbin? And did a Chicago landlord tip off ICE? In the Loop breaks down those stories and more in the Weekly News Recap with Tahman Bradley, WGN political editor, Bob Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times investigative reporter, and Mack Liederman, Block Club Chicago reporter. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

President Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago to discuss the Gaza ceasefire plan and concerns about a possible escalation with Iran. Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor reacts to the latest peace talks between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (D-Ill.) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss her run for the open seat in the Senate after Sen. Dick Durbin announced he will not seek reelection. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Officials in Providence Rhode Island give an update on their search for a person of interest in the Brown University shooting. Later, Nicolle Wallace speaks with Senator Dick Durbin about the latest boat strikes in the pacific and what the Pentagon is telling Congress. Then, we get the latest reaction from political figures and Hollywood to Trump's comments on Rob Reiner.For more, follow us on Instagram @deadlinewh For more from Nicolle, follow and download her podcast, “The Best People with Nicolle Wallace,” wherever you get your podcasts.To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: 6:05pm- On Monday night, eight Senators who caucus with Democrats—Angus King, Tim Kaine, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Maggie Hassan, Jeanne Shaheen, and Catherine Cortez Masto—joined Republicans to pass a spending package to end the government shutdown. The final vote in the Senate was 60-40. On Wednesday night, The House of Representatives passed the bill 222 to 209—with 6 Democrats joining Republicans. Shortly after, President Trump signed the bill ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. 6:15pm- While speaking with reporters, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that he will put a bill that would require the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files to a floor vote next week. 6:30pm- Does Rich still need a Bret Baier hug? We debut Newman Price's new AI-generated music video. 6:40pm- Star Wars actor Oscar Isaac says he may not do another Disney movie—because he thinks they're succumbing to fascism!

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Show (11/13/2025): 3:05pm- Blue Origin has postponed its New Glenn launch to Mars for NASA due to inclement weather. New Glenn is one of the world's largest rockets—and was set to take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3:10pm- The White House may back a 50-year mortgage option for homebuyers. Those in support of the idea argue that it would help prospective buyers who may not otherwise be able to afford a home. Alternatively, others have criticized the plan—noting that borrowers will not be able to repay the loan. 3:30pm- On Thursday, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which will offer government support for older youths transitioning out of foster care. 3:40pm- Excessive Regulation: President Donald Trump has pardoned Michelino Sunseri—a record-setting trail runner who briefly used a restricted path while running the Grand Teton in Wyoming. Federal prosecutors had argued Sunseri violated National Park Service regulations. 3:50pm- Rich watches How the Grinch Stole Christmas—and he has an interesting take. 4:05pm- Isabel Vincent and Thomas Jason Anderson join The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss their new book, “Gold Bar Bob: The Downfall of the Most Corrupt U.S. Senator.” Vincent is an award-winning investigative journalist, and Anderson is the Director of the DC-based Last Government Watchdog Organization. You can learn more about the book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Gold-Bar-Bob/Isabel-Vincent/9798895150115. 4:30pm- While appearing on The Bulwark podcast, New Jersey governor-elect Mikie Sherrill insisted she is not a “democratic-socialist.” 4:40pm- Kennedy—Fox News Host & Author—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss Gavin Newsom's many similarities with the evil wizard in Wicked 2, the top 5 enemies of freedom, and Jimmy Kimmel's far-left Thanksgiving! Kennedy will be performing at SoulJoel's in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 22nd at 6pm. You can find tickets here: https://souljoels.com/shop/tickets/kennedy/. 5:05pm- While speaking during a United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) press conference, Rep. Nancy Pelosi said that climate change is “a religious issue” and called President Trump a scam. Will she just hurry up and retire? 5:15pm- While speaking with far-left journalist Katie Couric, Sen. John Fetterman refused to comply with her request to call Donald Trump an authoritarian. 5:40pm- Michael O'Neill—Vice President of Legal Affairs for the Landmark Legal Foundation at the Ronald Reagan Legal Center—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss the end of the government shutdown as well as the U.S. Supreme Court recently hearing oral argument in a case that will determine the legality of the Trump administration's global tariffs. 6:05pm- On Monday night, eight Senators who caucus with Democrats—Angus King, Tim Kaine, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Maggie Hassan, Jeanne Shaheen, and Catherine Cortez Masto—joined Republicans to pass a spending package to end the government shutdown. The final vote in the Senate was 60-40. On Wednesday night, The House of Representatives passed the bill 222 to 209—with 6 Democrats joining Republicans. Shortly after, President Trump signed the bill ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. 6:15pm- While speaking with reporters, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that he will put a bill that would require the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files to a floor vote next week. 6:30pm- Does Rich still need a Bret Baier hug? We debut Newman Price's new AI-generated music video. 6:40pm- Star Wars actor Oscar Isaac says he may not do another Disney movie—because he thinks they're succumbing to fascism!

SEASON 4 EPISODE 33: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (2:30) SPECIAL COMMENT: From beyond the grave Jeffrey Epstein has accused Trump – and there’s a smoking gun and maybe four of them. The allegations that one of Epstein’s female victims “spent hours at (Epstein’s) house with (Trump)…” that Trump was “that dog that hasn’t barked” and he “has never once been mentioned”… those specific allegations, MADE by Jeffrey Epstein in 2011 and acknowledged by Ghislaine Maxwell minutes later. And now, Trump and his Republicans – especially Speaker of the House Mike Johnson – and his MAGA enablers – and his Fox News propagandists – are complicit in another extraordinary, disgusting cover-up: cover-up of pedophilia, a NEW cover-up - right now - playing out in real time as Trump tries to blackmail Republicans into burying the Epstein FILES. A cover-up, most of all, of Trump’s GUILT. Trump is guilty and Epstein has provided the evidence. And now we turn to the real crisis for Trump. If what the Democrats released yesterday had been the worst thing in the files, Trump could've held a news conference explaining it all away and welcoming full release. Instead he went into full panic and dragged Lauren Boebert into the Situation Room to try to bully her into removing her name from the discharge petition. Didn't work. Now reportedly 100 Republicans in the House will vote for discharge and against Trump and a MAGA lynchpin has declared MAGA is dead. So what is next? What if Trump pardons Maxwell, or commutes her sentence, it will cost him his presidency. Because a pardon or commutation of her would amount to a confession by him. So what MORE is in the Epstein Files? To what lengths will Trump go to stop the release of the files? And when will Trump’s role in the Epstein Crimes, in his past cover-ups of them, in his current cover-up of them, in his cover-up of whatever he is guilty of - when will the true horror of Trump’s guilt become so overwhelming, so disqualifying, that Republicans will have to make the choice between covering up for Trump or saving THEMSELVES? How much time does Trump have left before Epstein destroys him? AND AN UPDATE ON TRUMP'S ACCELERATING DEMENTIA: He wants troops sent to a place that doesn't exist. "The Miracle Mile Shopping Center in Chicago," he wrote. There IS no "Miracle Mile Shopping in Chicago" but there is one in Monroeville, PA, and if Trump wants to send troops into Chicago to protect Monroeville he's further gone than we have ever imagined. B-Block (37:00) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: Some late quotes from the Democratic Quislings Jeanne Shaheen and Dick Durbin, and Independent (from reality) Angus King. Bill Pulte and the 50-year mortgage and the lowered standards for getting one. And America's Sweethearts, Kash Patel and Alexis Wilkins and Alexis is suing three MAGA podcasters and being attacked by Candace Owens. C-Block (49:30) GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thank you, veterans! 100-year-old British World War II veteran laments over the state of the country he fought for and lost brothers for. Looking at the eight Democrat senators who voted to reopen the government. Former ISIS leader and new Syrian president visits the White House to make a deal. Why are 600,000 Chinese students being let into the U.S. by President Trump? Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is fine with being deported? Justin Haskins joins the show to explain the rise of socialism among young voters in America. 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:13 Day 42 of the Government Shutdown 01:28 Happy Veterans Day 04:15 British Veteran Alec Penstone on How his Country is Changing 10:35 Dick Durbin on Reopening the Government 11:44 Why Are Democrats Caving? 15:03 MSNBC Reacts to Democrats Voting in Favor of GOP 34:23 Fat Five 45:33 BYU Basketball Update 46:50 JD Vance VS. Medicine Ball 49:15 Syrian President Visits the White House 50:39 President Trump on Meeting with the Syrian President 52:27 600,000 Chinese Students Coming to America 1:06:06 Is Ilhan Omar About to be Deported? 1:07:59 Caller Hannah 1:12:13 Heartland Institute's Justin Haskins Joins the Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices