Podcasts about FEC

Record-breaking sums of money are pouring into American politics — from billionaires spending hundreds of millions to dark money groups hiding their donors. These sums have given wealthy interests outsized access and influence — while the Federal Election Commission (FEC), created to enforce campaign finance laws, has become unable to fulfill its mission.In this episode, host Simone Leeper speaks with former FEC Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Campaign Legal Center President Trevor Potter. Together, they trace how court rulings like Buckley v. Valeo, Citizens United v. FEC and SpeechNOW v. FEC opened the floodgates to unlimited political spending — and explore reforms that could restore transparency, strengthen the Federal Election Commission and curb the outsized role of big money in our democracy.Timestamps:(00:01) — Why was an FEC commissioner suddenly removed?(03:14) — How much money was spent in the 2024 election cycle?(07:00) — What campaign finance lessons came out of Watergate?(09:35) — What was the McCain-Feingold Act, and why did it matter?(10:45) — How did Citizens United and SpeechNow change U.S. elections?(13:41) — What is dark money and why is it dangerous?(15:18) — Why has the FEC failed to enforce campaign finance laws?(21:48) — How did Elon Musk become the biggest mega-donor in U.S. history?(24:14) — What government power did Musk gain after funding Trump?(30:03) — How has campaign finance evolved since Watergate?(33:41) — What reforms could reduce dark money and strengthen transparency?(40:57) — What must Congress do now to curb big money in politics? Host and Guests:Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at Campaign Legal Center, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.Ellen L. Weintraub served as Commissioner and four-time Chair of the U.S. Federal Election Commission from 2002 to 2025. There, she advocated for meaningful campaign-finance law enforcement and robust disclosure and strove to combat "dark money" and foreign influence in our elections. She has been a critic of the system that gives disproportionate influence to billionaire donors and has refuted unfounded claims of voter fraud. On February 6, 2025, she was informed that the President was removing her from office.A graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, Weintraub has published articles in The New York Times, The Washington Post and leading law reviews and is a frequent speaker on news shows and at conferences at home and abroad. Previously, she practiced law at Perkins Coie LLP and was Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Ethics Committee. Sheldon Whitehouse represents Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate. Senator Whitehouse serves as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Courts Subcommittee.Trevor Potter is President of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. A Republican former Chairman of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Trevor was general counsel to John McCain's 2000 and 2008 presidential campaigns and an adviser to the drafters of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law. To many, he is perhaps best known for his recurring appearances on The Colbert Report as the lawyer for Stephen Colbert's super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, during the 2012 election, a program that won a Peabody Award for excellence in reporting on money in politics. The American Bar Association Journal has described Trevor as “hands-down one of the top lawyers in the country on the delicate intersection of politics, law and money.” He has provided testimony and written statements to Congress on federal election proposals, campaign finance regulation and, recently, the effects of the January 6th attack on our democracy. During the 2020 election season, Trevor was named to the cross-partisan National Task Force on Election Crises. Links:Democracy Decoded: Season 1, Episode 4 – CLC How Does the Citizens United Decision Still Affect Us in 2025? – CLC Dark Money Groups Are Pumping Millions Into the 2024 Election – CLC Elon Musk Stands to Gain Even More Wealth by Serving in Trump's Administration – CLC New CLC Report Examines FEC's Role in Letting Big Money Dominate Elections – CLC From Dysfunctional to Destructive (FEC Report) – CLC The Impact of Big Money and Secret Spending on Trump's Second Inauguration – CLC Have Wealthy Donors Bought the Trump Administration? – CLC Preventing Wealthy Special Interests from Using Shell Companies to Keep Their Political Spending Secret (Case Page) – CLC Opposing Special Interest Loopholes in Campaign Finance Law Enforcement — ECU v. FEC (Rick Scott Appeal - Case Page) – CLC CLC Steps Up to Promote Enforcement of Federal Campaign Finance Law (Case Page) – CLC Defending Federal Limits on Corporate Spending in Elections (Citizens United v. FEC - Case Page) – CLC Campaign Legal Center Releases New Report on the FEC's Deregulatory Trend – CLC The Agency That's Supposed To Provide Election Oversight Badly Needs Oversight – CLC Campaign Legal Center Letter Responds to President Trump's Unlawful Attempt to Exert Control Over the FEC – CLCAbout CLC:Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. Campaign Legal Center fights for every American's freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Learn more about us.Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's Day 3 of IAAPA Expo Europe, and this episode of Skip the Queue brings you insights from industry leaders. Hear from Andreas Andersen (Liseberg), Peter van der Schans (IAAPA EMEA), Laura Read (Marwell Zoo), Aaron Wilson (ProSlide), and Robbi Jones (Katapult) on resilience, creativity, and the future of attractions.Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden, with co host Andy Povey and roving reporter Claire Furnival.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  https://www.liseberg.se/en/https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-veilstrup-andersen/Andreas Veilstrup Andersen is the CEO and President of the Liseberg Group, Sweden – operating one of Scandinavia's most visited amusement parks. Andreas has a legal and financial background and has been working in the amusement park industry since 2000.  First in several capacities at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark, later as Vice President of European operations at IAAPA EMEA in Brussels, Belgium. Andreas was the 2018 Chairman of IAAPA. He currently holds board positions at Farup Sommerland and Alsik Hotel in Denmark, as well as Momentum Leisure and Leo's Lekland, Europe's largest chain of FEC's. Andreas is heading up IAAPA's sustainability initiatives, and occasionally blogs on https://reflections.liseberg.se/.Plus, live from the Day 3 of the IAAPA Expo Europe show floor, we catch up with:Aaron Wilson - Vice President, Business Development Europe & Latin America, Proslide Technologyhttps://www.proslide.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronlouiswilson/Robbie Jones - Insights Director, Katapaulthttps://www.katapult.co.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrrobbiejones/Peter van der Schans - Executive Director & Vice President, IAAPA EMEAhttps://iaapa.org/expos-and-events/expo-europehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-van-der-schans-87715717/Laura Read - Chief Executive, Marwell Zoohttps://www.marwell.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-read-she-her-98110726/ Transcriptions:  Paul Marden: Welcome to Skip the Queue, the podcast about the world's best attractions and the amazing people that work in them. I'm your host, Paul Marden, and together with my co-host, Andy Povey, and roving reporter Claire Furnival, we're here at day 3 of IAAPA Expo Europe. On today's show, Andy talks to Andreas Andersen, CEO and President of iseberg Group, about resilience. I meet Peter van der Schans from IAAPA EMEA, and we catch up with Laura Read from Marwell Zoo. First, let's go over to Andy.Andy Povey: So I'm joined now by Andreas Andersen, who's the chief exec of Liseberg, Scandinavia's most visited amusement park. Andreas, welcome to Barcelona. It's very good to see you here. Can you tell the listeners at home a little bit about Liseberg and what you do there?Andreas Andersen:  Sure. So I'm heading up one of the classic regional city-based parks in Northern Europe. So you have Liseberg, you have Tivoli in Copenhagen, you have Kornalund in Stockholm, and Linnanmaki in Helsinki. And we're part of this tradition of parks that have a very strong community base and a long history. Liseberg is 102 years old and three years old. And also parks that represent cultural heritage as well as reflect the cities we're located in. Lovely, lovely regional park in downtown Gothenburg. And if you haven't been, you should come visit.Andy Povey: Absolutely. I must admit, I haven't made it there myself yet. It's on the bucket list. So our theme for today's recording is about recovery and resilience. And recently, in your blog address, you wrote that you feel like for the past four years, you've been in constant crisis mode. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?Andreas Andersen: Well, I think a lot of executives or just people working in this industry can recognise that the last four or five years have been very turbulent, very, very, very volatile.Andreas Andersen: It all started with the pandemic in March 2020, we were at Lisa closed down for 17 months, so we didn't have any any business at all for for 17 months. Then we reopened in the middle of '21, very very hard— you know, with a lot of restrictions and an organisation that had not been you know operating anything for a long time and we also had to let go a lot of people. Then in '22, I think everybody experienced this giant rush, you know, that everybody wanted to get back into the park. So we couldn't really keep up with demand. And that was stressful in a different way. In '23, the market in the Nordics really suffered for some reason. It was a wit, summer and inflation, and interest rates.Andreas Andersen: And everything that went with, you could say, sort of the beginning of an economic downturn. And then, in 2024, our biggest investment, our biggest project expansion in the last 100 years, a large new indoor water park burned down. So it feels like these four or five years has really been this chain of crisis that we've had to get over and manage, basically.Andy Povey: Yeah, I mean, what we're hearing from people on the show floor is that the economic and political unrest that we have all over the Western world is creating some turbulence in the market. So talk to us a little bit more about the fire at Oceania. What happened?Andreas Andersen: We had been building the water park for almost three years, and we were six, seven weeks away from handover. It was some of the last works on the right installation that went wrong. It was a plastic welding that overheated, and these things happen, as you know.Andreas Andersen: Unfortunately, we lost a colleague in the fire and that was basically, you could say, that overshadowed, I would say, everything, especially in the first weeks. Andreas Andersen: That was devastating to all of us and obviously, especially his family. But soon after, we also had to make some decisions. You know, did we want to rebuild? How did we want to rebuild? At what pace? How would we finance? etc. etc. So you also very quickly move into the next phase of a crisis management and that is recovery. And we've been in that phase ever since. Andy Povey: Interesting. It's a devastating situation. I mean, your concern obviously has to be for the team and the people involved— not just those affected directly, but everybody on the floor who feels an emotional impact from this situation. So what tips would you give, as a leader, going through a situation like that, to anyone else listening who may be facing their own challenges?Andreas Andersen:  Well, I think I learned a lot during those weeks and months. And I think I learned that in a crisis, especially of this magnitude, everything becomes very naked. Everything becomes very raw. And you cannot really play a role as a leader. You have to be yourself. You have to be authentic. And it's okay to also show emotions and be caught up in this process of figuring out what to do with the project and the team and yourself when you meet challenges of this severity. Andreas Andersen:  So I would say be yourself, but also recognise that I always say that leadership in a crisis is a little bit like your biggest asset is the confidence that people have in you. And that confidence is something you build up over years. It's a little bit like a bank account that you can then draw on when the crisis hits. But you really have to make sure that you have something on that bank account. You can't borrow confidence. It's not up for loan. So you really, you know, crisis management, from a leadership perspective, actually starts a lot earlier than the crisis. It's about, you know, building a team that works well together, that trusts you and has confidence in you. And then, when the crisis hits, you know, you can draw on that trust, draw on that confidence. So I think that's two of the learnings that I had during this process.Andy Povey: I love the idea of the bank that you can draw on. We're making deposits in our bank every day, not just as a commercial leadership level, but a personal level as well. You need to have that resilience built in yourself. A lovely analogy. And I really love the idea of authenticity. So, if we move on now to talking a little bit more about what we do in an attraction, I think authenticity plays a really big part in that. So, how important is it for you to keep innovating at Liseberg?Andreas Andersen: It's super important because we are in a regional market. I mean, if you look at how our guests are composed, you know, we have 90% Swedish people and then 10%, maybe 12% in a good year from other, especially Nordic countries. But the majority are Swedish and about 60% of our total volume is actually from the local market. And if you want to attract the local market and you want to drive revisitation, Gothenburg is a large city, but it's not a huge city. You have to keep the product fresh. You have to reinvest, reinvent, and constantly adapt. And I think that's actually... part of the, you could say, the formula for these Nordic city-based parks that we've actually had to all reinvent, you know, throughout our history. I mean, Tivoli, that was founded in 1843, it was built by this crazy entrepreneur called Geo Carstensen.Andreas Andersen: And when Tivoli opened on the 15th of August, it was late, it was over budget, and it was not quite finished. And he got a question from a journalist, you know, asking him, you know, when will Tivoli be finished? And his response was, 'Never.' Tivoli will never be finished. And I think, you know, it's almost 200 years ago that he said this, but I think it encompasses sort of the real DNA of our industry that we have to constantly evolve with our guests and reinvent ourselves. And I think, again, that the city, the Nordic city-based parks have really been quite good at that.Andy Povey: Obviously, I mean, Liseberg with 100 years, Tivoli with almost 200 years. There's something good there. You're doing something right. So more recently, you've taken a position with, I'm going to pronounce this awfully, Leo's Lekland. Compare and contrast Liseberg to Europe's largest chain of family entertainment centres?Andreas Andersen:  I mean, there are a lot of similarities and also a lot of differences. I think what is interesting for me, you know, working with Leos is that it's, in many ways, the model is the same. I mean, you pay an entrance fee, you spend a few hours with your family, you may eat a lunch or buy an ice cream or a plush animal. So in many ways, it's the same. But I think, when we're talking about these attractions that are really designed for shorter visits, there is a convenience perspective to them that it's slightly different than, you know, visiting an amusement park or a theme park for a full day. I remember once I had a conversation with one of our competitors in this market, not FECs as such, but, you know, these shorter visits, you know, two, three-hour visit attractions, very often midway attractionsAndreas Andersen: And he said, 'What we sell is actually not.' necessarily an experience, it is two hours spent and I think that's a little bit of a different perspective on an attraction that you actually also go to, Leo's Lekland, to have your kids, you know, be really really tired when they get home, you know, in today's world, where everything is a lot of a lot of stuff is digital and and the kids sit there with their with the tablets and their phones and or their game consoles or they're online with their friends. I think play has a huge and important role to play in the development of motoric and social skills for kids. I think physical play will be something we're going to discuss a lot in the decades to come, because I think we lost a couple of generations the last 20 years. And I think that's a super dangerous thing. So getting back to your question, a lot of similarities, but there are also some differences and I've learned a lot by working with them.Andy Povey: Fantastic. The talk about play really resonates. We lost a year, maybe 18 months through COVID. I have 11-year-old twin girls. I love the idea that me taking them to our local FEC on a Saturday morning so I could recover from a hangover while they went and played was a really positive, good parent thing to do. So thank you for that. We're at the show. What are you looking forward to seeing when you get out on the show floor, when we eventually let you go out on the show floor?Andreas Andersen:  Oh! I very rarely have a plan. I like to just stroll around. Actually, I see it a little bit like visiting an amusement park. You shop for experiences and you see what happens. I think one of the great things about these expos is the fact that, and that's probably what I look most forward to, is that you meet your industry colleagues.Andreas Andersen:  A company like ours, Liseberg, we do not exist; we do not operate within a chain structure. We do not have a corporate mother that knows a lot about what we do. We do not have other parks that we can benchmark with. So these shows is also a little bit a way for us to get out of the bubble and meet other people that work with the same thing as we do. So it's actually not as much the expo floor or the events or the educational program as it is meeting the people. I enjoy.Andy Povey: Andreas, it's been great talking to you. Thank you very much for your time and have a fantastic show.Andreas Andersen:  And I wish you the very same. Thank you.Paul Marden: Now let's head over to the show floor. So we are here on the ProSlide stand, and I'm here with Aaron. Aaron, introduce yourself. Tell us a little bit about ProSlide.Aaron  Wilson: Hi, nice to meet you. Thanks for coming in. I'm Aaron Wilson, Senior Vice President, Business Development, EMEA, with ProSlide. I've been with ProSlide for nine years. We're focused really on the design and innovation of rides. That's where we really form the nucleus of who ProSlide is.Paul Marden: Okay, so what are you launching here at this year's IAAPA?Aaron  Wilson:  Yeah, so let's walk over here to our model table. Where we have a large model of our newest feature, which is the Hive. We actually opened up two rides this year, one at Chimelong in China, the most attended water park in the world. Paul Marden: Wow. Aaron  Wilson:  And that's with a five-person family raft, everyone seated facing each other.Paul Marden: That's amazing. So you're going through this on a five-person ring kind of thing?Aaron  Wilson:  Exactly, a five-person tube. So it's a tight radius helix curve. So as you enter, you're entering into a completely open, basically cathedral space. But as you're dropping and turning very quickly, you're staying really stuck along the outside of the wall, feeling those centrifugal forces. And you have a 360-degree global view. So you're able to look forward, backwards, upwards, down. See everywhere where you came from and where you're headed.Paul Marden: It's amazing, isn't it? Because you've got transparent sides on it. So you can see outside as well.Aaron  Wilson:  Absolutely. And there's a ton of theming potential here. In the middle is a support structure. And so we're working on theming there in the middle, if we can. Special effects around the outside. In this case, it's transparent. Exactly.Paul Marden: You've got some amazing models on the table here. This is one of those rides that you can't really bring to IAAPA and experience in real life because we'd all have to be in our swimmers.Aaron  Wilson:  Unfortunately, yes.Paul Marden: But some amazing, amazing models. What's innovative about this? What's this bringing to the market, which is unusual?Aaron  Wilson:  So you have that 360-degree helix turn. We've completely opened it up. So normally in a turn, you can only see a few meters in front of you. In this case, it's a feature that's completely open as you're making that turn. And so you can see everywhere, right? Up and down, forwards, backwards. And that's really part of the differentiation. But obviously the biggest sensation is actually that experience you feel as you have those centrifugal forces around the outside. With a five-person boat, you're looking at about 800 pounds, and you're whipping around the outside, gaining tons of speed throughout. So it's really exciting. The additional interesting thing about this element is we're also doing a two-person tube and a small compact footprint.Aaron  Wilson:  So it's very adaptable for indoor parks or even outdoor parks that don't have a ton of space. That compact footprint gives a lot of flexibility in the design.Paul Marden: So you've got this in China at the moment, you say?Aaron  Wilson:  Yep, and one in the US. And there are a lot more to come in the next one to two years already programmed and open. So we're really excited about this for the water parks.Paul Marden: That's amazing. So we've been asking everybody to get their crystal ball out and tell us trends for 2026. Where do you think the market is going? What do you think that we can expect to see this time next year at IAAPA? Aaron  Wilson:  Water coasters. Water coasters are the big thing. Paul Marden: What on earth is a water coaster? Aaron  Wilson:  Yeah, well, let's head over here to another model table. We have a couple of examples here. So I would say, like in the last couple of years, specifically speaking about Europe, we've seen an amazing response to our water coaster technology using water propulsion. We call it the rocket blast.Paul Marden: Right.Aaron  Wilson:  And so what you have is a series of injectors placed along the uphill sections that actually push the boat uphill. That's amazing. And so with that technology, we're able to do a number of things. And this actually, this ride opened about a year and a half ago at Land of Legends in Turkey. This is, you know, one of the biggest things that will stand out to you here is, as you're looking around all the models, what's very common with a water park is you have—gravity-fed rides, meaning you climb a tower and use gravity to go down. Paul Marden:  This is very flat and long. Aaron  Wilson:  Exactly. This is built essentially on grade. There's no tower here. So, I mean, the first thing is accessibility. So now, as you know, there's no steps. You know, water parks are historically very difficult to meet accessibility. Paul Marden: Yeah. Do you know, I've never thought of that before. But of course, you need to climb the stairs to be able to get to the top of the tower.Aaron  Wilson:  So this case, this is called Turtle Coaster. And this is at Land of Legends. Our guests can walk or, you know, walk or wheel.Paul Marden: Yep.Aaron  Wilson:  As they want up this ramp. This is about four meters off grade. We have a little bit of a drop here. So this is a closed-circuit coaster, right? Meaning the guests are finishing and ending in the same location. Also something different from a water ride. Normally you're going up a tower and finishing in a pool. Here you're finishing and starting at the same location, much like a mechanical dry-growing coaster.Paul Marden: And this, just for listeners' benefit, this has got eight or nine turns in there. It's really, you know. It's going to be a normal coaster-type ride, isn't it?Aaron  Wilson:  This is a 420-meter-long coaster. You're looking at about a minute-and-a-half water ride, which is crazy. Most water rides are about 30 seconds, you know? So it's a really long experience. You have eight uphill last sections, along with what else is unique with our technology is we're able to incorporate these flat last sections. So much like a mechanical coaster has that launch element to it. We're able to do that with water propulsion. So right off the stop, you have this completely flat launch blast. Up, you're getting the elevation. You go around for 420 meters, a series of flying saucer features, uphill sections. Coming back into a water channel.Aaron  Wilson:  And landing in the landing pool, it picks you up on a moving station conveyor. So this conveyor is actually moving at a very slow pace. Guests are cutting off and getting back on.Paul Marden: This is not a lazy river, is it? That you're just sat around for a little while. This is going to hair around.Aaron  Wilson:  Absolutely not. And then here at Siam Park is another coaster here. We opened up in '23. Doolin. So you had two lanes.Paul Marden: Oh, wow.Aaron  Wilson:  And you're racing side by side throughout the experience.Paul Marden: That is amazing. Well, Aaron, look— it's been wonderful to meet you. Find out more about what you're doing here. Looks super, super exciting. I want to get my swimmers on and go and try some, but maybe not whilst we're here in Barcelona, but maybe one time soon.Andy Povey: So we're on the show floor again and I'm with Robbie Jones from Katapult. Robbie, please tell the listeners at home a little bit about Katapult, what you do with them.Robbie  Jones: So we design themed attractions, experiences and destinations. So that can be anything from theme parks all the way through to museums. And our— I guess our core competency is design stage, so pre-concept designs. We get involved quite a lot in theme parks that are very early stages. And my role in that is quite unique within the team of creatives and designers, in that I look towards the insights. So sometimes I work with feasibility partners to kind of pull together the economic requirements for a theme park or an attraction to exist. But more often than not, it's about the guest journey, the guest behaviour, how can we make the guest experience as best as possible by understanding information research that we might have already but also doing some primary research as well to make sure we're creating like that amazing moment for every person that walks through the door.Andy Povey: Fantastic. That sounds really, really impressive. Looking back over 2025, what are your key takeaways from this year so far?Robbie  Jones: Goodness, me. I think I'll speak with a lot of what the industry would say, which is it's been a little bit sticky in places in 2025. There's certainly been more maybes than yeses or nos in terms of projects. But I think we're starting to see things beginning to move. Someone's put some oil in the engine somewhere, which is great. And there's some really exciting projects coming up. Obviously, as a UK-based company, seeing the likes of Universal, Poodie Foo, setting up shop. It's going to be really interesting to see how that impacts not just the UK, but the European market as well.Andy Povey: I couldn't agree more. I really, really look forward to seeing that anticipated improvement in quality of experience that we'll get across the UK. So looking forward to '26 now, what are you anticipating as being the exciting things we're talking about in 12 months' time?Robbie  Jones: Gosh, I mean, I think there will be an element of a quiet time, I think, especially with the new build theme parks, whether that's in the UK or, of course, in the Middle East. I think there'll be an element of quiet that we need to get used to in terms of waiting to see what the next big thing is or the next IP that's going to be in those rides. But I certainly see a lot more positive vibes coming out of the industry. I think we'll see more exciting local experiences, maybe not just big global ones. And yeah, just on the horizon, maybe plenty more opportunity and positivity.Paul Marden: It has been my first IAAPA Expo, and I've had a whale of a time. And I am joined here by Peter van der Schans, the VP and Exec Director of IAAPA EMEA. Peter. Tell me a little bit about what the show has been like for you because I've had an amazing time.Peter van der Schans: Well, so did I. The funny thing is we've always worked so hard on these expos. It takes a hell of a lot of time and it all comes back in this one week. And once you exit that plane or train or however you arrive, you start in a bus and then it's over before you know it.Peter van der Schans: And the week is done and you fall in this big black hole. That's where we're going now. So it's been a wonderful week and it's great to see all our members and every industry leader that is visiting us. We're a small team at IAAPA. We're not a huge organisation, but we have our members supporting us. It's a team effort from both IAAPA and our members, basically. And it's only pride.Paul Marden: One of the most important parts of the show, I think, is the educational side of what you do. There's been a big educational program. Are there any big themes that you've spotted coming out of that education strand?Peter van der Schans: So the education program actually is built with our members and by our members. So, of course, we guide it and shape it. But it's actually done by our members. So it's our members saying, 'Hey, this is where I have issues with. This is the trends I see. This is where I think this is going, which makes it always accurate because we have that industry knowledge by our members.' So in that sense, what we saw this year, there's a lot of focus on AI, obviously, the hot topic nowadays. Paul Marden: It's not a single interview I do where somebody hasn't dropped AI into it. So it's a hot topic.Peter van der Schans: It's a hot topic. And I'm very curious also to see where it's going because right now, if you see execution, the focus is much on back office. For example, Parks Reunidos for example, shared on stage, that they can now predict their next, the next day in visitor numbers with accuracy of 93% which is perfect. Things like that. But I'm curious exactly to see how it's going to evolve in the future to the front end. So what is that visitor going to see in the future? Whenever I go to a theme park, for example, will I be recognised by my name? And if I ride a ride, will the animatronic know my name, for example? Things like that. I think there's limitless possibilities.Peter van der Schans: And we're just at the verge of the beginning. And it's also so, so, so excited about that education program that we share what we know and we work together to get to that point to make it better. Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. The collaboration in this sector is just amazing. And IAAPA is just the living proof of that. So many smiling faces. You know that there were competitors together on stands just chatting and enjoying. It's a really enriching experience seeing everybody work together.Peter van der Schans: It is, it is. And the funny thing is I've worked in this industry since I was 16. I started as a ride operator. I didn't know any better than when I had an issue when I became supervisor and manager that I could call the park at the other end of the country and ask, like, 'Hey, how are you dealing with this?' And they helped me. And then I worked at the cinema industry and suddenly I realised that that is not that common in all industries, to say it lightly. It was much more competitive and I didn't want to share anything and really opened my eyes in a way that I realised, like, 'hey, this is special'. And also made me realise that IAAPA plays a big part in that as well, as an organisation to bring all those people together, to provide that platform to work together.Paul Marden: Yes, the facilitators of the community, aren't you? I'm going to ask you a slightly controversial question here. Outside of show hours, what has been your favourite party or event? And you can name drop any one of them. It's absolutely fine. Nobody will be upset with you.Peter van der Schans: I must say the ballpark reception, obviously for the British people. Always good beers. The Tuesday events with the opening ceremony, where we really kick off the week. They made me dance again. I don't recommend watching that back, but that's always just a fun, fun morning where we really kick off the week with a big energy, with a nice connection to the host city as well. Peter van der Schans: It's always fun to work on that and to execute that, but also the evening event, the opening reception where we gather. Well, this year we had 1,400 industry professionals coming together and mixing, mingling in Tibidabo. Without rain, thankfully. Paul Marden: Well, yes, this is the thing. So I was watching the skies thinking this could go really badly wrong. The BBC weather forecasts were not looking good. Peter van der Schans: There's this tradition in Barcelona that you bring eggs to nuns and they make sure you'll have good weather. We did that. We brought three dozens.Paul Marden: Took a lot of eggs. There was a lot of eggs broken in the making of this party. But you did very well. We're at the end. And everybody gets to heave a big sigh of relief that the show's done. It's in the can. But there's also a touch of sadness and fondness looking forward to what comes next. So next year, what have you got coming up first? I understand there's something in the Middle East.Peter van der Schans: Yeah, absolutely. We actually last year at this expo in Amsterdam, we announced the launch of our newest expo, IAAPA Expo Middle East, which is actually the first time in IAAPA's history that we built a new expo from scratch.Peter van der Schans: Never done that before, our members and and people in the industry ask us year after year like, 'When is IAAPA coming to the Middle East?' Of course, there's a huge amount of investments going on in that region. It's crazy. And in that sense, we we simply listen to our members and decide that this is the time we need to go. And we're excited to get closer and closer to the actual launch of the event in March in 2026 in Abu Dhabi.Paul Marden: So March 2026, Abu Dhabi is our next event. But there is another event coming next year. IAAPA is coming to London, which I'm very pleased about. Tell me, is the planning all starting on Monday? Are you already a long way through planning? Plans you can share with me about what's coming up in London?Peter van der Schans: We will have an exciting program for sure, but we're not there yet with with the actual education programme. That takes a little bit more of time, but we do have the show Florencial already and that's looking to be another record-breaking show. What I think also remarkable is that we will have one third more education than we will have in our previous show. So we always had two conference rooms— we'll have three in London. So we'll have actually quite a big increase in our educational offerings as well.Paul Marden: That's amazing. I cannot wait. This has been my first IAAPA, but it won't be my last IAAPA. I think I can confidently say that. So grateful for you and the team inviting us along as Skip the Queue to be part of what you've been doing. We've had an amazing time and I cannot wait to see you again in London.Peter van der Schans: Thank you very much and happy to have you here.Paul Marden: We are here at the end of day three of IAAPA Expo Europe. We've had a wonderful time. Andy Povey: I'm broken. Paul Marden: Oh man, I'm going home a broken man. The voice is barely holding on. I am here with Laura Read from Marwell Zoo. Welcome to Skip the Queue, Laura.Laura Read: Hello. Thank you for having me.Paul Marden: Laura, what's it been like for you? What's the benefit of coming to IAAPA for you?Laura Read: So this is my first IAAPA. For me, this was all around looking at what's new for visitor attractions, what's innovative, what's coming up, and what could we potentially bring to the visitors of Marwell Zoo that might be exciting and might drive more visitors to come to us, really, ultimately. It's all about, for us, diversification, keeping the zoo product at the core of our offer, obviously, but seeing how we can augment that with other things.Paul Marden: So what can we expect? Is it going to be a 4D immersive ride experience? Water slides? Or are you looking for something that enriches the in-real-life experience for you? And it's a bit more low-tech.Laura Read: Oh, I'd love to put in like a water park. Do you know what? That's something like the coolest stalls. Like going around going, 'oh, I'd love to design a water park. That's so fun. No, no'. So for us, it's really about looking at sort of smaller, lower-level, new attractions that we can bring in, you know, we're primarily a family audience. So it's what do kids want to play on? You know, I've seen some really cool little ride-on Jeeps that we think would work really, really well because we also want to stay true to our ethos. You know, Marwell's built its reputation on our conservation work, our hands-on conservation work in the field, you know, reversing species decline and also around sustainability. So sustainability is really core to our offer.Laura Read: This is not about turning Marwell into a theme park or a water park or anything like that, because the animals are still very much the stars of the show, as is the conservation work. But it's about how we can best utilise our space to provide that density of guest experience. And I think seeing all the things here today. That's where the inspiration comes in.Paul Marden: I think it's really interesting, isn't it? Because when you take your kids to the zoo, you need some space. You need a palate cleanser between the animals, don't you? To give the kids time to burn off some energy, to do something a little bit different. And then they come back re-energised and you're hiding the vegetables. You're teaching them about the conservation efforts and all the really important stuff that you do, but hidden around lots of things that keep them happy and engaged in what's going on.Laura Read: Exactly. The problem with zoos is the animals— they don't care that they're the exhibits.Laura Read: And, you know, we are a primarily outdoor attraction. Extremes of heat, rainy days, animals disappear. We know that. We know that the perennial problem is: I didn't see any animals because we have really, really high animal welfare levels and standards. And if those animals want to go off show and take themselves off to bed or away from the public view, they all can and should and do. So we need something that can keep kids particularly engaged and entertained, hopefully getting across a bit of education and messaging as well at the same time. That's a massive tick in the box. But, you know, it fills in the gaps when those animals just aren't playing ball.Paul Marden: Yeah, absolutely. Andy, what's been the highlight of day three for you, mate?Andy Povey: So I think it's actually talking to Laura.Paul Marden: Such a charmer.Andy Povey: Let me finish. Let me justify. It's really picking up the fact that this isn't just a theme park show. Yeah. There are elements for everything you could possibly do any day out any attraction, even in any shopping centre or any place you go to where there's large crowds of people— so it's all of that kind of stuff. I think is it's refreshing to see it through someone else's eyes, through our conversations.Laura Read: I was going to say, 'I have to say,'  Before I was chief exec at Marwell, I ran a really large, shopping centre like retail, leisure, events, and destination. And I'm amazed that this is not on more commercial real estate people's radar. I look to see if there's anyone from a previous company here, then there isn't on the attendees list. And I'm like, 'Wow,' this is all the stuff that we should have been thinking about five years ago, ten years ago, when we were realising that diversification from a retail point of view is so important because of online shopping. So that's really interesting what you say. It's not just the theme parks.Andy Povey: No, absolutely not. It's all about the day out. And ultimately, that's all. We're all here to do is we work in a fun industry, and fun doesn't have to just be an amusement park.Paul Marden: Yeah, I found it really interesting. Seeing the things that I've seen has stretched my definition of what a visitor attraction actually is, because it is more than just a theme park. As you wander around and you see the different exhibitors, I was expecting to see... The ride designers and some of the really cool tech that I've seen. But there was other stuff that I've seen that I just hadn't expected.Andy Povey: No, I mean, I was chatting yesterday to a guy who supplies park benches and litter bins.  You see them everywhere. Paul Marden: I say the park bench thing. I remember when I was working at the Botanic Gardens in Wales as it was being built, the importance of the park bench and sitting on them. And they were beautiful park benches, but they were also super comfy. The importance of a park bench, like a good toilet, can't be underestimated.Laura Read: You can always tell someone who works in visitor attraction operations, when they go to any other visitor attraction, they take pictures of the bins. I think that is an absolute giveaway. When I go places with my family and the kids are there, taking pictures of animals or taking pictures of each other or whatever they're doing. And I'm there. Oh, I'm just gonna take a picture of that sign. You know, like.Andy Povey: I have another confession to make. I had a conversation with my wife who took the kids to an attraction a couple of weeks ago. And I was most distressed that she hadn't taken a picture of the till for me.Paul Marden: Oh, you would know what the part number and everything about that till, wouldn't you? Such a retail geek.Paul Marden: Laura, thank you so much for joining us on Skip the Queue. It has been delightful. I feel that there might be a full episode coming on, talking about the zoo, if you'll have me.Laura Read: Yes, absolutely. Bring it on. Paul Marden: Oh, wonderful. Thank you so much.Andy Povey: Andy, take me to the airport.Paul Marden: If you enjoyed this episode, please like and comment in your podcast app. It really helps more people to find us. Show notes and links to all our guests this week are available on our website, skipthequeue.fm. It's been a massive team effort to take Skip the Queue to IAAPA. A huge thank you to Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle, Steve Folland and Wenalyn Dionaldo, Claire Furnival and Andy Povey, as well as Erica Washington-Perry and her team at IAAPA Global Communications.Paul Marden: Next week, we're wrapping up our IAAPA theme, talking to Choni Fernandez, Chief Sustainability Officer at PortAventura Entertainment, and Jakob Wahl, President and CEO of IAAPA. See you then.  The 2025 Visitor Attraction Website Survey is now LIVE! Dive into groundbreaking benchmarks for the industryGain a better understanding of how to achieve the highest conversion ratesExplore the "why" behind visitor attraction site performanceLearn the impact of website optimisation and visitor engagement on conversion ratesUncover key steps to enhance user experience for greater conversionsTake the Rubber Cheese Visitor Attraction Website Survey Report

✨Découvre les 21 astuces pour optimiser tes IMPÔTS ⁠⁠⁠

The U.S. Supreme Court has vastly reshaped American democracy — rolling back voting rights, enabling secret money in politics and expanding presidential power. These decisions have a real impact on all Americans by making it harder for citizens to exercise their freedom to vote, easier for wealthy interests to sway elections and more difficult to hold leaders accountable.In this episode, host Simone Leeper speaks with law professor and co-host of the Strict Scrutiny Podcast Leah Litman, Campaign Legal Center Senior Vice President Bruce V. Spiva and Campaign Legal Center Campaign Finance Senior Counsel David Kolker. Together, they unpack the real-world impact of landmark Supreme Court decisions — from voting rights cases like Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich v. DNC to campaign finance rulings like Citizens United — and explore what reforms could restore balance, accountability and trust in the Court.Timestamps:(00:05) — What do Americans really think about the Supreme Court?(02:18) — Why does the Supreme Court's power matter for democracy?(07:01) — How did Shelby County v. Holder weaken voting rights?(16:39) — What was the impact of Brnovich v. DNC?(23:39) — How has the Supreme Court reshaped campaign finance?(29:24) — Why did Citizens United open the floodgates for money in politics?(32:37) — How have super PACs changed elections?(34:02) — How have wealthy special interests reshaped U.S. elections?(35:44) — What does presidential immunity mean for accountability?(37:30) — How do lifetime seats protect the Supreme Court from accountability?(39:22) — What role can Congress play in restoring trust and democracy?Host and Guests:Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at Campaign Legal Center, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.Leah Litman is a professor of law at the University of Michigan and a former Supreme Court clerk. In addition to cohosting Strict Scrutiny, she writes frequently about the Court for media outlets including The Washington Post, Slate, and The Atlantic, among others, and has appeared as a commentator on NPR and MSNBC, in addition to other venues. She has received the Ruth Bader Ginsburg award for her “scholarly excellence” from the American Constitution Society and published in top law reviews. Follow her on Bluesky @LeahLitman and Instagram @ProfLeahLitman.Bruce V. Spiva is Senior Vice President at Campaign Legal Center. He is an attorney and community leader who has spent his over 30-year career fighting for civil rights and civil liberties, voting rights, consumer protection, and antitrust enforcement.Over the past three decades, he has tried cases and argued appeals in courtrooms across the country, including arguing against vote suppression in the United States Supreme Court in 2021. In 2022, in his first run for public office, Bruce mounted a competitive run in the primary election for Washington, D.C. Attorney General. In addition to founding his own law firm where he practiced for eleven years, Bruce has held several leadership and management positions as a partner at two national law firms. Most recently, Bruce served as the Managing Partner of the D.C. Office and on the firm-wide Executive Committee of Perkins Coie LLP, where he also had an active election law practice. He first-chaired twelve voting rights and redistricting trials across the country, and argued numerous voting rights appeals in U.S. circuit courts and state supreme courts during his tenure at Perkins. David Kolker is Campaign Finance Senior Counsel at Campaign Legal Center. He focuses on both short- and long-term strategies to improve campaign finance laws across the country, and precedent interpreting those laws. David has spent decades litigating cases in both the public and private sectors. He worked for nearly 20 years at the Federal Election Commission, where he litigated cases on federal campaign finance law and for several years led the agency's Litigation Division. He represented the government in dozens of oral arguments, including the government's defense in SpeechNow.org v. FEC before the D.C. Circuit sitting en banc. He litigated many cases decided by the Supreme Court, including the landmark cases of McConnell v. FEC and Citizens United v. FEC. David joined CLC from the Federal Communications Commission, where he served as the deputy bureau chief, Enforcement Bureau. He previously was a partner at the law firm Spiegel and McDiarmid in Washington. Early in his career, David worked as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. Links:The Supreme Court Needs to Start Standing Up for Democracy – CLCThe Supreme Court's Role in Undermining American Democracy  – CLCSupreme Court's Impact on Voting Rights Is a Threat to Democracy  – CLCWhy the Current U.S. Supreme Court Is a Threat to Our Democracy  – CLCU.S. Supreme Court Reinstates Illegal Virginia Voter Purge at the Eleventh Hour – CLCWhat Does the U.S. Supreme Court's Recent Arizona Decision Mean for Voters? – CLCAlito Flags the Fatal Flaw of the Supreme Court Ethics Code – CLCU.S. Supreme Court Reinstates Illegal Virginia Voter Purge at the Eleventh Hour – CLCImproving Ethics Standards at the Supreme Court – CLCSupreme Court tossed out heart of Voting Rights Act a decade ago, prompting wave of new voting rules – The HillU.S. Supreme Court Significantly Limits Restraints on Unconstitutional Presidential Actions – CLCCampaign Legal Center Responds to SCOTUS Ruling Limiting Court Restraints on Unconstitutional Presidential Actions – CLCProtecting the Promise of American Citizenship – CLCBringing the Fight for Fair Voting Maps to the U.S. Supreme Court – CLCThe Supreme Court Must Uphold Fair Voting Maps for Fair Representation – CLCAbout CLC:Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. Campaign Legal Center fights for every American's freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Learn more about us.Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week's show is sponsored in part by EPIC-MRA Public Opinion Research MIRS News

In Dinner Table Action v. Schneider, pending in the First Circuit, Maine is appealing a permanent injunction barring the enforcement of a ballot initiative passed in 2024 that would have capped contributions for independent expenditures at $5,000. The initiative, formulated and supported by the anti-super PAC group, Equal Citizens, was designed to challenge the case that “created” super PACs, SpeechNow.org v. FEC, a unanimous en banc D.C. Circuit decision, which held that no limits can be placed on contributions for independent expenditures, and has since been reaffirmed by several federal circuit courts. If the First Circuit were to remove the injunction, it would create a circuit split, and open up the possibility of revisiting SpeechNow.org v. FEC.The Dinner Table Action District Court also ruled that mandatory disclosure of donors starting at $0 unconstitutionally burdens Free Speech by not affording any possibility for anonymous speech. As such, this case sits at an interesting intersection between free speech and election law. Join us for a litigation update where we will discuss the developments to date in this case, its potential impacts, and where it may be headed. Featuring: Charles Miller, Senior Attorney, Institute for Free Speech(Moderator) Stephen R. Klein, Partner, Barr & Klein PLLC

Annie is joined by Hans von Spakovsky—senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, former FEC commissioner, and DOJ lawyer—to reflect on a nation reeling from tragedy. With the country already remembering the heartbreak of September 11th, the assassination of Charlie Kirk casts a new and painful shadow. Von Spakovsky offers sharp insight into the dangerous decline of civil discourse, the weaponization of language in politics, and the chilling environment on American college campuses. Together, Annie and Hans examine how rhetoric can fuel violence, the DOJ's troubling priorities, and whether Americans still have the ability—or willingness—to stand together when it matters most.

Aye, wotcha, marnin', welcome to Front End Chatter, wiv him, Simon Fitz-Martin, and him Hargreaves Gibbons, a reet pair of motorcycle journalists speaking into a wizardy recording device for the 216th time of asking, except nobody is. You get what you deserve.  Massive thanks to Bennetts, Britain's Best bike insurers, and bikesocial.co.uk, for their support of this podcast, and seemingly limitless reserves of patience and understanding at this most trying of times (and we really are trying).  And on this week's FEC (which week is that exactly?) we have:  • why Triumph's 2025 Speed Triple RS has got us so excited we're figuratively and, in Simon's case literally, standing to attention  • why Kawasaki's Ninja 1100SX SE Tourer is a genuine contender for 'Sports Tourer of 2025" as if that's an actual thing, which it isn't, really • why Yamaha's Tracer 7 GT is a genuine contender for "Sports Tourer of 2025 under 1000cc" as if that's also an actual thing, which it also isn't, also really • why BMW's R1300 RT is more like a sports tourer, with a longer tank range and as long as you don't do more than 400 miles in a day • how journalists have tested the patience of manufacturers (how many fingers have you got?) • why CFMoto's 450 MT is about to take over the world All this and not much more, come on, it was gone 9pm when we finished and I needed a lie down with a stiff one, it might not be the most physically demanding job but I don't remember that last time a plumber had to compromise his principles quite as often. Dahling.  Right, enough, go away, but not before you've summoned your thoughts, musings, queries, questions and hilarious stories of motorcycling mishaps and mayhem and committed them to an email to:  anything@frontendchatter.com We remain your effervescent amis Simon H Mufga Ride yer bike. You know it makes very little sense. 

I'm tuning in just after one of the most dramatic stretches in recent American political history, as the legal storm surrounding former President Donald Trump's court trials hits new highs. Let's jump right in—the courtroom battles featuring Trump have been exploding across national headlines, from Washington D.C. to California and beyond.Over the past few days, the nation's attention has been gripped by a federal judge's ruling out in California. California Attorney General Rob Bonta confirmed that President Trump's deployment of federalized California National Guard troops and Marines for civilian law enforcement in Los Angeles was in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, that foundational law limiting the military's role on our soil. According to Bonta, the District Court not only found Trump's actions unlawful, but also permanently blocked the administration from engaging in similar behavior in future, whether for arrests, riot control, or evidence gathering. The judge's order is stayed only until September 12th, making this a pivotal moment for executive reach and civil liberties.Meanwhile, the legal calendars covering Trump's trials have become almost as tangled as the cases themselves. After the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in on Trump's presidential immunity claims in early August, the D.C. Circuit Court handed jurisdiction back to Judge Tanya Chutkan. However, the most recent scheduling order—coming just this week—has paused all pretrial deadlines until late October, essentially putting everything on hold in the Washington election subversion case. With time ticking away under the Speedy Trial Act, legal experts say this delay throws uncertainty over the proceedings, especially as appeals and procedural wrangling continue.It's not just criminal matters. On the civil side, Trump's legal team is still grappling with the fallout from previous verdicts, notably those involving E. Jean Carroll's defamation suits. The appeals are underway at the Second Circuit, but movement has slowed as defense attorneys look for openings in the appeals process. These cases, filed back in 2020 and 2022, have been persistent thorns in Trump's side, flaring up anew with each ruling.Also in the mix is the Democratic National Committee's lawsuit, challenging Trump's use of Executive Order 14215 to sway the Federal Election Commission. The U.S. District Court in D.C. dismissed the challenge earlier this summer, citing a lack of concrete injury. Still, with the FEC's independence on the line, insiders expect the issue to resurface as the end of election season nears.With Trump back in office, there's no shortage of Supreme Court petitions—over four dozen right now—ranging from immigration to telemarketing, tax laws, and challenges to federal policy moves dating back years. The administration is wielding the emergency docket as a powerful tool, regularly pressing to overturn lower court decisions and keep executive power front and center.So, as the clock moves forward, these cases are more than just legal drama—they're signposts of where America's institutions stand and how the rule of law will look in a rapidly shifting political landscape. Thanks for tuning in. Join me again next week for another Quiet Please production. For more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.ai

Roberto Yévenes, expresidente de la FEC.

The last story I told you about, I credited WYFF for that headline, and I apologize. It was actually, Fox Carolina, that ran that story. However, I went over and I checked on WYFF's website, and they ran the exact same story only from the Associated Press. So all of these local news stations are going along with it. In fact, I'm looking at a guy right now, over on, x, breaking. A veteran was just arrested outside the White House for burning the American flag. In 1989, the Supreme Court ruled that flag burning is protected under speech under the first amendment. Oh, oh, do you mean that that means that I can go into a school in a classroom and I can burn the American flag because it's protected under freedom of speech? Is is that what you're telling me? Oh, oh, does that mean that I can go to a store that sells propane, and I can stand in front of those propane canisters, and I can burn the American flag and nobody can say anything about it because that's protected speech? Is that what you're telling me? Are you telling me that I can burn the American flag anywhere and under any circumstance that I want? Is that what you're telling me? Because it is protected by the first amendment. That's what you're telling me? I can go out into a hospital room where a patient is on oxygen and burn the American flag because it's protected under freedom of speech. This guy didn't get arrested for burning the American flag. He got arrested because he burned something. He burned anything. That's that's just it. It wasn't the flag. The flag was inconsequential. You can't burn anything in front of the White House, period. Man, I'm telling you, these people, they're even even these so called journalists out there, completely missing everything because they've got one thing in common, their unbelievable hatred of Donald Trump. We hate him so much. We won't even pay attention to the truth anymore. We won't we won't even oh my goodness. They're crazy. They're literally nuts. Over at CNN, they are revealed that, the Democrats are actually suffering from depression. Duh. The problem that he is facing is that the depression And he's talking about the head of the RNC right now. The problem that he I'm sorry. He's talking about the head of the DNC right now. The problem that he is facing is that the depression among Democrats is really there, and he has a lot of, both mental and, literal debts that, he has to be paying at the, at the DNC. There's been a lot of problem with fundraising, a lot of Democrats who are not, willing to put the money there. And also, millions of debt from Kamala Harris' campaign that I get into in the story up on our site that has never really been reported before exactly what happened. And even hundreds of thousand dollars of debt, or or payments that are going to Joe Biden's legal bills for the oversight hearings that are, on Capitol Hill. It's a lot of things that are coming together and making it even more difficult for Democrats as they are trying to figure out the way forward into the midterms next year and beyond. Yeah. They are really hurting. Right now, the DNC only has $14,000,000 cash on hand. $14,000,000. And they have agreed to pay Kamala Harris's campaign debts. We're talking about millions of dollars. Kamala Harris ended her failed $1,500,000,000 campaign with $20,000,000 of debt. $20,000,000, and the DNC is gonna cover that. Now since then, old Kamala Harris has been doing something kinda kinda backstabbingly. Harris has been raising money from donors without disclosing the money was actually going to pay off her campaign debt. Oh, maybe somebody ought to be looking in the into that over the, federal elections commission. FEC ought to come up with some sort of an investigation, raising money from donors, thinking it's gonna go to whatever campaign, but it's not. It's gonna go to hers. 15,000,000. Well, I guess I guess Beyonce doesn't come cheap. I guess Megan Thee Stallion and Bruce Springsteen. I gu ...

Sam Bankman-Fried BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Sam Bankman-Fried, once hailed as the face of crypto innovation, remains a prominent headline-maker more than a year deep into his high-profile downfall. In just the past few days, news broke that the Bureau of Prisons transferred him from New York's MDC Brooklyn to Oklahoma, which serves as a federal transfer hub, in preparation for his placement at another lockup where he will continue serving a 25-year sentence for engineering what prosecutors call one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history. This move followed his request to remain in New York during an appeals process; however, officials decided his appeal did not warrant his continued stay. A brief stint in solitary confinement for an unauthorized video interview with Tucker Carlson added a layer of intrigue, but insiders say the transfer is more about routine procedure than punishment, according to ABC News.His living arrangements in jail also sparked some viral chatter with Business Insider and NBC News reporting that Sam Bankman-Fried found himself sharing dorm-style digs with none other than Sean “Diddy” Combs, after the rapper was remanded on unrelated federal charges. The pair are part of a small group of high-profile inmates housed together for heightened security, drawing tabloid comparisons to the facility's notorious reputation and previous famous residents like R. Kelly and Ghislaine Maxwell.On the business front, lingering fallout from his FTX empire continues to reverberate. Newly revealed filings and FEC disclosures show that Democratic super PACs Future Forward and Women Vote finally refunded $4.4 million in donations linked to Bankman-Fried, but only after the Justice Department applied serious pressure. The repayments went into the FTX bankruptcy recovery estate—a long-delayed move closing a chapter in campaign finance intertwined with one of crypto's most notorious scandals, as reported by Sludge.Hollywood continues to circle Bankman-Fried's story, with perhaps the most sensational development coming from The Hollywood Reporter, which announced that Lena Dunham is now adapting Michael Lewis's bestseller Going Infinite about the rise and fall of the FTX founder for the big screen. Apple Studios and A24 are producing, signaling that Sam's notoriety remains potent cultural currency, promising to resurrect his story in a new, dramatic light.Meanwhile, the regulatory ripple effects of his actions persist. The collapse of FTX was a key driver behind the Federal Reserve's now-concluded special oversight program for banks dealing with crypto assets, a decision recounted by The Indian Express. This move closes a regulatory loop that began with the losses Bankman-Fried's platform triggered across signature banks and Silicon Valley Bank, reshaping how traditional banking connects with the digital asset sector.On social media, discussion has reignited over Bankman-Fried's role in the broader crackdown on crypto executives, highlighted by instant reactions to new enforcement actions against other market players. And in culture, references to his incarceration—even in standup comedy, as with Caleb Zeringue's Edinburgh show—attest to his continuing pop-culture imprint.No unconfirmed reports have emerged recently regarding a change in his legal status or possible new charges. As of now, Sam Bankman-Fried remains a cautionary symbol of ambition turned notoriety, his story still unfurling in law, media, and pop intrigue.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta

It's all about the optics for democrats. The NYT digs into FEC data about what Kamala Harris squandered one and a half billions dollars during her presidential campaign on. The State Department stops work visas for commercial truck drivers and announces a review of all 55 MILLION foreign visa holders. Not even 1 in 5 young adults aged 25-34 have attained the 5 major milestones of adulthood. Good news is a beautiful story about one man's love for his dog who was his Everything.

We're talking Nashcon, Old Town Throwdown, and a few more thoughts on the FEC and Nighthaunt updates. 

Can Mike Rogers win a Michigan Senate seat without President Trump on the ballot? Andrew Desiderio is back to dig into Rogers' 2026 strategy.  Plus: What's on the non-shutdown legislative agenda this fall, and key takeaways from FEC filing day — from House and Senate fundraising to the massive RNC cash advantage. Punchbowl News is on YouTube! Subscribe to our channel today to see all the new ways we're investing in video. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? Subscribe to our free Punchbowl News AM newsletter at punchbowl.news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This title didn't come from tonight's episode. I'll let you all in on a little secret, this was the third take cause the first two ended up too spicy for air. Let's just say, we were feeling strongly about certain topics which lead to a conversation that tested the limits of the very liberal editing team here at the Dudes. However, the show must go on. At any rate, Roma covers her recent league game, and all the the excitement that is building for the Northern Wastes GT and I touch on a great game I had against FEC the other night that left me wondering just how much better the new book is actually going to be.

Ridge and Dayton discuss the latest FEC and Nighthaunt books. Plus a quick side bar on the dumpster fire that is the current meta. 

Boortz exposes how email giants like Google may be tilting the political playing field—flagging Republican fundraising emails as spam far more often than Democratic ones. From lawsuits to FEC shrugs, it’s a masterclass in bias hiding in your inbox.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boortz exposes how email giants like Google may be tilting the political playing field—flagging Republican fundraising emails as spam far more often than Democratic ones. From lawsuits to FEC shrugs, it’s a masterclass in bias hiding in your inbox.Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

58 is a Beyer bookend! Beginning with the ambient ‘Silent Mapping' from his recent album, which comes complete with a ‘We are the dreamers of dreams' sample (how could we not?), the mix wends its way to a ‘Tanit' conclusion by way of Jose Gonzalez, DJ Koze, Rival Consoles, Frankey & Sandrino, Sam Shure, Hunter/Game, Logic1000, Hammer, Animal Trainer, plus more…And from our own current roster of label stars, we feature Fec's remix of Vite & Miganova; the quirky brilliance of Argentina's Pazzos, currently on our sister BAU_HAUS imprint; plus a brace from one of our favourite OG's Raphael Mader, which includes a killer Last Men On Earth interpretation. 1. Adam Beyer, Coco Francavilla - Silent Mapping 00:00:002. Rival Consoles - Catherine 00:02:323. José González - Heartbeats  (Logic1000 Remix) 00:07:284. Cayto, Byalux - Different Paths 00:10:285. Vite & Miganova - Take Me Back (Fec's DayBreakMix) 00:14:466. Bill Callahan, Everything Is Recorded, Noah Cyrus - Porcupine Tattoo (DJ Koze Remix) 00:19:577. Raphael Mader - Walked Away (Last Men On Earth Remix) 00:24:218. A.Wild - Got Me! 00:29:179. Vincent Casanova, Podime - Peppermint 00:33:3910. Pazzos - Aura Secreta 00:38:3211. Hunter/Game, ALIAGA - Shapeless (Frankey & Sandrino Remix) 00:43:2212. Pole Position - A Great Light (Sam Shure Remix) 00:49:2113. Jepe - Dreamless Heaven 00:53:2814. Animal Trainer - Come Around (Black Circle & Reezna Remix) 00:59:1315. Schlepp Geist, Motip White - Remote Noise 01:04:1916. Bawrut - La Notte (Hammer Remix) 01:09:2517. Raphael Mader - The Beginning 01:13:4518. Adam Beyer - Tanit 01:18:08

AlabamaBoth US senator for AL praise President Trump for federalizing DC areaThe ACT program launched by ALEA will engage businesses in fighting human traffickingFamily of KJ Starkes Jr. file wrongful death lawsuit re: his hot car deathTuscaloosa teacher confirms the cell phone ban is working alreadyJerry Carl files with the FEC regarding Congressional District 1 raceThe Alabama Weather Network officially launched this past MondayNationalPresident Trump nominates EJ Atonie as next head of Labor StatisticsTrump sends letter to Congress regarding his 30 day emergency declaration for DC areaUS Attorney for DC, Jeanine PIrro ready to rock and roll against DC crimeCA grand jury indicts a man for throwing rocks at ICE agents during protestWhistleblower docs revealed by Just The News,  re: smear leaks approved by Senator Adam Schiff to target TrumpFederal Judge denies DOJ request for grand jury transcripts surrounding Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein

This week on Birdie Little Secrets, Kass is flying solo while Syd flies across the country for (a much deserved) vacay! But TRUST, the girls could never leave their Little Birdies hanging during the most important weeks of the PGA TOUR schedule, the FedExCup Playoffs! Kass continues to spill the tournament tee from the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and boy did the first leg of the Playoffs start out strong with a win from Justin Rose – he's still got it! Rose's 12th victory makes him the oldest winner on TOUR in 2025. Unfortunately, a win for Rose meant a heartbreaking loss for many, including J.J. Spaun during their 3-hole playoff, and let's not forget Rose's bestie, Tommy Fleetwood. Kass talks about the FEC storylines, including those that aren't making it onto the next event, the BMW Championship. This week we went from the Top 70 to the Top 50 in dramatic fashion, you won't want to miss all the Birdie Little Secrets about the Playoffs! Tune in for tournament tee, Ryder Cup Rankings, FEC storylines and more! Plus, we flash it back to a previous BLS guest, Hally Leadbetter!  Use code: BLS15 for 15% off your order at https://midspringsport.com/ Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @birdielittlesecretspod  

On this episode, Smylie and Charlie dive into the dramatic finish in the first round of the Fedex Cup playoffs. From unexpected leaderboard shifts to the intense playoff between Justin Rose and JJ Spaun, Smylie brings an insider look from a scorcher in Memphis. Plus, insights into the players' strategies and the impact of the new course conditions, analysis on FEC rankings heading into next week, and Ryder Cup implications. Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:57 Justin Rose and JJ Spaun 06:06 JJ Spaun 10:08 Scottie Scheffler 13:02 Key Moments 16:01 Playoff Tension 21:49 Course Conditions and Challenges 35:30 Justin Rose's Resilience and Career Reflection 40:39 JJ Spaun's Breakthrough and Consistency 44:44 Tommy Fleetwood 51:10 Rickie Fowler 56:09 The FedEx Cup Bubble and Player Updates #AHEADpartner #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #justinrose #jjspaun #tommyfleetwood #smylieshow #smylie #fedexcup #rydercup  Big thanks to AHEAD for their support! Check AHEAD out here: https://www.ahead.com/

EPISODE 142 | Project 2025: The First 180 Days (World Is Weird 15) Donald Trump said he didn't really know much about Project 2025 except that they sure liked him. And yet, of 313 specific Project 2025 initiatives, he's already enacted 108 of them, and another 63 are actively in the works as of this recording. Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say? Project 2025 put a lot of importance of a sort of blitzkrieg if their boy won the 2024 election, a flurry of activity to define the first 180 days of his presidency and hopefully create so much change that, no matter what happens in future elections (if there are any) many of the changes they want to see happen will end up sticking around. That benchmark date was July 19.  So, let's look at Project 2025. What they say, and some of their own justifications for why they say it. And we'll also see just how much Trump has actively assisted them in realizing their vision for a very different America than the world has ever seen.  Like what we do? Then buy us a beer or three via our page on Buy Me a Coffee.  Review us here or on IMDb. And seriously, subscribe, will ya?  SECTIONS 02:40 - The Mandate for Leadership, Version IX - The first of the Four Pillars, "cultural Marxism"; yes, it really is Gilead; white nationalists and Christian nationalists, family is the key, four main goals 08:52 - Three More Pillars - Info gathering, the Presidential Administration Academy, "climate change" is code for Christian depopulation, a secret playbook, Carter was evil, the DoD and Space Force 13:16 - Economy - General ideas, "fair trade" vs. "free trade", the Consumer Protection Bureau, the Department of Labor, the Department of Commerce 21:05 - Environment - General ideas, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior 25:09 - Transportation - General ideas, get married and make babies or no funding, the Department of Transportation, the FAA 27:11 - Education - General ideas, education is a private good, not a public one; the Department of Education, Parental Bill of Rights 33:12 - Identity - General ideas, LGBTQ+ and trans people ("radical gender ideology"), DEI, pornography 36:15 - Journalism - General ideas, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the FCC, the US Agency for Global Media (now a One America News organ), the Open Technology Fund 38:39 - Healthcare - General ideas, Medicaid, Medicare, the Department of Veteran Affairs, the CDC, the Department of Health is really the Department of Life, marriage, abortions, Planned Parenthood, in vitro fertilization, teen pregnancy, the Department of Health and Human Services 47:43 - Legal - General ideas, affirmative action, the FBI, the death penalty, the Secret Service as military cops, the Department of Justice, FACE Act no longer enforced, don't say trans 53:16 - National Security - Foreign policy shifts, USAID, NATO, nukes, the Department of Defense, Cybercom, the State Department, strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia 57:26 - Immigration - CBP, ICE, TSA, USCIS, refugees, asylum pay-to-stay scheme, birthright citizenship, mass deportations, more police, FEMA funds, the Department of Homeland Security 01:04:42 - Elections - General ideas, the FEC gets limits, photo ID to vote, armed police at polling stations 01:06:58 - Expansion of the Executive - The President is boss, loyalists only, the Insurrection Act of 1807, more surveillance 01:09:24 - Federal Staffing - Bring back the spoils-and-patronage system, the White House, the National Security Council 01:12:01 - Final Thoughts - Trump totally knows about Project 2025, the vision for an America-that-never-was, why the hell didn't you vote? Music by Fanette Ronjat More Info Project 2025 Tracker website (updated daily) r/Keep_Track Full text of "Project 2025 Mandate For Leadership" The “Mandate for Leadership” Series Inside Project 2025's Secret Training Videos - video on ProPublica YouTube channel 5 Reasons Leftists HATE Project 2025 from the Heritage Foundation Project 2025 Quick Read

Wednesday, July 24th 2024Fact checking claims and combating misinformation about Kamala Harris; the Trump Campaign has filed a complaint with the FEC over Harris taking over the Biden war chest; the Harris Campaign has requested VP vetting materials for a short list of potential candidates; the Trump Campaign is second guessing their choice of JD Vance; Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned her position in the wake of the assassination attempt; President Biden is COVID negative and will address the nation tonight at 8 PM ET; Senator Menendez says his last day in the Senate is August 20th; a conversation with Tennessee Rep Gloria Johnson and her campaign to beat Senator Marsha Blackburn; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Our GuestTennessee State House Rep. Gloria Johnson​​ (TN-90)Representative Gloria JohnsonStoriesA Reader's Guide To MAGA's Racist And Misogynistic Attacks On Kamala Harris (Talking Points Memo)FACT FOCUS: A look at false claims around Kamala Harris and her campaign for the White House (AP News)Trump campaign files complaint over transfer of Biden funds to Harris (NYT)Harris campaign requests vetting materials from several possible running mates (NBC News) Donate to the MSW Media, Blue Wave California Victory FundMSW Media, Blue Wave California Victory Fund | ActBlueWhistleblowerAid.org/beans Federal workers - feel free to email AG at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen. Find Upcoming Actions 50501 Movement, No Kings.org, Indivisible.orgDr. Allison Gill - Substack, BlueSky , TikTok, IG, TwitterDana Goldberg - BlueSky, Twitter, IG, facebook, danagoldberg.comCheck out more from MSW Media - Shows - MSW Media, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | SubstackShare your Good News or Good TroubleMSW Good News and Good TroubleHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?The Daily Beans | SupercastThe Daily Beans & Mueller, She Wrote | PatreonThe Daily Beans | Apple Podcasts

  ROTG137 Politically Motivated Attacks Revisited   Nonprofit advocates face a complex environment in 2025 where political disagreements routinely escalate into targeted attacks—ranging from carefully crafted misinformation to more extreme tactics like organizational funding cuts, subpoenas, and personal targeting. This episode explores the emerging challenges advocates encounter, offering insights into recognizing, preparing for, and navigating these increasingly sophisticated forms of political pushback.   Attorneys for this Episode Brittany Hacker Tim Mooney Quyen Tu     Evolution of Political Attacks This isn't the first time we've covered this topic—we discussed it back in earlier episodes when attacks primarily came from private organizations and non-governmental entities like Project Veritas. What's changed is the increasing use of official government investigative authority against tax-exempt organizations, including:   Current Landscape: Government Investigations & Bad Faith Actors Executive Orders from the Trump administration Universities under attack and scrutiny Government agencies: Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) State Attorneys General investigations (particularly from those seeking higher office) New techniques utilizing official power with minimal basis for investigation The key challenge: These officials have great investigative power and can exercise it with the slimmest basis, using bad faith political attacks against organizations doing good community work they simply disagree with.   Examples of Great Advocacy in Response Despite these attacks, many nonprofits have stepped up their advocacy:   Challenging the administration in court Almost every executive order has faced legal challenges Many nonprofits have teamed up for court cases Some challenges have been successful, others ongoing   Calling out attacks for what they are Naming attacks as politically motivated and in bad faith Pointing out reliance on dubious information This approach has met with significant success   Solidarity in numbers Some law firms and universities initially settled with the administration Others joined together and refused to settle or capitulate Finding strength in solidarity and continuing their missions   Funder support stepped up Funders creating new short-term grants Establishing legal defense funds Providing pro bono services for nonprofits Some funders publicly increased funding; others acted quietly but effectively   Being Prepared: Your Best Defense   Legal and Administrative Compliance The best defense is ensuring full compliance with all applicable laws so you can advocate with confidence.   Advocacy Check-Up Tool: Our nonprofit self-assessment (13-page document available free on our website) Identifies opportunities to enhance compliance with tax, lobbying, election, and other laws Provides starting place to assess existing systems Helps prepare for attorney meetings with specific checklist items   Key compliance areas to review: How your 501(c)(3) remains nonpartisan Staying within lobbying limits for C3 public charities Ensuring all reporting is current (IRS, FEC, local ethics commissions) Checking insurance coverage (directors & officers, liability) Board setup and bylaw compliance Document management: Store foundational documents electronically in the cloud   Maintain excellent records: Clear, accurate documentation to easily prove legal compliance when needed   Organizational Readiness and Communications Planning Beyond legal compliance, you need comprehensive preparation: Identify vulnerabilities: What might attackers say about your work? Communications strategy: Have a plan for public response Election season policy: Clear guidelines for staff activities Document retention policy: Know what to keep and for how long Staff training: Especially public-facing staff and volunteers Train them to recognize unusual questions outside normal scope Establish "odd question point person" to defer to Response protocols: Know what to do if attacked Legal counsel: Have a lawyer you can call or know who to contact   Most Important: Don't Self-Censor Remember these are bad faith attacks. You aren't doing anything wrong. They're trying to: Separate you from your funders Separate you from your supporters Make you stop your advocacy work Avoid engaging on the substance of your work   Don't fall for the trap of stopping your advocacy just because they claim you're doing something wrong. If your compliance is solid and you have a communications plan, you've likely done nothing wrong—keep doing your important work.     If You Are Attacked: Response Strategy   Initial Response: Don't Overreact Reassure everyone: Staff, board, key supporters that you have a plan and are executing it Share with allies: Touch base with coalitions and peer organizations Attacks often target multiple similar organizations Share what you're experiencing and your response plans Ask for help: Learn from others who've been through this; consult funders and foundations   Fact-Finding and Gap Analysis Get clear on accusations: What specifically are they claiming? Assess the facts: What do you know vs. don't know? Close any gaps: You don't have to be perfect Retrain staff if needed Amend reports if necessary Address any legitimate compliance issues   Response Protocol for Official Investigations   When facing government actors: Request identification and documentation: Ensure it's a legitimate governmental agency with authority (warrant/subpoena) Preserve all evidence: Don't destroy documents, emails, or other records Don't obstruct government action but monitor their work (like supervising a contractor in your house) Protect privileged information: Seek legal advice on confidential/privileged materials Designate spokesperson: One staff member communicates with government actors and public to avoid conflicting messages   Legal Support and Defense Seek counsel for preparation: Some aspects you can handle alone, others need legal guidance Retain counsel for formal responses: Essential for official investigations Investigate legal defense funds: If budget is tight, these are increasingly available   Staying on Offense: Reframe the Narrative With a good plan in place, you can be on offense instead of defense: Call political attacks what they are Feel confident in your legal compliance Ensure staff feel safe and confident by sharing/reviewing your plan Continue your great advocacy work because you're in compliance with laws   Special Thanks to Funders Shout out to funders who have stepped up during these attacks: Some have been very public about increasing funding Many have acted quietly without spotlight Both approaches are important and appreciated Creating new funding mechanisms and legal defense funds   Resources Advocacy Check-Up: Nonprofit Self-Assessment Essential Strategies for Navigating Government Inquiries (Perkins Coie) Search Warrants: Dos and Don'ts (Perkins Coie) Sample 501(c)(3) Policy for Election Season  Election Activities of Individuals Associated with 501(c)(3)s  Practical Guidance Series: Lobbying  Practical Guidance Series: Nonprofit Voter Assistance On-Demand Training: Preparing for Politically Motivated Attacks

Aughie gives listeners a preview of some of the cases that have been accepted for adjudication in the next SCOTUS term, including: Louisiana v. Calais, Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety, Hamm v. Smith, Elingburg v. U.S., Chiles v. Salazar, National Republican Senatorial Committee v. FEC, Urias-Orellana v. Bondi, and a combination of two cases, Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.J.P.

Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, Britain's crumbliest, flakiest motorcycling podcast, brought to you by the hapless hackery of Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons, nattering endlessly on and on and on anon. We are, as always, scrutineered and scrutinised by Bennetts, Britain's Best Bike Insurer, and bikesocial.co.uk (don't need the www, but try telling legacy media that).  And this month (as it turns out) on FEC, we witter about: • Suzuki's new GSX-S8T and TT (cue schoolboy giggling)  • CCM going bust • Dainese in debt • global bike sales doing well, but not so much in Europe or North America, a pretty awful in the UK • why automatic gearboxes are the opposite of a guitar solo Plus much more, well, a bit... Thank you for lending us your ears, and please keep you thoughts, musings, machinations and queries to: anything@frontendchatter.com Love ya! 

Find out more: https://functionalextremitieschiropractor.com drkyle@iceclinics.com Summary In this episode of The ChiroCandy podcast, host Billy Sticker sits down with Dr. Kyle Bryant as he shares his journey into chiropractic, focusing on extremity adjusting. He discusses the impact of his early experiences, the development of a specialized system for treating extremity injuries, and the importance of building referral networks. Dr. Bryant also introduces his Functional Extremities Chiropractor (FEC) program, aimed at educating other chiropractors and enhancing patient care. The conversation highlights the potential of chiropractic to address a wide range of health issues and the importance of community feedback in refining practice methods. Takeaways  Dr. Bryant became a Certified Chiropractic Extremities Practitioner (CCEP) early in his career. Dr. Kyle emphasizes the importance of connecting extremity issues to spinal health. The FEC program aims to educate chiropractors on extremity adjusting techniques. He encourages chiropractors to join the community and provide feedback on the FEC program. Case Study #1: https://go.chirocandy.com/case-study Case Study #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po2nWAaKcho

TSOR 56 arrives in bumper glory! Featuring a whopping 16 tracks, our monthly mix once again features the great and the good currently smashing global dancefloors. Diplo, Jungle, Four Tet, Damian Lazarus Roman Flügal, Krystal Klear, Ivory, Soul Clap, Martin Buttrich, Of Norway, plus more all take a bow.Meanwhile, looking in-house, we shine a a returning light on Fec; the forthcoming debut of LICA on BAU_HAUS and current offering from another frequent favourite, Mr. Morek.1. Prom Night - Rhythm of Sun (Prom Night's Paradise Mix) 00:00:002. Soul Clap, Greg Paulus, John Camp - Weekend at Barnies (Martin Buttrich Remix) 00:04:413. Prom Night - Rhythm of Sun (Kasper Bjørke Remix) 00:10:024. Roman Flügel - Geht's noch? (Moguai Remix) 00:13:425. Upercent - Dulzaina 00:21:066. Noha - Silver Snake 00:26:027. Four Tet - Into Dust (Still Falling) 00:31:218. Fec, magic.made.by.r - Your Body 00:37:039. Diplo, Damian Lazarus - Don't Be Afraid (Feat. Jungle) (CIOZ Remix) 00:41:4110. LICA - Dance Floor 00:45:1711. Specifik - Energy of Delusion 00:51:1612. Mr Morek - Fonky Man 00:58:0613. Re.you, Paul Brenning - Black Roads (Uvita & Osfur Extended Remix) 01:02:4314. Of Norway, Island Hill - In My Mind (Ivory Extended Reflection) 01:07:1815. Krystal Klear - Offenbach 01:12:1016. Deckert - Gimme Now 01:17:00

Thursday, June 5th, 2025Today, Judge Xinis grants a motion to unseal Abrego Garcia documents and grants his lawyers their motion to file for sanctions against Trump's stonewalling; economists are raising questions about the validity of US inflation data; the President has enacted 50% steel tariffs and then quickly TACOed them for the UK; a federal judge has tossed the Democratic Party lawsuit challenging Trump's FEC order; the Tennessee assistant district attorney has been charged with assaulting woman multiple times; a federal appeals court refuses to lift the block on mass layoffs at the Department of Education; young Democrat Kieshan Scott trounces his Republican opponent winning a South Carolina state house seat; South Korea's liberal party candidate won the snap election Tuesday; the Trump administration rescinds the Biden era policy requiring hospitals to provide reproductive emergency health care; Kennedy center subscription sales fall 36% since Trump took over; and Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Today's show is brought to you by Whistleblower Aid: a non-profit created and run by whistleblowers who are the bulwark for the truth-tellers who step forward to save our republic. Support their work by visiting whistlebloweraid.org/beansThank You, PiqueGet 20% off on the Radiant Skin Duo, plus a FREE starter kit at Piquelife.com/dailybeansMSW Media, Blue Wave California Victory Fund | ActBlueCheck out Dana's social media campaign highlighting LGBTQ+ heroes every day during Pride Month -  Dana Goldberg (@dgcomedy.bsky.social)Guest: Miles TaylorEnd Presidential Revenge .orgMiles Taylor (@MilesTaylorUSA) / TwitterReadBlowback Miles Taylor | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster StoriesEconomists Raise Questions About Quality of U.S. Inflation Data | The Wall Street JournalUK temporarily spared from Trump's 50% steel tariffs | BBCTrump administration rescinds policy requiring emergency abortion care | The Washington PostJudge tosses Democratic Party challenge to Trump order's impact on FEC | POLITICOTennessee assistant district attorney charged with assaulting woman multiple times | FOX 17 WZTV NashvilleFederal appeals court refuses to lift ruling halting mass layoffs at Department of Education | CNN PoliticsLiberal Lee Jae-myung wins South Korea presidency in martial law 'judgement day' | ReutersKennedy Center subscription sales fall 36 percent from previous year | The Washington PostGood TroubleYou can Join red wine and blue to learn how to effectively build local support in your community and the tactics you can use for success at Red Wine & BlueProton Mail: free email account with privacy and encryptionFind Upcoming Demonstrations And ActionsSat June 14 10am – 12pm PDT AG is hosting NO KINGS Waterfront Park, San DiegoDonation link - secure.actblue.com/donate/fuelthemovement250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Grand Military Parade and CelebrationSchedule F comments deadline extended to June 7th Federal Register :: Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service50501 MovementJune 14th Nationwide Demonstrations - NoKings.orgIndivisible.orgFrom The Good NewsHegseth orders Navy strip oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk of nameSSA.govPot Smoking Atheists Who Love Dogs Facebook Group (updated)Reminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Federal workers - feel free to email me at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen.Share your Good News or Good TroubleMSW Good News and Good Trouble Check out other MSW Media podcastshttps://mswmedia.com/shows/Subscribe for free to MuellerSheWrote on Substackhttps://muellershewrote.substack.comFollow AG and Dana on Social MediaDr. Allison Gill Substack|Muellershewrote, BlueSky|@muellershewrote , Threads|@muellershewrote, TikTok|@muellershewrote, IG|muellershewrote, Twitter|@MuellerSheWrote,Dana GoldbergTwitter|@DGComedy, IG|dgcomedy, facebook|dgcomedy, IG|dgcomedy, danagoldberg.com, BlueSky|@dgcomedyHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?Supercasthttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/Patreon https://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr subscribe on Apple Podcasts with our affiliate linkThe Daily Beans on Apple Podcasts

This Day in Legal History: Henderson v. United States DecidedOn June 5, 1950, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Henderson v. United States, 339 U.S. 816 (1950), a significant civil rights ruling concerning racial segregation in interstate transportation. Elmer W. Henderson, an African American passenger, had been denied equal dining services on a train operated by the Southern Railway Company under a policy that enforced segregation. Although a dining car had a partition supposedly to accommodate Black passengers, in practice Henderson was often unable to access equivalent service due to timing and seat availability.The case reached the Supreme Court after the Interstate Commerce Commission failed to provide meaningful relief. In a unanimous opinion written by Justice Fred Vinson, the Court held that the railway's practices violated the Interstate Commerce Act, particularly its provision requiring carriers to provide equal treatment and avoid undue prejudice. Importantly, the Court based its reasoning not on constitutional grounds (such as the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment), but on statutory interpretation, finding that the carrier's conduct constituted an unjust and unreasonable discrimination.This ruling marked an early and important step toward dismantling legally sanctioned segregation in public accommodations, prefiguring later landmark decisions like Brown v. Board of Education (1954). Although not framed as a constitutional equal protection case, Henderson nonetheless contributed to the legal groundwork of the civil rights movement and challenged the legitimacy of the “separate but equal” doctrine in practical terms.SAP, Europe's largest software company, has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision that revived an antitrust lawsuit brought by its competitor, Teradata. The case centers on allegations that SAP unlawfully tied its business-planning applications to a required purchase of its own database software, which competes with Teradata's products. SAP argues that such software integration benefits consumers and constitutes healthy competition, not anti-competitive conduct.The lawsuit was initially filed by California-based Teradata in 2018 after the companies ended a joint venture. SAP had prevailed in the lower court, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision in December, stating a jury should decide the case. SAP's petition criticizes the appellate court's reliance on a version of the “per se rule,” under which the conduct is presumed illegal without a detailed analysis. Instead, SAP advocates for applying the more nuanced “rule of reason” standard, which considers both competitive harms and justifications.SAP also claims the ruling conflicts with how a different federal appeals court treated a similar antitrust issue in the historic Microsoft case. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to hear the case.This case hinges on the concept of “tying,” where a company conditions the sale of one product on the purchase of another, potentially stifling competition. It's significant because whether courts apply a strict “per se” rule or the more flexible “rule of reason” can dramatically affect the outcome in such antitrust disputes.Tech giant SAP asks US Supreme Court to reconsider rival's antitrust win | ReutersA federal judge in Washington, D.C., has dismissed a lawsuit filed by three Democratic Party committees accusing President Donald Trump of trying to undermine the independence of the Federal Election Commission (FEC). U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled that the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee failed to demonstrate any “concrete and imminent injury” necessary to sustain a legal challenge.The lawsuit, filed in February 2025, contested an executive order issued by Trump that aimed to increase White House control over independent federal agencies, including the FEC. The order stated that the legal views of the president and the attorney general would be “controlling” for federal employees and prohibited them from expressing opposing positions. Democrats claimed this language threatened the FEC's independence and could deter campaign planning.Judge Ali, however, noted that administration lawyers had assured the court that the executive order would not be used to interfere with the FEC's decision-making. He also found the plaintiffs' concerns too speculative, emphasizing that the Supreme Court requires a demonstrated change in the relationship with the agency in question, which the plaintiffs had not shown.The judge's decision hinged on the plaintiffs' lack of standing, a fundamental requirement in federal court. To proceed with a lawsuit, plaintiffs must show a specific, actual, or imminent injury caused by the defendant. In this case, speculative harm and vague concerns about agency behavior were insufficient. This principle helps prevent courts from weighing in on political disputes where no direct harm can be proven.Trump defeats Democrats' lawsuit over election commission independenceThe Trump administration is pursuing a new $25 million contract to allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct DNA testing on families facing deportation. The goal, according to ICE, is to verify family relationships—but critics warn the program could lead to unnecessary family separations, especially in cases involving non-biological caregivers like godparents. Civil rights advocates also raise concerns that the DNA data could be misused for unrelated criminal investigations and stored indefinitely.The contract was initially awarded in May to SNA International, a firm specializing in forensic identification. However, Bode Cellmark Forensics filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office, arguing the contract wasn't competitively bid. ICE subsequently issued a stop-work order on the contract pending resolution of the protest, with a decision expected by September 2.This is not ICE's first attempt at rapid DNA testing. A similar program began in 2019 during Trump's first term to detect alleged “fraudulent” parent-child relationships, often targeting migrant families. Though handed over to Customs and Border Protection in 2021, the Biden administration ended it in 2023. Reports since then have highlighted issues with consent, with some migrants mistaking DNA swabs for COVID-19 tests or feeling coerced into participation under threat of legal consequences.Privacy advocates argue that such widespread collection of genetic data lacks transparency and oversight. The Georgetown Law Center on Privacy and Technology recently sued the Department of Homeland Security for failing to provide records on how DNA samples from migrants are collected and stored.The revived DNA testing raises key legal questions about informed consent and the scope of data use by federal agencies. When individuals are unaware of what they're consenting to—or coerced into it—the practice may violate federal standards for ethical data collection, especially under the Privacy Act and due process protections.ICE Moves to DNA-Test Families Targeted for Deportation with New Contract 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

Hello dearest ear-owners and welcome to Front End Chatter, source of the most significant soundwaves in British motorcycling since the feral howl of a raging Norton rotary haunted the quiet coastal village of Kirk Michael, or since the words "Go on then, I'll 'ave it" slipped breathlessly from the lips of a Derbyshire-born property developer attending the auction of a defunct motorcycle factory. In this aural delight of an episode, Simon and Mufga regale themselves with a recap of the spectacularly special Highland Fling tours (so good they did them twice), along with: • Loadsa goss about Triumph's Tiger Sport 800 and BMW's R1300GS Adventure having covered 3000 miles apiece • Why MotoGP might be getting interesting again, and why the TT continues to fascinate every corner of the country for more than a century • The forced-induction fabulousness that was the Bennetts Supercharged Showdown, where 50-plus Kawasaki H2 owners took over an empty runway • Simon gets a taste of Ducati's £16,000 Streetfighter V2S • Martin gets a taste of Voge's £6,000(ish) DS625X • The latest facts, news, rumours and baseless speculation regarding Bajaj's takeover of KTM, and what it might mean for the future • FECsack correspondence covering classic sports-tourers for young riders, the dubious bargains of Facebook Marketplace, how media gets hold of the bikes they test, bikes with undeserved reputations, the best British five-day biking tour, and more… Thank you, one and all, for continuing to allow us to tickle your tympanic membranes - and enormously gigantical appreciations to Bennetts, Britain's best bike insurers. Be sure to get a quote direct from Bennetts the next time you need motorcycle insurance, and be even more sure to check out bikesocial.co.uk for all the best bike news and product reviews on the interwebs. Continue to catch him and the other one on the socials (@simonhbikes & @mufga or something like that), and let us know where to take future FEC tours on anything@frontendchatter.com Until next time!

Angel Studios https://Angel.com/ToddBecome a Premium Angel Studios Guild member to watch The King of Kings, stream all fan-curated shows and movies, and get 2 free tickets to every Angel Studios theatrical release. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bioptimizers https://Bioptimizers.com/toddEnter promo code TODD to get 10% off your order of MassZymes today.Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today.  Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today.Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddLISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeIn Matthew 24:6-13, we hear of wars and rumors of wars. We are here now, hearing of such things. We can see evidence of this in world news, but also in places like Seattle…Episode Links:Former  Gop Candidate For Congress Who Plotted To Use A Russian-Ukrainian Hit Squad To Assassinate  Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna In 2021, Sentenced To Three Years In  Federal Prison.A Chinese student was just arrested for using a drone to fly over a US Navy shipyard & take photos/videos. “The FBI found photos and videos of sensitive US Naval vessels — This shipyard makes highly classified Navy aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines”China has an off-switch for America, and we aren't ready to deal with it. - by Jase Wilson, opinion contributoRTERROR: Joseph Neumayer arrested at JFK for plotting to bomb the US Embassy in Tel Aviv and threatening to kill President Trump and Elon Musk, made 118 donations to ActBlue, FEC records show.Another astonishing display from CNN and a masterclass reality check from Jonathan. A must watch. “What did I see in his eyes? I went to grad school at Columbia and saw the same thing in his eyes as I saw in the eyes of the protestors”What Does God's Word Say?Matthew 24:6-136 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Alina Habba STRIKES BACK — NJ Dem Rep ARRESTED After ICE Facility Attack, AOC SpiralsLegal powerhouse Alina Habba is striking fear into the heart of the radical Left. A New Jersey Democrat Representative now faces ARREST after allegedly body-slamming ICE agents during a shocking altercation at a detention facility. The fallout is explosive — and Habba’s legal action is rocking Washington to its core. President Donald Trump weighed in, declaring: “This crap stops now in this country.”Meanwhile, AOC is in full meltdown mode, desperately trying to distance herself from the growing scandal. Could more arrests be on the way? Is the DOJ finally cracking down on political violence?PLUS — Trump is taking aim at Hollywood. He’s demanding an investigation into Beyoncé and Oprah over alleged multi-million-dollar payments to endorse Kamala Harris — calling it a possible FEC violation.And what about Joe Biden? What did his team really know about his alarming decline?

Send us a textFrank Lavin served under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush in positions as varied as personnel, national security, international trade negotiations, Ambassador to Singapore, among others. In this conversation, we discuss his 8+ years in the Reagan White House from 1981-1989 - which is chronicled in his recent book Inside the Reagan White House. In the Reagan White House, he wore several different hats, was in hundreds of meetings with President Reagan, worked alongside some of the most influential administration officials - culminating in his stint as White House Political Director during the 1988 elections.IN THIS EPISODEFrank grows up in small-town Ohio in a tensely political time...Frank talks the establishment vs. conservative sparring in the GOP of the 1970s...Frank's early campaign activities in the late 70s and working for an IE backing Reagan as a college student in 1980...An important political lesson Frank learned from James Baker in Baker's 1978 race for Texas Attorney General...Memories of how Jim Baker ran the Reagan White House as Chief of Staff...How Reagan borrowed from FDR to become a powerful political communicator...How Reagan led the White House in meetings behind closer doors...Frank's first White House job of letting unsuccessful job applicants down easy...How the White House was a tug-of-war between "true believers" and "pragmatists"...Memories of his time at the Office of Public Liasion and how the President would "freeze" the first 10 minutes of a meeting...The 1984 Democratic challenger the White House was most worried about and how Reagan bounced back from a bad '82 midterm to win an '84 landslide...The difference in "desk truth" and "street truth"...How Reagan staffer Mike Deaver fundamentally changed the way a White House handles presidential travel...Frank's time as a White House national security staffer negotiating with the Soviets and spending time with President Reagan and Margaret Thatcher at Camp David...Frank demystifies his role as White House Political Director during the 1988 elections...The origin of the famous Reagan "11th Commandment" maxim...How Reagan initially won - and successfully held - the voters who came to be known as "Reagan Democrats"...Frank's memories of being around President George H.W. Bush...The low point of Frank's time in the Reagan White House...Quick memories from Frank of prominent figures including Karl Rove, Colin Powell, Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Roger Stone, and Pat Buchanan...AND Al Haig Disease, Lee Atwater, Jimmy Carter, George Christopher, Bill Clinton, creative tension, Peter DelGiorno, Terry Dolan, Tony Dolan, Frank Donatelli, Mike Dukakis, exotic tendencies, the FEC, fireside chats, forced marriages, force multipliers, Gerald Ford, John Glenn, Barry Goldwater, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bob Haldeman, Warren Harding, Kamala Harris, Gary Hart, hatchet men, horizontal management, LBJ, jelly beans, Dick Lyng, Paul Manafort, Eugene McCarthy, George McGovern, Ed Meese, Walter Mondale, Brian Mulroney, Daniel Murphy, Ed Muskie, NCPAC, neutral recapitulations, the New Left, non sequiturs, Oliver North, John Poindexter, the Reykjavik Summit, Stu Spencer, Robert Taft, Donald Trump, Bob Weed, George Wortley...& more!

In this episode of Facts About PACs, hosts Micaela Isler, David Schild, and Adam Belmar welcome Mark Renaud from Wiley Law to discuss recent developments at the Federal Election Commission. Mark breaks down the current FEC membership crisis, with only three commissioners remaining and no quorum to issue advisory opinions or move on enforcement cases. Despite this deadlock, he emphasizes that PAC professionals must maintain compliance with reporting requirements. The conversation covers President Trump's executive orders on election integrity, recent enforcement cases with significant penalties, and consideration of the future of the FEC. This episode provides essential insights for PAC professionals navigating the current regulatory landscape, complete with PAC trivia about the FEC's unique bipartisan structure. Episode Sponsor: Chain Bridge Bankhttps://www.chainbridgebank.com/

Justice David Souter has died.  Souter was one of the most private, low-profile justices ever to have served on the Supreme Court. He rarely gave interviews or speeches. Yet his tenure was anything but low profile. Deemed a “home run” nominee by Republicans, Souter defied partisan expectations on the bench and ultimately ceded his seat to a Democratic president.As we reflect on his legacy, we wanted to share this episode again.  Produced two years ago, this episode tells the story of how “No More Souters” became a rallying cry for Republicans and inspired a backlash that would change the Court forever.Voices in the episode include:• Ashley Lopez — NPR political correspondent• Anna Sale — host of Slate's Death, Sex & Money podcast • Tinsley Yarbrough — author and former political science professor at East Carolina University• Heather Gerken — Dean of Yale Law School and former Justice Souter clerk• Kermit Roosevelt III — professor at University of Pennsylvania School of Law and former Justice Souter clerk• Judge Peter Rubin — Associate Justice on Massachusetts Appeals Court and former Justice Souter clerk• Governor John H. Sununu — former governor of New Hampshire and President George H.W. Bush's Chief of StaffLearn more:• 1992: Planned Parenthood v. Casey• 1992: Lee v. Weisman• 2000: Bush v. Gore• 2009: Citizens United v. FEC

This Day in Legal History: Mutiny on the BountyOn April 28, 1789, one of the most famous acts of rebellion at sea occurred aboard the HMS Bounty. Captain William Bligh and 18 loyal crew members were forcibly set adrift in the Pacific Ocean by mutineers led by Fletcher Christian. The incident exposed deep tensions over leadership, working conditions, and authority in the Royal Navy. British law at the time treated mutiny as a capital offense, reflecting the critical importance of discipline aboard ships. After the mutiny, an intense search for the culprits began, with some mutineers eventually captured and returned to England to stand trial.The ensuing court-martial proceedings offered early insight into naval justice and the balancing act between maintaining strict command and recognizing crew grievances. Defendants argued that Bligh's harsh leadership provoked the uprising, but the Admiralty was unwavering in its stance against insubordination. Of those captured, three were found guilty and hanged, while others were acquitted or pardoned. The legal handling of the mutiny reinforced the severe consequences for undermining maritime authority. It also prompted discussions about humane treatment of sailors, subtly influencing later reforms in naval discipline.The Mutiny on the Bounty became a lasting symbol in both legal and cultural history, illustrating how law functions as both a tool of control and a response to the realities of human endurance and dissent at sea.Seven Democratic senators on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee have requested information from the Justice Department regarding recent changes within its civil rights division under President Donald Trump's administration. In a letter sent Friday, they expressed concern over the reassignment of several career officials, suggesting these moves could be an attempt to pressure staff into leaving and shift the division's enforcement priorities. Since Trump's return to office and the appointment of Pam Bondi as Attorney General, the department has paused investigations into police misconduct, launched a gun rights investigation in Los Angeles, and altered its approach to transgender rights cases. It has also opened investigations into antisemitism related to pro-Palestinian protests at colleges. The senators emphasized the importance of nonpartisan career staff in maintaining the integrity of civil rights enforcement. About a dozen senior attorneys specializing in voting, police, and disability rights were among those reassigned. The Justice Department has not yet commented on the senators' letter.Democratic senators question US Justice Department on civil rights changes | ReutersThe U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration announced that federal law enforcement agencies raided a nightclub in Colorado Springs, arresting over 100 individuals who were in the U.S. illegally. The operation resulted in 114 arrests out of more than 200 people present at the venue, making it one of the largest immigration-related raids since President Donald Trump's second term began. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the raid also led to the seizure of cocaine, methamphetamine, and "pink cocaine," and two individuals were arrested on outstanding warrants. Bondi mentioned links to gangs like Tren de Aragua and MS-13, although she did not directly confirm whether those arrested were affiliated with them. The DEA noted that occupants were given multiple warnings before the raid was executed. This action is part of an intensifying crackdown on illegal immigration under Trump's renewed immigration policies. Separately, ICE recently reported nearly 800 immigration-related arrests in Florida during a multi-agency operation.Over 100 migrants in the US illegally arrested in Colorado nightclub | ReutersThe Supreme Court has requested additional briefing in a case challenging the Affordable Care Act's mandate that insurers cover preventive services, like cancer screenings, at no cost. The justices specifically want the parties to address whether the Secretary of Health and Human Services has the legal authority to appoint members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which advises on covered treatments. During arguments on April 21, Justice Neil Gorsuch questioned whether the power to remove officials necessarily implies the power to appoint them, an issue the lower court had not considered. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals previously ruled that the task force's structure violated the Constitution's appointments clause, arguing its members must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Trump administration contends the task force members are merely "inferior officers" under the HHS Secretary's control. The case also involves objections by Texas businesses and residents to mandatory coverage of HIV prevention drugs, claiming unconstitutional imposition by unelected officials. Supplemental briefs are due by May 5, and while rare, this is not the first time the Court has asked for more information after oral arguments, as seen in past cases like Zubik v. Burwell and Citizens United v. FEC.Supreme Court Orders New Briefs After Obamacare Case Argued (1) 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

Hello and welcome (and a special hello and welcome to Adam Danger, who reads this 'sometimes')... to Episode 211 of Front End Chatter, the motorbicycling podcast prefrontally-lobotomised by Simon Hargreaves and Martin Fitz-Gibbons, two motorcycle journalists who've been doing since their own, personal Day Ones.  We are, as always and hopefully forever, in debt to and grateful for the patronage of Bennetts, Britain's Best Bike Insurers – FACT – and bikesocial.co.uk, the bestest and brightest biking website and YouTube channel, amen.  And on the pod this time around the sun, we have:  • news of BMW's R1300 R  • how to make BMW's £25k R1300 GSA better for £9.99 (with thanks to Neil at NJW Moto YouTube) • Yamaha's half fuel, half battery hybrid MT-09 • KTM in more trouble • Triumph's smashing super smart updated Trident and Tiger Sport 660s  Plus emails and missives from you, dear FEC listener, including a spectacular rant from Martin – bit of a collector's item. Thank you very much for listening, look forward to seeing some of you on the forthcoming FEC Highland Flings (have I mentioned we're going ON HOLIDAY!)... ..oh, and please send your emails, questions, queries, thoughts, ponderings, which bike should you buy next to:  anything@frontendchatter.com Chars!

On this episode of “Sara Gonzales Unfiltered,” the panel discusses President Donald Trump's all-hands Cabinet meeting from yesterday. RFK Jr. steps up and claims that we will know what is causing the extreme increase in autism in America by September of this year. Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett (D) is under FEC investigation for illegal political donations through the Democrat donation organization ActBlue. Finally, Donald Trump is taking a stand against Daylight Saving Time. Could we see an end to DST in the near future?   Today's Guests: Sara is joined by Blaze Media contributor Matthew Marsden and founder of Rippaverse Comics, Eric July.   Today's Sponsors:   Relief Factor: Trying Relief Factor is easy. Get their 3-Week QuickStart for only $19.95. Call 1-800-4-Relief, or visit http://www.ReliefFactor.com.   'The King of Kings': I encourage you to see "The King of Kings" in theaters April 11. Get your tickets today at http://www.Angel.com/SARA.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the intersection of politics and technology, few innovations have had as significant an impact as online donation platforms. ActBlue, the Democratic Party's premiere fundraising tool, has revolutionized small-dollar contributions since its inception in 2004. However, recent internal turmoil at the organization is raising serious questions about both its future and about the broader landscape of political donations.A Game-Changer for DemocratsActBlue was an early pioneer in digital fundraising, allowing Democratic candidates and progressive causes to tap into small-dollar donors efficiently. Through gamification and mobile accessibility, the platform made it easy for supporters to donate with just a few clicks, contributing billions of dollars to campaigns over the years.By 2024, ActBlue played a crucial role in helping President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris amass over $1.5 billion in campaign funds, outpacing the Republican counterpart, WinRed, which raised $900 million for Donald Trump. The platform also helped Democrats dominate small-dollar fundraising in Senate races, with candidates like Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and John Tester (Montana) outraising their Republican opponents, despite ultimately losing their races.A Leadership Exodus and Rising ConcernsDespite its success, ActBlue is now facing a crisis. In February 2025, seven senior staff members resigned suddenly, including the organization's chief legal officer, vice president for customer service, and a technical expert with 14 years of experience. This mass departure was alarming enough that two employee unions publicly voiced concerns, warning that confidence in the organization's stability was eroding.This followed a December 2024 letter from over 140 political stakeholders — consultants, campaign staff, donors, and academics — urging ActBlue to implement stronger safeguards to prevent donor exploitation.One particularly cryptic development came when a newly appointed technical leader at ActBlue reminded employees of whistleblower protections, a warning that suggests internal concerns about potential misconduct.Allegations of Financial MisconductWhile ActBlue's success has been attributed to its superior technology and network effect, some critics argue that there may be fraudulent activity behind its fundraising dominance.A GOP strategist, Mark Block, filed a racketeering lawsuit against ActBlue, alleging that his identity was stolen to make 385 fraudulent donations totaling $884. He claims that these small donations — each under $200 — were used to exploit a loophole in Federal Election Commission (FEC) reporting requirements.This practice, known as “smurfing,” is a form of money laundering that involves breaking large donations into smaller, untraceable amounts to avoid detection. Block's lawsuit cites donation receipts from an old campaign email account, showing repeated micro-donations averaging just $3.24 each, many of which he did not authorize.Additionally, there have been reports of:* Elderly individuals discovering numerous small donations in their names without their knowledge.* Foreign nationals using surrogates to funnel money into U.S. elections, a violation of campaign finance laws.These allegations, combined with the sudden staff exodus, suggest that ActBlue could be facing a major financial scandal.The Potential FalloutIf these accusations are substantiated, the implications for ActBlue — and Democratic fundraising — could be severe:* Small donors may hesitate to contribute if concerns about fraud persist, resulting in a loss of trust in one or both parties.* The FEC or other watchdogs may launch formal investigations, leading to stricter oversight.* With ActBlue in turmoil, Democrats may struggle to replicate their past fundraising successes in upcoming elections.There is also speculation that WinRed, the Republican alternative, could face similar scrutiny. If both major fundraising platforms are found to have engaged in unethical practices, the entire online political donation system could be upended.Looking Ahead to 2028ActBlue's situation is still unfolding, but one thing is clear: The Democratic Party's dominant fundraising machine is in serious jeopardy. If ActBlue collapses or loses credibility, Democrats will need to quickly find an alternative — something that won't be easy given the platform's deep integration with campaign operations.With the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race on the horizon, the future of small-dollar political fundraising is more uncertain than ever.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:01:05 - Interview with Matt Laslo00:21:00 - ActBlue Chaos00:32:22 - Update00:33:46 - US/Canadian Tariffs00:35:29 - Ukraine Ceasefire00:37:35 - Mahmoud Khalil's Arrest00:40:17 - Interview with Jen Briney01:15:08 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

With the midterm elections coming up, there's a legal battle starting over election laws and who controls them. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to bring the Federal Election Commission (FEC) under White House scrutiny. Democrats say that this could undermine the independence of the FEC, which is in charge of enforcing campaign finance laws, and a new lawsuit could soon determine the legalities of Trump's order. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has reportedly paused aid to Ukraine.

Hello and welcome to Front End Chatter, and it's episode 209 of the 209 episode-long motorcycling podcast presented, and I use the word in its loosest sense, by Martina Fitz-Gibbons and Simone Hargreaves, a pair of transitioning motorcycle journalists whose personal pronouns are 'it'. Fronty End Prongs is supported and comported by Bennetts, Britain's biggest and best bike insurers, and without whom you would all be pretty bloody sorry, I can tell you, so make the most of their offers and support their support of motorcycling ya ingrates. And also BikeSocial.co.uk, the hub of motorcycling's metaphorical Akront rim, with their Youtube channel and website and lots of bike-related content to tuck into. So on this episode of FEC we chatter about:  • the latest news from the ailing KTM factory • bad news from the Nürburgring • last-minute booking news if you're thinking about coming to ride with us in Scotland in May on the FEC Highland Fling 2 tour • a ride on Ducati's Multistrada V2 S and exactly how Ducati is it?  • Honda's new NT1100 and what have they done to it?  • Honda's new Hornet and wow, how good is it?  • Honda's last-ever CB1300 and can I have one please?  • why a 270° parallel twin is rarely an exciting engine • how to describe engine configurations • and many more musing and amusings from the FEC Sack of your thoughts, queries, ruminations on a theme Thank you for listening and supporting us with your ears, and please email your own thoughts and musings to: anything@frontendchatter.com Thanks again FECers!  @Simonhbikes @Mufga

The movement to get money out of politics will take a very long time. I know people don’t want to hear that. My guess is, in the best case scenario, we’re looking at 20 years. Best case. If it makes you feel any better, the movement to get money into politics took 181 years so by that measure, two decades to unravel what took 181 to build isn’t all that bad. Either we’re committed to playing the long game or not. The assholes that got us here were. Chapters Intro: 00:00:33 Chapter One: Non-Negotiable #4. 00:01:11 Chapter Two: The Long and Winding Road to Citizens United. 00:07:05 Chapter Three: Media Complicity. The Revolution Was Already Televised. 00:16:46 Chapter Four: Defying Its Creator. The Tale of Mitch McGolem. 00:20:43 Bring it Home, Max: 00:28:47 Post Show Musings: 00:37:13 Outro: 01:11:09 Resources OpenSecrets: Money-in-Politics Timeline Brennan Center for Justice: Since Citizens United, a Decade of Super PACs Cambridge University: Dark Parties: Unveiling Nonparty Communities in American Political Campaigns De Gruyter: Television Advertising in the 2022 Midterms De Gruyter: Digital Advertising in the 2022 Midterms Bowdoin College: Government Scholar Michael Franz on Impact of Ads during the 2024 Election Cycle Brennan Center for Justice: Life Tenure for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Is a Global Oddity with Clear Costs Ballotpedia News: Looking ahead at 2025 ranked-choice voting legislation Justia: Citizens United v. FEC | 558 U.S. 310 (2010) Senate: Saving American Democracy Amendment Constitution Center: Interpretation: The Twenty-Seventh Amendment American Promise CampaignFinanceReform.org Book Love Adam Jentleson: Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy Kermit L. Hall: The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States UNFTR Episode Resources Housing First. Building a Civilian Labor Corps: Bracing for the AI Job Apocalypse. Medicare for All. Project 2025. What’s the Deal with Peter Thiel? “Russputin” and the Tsar. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unftrSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's talk about Trump trying to fire the FEC chair....

Fifteen years ago this week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling that fundamentally changed American politics —  In a 5-4 judgment in Citizens United v FEC, the court struck down restrictions on corporate spending in elections and paved the way for the mountains of dark money in our politics today. But there's more.In The Lever's recent series Master Plan, David Sirota and a team of journalists dove deep into the litigious roots of the Citizens United case, starting with the nearly-forgotten story of a small-town Indiana lawyer, as well as the vast political consequences of the high court's landmark decision. Today on Lever Time, we're sharing that episode with listeners to mark the anniversary of the ruling.

Jan 9, 2023In the Hot Notes: we have breaking news from Hugo Lowell about the independent private investigators the Trump team hired to search his other properties; the Fulton County Special Grand Jury has issued its report and I think it will be made public; George Santos is now facing an FEC complaint; Scott Perry declines to recuse himself from investigating the investigation into him; classified documents were found in Biden's old office; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News. Check out other MSW Media podcastshttps://mswmedia.com/shows/Subscribe for free to MuellerSheWrote on Substackhttps://muellershewrote.substack.comFollow AG and Dana on Social MediaDr. Allison Gill Substack|Muellershewrote, Twitter|@MuellerSheWrote, Threads|@muellershewrote, TikTok|@muellershewrote, IG|muellershewrote, BlueSky|@muellershewroteDana GoldbergTwitter|@DGComedy, IG|dgcomedy, facebook|dgcomedy, IG|dgcomedy, danagoldberg.com, BlueSky|@dgcomedyHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?Supercasthttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/Patreon https://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr subscribe on Apple Podcasts with our affiliate linkThe Daily Beans on Apple Podcasts

Tonight's rundown:  Hey BillOReilly.com Premium and Concierge Members, welcome to the No Spin News for Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Stand Up for Your Country.  Talking Points Memo: Bill discusses the decline of MSNBC, explaining why Comcast is considering removing the network. Illegal migrant Jose Ibarra was found guilty of murdering Laken Riley. "BOLLING!" host Eric Bolling enters the No Spin Zone to debate over Donald Trump's second-term cabinet picks. Why Bill's calling for an FEC investigation into the Kamala Harris/Oprah town hall controversy. This Day in History: Joe Biden was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Final Thought: Keeping your Thanksgiving conversations light. In Case You Missed It: Read Bill's latest column, War THE ULTIMATE KILLING SPECIAL. Get Confronting the Presidents PLUS the entire bestselling Killing Series. All 14 books for only $325. SHOP HERE. Get Bill's latest book, CONFRONTING THE PRESIDENTS, out NOW! Election season is here! Now's the time to get a Premium or Concierge Membership to BillOReilly.com, the only place for honest news analysis. Check out the NEW Not Woke Shop! We've got Not Woke t-shirts, polos, bumper stickers, and our signature Not Woke coffee mug. Get yours today and stand out from the crowd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this 251st in a series of live discussions with Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying (both PhDs in Biology), we talk about the state of the world through an evolutionary lens.In this week's episode, we discuss how the Harris campaign spent their billion dollar war chest—including on celebrities who appeared to be endorsing her because they believed in her, but were actually getting paid. Also: $26 million was spent for “text message outreach,” any many people donated $10 or $20. It's reverse Robin Hood: stealing from the poor, to give to the rich. Related: how can we stay optimistic about unity, when we are seeing such different things? Finally: the New York Times finds a whole bunch of well-credential “experts” in nutrition to assure us that seed oils are excellent for your health. (They're not.) You have a choice: follow the science, or think scientifically for yourself, and actually be healthy.*****Our sponsors:Policygenius: Save time and money providing a financial safety net for your family. Go to http://policygenius.com to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you could save.CrowdHealth: Pay for healthcare with crowdfunding instead of insurance. It's way better. Use code DarkHorse at http://JoinCrowdHealth.com to get 1st 3 months for $99/month.Ralston College is reinventing and reviving higher ed. Join their MA in Humanities program and spend the first term in Greece before joining your peers on campus in Savannah, Georgia. Apply here: http://www.Ralston.ac*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com/Heather's newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://a.co/d/dunx3atCheck out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Harris campaign disbursements from the FEC: https://github.com/gaiaus/2024-us-presidential-general-election/blob/main/harris%2Fspending%2Ftop_500_recipients.MDNews Nation with Lindy Li: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv3XbWtHyMgRescue the Republic: https://jointheresistance.orgSmith professors saw a perfect campaign: https://www.smith.edu/news-events/news/hope-and-actionReason for Optimism: https://naturalselections.substack.com/p/reason-for-optimismAre Seed Oils Actually Bad for You? https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/09/well/eat/seed-oil-effects.htmlProfessor Gardner's site: https://www.med.stanford.edu/profiles/christopher-gardnerThumbnail Courtesy: Kent Nishimura / Stringer / Getty Images News via Getty Images.Support the show