Podcasts about foreign relations committee

As part of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Cory Booker had questions for Todd Blanche—and made space for Jeffrey Epstein survivors. Guest: Cory Booker, US Senator for New Jersey, member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Foreign Relations Committee, Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you'll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Rob Gunther, Evan Campbell, Madeline Thames-Ducharme and Patrick Fort.Paige Osburn is the senior supervising producer of What Next and What Next TBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Cory Booker had questions for Todd Blanche—and made space for Jeffrey Epstein survivors. Guest: Cory Booker, US Senator for New Jersey, member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Foreign Relations Committee, Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you'll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Rob Gunther, Evan Campbell, Madeline Thames-Ducharme and Patrick Fort.Paige Osburn is the senior supervising producer of What Next and What Next TBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As part of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Cory Booker had questions for Todd Blanche—and made space for Jeffrey Epstein survivors. Guest: Cory Booker, US Senator for New Jersey, member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Foreign Relations Committee, Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you'll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Rob Gunther, Evan Campbell, Madeline Thames-Ducharme and Patrick Fort.Paige Osburn is the senior supervising producer of What Next and What Next TBD. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), Senator from Florida and member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Budget Committee, Armed Services Committee, and Foreign Relations Committee, joined us on the Guy Benson Show today on a bevy of topics. First, Sen. Scott and guest host Jason Rantz discussed today's SCOTUS ruling on mail in ballots and the importance of passing President Trump's SAVE Act, which promotes election integrity. Rantz and Sen. Scott then turned to updates on the Iran negotiations and whether rumors of ousting Leader John Thune from leadership were true, and you can listen to the full interview below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As President Trump heads to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, the stakes for global stability are high. With the conflict in Iran reaching a critical "fork in the road," Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA), member of the Foreign Relations Committee, joins the Rundown to discuss how the U.S. can leverage its energy dominance to secure a win for the American people. Plus, he breaks down the three potential talking points of the summit: the economic strangulation of Iran, the existential race for AI leadership, and the future of global trade.  According to government data, domestic terrorism investigations have surged 350% in the last decade. As high-profile tragedies spark disturbing praise in online echo chambers, the definition of radicalization is shifting. Kevin Branzetti joins the Rundown, he's the CEO of the National Child Protection Task Force and featured expert in the FOX Nation documentary, Radicalized with Sean Hannity. Branzetti explains why young men are uniquely vulnerable to digital "hooks" of belonging and how isolation fuels extremist recruitment. He also offers a roadmap for parents, emphasizing that active engagement and shared time are more powerful than digital surveillance in preventing tragedy. PLUS, commentary by Mary Katharine Ham, FOX News contributor and an OutKick columnist. PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As President Trump heads to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, the stakes for global stability are high. With the conflict in Iran reaching a critical "fork in the road," Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA), member of the Foreign Relations Committee, joins the Rundown to discuss how the U.S. can leverage its energy dominance to secure a win for the American people. Plus, he breaks down the three potential talking points of the summit: the economic strangulation of Iran, the existential race for AI leadership, and the future of global trade.  According to government data, domestic terrorism investigations have surged 350% in the last decade. As high-profile tragedies spark disturbing praise in online echo chambers, the definition of radicalization is shifting. Kevin Branzetti joins the Rundown, he's the CEO of the National Child Protection Task Force and featured expert in the FOX Nation documentary, Radicalized with Sean Hannity. Branzetti explains why young men are uniquely vulnerable to digital "hooks" of belonging and how isolation fuels extremist recruitment. He also offers a roadmap for parents, emphasizing that active engagement and shared time are more powerful than digital surveillance in preventing tragedy. PLUS, commentary by Mary Katharine Ham, FOX News contributor and an OutKick columnist. PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As President Trump heads to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, the stakes for global stability are high. With the conflict in Iran reaching a critical "fork in the road," Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA), member of the Foreign Relations Committee, joins the Rundown to discuss how the U.S. can leverage its energy dominance to secure a win for the American people. Plus, he breaks down the three potential talking points of the summit: the economic strangulation of Iran, the existential race for AI leadership, and the future of global trade.  According to government data, domestic terrorism investigations have surged 350% in the last decade. As high-profile tragedies spark disturbing praise in online echo chambers, the definition of radicalization is shifting. Kevin Branzetti joins the Rundown, he's the CEO of the National Child Protection Task Force and featured expert in the FOX Nation documentary, Radicalized with Sean Hannity. Branzetti explains why young men are uniquely vulnerable to digital "hooks" of belonging and how isolation fuels extremist recruitment. He also offers a roadmap for parents, emphasizing that active engagement and shared time are more powerful than digital surveillance in preventing tragedy. PLUS, commentary by Mary Katharine Ham, FOX News contributor and an OutKick columnist. PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

fWotD Episode 3263: Relief of Douglas MacArthur Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia's finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 11 April 2026, is Relief of Douglas MacArthur.On 11 April 1951, U. S. president Harry S. Truman relieved General of the Army Douglas MacArthur of his commands after MacArthur made public statements that contradicted the administration's policies. MacArthur was a popular hero of World War II who was then commander of United Nations Command forces fighting in the Korean War, and his relief remains a controversial topic in the field of civil–military relations.MacArthur led the Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific during World War II, and after the war was in charge of the occupation of Japan. In the latter role, MacArthur was able to accumulate considerable power over the civil administration of Japan. Eventually, he gained a level of political experience that was unprecedented and yet to be repeated by anyone else actively serving as a flag officer in the U. S. military.After North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950, starting the Korean War, MacArthur was designated commander of the United Nations forces defending South Korea. He conceived and executed the amphibious assault at Inchon on 15 September 1950, but when he followed up his victory with a full-scale invasion of North Korea, China inflicted a series of defeats, compelling him to withdraw from North Korea. By April 1951, the military situation had stabilized, but MacArthur publicly criticized the administration's policies, leading Truman to have MacArthur relieved of his command.An apolitical military is an American tradition. The principle of civilian control of the military was also ingrained. Civilian control was an issue considering the constitutional division of powers between the president as commander-in-chief, and Congress with its power to raise armies, maintain a navy, and declare war. This was also an era when the rising complexity of military technology led to the creation of a professional military, and American forces were employed overseas in large numbers.The Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee of the U. S. Senate held a joint inquiry into the military situation and the circumstances surrounding MacArthur's relief, and concluded that "the removal of General MacArthur was within the constitutional powers of the President but the circumstances were a shock to national pride". In having MacArthur relieved for failing to "respect the authority of the President" by privately communicating with Congress, Truman upheld the president's role as preeminent.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:57 UTC on Saturday, 11 April 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Relief of Douglas MacArthur on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Bluesky at @wikioftheday.com.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Geraint.

The president is trusting his gut, not Congress. The Atlantic staff writer Missy Ryan covers national security and has spent years reporting on American wars in the Middle East. She helps sift through the changing explanations for why the administration says it took America to war with Iran. And Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, shares how she thinks Democrats can responsibly act as a check on Donald Trump now that the war has started. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You'll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel is conducting yet another wave of strikes across Iran and Lebanon, while the US says its heaviest attacks are still to come. Five days in, the Trump administration is trying to project a clear and unified message after failing to answer basic questions about its mission. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy is on the Foreign Relations Committee, and he was among a group of senators briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday evening. He joined Christiane from Capitol Hill just ahead of the Senate vote on whether to authorize this war.  Also on today's show: Former Saudi intelligence chief Turki al-Faisal; Former MI6 Chief John Sawers    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk, Timothy Garton Ash, Sabina Ćudić, and Nathalie Tocci explore the relationship between the United States and Europe, the Ukraine peace talks, and whether Europe has any hope of reinvigorating itself. Timothy Garton Ash is the author of Homelands: A Personal History of Europe and writes the newsletter History of the Present. Sabina Ćudić is elected member of the National Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, vice president of the Foreign Relations Committee, vice president of the European liberals in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and the president of Naša stranka, a progressive, social-liberal political party. Nathalie Tocci is Director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali, Professor of Practice at the John Hopkins University SAIS, and independent non-executive director of the multi utility company Acea. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following ⁠⁠this link on your phone⁠⁠. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Google⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠@Yascha_Mounk⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠@JoinPersuasion⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠Yascha Mounk⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Persuasion⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Aldous, Sabina Ćudić, and Damon Linker join Yascha Mounk to dissect this week's news. In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk, Richard Aldous, Sabina Ćudić, and Damon Linker explore the future of the Democratic Party, from midterm predictions to the unstoppable rise of Zohran Mamdani, the impact of the ongoing government shutdown, and the recent meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Richard Aldous is Eugene Meyer Distinguished Professor of History at Bard. His latest books are The Dillon Era and Schlesinger. He hosts Persuasion's books and ideas podcast, Bookstack.  Sabina Ćudić is elected member of the National Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, vice president of the Foreign Relations Committee, vice president of the European liberals in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and the president of Naša stranka, a progressive, social-liberal political party. Damon Linker is a senior lecturer in political science at the University of Pennsylvania and writes the subscription newsletter “Notes from the Middleground” at Substack. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following ⁠⁠⁠this link on your phone⁠⁠⁠. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Google⁠⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠⁠@Yascha_Mounk⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠@JoinPersuasion⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠Yascha Mounk⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Persuasion⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk, Francis Fukuyama, Sabina Ćudić, and Dan Williams discuss Donald Trump's firing of a federal prosecutor and what this means for democracy in the United States, what the discussions around the assasination of Charlie Kirk tell us about misinformation, and the impact of RFK Jr.'s recent autism announcement. Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University. His latest book is Liberalism and Its Discontents. He is also the author of the “Frankly Fukuyama” column, carried forward from American Purpose, at Persuasion. Sabina Ćudić is a member of the National Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she is the president of the Naša stranka political party club. Ćudić also serves as vice president of the Foreign Relations Committee, and is a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where she is a vice president of the European Liberals. Daniel Williams is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sussex. He writes the Conspicuous Cognition newsletter, which brings together philosophical insights and scientific research to examine the forces shaping contemporary society and politics. Note: This episode was recorded on September 23, 2025. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! Spotify | Apple | Google X: @Yascha_Mounk & @JoinPersuasion YouTube: Yascha Mounk, Persuasion LinkedIn: Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Monday, September 8th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Russian pastor sent to prison labor camp for sermon On September 3, Russian Pastor Nikolay Romanyuk, age 63, was found guilty of making “Public calls to implement activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation,” reports International Christian Concern.   Despite the Russian pastor's age and poor health conditions, the court sentenced him to four years in a prison labor camp.   In a statement before the court, Pastor Romanyuk said, “Yes, I gave a sermon in which I touched on military, albeit forced, murder. I do not retract what I said. I set forth my personal view and attitude towards the taking of a human life. This is my personal attitude as a clergyman.”  Pastor Romanyuk gave his now-criminal sermon a week after Russia partially mobilized its forces against Ukraine in September 2022 at the Holy Trinity Pentecostal Church in a suburb of Moscow, Russia.   From the pulpit, Romanyuk preached, “It was written in our [church] doctrine that we are pacifists and cannot participate in this. It is our right to profess this on the basis of Holy Scripture.”  Svetlana Zhukova, Pastor Romanyuk's daughter, wrote on social media, “Imagine, Dad was convicted for his opinion, his position. There is no crime. Not a single person suffered from his actions. The state did not suffer at all.”  Acts 5:29 says, “We must obey God rather than men.”  Ted Cruz torches Tim Kaine for describing God-given rights as 'very, very troubling' Here in America, on September 3rd, the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee addressed the nomination of Riley Barnes to be Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. In response to Barnes' introductory statement before the committee, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia objected to Barnes who underscored Secretary of State Marco Rubio's assertion that our rights come from God, not government, reports The Christian Post. Listen. KAINE: “This is a quote from Secretary Rubio, our rights come from God, our Creator, not from our laws, not from our governments. I find that very, very troubling. … “The notion that our rights do not come from our laws or our government should make people very, very nervous, because people of any religious tradition, or none, are entitled to the equal protection of the laws under the 14th Amendment. It shouldn't matter what their religious background is, what they think about God or the Creator, what their church affiliation is.” Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, another member of the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee, took issue with Senator Kaine. CRUZ: “Senator Kaine said, in this hearing, that he found it a radical and dangerous notion that you would say, ‘Our rights came from God and not from government.' I just walked into the hearing as he was saying that and I almost fell out of my chair, because that ‘radical and dangerous notion,' in his words, is literally the founding principle upon which the United States of America was created. “And if you do not believe me, then you can believe perhaps the most prominent Virginian to ever serve, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote, in the Declaration of Independence, ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator,' -- not by government, not by the Democratic National Committee, but by God, -- ‘with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' “I have to say, it is stunning to me that the principle that God has given us natural rights is now deemed by Democrats some radical and dangerous notion. Mr. Jefferson was right when he wrote those words. Government exists to protect those rights.” Christian foster parents sue Massachusetts for requiring them to support ‘gender transitions' A pair of Christian foster families in Massachusetts is suing the state for barring them from fostering more children based on their refusal to affirm gender confusion among kids in their care, reports LifeSiteNews.com. Alliance Defending Freedom is representing Nick and Audrey Jones, who have cared for seven small children since 2023; and Greg and Marianelly Schrock, who have cared for 28 children since 2019. Despite both couples effectively providing needed, loving homes without incident, the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families decided they can no longer continue to do so unless they're willing to affirm the gender confusion of future kids placed with them, including support for so-called “gender transitioning” and the use of biologically inaccurate pronouns. Their attorneys said, what Massachusetts is doing “is a violation of foster parents' religious freedom under the First Amendment as well as a reckless rejection of needed homes for orphaned or abandoned children.” Matthew 18:6 says, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in Me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Jimmy Stewart's World War II heroism and his father's promise to pray And finally, do you recognize this voice? “Mary, I know what I'm gonna do tomorrow and the next day and next year, and the year after that. I'm shaking the dust of this crummy little town off my feet, and I'm gonna see the world: Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Colosseum. Then, I'm coming back here and go to college and see what they know. And then I'm gonna build things. I'm gonna build airfields, I'm gonna build skyscrapers a hundred  stories high. I'm going to build bridges a mile long.” If you guessed Jimmy Stewart, you're right.  He is the actor who famously portrayed George Bailey in the Christmas film “It's A Wonderful Life.” You'll be glad to know that Hollywood is now producing a movie about Stewart's life entitled “Jimmy” starring K.J. Apa, reports FaithWire.com. After earning five Oscars, Stewart felt somewhat of a “hollowness.” At that time in the early 1940s, the world's instability was coming to a head, with war clouds on the horizon. Stewart made a stunning decision. He had been a private pilot, but he decided to enlist in the Army Air Corps. He said, “I want to be something more than just a Tinseltown hero. I wanted to serve my country, serve my fellow Americans.” Stewart became a squadron commander — a job that involved leading thousands of men in bombing runs during the war. His father, Alexander, who will be portrayed by Neil McDonough, wrote a  letter which he slipped into Jimmy's uniform pocket before he went and that included a copy of Psalm 91, a Scripture which underscores the Lord's comfort and presence.  His dad wrote, “I will be praying for you the whole time you're away that God will be with you. You'll make it home safely.”  Jimmy Stewart kept that letter with him in his uniform on every mission that he went on. Providentially, the actor did make it back home, though he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after seeing hundreds of his men shot down and killed. By the time Stewart left the battlefield, he was far from the Hollywood leading man he was before fighting on the frontlines. An old friend named Frank Capra, a Hollywood director who also served in World War II, told Stewart he had the “perfect role” for him.  It was “It's  A Wonderful Life.”  God used that film to re-energize Stewart's career. Alexander Stewart, his father, embodied the verse found in Malachi 4:6.  “[God] will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, September 8th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

In this week's conversation, recorded live in D.C. at the “Liberalism for the 21st Century” conference, Yascha Mounk, Francis Fukuyama, Steven Pinker, and Sabina Ćudić discuss Trump's firings and what this means for the civil service, how to build a positive case for liberalism, and the impact of the rise of AI. Steven Pinker is Johnstone Professor of Psychology at Harvard, an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, a Humanist of the Year, and one of Time's “100 Most Influential People in the World Today.” His latest book is When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life. Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University. His latest book is Liberalism and Its Discontents. He is also the author of the “Frankly Fukuyama” column, carried forward from American Purpose, at Persuasion. Sabina Ćudić is a member of the National Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she is the president of the Naša stranka political party club. Ćudić also serves as vice president of the Foreign Relations Committee, and is a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, where she is a vice president of the European liberals. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and John Taylor Williams. Connect with us! Spotify | Apple | Google X: @Yascha_Mounk & @JoinPersuasion YouTube: Yascha Mounk, Persuasion LinkedIn: Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Congressman Peter Roskam, who leads BakerHostetler's Federal Policy team, provides listeners with a front-row seat to the most important policy and political debates in Congress. In this episode of “The Cloakroom with Peter Roskam,” Peter is joined at the 36th Annual Legislative Seminar in Washington, D.C., by his BakerHostetler colleague former Congressman Heath Shuler and Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia. Kaine was the 2016 Democratic vice presidential nominee and also a former Virginia governor. First elected to the Senate in 2012, Kaine serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee.Questions & Comments: proskam@bakerlaw.com

Senator Gustavo Leite is a Paraguayan businessman and politician, currently serving as Senator of Paraguay and Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Leite was previously Minister of Industry and Commerce from 2013 to 2018.FOLLOW Senator Leite on X: @GustavoleitepySUPPORT OUR WORK https://www.judicialwatch.org/donate/thank-youtube/ VISIT OUR WEBSITE http://www.judicialwatch.org

Former Congressman Peter Roskam, who leads BakerHostetler's Federal Policy team, provides listeners with a front-row seat to the most important policy and political debates in Congress. In this episode of “The Cloakroom with Peter Roskam,” Peter is joined at the 36th Annual Legislative Seminar in Washington, D.C., by his BakerHostetler colleague former Congressman Heath Shuler and Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming. Barrasso, the majority whip, is the No. 2 elected Republican in the Senate and is responsible for counting votes and assuring smooth passage of the GOP's agenda and nominations. A former orthopedic surgeon, Barrasso serves on the Finance Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the Foreign Relations Committee.Questions & Comments: proskam@bakerlaw.com

Recently, the former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to eleven years in prison for accepting bribes in cash and gold worth more than half a million dollars. He is the first person sentenced to prison for crimes committed in the Senate in more than forty years. Menendez did favors for the government of Egypt while he was the senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, and intervened in criminal cases against the businessmen who were bribing him. In New York, he broke down in tears before  a federal judge, pleading for leniency. Upon emerging from the courtroom, he made a thinly veiled plea to the man he had once voted to impeach. “President Trump is right,” Menendez declared to news cameras. “This process is political, and it's corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system.”  WNYC's New Jersey reporter Nancy Solomon explores how the son of working-class immigrants from Cuba scaled the heights of American politics, and then fell dramatically. But will he serve the time? Solomon speaks with the constitutional-law professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, who says, “It's hard to know who Trump will pardon next. One of the more recent pardons was for the former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich. He was a Democrat. . . .  [Trump] seems much more  interested in undermining anti-corruption laws left, right, and center.”

Recently, the former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to eleven years in prison for accepting bribes in cash and gold worth more than half a million dollars. He is the first person sentenced to prison for crimes committed in the Senate in more than forty years. Menendez did favors for the government of Egypt while he was the senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, and intervened in criminal cases against the businessmen who were bribing him. In New York, he broke down in tears before  a federal judge, pleading for leniency. Upon emerging from the courtroom, he made a thinly veiled plea to the man he had once voted to impeach. “President Trump is right,” Menendez declared to news cameras. “This process is political, and it's corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system.”  WNYC's New Jersey reporter Nancy Solomon explores how the son of working-class immigrants from Cuba scaled the heights of American politics, and then fell dramatically. But will he serve the time? Solomon speaks with the constitutional-law professor Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, who says, “It's hard to know who Trump will pardon next. One of the more recent pardons was for the former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich. He was a Democrat. . . .  [Trump] seems much more  interested in undermining anti-corruption laws left, right, and center.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In this episode of One Decision, host Christina Ruffini sits down with United States Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat and ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Shaheen recently visited Kyiv, Ukraine, and shared her experience speaking with Ukrainian citizens in the small town of Bucha. She also reacted to the prospective mineral rights deal that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to with the United States, whether she thinks America is perceived as a reliable ally, the importance of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in mitigating adversary efforts by China, Iran, and Russia, and working with new cabinet secretaries under the Trump administration. The episode also features a preview discussion between French journalist Margot Haddad and former European Commissioner Thierry Breton in English. The full-length French conversation will be published next week and will explore the European Union's relationship with President Donald Trump, the EU's efforts in AI investments, tech titan Elon Musk, and much more. Episode produced by Situation Room Studios. Original music composed and produced by Leo Sidran.

As top U.S. officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Saudi Arabia with top diplomats from Russia, President Trump told reporters today he would "probably" meet with Russia leader Vladimir Putin before month's end. This came only moments after he blamed Ukraine for starting the war. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, talks about what this all means.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Day in Legal History: Sweden Bans AerosolsOn January 29, 1978, Sweden made history by becoming the first nation to ban aerosol sprays, citing concerns over their harmful impact on the ozone layer. The decision was driven by mounting scientific evidence that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), commonly used as propellants in aerosol cans, contributed to ozone depletion. At the time, international awareness of environmental issues was growing, but regulatory action remained limited. Sweden's bold move set a precedent, signaling to the world that legislative measures were necessary to curb environmental harm.  The ban came in response to research published in the early 1970s, particularly studies by chemists Mario Molina and Sherwood Rowland, who identified CFCs as a major threat to the ozone layer. Their findings spurred global discussions about air pollution and climate change, but most governments hesitated to act. Sweden, however, took a proactive stance, prioritizing environmental protection over industry objections. The law prohibited the sale and use of aerosol sprays containing ozone-depleting substances, forcing manufacturers to seek alternative technologies.  Sweden's action influenced other nations, including the United States and Canada, which imposed partial restrictions on CFCs in the late 1970s. Over time, growing international pressure led to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, a landmark treaty aimed at phasing out ozone-depleting substances worldwide. Today, the ozone layer is gradually recovering, thanks in part to Sweden's early leadership. The ban underscored the power of legal intervention in addressing global environmental crises and demonstrated how science-driven policy can lead to meaningful change.Donald Trump's aggressive efforts to reshape the federal government have thrown agencies into turmoil, with sweeping policy shifts and a push to consolidate control. The administration is offering buyouts to federal employees resistant to returning to in-person work while signaling broader workforce cuts. At the same time, a sudden freeze on federal grants and loans caused widespread confusion, prompting a federal judge to issue a temporary stay. Though the White House insisted individual benefits would not be affected, state and local governments scrambled to assess the potential fallout.  The spending freeze is part of a broader strategy to challenge congressional control over federal funding, with Trump's allies arguing for expanded executive power. His administration has also targeted federal employees in diversity, equity, and inclusion roles, inspectors general, and Justice Department officials involved in previous investigations against him. Meanwhile, Trump has revived trade disputes, pardoned January 6 rioters, attempted to end birthright citizenship, and cut foreign aid.  Democrats, struggling to keep up, have called emergency meetings and press conferences, but Trump's rapid moves have overwhelmed political opposition. Some Republicans, too, have expressed concern, particularly over the scope of the funding freeze. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 limits a president's ability to block congressional spending, but Trump's team argues that temporary pauses are legally permissible.  The administration is also targeting federal personnel, with officials compiling lists of employees deemed expendable. Amid these efforts, some initiatives have already faced legal setbacks, such as the birthright citizenship order. Trump has also yet to significantly address key issues like inflation and the war in Ukraine, leaving uncertainty over the administration's broader policy direction.Trump Buyouts, Spending Freezes Wreak Havoc Across GovernmentFormer U.S. Senator Bob Menendez is set to be sentenced on Wednesday following his 2024 conviction on bribery and corruption charges. Found guilty on all 16 felony counts, including acting as a foreign agent, Menendez was accused of accepting bribes—such as gold bars, cash, and a luxury car—in exchange for political favors benefiting Egypt and New Jersey businessmen. Federal prosecutors have requested a 15-year prison sentence, arguing that Menendez abused his position to influence military aid, assist Qatar, and interfere in prosecutions.  Menendez, who served nearly two decades in the Senate, maintains his innocence and has vowed to appeal. His defense team is seeking a significantly reduced sentence of around 2 years, citing his age, public service record, and financial ruin. The scandal forced him to resign from the Senate, marking a dramatic downfall for the former chair of the Foreign Relations Committee.  Two businessmen convicted alongside Menendez, Wael Hana and Fred Daibes, will be sentenced later this week, while his wife, Nadine Menendez, faces her own corruption trial in March. The case highlights ongoing concerns about political corruption and foreign influence in U.S. government affairs.Bob Menendez to be sentenced in gold bar bribery case that ended US Senate career | ReutersHouse Democrats Jamie Raskin and Gerald Connolly are demanding answers from the Trump administration regarding the abrupt firings and reassignments of career Justice Department prosecutors. In a letter to Acting Attorney General James McHenry, they expressed concern that the removals, which began immediately after Trump's inauguration, undermine a merit-based system and may violate federal law. The lawmakers are requesting a full list of affected employees and an explanation for the actions.  Among those dismissed were more than a dozen prosecutors involved in Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigations into Trump's handling of classified records and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Additionally, over 20 senior officials, including the top public integrity prosecutor and the department's senior ethics official, were reassigned to a newly formed “sanctuary city” working group. The Public Integrity Section Chief, Corey Amundson, resigned in response.  Meanwhile, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Washington has launched an internal review of the felony obstruction charge used in January 6 prosecutions. Raskin and Connolly are also seeking clarity on whether the White House has examined career employees' political views or social media activity. The Justice Department has yet to comment on these developments, which have intensified concerns about political interference within federal law enforcement.U.S. House Democrats sound the alarm on firings and reassignments of career DOJ lawyers | ReutersStates are increasingly considering digital advertising taxes to generate revenue, but without coordination, they risk creating a compliance nightmare for businesses. Rhode Island is the latest state to propose such a tax, following Maryland's model, which has already faced significant legal and administrative challenges. Other states, including Connecticut, Indiana, and Arkansas, have explored similar measures, with Massachusetts, New York, and Texas also showing interest.  Rhode Island's plan, set to take effect in 2026, would impose a 10% tax on digital ad revenue from companies earning over $1 billion globally. This targets major players like Alphabet and Meta, but Maryland's lower threshold of $100 million suggests future expansions could include smaller businesses. Advocates argue that taxing digital ads could help offset social costs linked to social media companies, further driving state interest in such measures.  However, an inconsistent state-by-state approach could entrench an oligopoly, favoring large corporations that can handle complex tax requirements while squeezing out smaller competitors. A uniform, collaborative approach—modeled on the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement—could help states maintain sovereignty while ensuring consistency. Standardized definitions, revenue thresholds, and sourcing rules would simplify compliance and reduce litigation risks.  Maryland's legal battles highlight the dangers of an uncoordinated approach, making it crucial for states to learn from its experience. While a federal solution could provide uniformity, states are unlikely to cede control over taxation, making a state-driven compact the more viable option. By working together, states can create a sustainable, efficient digital ad tax framework that avoids the pitfalls of a fragmented system.States Need a Uniform Solution to Accelerate Digital Ad Taxes 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

US Congressman Thomas Massie took time out to speak to BizNews during a brief visit to South Africa. He describes billionaire Elon Musk as his favourite South African. “I do believe that he changed the course of history by buying Twitter, which is now renamed X, and allowing conservatives to have a voice that could go around the mainstream media in the United States.” Massie gives an update on his “rocky relationship” with President-elect Donald Trump and shares details of their recent chats. Furthermore, he discusses the Foreign Relations Committee's negative view of South Africa. And he outlines the key objectives of the Trump Administration, warning, however: “I think he's got six months to show the American public that he's going to act on the mandate that he's received.” Meanwhile, in South Africa, Massie is talking to some of leading local thought leaders - and "trying to spread and exchange views on liberty and particularly libertarianism”.

From Marco Rubio to Elise Stefanik: who are the nominations that President-elect Trump has announced, and what does their selection say about how the administration may take shape? Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs reviews the names announced thus far, how, if confirmed, they could impact efforts to counter antisemitism, support Israel, and uphold democratic values, and how AJC is advocating to advance these critical issues.  Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazzig, Einat Admony, and more. People of the Pod:  What the Election Results Mean for Israel and the Jewish People The Jewish Vote in Pennsylvania: What You Need to Know Sinwar Eliminated: What Does This Mean for the 101 Hostages Still Held by Hamas? Go Deeper – AJC Analysis: Explainer: What to Know About President-elect Trump on Antisemitism, Israel, and Iran Policy AJC Briefing — Post-Election Analysis: What to Expect Under the New U.S. Administration | Tuesday, November 19 | 1:30 p.m. Eastern | Register Here Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of Conversation with Julie Fishman Rayman: Manya Brachear Pashman:   President Elect Donald Trump has named and nominated eight of the 24 officials, including his chief of staff, most of whom would make up his cabinet. Returning to discuss the nominees so far and where they stand on AJC missions of fighting antisemitism, defending Israel and safeguarding democracy, is AJC Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, Julie Fishman Rayman. Julie, welcome back to People of the Pod. Julie Fishman Rayman:   Thanks for having me, Manya, glad to be here. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you have worked with some of these nominees, and you know their track record on these issues. First of all, from a 30,000-40,000 foot view, what is your overall take on the slate so far? Julie Fishman Rayman:   I feel like if you had asked me that yesterday, I would have had a totally different answer. And so I imagine even by the time People of the {od airs, my answer maybe would have even changed, so I will answer, but I want everyone, including our listeners, to take it with a grain of salt that I am speaking from a very specific moment in tim while the clock is rapidly changing and the situation is rapidly changing. So I think the initial slate of potential nominees that were announced gave a lot of folks, especially in sort of the foreign policy world, a good deal of comfort, right?  So people like Representative Mike Waltz, people like Senator Marco Rubio, those types of folks. Even Governor Huckabee, are sort of these, these names of traditional conservatives who we say, Oh, they have a record. They have governed. They have a voting record. We know exactly where they stand and what they believe, and that it's not vastly dissimilar from any other previous Republican administration.  Then, of course, there was the news about the potential coming in of Matt Gaetz, representative, Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida and Tulsi Gabbard. And I think those names and what they represent put everyone in a bit of a tailspin. Not simply because of who they are, although they come with a lot of really interesting backstory that we can unpack, if you want to, but not just because of who they are, but because they represent a really different part of the Republican Party. A really different part of the right wing world view that had not theretofore been represented in Trump's cabinet picks, definitely less of the traditional conservative mindset and much more in line with a, dare I say, like populist kind of perspective. And so there's tension now that people are trying to sort of understand and unravel. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So let's talk about each individual. And you mentioned Marco Rubio, who is Trump's nominee for Secretary of State, the Florida Senator. He currently serves on the Foreign Relations Committee. He's the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee. And I mean, he and the President Elect seem to agree on America's approach to Iran and Ukraine, but not NATO, right? I mean, where do he and Mr. Trump agree and disagree? Julie Fishman Rayman:   You're asking a question as though we have a full sense of what incoming president, former President Trump believes, which I think is a bit of an assumption. They're certainly deeply aligned on sort of big picture principles as they relate to support for Israel, no question. A tough, tough approach to whether it's an actor like Iran or China, you know, sort of these nefarious global players that seek to disrupt our world order, they're aligned there. There is a potential disconnect on Ukraine. Right? We've heard statements from Senator Rubio recently where you almost see him trying to channel the former president, the president-elect, and say, like, what would Trump say? What would Trump do?  You can like, see the wheels spinning in his mind as he talks about how we have been funding a stalemate and how something needs to change. But I'm not sure that if you put them both in a room and ask them blindfolded, apart from each other, what to do about Ukraine, if you would get the same answer, I think there would probably be a good deal of daylight.  And I think the same could be said about the future of NATO and others. But it all remains to be seen. And then, of course, also will have to be balanced with other forces that are coming into the administration, not least of which Senator JD Vance, colleague of Marco Rubio, who definitely comes with a different sort of world view. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And next on the list, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York, she has been nominated for the role of UN ambassador. We kind of know her as an outspoken supporter of Israel, given her high profile role in the congressional hearings about anti-Israel protests on college campuses after the Hamas terror attacks on October 7. Those hearings actually led to the resignation of a couple of university presidents. How do you foresee that outspoken support playing out in the UN arena, or maybe even in the Trump administration's approach to higher education? Julie Fishman Rayman:   In terms of the UN and antisemitism, there will be a lot of very vocal, very strident affirmations that antisemitism is not something that the US will abide. That same sort of force that Congresswoman Stefanik brought to the Education Committee, she will bring to the UN and she won't take any bones about it, and she's not going to sit down to anybody.  Of that we can be sure what that looks like, though, beyond pontification, beyond promulgations of support for the Jewish community across the globe, remains to be seen. Right? How will she engage in a UN that she certainly will perceive to be at least biased towards Israel and possibly antisemitic at its core. Right? We can make that assumption on her world view.  How will she seek to engage with a system that she presumably views as fundamentally flawed? We know that a Republican House and Senate are already sort of gearing up towards cutting funding of major UN institutions, if not the UN across the board. So what does that mean for her role? What does that mean for the voice that the United States will have and the ability for her very strong voice, to even be at the table, and that's sort of where some of that tension arrives is also, do you get in the room? Do you get the seat at the table? Or are you on the menu? Right? The United States is never going to be on the menu, but are we going to, by virtue of our own sort of principles, going to push our seat back in and stand in the hallway. There's a lot of calculi that she's going to have to make there. In terms of the Department of Education and Congress and how they're dealing with these really important issues that that Congresswoman Stefanik has put at the fore for so long, there's no question that the threat of pulling federal funding that we've heard from the Biden administration repeatedly will be more believed under a future Trump administration. I think there are universities all over the country that already are saying, oh, like, what do we have to do? We don't want to get caught in these crosshairs. What do we need to do to make sure that we are not either under fire with the light shining on us or on the chopping block for federal funding?  So if you're an educational institution that really believes that there is a true threat that you're to your federal funding, you're reconsidering a lot of steps. And if in fact, federal funding is leveraged or cut, I think we have to be really mindful of three things. One, we have to make sure that it doesn't look as though the Jews are behind this crushing blow, because that's scapegoating. And we have to make sure that shuttering these major academic institutions doesn't foreclose the creation, the necessary creation, of future American doctors and engineers and others. And finally, we have to make sure that we're not creating a void in funding that could really easily be filled by foreign actors that are already known to use university funding to advance a particular ideology, to advance their own interests. Manya Brachear Pashman:   I want to go back to another name you mentioned at the top, and that is the Florida congressman, Michael Waltz. He has been named as National Security Advisor to head up the National Security Council, and he has been a huge champion of the Abraham accords. So what can we expect to see from him if he indeed does take this post. Julie Fishman Rayman:   So one of the things that I think is really interesting about, you know, looking back on the last trump administration, while we sort of forecast for the next, is that the National Security Council, this body that Mike Waltz will lead, was always the brain trust for him in the previous administration. Of course, there was the State Department. It was filled, it was supported. But generally, I think he thought of the State Department as a place of a foreign policy bureaucracy, where passports got stamped, that kind of, step by step, day by day, keeping the wheels turning, but not where real change happened.  So if we're, you know, we're talking about Marco Rubio at State, we're talking about Mike Waltz as National Security Advisor, I think we really need to sort of dig into what's Waltz gonna bring. And of course, like, as you said, Manya deeply supportive of Abraham Accords, very hawkish when it comes to China, and very, very embedded in the military establishment himself, right? He's not the DoD pick, but he's a Green Beret vet. He served in Afghanistan, he served in the Middle East. He served in Africa. In addition to being on the foreign affairs committee and Congress, he was on the Armed Services Committee and the Intelligence Committee, if there are, if there's a trifecta of committees that someone could serve on to be as informed and at sort of the pinnacle of information about what's going on in this world, it's those three committees. Ukraine is the big question mark here. He's criticized aid to Ukraine, and has talked about getting Putin to the negotiating table, getting a diplomatic solution, or some sort of settlement to this war. And that I think remains this major looming question for a lot of folks about, as we're looking at these various picks whose voice is going to win here. Or, you know, if we're channeling the last Trump administration again, who's going to be the last person in his ear before he goes and makes a major announcement. Manya Brachear Pashman:   You mentioned DoD. Let's talk about President Elect Trump's DoD pick. Fox News anchor Pete hegseth, he is a retired US Army Major. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but a surprising pick to head the Department of Defense.  Julie Fishman Rayman:   It's interesting that you asked that question, because I think for folks who just think of him as a, you know, the guy on the Fox News couch, everyone who I've talked to who really knows Pete Hegseth and really is engaged with him for a long time, they they're not surprised, and they say, Oh, that does make sense. I don't know how much we can anticipate his fox views translating into a DoD cabinet pick. I don't really know how to manage that, right? He's talked about, like the Joint Chiefs, for example, in sort of a disparaging way.  So, he's definitely one of these picks that you know shows the future President's desire to be at the vanguard, right? He wants to shake things up. He wants to keep people on their toes.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Okay, so now let's move on to some of the names you mentioned that are curious, curious choice. Other curious choices. Former Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, she has been nominated to serve as Trump's chief intelligence advisor, the Director of National Intelligence. That would mean she would be responsible for overseeing 18 spy agencies and keeping the President informed of the nation's international intelligence as anti semitism rises around the world, incidents like what we saw in Amsterdam this past weekend continue to flare up. Do you foresee her prioritizing that kind of news for the president elect? Julie Fishman Rayman:   This is a position that has to be confirmed by the Senate, and it's not, I think, a slam dunk in a lot of ways. She's not always been a Republican. She certainly hasn't always been a Trumpist Republican. She had a major leadership role in the Democratic Party for quite some time. She was the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, and not rank and file, she resigned from that position to endorse Bernie Sanders in 2016 she supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Iran deal that many Democrats broke with the administration to oppose that. AJC opposed, I think that there's a lot of baggage that she brings, and not personal baggage, but policy baggage that might make it very, very difficult for her to make the step through that confirmation process, and someone very smart said that'll be the test. Maybe I'll give him credit. Josh Kraushauer, the editor of Jewish insider, said this will be the test for how Senate leadership is going to respond to the calls from President Trump. You know, if they're able to just sort of if Senator Thune, in this new role that he has just received is able to push through the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard, then we can expect a lot of confirmations legislation Trump desires to move through the Senate. If she gets a little bit held up. If it's not as easy, then we can anticipate just a little bit more gridlock, as much gridlock as one could expect from one party control of the House, Senate and the White House. But a little bit more of a pushback. It'll be a real test. Manya Brachear Pashman:   She is nominated to be his chief intelligence advisor, and yet she has posted blatantly false propaganda on her social media channels. And people know that, people have called her out for that. Is that concerning? Julie Fishman Rayman:   I think it's deeply concerning whenever anyone puts out blatantly false propaganda, particularly that which emanates from Russia, that is problematic at any level of elected official, appointed official, period. We need to constantly, as a society and as a nation, be on fierce guard against that, because it is real and it is pervasive. I anticipate that, you know, when the confirmation hearings are up, there's going to be a lot of questions about, you know, what has she posted, where is she getting her information, and from whom does she rely on for real, authoritative information that is truthful? Manya Brachear Pashman:   So another name that you mentioned at the top of the conversation, and that is Congressman, well now former Congressman Matt Gaetz from Florida, since he resigned immediately after his nomination for attorney general. He was one of, I think, 21 republicans who voted against the Antisemitism Awareness Act in May, saying he couldn't support a definition of antisemitism that labeled claims of Jews killing Jesus as antisemitic. I think Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel might have had some choice words for him, if he is indeed, if he indeed progresses through this process toward Attorney General, what could we see from him? What can we see, period, of this whole process? Julie Fishman Rayman:   So first off, I just, I want to speak a little bit about it was sort of him in his record, because I think that it's important for our community to to be refreshed about exactly who Matt Gaetz is it there were a number of Republicans who voted against the Antisemitism Awareness Act because they did not think that it was appropriate for there to be a law that says the Jews didn't kill Jesus. This is, of course, like a sort of gross mischaracterization of what the international Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of anti semitism says and purports to do. But he wasn't alone. And it was, it was very interesting to see how this, this sort of trope that I think a lot of us thought was over about the Jews killing Jesus. You know, Nostra Aetate was in the 70s, right? So we thought that this was done and behind us. But to hear, particularly from the evangelical set, that, okay, like, maybe the Jews didn't kill Jesus, or maybe they did.  He also invited a Holocaust denier and a white supremacist to be his guest at the State of the Union later, he said, like, Oh, I didn't really know. But either he got terrible staffing or he knew, and he just didn't want to get caught. He's deeply, deeply scandal ridden, without question. And he, you know, is constantly defending Marjorie Taylor Green, who, you know, compared the COVID mask laws to, you know, the Holocaust and things like that. He called the ADL racist. He is not representative of any stream, really, within the Republican Party. He is emblematic of the most populist of the populace, the most MAGA of the MAGA. So we should remember who he is, first and foremost.  Beyond that, I cannot imagine an America that would confirm him as Attorney General. I'm a congressist by heart. I believe that Congress does the right things, if given enough time to do so, and I cannot believe that they'll let this one go through. So forgive my rant. I think it needs to be said about him. But in terms of, you know, who are we watching, and what do we think is going to happen in the long term? I don't think there's a long term there. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Let's talk about another pick, and that is his pick for Homeland Security, who I don't think is so outlandish, and that is South Dakota Governor Christie gnomes. She could play a really vital role in his immigration the proposal that he's made for the immigration system. She has been a strong ally of AJC in the past.  Julie Fishman Rayman:   Yes, she has. When she signed North South Dakota's bill, um on the international Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, working definition of antisemitism, when she signed into law, AJC was there. She's been outspoken about anti semitism, and has consistently, sort of done, she's done the right things there. That being said, South Dakota has a very small Jewish population. So it's not, the same as if she were the governor of New York or Florida or even California that has major Jewish populations that are constantly calling with various, you know, security needs or something like that. So she's been there when she's needed to be there. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And I know South Dakota is not a border state, but didn't she send army reserves to the border to help Texas Governor Greg Abbott, at one point? Julie Fishman Rayman:   She has. A lot of Republican governors sort of backed Abbott in that way. I think that her crew in the governors, in the Republican Governors Association, etc, will be much aligned with the incoming administration. And of course, you know, that's why she's picked. Manya Brachear Pashman:   We also have the choice of John Ratliff, who Trump has named as a potential CIA director. And you know, technically, CIA director is the person who's nominated as head of intelligence is the CIA director's boss, and so he was the former director or chief intelligence advisor. So in a way, it's kind of a demotion. However, what I've read is President elect Trump believes that the CIA director is actually more important. So what are we looking at here? Are we looking at a smoother confirmation process for the CIA director, perhaps, and are we looking at kind of an elevation of that job?  Julie Fishman Rayman:   I think we can probably assume it's an elevation, and in the same way that we talked about the previous Trump administration prioritizing the National Security Council almost above the State Department, I think we'll see that sort of shift in alignment, the CIA being sort of the new center of gravity, if it wasn't already within the the intelligence community. So I think that we probably will see him playing a much more dominant role. That being said, I think America has always held this deep fascination with CIA directors, FBI directors. They always, because of the really interesting and critical roles they play, they always sort of punch above their weight in terms of, you know, how much are they on TV? How much are people watching what they're saying and what they're doing? So I think that we can absolutely anticipate that. And you know, he has some skeletons in his closet, but I don't think that there's anything that will prohibit or impede his nomination for that role. Manya Brachear Pashman:   And as a religion reporter, I found the naming of former Governor Mike Huckabee as the ambassador, a potential ambassador to Israel, to be very interesting, given that he is an evangelical Christian, a Baptist pastor. Aren't too many non-Jewish ambassadors to Israel. There have been some, but not too many. And I thought that this was a really interesting selection. What can we see or expect to see from that choice? Julie Fishman Rayman:   You know, part of me kind of loves this for America. I think there's, Governor Huckabee has always been a stalwart supporter of Israel, without question, deeply, deeply supportive. There are questions about, what is he going to do with regard to like, the question of settlements or annexation and things like that. And and I think we're going to have to be watching that very, very closely.  But if we're looking sort of at the macro level, the issue of Israel and America has become so polarized and in some ways so toxic, that this reminder that it's not just the Jews that care about Israel, I think, couldn't come at a better time.  I do think that it's really interesting to now have someone going to sit at the embassy that President Trump moved to Jerusalem, who is not representing the Jewish community there, but representing the massive Evangelical community in the United States and even frankly, around the world. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Well, Julie, thank you so much for sharing your perspectives. As these names keep trickling out each day, many things are said, some important, some not so important. So I'm glad I appreciate you kind of focusing our audience on what matters to AJC, what matters to the Jewish community and for those who support Israel. So thank you so much.  Julie Fishman Rayman:   It's been my pleasure and many and if I can just say, as we conclude that the personalities take up a lot of space, they take up a lot of oxygen. But for AJC, we're always singularly focused on the policies, and we'll continue doing what we've been doing already for months, and that's reaching everyone who will have influence in this next administration, to advance our policy perspective, to share our agenda and to talk about what we think needs to form the policy priorities of the next administration.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   Thank you so much, Julie. Julie Fishman Rayman:   Thank you.  

Comprehensive border and immigration reform has eluded policymakers in the U.S. for decades. As global turmoil and conflict grows, questions and concerns still remain about the economic, security, and humanitarian justification and rationale for immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees seeking entry into the U.S. Vitriolic rhetoric, which has largely impeded meaningful progress, has only intensified in the months leading up to one of the most consequential elections in history. In the midst of all of this, somewhat of a miracle has materialized: bipartisan collaboration. Our guest this week served as the chief negotiator of a border bill that was negotiated between Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy is the junior U.S. Senator for Connecticut and is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. He joins WITHpod to discuss what has historically hindered a significant revamp of American immigration policy, how he was able to help broker conservative partnership, his concerns about “unaccountable elites, the fall of American neoliberalism and more.

Maryland's Sen. Ben Cardin holds an influential role as the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The committee's work has been stalled for months over a dispute between Republicans and Democrats over legislation that would sanction the International Criminal Court over decisions to pursue arrest warrants for top Israeli officials for their prosecution of the war in Gaza. We ask him about the latest, and news from the West Bank, where the Israeli Defense Force's killing of an American protestor sparked a rare backlash from U.S officials toward their ally. In May of last year, Maryland's Sen. Ben Cardin announced that he will not seek re-election when his term expires on January 3, 2025.Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

*) Israeli opposition leaders slam Netanyahu's speech to US Congress Israeli opposition leaders sharply criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the US Congress. Yair Lapid, the leader of the There Is a Future Party, accused the prime minister of failing to address a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas. Lapid called the address "disgraceful” and said, “An hour of talking without uttering the single sentence: 'There will be a kidnapping deal.” *) Türkiye says could be part of mechanism in case of two-state solution deal Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that without the immediate implementation of the two-state solution, a fourth Gaza war is inevitable. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Fidan said that if an agreement on a two-state solution is reached in Gaza, Türkiye can participate in the guarantor mechanism that Ankara proposed. *) US Senator Bob Menendez steps down following corruption conviction US Senator Bob Menendez submitted his resignation in the aftermath of his conviction on corruption charges including bribery and acting as an agent for a foreign government, bowing to pressure from fellow Democrats to give up the job. Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will appoint a replacement for Menendez, who has served in the Senate since 2006 and was the Foreign Relations Committee chairman until charged last year. *) Several dead, over 150 missing after boat capsizes off Mauritania: IOM The International Organization for Migration said at least 15 people have been killed and more than 150 missing after a boat carrying 300 passengers capsized near Mauritania's capital Nouakchott on Wednesday. The organisation said the Mauritanian coastguard rescued 120 people and that 10 of them were taken to hospitals while efforts to locate the missing continued. *) Brazil's Lula launches global effort to end hunger, poverty at G20 summit Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has kicked off a global effort to end hunger and extreme poverty, aiming to make it a hallmark of Brazil's G20 presidency as he seeks to restore the country's soft power on the world stage. Lula said "Nothing is as absurd and unacceptable in the 21st century as the persistence of hunger and poverty, when we have so much abundance and so many scientific and technological resources at our disposal.”

As humanitarian concerns abound regarding the dire situation in Gaza, satellite images show that a much-touted US pier intended to deliver aid has been completely broken up in rough seas over the weekend. Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, has been a vocal critic of Israel's conduct in Gaza and has repeatedly called for more humanitarian aid. He joins Christiane to discuss the US stance on the conflict.  Also on today's show: Marking the 30th anniversary of the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, Christiane speaks with Nicole's sisters Denise, Dominique and Tanya  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A couple of weeks ago, Sen. Chris Van Hollen was part of a Congressional delegation that traveled to Egypt and Jordan to explore solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Congressman Hollen joins us on today's program. The Senator is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, which is chaired by MD's Senior Senator, Ben Cardin.Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

This week's guest needs no introduction! Everyone knows his political story, from mid-size city mayor to US Senator and Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. How did he get there? In this episode, we discuss his early career days on construction sites, the formation of Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise, and the importance of having bold visions.   Bob Corker has owned several businesses and held several political positions. He is now retired and not on LinkedIn, but you can learn more about him here.   My Morning Cup is hosted by Mike Costa of Costa Media Advisors and produced by Madison McCann.   Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.   If you liked this episode, we think you'll also like: Tom Griscom's Morning Cup (E21) Todd Womack's Morning Cup (E23) Vance Travis's Morning Cup (E40)

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 4: Liz Wolfe—Associate Editor at Reason & Author of the Reason Roundup morning email newsletter—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss student organizations at Harvard University that have explicitly, and outlandishly, blamed Israel for the Hamas-led attacks on Israeli citizens. Equally problematic are professors on campuses like Columbia University and Cornell University that have openly excused the actions of Hamas terrorists. Why was leadership at these elite universities so reluctant to condemn these actions and statements? You can find Wolfe's work here: https://reason.com/people/liz-wolfe/ Max Marin of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes: “Police have arrested a suspect in the killing of Officer Richard Mendez and the wounding of Officer Raul Ortiz, who were shot on Thursday while responding to a car theft in a parking garage at Philadelphia International Airport.” During an afternoon press conference on Monday, the Philadelphia Police Department identified the suspect as Yobranny Martínez Fernández—though, they are still actively searching for two other suspects. You can read more about the developing story here: https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-airport-shooting-arrest-richard-mendez-raul-ortiz-20231016.html While speaking with reporters, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), despite being a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, will not be in attendance for a classified briefing on Israel Wednesday. Last week, Menendez was charged with acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. He had previously been charged with accepting bribes in exchange for influence. Rich is joined by 1210 WPHT producers Anthony and Dan who are at Citizen Bank Park ahead of tonight's Game 2 playoff matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks. The series is best of seven. The Phillies currently lead the series 1-0. You can listen to their podcast, The Other Side with Dan and DiRenzo, here: https://www.audacy.com/1210wpht/podcasts/the-otherside-with-dan-and-direnzo-389572

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (10/17/2023): 3:05pm: On Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted to fill the speakership position left vacant following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The Republican nominee for speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), received 200 votes—well short of the 217 votes he needed to win a majority of the House. In total, twenty Republicans voted for candidates other than Jordan. Russell Dye, Communications Director for Jordan, suggested that another round of voting is expected to occur today. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), an ally of Jordan, echoed a similar sentiment—saying he thinks at least one more round of voting will occur on Tuesday. Following the vote, Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry placed the House of Representatives in recess. You can read updates as they unfold here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/17/us/house-speaker-jim-jordan-vote 3:15pm- WBUR, a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate in Boston, MA, recently hosted a guest who seemingly denied that Hamas had killed women and children in Israel during an October 7th attack that left an estimated 1,400 people dead. You can read more here: https://www.foxnews.com/media/npr-affiliate-pulls-show-after-guest-doubted-hamas-killed-women-children-during-terror-attacks 3:40pm- In a statement made on X, Rep. Anthony D'Esposito (R-NY) explained his vote against Jim Jordan's speakership bid: “I want a Speaker who understands Long Island's unique needs. Restoring the SALT deduction, safeguarding 9/11 victim support funding, and investing in critical infrastructure are our priorities. I look forward to discussions with candidates.” Several Republican holdouts are now suggesting that it's an impossibility for any candidate within their caucus to receive the 217 votes needed to become speaker and, consequently, the House should move to expand the powers of Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC). 4:05pm- On Monday night, the Philadelphia Phillies won Game 1 of their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The final score was 5-3. 4:10pm- According to Luke Broadwater of The New York Times, “Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise met after Jordan lost on the first ballot. Jordan asked Scalise for help but did not receive a pledge to do so, according to a person familiar with the conversation. Scalise and his allies are smarting from the way Jordan supporters undercut Scalise after he won a conference election but they refused to support him.” You can read more here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/17/us/house-speaker-jim-jordan-vote 4:15pm- On Monday, Judge Tanya S. Chutkan imposed a limited gag order on Donald Trump—in a case that alleges Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Judge Chutkan's gag order prevents the former president from verbally attacking witnesses and prosecutors publicly. Alarmingly, it may also restrict Trump's ability to criticize specific elements of the Biden Administration's Department of Justice. Could this gag order impact Trump's ability to campaign—and is it a violation of his First Amendment right to free speech and petition? Trump is expected to appeal the order. While speaking at a rally in Clive, Iowa, Trump announced he is “willing to go to jail” as part of a principled stance against Churkan's “unconstitutional” gag order. 4:20pm- During a campaign rally in Iowa, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump jokingly compared himself to Al Capone, saying he has been indicted more times than the 1920s Chicago mobster. 4:30pm- According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF), a misfired Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) rocket struck a hospital in Gaza leaving an estimated 500 people dead. Ari Blaff of National Review writes: “The Palestinian Ministry of Health, a government body under the control of Hamas, previously claimed that an Israeli air strike was responsible for the hospital explosion.” You can read more here: https://www.nationalreview.com/news/misfired-palestinian-islamic-jihad-rocket-responsible-for-hospital-explosion-idf-says/ 4:40pm- Judge Carolyn Carluccio of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss her candidacy for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. You can learn more about her campaign here:https://www.judgecarluccio.com 5:00pm- While speaking with NBC News, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) accused Nikki Haley of “trying to be politically correct” for suggesting the United States should welcome large numbers of refugees from Gaza. 5:15pm- Rich is joined by 1210 WPHT producers Anthony and Dan who are at Citizen Bank Park ahead of tonight's Game 2 playoff matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks. The series is best of seven. The Phillies currently lead the series 1-0. You can listen to their podcast, The Other Side with Dan and DiRenzo, here: https://www.audacy.com/1210wpht/podcasts/the-otherside-with-dan-and-direnzo-389572 5:30pm- Did Momma Zeoli break Rich's kitchen oven? She calls into the show to try to figure out how to fix it. 5:40pm- According to Luke Broadwater of The New York Times, “Scheduling update: Next vote for speaker will be tomorrow at 11 a.m. as Jordan works to shore up support—and prevent the bleeding of support. ‘We're going to keep working,' Jordan says.” You can read updates as they unfold here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/17/us/house-speaker-jim-jordan-vote 5:45pm- Comedian Kevin Downey Jr. joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his upcoming appearance at Parx Casino Club 360 on Thursday October 19th—doors open at 7pm. You can learn more about the show, co-hosted by Rich, at: https://parxcasino.com/bensalem/calendar?sort=comedy 6:05pm- Liz Wolfe—Associate Editor at Reason & Author of the Reason Roundup morning email newsletter—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss student organizations at Harvard University that have explicitly, and outlandishly, blamed Israel for the Hamas-led attacks on Israeli citizens. Equally problematic are professors on campuses like Columbia University and Cornell University that have openly excused the actions of Hamas terrorists. Why was leadership at these elite universities so reluctant to condemn these actions and statements? You can find Wolfe's work here: https://reason.com/people/liz-wolfe/ 6:30pm- Max Marin of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes: “Police have arrested a suspect in the killing of Officer Richard Mendez and the wounding of Officer Raul Ortiz, who were shot on Thursday while responding to a car theft in a parking garage at Philadelphia International Airport.” During an afternoon press conference on Monday, the Philadelphia Police Department identified the suspect as Yobranny Martínez Fernández—though, they are still actively searching for two other suspects. You can read more about the developing story here: https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-airport-shooting-arrest-richard-mendez-raul-ortiz-20231016.html 6:40pm- While speaking with reporters, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), despite being a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, will not be in attendance for a classified briefing on Israel Wednesday. Last week, Menendez was charged with acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. He had previously been charged with accepting bribes in exchange for influence. 6:50pm- Rich is joined by 1210 WPHT producers Anthony and Dan who are at Citizen Bank Park ahead of tonight's Game 2 playoff matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks. The series is best of seven. The Phillies currently lead the series 1-0. You can listen to their podcast, The Other Side with Dan and DiRenzo, here: https://www.audacy.com/1210wpht/podcasts/the-otherside-with-dan-and-direnzo-389572

The Incredible Husk gave an interview last night to 60 Minutes - and Stigall has the audio. Not exactly confidence inspiring as China and Iran are getting louder by the day. Joel Pollack, Editor In Chief at Brietbart helps sift through the growing tension among conservatives regarding Israel's lack of readiness in being attacked, and some going further in their implications. Stigall explores the debate and is Ukraine a prime reason for it? Plus, former women's college swimming champ and now advocate for protection of women and women's sports gets heckled on another campus. She shares her story with Stigall.-For more info visit the official website: https://chrisstigall.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisstigallshow/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisStigallFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.stigall/Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/StigallPodListen on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/StigallShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jill WIne-Banks hosts #SistersInLaw to delve into the superseding indictment of Senator Menedez.  They examine how his role as the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee gives the charges against him national security ramifications, and lay out the political implications if he ends up resigning.  Moving on to the next indictment, they break down the charges against Rep. Santos with a look at how his actions defrauded his donors and the election process.  From there, they explain the differences between political and racial gerrymandering and how South Carolina's conflation of the two has taken their recently drawn congressional map to the Supreme Court. Get your #SistersInLaw gear or the perfect gift at politicon.com/merch WEBSITE & TRANSCRIPT Email: SISTERSINLAW@POLITICON.COM or Thread to @sistersInLaw.podcast Please Support This Week's Sponsors Lomi:  Turn your food waste into plant-food at the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code SIL to save $50 at lomi.com/SIL Aura:  Take your family's cybersecurity to the highest level.  Get a 14 day trial plus a check of your data to see if your personal information has been leaked online for FREE when you visit aura.com/sisters HelloFresh:  Enjoy 50% off plus free shipping with delicious HelloFresh meals delivered right to your door when you go to hellofresh.com/50sisters and use promo code: 50SISTERS OneSkin:  Get 15% off OneSkin with the code SISTERS at oneskin.co #oneskinpod Get Barb's New Book:  Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America Mentioned By The #Sisters: From Joyce on the gerrymandering case before the SCOTUS Senator Menendez Indictment  Get More From #SistersInLaw Joyce Vance: Twitter | University of Alabama Law | MSNBC | Civil Discourse Substack Jill Wine-Banks: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Author of The Watergate Girl: My Fight For Truth & Justice Against A Criminal President Kimberly Atkins Stohr: Twitter | Boston Globe | WBUR | Unbound Newsletter Barb McQuade: Twitter | University of Michigan Law | Just Security | MSNBC

As the Israel-Hamas war continues, many Americans are trying to return to the U.S. Jessica Nagar Zindani, a mother of three who lives in Israel, joins "CBS Mornings" from her bomb shelter to share her experience seeking U.S. help as she tries to safely leave Israel with her three children.Sen. Cory Booker told "CBS Mornings" on Friday that $6 billion in Iranian oil assets that were freed up as part of last month's U.S.-Iran prisoner swap are "frozen." Booker serves on the Foreign Relations Committee and was in Jerusalem when Hamas launched its large-scale attack on Israel.Earpods are so great, yet so tiny and easy to misplace. This is a story of how persistence and tenacity pays off for a CBS News producer, and sparks a new friendship with a puppy and a winemaker.Since Warby Parker was founded in 2010, the company has distributed over 15 million pairs of glasses through its "Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" program. Company co-founders Neil Blumenthal and Dave Gilboa join "CBS Mornings" to talk the new milestone and their vision for the company's future.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, crime has hit Target right in their bulls eye from coast to coast. Menendez fighting back on federal bribery charges as he steps down from Foreign Relations Committee.

Ralph welcomes award-winning foreign correspondent Stephen Kinzer to discuss America's bloody history of proxy wars. They'll also discuss the mainstream media's "shameful" coverage of the war in Ukraine, the warhawks on Capitol Hill, and the catastrophic trickle-down effects of American military meddling.Stephen Kinzer is an award-winning foreign correspondent who has covered more than 50 countries on five continents. Mr. Kinzer spent more than 20 years working for the New York Times, most of it as a foreign correspondent. After leaving the Times in 2005, Mr. Kinzer taught journalism, political science, and international relations at Northwestern University and Boston University. He is now a Senior Fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University and writes a world affairs column for The Boston Globe.We attacked Libya in complete violation of international law, but in accordance with the system that we have used as a substitute for international law. And that's what we call the “rules-based international order.” That's our alternative to international law. And the rules-based international order is great for us because we're the ones that make the rules. We decide everything. We decide who's making war, who's not making war, who's good, who's bad, who needs to be punished, who doesn't need to be punished. Under international law, we can't do that because countries are treated more equally. So I think this is the real way we have turned away from both international law and our own domestic law—we've said that they're all superseded by the rules-based international order, which is a nice way of saying everybody has to do what the United States decides.Stephen KinzerA mantra in Congress is “Israel has a right to defend itself.” But no one ever says in Congress “the Palestinians have a right to defend themselves,” and they take casualty counts anywhere from 40 to 100 times greater in terms of innocent civilians, killed or injured. The Iranians apparently have no right to defend themselves… What is this inverted sense that these countries that are legitimately threatened, that have been overthrown… What's this mindset in official Washington that nobody threatened by the US or Israel has a right to defend themselves?Ralph NaderIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantis1. On Monday, the Writers' Guild of America announced that they have reached an interim agreement with the studios. The proposed deal includes minimum writing room sizes, pay increases, a ban on writing by generative AI programs, and disclosures of streaming numbers with residuals to match, to name just a few of the top line wins for the union. The agreement still needs to be formally submitted to the Guild membership for ratification, but this marks the end of the second longest strike in the WGA's history.2. AP reports that earlier this week, President Biden joined the United Autoworkers on the picket line. This is the first time ever a sitting president has joined a picket line. “Donning a union ballcap and exchanging fist bumps, Biden told United Auto Workers strikers that ‘you deserve the significant raise you need'” and urged the workers to “stick with it.” Biden made this move in part because former President Donald Trump also addressed autoworkers in a speech this week, though he did so at a non-union plant away from the picket line. UAW president Shawn Fain deemed Trump's address to non-union workers “pathetic irony,” per FOX 2 Detroit.3. Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey is facing a mammoth corruption scandal involving fraudulent halal meat from Egypt and $100,000 worth of gold bars. Per the BBC, Menendez has been forced to resign his chairmanship of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Yet, the powerful New Jersey Senator has not resigned his seat, even as a growing chorus of top Democrats have called on him to do so – including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, Nancy Pelosi, Bernie Sanders, and many more. One possible upside to all of this is that Menendez's departure from his post on the Foreign Relations Committee could pave the way for a more rational American policy towards Cuba.4. In more Cuba news, NBC reports that on September 24th, the Cuban embassy in Washington was attacked. The assailant hurled two molotov cocktails at the diplomatic mission; fortunately, the diplomatic staff were unharmed. No arrests have been made. This follows a 2020 attack, when a man shot “nearly three dozen rounds” at the embassy from an AK-47.5. CNN reports that the FTC and the attorneys general of 17 states have filed a lawsuit against Amazon,   alleging that “Amazon unfairly promotes its own platform and services at the expense of third-party sellers who rely on the company's e-commerce marketplace for distribution.” Specific examples of the e-commerce giant's anticompetitive practices include “requiring sellers on its platform to purchase Amazon's in-house logistics services in order to secure the best seller benefits, [and forcing] sellers to list their products on Amazon at the lowest prices anywhere on the web, instead of allowing sellers to offer their products at competing marketplaces for a lower price.” Hopefully, this reinvigorated consumer protection regime will serve as a deterrent to other would-be corporate criminals.6. Kyodo News reports Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki recently addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, and used the opportunity to rail against the proposed US military base in the Japanese-controlled territory. Tamaki noted that the base “was clearly opposed by Okinawan voters in a democratically held referendum" and that the installation of the base would threaten regional peace. Okinawa already hosts most of the American military presence in Japan.7. Variety reports that Anil Kapoor, an A-list actor in India, has won his legal battle against AI. The court “granted an order…acknowledging [Kapoor's] personality rights and restraining all offenders from misusing his personality attributes without his permission in any manner…across all modes and media worldwide.” Kapoor also noted that “My intention is not to interfere with anyone's freedom of expression or to penalize anyone. My intent was to seek protection of my personality rights and prevent any misuse for commercial gains, particularly in the current scenario with rapid changes in technology and tools like artificial intelligence.”8. Finally, the Orchard reports that On September 22nd, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addressed the Canadian House of Commons. In attendance was Yaroslav Hunka, a 98 year-old veteran who, according to the CBC “fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians during the Second World War.” Students of history quickly put two and two together, deducing that this “veteran” was in fact a soldier in the 14th Grenadier Division of the Waffen SS, otherwise known as the Galician Division. Prime Minister Trudeau also held a private audience with this Nazi. Uproar in Canada proved so great that the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, Anthony Rota, was forced to resign, per the CBC. Furthermore, Polish officials have now formally requested that Hunka be extradited to Poland to face charges for atrocities committed by the Galician SS Division during WWII. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Sen. Bob Menendez. On Friday, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and his wife Nadine were indicted on three federal bribery charges related to corruption, including secretly aiding the government of Egypt and attempting to influence several prosecutions in exchange for cash, gold and other valuables. Menendez, a high-ranking Democrat who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has denied the charges and so far refused calls to resign, though he did step down as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. You can read today's podcast here, today's Under the Radar story here, and today's “Have a nice day” story here. You can also check out our latest YouTube video here. Today's clickables: A quick note (0:56), Quick hits (1:46), Today's story (3:52), Left's take (9:27), Right's take (14:25), Isaac's take (19:01), Listener question (22:32), Under the Radar (26:08), Numbers (27:08), Have a nice day (28:07) You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our podcast is written by Isaac Saul and edited by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.  Our newsletter is edited by Bailey Saul, Sean Brady, Ari Weitzman, and produced in conjunction with Tangle's social media manager Magdalena Bokowa, who also created our logo. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tanglenews/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tanglenews/support

It was a very bad day for New Jersey's senior US Senator on Friday. Stigall unpacks all the charges and the Democrats' hilarious responses. CBS uncovers where your tax money is going in Ukraine. Two of the biggest stars in music and sports are apparently an item and Stigall has no choice but to address it. Terrible new polls for Biden coupled with some very surprising political moves from California's governor have us wondering what's going on. - For more info visit the official website: https://chrisstigall.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisstigallshow/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisStigall Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.stigall/ Listen on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/StigallPod Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/StigallShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) held a press conference Monday saying he will not resign and is confident he will be exonerated of all charges. It was the Senator's first public appearance since a federal indictment was unsealed against him alleging he used his position as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee to help Egypt in exchange for cash, gold bars and a Mercedes. Even fellow Democrats have joined the chorus of members of Congress calling on Senator Menendez to resign.   FOX's Ryan Schmelz speaks with Chad Pergram, FOX News Senior Congressional correspondent, about Senator Menendez's press conference today, what he said and what sort of political implications these charges have for both parties.   Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hours after his federal indictment, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is out as the Foreign Relations Committee chairman. The Democrat is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars of cash, gold bars, and more, allegedly trading his influence to benefit business associates and Egypt. Also, a look at the security measures the star witness in the January 6th hearings undertook. Plus, Zelensky shores up support for Ukraine in Canada as his forces forces target Crimea. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

For decades, Georgia has tried to extricate itself from Russia's shadow. But with the recent influx of Ukrainian refugees and anti-war Russians and the rise of Georgia's Dream Party, the former Soviet state is once again walking a political tightrope between Russia and a tenuous future with NATO. In this episode, reporter Levi Bridges takes us on the ground to hear about the dangers of standing up to Russia.   Reporter:   Levi Bridges, journalist    Featured guests:   Daniil Chubar, co-founder of Emigration for Action    Monika Jaranowska, Director of Kids Club "Happy Me" Tbilisi   Giga Bokeria, leader of the European Georgia party   Sonja Schiffers, Director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation's Tbilisi Office   Giorgi Khelashvili, Georgian Dream MP and Deputy Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Parliament of Georgia   Host:     Ray Suarez   If you appreciate this episode and want to support the work we do, please consider making a donation to World Affairs. We cannot do this work without your help. Thank you.

As New York prosecutors weigh indicting Donald Trump, the former president belittles keeping protests peaceful. Then, Secretary of State Antony Blinken faces a subpoena threat as lawmakers order him to turn over documents related to the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Also, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) of the Foreign Relations Committee joins to discuss Xi-Putin talks producing no meaningful path forward on Ukraine. Plus, the CEO of TikTok is called before Congress to answer how much data from users the Chinese government can access. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

During his second State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Joe Biden talked at length about economic issues and accused Republicans of trying to end Social Security and Medicare. We're joined by Dave Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect to debrief these economic issues. In the second part of the show we're joined by Akela Lacy, political reporter with The Intercept to discuss what the ousting of Rep. Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Relations Committee means for the workings of Congress. The post Debriefing Biden's Second State of the Union Address appeared first on KPFA.

U.S. officials reveal they've been tracking a Chinese “surveillance balloon” high over Montana. Congressional Republicans boot Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) off the Foreign Relations Committee. And American volunteers help ferry “stolen” Ukrainian orphans from Russia to safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Biden in an exchange with CNN's Jake Tapper, vowed there will be consequences for Saudi Arabia in light of their decision to join with Russia in cutting back oil production, a move guaranteed to help Vladimir Putin and his war with Ukraine, while at the same time, jacking up gas prices for American consumers. The Saudi move jolted the White House, coming barely three months after Biden famously fist-bumped the country's de facto ruler Mohammed Bin Salma, the very same Crown Prince, who according to US intelligence, approved the operation that brutally murdered Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But what should those consequences for the Saudis actually be? Biden didn't say. But one Senator, who has been one of the most outspoken on the issue is Connecticut's Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. We talk to him about the US-Saudi relationship and the war in Ukraine as well as this week's nearly billion dollar verdict against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for his lies about the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NBC News Correspondent Richard Engel reports from the front lines in Ukraine and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talks about the international response to the war. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), member of the Foreign Relations Committee, offers insight on the war from a U.S. perspective. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) joins Meet the Press to share her unique perspective and talk about America's most pressing issues. Shane Harris, David Ignatius, Andrea Mitchell and Amna Nawaz offer their analysis at the Meet the Press roundtable.

Mariupol's mayor says civilians continue to be targeted just days after the Russians bombed a maternity hospital that killed at least three people, including a child. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack "proof of a genocide.” CNN's Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward is in Kyiv and gives AC360 an update on the evacuation efforts and how far Russian forces are from the city center. Plus, the White House is warning Russia may use chemical weapons in Ukraine. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. He tells Anderson Cooper the United States “should be focused on helping the Ukrainians but staying out of direct conflict with Russia.” To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

On Wednesday's Mark Levin Show, our federal government, State Department, and White House are afraid of a stalemate between Ukraine and Russia because they feel Putin will use nuclear weapons. China has now pledged to financially support Russia in financing their war. So, the Ukrainians will continue suffering because Putin doesn't care if he has to gas them in order to win. Then, the State Department is slowly realizing why the U.S should be interested in Ukraine after testimony in the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee over research from Ukrainian bio labs might end up in Russian hands if toppled. Later, America needs to be the muscular society it's always been. We must embrace capitalism to lower the cost of gas and reject the phony green new deal. The progressives' primitive look on energy is breaking the pockets of Americans under the ambiguity catchphrase ‘climate change.' Afterward, Sen. Lindsey Graham calls in to discuss his call for Putin to be taken out. Graham blasted the Biden Administration for reneging on the deal to swap F-16 jets with Poland so they'd, in turn, donate Mig-29 jets to Ukraine. Graham made it clear that the U.S must be sterner and less afraid of Putin's threats and instead fear what happens globally if he wins.