Podcasts about information act

It was a little more than a year ago when Interior Secretary Doug Burgum asked  the public to help him identify interpretive materials in the National Park System that disparaged Americans past or living or which contained content that detracts from viewpoints of scenic grandeur. Well, it appears that the public didn't share his concerns. Recent Freedom of Information Act requests have turned up nearly 36,000 comments in response to Secretary Burgum's mission "to restore Federal sites dedicated to history, including parks and museums, to solemn and uplifting public monuments that remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage, consistent progress toward becoming a more perfect Union, and unmatched record of advancing liberty, prosperity, and human flourishing." The folks at the Center for Western Priorities recently filtered through the nearly 36,000 comments that were received by Interior, and found that just 47 – that's right, only 47 comments – called for a sign to be removed or supported Burgum's request to tidy up history. Our guests today are Kate Groetzinger and Lilly Bock-Brownstein from the Center for Western Priorities, and they'll explain how they filtered those comments and what they found.

This Day in Legal History: Black Monday and the End of the NIRAOn May 27, 1935 — a day quickly dubbed “Black Monday” by the press — the United States Supreme Court delivered three unanimous decisions that gutted central pieces of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal in a single morning. The most consequential was A.L.A. Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, in which the Court struck down the National Industrial Recovery Act. The case grew out of the prosecution of a Brooklyn kosher poultry slaughterhouse for violating the “Live Poultry Code,” one of the hundreds of industry codes drafted by trade groups and given the force of federal law by the National Recovery Administration. The Court held that the NIRA's code-making scheme was an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power to private actors and the executive, and that the federal government's Commerce Clause authority did not reach the intrastate sale of poultry to local butchers. Justice Cardozo, concurring, famously described the statute as “delegation running riot.”The same day, in Humphrey's Executor v. United States, the Court cabined the President's power to remove members of independent regulatory commissions, a holding that would shape the constitutional status of agencies like the FTC, SEC, and FCC for the next ninety years. And in Louisville Joint Stock Land Bank v. Radford, the Court invalidated the Frazier-Lemke Farm Bankruptcy Act as an uncompensated taking from secured creditors. Roosevelt was, by all accounts, furious — and Black Monday became the proximate cause of his 1937 court-packing plan, which failed in Congress but is generally credited with prompting the “switch in time” that produced the more deferential commerce-clause and administrative-law jurisprudence of Jones & Laughlin Steel and the decades that followed. The nondelegation doctrine the Court announced in Schechter has, famously, not been used to strike down a federal statute since — though it has been the subject of growing interest from the current Court's conservative majority, which makes the ninety-first anniversary of Black Monday more than just a historical footnote.Former President Joe Biden has sued the Department of Justice to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts from his interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur, the prosecutor who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents and declined to bring charges. According to the filing, Biden argues that releasing the recordings would skirt federal law restricting disclosure of materials gathered in a special counsel probe, and would effectively turn protected investigative material into political fodder. The suit follows a 2024 Freedom of Information Act action by the conservative Heritage Foundation seeking the same recordings, and comes against the backdrop of repeated efforts by the current administration to make Hur-era material public — efforts the Biden team has argued are intended to embarrass the former president rather than to serve any legitimate investigative or oversight function. The transcripts of the Hur interviews were released back in 2024, but the audio itself has been the subject of executive privilege fights ever since. Worth watching for what the court does with the privilege claims, and for how the Special Counsel regulations are treated now that there is an ex-president on each side of these disputes.Former President Biden sues DOJ over release of interview audio | ReutersThe Trump administration is asking a California federal judge to throw out an expanded challenge to its sweeping reorganization of the federal workforce, calling the litigation a “litigation safari.” In a Friday motion to dismiss filed in AFGE v. Trump, the administration urged Judge Susan Illston to toss a supplemental complaint that broadened the case to cover, among other things, the downsizing of FEMA and a set of forward-looking workforce planning documents the administration issued last October. The original suit, filed in April 2025 by a coalition including the American Federation of Government Employees, SEIU, and the cities of Chicago, Baltimore, and San Francisco, challenged layoffs and reorganizations at more than twenty federal agencies. Judge Illston enjoined the workforce plans last May, but the Supreme Court stayed her injunction in July, and she has since declined to dismiss the case outright.The administration's argument is essentially jurisdictional: that the October planning documents are too tentative to constitute “final agency action,” that there is no specific DHS order behind the FEMA contract lapses the plaintiffs point to, and that individual FEMA terminations must run through the administrative civil-service process rather than land in district court. The “litigation safari” framing — that the plaintiffs are simply “roving the executive branch to explore various employment issues” — is rhetorically catchy but glosses over the more interesting underlying question: how cleanly the Administrative Procedure Act's “final agency action” requirement maps onto a coordinated, rolling, and openly cross-agency reorganization. A ruling on the dismissal motion is expected later this summer.Trump Admin Looks To Ax Expanded Suit Over Staffing Cuts - Law360Billionaire insurance magnate Greg Lindberg was sentenced in the Western District of North Carolina to twelve years in federal prison across two separate criminal cases — eighty-seven months on charges that he tried to bribe the state's insurance commissioner, and 144 months on wire-fraud charges arising from a $2 billion scheme in which prosecutors said he treated the insurance companies he controlled as a personal piggy bank. The sentences will run concurrently. Judge Max Cogburn also entered a preliminary restitution order of $1.6 billion based on a court-appointed special master's recommendation, which Lindberg's defense team described as the largest restitution award in state history.Prosecutors said the scheme harmed more than two hundred thousand victims, most of them elderly annuity holders, at least twenty thousand of whom died before any promised payouts arrived. The bribery case has its own complicated history — Lindberg was first convicted in 2020, had that conviction vacated by the Fourth Circuit in 2022 over faulty jury instructions, and was reconvicted on retrial in 2024. He pleaded guilty to the separate wire-fraud and money-laundering counts in November 2024. Judge Cogburn credited Lindberg's “extraordinary cooperation” with prosecutors and the special master, but also noted, with what reads like real exasperation in the transcript, that Lindberg has continued to file pro se civil lawsuits against the insurance companies he once owned and that the case illustrates how much of our regulatory apparatus can be “bought and sold like sacks of potatoes.” The government had sought roughly fourteen and a half years; Lindberg had asked for four.‘Regretful' Billionaire Gets 12 Years For $2B Fraud, Bribery - Law360The Colorado Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a debt buyer suing a consumer must attach to its complaint a non-affidavit writing that actually shows the buyer owns that consumer's debt — not just a generic bill of sale showing that the buyer purchased some bundle of receivables from the original creditor. The case, Wright v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, involved a $671.29 Victoria's Secret credit-card balance that Comenity Bank had sold to Portfolio Recovery in 2018. Portfolio Recovery's complaint attached a bill of sale and an affidavit identifying the last four digits of Wright's account number, and the lower courts found that sufficient under Colorado's Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The Colorado Supreme Court, in the first opinion authored by recently appointed Justice Susan Blanco, reversed and held the affidavit could not cure a complaint that didn't first satisfy the statute's non-affidavit-writing requirement.The practical consequence is significant: the four largest debt buyers alone filed close to forty thousand cases in Colorado county courts between 2013 and 2015, accounting for around eight percent of the state's county-court civil docket, and many of those complaints have historically relied on exactly the kind of generic bill-of-sale-plus-affidavit packaging the court just rejected. Consumer advocates argue the ruling will help consumers — most of whom never had any relationship with the debt buyer — understand and respond to the suits filed against them; the debt-buying industry will, in the near term, need to retool its pleading practices statewide.Colo. Justices Say Debt Buyer Must Show It Owns The Debt - Law360 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

American Immigration Council's Nayna Gupta and Aaron Reichlin-Melnick join This Is Hell! to discuss their report, "Immigration Detention Expansion in Trump's Second Term”. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/report/immigration-detention/ Nayna Gupta is an immigration attorney, policy expert, and the current Policy Director at the American Immigration Council. Based in Washington, D.C., she leads the Council's legislative, administrative, and policy advocacy portfolio. Her work primarily focuses on immigration enforcement, the U.S. immigration detention system, and the intersection of criminal law and immigration civil policy. She is a frequent commentator on major networks like Al Jazeera, analyzing mass deportation strategies and federal immigration expenditures. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick is a Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council. He previously worked as a Staff Attorney at the Council, working on impact litigation, Freedom of Information Act litigations, and practice advisories. Prior to joining the Council, he was an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow placed as a Staff Attorney at the Immigration Law Unit of The Legal Aid Society in New York City, representing immigrants placed in removal proceedings because of a prior criminal conviction. Aaron holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Politics and East Asian Studies from Brandeis University. We will have new installments of Rotten History and Hangover Cure. We will also be sharing your answers to this week's Question from Hell! from Patreon. Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

American Immigration Council's Nayna Gupta and Aaron Reichlin-Melnick join This Is Hell! to discuss their report, "Immigration Detention Expansion in Trump's Second Term”. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/report/immigration-detention/ Nayna Gupta is an immigration attorney, policy expert, and the current Policy Director at the American Immigration Council. Based in Washington, D.C., she leads the Council's legislative, administrative, and policy advocacy portfolio. Her work primarily focuses on immigration enforcement, the U.S. immigration detention system, and the intersection of criminal law and immigration civil policy. She is a frequent commentator on major networks like Al Jazeera, analyzing mass deportation strategies and federal immigration expenditures. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick is a Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council. He previously worked as a Staff Attorney at the Council, working on impact litigation, Freedom of Information Act litigations, and practice advisories. Prior to joining the Council, he was an Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow placed as a Staff Attorney at the Immigration Law Unit of The Legal Aid Society in New York City, representing immigrants placed in removal proceedings because of a prior criminal conviction. Aaron holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Politics and East Asian Studies from Brandeis University. Help keep This Is Hell! completely listener supported and access bonus episodes by subscribing to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thisishell

ActionSA has condemned the exoneration of two senior SAPS officials in internal disciplinary hearings linked to the Phala Phala matter. The party says the outcome contradicts IPID findings that recommended action for serious misconduct. ActionSA plans to file a Promotion of Access to Information Act, PAIA application to access the full record of the proceedings, arguing that SAPS internal processes are failing to ensure accountability. Elvis Presslin spoke to Lerato Ngobeni, ActionSA Parliamentary Chief Whip and National Spokesperson

If you ask Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor how he thinks about the role of AI in his agency's mission, he'll tell you he sees two different prevailing perspectives: one with a “big OPM” mission and another for “little OPM.” At least that's how he described it to me recently at UiPath's Fusion conference in Washington, DC. During our interview, Kupor shared about juxtaposition, emerging AI use cases that OPM is driving forward, and much more. The Department of Homeland Security intends to continue its work with Cellebrite, a provider of digital forensics hardware and software tools, according to forecast documents released last week. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as the department's Homeland Security Investigations unit, plan to award a five-year, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract with a $100 million ceiling to the vendor later this year. Cellebrite's products enable the agency to access data from cellphones, tablets and — more recently — unmanned aerial vehicles. The Israeli firm's data extraction capabilities are “the most widely utilized and deployed computer forensic tool” within HSI, per the document. Cellebrite has been deployed across DHS, including its reported use within the Secret Service to break into the phone of the man who shot President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., in 2024. DOGE's playbook for using artificial intelligence to eliminate regulations was on full display at the Department of Housing and Urban Development last summer with the introduction of an AI tool built for the “extermination” of federal housing rules. Documents obtained by Democracy Forward via Freedom of Information Act requests reveal a PowerPoint presentation delivered at HUD on SweetREX, a tool named for DOGE associate Christopher Sweet, according to Wired reporting last August. The new documents, shared with FedScoop, laid out a multistep process in which all HUD regulations would be analyzed by the AI. The tool would then provide recommendations to “keep, delete, or partial delete” each rule, per the presentation. Attorneys would review the suggestions and agency staffers would make the final decision. HUD regulations cover everything from the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sex in mortgage assistance to providing legal aid for foreclosure-related issues. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Join Jim and Greg for the Friday 3 Martini Lunch as they assess the Justice Department indictment of a close aide to Dr. Anthony Fauci, a new poll showing Texas Democrat James Talarico narrowly leading both Republicans in the U.S. Senate race, and Chicago schools urging students to attend far left May Day rallies.First, they react to the Justice Department indicting David Morens, a longtime associate of Dr. Fauci at the National Institutes of Health, for allegedly destroying government records tied to the COVID-19 outbreak to evade Freedom of Information Act requests. Jim and Greg explain how this looks like an open and shut case and why NIH officials did not want to comply.Next, they dig into new Texas polling showing Democrat James Talarico with slim leads over both Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton ahead of their late-May Republican runoff. Jim explains why he believes Cornyn is far likelier than Paxton to defeat Talarico and why this race could divert GOP funds from other tough races.Then they slam Chicago Public Schools for encouraging students to skip class and attend far-left May Day rallies, even offering busing. Jim and Greg discuss the deterioration of Chicago schools and how far left Democrats are moving now.Finally, Marxist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson gives a flippant response over the possibility of wealthy people in Washington state leaving over the coming 9.9 percent millionaire's tax. Jim and Greg explain why she won't be laughing if a lot of those people actually leave.Please visit our great sponsors:Pocket HoseFor a limited time, get two free gifts—a 360° rotating pocket pivot and a thumb drive nozzle—when you buy the Pocket Hose Ballistic; just text MARTINI to 64000, message and data rates may apply.Noble GoldSchedule a free gold strategy session with Noble Gold. Visit https://NobleGoldInvestments.com/3ML to learn how to build lasting financial security.OneSkinTarget the visible signs of aging with OneSking's OS-01 Peptide.  For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code 3ML at https://Oneskin.co/3MLNew episodes every weekday. 

This episode is presented by Create A Video – A former federal health official is facing indictment for concealing COVID-related documents requested under the Freedom of Information Act. Plus, former FBI Director James Comey got indicted for his social media post that some interpreted as a threat against President Donald Trump.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-kaliner-show--6946691/support.Subscribe to the podcast All the links to Pete's Prep are free!Get exclusive content here!Media Bias Check: GroundNews promo code!Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.com  

In part two of this deep dive into the two million dollar dead owner playbook, Brent Daniels and Eugene Latson continue to unpack the granular details of closing massive probate and tax delinquent deals. Eugene pulls back the curtain on the actual overhead costs of running a sniper operation and explains why paying your attorneys upfront is the ultimate cheat code to getting your deals closed faster.From utilizing Freedom of Information Act requests to bypass expensive software, to properly executing an assignment of interest to cut out feuding heirs, this episode is a masterclass in high-level real estate problem solving. Be a part of the TTP training program now.---------Show notes:(0:00) Beginning of today's episode(1:00) Breaking down the true overhead costs of running a tax delinquent sniper operation(2:55) Why paying your probate attorneys upfront guarantees priority treatment and faster closings(6:16) How working with experienced attorneys acts as the ultimate local real estate education(10:55) Eugene's strict requirements for doing joint venture deals with other wholesalers(13:33) What to expect during a one on one consultation call with Eugene(18:48) When to utilize an assignment of interest to bypass feuding family members(19:37) The exact steps to ensure your assignment of interest is legally binding and secure(26:46) A recap of the three tiers of distressed properties(30:29) How to submit a FOIA request to get tax delinquent lists from the county for free(31:34) Why pulling lists directly from the county is superior to using paid real estate software during your hustle season(35:19) The massive financial wins happening right now inside the Rhino Tribe virtual office----------Resources:Skip GeniePropWirePropStreamTo speak with Brent or one of our other expert coaches call (281) 835-4201 or schedule your free discovery call here to learn about our mentorship programs and become part of the TribeGo to Wholesalingincgroup.com to become part of one of the fastest growing Facebook communities in the Wholesaling space. Get all of your burning Wholesaling questions answered, gain access to JV partnerships, and connect with other "success minded" Rhinos in the community.It's 100% free to join. The opportunities in this community  are endless, what are you waiting for?

The Department of Justice announced the indictment of Seventy-eight-year-old Dr. David Morens, a former top aide to Anthony Fauci. Dr. Morens allegedly violated records protocols in order to hide pandemic information from Freedom of Information Act requests.The Department of Justice has indicted former FBI Director James Comey for a second time. The new charges stemmed from his Instagram post shared last year that showed a seashell formation — which he claimed to have stumbled across by happenstance — depicting the numbers "86" and "47."The Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments in Scott v. McDougle, a case initially brought before Tazewell County Circuit Judge Jack Hurley Jr. that could determine whether the Commonwealth ultimately adopts a gerrymandered map that would all but guarantee that 10 out of the state's 11 congressional seats go to Democrats in the upcoming midterm election.Become a supporter of Tapp into the Truth: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tapp-into-the-truth--556114/support Tapp into the Truth on Rumble. Follow, watch the older shows, and join the live streams.Aimee's Audios Subliminal Acoustic Fingerprinting“Remember Pop Rocks? Now, imagine they gave you superpowers.” Please let me introduce you to Energy Rocks! Born from the grit and ambition of a competitive athlete who wanted a better, cleaner way to fuel the body and mind, without the hassle of mixing powders, messy bottles, or caffeine crashes. Energy Rocks is a reimagining of energy into something fun, functional, and fantastically effective. A delicious popping candy energy supplement that delivers a rapid boost of clean energy and focus — anytime, anywhere. No water. No mixing. No bulky bottles. Just open, pop it in your mouth, and get ready to rock. Making any time the right time to “Get in the Zone, One Pop at a Time.”Take This Free Quiz To Find Out The Best & Worst Foods To Avoid For Joint Pain!Do you wake up in the morning with stiff joints or pain in your hips, back, knees, or elbows? Then, chances are you're feeling the effects of chronic inflammation taking its toll on your body. The good news is that it is NEVER too late to help get this under control. And the best part is certain foods help you do this naturally, without the need for prescription medications.If recent events have proven anything, you need to be as prepared as possible for when things go sideways. You certainly can't count on the government for help. True liberty requires self-reliance. My Patriot SupplySupport American jobs! Support the show! Get great products at great prices! Go to My Pillow and use promo code TAPP to save! Visit Patriot Mobile or Call (817) 380-9081 to take advantage of a FREE Month of service when you switch using promo code TAPP! Morning Kick is a revolutionary new daily drink from Roundhouse Provisions that combines ultra-potent greens like spirulina and kale with probiotics, prebiotics, collagen, and even ashwagandha. Just mix with water, stir, and enjoy!Follow Tapp into the Truth on Locals Follow Tapp into the Truth on SubstackHero SoapPatriot DepotBlue CoolersKoa CoffeeBrainMDDiamond CBDSauce Bae2nd SkullEinstokBeanstoxBelle IsleHoneyFund"Homegrown" Boone's BourbonBlackout Coffee Co.Full Circle Brewing Co.Pasmosa Sangria  

This week we welcome back former Halifax Police and RCMP officer, Calvin Lawrence, author of 'Black Cop', to discuss the new book by retired Toronto Police homicide detective Hank Idsinga. Idsinga has made allegations of anti-sematic racism at the highest levels of the Toronto Police service in national interviews this week. Also, the NS government had committee hearings this week to discuss progress in the 25 recommendations for the Desmond Inquiry. Adam was counsel to the Desmond family during this Inquiry, and explains how the government and opposition parties are all missing the central issues of the Inquiry, relating to military medical records and PTSD in our soldiers. Also discussed this week, we read two letters that we received after last week's NS Mass Shooting 6th anniversary show, one critical and one complimentary. Finally, we give an assessment of the trial of William Majcher, the former RCMP officer charged under the Security of Information Act with attempting to assist the Chinese government in their efforts to bring a suspected fraudster back to China to face charges. A three week jury trial was reduced to a judge alone trial that lasted only a few days.

Amy Duggar King, Jim Bob Duggar's niece and author of Holy Disruptor, addresses the situation facing Kendra Duggar — the twenty-seven-year-old wife of Joseph Duggar who now faces her own criminal charges alongside her husband's pending case in Florida.Joseph Duggar, thirty-one, was arrested March 18 and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior on a child under twelve, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit. He posted a $600,000 bond on March 31 and has pleaded not guilty. Both Joseph and Kendra were charged in Arkansas with four counts each of endangering the welfare of a minor and four counts of second-degree false imprisonment after investigators reportedly found locks on the outside of their children's bedroom doors.According to jail recordings and correspondence obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, Kendra reportedly lost custody of their four children — Garrett, Addison, Brooklyn, and Justus — following the arrests. On a recorded jailhouse call, she told Joseph her children are her primary concern. She also retained her own attorney separately from Joseph's legal representation.Amy joins retired FBI Behavioral Analysis Program Chief Robin Dreeke to discuss the dynamics of coercive family systems. Amy describes the alleged retaliation she experienced when she separated from the Duggar family and provides her perspective on Kendra's situation — specifically that Kendra, unlike many women in the Duggar orbit, has a family of origin that exists entirely apart from the Duggar and IBLP structures. Her father, Paul Caldwell, is a Baptist pastor in Arkansas.Amy addresses Kendra directly, drawing on her own experience to describe what the process of leaving a controlling family system entails and what she says Kendra should be prepared for.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#KendraDuggar #AmyDuggarKing #JosephDuggar #DuggarFamily #HolyDisruptor #JimBobDuggar #IBLP #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #RobinDreeke

It's a story that journalist and veteran Stephen Harding uncovered: a secret component of the FBI's “European Operation,” whereby agents traveled abroad working undercover to track down American citizens who had betrayed their country during World War II. These traitors ran the gamut, from spreading propaganda for the Fascists and the Third Reich, to starting Nazi spy rings. What became of them is just as varied. Stephen pieced together the mission and targets by interviewing the relatives of FBI agents, sifting through British archives, and making Freedom of Information Act requests. It's all documented in his new book, G.I. G-Men.   Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ For more information about the International Spy Museum, visit:  https://www.spymuseum.org/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic,  you can reach us by email at spycast@spymuseum.org. This show is brought to you by N2K Networks, Goat Rodeo, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. This episode was produced by Flora Warshaw and the team at Goat Rodeo. At the International Spy Museum, Mike Mincey and Memphis Vaughan III are our video editors. Emily Rens is our graphic designer. Joshua Troemel runs our SPY social media. Amanda Ohlke is our Director of Adult Education and Mira Cohen is the Vice President of Programs. 

Lindsay Freiberger, Assistant Arts & Life Editor for The DePaulia and Senior Journalism Major at DePaul, joins Lisa Dent to talk about her investigation into an AI data center being built in the South Loop. The location was originally planned to be an esports arena, but through the Freedom of Information Act, Freiberger found that […]

Host Janet Michael welcomes back her most frequent guest, Captain Warren Gosnell of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, for another Public Safety Thursday conversation. They cover two major topics: Frederick County's new school zone speed camera program and how to navigate police interactions safely and legally. Topics Covered

Federal agents arrested more than 3,700 Minnesota residents during the federal government's surge into the state this winter, according to new data released through a federal lawsuit. It's the most nuanced data the federal government has released since the surge and includes the location where at least 3,789 people were arrested, their countries of origin and whether they have a criminal history. The data was released by the Deportation Data Project via a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. MPR News host Nina Moini talked to Jon Collins and Kate Martin about their reporting on the numbers.

Freedom of Information Act backlogs have been increasing across government for years. But the Trump administration's workforce cuts have deepened challenges for already strained federal FOIA offices. For more, Federal News Network's Justin Doubleday joins me. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The General Services Administration has proposed draft contract language that would define the government's relationship with AI service providers in a major federal acquisition program in the aftermath of the fallout between the Defense Department and Anthropic. The proposed language includes terms and conditions for government data use, defines what it means for AI to be unbiased, creates a requirement to use only “American AI,” and establishes a responsibility for contractors to enforce terms and conditions on the AI they deploy. Notably, it also includes language that echoes the very policy at issue in Anthropic's ongoing battle with the Pentagon that led to the company's governmentwide ban and designation as a “supply chain risk.” Under the draft, the government would be granted a “contract for any lawful Government purpose.” According to Anthropic's legal challenge, its dispute with the Defense Department hinged on a policy that the military could make “all lawful use” of the technology. That change, Anthropic says, would have eliminated the company's restrictions on use of its products for “lethal autonomous warfare” and mass-scale surveillance of Americans. A nonprofit advocacy group is suing the Social Security Administration to release records on an agreement DOGE made to share voter data with a non-government source, and other documents regarding the improper use of Americans' data. In a lawsuit filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Democracy Forward seeks to compel the SSA to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests linked to a “voter data agreement” revealed in a January court filing. That filing from the Department of Justice, which is part of a lawsuit by several labor groups over DOGE's handling and exposure of personally identifiable information, detailed coordination between two members of Elon Musk's tech collective embedded at SSA and an advocacy group seeking “evidence of voter fraud.” The DOJ said in that filing that in March 2025, a political advocacy group asked those DOGE representatives for Social Security data to analyze state voter rolls. Per the filing, the group's “stated aim was to find evidence of voter fraud and to overturn election results in certain States.” One of those DOGE members signed a “Voter Data Agreement” in his capacity as an SSA employee and sent the document back to the group on March 24, 2025. Democracy Forward, which represents the federal unions at the center of that lawsuit, immediately filed a FOIA seeking a copy of the voter data agreement, plus all emails between the parties. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

Figures released by the HSE under the Freedom of Information Act show that over the past two years FOUR “wrong site” surgeries took place in Irish acute hospitals. Darragh McDonagh freelance journalist who broke the story joins drivetime.

During the Holocaust, Josef Mengele discarded every medical ethic to perform horrific human experiments at Auschwitz, including non-consensual vivisections, limb transplants, and agonizing surgeries conducted without anesthesia. Japan had its own program that is less known but equally brutal. In occupied China, the Imperial Japanese Army’s Unit 731 operated a vast complex where thousands were subjected to biological warfare tests and lethal physiological experiments to further military research. During the occupation of Japan after WWII, the US had an important decision to make. Should they hold those responsible for atrocities during the war accountable or should they take the information to advance the national interest? There was extremely valuable data on bioweapons and survival techniques in the face of extreme cold or low oxygen that could save the lives of thousands of soldiers. Here's what happened. The researchers who worked at Unit 731 were given immunity in exchange for their research data. Most of these scientists lived peacefully after WWII, with a few of them having to go through a 1949 Soviet Trial, which was deemed by the West as communist propaganda. They basically traded their knowledge for freedom and avoided prosecution, like the German scientists who came to America as part of Operation Paperclip.​Most of the horrors on Unit 731 had been hearsays and rumors until recently with the passing of the Freedom of Information Act. Today’s guest is Jenny Chan, and she’s published the book “Unit 731 Cover-up: The Operation Paperclip of the East.” This book is based on documents found in the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Russian archival documents, and translations of the Khabarovsk Trial to paint a complete picture of the cover-up of the atrocious act of Unit 731. We look at the war crimes themselves, what happened to the scientists, and the question of whether war crimes should ever be covered up in the name of national interest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a strong argument that royals like Prince Andrew live under a separate set of rules compared to ordinary citizens. In the UK, the Freedom of Information Act provides special protections: correspondence involving the monarch, the heir, and the second in line is completely exempt from disclosure, and communications involving other royals are covered by a qualified exemption. This means that information which would normally be made public for politicians or officials can remain permanently hidden when it involves the royal family. Similarly, judges have ruled that the security costs for royals cannot be made public, ensuring that vast sums of taxpayer money spent on their protection are kept secret in a way no ordinary public figure could expect.contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

There is a strong argument that royals like Prince Andrew live under a separate set of rules compared to ordinary citizens. In the UK, the Freedom of Information Act provides special protections: correspondence involving the monarch, the heir, and the second in line is completely exempt from disclosure, and communications involving other royals are covered by a qualified exemption. This means that information which would normally be made public for politicians or officials can remain permanently hidden when it involves the royal family. Similarly, judges have ruled that the security costs for royals cannot be made public, ensuring that vast sums of taxpayer money spent on their protection are kept secret in a way no ordinary public figure could expect.contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

In this episode of The Box of Oddities, Kat and Jethro wander into one of the strangest phrases ever to appear in official U.S. government records: “Unexplained human presence detected.” Buried inside real Freedom of Information Act documents, this calm, clinical line appears again and again across decades of federal incident reports—acknowledging signs of human movement, interaction, and intention… without ever finding a human being. What does it mean when trained professionals confirm a presence, rule out mechanical causes, and then simply stop writing? The conversation drifts through surveillance systems, human perception, AI pattern recognition, and that deeply familiar feeling that someone was just there—close enough to leave a trace—before vanishing. From there, the episode plunges (sometimes literally) into Devil's Hole, Nevada: a narrow limestone fissure hiding a warm surface pool, a bottomless-seeming abyss, and the only natural habitat of the critically endangered Devil's Hole pupfish. The hosts explore how this unassuming opening drops more than 1,200 feet into darkness, has claimed multiple divers, reacts to earthquakes thousands of miles away, and even attracted the obsessive attention of Charles Manson. With stories of vanished bodies, seismic sloshing, baffling depths, and fragile life clinging to a single rocky shelf, this episode blends government mystery, geological terror, and existential unease—plus a brief, emotional detour involving a rescued monarch butterfly named Crumplewing. As always, it's strange, funny, unsettling, and just grounded enough in real documentation to make it linger long after the episode ends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Beth Pfeiffer, the pioneering investigative journalist who transformed national understanding of Lyme disease, joins the Tick Boot Camp Podcast for a landmark conversation. Before her work, Lyme disease was widely dismissed as rare, mild, and easily treated. After her reporting, that narrative collapsed. Through her award-winning journalism and her groundbreaking book Lyme: The First Epidemic of Climate Change, she became the first major voice to expose the truth: Lyme disease is a global, climate-driven epidemic that is chronically misdiagnosed, dangerously underestimated, and systematically mishandled by mainstream medicine. In this interview, Mary Beth shares how her earlier investigative work on mental illness in U.S. jails prepared her to recognize patterns of institutional failure within the Lyme disease system. For decades, she documented how people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia were misunderstood, punished, or dismissed by the very institutions meant to protect them. When she turned her attention to Lyme in 2012, she immediately recognized the same dynamic: patients with neurological and psychiatric manifestations were told they were anxious, depressed, or “crazy,” rather than infected. Families were blamed, symptoms were minimized, and children were left to suffer. Her background gave her a rare lens into how biological illness becomes mislabeled as psychological and how systems silence the very people who need help. Mary Beth explains how her investigative series for the Poughkeepsie Journal went viral worldwide, surprising even her editors. Her reporting was read in all 50 states and across Europe and Australia, prompting the CDC to contact her directly. She details what she uncovered through Freedom of Information Act requests, including internal emails between NIH and CDC officials referring to patients as “Lyme loonies” and framing the situation as a “war” against advocates. These documents revealed attitudes inside the highest levels of public health that shaped decades of policy, diagnostic guidelines, and patient care. The conversation dives into how a small group of early Lyme researchers defined the disease in the 1980s and then used their influence to control medical journals, shape NIH grant funding, and enforce rigid IDSA treatment guidelines. As Mary Beth explains, these early assumptions—often based on limited data and flawed antibody tests—became dogma. Their conclusions created an ecosystem where only short-course antibiotics were considered acceptable, chronic symptoms were dismissed, and doctors who treated beyond the guidelines were punished by medical boards. The result was a generation of patients abandoned by the system, forced to self-fund care, travel to distant specialists, and in many cases bankrupt themselves in search of answers. Mary Beth discusses how patients became her greatest teachers. She shares emotional stories, including children who lost years of their lives, athletes whose careers were derailed, and an 11-year-old boy misdiagnosed for so long he ended up in a hospital bed in his living room before finally being rescued by Dr. Charles Ray Jones. She describes support groups filled with people who had seen five, ten, or fifteen doctors and were told their symptoms were anxiety, depression, or “anything but Lyme.” The interview covers the scientific evidence supporting Lyme persistence, including animal studies, autopsy tissue findings, and molecular research showing Borrelia surviving standard treatment. Mary Beth explains why the two-tier antibody test has failed generations of patients, why indirect antibody tests are inherently flawed for immune-dysregulated populations, and why the future of accurate diagnosis depends on direct detection methods. She highlights emerging technologies, including promising work by Aces Diagnostics and Researcher Holly Ahern, which may finally offer accurate testing across all stages of infection. The conversation moves into the larger systemic problem: how money, insurance policies, medical boards, industry influence, and journal gatekeeping have shaped what doctors are allowed to do. Mary Beth and the Tick Boot Camp team explore why clinicians who try to help chronic Lyme patients often lose insurance coverage, face board complaints, or have their licenses threatened. They discuss how electronic monitoring, AI systems, and corporate-owned medical practices further restrict doctors from practicing individualized, patient-centered medicine. The second half of the interview focuses on the environmental drivers behind the explosion of Lyme disease. Mary Beth explains how warming temperatures, shorter winters, and ecological fragmentation have created ideal habitats for ticks. She describes how ticks have climbed mountains, expanded into higher latitudes, colonized suburban landscapes, and gained longer active seasons. These environmental changes, combined with human development patterns, have dramatically increased opportunities for exposure. She also addresses public interest in the bioweapons question raised by Chris Newby's book Bitten, explaining why historical documentation and FOIA evidence convinced her that military tick experiments occurred, even if their impact on today's epidemic is still unknown. The episode closes with Mary Beth's reflections on prevention, vigilance, and the psychological cost of losing the innocence of nature. She describes how she now sees fields, forests, and even yards differently and why she teaches her grandchildren to treat nature with both respect and caution. She shares her hope for the future: better diagnostics, more independent research, journalists willing to challenge medical orthodoxy, and a cultural shift that frees doctors to practice real medicine rather than rigid algorithms. This interview is essential listening for anyone affected by Lyme disease, anyone questioning why chronic illness is so often dismissed, and anyone seeking to understand how climate change, medical politics, and investigative journalism intersect in one of the most important health crises of our time.

Despite the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) requiring the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein by the legal deadline of 19 December 2025, only a tiny portion has been made public, triggering frustration among victims' advocates and lawmakers. Legal experts told the Guardian that efforts to compel full disclosure have been stymied; an attempt to appoint an independent monitor (a special master) to oversee the release failed, and the DOJ has shown little willingness to comply voluntarily. Attorneys representing survivors argued that transparency is essential for healing, accountability, and justice, and urged continued legal pressure through litigation, congressional oversight, Freedom of Information Act enforcement and sustained public scrutiny to force compliance.Experts also highlighted structural weaknesses in the current law — particularly that it lacks clear enforcement mechanisms or judicial oversight — which have allowed the DOJ to delay and limit disclosures with few consequences. Congressional leaders like Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who co-sponsored the EFTA, said they will pursue every available legal avenue to ensure the files are released, including potential lawsuits or legislative fixes. Observers warned that without stronger enforcement tools, truth and closure for Epstein's survivors may remain elusive, as the agency charged with upholding the law is perceived to be flouting it.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:What else can be done to force Trump's DoJ to release all the Epstein files? Legal experts weigh in | Jeffrey Epstein | The Guardian

Despite the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) requiring the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein by the legal deadline of 19 December 2025, only a tiny portion has been made public, triggering frustration among victims' advocates and lawmakers. Legal experts told the Guardian that efforts to compel full disclosure have been stymied; an attempt to appoint an independent monitor (a special master) to oversee the release failed, and the DOJ has shown little willingness to comply voluntarily. Attorneys representing survivors argued that transparency is essential for healing, accountability, and justice, and urged continued legal pressure through litigation, congressional oversight, Freedom of Information Act enforcement and sustained public scrutiny to force compliance.Experts also highlighted structural weaknesses in the current law — particularly that it lacks clear enforcement mechanisms or judicial oversight — which have allowed the DOJ to delay and limit disclosures with few consequences. Congressional leaders like Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who co-sponsored the EFTA, said they will pursue every available legal avenue to ensure the files are released, including potential lawsuits or legislative fixes. Observers warned that without stronger enforcement tools, truth and closure for Epstein's survivors may remain elusive, as the agency charged with upholding the law is perceived to be flouting it.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:What else can be done to force Trump's DoJ to release all the Epstein files? Legal experts weigh in | Jeffrey Epstein | The GuardianBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

What happens to wild horses once they are removed from public lands and placed in holding facilities? In this episode, I examine a new Bureau of Land Management policy that expands the use of sales as a way to reduce the number of wild horses in government care, raising serious concerns about oversight and protection.   I'm joined by longtime wild horse advocate and Freedom of Information Act expert Debbie Coffey to explain what this policy change allows and why it matters. We discuss how increased reliance on sales, especially group sales, creates risks when transparency is limited and public access to information continues to decline. We also outline why advocates view this shift as a direct threat to wild horses belonging to the American public and what listeners can do in response.    Get full show notes and more information here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/64   If you'd like to know more about my book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses," click here: https://www.wildhoofbeats.com/product/wild-hoofbeats-americas-vanishing-wild-horses

Despite the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) requiring the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein by the legal deadline of 19 December 2025, only a tiny portion has been made public, triggering frustration among victims' advocates and lawmakers. Legal experts told the Guardian that efforts to compel full disclosure have been stymied; an attempt to appoint an independent monitor (a special master) to oversee the release failed, and the DOJ has shown little willingness to comply voluntarily. Attorneys representing survivors argued that transparency is essential for healing, accountability, and justice, and urged continued legal pressure through litigation, congressional oversight, Freedom of Information Act enforcement and sustained public scrutiny to force compliance.Experts also highlighted structural weaknesses in the current law — particularly that it lacks clear enforcement mechanisms or judicial oversight — which have allowed the DOJ to delay and limit disclosures with few consequences. Congressional leaders like Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who co-sponsored the EFTA, said they will pursue every available legal avenue to ensure the files are released, including potential lawsuits or legislative fixes. Observers warned that without stronger enforcement tools, truth and closure for Epstein's survivors may remain elusive, as the agency charged with upholding the law is perceived to be flouting it.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:What else can be done to force Trump's DoJ to release all the Epstein files? Legal experts weigh in | Jeffrey Epstein | The GuardianBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Episode 274- State Police RPO Cover-Up  Also Available OnSearchable Podcast Transcript Gun Lawyer — Episode Transcript Gun Lawyer Transcript – Episode 274 SPEAKERS Teddy Nappen, Evan Nappen, Speaker 2 Evan Nappen 00:17 I’m Evan Nappen. Teddy Nappen 00:19 and I’m Teddy Nappen. Evan Nappen 00:21 And welcome to Gun Lawyer. So, our good friend, John Petrolino, who writes about many, many important topics, particularly as well concerning New Jersey, has an article that was in Bearing Arms. And I want to talk about what he’s raised here. The article’s title is “New Jersey State Police Tight Lipped Over Retired Police Permits”. (https://bearingarms.com/john-petrolino/2026/01/21/new-jersey-statepolice-tight-lipped-over-retired-police-permits-n1231288) So, what John has done is he’s used the New Jersey form of OPRA (Open Public Records Act), the Freedom of Information Act, asking the authorities in New Jersey for the number of permits issued to retired police officers. Evan Nappen 01:15 You may recall the then Attorney General Platkin did put up that dashboard and released the data of public statistics regarding carry permits, the number of permits issued. There’s been over 92,000 approved applications for carry permits in New Jersey, and of those approvals, 64,000 are non-expired permits. Now it’s interesting that the State puts out that data, but they don’t put out the data as to the RPO permits. The Retired Police Officer permits, and we want to find out how many folks carry that are not law enforcement, right? That are civilian. And let’s face it, Retired Police Officers are still civilians, even though they were formerly law enforcement. Originally carry was outside of being law enforcement and outside of New Jersey’s insane carry permit system back then, where you had to show “justifiable need”, which, as you may recall, meant showing of urgent necessity. This meant showing that a gun was necessary for you to defend yourself from death or serious bodily injury and that carrying a handgun was the only means that could do it. I mean, it was a standard that was so extreme that basically, if you’ve been shot and killed, you then qualified for a New Jersey carry permit. Evan Nappen 03:08 Now that went away thanks to the Bruen decision, and New Jersey jumped from less than 600 carry permits to now 64,000 valid permits and 92,000 valid, approved permits. But it does not include the RPOs. Now, RPOs had the ability to carry before Bruen, and during that time period when regular old civilians who weren’t retired law enforcement could not defend themselves with a firearm and carry in that manner, right? They were deemed to have to be victims instead of defenders. But now, for some reason, the State Police and such will not release the number of RPO permits. We’re not asking for names. John went forward here, and he didn’t ask for names. He didn’t ask for anything. He just wants to know how many? How many of the RPO permits are out there as well. This should be looked at in the aggregate with all the other carry permits that are out there, and yet that doesn’t happen. Page of 1 8 Evan Nappen 04:25 In December of 2025, John sent a request for the number of RPO permits, and it was denied. And the request was denied weirdly and strangely for reasons that just don’t make any sense. And I’m going to tell you. It makes you wonder, why is there a cover up? The reason they denied it, the reason the State Police have put in writing for the denial. Well, get a load of this. “Improper and Overbroad” was the main reason. Can you believe that the information is supposedly improper and overbroad? Why would wanting to know a statistical fact such as the number of RBO permits be considered overbroad? And why would it be considered in any way improper? It is strictly information. It is based on a record. It absolutely should be released. Evan Nappen 05:52 How come they are releasing the numbers for civilian carry permits, right? The 92,000. How come that’s not “improper and overbroad”? No, the Attorney General does it. Go ahead. Why? Tell me. Why do you think? Teddy Nappen 06:10 So, going back to because John also, if I recall, broke the story about denials where, what was it? Blacks were five times more likely to be denied to their carry. Evan Nappen 06:22 Yes, institutionalized racism. That exists in New Jersey. Teddy Nappen 06:31 So, add into the fact that you have the, well, here’s the trick. The Left have always been anti-police. That is a fact. They were the ones that wanted to defund the police. They were the ones for that. So, now we have the first factor of showing the absolute racism of the gun laws. But also the fact that they were supporting the only carry which, by the way, how much you want to bet they were all for the RPOs under all the Democrat Governors who allowed those carries to come into play. How much of that look, if it shows that there’s this massive amount of RPOs being issued. And because the Left are Marxists who absolutely hate police and hate law and order, this would make them look like absolute elitists and hypocrites. Evan Nappen 07:19 So, the fear is that, arguably, in the defund the police mentality, that if retired police are being armed, they don’t want any police armed, even if they’re retired, because of the perceived threat that they put out there that law enforcement creates toward minorities. In their view, not in my view. Not in my view. It’s the opposite. I mean, the fact is, they’re out there as protectors, defenders of the good people of our State. Every retired officer is somebody who’s not only armed, but also is experienced in armed defense, having served as a law enforcement officer. They’re a resource. They’re a positive benefit to our society. Yet, they’re probably scared of the politics. I mean, why else? What? There’s nothing about it that makes it “improper”. And it sure isn’t “overbroad”. It would be overbroad, maybe, if you want to know the name and address and Dox every carry RPO that’s out there. That’s not being requested. We just want the damn number. How many RPO carry permits? Teddy Nappen 08:41 Page of 2 8 It honestly reminds me, Dad, of that poster you had hung up. It was the joke where it shows if the Left could rewrite the Second Amendment. And I think, and I remember, you remember that. They crossed out, remember, they crossed out militia. And it says, like, military and police, employed police only. We’re kind of that logic where like, well, they’re not in the service, so why should they be armed? Not because there’s massive doxing websites, and that’s why ICE has to have their mask on for that exact reason. But. Evan Nappen 09:17 Exactly. Well, the fight is still ongoing and the question is raised. Why not just give us the number so we all know? And I would like to see a huge number of RPOs. I hope there’s lots of them out there. The more trained law-abiding folks that have firearms, the safer we are. And retired police are perfect in that regard. That’s exactly what we want to see. So, whatever their basis is, it just creates more of a conspiracy, and it just politicizes it so unnecessarily. It’s ridiculous. Release the number. Let us know. Let’s join in showing how many armed folks are out there. Maybe that’s another reason. They’re afraid that if that number, you know is even more, now, more and more people are carrying and suddenly the BITS argument they love to make right? Blood In The Streets. BITS. There’ll be blood in the streets with civilian carry, you know. No, it didn’t happen. And it’ll be the Wild West. It’s not the Wild West. And look at how many folks have carries when you combine the numbers. Maybe they’re afraid of that political aspect. But, you know, we have a right to know these numbers. It’s not a secret. It’s not improper. It’s not overbroad. Just let us know, and we deal with the facts. Evan Nappen 10:47 I also want to bring a couple very interesting things out that I’ve recently learned about. An important one here is the old “Bang or Bong – You can’t have both”. Well, shortly, at least a greater degree, you may be able to have both because President Trump, through his administration, folks, keep that in mind. Through the Trump administration, they have proposed, through ATF, revision of their regulation concerning the interpretation of what a “user of drugs” as a disqualifier, what it means. You know, for almost 30 years, ATF has said they treat even a single incident, a single past admission of marijuana use, or a failed drug test, or one misdemeanor marijuana conviction as evidence of a person being an unlawful user. They have now put forward an administrative reg that when it becomes finalized, which should be happening within the next few months, it will make it so that those things no longer will be deeming a person “an unlawful user”. And this should be of great help. Evan Nappen 12:25 From an article in AmmoLand, written by Dean Weingarten, which is entitled “ATF Finally Admits: One-time Drug Use Isn’t Grounds to Strip Gun Rights.” (https://www.ammoland.com/2026/01/atf-finally-admitsone-time-drug-use-isnt-grounds-to-strip-gun-rights/) It makes it really interesting here regarding that. In 2025, NICS denied 9,163 firearm transfers under the “unlawful user” category, okay? So, in other words, denials, denials of over 9,000 transfers, more than half of those denials, more than half, were single-incident drug inferences. Well, under this rule, those will no longer be denials. That’s over what? Four thousand people that will not be denied their gun rights, just in that one year, no less. Of people being denied over this nonsense. And furthermore, in this article, ATF admitted that 8,893 cases, it declined to investigate, prosecute, or retrieve firearms because of a single-drug incident. So, they’re denying individuals and not prosecuting. Yet, they’re using it as a base for denial. So, finally, we’re getting a reg of common sense that clears it up. Evan Nappen 14:05 Page of 3 8 And it even, to me, appears to go further. Now this may take a little bit more analysis, but in my reading of the reg, and I’m going to have to see how it pans out, it also talks about those that use drugs that are lawfully prescribed. That becomes an exemption. I’m going to be looking further into whether this reg also directly impacts individuals with a medical marijuana card. Because if it’s prescribed and it’s legal in the state and it’s by a lawful prescription, then maybe that, too, gets covered by this new regulation. It remains to be seen, but it sure seems like it. So, this is good. It progress in the right direction of helping protect our gun rights. And, of course, it’s happening under the Trump administration. It didn’t, this didn’t happen under, you know, the senile sock puppets for years. This is Trump, and yet it’s in the area of marijuana. I mean, oddly, it’s going to essentially remove what got Hunter Biden in trouble, you know. Now, of course, I don’t think he had a single individual use, but still. It’s that disqualifier that’s being addressed by the Trump administration. Evan Nappen 15:40 I also want to point out something that caught my attention, and I think it is just great when something illustrates the absurdity of the gun laws. As you know, we’re fighting over with the big, beautiful lawsuit with NFA over suppressors. Of course, there’s no more $200 tax, which is nice, and they have made it much more efficient online to be able to get federally registered through the National Firearm Act, when acquiring suppressors. And I appreciate the progress, but we all know that there shouldn’t be any NFA at all. It shouldn’t exist. There should be no registration of suppressors or silencers. And it’s so stupid the way silencers are regulated. And I just love this. Apparently, this fellow here, regarding the National Association for Gun Rights, registered a potato as a suppressor. That’s right, a potato. (https:// www.facebook.com/share/v/1Aadb9chUS/) It’s the classic potato silencer that they used to be, mythologically, I guess, accredited to the IRA even. A potato on the end of a gun will act as a suppressor, and to a certain degree, it does. So, he registered a potato, an actual potato, as a suppressor, and then proceeded to utilize it. The only problem with the potato silencer is it’s good for about one shot, and then you end up with a lot of mashed potatoes after you use it. But there you go. They did, in fact, register the potato as a silencer. Teddy Nappen 17:31 There’s a slang term for it, too it’s called a Paddy can. Evan Nappen 17:35 There you go. A Paddy can. Well, he registered a Paddy can. And you know, ATF, also, in the past, registered a shoelace as a machine gun, because you could wrap it around the trigger and the bolt. Then you could do a quasi bump fire deal with it. So, there is a bona fide, if you go on the internet, see a bona fide ATF registered shoelace as a machine gun. We have potatoes as silencers, and I think it illustrates just how stupid the NFA is. Evan Nappen 18:07 Hey, let me tell you about our friends at WeShoot. WeShoot, as you know, is a range where Teddy and I both shoot, and they have been lately featuring some biographies of their instructors. You see, WeShoot has fantastic instructors, and one of their instructors that they’ve taken a focus on is Todd Friedman. Now, their instructors are fantastic and Lieutenant Todd (Retired) is an elite tactical instructor at WeShoot. He has over 25 years experience with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. And he didn’t just serve there. He commanded. He was Special Operations Group, Range Master, PTC Certified Range Instructor. His training and background is really something. He’s completed all the advanced coursework and tactical shot sub gun, tactical rifle, tactical narcotics operations. He is an amazing guy, Page of 4 8 and this is just one of the many fantastic instructors at WeShoot. WeShoot is the place to go. Todd, by the way, also served as a Sergeant First Class in the New Jersey National Guard and supporting the prestigious 82nd Airborne Division. So, this is the kind of guy you want training you, you know, and we shoot has these fantastic trainers. You can take advantage of this by belonging to WeShoot. You can take these courses and really, really learn and hone your skills. You need to check out WeShoot at weshootusa.com, weshootusa.com. It’s a beautiful range right there in Lakewood, conveniently located easy to get to, right off the Parkway, right there in Central Jersey. You have this fantastic resource of a range. So, make sure you check out WeShoot. Evan Nappen 20:24 And of course, our friends at the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs have been very busy. They’ve been battling in the courts. We should see some more progress there, and I’ll be reporting on that. They’ve been keeping an eye on what’s going on in Trenton and letting us know about these fights we’re fighting. We’ve made an impact. We’ve made an impact. But man, it is a tough slog. And without the Association, we would be even worse. So, make sure that you join the ANJRPC.org, the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol clubs. anjrpc.org. They are the premier gun rights group in New Jersey. You need to be a member. You’ll get the email alerts, and you’ll stay on top of what is going on in the crazy state of New Jersey, where the fun just never ends when it comes to oppression of our rights and the fight for our liberties. Evan Nappen 21:22 And by the way, this is where I shamelessly promote my book New Jersey Gun Law, which is the Bible of New Jersey gun law. You’ve got to get a copy. Go to EvanNappen.com. It’s over 500 pages, 120 topics, all question and answer. It is the book used by everybody, and the only book that describes and explains the complex matrix of insanity called New Jersey gun law. Get your copy today. Go to EvanNappen.com. When you get it, scan the front cover. Make sure you get on my private subscriber base, where you can immediately access the archives for any updates. A new update will be coming out very shortly, the 2026 Comprehensive Update of these new laws that Murphy gave us as his farewell present. I’ll be talking about those and explaining those soon. Get your copy today and join in with the subscriber base, which is free, which is free, by the way. So, that your book stays current, and you’ll know what’s going on and be able to keep yourself from becoming a GOFU. Evan Nappen 22:35 Teddy, what do you have for us today? Teddy Nappen 22:38 Well, as you know, Press Checks are always free. And I want to remind everyone that the Democrats and the Left are, in fact, the real racists. No matter. They do not care what bounds they have to do. They don’t care about what lines they have to cross. They hate you, and they want to take away your rights. You know. Evan Nappen 23:06 Well, Teddy, historically, historically the KKK were Southern Democrats. That was a KKK. The Democrats. Teddy Nappen 23:15 Yep, and apparently. Page of 5 8 Evan Nappen 23:16 Well, it hasn’t changed, apparently. Go ahead. Teddy Nappen 23:19 Well, even better, they’re getting back to their roots. We had previously discussed how the they tried to do that whole argument against Bruen and even citing to like, you know, all the racist laws that would deny blacks their rights to carry and ability to possess firearms. Well, sure enough, from The Daily Caller by Harold Hutchinson. Justice Jackson defends Jim Crow laws during Second Amendment case hearing. (https://dailycaller.com/2026/01/20/ketanji-brown-jackson-jim-crow-law-during-2a-case-argument/) If you have that on your bingo card today, you win. So. Evan Nappen 23:59 Your bingo card is Judge Jackson defends Jim Crow racist Black Codes. Teddy Nappen 24:05 Black Code. Specifically Black Codes. Yes, yes. So, this is about the Hawaii challenge. Remember, they’re trying to attack Bruen. And this is our opportunity to really strengthen and end that insanity. Evan Nappen 24:20 Your talking about the Wolford case. Teddy Nappen 24:20 Correct. Evan Nappen 24:22 About sensitive places. Which is very important. That can have great impact on New Jersey, too. Teddy Nappen 24:28 Oh, we’re all very too familiar about the various sensitive places in New Jersey. But this was the part that caught me. During the forum, where the justices are allowed to ask questions and probe the issues of the facts of the case of the law. So, Justice Jackson then turned and decided to go on and say. I just laugh every time I read it. So, I guess I really don’t understand your response to Justice Gorsuch on the Black Codes. I mean, I thought the Black Code, this is Jackson, were being offered under the Bruen test to determine the Constitutionality of this regulation, and that, because we have a test, and that asks us to look at the history and tradition, the fact that the Black Codes were at some point determined themselves unconstitutional, it doesn’t seem to me to be relevant to the assessment that Bruen is asking us for anyway. So, can you say more about that? So to. Evan Nappen 25:35 Do you believe this person is a justice? Teddy Nappen 25:40 Well, I can, I can believe it, because Biden said it himself. He was going to appoint a black woman and regardless of that. So, just take a step back though. Let’s unpack that line right there. It’s not relevant to the fact the laws were found unconstitutional, not relevant to the fact of the constitutionality of the Second Amendment and the and the fact that you are citing, and this is the war on Bruen they are Page of 6 8 making, where they try to say history, text and tradition. Where does history begin? Well, to the Left, apparently, the history begins in the 1860s where you have the various Black Codes and racist gun laws, but you know, to us with the, you know, traditionalists and go and have a little bit further knowledge of history, go back to the very foundation of our country and when the Second Amendment was born. And not only that, this shows you the degree that they hate us and hate guns and are willing to pursue a second amendment oppression agenda, even to the degree that they will utilize unconstitutional purely racist laws of the past to justify prohibitions now that are themselves we can show utilizing institutionalized racism in their enforcement, no less. I mean, they don’t care, as long as they can get the guns and take away the rights. So what if they have to be on the side of racism? That’s fine with them there. Teddy Nappen 27:28 Well, and here’s the reason why I pulled from The Trace where, you know, they absolutely loathe Bruen. This is why they hate it, and this is why they don’t care where length they have to go they cite in. This is from The Trace. (https://www.thetrace.org/projects/bruen-tracker-supreme-court-gun-laws/) 1100 plus. The number of people with felony convictions have used Bruen to challenge the ban on the possession of guns. So, in other words, people that were lawful possession and have unconstitutional laws currently putting them in jail? Oh, now there’s a hammer that is Bruen that can actually help them defend themselves and not be prosecuted. Amazing. Well. And it goes back to race, because blacks are six to one felons to whites, and what is the left pushing? Oh, the disqualifier of a felon, you are sure, because it gets a racial discrimination. It’s six to one again, always pushing the one side of their mouth, claiming to fight for civil rights. Teddy Nappen 28:37 And yet, when it really comes down to the truest of civil rights, they immediately sell it out to pursue a second amendment oppression agenda, yeah, and also the fact they highlight, they highlight this rate of 48% of Republican appointed judges have struck down various gun laws under Bruen, as opposed to the 13 Democrat appointees. So there is political bias for that, you where they’re actually applying the law versus them ignoring the Constitution. But you know, that’s a separate but this is something I want to highlight to everyone. The fact is, if the Left ever take power back, and James Carville has said this, they will pack the court. He said, we’re going to pack the court. We’re going to make a gonna make Puerto Rico a state like everything they can to maintain power. Teddy Nappen 29:30 What are they going to do when they pack the court? Go ahead and read the dissenting of Bruen. I pulled the line right here from buyers, which all of them agree with buyers on this. They refuse, when considering the SEC refuse to consider government interests and just and the challenge to gun regulations regarding the compelling interest to be, in our view, when the court interprets the Second Amendment, it is constitutionally proper and in often necessary. Necessary to consider the serious danger and consequences of gun violence that lead states to regulate when you when they consider gun laws, they have to factor in the gun violence. You know, the propaganda they promote, race manufacturers on a daily basis, by the way, right? That’s what they have to consider when exercising. So whenever you want to exercise the First Amendment, always consider the hate speech. This is why Reagan said, you know, freedom is only what one generation away from being lost. You know, paraphrasing, but that’s what it means. If they get power, they get total power. We’re in for it, so be vigilant, folks. Make sure you vote. Make sure you do your part in our republic, in defending our rights. Page of 7 8 Evan Nappen 30:55 Hey, let me tell you about this week’s GOFU, which is the Gun Owner Fuck Up. We always like to talk about GOFUs, because these are expensive lessons, real cases, real individuals have learned. And I don’t want you, my listeners, to have to repeat these mistakes. And this one is, this comes up at any number of cases, even just this week. And here’s the bottom line on this GOFU, folks. Know what you have. Let me tell you what I mean by that. I get cases all the time where people end up with their property seized and their house gets searched. Now you may say, well, no one has searched my house. Yeah, except it’s so easy in New Jersey to have that happen. All it takes is just some allegation by any party. You don’t even get a chance to say anything till afterwards. After they do the search that red flags you, or puts an unjustified restraining order on you, or just your house has a fire, and the firemen come in there. We’ve seen this happen so many times, so many ways, and something gets discovered that you didn’t even remember that you had. Evan Nappen 32:17 Because remember, New Jersey has turned things into crimes where there was no grandfathering. If you had old magazines that held over 10 rounds, in other words, you could even if you complied with Florio way back in the day and made sure your mags only held 15. Well, if you’ve got 15 round Florio mags, you’ve got felony charges on your hands. Even though they were made compliant way back. Because now it’s 10. That’s just one example. If you have firearm that became non-compliant under New Jersey law and didn’t realize it, there’s just a multitude of things that New Jersey can screw you over with. Please make sure you know what you have and not have anything that you shouldn’t. Because it’s so easy to have boxes of accessories, boxes and you know, lo and behold, what’s in it? An old bump stock or an old large capacity magazine or a trigger crank, or any of the things that were legal, but then New Jersey unilaterally decided it is intrinsically evil and must be turned into felonies for possession. So, folks, know what you have. Evan Nappen 33:37 This is Evan Nappen and Teddy Nappen reminding you that gun laws don’t protect honest citizens from criminals. They protect criminals from honest citizens. Speaker 2 33:48 Gun Lawyer is a CounterThink Media production. The music used in this broadcast was managed by Cosmo Music, New York, New York. Reach us by emailing Evan@gun.lawyer. The information and opinions in this broadcast do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state. Page of 8 8 Downloadable PDF TranscriptGun Lawyer S5 E274_Transcript About The HostEvan Nappen, Esq.Known as “America's Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, and weapons history and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades — it's no wonder he's become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry and national media outlets. Regularly called on by radio, television and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news Evan has appeared countless shows including Fox News – Judge Jeanine, CNN – Lou Dobbs, Court TV, Real Talk on WOR, It's Your Call with Lyn Doyle, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk, and Cam & Company/NRA News. As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America. Email Evan Your Comments and Questions  talkback@gun.lawyer Join Evan's InnerCircleHere's your chance to join an elite group of the Savviest gun and knife owners in America.  Membership is totally FREE and Strictly CONFIDENTIAL.  Just enter your email to start receiving insider news, tips, and other valuable membership benefits.   Email (required) *First Name *Select list(s) to subscribe toInnerCircle Membership Yes, I would like to receive emails from Gun Lawyer Podcast. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.var ajaxurl = "https://gun.lawyer/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php";

In this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down with Brian Costin, Deputy State Director for Americans for Prosperity–Illinois, to talk about the power of citizen watchdogs and why transparency matters more than ever. From small-town library referendums to massive waste in local government spending, Brian shares how everyday residents can use tools like Freedom of Information Act requests and open meetings laws to expose misconduct and protect taxpayers. The conversation highlights real-world examples from Illinois, including the impact of the Edgar County Watchdogs, an organization that has helped force hundreds of resignations by uncovering ethics violations. Brian also explains how curiosity, persistence, and new tools like AI are lowering the barrier for citizens who want to hold government accountable — proving that even a small group of people can make a big difference when they shine light on how public money is spent.

This Day in Legal History: Nixon's PlumbersOn January 7, 1972, President Richard Nixon announced the formation of a special unit within the White House to investigate and prevent leaks of classified information, which would eventually evolve into the so-called “Plumbers” unit. This decision followed the publication of the Pentagon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg in 1971, which deeply embarrassed the Nixon administration. Although the formal establishment of the Plumbers occurred in July 1971, Nixon's January 7 remarks to his aides marked a turning point in the administration's shift toward covert activity to manage political threats.The Plumbers were tasked with stopping or punishing perceived enemies of the administration. This group would go on to commit the break-in at the office of Ellsberg's psychiatrist, and many of its members were later involved in the June 1972 burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex—an event that ultimately unraveled Nixon's presidency. The actions undertaken by the Plumbers and their associates triggered investigations into abuse of executive power, illegal surveillance, and obstruction of justice.This date is significant in legal history because it underscores the dangers of unchecked executive authority and the use of government resources for political ends. The legal fallout from these events led to reforms in campaign finance, surveillance, and oversight of executive conduct, including the passage of the Ethics in Government Act and the strengthening of the Freedom of Information Act.Nicolás Maduro's arraignment in a U.S. federal court marks a rare and complex legal confrontation over the prosecution of a sitting foreign leader. Charged with narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, Maduro pleaded not guilty and asserted he remains Venezuela's legitimate president. His defense hinges on two main arguments: a claim of head-of-state immunity under international law and an allegation that he was unlawfully abducted by the U.S. military. The U.S. government counters that Maduro lost legitimacy after a disputed 2018 election and is not entitled to immunity.Legal scholars suggest that immunity claims in criminal cases are uncommon but not unprecedented. Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega attempted a similar defense, which failed, though he never held the official title of president. U.S. courts have dismissed civil suits against sitting leaders based on State Department recognition, but criminal immunity has a narrower scope. The court will also examine whether Maduro's alleged actions were part of his official duties—a critical factor in determining immunity.Even if immunity is denied, prosecutors may still face challenges proving Maduro's direct involvement in the conspiracy. Analysts note the indictment lacks strong ties between Maduro and specific terrorist or trafficking acts, though the Justice Department may be withholding key evidence. The defense is expected to argue aggressively that Maduro's arrest violated international law, echoing arguments rejected in the Noriega case.Maduro's immunity claim tests US power to prosecute foreign leaders | ReutersNick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of slain filmmaker Rob Reiner, is scheduled to enter a plea this Wednesday to two counts of first-degree murder in the fatal stabbings of his parents. His initial court appearance in December was postponed at his defense attorney's request, citing complex legal issues. Rob Reiner, 78, and Michele Reiner, 70, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, both having suffered multiple stab wounds. The killings, which occurred just hours before a planned event with the Obamas, shocked both Hollywood and political communities where Rob Reiner had long been influential.Prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek the death penalty, though capital punishment is currently under a moratorium in California. The case has drawn intense public scrutiny, especially after reports that Nick argued with his parents at a holiday party the night before their deaths. He was later found and arrested near a downtown park.Nick Reiner, who lived in a guest house on the property, has a well-documented history of drug addiction and homelessness. His struggles formed the basis of the 2015 film Being Charlie, which he co-wrote with his father. Rob Reiner, known for his role as “Meathead” in All in the Family and for directing beloved films like The Princess Bride and A Few Good Men, was a towering figure in both entertainment and Democratic politics. Michele Reiner was a producer and former photographer known for her 1980s portrait of Donald Trump. The motive behind the killings remains unclear.Son of slain Hollywood filmmaker Rob Reiner due back in court | ReutersA panel of judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appeared doubtful of Meta Platforms' effort to dismiss over 2,200 lawsuits alleging that its platforms—along with those of Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok—were intentionally designed to be addictive to young users. At the heart of the appeal is whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields these companies from liability for harm allegedly caused by their platform designs, not just user content.The judges questioned whether it was premature to consider the companies' immunity claims at this stage, given that the underlying cases are still in early litigation. They noted that most appeals occur only after a final judgment has been issued. Meta's attorney argued that defending such massive litigation now, without immunity protection, would be an undue burden. However, the panel suggested the district judge—Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers—had left the door open to revisiting Section 230 defenses later in the process.The lawsuits, brought by states, municipalities, school districts, and individuals, claim the platforms contributed to rising youth mental health issues like depression and body image disorders. The plaintiffs argue these are not content-related claims but rather focus on harmful platform features that fall outside Section 230 protections.Judge Jacqueline Nguyen pointed out that the language of Section 230 doesn't clearly grant the sweeping immunity Meta is claiming. Other judges on the panel, appointed by both Republican and Democratic presidents, also showed skepticism toward the broad interpretation of immunity being asserted by the companies.US appeals court appears skeptical of Meta, social media companies' bid to cut off addiction lawsuits | ReutersSeveral major class action lawsuits with billions of dollars at stake are set for key appellate decisions in 2026, targeting high-profile companies across tech, entertainment, sports, and real estate. In one case, Live Nation is appealing a ruling that certified a nationwide class action accusing it of inflating ticket prices over 15 years for events at major venues, involving over 400 million ticket sales.Apple is also facing renewed scrutiny as consumers seek to reinstate a class action alleging its App Store rules created a monopoly, leading to $20 billion in overcharges. A lower court had decertified the class of nearly 200 million customers, but the 9th Circuit has agreed to review that decision.Meanwhile, the NCAA is defending a historic $2.8 billion settlement compensating college athletes for past use of their name, image, and likeness. Although the deal received widespread support, appeals have temporarily delayed payments to affected athletes.The NFL is facing a critical appeal after a $4.7 billion jury verdict over its “Sunday Ticket” broadcast package was thrown out last year. Consumers and businesses want that verdict reinstated, arguing the NFL monopolized out-of-market game access.In the hotel sector, the 3rd Circuit will decide whether to revive claims that Atlantic City resorts, including Caesars and MGM, colluded on room prices using algorithmic pricing software—similar to claims already dismissed in a Las Vegas case now potentially heading to the U.S. Supreme Court.Finally, the 8th Circuit will examine objections to settlements totaling over $668 million in a class action accusing real estate firms, including Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway-owned HomeServices, of fixing commission rates nationwide. Plaintiffs say the deals are fair; critics argue they don't go far enough.Billions in balance for US companies fighting class action appeals in 2026 | Reuters 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

On this episode we're joined by David Covucci. David is the editor-in-chief of FOIAball – FOIA standing for "Freedom of Information Act." It's a newsletter that uses public records reporting to investigate college football. As he said- collectives, consultants, cops, contracts, and communications.Whether or not you like sports, I think you'll find this conversation informative as we're going to talk about the idea of finding a niche in a very crowded field.David's past experience in journalism includes time as a news editor for BroBible and the senior tech and politics editor for nearly 9 years at The Daily Dot. He's a graduate of Virginia Tech. David talked about his experience with FOIA requests and what led him to doing a newsletter centered around them. He gave examples of the kinds of stories he's done (from tax fraud allegations to how much schools spend on entertaining recruits), and how accidental discoveries can lead to significant revelations.The website: FOIAball.comDavid's salutes: College sports newsletter founder Matt Brown, Daniel Libit (Sportico), Matt Baker (The Athletic), Jason Leopold (Bloomberg News)You can find all our episode guides for teachers and professors here,Please support your local public radio station: adoptastation.orgThank you for listening. You can e-mail me at journalismsalute@gmail.comVisit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.beehiiv.com

Hey there, listeners, buckle up because the Supreme Court's shadow docket has been on fire these past few days, handing President Donald Trump and his administration a string of high-stakes wins in battles over everything from the National Guard to passports and federal spending. Just eight days ago, on December 23, 2025, the Court ruled in Trump v. Illinois, siding against the administration's bid to federalize and deploy the National Guard in Illinois without state consent. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a concurrence, while Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented, arguing the move was essential for national security amid rising unrest in Chicago. The Brennan Center's Supreme Court Shadow Docket Tracker notes this as one of only five losses for the administration since January, out of 25 emergency decisions, with most favoring Trump at least partially and often with minimal explanation.But don't let that one setback fool you—the Court has been overwhelmingly pro-administration lately. On November 6, the justices greenlit the State Department's policy refusing passports that reflect transgender applicants' gender identity for a certified class of plaintiffs, overruling lower courts in a terse order. Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan dissented sharply, warning it tramples civil rights. This fits a pattern: back on October 3 in Noem v. National TPS Alliance, the Court forced the government to release congressionally appropriated foreign aid funds, with Justice Kagan's dissent, joined by Sotomayor and Jackson, blasting it as executive overreach. Earlier, September 22's Trump v. Slaughter let the administration dodge discovery demands from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington over DOGE Service materials under the Freedom of Information Act.Rewind a bit further into this whirlwind year, and the shadow docket explodes with immigration clashes. In Noem v. Doe on May 30, the Court allowed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to revoke parole en masse for half a million noncitizens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, skipping individual reviews—Justice Jackson dissented alongside Sotomayor. April's Trump v. J.G.G. permitted deportations of alleged Tren de Aragua gang members under the Alien Enemies Act, despite dissents from Sotomayor, Kagan, Jackson, and even partial pushback from Amy Coney Barrett. A.A.R.P. v. Trump on April 19 blocked removals of Venezuelan nationals, a rare check, with Kavanaugh concurring and Alito dissenting.Civil service purges? Check: McMahon v. New York on July 14 okayed firing Department of Education employees, while Trump v. Boyle upheld Trump's power to boot Consumer Product Safety Commission members without cause. Even LGBTQ+ rights took hits, like United States v. Shilling in May letting the Defense Department terminate transgender service members. Lawfare's Trump Administration Litigation Tracker highlights ongoing suits, including a coalition of nonprofits and cities challenging the suspension of November 2025 SNAP benefits—a case that echoes lower court fights like District of Rhode Island's order to fully fund them.Since Inauguration Day, the Supreme Court's emergency docket—mostly Department of Justice filings—has tilted 20-to-5 toward Trump, per SCOTUSblog and Shadow Docket Watch data. Justices Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh often push back against blocks, while the liberal trio fights rearguard actions. As 2025 wraps, two applications still pend, promising more drama.Thanks for tuning in, listeners—come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

The Department of Homeland Security is looking to cut down on the number of paper Freedom of Information Act requests it receives. Under a final rule set to go into effect next month, DHS will require most people to submit FOIA and Privacy Act requests electronically. DHS will allow for alternative submission methods in limited circumstances where an electronic request isn't feasible, such as for incarcerated people. The department says the new rule will allow FOIA officers to spend less time on data entry and more time searching for and reviewing records.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 of the Chuck ToddCast, Chuck examines Donald Trump’s holiday Truth Social spree as a revealing window into his worldview and leadership style. From angry, vaguely threatening posts tied to Epstein to Christmas messages laced with grievance and insults, Trump’s online behavior paints a picture of a lonely, aggrieved figure who often sounds less like a head of state and more like a mob boss issuing warnings. Chuck unpacks how Trump’s rhetoric on immigration, religion, and military force—sometimes delivered in the same breath as holiday greetings—reflects a transactional “Trump Doctrine” where identity and loyalty justify power, and sovereignty becomes negotiable. The conversation then widens to the global consequences of this approach. Chuck argues that Trump’s selective isolationism and deal-making have badly damaged America’s reputation, eroded trust with Europe, and risk pushing allies toward China in search of stability. By prioritizing short-term wins and performative toughness over alliances and norms, Trump may be trading momentary leverage for long-term strategic loss—reshaping the global order in ways that could haunt the United States for a generation. Then, Yaron Weitzman, author of “A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers”, joins Chuck to unpack the remarkable rise, impact, and legacy of LeBron James—on the court, in Los Angeles, and far beyond basketball. Drawing from his reporting and authorship, Weitzman explains how access-driven sports journalism shapes the stories we’re told, why LeBron was always more than just another superstar chasing rings, and how the Lakers–LeBron partnership became a mutually saving force for two global institutions. The conversation traces LeBron’s path from Miami to Cleveland to Los Angeles, the myths around his ambition and loyalty, and how “The Decision” reshaped the power dynamics between players and franchises. The episode also looks ahead to LeBron’s next chapter: his eventual role as an owner, the possibility of a farewell tour, how Bronny factors into his decisions, and what a post-LeBron Lakers era might look like. Weitzman and Todd explore LeBron’s business instincts, cultural influence, complicated relationship with fans and social media, and why—despite universal respect—he’s never been universally beloved. In the end, they ask the defining question of any icon: how history will remember LeBron James, and who gets to tell that story. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to the date Ellis Island closed its doors for immigrant processing and traces the messy history of immigration policy in the United States. He also answers listeners’ question in the “Ask Chuck” segment and does a roundup from the world of sports. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 03:00 In the 80’s many fans identified with NBA players over teams 05:00 LeBron will be one of the four most consequential millennials 08:15 What to make of Trump’s Truth Social posts over the holidays? 09:30 Trump makes angry, potentially threatening post over Epstein 11:00 Trump doesn’t have any true close friends/relationships 12:15 Trump spent Xmas behaving lonely on the internet 13:00 The “Trump Doctrine” was on display on his Truth Social feed 13:45 Trump sounded more like a mob boss than head of state 14:15 Trump added immigration rant into his NORAD Santa appearance 15:00 Trump wishes Merry Xmas to “radical left scum” 15:45 Trump announces military strikes in Nigeria to protect Christians 16:30 Trump uses identity as justification for military force 17:00 Trump’s posts about Venezuela through lens of ownership 18:30 Trump strikes different tone with Ukraine, sovereignty is collateral 19:30 Trump’s worldview looks incoherent, but it’s selectively transactional 20:45 Trump has damaged the US’s reputation for a generation 21:45 Europe doesn’t trust the United States anymore 23:00 If oil seizures become precedent, any country could be next 24:30 Allies could turn to China looking for a better deal 25:15 Trump is trading short term wins for long term damage & distrust 27:15 Trump views himself as a TV style mob boss 29:30 Isolationism will cause the EU to strengthen & compete with US 30:30 Trump picks on small countries & does deals with strong ones 37:15 Yaron Weitzman joins the Chuck ToddCast 39:45 How Yaron got started as an author 41:30 Sports journalists now have to trade accountability for access 42:30 Sports journalists don’t have a Freedom of Information Act 43:45 Yaron wasn’t dependent on the Lakers for a credential 45:45 Original LeBron pitch was for the Big 3 Heat, not the Lakers 48:45 LeBron is a cultural icon, not just a basketball icon 50:00 LeBron and the Lakers are both institutions 51:00 LeBron’s brand is even bigger than the Lakers brand 51:45 LeBron’s post basketball life was always going to be in SoCal 53:00 LeBron will be involved in an ownership group eventually 55:00 The Lakers/LeBron pairing was a win-win 56:15 Jerry Buss was not as rich as he portrayed himself to be 57:45 How accurate the Lakers TV shows portray real life 58:45 LeBron was a lifeline for a struggling Lakers franchise 01:00:15 Lakers are the team LeBron has spent most consecutive years 01:01:45 LeBron wasn’t a ring chaser despite his reputations 01:02:15 LeBron turned down the Warriors 01:03:30 LeBron offended Pat Riley during his time in Miami 01:04:45 LeBron’s return to Cleveland 01:06:45 Which franchises will be putting up LeBron statues? 01:07:30 Lakers fans were slow to warm to LeBron due to Kobe rivalry 01:08:30 Not all Kobe fans are Lakers fans 01:09:45 LeBron lived up to his sky high expectations and with no scandals 01:11:00 “The Decision” was the event that made LeBron polarizing 01:12:00 After The Decision fans started siding with players over franchises 01:13:00 LeBron showed that greatness and longevity require hard work 01:14:15 LeBron is universally respected but not universally beloved 01:15:15 Is this LeBron’s last year? 01:16:15 Farewell tour only makes sense with Lakers or Cavs 01:17:45 LeBron could remain a bench player for several more years 01:18:15 How Bronny will factor into his decision 01:20:15 Bronny is beloved by other players and the organization 01:22:00 LeBron’s relationship with Luka Dončić 01:23:45 Lakers began preparing for the post-LeBron era before Luka trade 01:25:45 Does Magic Johnson still have a relationship with the Lakers? 01:28:45 LeBron has mostly stayed away from politics 01:31:00 LeBron lets social media get under his skin from time to time 01:33:45 LeBron is reactive politically, not proactive 01:35:30 LeBron made smart business decisions starting at 20 years old 01:36:00 LeBron’s legacy 01:39:00 Lakers threatened to sue over the book 01:42:00 LeBron likely won’t ever run for office 01:43:30 LeBron will be doing his own documentary version of The Last Dance 01:47:30 ToddCast Time Machine – December 31st, 1954 01:48:30 Ellis Island closes its doors & becomes a museum 01:49:00 America has always argued about being a nation of immigrants 01:49:45 We romanticize Ellis Island, but it caused tension at the time 01:50:30 America has never experienced immigration surge without fear 01:51:15 Immigration quota with discriminatory qualifiers enacted 01:52:30 Ship based migration collapsed after quota 01:53:45 Cold War politics influenced immigration debate in the 1960’s 01:54:45 Immigration policy was sold as modest and non-transformational 01:56:00 Chain migration shifted where immigrants came from 01:57:00 The country relied on illegal immigrant labor & didn’t enforce law 01:57:45 Congress left immigration policy unfinished due to political constraints 01:59:30 Trump admin leans on enforcement, makes immigration a cultural fight 02:00:30 We are a reluctant nation of immigrants 02:02:00 The central question is “Who gets to be an American?” 02:02:45 Ask Chuck 02:03:00 Favorite political comedy? 02:05:00 Should Congress intervene on exorbitant live event prices? 02:12:30 How will midterms shape push for new congressional leaders? 02:15:15 Sports roundupSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yaron Weitzman, author of “A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers”, joins the Chuck ToddCast to unpack the remarkable rise, impact, and legacy of LeBron James—on the court, in Los Angeles, and far beyond basketball. Drawing from his reporting and authorship, Weitzman explains how access-driven sports journalism shapes the stories we’re told, why LeBron was always more than just another superstar chasing rings, and how the Lakers–LeBron partnership became a mutually saving force for two global institutions. The conversation traces LeBron’s path from Miami to Cleveland to Los Angeles, the myths around his ambition and loyalty, and how “The Decision” reshaped the power dynamics between players and franchises. The episode also looks ahead to LeBron’s next chapter: his eventual role as an owner, the possibility of a farewell tour, how Bronny factors into his decisions, and what a post-LeBron Lakers era might look like. Weitzman and Todd explore LeBron’s business instincts, cultural influence, complicated relationship with fans and social media, and why—despite universal respect—he’s never been universally beloved. In the end, they ask the defining question of any icon: how history will remember LeBron James, and who gets to tell that story. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Yaron Weitzman joins the Chuck ToddCast 02:30 How Yaron got started as an author 04:15 Sports journalists now have to trade accountability for access 05:15 Sports journalists don’t have a Freedom of Information Act 06:30 Yaron wasn’t dependent on the Lakers for a credential 08:30 Original LeBron pitch was for the Big 3 Heat, not the Lakers 11:30 LeBron is a cultural icon, not just a basketball icon 12:45 LeBron and the Lakers are both institutions 13:45 LeBron’s brand is even bigger than the Lakers brand 14:30 LeBron’s post basketball life was always going to be in SoCal 15:45 LeBron will be involved in an ownership group eventually 17:45 The Lakers/LeBron pairing was a win-win 19:00 Jerry Buss was not as rich as he portrayed himself to be 20:30 How accurate the Lakers TV shows portray real life 21:30 LeBron was a lifeline for a struggling Lakers franchise 23:00 Lakers are the team LeBron has spent most consecutive years 24:30 LeBron wasn’t a ring chaser despite his reputations 25:00 LeBron turned down the Warriors 26:15 LeBron offended Pat Riley during his time in Miami 27:30 LeBron’s return to Cleveland 29:30 Which franchises will be putting up LeBron statues? 30:15 Lakers fans were slow to warm to LeBron due to Kobe rivalry 31:15 Not all Kobe fans are Lakers fans 32:30 LeBron lived up to his sky high expectations and with no scandals 33:45 “The Decision” was the event that made LeBron polarizing 34:45 After The Decision fans started siding with players over franchises 35:45 LeBron showed that greatness and longevity require hard work 37:00 LeBron is universally respected but not universally beloved 38:00 Is this LeBron’s last year? 39:00 Farewell tour only makes sense with Lakers or Cavs 40:30 LeBron could remain a bench player for several more years 41:00 How Bronny will factor into his decision 43:00 Bronny is beloved by other players and the organization 44:45 LeBron’s relationship with Luka Doncic 46:30 Lakers began preparing for the post-LeBron era before Luka trade 48:30 Does Magic Johnson still have a relationship with the Lakers? 51:30 LeBron has mostly stayed away from politics 53:45 LeBron lets social media get under his skin from time to time 56:30 LeBron is reactive politically, not proactive 58:15 LeBron made smart business decisions starting at 20 years old 58:45 LeBron’s legacy 1:01:45 Lakers threatened to sue over the book 1:04:45 LeBron likely won’t ever run for office 1:06:15 LeBron will be doing his own documentary version of The Last DanceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm standing outside a federal courthouse, talking to you as the many legal threads around Donald Trump tighten and twist in real time.Over just the past few days, one of the big storylines has shifted from criminal exposure to raw presidential power. In Washington, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit handed President Donald Trump a major win by upholding his removal of National Labor Relations Board member Gwynne Wilcox and Merit Systems Protection Board member Cathy Harris without cause. According to analysis from Ogletree Deakins, the court went further than just blessing those firings: it held that the statutory “for cause” protections for top officials at powerful independent agencies are unconstitutional when those officials wield substantial executive power. In plain English, the D.C. Circuit said President Donald Trump can sweep out key regulators at will, reshaping agencies that for decades had a measure of insulation from the Oval Office.At almost the same time, the Supreme Court has been functioning as an emergency referee over a growing list of Trump fights. SCOTUSblog reports that on its interim or “shadow” docket the justices have been fielding high‑stakes disputes over President Donald Trump's use of the National Guard in Illinois, his clashes with immigration judges, and efforts by groups like Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to get internal administration documents through the Freedom of Information Act. The Brennan Center for Justice has been tracking these emergency cases and notes that, since early 2025, the Supreme Court has repeatedly sided with the Trump administration on issues like immigration crackdowns, reductions in the civil service, and the removal of members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Labor Relations Board.All of this sits on top of the longer‑running legal sagas that you as listeners have been following for years: the civil verdicts in New York, the federal and state criminal indictments, and the defamation and assault findings in the E. Jean Carroll cases. Public radio outlets like WABE have been keeping a running tally of where those stand since Donald Trump's return to the White House, tracking appeals of jury verdicts, ongoing sentencing fights for his former aides, and the way new Justice Department decisions under his own administration intersect with prosecutions that began before he reclaimed power.So when we talk about “the Trump trials” right now, we are not just talking about Donald Trump as a criminal defendant. We are talking about Donald Trump as president, testing and expanding the boundaries of executive authority in courtroom after courtroom, from the D.C. Circuit to the Supreme Court, while older cases about his past business dealings and political conduct grind through appeals.For you listening, the takeaway this week is simple: judges are increasingly being asked whether Donald Trump is merely subject to the law, or also able to rewrite the balance of power inside the law itself. Those answers are coming fast, and they are reshaping the presidency in ways that will outlast any single trial.Thanks for tuning in, and come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more, check out QuietPlease dot AI.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

For almost 20 months, investigative journalists ⁠Mandy Matney⁠, ⁠Liz Farrell⁠ and ⁠Beth Braden⁠ have covered the Mica Francis case. They've filed dozens of Freedom of Information Act requests, listened to hours of recordings, gone through stacks of police reports, court documents, transcripts and text messages to piece together what the final months, weeks and days of Mica's life looked like as she tried to extricate herself from her husband, “Pastor” John Paul Miller.  On April 27, 2024 — the day Mica killed herself in a remote part of a North Carolina swamp — JP was the leader of Solid Rock Ministries in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where he had built, destroyed and rebuilt his megachurch all while, according to records and accusations made by family, friends and former church members, using his position of power and his so-called connection to God to bully, harass and torment his young wife, Mica — all the while denying wrongdoing and escaping accountability.  On Dec. 18, 2025, the United States Government announced that JP Miller (finally) was going to be held accountable for his alleged actions against Mica, who investigators say killed herself as a result of JP's threats and abuse.  He has been charged with one count of cyberstalking for his alleged actions between Nov. 16, 2022 and the day of Mica's death and one count of lying to federal investigators. Today we're enjoying vindication and a day of celebration that Mandy and Liz hope will have more people talking about the effects of coercive control abuse.  So much to cover, so let's dive in!

From out of the shadows of the U.S. intelligence community, Dr. James T. Lacatski, a former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) career intelligence officer and scientist, has emerged to become best known as the program manager who initiated and oversaw the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP). The program was, in short, the Pentagon's most comprehensive—and at times most controversial—known inquiry into unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP.  This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we take a look at Lacatski's contributions to the UAP research effort, as detailed in formerly classified files released through the Freedom of Information Act, as well as several books he has authored about his tenure with AAWSAP, the latest of which, Inside the U.S. Government Covert UFO Program: New Insights, details the secretive scientist's ongoing revelations about the DIA's investigations into the unexplained.  Have you had a UFO/UAP sighting? Please consider reporting your sighting to the UAP Sightings Reporting System, a public resource for information about sightings of aerial phenomena. The story doesn't end here... become an X Subscriber and get access to even more weekly content and monthly specials. Want to advertise/sponsor The Micah Hanks Program? We have partnered with the AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. If you would like to advertise with The Micah Hanks Program, all you have to do is click the link below to get started: AdvertiseCast: Advertise with The Micah Hanks Program Show Notes Below are links to stories and other content featured in this episode: NEWS: A Curious Stairway to Nowhere Led Archaeologists to the Discovery of a "Lost Pompeii" The New York Times Reports on 'The Area 51 of New England' Kecksburg Turns 60: The night the sky caught fire over Pennsylvania  AAWSAP CONTRACT UPDATE: AAWSAP Contract Update (FOIA Release)  LACATSKI'S NEWEST: Inside the U.S. Government Covert UFO Program: New Insights VOL II: Inside the US Government Covert UFO Program: Initial Revelations VOL I: Skinwalkers at the Pentagon: An Insider's Account of the Secret Government UFO Program BECOME AN X SUBSCRIBER AND GET EVEN MORE GREAT PODCASTS AND MONTHLY SPECIALS FROM MICAH HANKS. Sign up today and get access to the entire back catalog of The Micah Hanks Program, as well as "classic" episodes, weekly "additional editions" of the subscriber-only X Podcast, the monthly Enigmas specials, and much more. Like us on Facebook Follow @MicahHanks on X. Keep up with Micah and his work at micahhanks.com.

Wednesday, November 26th, 2025Today, Trump is weighing replacing FBI Director Kash Patel; Democratic Senators have filed a Freedom of Information Act request in the Tom Homan $50K in a Cava bag incident; the White House is hedging on Trump's curious claim about talking to Bolsonaro the night he tampered with his ankle monitor; the FBI is interviewing the six members of Congress who deigned to tell Trump not to break the law; as Trump postpones revealing ideas about concepts of a health care plan - he is about to gut US environmental policy; the man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump has invited the President to his sentencing hearing; Eric Swalwell is suing Bill Pulte for unlawfully obtaining his mortgage documents; and Allison and Dana Deliver your Good News.Thank You, Mint MobileMake the switch! MINTMOBILE.com/DAILYBEANSStoriesTrump weighing the ouster of Kash Patel, according to sources | MSNDemocratic senators file FOIA request, demand answers about Tom Homan controversy | MSNFBI probes congressional Democrats who warned military about illegal orders | ReutersIn One Week, Trump Moves to Reshape U.S. Environmental Policy | The New York TimesWhite House hedges on Trump's curious claim about his call with Brazil's Bolsonaro | MSNRep. Eric Swalwell sues housing official who's made multiple criminal referrals for Trump critics | CBS NewsGood TroubleReminder: This is the last election of the year!There are very few days left to phone bank or canvass for Aftyn Behn.Volunteer Opportunities, Events, and Petitions Near Me · Aftyn for Congress on MobilizeCheck the dates to see what works for you. They offer training, so no need to be worried if you've never done it.If you can't do a specific time, we'll have a link to asynchronous phonebanking where you can:“Make a difference on your own schedule by joining our remote phone banking team. As an asynchronous phone banker, you'll help us reach voters, share our message, and build support, all from the comfort of your home and at times that work best for you.”There is also training for the asynchronous phone bankinghttps://www.mobilize.us/aftynforcongress/event/861382/→AACN Alarmed Over Department of Education's Proposed Limitation of Student Loan Access for Nursing**Red, Wine and Blue has a very active North Carolina Community Trouble Nation→Contacting U.S. Senators Find Your Representative | house.gov**Mutual Aid Relief Fund, Mutual Aid Hub, GiveDirectly.org/snap**Group Directory - The Visibility Brigade: Resistance is Possible**Vote Yes 836 - Oklahoma is gathering signatures**How to Organize a Bearing Witness Standout**Indiana teacher snitch portal - Eyes on Education**Find Your Representative | house.gov, Contacting U.S. SenatorsFrom The Good NewsBenefitsCal.comMedi-Cal Insurance CoverageScouting AmericaOur Donation LinksNational Security Counselors - Donate, MSW Media, Blue Wave CA Victory Fund | ActBlue, WhistleblowerAid.org/beansFederal workers - email AG at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen. Find Upcoming Actions 50501 Movement, No Kings.org, Indivisible.orgDr. Allison Gill - Substack, BlueSky , TikTok, IG, TwitterDana Goldberg - The 2025 Out100, BlueSky, Twitter, IG, facebook, danagoldberg.comMore from MSW Media - Shows - MSW Media, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | SubstackReminder - you can see the pod pics if you become a Patron. The good news pics are at the bottom of the show notes of each Patreon episode! That's just one of the perks of subscribing! patreon.com/muellershewrote Our Donation LinksNational Security Counselors - DonateMSW Media, Blue Wave California Victory Fund | ActBlueWhistleblowerAid.org/beansFederal workers - feel free to email AG at fedoath@pm.me and let me know what you're going to do, or just vent. I'm always here to listen. Find Upcoming Actions 50501 Movement, No Kings.org, Indivisible.orgDr. Allison Gill - Substack, BlueSky , TikTok, IG, TwitterDana Goldberg - BlueSky, Twitter, IG, facebook, danagoldberg.comCheck out more from MSW Media - Shows - MSW Media, Cleanup On Aisle 45 pod, The Breakdown | SubstackShare your Good News or Good TroubleMSW Good News and Good TroubleHave some good news; a confession; or a correction to share?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?The Daily Beans | SupercastThe Daily Beans & Mueller, She Wrote | PatreonThe Daily Beans | Apple Podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Over the years, researchers and journalists have repeatedly requested access to official files relating to Prince Andrew's time as the UK's Special Representative for International Trade & Investment (2001-2011). These documents include his travel records, correspondence, meeting logs and other aspects of his public-role activities. However, under UK public-records and freedom-of-information rules, some royal-associated records enjoy extended secrecy. Specifically, files about certain senior royals (including Prince Andrew) are exempt from general access and are to remain sealed for 105 years after the individual's birth — in Andrew's case meaning his records will largely stay private until 2065.The result has sparked considerable controversy. Critics argue the blanket sealing amounts to a lack of transparency and accountability given Andrew's taxpayer-funded public role, while defenders cite national-security, diplomatic-confidentiality and royal-protocol justifications. The secrecy has been described by some as “dubious” in its application of the Freedom of Information Act and other archival laws, especially when open-government norms would favour release after 20 years.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

This week on The Art of SBA Lending, we sit down with Live Oak Bank CEO and founder, Chip Mahan, to discuss the revolutionary ideas that transformed the SBA landscape. Chip Mahan, who started the bank in 2008, disrupted the existing SBA playbook by focusing on nationwide industry vertical lending. Chip details the bank's founding during the 2008 financial crisis , when he was told by the FDIC to liquidate the bank. He reveals the unique philosophy that led to the bank becoming a top SBA lender, including: rejecting the traditional commission-based compensation model to properly align interests , developing a "theory of verticality" by targeting specialized industries like veterinarians and chicken farmers , and using data from the Freedom of Information Act to determine which industries pay back their loans. He argues that a floating rate 7(a) loan is the "best asset that anybody can put on any bank's books." The episode also covers the bank's commitment to technology, the importance of perfecting the "handoff" between the lender, underwriter, closer, and servicer , and the future of banking in the age of Artificial Intelligence. Chip explains how AI will dramatically affect determining SBA loan eligibility and create an "automatic credit memo".

Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these journalists aren't giving up without a fight—not until they get their hands on a document that outlines how much information Medicaid is sharing with ICE. Guest: Joseph Cox, cofounder of 404 Media.  Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these journalists aren't giving up without a fight—not until they get their hands on a document that outlines how much information Medicaid is sharing with ICE. Guest: Joseph Cox, cofounder of 404 Media.  Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these journalists aren't giving up without a fight—not until they get their hands on a document that outlines how much information Medicaid is sharing with ICE. Guest: Joseph Cox, cofounder of 404 Media.  Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these journalists aren't giving up without a fight—not until they get their hands on a document that outlines how much information Medicaid is sharing with ICE. Guest: Joseph Cox, cofounder of 404 Media.  Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these journalists aren't giving up without a fight—not until they get their hands on a document that outlines how much information Medicaid is sharing with ICE. Guest: Joseph Cox, cofounder of 404 Media.  Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Joe's Thoughts: No Mail-In Ballots/No Machines, we dive deep into the urgent threats facing American elections. We analyze the problems of mail in ballots and corrupt voting machines. We do not have control over our election process. The real power is who Counts the vote     Our first segment uncovers shocking revelations from one of the largest Freedom of Information Act hauls in U.S. history: nearly one million documents obtained from Detroit's 2020 election, including absentee ballots, signed envelopes, and precinct total tapes. We examine allegations of voter registration fraud, duplicate voting, and questionable ballot handling, exploring how unchecked mail-in voting and poorly monitored systems continue to jeopardize the integrity of our elections. Next, we turn our focus to the unjust treatment of Tina Peters. Jared Cowart, a member of our team and a dear friend of Tina joins us to share his insights on Tina Peters' ongoing struggles, including the day-to-day challenges she faces and the compelling testimony coming out of Venezuela. Jared also will share his experience on his recent trip to visit Tina behind bars. We'll also break down shocking events unfolding in Michigan, including the deadly church shooting, and the broader dysfunction in American institutions. We also analyze the meteoric rise of Brilyn Hollyhand, the young conservative who appeared on Fox News within hours of Charlie Kirk's assassination, exploring his ties to TPUSA, his sudden media prominence, and the unanswered questions surrounding his national campus tour.  

01:03:08 – CDC Shooting Over Vaccine InjuryDetails emerge on a gunman attacking CDC headquarters after blaming a COVID vaccine for his illness, killing a police officer. 01:06:33 – Kennedy Halts Some mRNA ContractsRFK Jr. announces BARDA is canceling $500 million in respiratory virus mRNA projects, citing mutation risks—but funding shifts to other vaccines. 01:17:16 – Safe Vaccine MythHost argues “safe vaccines” don't exist, citing the Supreme Court's “unavoidably unsafe” ruling and flaws in vaccine efficacy testing. 01:21:20 – MAGA Media's Blind SpotDiscussion on Trump's refusal to disavow Warp Speed and MAGA supporters' willingness to overlook vaccine harm for political loyalty. 01:33:35 – UK's Political Violence WarningOne in five Britons say political violence may be necessary to stop national decline, reflecting deep disaffection with government. 01:36:06 – Britain's Speech CrackdownUK's Online Safety Act and “non-crime hate incidents” lead to 30 arrests per day for speech, signaling authoritarian censorship. 01:43:12 – Wisconsin Bill for Vaccine Opt-Out NoticesA state lawmaker pushes to require schools to inform parents of their vaccine exemption rights, calling current procedures vague and restrictive. [01:48:32] – ADL CEO Greenblatt on Intermarriage & Jewish IdentityJonathan Greenblatt laments rising intermarriage rates among Jews, calling for a “revolution” in Jewish life to preserve identity. Criticism follows, pointing out the ADL's double standard—supporting intermarriage for others but not for Jews—and highlighting the group's racial hypocrisy. [02:06:26] – Netanyahu's Gaza War for Political SurvivalNetanyahu pushes for the capture of Gaza City and permanent control, aligning with hardline ministers. Analysts argue the war serves as both a settler expansion plan and a means to hold his fragile coalition together, even as international backlash grows and humanitarian conditions worsen. [02:32:26] – Zelensky Rejects Land Concessions in Peace TalksDespite an upcoming Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, Zelensky refuses any territorial concessions, including Crimea. Critics accuse him of prolonging the war for personal enrichment while public opinion in Ukraine shifts heavily toward negotiating peace rather than pursuing total victory. 03:08:45 – Trump Orders DC Crime SurgeFollowing a violent carjacking incident, Trump calls for increased federal law enforcement in DC. While praising heroism, the host warns this could morph into martial law and further centralization of power. 03:14:09 – Maxwell ‘Has Dirt on Trump' ClaimA former cellmate alleges Ghislaine Maxwell bragged about having damaging information on Trump. The discussion raises questions about possible leverage and political deals. 03:16:34 – FOIA Stonewalling on OKC BombingDecades-old Freedom of Information Act requests for surveillance tapes remain blocked. The host accuses the DOJ and FBI of deliberate cover-ups to protect operatives. 03:26:10 – Epstein's Butler Breaks SilenceEpstein's longtime Paris butler insists his boss didn't kill himself, noting future plans and upbeat demeanor before arrest. His extensive work at Epstein's other properties fuels skepticism. 03:46:03 – Trump's Cartel Policy Bypasses CongressTrump secretly authorizes military operations against Latin American cartels labeled as terrorist groups. The segment warns this could be a pretext for unauthorized wars. 03:54:18 – Abbott's Arrest Threat for Fleeing DemsTexas Governor Greg Abbott vows to keep calling special sessions indefinitely, ensuring Democrats who fled the state face arrest if they return, framing it as upholding constitutional duty. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

In a live conversation on May 30, Lawfare Editor in Chief Benjamin Wittes sat down with Lawfare Senior Editors Anna Bower, Scott Anderson, and Roger Parloff to discuss legal challenges against President Trump's executive actions, including two court rulings finding President Trump's IEEPA tariffs to be unlawful, the government's appeal of those rulings, the Supreme Court allowing Trump to end humanitarian status for 500,000 migrants, updates in CREW's Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against DOGE, and so much more.You can find information on legal challenges to Trump administration actions here. And check out Lawfare's new homepage on the litigation here and new Bluesky account here.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.