Podcast appearances and mentions of John Hickenlooper

Coloradans are increasingly disillusioned with traditional political institutions, including the Democratic Party, which polled at 68% unfavorable in a recent Magellan Strategies survey. So why did current State Senator Julie Gonzales, once a darling of the Democratic Socialists of America, decide to run for the U.S. Senate as a Democrat? Gonzales joins host Bree Davies to discuss her relationship with her party, where she sees opportunities to work with Trump, and how her approach would differ from her opponent, incumbent Sen. John Hickenlooper. We've invited Hickenlooper to come on the pod to discuss his campaign soon. What should we ask him about? We want to hear from you! Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 Today is the last day to vote for the finalists of the Denver-est Denver Awards! Your vote will determine the winners of Best Artist, Best Small Business, Biggest Win, and more. And don't forget to buy your ticket to the show on Dec. 18 and see the winners announced live on stage at The Oriental Theater. Vote here and get your tickets now! Help us hit the goal for our year-end membership drive! You'll get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor. Enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at https://membership.citycast.fm  For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm Learn more about the sponsors of this December 15th episode: Denver Health Aura Frames - Use code CITYCAST for $35 off Denver Botanic Gardens Foothills Animal Shelter Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

After the announcement of State Sen. Julie Gonzales' bid to unseat U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, stories emerged alleging Democratic Party insiders tried to deter her from running. Comedian Joshua Emerson joins host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi to dissect the details of Hick's primary strategy, as well as Denver's questionable new homeless service provider contracts, disability activists' lawsuit against RTD, and more wins and fails of the week.  Help us hit the goal for our year-end membership drive! You'll get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor. Enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at https://membership.citycast.fm  Vote for the finalists of the Denver-est Denver Awards! Your vote will determine the winners of Best Artist, Best Small Business, Biggest Win, and more. And don't forget to buy your ticket to the show on Dec. 18 and see the winners announced live on stage at The Oriental Theater. Vote here and get your tickets now! Paul quoted this Denver Post reporting on RTD's on-time performance, in which buses “lagged at 83%” as of July of 2025 (On-time performance for light rail recovered to 91% this year). Paul also discussed the Sports Castle and the Denver Summit FC stadium vote.  We mentioned Atlantis ADAPT's lawsuit against RTD and multiple stories on Denver's homeless shelter contracts from Denverite's Kyle Harris. Bree talked about Westwood resident Norma Brambila. Joshua discussed a new Native community-focused housing and healthcare building. What do you think about the Hickenlooper vs. Gonzales race? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Watch clips from the show on YouTube: youtube.com/@citycastdenver or Instagram @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver Learn more about the sponsors of this December 12th episode: Denver Health Colfax Ave BID Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Aura Frames - Use code CITYCAST for $35 off Elizabeth Martinez with PorchLight Real Estate - Do you have a question about Denver real estate? Submit your questions for Elizabeth Martinez HERE, and she might answer in next week's segment. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Colorado state 'senadora' Julie Gonzales disavows her Democratic Socialst ties in an interview with Kyle Clark of 9 NEWS. Longtime GOP consultant Dick Wadhams joins Dan to break down her challenge from the left against sitting U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper in the 2026 Democratic primary.

State Sen. Julie Gonzales announced yesterday that she's challenging John Hickenlooper for his seat in the U.S. Senate, setting the stage for a very Denver Democratic primary next June. So, host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi are talking about how this race reflects the broader divide within the Democratic Party, from Gonzales and Hickenlooper's respective policy achievements to their approaches to resisting President Trump. Plus, internal city documents reveal just how much influence a wealthy neighbor had over the change to DOTI's traffic calming plans for Alameda Avenue, and we respond to listener feedback on our interview with RTD CEO Debra Johnson. Bree mentioned the potential redesign of the cloverleaf interchange at Federal Boulevard and Colfax Avenue. Help us hit the goal for our year-end membership drive! You'll get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor.  Enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at https://membership.citycast.fm  Vote for the finalists of the Denver-est Denver Awards! Your vote will determine the winners of Best Artist, Best Small Business, Biggest Win, and more. And don't forget to buy your ticket to the show on Dec. 18 and see the winners announced live on stage at The Oriental Theater. Vote here and get your tickets now! For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm What do you think about Gonzales vs. Hickenlooper? Who will you vote for? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 Learn more about the sponsors of this December 9th episode: Denver Health Colfax Ave BID Babbel - Get up to 55% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Aura Frames - Use code CITYCAST for $35 off Cozy Earth - Use code COZYDENVER for up to 20% off Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

On today's newscast: After a slow start to the season, snow has begun to pile up at Colorado ski resorts; Democratic Colorado Sen. Julie Gonzales has launched a primary challenge against U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper; and a group of young people from Utah is suing the state's Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, saying its permitting of fossil fuels violates their rights to life, health and safety. Tune in for these stories and more.

On this episode of Joe Oltmann Untamed, Joe breaks down the growing clash between government power, personal freedom, and family policy. From Joe's X exchange with Senator Hickenlooper to explosive new claims surrounding Dominion Voting, the show opens with a fast-paced look at today's political battleground. Joe also examines President Trump's newly announced child savings initiative and contrasts it with expanding state-level entitlement programs, including Minnesota's latest paid family leave rollout which includes payments to illegal immigrants. Joe is then joined by automotive innovator, educator, and outspoken truth-teller Casey Putsch. Casey delivers a powerful breakdown on how modern propaganda is created, amplified, and disguised as consensus—especially through AI, media narratives, and institutional messaging. Together, they explore censorship, the fight for independent thought, the future of free speech, and how programs like Genius Garage are training the next generation to think critically rather than comply blindly.In the final block, Joe exposes the accelerating pattern of government failure and institutional protection—from the Colorado Clerk's constitutional clash to new allegations of massive public-sector fraud and the federal crackdown on SNAP data noncompliance. The show closes with a sobering look at Canada's euthanasia program after nearly 16,500 deaths in 2024, raising urgent moral and political questions about the future of Western society. As always, Joe pulls no punches in exposing corruption, defending liberty, and sounding the alarm on what's coming next.

10:05 – 10:22 (17mins) Riki Parikh Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI Can discuss The White House Genesis Mission Projectserves as Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI, where he leads strategy to build bipartisan support for smart, enforceable safeguards that ensure artificial intelligence is developed and deployed responsibly, transparently, and in the public interest. He brings more than a decade of senior experience at the intersection of public policy, strategic communications, and law—including most recently as Senior Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he advised on national security and emerging technology issues. Previously, he held leadership roles in global public affairs and policy communications at Meta and LinkedIn, shaping corporate engagement with policymakers around the world. He spent six years on Capitol Hill, as counsel to U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and as press secretary to U.S. Senator Mark Warner. Riki earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he also worked with then-Governor John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and his B.A. from the George Washington University. 10:41 – 10:56 (15mins) Weekly: Drew Thomas Allen @DrewThomasAllenAuthor: For Christ and Country: the Martyrdom of Charlie Kirk Host of ‘The Drew Allen Show’ podcast VP of client development at Publius PR & Editor of the Publius National Post.columnistSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10:05 – 10:22 (17mins) Riki Parikh Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI Can discuss The White House Genesis Mission Projectserves as Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI, where he leads strategy to build bipartisan support for smart, enforceable safeguards that ensure artificial intelligence is developed and deployed responsibly, transparently, and in the public interest. He brings more than a decade of senior experience at the intersection of public policy, strategic communications, and law—including most recently as Senior Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he advised on national security and emerging technology issues. Previously, he held leadership roles in global public affairs and policy communications at Meta and LinkedIn, shaping corporate engagement with policymakers around the world. He spent six years on Capitol Hill, as counsel to U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and as press secretary to U.S. Senator Mark Warner. Riki earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he also worked with then-Governor John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and his B.A. from the George Washington University. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10:05 – 10:22 (17mins) Riki Parikh Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI Can discuss The White House Genesis Mission Projectserves as Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI, where he leads strategy to build bipartisan support for smart, enforceable safeguards that ensure artificial intelligence is developed and deployed responsibly, transparently, and in the public interest. He brings more than a decade of senior experience at the intersection of public policy, strategic communications, and law—including most recently as Senior Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he advised on national security and emerging technology issues. Previously, he held leadership roles in global public affairs and policy communications at Meta and LinkedIn, shaping corporate engagement with policymakers around the world. He spent six years on Capitol Hill, as counsel to U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and as press secretary to U.S. Senator Mark Warner. Riki earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he also worked with then-Governor John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and his B.A. from the George Washington University. 10:41 – 10:56 (15mins) Weekly: Drew Thomas Allen @DrewThomasAllenAuthor: For Christ and Country: the Martyrdom of Charlie Kirk Host of ‘The Drew Allen Show’ podcast VP of client development at Publius PR & Editor of the Publius National Post.columnistSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10:05 – 10:22 (17mins) Riki Parikh Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI Can discuss The White House Genesis Mission Projectserves as Policy Director at The Alliance for Secure AI, where he leads strategy to build bipartisan support for smart, enforceable safeguards that ensure artificial intelligence is developed and deployed responsibly, transparently, and in the public interest. He brings more than a decade of senior experience at the intersection of public policy, strategic communications, and law—including most recently as Senior Counselor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he advised on national security and emerging technology issues. Previously, he held leadership roles in global public affairs and policy communications at Meta and LinkedIn, shaping corporate engagement with policymakers around the world. He spent six years on Capitol Hill, as counsel to U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and as press secretary to U.S. Senator Mark Warner. Riki earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he also worked with then-Governor John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, and his B.A. from the George Washington University. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Democratic U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper is a holdout on re-opening government until there's a plan to keep health insurance premiums down. We ask about paths for compromise and his frustration with cuts to green energy. Then, we remember NPR founding mother Susan Stamberg. Plus, Pueblo-born musician and composer Mary D. Watkins on honoring the Black experience in America. And Wonderbound's Rock Ballets. 

Somewhere between 140,000 and 390,000 abandoned hardrock mines are scattered throughout the West. Many have sat idle for decades, posing serious safety risks and polluting Western waterways. Last year, Congress took action on this issue by passing the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act. The law launches a pilot program that allows for the cleanup of 15 mine sites without fear of liability — a landmark step to accelerate reclamation across the region. Western Governors have advocated for this legislation for decades, and WGA celebrated the bill's passage.  Tune in to hear from Colorado Senator and former Governor John Hickenlooper as well as experts and organizations involved in cleaning up abandoned mines. They share why this legislation matters, how the pilot program will work, and what kinds of projects could finally move forward under its protections. In addition to Senator Hickenlooper, you'll hear from David Hockey, the Acting Director of EPA's Office of Mountains, Deserts, and Plains; Chris Wood, CEO of Trout Unlimited; and Rob Ghiglieri, Administrator of the Nevada Division of Minerals.

Clerk and Recorder Paul López has been very vocal lately in his distaste for Mayor Johnston's proposed city budget cuts. The top elections official feels the integrity of Denver's ballot system is at stake and has even called the mayor's decisions on city funding “a threat to democracy.” So, López himself sits down with host Bree Davies to hash out his beef with Johnston's 2026 budget proposal and explain why he thinks the mayor's fiscal moves are so dangerous for Denver's elections. We also share a direct response to López's claims from the mayor.  Bree quoted Denverite's reporting on former mayor John Hickenlooper's layoffs in 2009.  For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 Learn more about the sponsors of this September 22nd episode: WISE Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Clyfford Still Museum Window Nation Downtown Denver Partnership Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise

Today... At a recent roundtable, Senator John Hickenlooper heard Western Slope leaders warn that federal cuts and agency shortfalls are leaving small communities struggling to fund projects, manage public lands, and meet rising local needs. And later... Montrose County voted to oppose the "Gunnison Outdoors Resources Protection Act", despite none of its lands being included, with supporters citing economic and control concerns and the lone dissenter warning it shuts the county out of future talks.Support the show: https://www.montrosepress.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three years ago this month, the Inflation Reduction Act passed, marking the largest investment in climate policy in U.S. history. It included over $300 billion to address global warming and was expected to unlock nearly $3 trillion in private investment by 2032. But then came Donald Trump.  Over the last eight months, the Trump administration has worked to dismantle much of that progress, including withholding funds, canceling loans and grants, and working with Congress to roll back tax credits. For those working in climate tech, it's been a pretty dark time.  But U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, one of the lawmakers behind the IRA, says he's surprisingly optimistic about future policy wins despite White House opposition to climate and clean tech.  In this episode, Lara talks with Sen. Hickenlooper about passing the landmark climate law and protecting it, his ideas for building a bipartisan coalition for permitting reform, and why he's actually hopeful eight months into Trump's second term. Credits: Hosted by Lara Pierpoint. Produced by Erin Hardick. Edited by Anne Bailey and Stephen Lacey. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive editor. The Green Blueprint is a co-production of Latitude Media and Trellis Climate. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or anywhere you get podcasts. For more reporting on the companies featured in this podcast, subscribe to Latitude Media's newsletter.

Guests, Dr Janak Joshi And Peter Boyles Grassroots warrior Dr. Janak Joshi has had enough and is jumping in to challenge radical Democrat Sen. John Hickenlooper for his seat. Dr. Joshi joins the show. Please radio legend Peter Boyles meets motorcycle legend Sturgis…. With a live report.

Legal bills from Horn's personal attorney have put the CO GOP $20-thousand in the hole as she tries to gaslight the Party on where the money went.  Plus Dr. Janak Joshi jumps in the race to oust radical Dem Sen. Hickenlooper.

The Center on Colfax recently announced they would no longer be accepting donations from Chevron, as long as the oil and gas giant was providing fuel to Israel. Meanwhile, Colorado's senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper voted against a measure that would have stopped some arms shipments to Israel. So are Denverites' opinions shifting when it comes to the war on Gaza? Then, internet provocateurs Do Better Denver have been exposed — but do the identities behind the account matter in the bigger picture? Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi discuss these stories and more news of the week.  Paul talked congressional candidate Melat Kiros, who is challenging Diana DeGette to represent Denver, and her history of speaking out on Gaza.  For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm What do you think? Text or leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: 720-500-5418 Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Regional Air Quality Council Multipass Cozy Earth - use code COZYDENVER for 40% off best-selling temperature-regulating sheets, apparel, and more Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Luis Benitez: Conquering Everest and the Seven Summits, Life Advice from the Dalai Lama, and Outdoor Recreation Evangelism.Luis Benitez has worked as a high-end international mountain guide, with six Everest summits to his name, as well as having conquered the "Seven Summits" — the highest mountains on each of the world's continents. He's also an outdoor educator and a policy leader in the outdoor industry. In 2015, Benitez was appointed by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to lead the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. He is currently the Vice President of Government Affairs for Lululemon.Benitez holds an executive MBA from the University of Denver, with an emphasis certification in behavioral sciences and public policy from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He is also the author of Higher Ground.Notable Links:Luis Benitez WebsiteHigher Ground Book*****This episode is brought to you by Kase Filters. I travel the world with my camera, and I can use any photography filters I like, and I've tried all of them, but in recent years I've landed on Kase Filters.Kase filters are made with premium materials, HD optical glass, shockproof, with zero color cast, round and square filter designs, magnetic systems, filter holders, adapters, step-up rings, and everything I need so I never miss a moment.And now, my listeners can get 10% off the Kase Filters Amazon page when they visit. beyondthelens.fm/kase and use coupon code BERNABE10Kase Filters, Capture with Confidence.

BONUS EPISODE! With all of the talk about the, "Big Beautiful Bill" and Public Land the timeliness of this episode was extremely important. This week Sarah has on former National Park Ranger, Felicia, to talk about public lands, the NPS, impactful legislature, and how to remain hopeful in an time where is seems difficult to be. Felicia's TikTok: @ube_softserveResources:Find and contact your senators: Phone numbers for all U.S. Senate offices in Washington, D.C. can be found here: axios.com+12senate.gov+12facebook.com+12Local Senator Contacts (Key Western States):ColoradoSen. Michael Bennet: (202) 224‑5852Sen. John Hickenlooper: (202) 224‑5941 biologicaldiversity.orgUtahSen. Mike Lee (sponsor of land sale provision): (202) 224‑5444 economictimes.indiatimes.com+7washingtonstatestandard.com+7reviewjournal.com+7New MexicoSen. Martin Heinrich (Ranking Member, Energy Committee): info via senate.gov; (202) 224‑5521

Supporters of public lands are breathing a sigh of relief after a proposal to sell off some lands in Nevada and Utah was removed from the federal budget reconciliation bill.In other news, Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper have reintroduced legislation to protect more than 68,000 acres along the lower Dolores River.

9News obtained footage of US marshals boarding a crowded RTD bus on Colfax to capture an escapee from Aurora's ICE detention facility. So on this week's Friday news round-up, our politics and green chile correspondent Justine Sandoval joins us to talk about the latest local developments in the federal immigration crackdown — from the ACLU's legal challenge to deportations to the precarity of transportation funding. Then a listener asks: Do you have to be “quirky” to become governor of Colorado? Plus, Juneteenth's funding cuts, a major abortion clinic closes, and more wins and fails of the week.  Bree mentioned the Westword story “Satan Sheets,” an immersive Titanic exhibit, the Fat & Fresh market happening this weekend, the Throughline episode on the Alien Enemies Act, Dr. Warren Hern's retirement, and the documentary “After Tiller.” Paul referenced this NYT article about John Hickenlooper's 2020 presidential campaign, the Juneteenth Music Festival's funding trouble, and Rep. Emily Sirota's work to pass CO's new “junk fees” law. Justine talked about the National Womens Soccer League stadium's funding getting one step closer to a full City Council vote.  Get more from City Cast Denver when you become a City Cast Denver Neighbor! You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm  For even more news from around the city, subscribe to our morning newsletter Hey Denver at denver.citycast.fm. Watch the Friday show on YouTube: youtube.com/@citycastdenver Follow us on Instagram: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Support City Cast Denver by becoming a member: membership.citycast.fm/Denver Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: PineMelon - Use code CITYCAST for 75% off! Denver Art Museum Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST Cozy Earth - Use code COZYDENVER for 40% off best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristi Burton-Brown, Colorado state board of education member for the 4th Congressional District, fills in for Dan and discusses the waffling of several Democrats on the pending continuing resolution before the Senate after passage in the House.Democrats also still can't find their footing in their opposition to Donald Trump, picking losing hills to die on time after time.

Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) must be feeling super confident about his re-election prospects in 2026, voting against the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act in the Senate despite it having about 80 percent approval with the American people.George Brauchler, 23rd district attorney brainstorms with Dan on ways criminal charges could still be filed in the wake of the shocking Columbine High School grooming scandal. One idea is for 1st DA Alexis King to enpanel a grand jury to determine whether potential charges may be appropriate for the mandatory reporters involved in fabricating documents claiming the female student was homeless - when she really wasn't.

This week Ryan sits down with Jamie Van Leeuwen, Managing Director at BuildStrong Foundation, to talk about his extensive work in community development from Urban Peak to founding the Global Livingston Institute and serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for John Hickenlooper.  Now focused on affordable housing and workforce development, Jamie shares insights on the challenges in the housing sector, the role of public policy, and the importance of engaging young people in community solutions. He offers a compelling perspective on addressing the housing crisis through innovative, community-driven solutions.   To learn more, check out https://buildstrongacademy.org/ Feast Over Famine does not provide legal, tax, accounting or other professional advice. You should consult professional advisors concerning the legal, tax, or accounting consequences of your activities. Feast Over Famine does not consult, advise, or assist with (i) the offer or sale of securities in any capital-raising transaction, or (ii) the direct or indirect promotion or maintenance of a market for any securities. Feast Over Famine does not engage in any activities for which an investment advisor's registration or license is required under the U.S. Investment Advisors Act of 1940, or under any other applicable federal or state law; or for which a “broker's” or “dealer's” registration or license is required under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or under any other applicable federal or state law.  

United States senators including John Hickenlooper of Colorado are worried that eliminating National Park Service jobs will hit gateway communities like Montrose and Gunnison, which see millions of dollars in economic benefit each year via the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area. Read our full story: https://www.montrosepress.com/news/senators-worry-how-federal-hiring-freeze-will-hit-national-parks-and-gateway-communities-like-montrose/article_0c94aaa0-ed80-11ef-a94a-23121cf264f7.html Support the show: https://www.montrosepress.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the midst of the Left losing their collective minds and showing their collective backsides, President Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. And if he brokers an end to the Russia-Ukraine War, he might just win it.Steve Monahan has founded SAFE Colorado with John Fabbricatore, a donor-funded advocacy group designed to help promote cooperation between local and state officials with ICE.Steve joins Dan to discuss this and a bill supported by Colorado Democratic Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper which would prevent ICE from arresting illegal aliens at polling places - even though they are legally prohibited from voting themselves.He also shares his plan to get an initiative on the ballot to remove Colorado's designation as a 'sanctuary state.'

Dan and Ryan laugh down Memory Lane recalling John Hickenlooper incinerating his run for President in 2020 answering CNN's Dana Bash on why he took his mother to see the pornographic film 'Deep Throat.'Brita Horn joins the program to discuss why running to be chair of the Colorado Republican Party is important to her - and a winning choice for Colorado GOP voters.

Despite several pairs of Democratic Senators from swing states voting in favor of the Lake Riley Act, both Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) voted against the measure. Does this make Hick potentially more vulnerable in his 2026 bid for re-election?Deborah Flora joins the program to discuss her participation in a rally to promote school choice in Colorado.

En enero los senadores demócratas Edward J. Markey y Elizabeth Warren, de Massachusetts; Bernard Sanders, de Vermont; Raphael Warnock, de Georgia; John Hickenlooper, de Colorado, y Chris Van Hollen, de Maryland, enviaron una carta al presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden, donde acusan a la República Dominicana de servir como puente para traficar armas hacia Haití, un ilícito que agravaría la crisis social que enfrenta ese país. Ante los señalamientos, la embajadora dominicana en Estados Unidos, Sonia Guzmán, respondió a la carta afirmando que República Dominicana protagoniza una lucha contra el tráfico ilegal de armas estableciendo estrictos controles de seguridad para detectar unidades de municiones y armas de fuego. La respuesta oficial del gobierno dominicano indica que para la administración del presidente Abinader es injusto «sindicar al Gobierno dominicano como responsable de tráfico de armas hacia Haití. Por el ejercicio de su compromiso social, económico y de solidaridad humanitaria con el vecino país». La posición oficial fue respaldada a todos los niveles. El  diputado Gustavo Sánchez, del Partido de la Liberación Dominicana, sostuvo que las declaraciones son "irrespetuosas e irresponsables" por considerar que aprovechan su condición de parlamentarios de una potencia para emitir acusaciones "sin ninguna base comprobatoria". La diputada Soraya Suárez, del Partido Revolucionario Moderno, calificó como "lesiva" la acusación de los congresistas de EE. UU., al decir que el señalamiento puede provocar una tipificación delictiva que no existe. En ese sentido, pidió más cuidado al momento de emitir argumentos "sin validez". La senadora del Partido Revolucionario Moderno, Ginette Bournigal, indicó que es a los Estados Unidos a quien le corresponde investigar el supuesto tráfico de armas que se desarrolla desde la República Dominicana hacia Haití de acuerdo a lo que denunciaron senadores de ese país. El senador por la provincia de Montecristi, por el Partido Revolucionario Moderno, Ramón Antonio Pimentel Gómez, calificó este lunes de 'inaceptable'. El diputado representante de la Comunidad dominicana en el exterior, Ramón Ceballo, solicitó al Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos investigar de inmediato las declaraciones de senadores demócratas estadounidenses de que Republica Dominicana sirve como puente en el tráfico de armas ilegales hacia Haití. El vicepresidente de la Fuerza Nacional Progresista, Pelegrín Castillo, sostuvo que la denuncia de senadores estadounidenses de que por República Dominicana ingresan armas a Haití es parte una  maniobra de círculos de poder de EE: UU consiste en escalar el conflicto en Haití a una guerra civil y tratar de trasvasar esa crisis hacia República Dominicana para que se convierta en país de refugio. El presidente de la Unión Demócrata Cristiana, Luis Acosta Moreta, respaldó la respuesta del gobierno dominicano a senadores estadounidenses, quienes acusan a este país de servir de puente para el trasiego de armas a Haití. Dijo que si alguien tiene que dar explicaciones es Washington. Para el Instituto Duartiano el liderazgo político y el Gobierno deben de independientemente de estar en campaña de ser más enérgico en la defensa a la soberanía nacional, al considerar que como país dominicano no puede estar permitir tantos ataques y denuncias infundadas. Wilson Gómez le recordó además a los Estados Unidos que es Haití quien fábrica y trafica armas. El vocero del Partido de la Liberación Dominicana  en el Senado, Yvan Lorenzo, solicitó a través de una resolución, que se investigue la denuncia de los senadores estadounidenses y la Organización de las Naciones Unidas sobre el tráfico de armas de fuego desde la República Dominicana hacia Haití.

* Guest: Nathan Worcester, politics reporter at The Epoch Times - TheEpochTimes.com * Kamala Harris has sat for just one and a half interviews since she was anointed the Democratic nominee. Meanwhile, Donald Trump just survived a second assassination attempt. So, it's seemingly easier to threaten the life of the Republican nominee than it is to interview the Democratic one. That really says all you need to know about the state of American politics - DailyCaller.com * In Michigan, Vance Emphasizes Illegal Immigrant Crime! * 55 to 60 Arrested During Violent DNC Protests: Chicago Police - Three journalists were among those taken into custody, according to Superintendent Larry Snelling. * As Trump Readied His Putt, He Heard 'Pop, Pop' of Gunfire! * How did Trump's would-be assassin know about the president's unplanned activities? * Eric Trump: 'My father is running out of lives here,' * Eric Trump told Megyn Kelly people need to "entertain" the idea that the second assassination attempt against Trump could be an "inside job". * Eric Trump urged viewers to "entertain everything" after Kelly pressed him on the possibility that the attack could have been an inside job as Trump wasn't officially scheduled to be at the golf course. * Oregon DMV Admits To Wrongfully Registering Hundreds Of Non-citizens To Vote! In the latest object lesson in why we need voter ID laws and why motor-voter initiatives are a terrible idea, the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles quietly announced late last week that over 300 non-citizens had been accidentally registered to vote. Furthermore, The Oregonian's report on the matter seemed to indicate a number of these 306 people illegally registered to vote were also here illegally, as well. * Three Democratic senators urged the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) to aggressively cut its federal funds rate at its September meeting in an effort to jolt the economy as the November presidential election draws near. Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Colorado Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper and Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse requested the Fed issue a 0.75% cut at the FOMC meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday - three times its usual quarter-point move, according to a letter sent by the senators to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Monday. * Lower interest rates would mean a lower cost of borrowing for businesses and consumers, which could spur economic growth, and, consequently, boost the Democrats chances of keeping the White House come November. "If the Fed is too cautious in cutting rates, it would needlessly risk our economy heading towards a recession," the senators wrote.

Fort Lewis College has partnered with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to establish a new nursing training facility on its campus. U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper toured the facility on Aug. 29, highlighting the importance of local educational opportunities in retaining healthcare professionals in rural areas. $1.3 million in federal funding will support the CU Nursing Fort Lewis College Collaborative, which aims to train students in community-based, rural, and Indigenous healthcare perspectives. By keeping nursing education local, the program seeks to address the challenges smaller communities face in recruiting healthcare workers and enhance the quality of care available in southwest Colorado. By Sadie Smith.  Watch this story at www.durangolocal.news/newsstories/senator-hickenlooper-tours-new-nursing-training-facility-at-fort-lewis-college  This story is sponsored by Tafoya Barrett & Associates and M&R Plumbing. Support the show

Rundown -   Intro - 00:34   Doug Friednash in Craig's Lawyers' Lounge - 21:38   Troubadour Dave Gunders - 01:26:14   "Have Mercy" by Dave Gunders - 01:31:49   Outro - 01:37:54   Craig's Lawyers' Lounge welcomes accomplished Colorado attorney Doug Friednash. A native Denverite, Friednash became a Colorado Assistant Attorney General, a State Representative from HD 10, Denver City Attorney, and then Chief of Staff to Mayor Hancock and Governor Hickenlooper. Now he's a managing partner at Brownstein. https://www.bhfs.com/people/attorneys/c-f/douglas-friednash   Doug Friednash is an American hero for his advocacy that Joe Biden had to pass the torch. From his perch as a Denver Post columnist, Friednash demanded that the incumbent give up power before and after the debate. https://www.denverpost.com/2024/07/02/joe-biden-step-aside-second-term-donald-trump-king/   Gordon Friednash, Doug's father, operated the College Inn on 8th Avenue near Colorado Boulevard in East Denver. Learn how deep the Friednash roots run in Colorado, where his North High Dad married an East Side girl named Zelda, Doug's mother. Learn how Friednash began his legal career as a prosecutor.   Find out what Friednash and the Brownstein firm did at the RNC in Milwaukee and then at the DNC in Chicago. Friednash knows and trusts Governor Time Walz. This special name-dropping episode mentions lots of political bigwigs Friednash knows well.   We discuss the role of big law and big money and review the repercussions of Trump v USA. We go back to the early 1990s when Rep. Pat Schroeder finally stepped down and State Rep. Diana DeGette stepped up. Find out some events behind the scenes thirty years ago.   Friednash and his law firm are leaders in world Jewry. Doug Friednash has often stood by the Jewish State in politics and columns. We review the despicable murder of American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin and his fellow Hamas-held captives. Doug's son got married on October 7, 2023. https://www.denverpost.com/2023/10/12/hamas-terrorism-israel-friednash-wedding-celebration/   "Have Mercy" is a heartbreaking, thought-provoking song written and performed by our Troubadour, Dave Gunders. We dedicate the music to Hersh. We discuss current events and listen to the eulogies of their son by Jon and Rachel, Hersh's parents. Have Mercy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzb3KHn7CsU

Text Light Pollution News!A lot to discuss this month! Host Bill McGeeney is joined by an expert panel featuring the equitable conservationist, Shelana deSilva, lawyer and satellite researcher, Yana Yakushina, and, consultant, John Barentine. See Full Show Notes, Lighting Tips and more at LightPollutionNews.com. Like this episode, share it with a friend!Bill's Picks:Environmental impact (light pollution and energy wastage) of artificial grow lighting to replenish grass pitches in sports stadiums, World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews.Court Upholds FCC Approval of Starlink's LEO Launch License, Ted Hearn, Broadband Breakfast.Elaborate light show projected from Eiffel Tower, NBC News.Hickenlooper, Crapo Introduce Bill to Preserve Night Sky from Interference, Aid Research, US Senator Hickenlooper for Colorado.Coloring Pages for Summer Travel, Natasha Chortos, Dark Sky International.  Support the Show.Like what we're doing? For the cost of coffee, you can become a Monthly Supporter. Your assistance will help cover server and production costs.

Rundown -   Intro - 00:35   Mike Littwin - 07:24   Troubadour Dave Gunders - 01:46:36   "Just Try Me" by Dave Gunders - 02:08:13   Outro - 02:13:51   Following this historic month of political upheaval, the lead columnist for @coloradosun, Mike Littwin, reviews the dramatic developments climaxed by the Chicago DNC. VP Kamala Harris' acceptance speech was the cherry on top.   Littwin recounts his career from growing up in Norfolk to covering the local ABA Virginia Squires – who practiced at the Norfolk JCC. Point guard Larry Brown and forward Doug Moe were friendly to young Littwin, who labored for the local paper.   Two years later, the Squires had a new player, Julius Erving, who stood out. When George Gervin joined the Squires, Littwin witnessed the Iceman and Dr. J. play hellacious one-on-one games after practice. https://images.app.goo.gl/WjANJtiwQUN6Ffoi6   Littwin went on to significant stints at the Baltimore Sun and LA Times before heading to Denver, where, for decades, he was Denver's leading news columnist at the late Rocky Mountain News. Littwin's work still shines twice a week at the Colorado Sun.   Kamala Harris' nomination acceptance speech gets thoroughly reviewed. The Craig Silverman Show salutes Littwin for bravely calling on @potus to step down right after his debate debacle. Littwin kept it up in subsequent columns. https://coloradosun.com/2024/06/30/biden-trump-debate-opinion-littwin/   Social media barbs were thrown at Littwin and others advocating for Biden to pass the torch. The show recognizes the critical roles of Ezra Klein, David Axelrod, Tim Miller, NYT, George Clooney, Joe Walsh, Pod Save America, Joe Salazar, and Rob Reiner for joining the patriotic advocacy.   The antisemitism of Donald Trump gets addressed and undressed. Given Trump's verbal attack on PA Gov. Josh Shapiro and Trump's claims Jews need their heads examined, Littwin lets loose on the GOP presidential nominee. Host and guest talk as two experienced American Jews.   We have never seen a phenomenon like Kamala Harris and her VP selection, Tim Walz. We go over the Walz speech and the sensation caused when Gus Walz cried with pride in his Dad. Warning: get a handkerchief. You may want to cry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBrnKM0jo40   The following bold names are subjects of Littwin stories: Jim Murray, David Simon, Dr. J., Larry Brown, Doug Moe, Bill Owens, John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, Jason Crow, Joe Neguse, Jack Nicklaus, Bob Beauprez, Hank Brown, RFK JR., and Cory Gardner.   We talk about photojournalist for RMN and NYT, Todd Heisler, who took amazing Kamala pic at the DNC. Littwin traveled the world with Heisler when they worked together. Learn the respect Littwin has for Heisler. https://www.mediaite.com/news/just-stunning-iconic-photo-of-kamala-harris-and-great-niece-amara-during-dnc-speech-goes-viral/   Littwin keeps columnizing because he loves his craft and his Colorado Sun audience is enormous. Colorado readers are deprived of most of our old favorites, but not the legendary Littwin, who still enjoys the challenge and profit of churning out world-class columns for us to enjoy.   Littwin's highly accomplished UT Austin law professor daughter, Angie Littwin, and Littwin's grandsons also have him loving life. Few people like politics and history more than Mike Littwin. We like and feel Kamalamomentum. https://law.utexas.edu/faculty/angela-k-littwin/publications/   Troubadour Dave Gunders loved the Chicago DNC and identified his favorite parts. Kamala Harris was the star, and we hope our 47th President. She made her case on Thursday. "Just Try Me" is the perfect Gunders' persuasion song for the American electorate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCfJgGEUYRo&list=OLAK5uy_lwU1xbs2JtDfVhprMsLjmBd45zsa1IfPE&index=2

Dan is back after a day of depositions, and has been pondering what the next move for Governor Jared Polis might be. He finds it interesting, out of nowhere, Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) announces that he is definitely running for re-election in 2026. Could this be a pre-emptive strike against a potential challenge from Polis after he leaves office as governor?Also, going back to Tuesday night, did Michelle Obama unintentionally (or intentionally?) insult Vice-President Kamala Harris by taking a jab at Donald Trump over the Presidency possibly being 'one of those black jobs' in a reference to comments he made at the National Association of Black Journalists convention a few weeks ago.

Members of the U.S. Senate speak in support of S.1723, the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act, on July 24, 2024.

Scott and I went on a run and recorded this podcast episode about Hurt 100.Hurt 100 is different than I expected. For some reason I thought it was big corporate event in Hawaii. Not so. Scott brings life to this homegrown race for me and all of a sudden its a bucketlist race.----Sponsored by VKTRY Insoles----Follow Scott on InstagramBorderlandsInstagramYouTubeWe've got an app in beta called Wylder by Borderlands. Check it out on iOS or Android.

On today's newscast: Colorado's U.S. Senator, John Hickenlooper, was in El Jebel to talk about protections for mobile home parks, affordable housing, and immigration reform, the city of Aspen is offering free irrigation assessments for Aspen Water customers this summer, the inaugural concert of this summer's Aspen Chamber Symphony will be held tonight at the Klein Music Tent, and more.

Summary In this episode, Mike Willis and Debbie Blyth discuss a cyber attack on the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the crisis management response to it. The attack occurred in February 2018 and affected CDOT's systems, including HR, payroll, contractor payment, variable message signs, toll collection, and more. The attack was initiated through a misconfigured virtual server in public cloud infrastructure, which allowed the attackers to gain access to the CDOT domain. The response involved the collaboration between CDOT, the Colorado Office of Emergency Management, and the Colorado National Guard. The National Guard was mobilized through a state emergency declaration by Governor Hickenlooper. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration and trust in crisis management. The establishment of a unified command and the use of incident management teams were key in coordinating the response. Nutrition and hydration were prioritized to ensure the well-being and performance of the response team. The joint information center played a crucial role in managing public and internal messaging. Emergency purchasing and tracking were supported by the Office of Emergency Management. Lessons from this incident can be applied to the corporate sector, emphasizing the need for cybersecurity and crisis management teams to work together. Takeaways The cyber attack on CDOT was initiated through a misconfigured virtual server in public cloud infrastructure. The attack affected various systems and operations within CDOT, causing significant disruption. The response involved collaboration between CDOT, the Colorado Office of Emergency Management, and the Colorado National Guard. The National Guard was mobilized through a state emergency declaration by Governor Hickenlooper. Collaboration and trust are foundational in crisis management. Establishing a unified command and using incident management teams help coordinate the response. Prioritizing nutrition and hydration improves the performance of the response team. A joint information center is crucial for managing public and internal messaging. Emergency purchasing and tracking are important for cost assessment and accountability. Lessons from this incident can be applied to the corporate sector, emphasizing the need for collaboration between cybersecurity and crisis management teams. Contact Information Debbi Blyth https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-blyth/ Mike Willis https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigadier-general-ret-michael-willis-a8b49a37/

Rundown -    Troubadour Dave Gunders - 09:58   "Playing that Zydeco" by Dave Gunders - 25:45   Eli Stokols - 31:30   Episode 211 begins with a review of the New York v Trump trial. That's followed by a review of Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones' epic performance Thursday night at Jazzfest 2024 in New Orleans. Show Troubadour Dave Gunders is on fire as he reviews the experience from the banks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. We then “Play that Zydeco,” an original composition by Gunders, which he performed last summer in Gold Hill, Colorado. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiLexPg0piM   Accomplished journalist Eli Stokols keeps receiving historic White House assignments following his near decade-long successful run in Colorado television and magazines. Stokols moved on to become a DC family guy with a great journalist wife and kids. The LA Times and WSJ are former homes, but Eli Stokols' with Politico again. https://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-press/2022/10/18/eli-stokols-joins-politico-as-white-house-reporter-00062346   Eli covered the 2016 election for POLITICO, starting with the Jeb Bush campaign before turning his reporting lens on Donald Trump. He's covered the White House ever since Trump took office in 2017. Along the way, he interacted frequently with Hope Hicks and Michel Cohen. Spoiler alert – Hicks was much more pleasant than Cohen.   This special name-dropping episode features discussions of Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Kyle Clark, OJ Simpson, Elizabeth Orden, Doug Lamborn, Joe Neguse, Jason Crow, Lauren Boebert, John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, Ken Buck, Jon Hamm, Scarlett Johansen, Colin Jost, Elena Schneider, Tim Walz, Dick Wadhams, Corey Lewandowski, Dudley Brown, Arthur Sulzberger, Peter Baker and Howard Stern. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/16/fashion/weddings/elena-schneider-eli-stokols.html   Stokols wrote the explosive Politico Magazine story titled “The Petty Feud Between the NYT and the White House.” In it, Stokols identified petty disputes between Biden-Harris and the highest echelons of the New York Times and how it led to caricatures of our President as he ran against Trump. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/25/new-york-times-biden-white-house-00154219   Published right before the wacky weekend, which includes the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Eli Stokols even had President Joe Biden responding with jabs about doing interviews with "strong, independent journalists who millions of people actually listen to... like Howard Stern." Eli Stokols helped make that laugh line happen. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/joe-biden-howard-stern-interview-hillary-clinton-1235887751/   Stokols has fond memories of Colorado and political controversies in the Centennial State. Now, Eli Stokol's beat remains the White House, where he co-authors the West Wing Playbook for Politico. Stokols studied history at Cal-Berkeley, where he also was a varsity baseball pitcher. He went to Columbia for graduate school. Protests on those campuses get our attention. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook

Today - We turn our focus to a recent event in Naturita, where U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper held a listening session on the proposed Dolores Canyons National Monument. This proposal, put forth by conservation organizations, aims to protect approximately four-hundred thousand acres near the Dolores River as a national monument, citing the need to safeguard the area from climate change, mining, and development.Support the show: https://www.montrosepress.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brett gives his thoughts on the mountain of taxpayer money being sent overseas and how that affects us, domestically, in terms of rising taxation, inflation, and overall devaluation of the dollar.  We are completely unrepresented by our elected officials across both sides of the aisle and there seems to be no end in sight for this scandalous money laundering operation that is the Ukraine war. Connect with Brett on Facebook, Instagram, & X @BPOP80Watch full length episodes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@brettpopishBe sure to rate this podcast on whatever platform you're listening on and remember #BeDEFIANT#OwnYourFuture

This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast...we have a special interview-only episode with the man who was the first guest on the original show way back in May 2016. You know him as Denver's Mayor, Colorado's Governor, and now a United States Senator: John Hickenlooper is back on the pod! You don't want to miss this interview... 

Rundown -    Shad Murib - 08:19   Troubadour Dave Gunders - 01:36:50   "If God Was Watching" by Dave Gunders - 01:53:53   Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's Speech - 01:57:52   Find out why Colorado Dems elected this dynamic leader. Murib grew up in Littleton, Colorado, the son of Arab Lebanese immigrants. Murib learned valuable life lessons growing up in his south Denver suburb, especially when his sibling announced as a lesbian. Murib is a proud progressive.   As a Democratic stalwart with talent, Shad Murib has worked for and with Senator John Hickenlooper, Colorado AG Phil Weiser and Colorado Governor Jared Polis. He's married to former State Senator Kerry Donovan and they were married by their friend and political colleague, State Senator Dylan Roberts.    We find out about the Copper Bar Ranch that Shad and Kerry own and run high up in Edwards, Colorado. They raise Scottish Highland cattle and wait till you hear the taste described, especially the tenderloin. Stress-free ethical slaughter makes the taste difference. Hear it explained at the end. https://www.thecopperbarranch.com/   This name-dropping episode features further mentions of Colorado's top elected officials with a special shout-out to Rep. Jason Crow and Senator Michael Bennet for their dedication to trying to protect freedom in Ukraine. The host and guest salute the performance of President Biden too, standing up to Putin, Trump and the GOP.   Colorado Republican Chair Dave Williams gets discussed, including his taunts at his party chair counterpart. When MAGA goes low, Shad Murib responds with winning policies, strategies and powerful responses. The process in the Colorado CD4 special election necessitated by Rep. Ken Buck's resignation is thoroughly explained.   Murib intends for Democrats to be competitive in every part of Colorado including CD5. What will the impact be of Trump's endorsements of Boebert (CD4) and Dave “Let's Go Brandon” Williams in CD5? The connections of Putin to Trump to MAGA-GOQP gets reviewed with Murib worried about fascism.   Shad Murib goes on Fox News and will debate any semi-honest broker, but we discuss how far gone Twitter (X) is now with Elon Musk platforming the likes of Alex Jones. Modern media get discussed as do conflicts amongst Dems at the Colorado Capitol.   DA races are partisan in Colorado as are Sheriff races. Dems need to compete smarter and harder especially with disingenuous MAGA law enforcers refusing to enforce gun laws like Red Flag which they do not like. Local races are big, but the huge political issue is Trump v the rest of us. Dems must lead us now. ​​ https://www.coloradodems.org/   Troubadour Dave Gunders provides a lively conversation about the NYC trial delay. He also loved the SOU by POTUS. His song, If G-d was Watching is aimed at MAGA-GOP-type hypocrites who make money off of Big Lies like Big Con Don, the MAGA-GOQP nominee. https://soundcloud.com/dave-gunders/7-if-god-was-watching   The Craig Silverman Show - Every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Colorado time

A cidade de Aurora, no Colorado, vivia uma vida normal no ano de 1993, até Nathan Dunlap ser contratado como cozinheiro na rede de fast food chamada "Chuck E Cheese". Ninguém poderia imaginar que Nathan planejaria uma vingança após ser demitido. ➡️ Conhecia esse caso? Quer aparecer em um episódio do Fábrica? É muito simples! Basta mandar uma mensagem de áudio por direct no Instagram ⁠@podcastfabricadecrimes⁠ nós só publicaremos com a autorização. Vamos amar ter você por aqui :) Hosts: ⁠@mari.hos⁠t e ⁠@rob.host⁠ Editor: ⁠@ovitovitovito Fontes: The Denver Post, U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear death-penalty appeal of Aurora Chuck E. Cheese killer Nathan Dunlap, disponível aqui. The Denver Post, Slaughter in Aurora: The victims, disponível aqui. National Gun Violence Memorial, Marge Kohlberg, 50 anos, disponível aqui. Superinteressante, 10 (outras) fobias muito estranhas, disponível em: https://super.abril.com.br/coluna/superlistas/10-outras-fobias-muito-estranhas Psicologia-Online, Pediofobia: significado, sintomas, causas e tratamento, disponível em: https://br.psicologia-online.com/pediofobia-significado-sintomas-causas-e-tratamento-1035.html PsicologiaDiz, PEDIOFOBIA: MEDO DE BONECOS (CAUSAS E SINTOMAS), disponível em: https://psicologiadiz.com/clinica/pediofobia-medo-de-bonecos-causas-e-sintomas/ ABC News, Aurora's Other Massacre Victims' 20-Year Wait for Justice, disponível em: https://abcnews.go.com/US/auroras-massacre-victims-20-year-wait-justice/story?id=16847013 The Colorado Sun, He survived the Aurora Chuck E. Cheese shooting 25 years ago. A possible death penalty repeal is bringing it all back up, disponível em: https://coloradosun.com/2019/03/05/bobby-stephens-nathan-dunlap-death-penalty-colorado/ FindLaw, People vs. Dunlap (1999), disponível em: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/co-supreme-court/1386758.html CNN, Election results favor Colorado death row inmate, disponível em: https://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/31/us/death-row-stories-dunlap/index.html Murderpedia, Nathan Jared Dunlap, disponível em: https://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/dunlap-nathan.htm 5820 Magazine, The Politics of Killing, disponível em: https://www.5280.com/the-politics-of-killing/ Chuck E. Cheese, International Master & Multi-Unit Franchises Available, disponível em: https://franchise.chuckecheese.com/?_gl=1%2Ac6vhgl%2A_ga%2AMjEwNzY2MzIwNC4xNzAwNzA1NjI1%2A_ga_LE0S0X1MSC%2AMTcwMDcwNTYyNC4xLjEuMTcwMDcwNTczNi4wLjAuMA..&_ga=2.225444824.394435282.1700705625-2107663204.1700705625 The Washington Post, Chuck E. Cheese parent company files for bankruptcy, disponível em: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/06/25/chuck-e-cheese-bankruptcy-coronavirus/ U.S. Census Bureau, Population of the 100 Largest Urban Places:  1990, disponível em: https://www2.census.gov/library/working-papers/1998/demographics/pop-twps0027/tab22.txt The Denver Post, It's death for Dunlap, disponível em: https://www.denverpost.com/2013/02/21/its-death-for-dunlap/ Westword, Nathan Dunlap: Mom of victim Ben Grant latest to call for killer to die, disponível: https://www.westword.com/news/nathan-dunlap-mom-of-victim-ben-grant-latest-to-call-for-killer-to-die-5845709 Drauzio Varella, TOD: ENTENDA O QUE É O TRANSTORNO OPOSITOR DESAFIADOR, disponível em: https://drauziovarella.uol.com.br/pediatria/tod-entenda-o-que-e-o-transtorno-opositor-desafiador/ The Denver Post, Another appeal denied in Chuck E. Cheese killings, disponível em: https://www.denverpost.com/2007/05/14/another-appeal-denied-in-chuck-e-cheese-killings/ The Denver Post, Judge to decide Nathan Dunlap's execution date in May, disponível em: https://www.denverpost.com/2013/04/12/judge-to-decide-nathan-dunlaps-execution-date-in-may/ Westword, John Hickenlooper gives Nathan Dunlap reprieve from death but doesn't grant clemency, disponível em: https://www.westword.com/news/john-hickenlooper-gives-nathan-dunlap-reprieve-from-death-but-doesnt-grant-clemency-5850509 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fabricadecrimes/message

Mark Barabak, the veteran political reporter and columnist for the L.A. Times, has just helmed a six-part series analyzing the political evolutions across the New West - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon.  In this conversation, Mark talks his recent series, touches on the politics in all six of these states, and breaks down what it says about the trajectory of the region and the impact on the national landscape. He also mines his reporter's notebook to talk some of his favorite stories and personalities from 35+ years covering politics.IN THIS EPISODEMark talks how he was drawn to working in political journalism...The one state Mark hasn't covered yet...What led Mark to helm his recent series on the New West...The biggest surprise in the recent political evolution of the West...How much remains of the historical, libertarian political character of the West...How Cindy McCain has recently played an important symbolic role in Arizona politics...Mark on Governor Jared Polis and political trajectory of Colorado...Why emigration from California is not helping Republicans in the rest of the region...Mark talks the importance of Latino voters in the West...Mark's take on what it would take for Republicans to finally break through in Oregon...What Bend, OR reveals about politics in the state...How resilient is Democratic strength in the West if the party moves more to the left...How Bill Clinton muscled California into becoming a safe Democratic state...The anecdote Mark has waited 30 years to use...Mark recalls the importance of the Berman/Waxman So Cal "machine" and Northern CA's Burton "machine"...Mark's memories covering Nancy Pelosi's political career from her very first race in the 80s...Mark weighs in on the '24 California open Senate seat...The most charismatic politicians Mark has seen over the years...AND 801 Chophouse, accelerants, Joe Biden, Barbara Boxer, Harry Britt, broad libertarian streaks, Pat Brown, Ron Brown, Willie Brown, bundling, Sala Burton, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, California tattoos, criminal malpractice, Gray Davis, Michael Dukakis, election deniers, John Emerson, extractive industries, fingertip sensitivity, Diane Feinstein, Greek Lit, Kamala Harris, Peter Hart, John Hickenlooper, the hoi polloi, Mark Kelly, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Kari Lake, Adam Laxalt, Barbara Lee, Mel Levine, Bill Lunch, Maricopa County, Blake Masters, Leo McCarthy, Narragansett, Grover Norquist, Tip O'Neill, Mike Ovitz, Leon Panetta, Pablo Picasso, Katie Porter, RINOs, Ronald Reagan, Dick Riordan, Brian Sanderoff, Adam Schiff, John Seymour, Derek Shearer, Bob Shrum, sourdough bread, unhelpful quotes, Pete Wilson...& more!

Matt and Nic return for a big week of news and deals. In this episode:  Has there been a vibe shift?  Sen Tillis and Hickenlooper introduce the PROOF Act Is there a lack of crypto-native auditors?  Liz Warren's plan to interfere with crypto audits  What's going on with the WSJ, Warren's letter, and Hamas' crypto donations?  The WSJ is refusing to update their claims  ETF momentum is picking up  What explains the move in Bitcoin this week?  SBF is going to testify  Content mentioned:  Sen. Tillis' office, The PROOF Act introduced Jeff John Roberts in Fortune, The Wall Street Journal and Liz Warren double down on the Hamas crypto canard Nic's WSJ/Hamas bounty campaign Elliptic, Setting the record straight on crypto crowdfunding by Hamas Elizabeth Warren letter to the White House   Sponsor notes:  Coin Metrics STATE OF THE NETWORK — Navigating the Liquidity Landscape: Insights into Digital Asset Markets  In Coin Metrics State of the Network Issue 230, we examine trends in liquidity and volume across centralized and decentralized exchanges

Do you hate hidden hotel, housing, airline, ticketing, banking, and other corporate fees? Do you want Congress to do something about them? In this episode, learn about the wide range of unreasonable fees being reported to Congress during hearings and examine what proposals could have bipartisan support. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Contribute monthly or a lump sum via Support Congressional Dish via (donations per episode) Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Background Sources Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes FTC Authority Ronald Mann. Apr 23, 2021. SCOTUSblog. Supreme Court of the United States. April 22, 2021. Junk Fee Overview Ashish A. Pradhan. May 19, 2023. The National Law Review. Will Kenton. January 24, 2023. Investopedia. Brian Deese et al. October 26, 2022. White House Briefing Room Blog. October 20, 2022. Federal Trade Commission. Brian Canfield et al. July 7, 2021. Institute for Policy Integrity, NYU School of Law. Internet *Federal Communications Commission Healthcare August 8, 2022. Federal Trade Commission. Banking/Payments Lindsey D. Johnson. July 26, 2023. Consumer Bankers Association. July 11, 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Newsroom. Offices of Consumer Populations and Markets. May 23, 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. October 26, 2022. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Newsroom. September 28, 2022. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Newsroom. August 16, 2022. Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. August 16, 2022. U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Joe Valenti. March 30, 2022. * Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Blog. January 26, 2022. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Newsroom. December 7, 2020. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Newsroom. December 28, 2018. Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Housing July 19, 2023. White House Briefing Room. March 14, 2023. National Consumer Law Center. Jennifer Ludden. January 13, 2023. WBUR. Airlines Reid Bramblett. Frommer's. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher. Mar 7, 2023. Forbes. U.S. Department of Transportation. U.S. Department of Transportation. December 13, 2022. U.S. Department of Transportation. November 2022. Statista. Rosie Spinks. June 1, 2018. Quartz. May 2011. Jones Day. Hotels November 17, 2021. Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Christina Jelski. Mar 12, 2021. Travel Weekly. November 28, 2012. The Federal Trade Commission. Ticketing June 20, 2018. U.S. House of Representatives. Anne Bucher. June 13, 2018. Top Class Actions. “Susan Wang and Rene' Lee v. StubHub, Inc. Case” [No. CGC-18-564120]. The Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco. Cars June 23, 2022. Federal Trade Commission. Laws Bills Audio Sources July 26, 2023 Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection Witnesses: Attorney General, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Director of Housing Advocacy, Atlanta Legal Aid Society Manager Director, Patomak Global Partners Clips Michelle Henry: In the consumer finance space, we recently filed a multi-state lawsuit against Mariner Finance, a Wall Street private equity-owned installment lender. Our lawsuit alleges that Mariner charged consumers junk fees for hidden add-on products that consumers either did not know about or did not agree to buy. These hidden add-on products, such as credit insurance and auto clubs, are typically low- or no-value products. Consumers left Mariner believing that they had entered into an agreement to borrow and repay over time a certain amount of money. In reality, because of these hidden junk fees, Mariner added hundreds to thousands of dollars to the total amount a consumer owed. The cost of the junk fees is staggering. For a random sample of loans originated in Pennsylvania in December of 2020, Mariner charged each consumer an average of $1,085 in junk fees for an average of $3,394 in cash borrowed. Michelle Henry: We also had a significant junk fee settlement in 2018 with Wells Fargo. This settlement stemmed from Wells charging its auto finance customers millions in junk fees. Despite evidence that many customers already had the required car insurance, Wells improperly charged more than 2 million accounts for force-placed insurance. To resolve the multi-state action, Wells agreed to pay states $575 million. Michelle Henry: In 2021, we announced the landmark junk fee settlement with Marriott International. For many years, travelers had been misled by the published rates offered by hotels for a night stay, only later to be hit with the mandatory resort fees when they were checking in. Thanks to our settlement, Marriott now has a policy in place to be upfront and transparent in the disclosure of mandatory fees, including resort fees, as part of the total price of a hotel stay, allowing consumers to compare total costs for hotels and find the one that is the best fit for them. Marriott was the first hotel chain to formally commit to the upfront disclosure of resort fees as part of the initial advertised price. We hope others will follow. Michelle Henry: In the end, what we are fighting here for is basic fairness and transparency. When consumers are shopping online or in person, they deserve to understand what a loan, a house, or a vacation will cost and exactly what key terms they're agreeing to. At the same time, all businesses deserve to compete on an even playing field, where the price is the price with no hidden surprise fees. Lindsey Siegel: My name is Lindsay Siegel and I'm the Director of Housing Advocacy at Atlanta Legal Aid, which provides free civil legal services to families with low incomes in the metro Atlanta area. Today, I will focus on the rental housing market and how predatory and hidden rental fees gouge families living in poverty and make their rent even more unaffordable than it already is. Miss Dixon is a single mother who found an online listing for an apartment in the fall of 2020. The advertisement said it rented for $1,400 per month. It did not list any other monthly fees she would be required to pay. She applied and paid $525 through the landlord's online portal, which covered her $50 application fee, a $175 moving fee, and a $300 screening fee, all of which were non-refundable. She was not able to see the lease or the apartment she'd be renting, but she knew if she did not pay sight unseen she would lose the apartment. And when her application was approved a few weeks later, the landlord charged her another $200 approval fee. She finally received and signed a copy of her lease just two days before she was slated to move in. It was 50 pages long and contained to eight different addenda. She had expected to pay her rent and for water. She didn't expect to be responsible for a package locker fee, a trash removal fee, a separate valet trash fee, a pest control fee, a technology package fee, an insurance fee, and a credit reporting fee. When the fees added up, $83 had been tacked on to her monthly rent. And to make matters worse, Miss Dixon's landlord did not accept the rent by cash, check, or money order. When she paid through the landlord's online portal she was charged another $72-per-payment convenience fee. The low income renters Atlanta Legal Aid represents have an extreme power imbalance with their landlords. The high demand for rental housing, especially at the more affordable end of the market, makes some landlords believe they can easily get away with unfair and deceptive lease terms and rental practices. The bait and switch Miss Dixon experienced where the landlord advertise the rent as one price only to raise it much higher with junk fees after she had spent hundreds of dollars up front is a far too common practice of many investor landlords in the Atlanta area. Low income renters like Miss Dixon become trapped. She couldn't afford to walk away from a predatory lease two days before she was supposed to move in, even if she realized it would be unaffordable. Of particular concern are the use of high application fees. They often far exceed the cost of running a report, and most renters have to pay them several times before finding a home to rent. We've heard reports that some institutional landlords even collect application fees after they've found a renter for an available home. Brian Johnson: The focus of the President's initiative has been on applying political pressure to companies to induce them to change their fee disclosure practices. In the process, the White House and supporting agencies have dismissed broad categories of fees as junk without ever providing any consistent definition of the term, which has created uncertainty as to which fees can be assessed by institutions without undue reputational or regulatory risk. Brian Johnson: The CFPB has been the most enthusiastic among regulators in heeding the President's call, indiscriminately attacking a growing list of common financial service fees, no matter that they are lawful and fully disclosed. Brian Johnson: The agency has publicly hectored companies about deposit account fees and used the implied threat of investigation to induce such companies to abandon these legal fees. Further, in addressing other fees, the CFPB appears appears to have violated its own regulations and laws governing how agencies proffer rules by disguising interpretive rules as policy statements in bulletins and issuing circulars that function as legislative rules. In another instance, under the guise of interpretation, the CFPB read a word into a statute to achieve its desired policy outcome. In still another, the agency treats the rulemaking process as a foregone conclusion, acting as though a still proposed rule has already taken effect, signaling that the agency has no interest in considering public comments, establishing an adequate evidentiary basis to support its conclusions, or considering potential changes to improve the rule. These examples demonstrate an abuse of power and the agency's disregard for process and the limits placed on it. Moreover, the CFPB's behavior subverts the authority of Congress to oversee the agency and legislate the legality of fees in our financial marketplace. Simply put, it's not playing by the rules. Lindsey Siegel: So I think the federal government does have a role to play. The CFPB could create best practices, investigate junk fees further -- especially those being charged for tenant screening reports -- could bring enforcement actions against debt collectors that engage in collection practices that violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in their collection of rental debt especially includes collection of junk fees. And certainly, you know, HUD could further study and address the disproportionate impact of these practices on renters and rental applicants of color. Lindsey Siegel: Tenants living in Atlanta have a very hard time finding a rental, finding a home, that's not owned by a corporate landlord at this point. They have bought up many properties in the Atlanta area and they always seem to be working in lockstep so that once one institutional landlord is charging a certain kind of fee then another one tends to charge it as well. Just one example of this is the proliferation of landlords charging for insurance fees, and often tenants will think that these are renters insurance because they're often called renter's insurance. But it's not like traditional renter's insurance that protects the renter and their property if it's destroyed. What it does is protect the landlord and doesn't really provide a benefit to tenants at all. And we've seen that proliferate with investor landlords in particular. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): I can't imagine any reasonable member of Congress not saying, "I want the person to know what their financial obligation is when they sign an instrument, not after they read page 10 in the fine print." Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): I'm less caught up in whether or not a trash collection fee is appropriate or not, and more caught up in, does that renter know at the point in time they're signing a lease what they're expected to pay every month? Michelle Henry: We often see things bleed over state lines and boundaries, as you are well aware, and so it's important that we work together to enforce these matters. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA): How often do these kinds of cases cross state lines? And would having federal standards against these types of hidden fees make these cases easier to bring? Michelle Henry: Almost always. And I think that's critical. Where we have been most successful is joining with our fellow states, other attorneys general, partnering with them, and including the CFPB. In December of 2020, the CFPB, with all 50 states and the District of Columbia, filed enforcement action against Nationstar mortgage, again for deceptive practices, for not being transparent when they were servicing borrowers mortgages, and as a result of that joint effort we were able to obtain a settlement of $73 million and brought aid to 40,000 borrowers. Michelle Henry: You know, the reality is a lot of times consumers get misled. So they start, they're looking on the internet, they're trying to do due diligence and look for the best price, whether it's for a hotel, a vacation, and they're in there examining it, and they get led to a certain area of a certain website thinking that's the best price. And they go down this rabbit hole where they have no idea at the end of it that the price they thought they were going to pay for a hotel stay with their family is actually far larger because of fees that they weren't prepared, were not properly advised of, and at that point, they're so far in or they never discover it. So no, I don't think they understand exactly what to be aware of. We're trying to do our best to educate but far more work needs to be done, and I applaud this committee for working on it. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA): If more federal agencies had the authority to address these hidden fees, how would that affect your office's capacity? Michelle Henry: It would help tremendously. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA): Thank you so very much. Michelle Henry: If history is any lesson, we know that they can't be trusted to act in the best interest of consumers on their own. Look, they're in the business of making money for their shareholders and we need robust consumer protection rules and enforcement to ensure that. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): So what we're talking about here is not the "what," it's the "how." And I for one do not think that the regulator's who have demonstrated pushing the boundaries of their authority, giving them more authority is a good idea if we're coming up with a real bipartisan sustainable solution. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): The problem we have here too, when we transfer power out of Congress to another branch, yes, that changes every four years or so. So you may be thrilled with a regulatory regimen that comes out from the CFBP today, but because of the way they behaved, it'd be one of the first things I would work to repeal if the administration changed and withdraw it. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): I'd like to submit for the record a letter from the Consumer Bankers Association on the subject. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC): Mr. Johnson, can you talk about the effect of the method that the CFPB is using to go after this and the impact that it can have, the negative implications that has? Is the CFPB's tendency to name and shame business institutions to avoid certain practices or adopt new ones effective regulation? They're not really thinking through the full impact and all the potential unintended consequences. Can you think of any example under this current leadership of the CFPB where they have taken that into consideration? Can you speak a little bit about the efforts and the length the CFPB goes in an effort to avoid judicial review and skirt the APA process? June 8, 2023 Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security Witnesses: Chief Executive Officer, National Consumers League Bruce Greenwald Professor of Business, Marketing Division, Columbia Business School George Mason University Foundation Professor of Law, Antonin Scalia School of Law, George Mason University Clips 21:35 Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO): Simply put, these are fees that are disclosed to a consumer midway through or at the end of a transaction, or they're fees that serve no tangible purpose for a consumer, like a processing fee, and that they are mandatory or unavoidable. 28:00 Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): The way I look at this issue, and the way many Tennesseans look at it, is this is another way for the FTC, the CFPB, DoT, and all these regulators to clamp down on businesses and try to micro manage businesses. 30:42 Dr. Vicki Morwitz: as a strategy where firms decide to divide a product's price into two or more mandatory parts, a base price for the main product and one or more mandatory surcharges, rather than charging a single all-inclusive price. For example, many hotels have a mandatory fee on top of the daily room rate. These are sometimes called resort fees, or facility fees, or destination fees and can range from $20 to over $50 a night. And many rental car agencies assess several mandatory fees on top of the daily rental rate, such as concession recovery fees, customer facility fees, energy recovery fees, and vehicle licensing fees. 31:20 Dr. Vicki Morwitz: In general, what research on partition pricing has shown is that when firms separate out mandatory surcharges consumers tend to underestimate the total price they'll have to pay and they're often more likely to complete the purchase. 31:50 Dr. Vicki Morwitz: With drip pricing, firms advertise only part of our products' price upfront and reveal other charges later, as shoppers go through the buying process. Drip fees can be mandatory or can be for optional items, but for today's testimony I'll focus on the dripping of mandatory surcharges. Drip pricing is commonly used in industries like the cable TV and the ticketing industries. When a consumer shops for a TV-Internet bundle from a cable television provider, they may first see an attractive base price offer for the bundle, but later learn there are also broadcast TV fees, set top box fees, regional sports fees, and TV connection fees that raise the price considerably. And a consumer shopping for a ticket for a live event, like a concert, a play, or a baseball game, typically first sees the price for different seats in the venue. After selecting a seat, as the consumer clicks through more webpages, they may come to learn there's also a mandatory booking fee, ticketing fee, venue fee, and delivery fee, even when the tickets are delivered electronically. Eventually, they see a total price that may be much higher than the first price they saw and they may be under time pressure to complete the purchase, as there might be a countdown clock that indicates they have to complete their purchase in just a few minutes. Or they may be told there's only two seats left at that price. 33:00 Dr. Vicki Morwitz: What research has shown is that when surcharges are dripped, consumers end up being more likely to buy a product that appears cheaper upfront based only on the base price, but that's more expensive and total given the drip fees. Consumers also tend to buy more expensive products than they otherwise would, such as a seat closer to the stage for a live event. 35:00 Dr. Vicki Morwitz: These policies will benefit consumers if they require that upfront stated prices must be all-inclusive. In other words, all mandatory fees must be included in the total price and that the total price should be seen upfront. This is what academic research suggests will be most beneficial to consumers. 39:20 Dr. Todd Zywicki: Everybody knows bags fly free on Southwest, everybody knows bags don't fly free on the legacy airlines, everybody knows there's going to be a fee for for bags on the other airlines and the like. Maybe there's ways you can disclose it, but nobody's fooled at this point. 42:45 Sally Greenberg: If consumers hate junk fees so much, why do companies large and small increasingly impose them? The answer is, unsurprisingly, because they are a substantial profit center. 43:20 Sally Greenberg: Late payment fees charged by banks and credit cards cost American families an estimated $12 billion annually. These fees, which can be as much as $41 for each Late Fee Payment, far exceed the cost to the issuer for processing and do little to deter future delinquent payments. 43:40 Sally Greenberg: Airlines are also poster children for junk fees. Globally, revenue from junk fees, ancillary fees in airline speak, brought in $102.8 billion in 2022. To put this in perspective, junk fees last year made up 15% of global airline revenues, compared to 6% only 10 years ago. 44:00 Sally Greenberg: Anyone who buys tickets to a concert or sporting event is well acquainted with the myriad fees. They're added at the end of the ticket buying process. We have the example that you showed, Senator Hickenlooper. Primary and secondary market ticketing companies charge service fees, order processing fees, delivery fees and other charges that increased ticket prices on average 27% for the primary market and 31% for the secondary market. 45:05 Sally Greenberg: Junk fees themselves are anti-competitive. They make comparing prices more difficult, distorting well functioning marketplaces. Honest entrepreneurs who invest in their businesses, innovate, and strive to create better value for their customers lose business. Action to address the consumer and competitive harm created by junk fees is urgently needed. 45:30 Sally Greenberg: First, we would urge you to support S. 916. It's the Junk Fee Prevention Act, which would require some of the worst abusers of junk fees to display the full price of services upfront, and they would bar excessive fees and ensure transparency. Second, we ask that Congress restore the FTC's ability to obtain strong financial penalties from wrongdoers. The Supreme Court, in 2021, overturned AMG Capital Management v. FTC, wiping out a critical enforcement tool for the commission. S. 4145, which is the Consumer Protection Remedies Act, would restore that ability to impose monetary relief to the commission. And finally, Congress must not allow businesses that trap consumers with unfair and deceptive fees to escape accountability through fine print in their contracts. To that end, we're proud to support S. 1376, the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act, which would prohibit pre-dispute arbitration agreements from being enforceable if they require arbitration in employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights disputes 44:35 Sally Greenberg: Renters, for example, tend to have lower incomes than those who own their homes. These consumers are also some of the most preyed upon by abusive junk fees. A 2022 survey conducted by Consumer and Housing Advocates found that 89% of landlords imposed some rental application fees[[ clare, 8/7/2023 2:09 PM couldn't find this specific survey]], nearly as many renters paid excessive late fees and they also get hit with utility, administrative, convenience, insurance, and notice fees. 51:30 Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): I'm not hearing from Tennesseans about junk fees. They're just not talking about. They are talking about real economic harm. And I think for some it's been kind of perplexing that we would focus on this issue. I even had one Tennessean say, "Well, what exactly is a junk fee? And what are the economic harms that come to people for fees for discretionary services?" 53:20 Dr. Todd Zywicki: I can't see any reason why people who pay their credit cards on time should have to subsidize people who pay their credit cards late. The evidence is clear on this from the that if you reduce late fees, more people pay late. The makes clear that if you reduce late fees, everybody ends up paying higher interest rates and, and lower income and higher risk borrowers get less access to credit. So most of what we see in the market is efficient. It prevents cross consumer subsidies and a lot of these things that are labeled as junk fees are actually just efficient multi-part pricing. 1:00:30 Dr. Vicki Morwitz: When a larger firm, or really any firm, uses hidden fees or surcharges, it doesn't only hurt consumers, but it hurts well intentioned, honest competitors like many of our country's small businesses that you're talking about. So when a larger firm makes salient a lower base price and only puts in small print or only reveals at the end of the shopping process that there are additional mandatory fees, their product offerings may appear, at least at first, to be cheaper than those of say a small business, an honest competitor who uses all inclusive prices, whose prices at least at first then, will appear more expensive, even if they're actually cheaper in total when the hidden fees of the large firm are added in. Now, research shows this is going to lead consumers to be more likely to even first consider the products and services of the larger firm who uses hidden surcharges because their products seem cheaper. In other words, their supposed low prices draw consumers in. But then having first consider their products consumers will also be more likely to stick with that firm and ultimately purchase their products, even when they're more expensive in total with the fees. So these hidden fees, they don't only hurt consumers by leading them to make purchases that are against their own self interest, but it also hurts honest competitors who are using transparent pricing practices. 1:04:10 Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN): One area of this high excessive fees is ticketing. We had the hearing earlier this year with the president of Live Nation/ Ticketmaster, and other witnesses and as you are aware, the facts are quite startling. It's being reviewed by the Justice Department, including 90% monopoly on ticketing for major NFL, NHL events, 80% for major arena events, and 70% monopoly when it comes to all ticketing. In addition to that, Ticketmaster now owns a number of venues and also locks in a number of other venues that they don't own with their services for in excess of seven years, which is a subject of a bill that Senator Blumenthal and I have introduced, because this locking in makes for even less competition. And then finally, Live Nation promotes the act. So it's like a three cornered monopoly. 1:12:30 Sally Greenberg: Yes, you may know that you have a baggage fee, but there are many people who are older, who have disabilities, who may have children with them; they cannot be carrying their bags onto the airplane. So they are forced to eat the cost of a $35 fee, something that used to be free before, and has jammed our airplanes full of luggage up top, creating hazards for flight attendants as well. 1:13:55 Sally Greenberg: We certainly support the Good Jobs for Airports Act. I think many consumers had no idea that a lot of these workers were not making minimum wage[[ clare, 8/7/2023 2:08 PM couldn't find a source for this.]], were relying on tips. And many people who use the wheelchairs and the curbside baggage services did not know that people were living on tip wages and many people don't tip, as some of us who've been tipped workers know. Tipping is very up and down and certainly not a reliable source of income. So yes, we very much appreciate that legislation and it's long overdue. 1:21:20 Dr. Todd Zywicki: Junk fees is a meaningless term, but it's worse than meaningless. It's actually pernicious, which is that by sort of using this blanket conclusory label, it obscures the complexity of this, the difference between trip pricing, risk based pricing, multipart pricing, partition pricing, and that sort of thing, and it kind of sweeps into one bucket things that are legitimate, things that are aren't, things that might be partially legitimate. And now it's even got more confusing because if you look at the FTC rule, for example, on auto dealers, they take things like nitrogen filled tires, they charge more money for a claim that's a junk fee. The problem with that is not that it's a separate price for nitrogen filled tires. The problem, if there's a problem, is that nitrogen filled tires are garbage, right? There's nothing there. It doesn't matter whether it's disclosed separately or bundled in the price if it's a worthless product. And so when we talk about junk fees, we can end up confusing ourselves, lumping in things because we want to just apply this label to it, whereas I think it'd be much better to understand risk based pricing. What are things where they're pricing for something that you get no value from? What are the things where they're pricing things simply to extract wealth from consumers and the like? Executive Producer Recommended Sources Music by Editing Production Assistance