Podcasts about lawmakers

In this episode we learn exactly what the title says. We wonder why the human services system is set up to dish money out as easily as a dog wags its tail. Lawmakers claim this way of conducting business opened the door to widespread massive fraud. We talked with Minnesota State Representative Patti Anderson whose committee assignments are as follows:Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight PolicyTaxesTransportation Finance and PolicySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hundreds of thousands of California families rely on federal housing assistance programs to make rent- you might know it as Section 8 vouchers. Based on their income, they'll pay a certain percentage of the rent and the government pays the rest. Recipients include seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and children. But the Trump administration is expected to introduce new rules to these programs in the coming months. Some lawmakers argue that could make assistance harder to access. Guest: Sharon Quirk-Silva, California State Assembly California's investing billions of dollars into a new grade for 4-year-olds called transitional kindergarten. But the state hasn't set aside any money to evaluate it. Reporter: Elly Yu, LAist On Wednesday, the city of Escondido in San Diego County will discuss a controversial contract that its police department has with the Department of Homeland Security. The contract allows federal agents to use a local gun range for 20 days a year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TODAY ON THE ROBERT SCOTT BELL SHOW: Glyphosate Bill Targets Trump EO, RFK Responds to Backlash, Beetroot Memory Boost, Mineral Crisis, Antimonium Sulphuratum Auratum, Are Liberals Really Liberals, Parental Intuition, Pandemic Parody, Glyphosate Detox Protocols, Listener Questions, and MORE! https://robertscottbell.com/glyphosate-bill-targets-trump-eo-maha-message-beetroot-memory-boost-mineral-crisis-antimonium-sulphuratum-auratum-liberalism-has-shifted-parental-instinct-science-next-hollywood-hero-glyphosat/ Purpose and Character The use of copyrighted material on the website is for non-commercial, educational purposes, and is intended to provide benefit to the public through information, critique, teaching, scholarship, or research. Nature of Copyrighted Material Weensure that the copyrighted material used is for supplementary and illustrative purposes and that it contributes significantly to the user's understanding of the content in a non-detrimental way to the commercial value of the original content. Amount and Substantiality Our website uses only the necessary amount of copyrighted material to achieve the intended purpose and does not substitute for the original market of the copyrighted works. Effect on Market Value The use of copyrighted material on our website does not in any way diminish or affect the market value of the original work. We believe that our use constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you believe that any content on the website violates your copyright, please contact us providing the necessary information, and we will take appropriate action to address your concern.

Minneapolis police think a man who fatally shot two of his cousins Monday afternoon on the city's northside was later killed in a confrontation with police in Brooklyn Center.Researchers at the University of Minnesota estimate that rent debt across the state has surged by an additional 30 to 50 million dollars since December.

Lawmakers from our region react to last night's State of the Union. You can literally see Great South Bay through a hole in the Fire Island Inlet bridge. A new survey has good news for Governor Lamont. Plus, what exactly is geothermal energy?

Dozens of Democrat Members of Congress are planning to boycott President Donald Trump's State of the Union address – it will be the largest SOTU boycott in U.S. history. Lawmakers such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Senator Chris Murphy, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, and others will attend other viewing events in protest. The Sekulow team discusses the planned boycott, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' comments, Trump's possible comments on the economy, foreign policy, and tariffs, the ACLJ's legal work – and much more.

We start with what to expect from President Donald Trump's State of the Union address tonight. Iranian officials weigh in on nuclear talks with the US ahead of a third round of negotiations this week. A Texas lawmaker is responding to calls to step down amid an alleged affair. We'll tell you why the death penalty case against Charlie Kirk's alleged shooter will continue. Plus, an airline in danger of going out of business just got a new lifeline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sens. Kamesha Mumford of Jackson and Justin Pope of Pope (yes, Pope) share their insight and experiences as freshmen lawmakers, at the halfway point of their first legislative session. The two say they've quickly realized legislating centers around relationships made at the Capitol and how one works with others.

WDAY First News anchors Scott Engen and and Lydia Blume break down your regional news and weather for Tuesday, February 24. InForum Minute is produced by Forum Communications and brought to you by reporters from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY TV. Visit https://www.inforum.com/subscribe to subscribe.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi admitted Tuesday that she distributed congratulatory gift catalogs to all lawmakers of her ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected in the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election.

Congress could soon be considering not just a new farm bill, but farm labor legislation.

Why L.A County's lead homelessness agency is behind on payments to homeless service providers. The Democratic lawmakers planning to boycott President Trump's State of the Union address. And how you can share photos of your rebuilding journey after last year's fires. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Read more from VPM News:  Data center tax break takes center stage in Virginia budget plans  General Assembly passes bill containing new congressional map, primary date  Charlottesville City Council tweaks zoning ordinance  On the agenda: It's budget season in Central Virginia    Other links:  Lawmakers question how Rosie's was approved to add more gambling machines in Richmond (The Richmonder)  RPD liaison, police discuss preventative measures after Shockoe Bottom shooting (WRIC)  A school suspended 323 students after ICE protest. They protested again. (The Washington Post)

New Mexico has formally established a truth and accountability commission to examine Jeffrey Epstein's activities within the state, focusing particularly on what occurred at his Zorro Ranch property near Santa Fe. Lawmakers and state officials moved to create the commission after years of criticism that allegations tied to the ranch were never aggressively pursued while Epstein was alive. The commission's mandate includes reviewing law enforcement records, victim complaints, prosecutorial decisions, and inter-agency communications to determine whether investigative opportunities were missed. It is also tasked with evaluating whether local, state, or federal authorities failed to act on credible reports connected to Epstein's presence in New Mexico. The formation of the commission reflects growing pressure from victims and advocacy groups who argue that the ranch was a significant operational hub that never received the scrutiny it warranted. Unlike prior fragmented reviews, this body is intended to conduct a comprehensive and public-facing examination. Its scope includes subpoena authority, witness testimony, and document analysis tied to Epstein's time in the state. Officials have framed the effort as an overdue reckoning rather than a symbolic gesture. The commission represents an acknowledgment that prior oversight may have been inadequate. At its core, it is an attempt to reconstruct what authorities knew, when they knew it, and why enforcement did not escalate.The creation of the commission stems directly from the perception that there was a profound lack of investigation both during Epstein's active years in New Mexico and in the immediate aftermath of his death. Despite persistent allegations and the visibility of Zorro Ranch, there were no sweeping state-level prosecutions tied specifically to conduct on the property. Critics argue that jurisdictional ambiguity between federal and local authorities allowed responsibility to diffuse rather than concentrate. After Epstein's 2019 arrest and subsequent death, calls intensified for a state-level inquiry into whether earlier complaints had been documented but not pursued. The commission is therefore positioned not only to examine Epstein's conduct but also to scrutinize institutional response failures. Its work may reveal whether resource limitations, deference to federal authorities, or other systemic weaknesses contributed to inaction. By reopening the record, New Mexico is signaling that unanswered questions about the ranch cannot remain dormant. The effort also reflects broader national skepticism about whether Epstein's network was fully examined anywhere it operated. In practical terms, the commission seeks to close investigative gaps that persisted for decades. In symbolic terms, it represents a state acknowledging that accountability mechanisms previously fell short.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Lawmakers want restrictions on artificial intelligence regarding Oklahoma's kids.The state's top prosecutor supports a rollback of federal environmental guidelines.Investigators are looking at human remains found on the University of Oklahoma campus.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.

Issues with CPS and the state foster care system are persistent. The West Virginia Legislature faces questions on how to correct the problems that arise every year. We spoke with Dels. Jonathan Pinson, R-Mason, and Hollis Lewis, D-Kanawha, on last week's The Legislature Today to get their take on the issue. The post Lawmakers Weigh In On Foster Care Needs, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

The Supreme Court's decision striking down the administration's tariff framework landed in the middle of a crowded stretch on Capitol Hill, where talks to end the DHS partial shutdown have turned to carving agencies out for standalone funding. Lawmakers are also weighing everything from reconciliation plans to aviation safety and the latest FISA fight. We break down what to watch in the days ahead with WTOP's Capitol Hill Correspondent, Mitchell Miller.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

February 22, 2026; 9am: Ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, joins “The Weekend” to discuss potential U.S. action against Iran and calls out President Trump for attempting to sidestep Congress in getting authorization for potential strikes, and calls on the president to brief lawmakers. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

During a Minnesota legislative hearing on age verification for adult websites, State Representative Leigh Finke argued that restricting minors' access to pornography could harm “queer kids” because such sites function as sex education.Yes — you heard that correctly.As a father and a legislator, I find that claim deeply alarming.Whatever your views on LGBTQ issues or sex education policy, one principle should unite every parent: pornography is not education, and children should not need access to it.So why would a lawmaker oppose age verification for porn sites on the grounds that kids need them?Let's break down exactly what was said, what it means, and why this debate matters for families in Minnesota and beyond.https://x.com/WalterHudson⬇️ Watch, think critically, and decide for yourself.

February 21, 2026; 9am: After former Prince Andrew's arrest for misconduct in public office, there are growing calls for accountability here in the United States over the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. This week, we got a look inside the deposition of Epstein's former billionaire benefactor, Les Wexner. The former CEO of Victoria's Secret testified behind closed doors to several Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, and Republican lawmakers did not attend. Congressman Suhas Subramanyam joins “The Weekend” to discuss. For more, follow us on social media: Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.social Instagram: @theweekendmsnow TikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This Day in Maine Friday, February 20th, 2026

Marco Rubio's Munich speech is filled with worldview lessons. The topic of antisemitism pops up at a Religious Liberty Commission hearing. And Colorado lawmakers introduce a proposal to legalize prostitution.    Recommendations  Ben Sasse interview  Segment 1 – Rubio Munich Speech  Rubio's Speech  It Was Said Podcast  Breakpoint article  Segment 2 – News Headlines  Controversy at Religious Liberty Commission  CO Sex Workers Bill  NY Times article on Marijuana  Segment 3 – Questions and Comments  Colson Fellows program   

Companies like Meta and other social platforms are facing serious scrutiny over the effects of social media on mental health, teens, misinformation, and society at large. Lawmakers are circling. Hearings are happening. Headlines are dramatic. But is this real regulatory momentum… or political theater? Joe and Robert debate: Whether meaningful regulation is actually possible What history tells us about tech antitrust moments And what marketers should prepare for if something does change Are we watching the beginning of a structural shift, or just another PR cycle? OpenAI Buys OpenClaw OpenAI makes another strategic move, acquiring OpenClaw. Smart vertical integration or signs of pressure? Joe and Robert explore: What this signals about OpenAI's long-term positioning If this move strengthens the moat or exposes vulnerability Desperate land grab or calculated chess move? Apple Moves into Video. Too Late? Apple continues expanding its footprint in video podcasts and entertainment. But in a world dominated by established streaming giants and creator-driven platforms, is Apple behind? The discussion covers: Apple's historical pattern of entering late and winning anyway Whether hardware advantage still matters If brand trust gives Apple an edge in a saturated market What this means for content creators and marketers Is Apple playing the long game… or missing the moment? Marketing Winners and Losers Winners Joe shares a win from Surfside and what "winning" looks like in Key West. Sometimes the lesson isn't scale. It's positioning, timing, and owning a moment. Losers Robert discusses the Ring backlash and how they just didn't read the room. Rants and Raves Robert's Rant The evolving role of the AI creator. Is the curator the new role? Joe's Rave Differentiation is not louder messaging. It's clearer identity. In a world drowning in synthetic sameness, the brands and creators who stand for something specific will win. As always, Joe and Robert cut through the noise so you can focus on what matters. Subscribe. Share. And don't miss this one. Subscribe and Follow: Follow Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose on LinkedIn for insights, hot takes, and weekly updates from the world of content and marketing.  ------- This week's sponsor: Did you know that most businesses only use 20% of their data? That's like reading a book with most of the pages torn out. Point is, you miss a lot. Unless you use HubSpot. Their customer platform gives you access to the data you need to grow your business. The insights trapped in emails, call logs, and transcripts.  All that unstructured data that makes all the difference. Because when you know more, you grow more. Visit https://www.hubspot.com/ to hear how HubSpot can help you grow better. ------- Get all the show notes: https://www.thisoldmarketing.com/ Get Joe's new book, Burn the Playbook, at http://www.joepulizzi.com/books/burn-the-playbook/ Subscribe to Joe's Newsletter at https://www.joepulizzi.com/signup/. Get Robert Rose's new book, Valuable Friction, at https://robertrose.net/valuable-friction/  Subscribe to Robert's Newsletter at https://seventhbearlens.substack.com/ ------- This Old Marketing is part of the HubSpot Podcast Network: https://www.hubspot.com/podcastnetwork

What links Bridget Jones to social media regulation?The answer: Baroness Beeban Kidron. In 2004 she directed the Bridget Jones sequal. 20 years later, she became one of the most vocal campaigners for regulation of social media and tech in the UK.She joins Nick in the Political Thinking studio to tell her story, from joining Marxist dinner parties in her childhood home, to filming and living with the protesters of Greenham Common in the 1980s.Today, she has strong words for Keir Starmer's government, and is pushing for law-changes from her seat in the House of Lords.Producers: Daniel Kraemer and Flora Murray Editor: Giles Edwards

Les Wexner, the 88-year-old billionaire founder and former CEO of L Brands — the retail empire that once included Victoria's Secret — sat for a closed-door deposition with the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee as part of the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's network. During the session, Wexner denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities, characterizing him as a “world-class con man” who deceived him and misused their relationship. Wexner acknowledged hiring Epstein in the late 1980s to manage his finances and giving him power of attorney, but insisted that their relationship ended around 2007 after he learned of Epstein's misconduct and alleged that Epstein stole from him. He also said he had only visited Epstein's private island once and maintained he had no involvement in or knowledge of Epstein's sex-trafficking crimes.Lawmakers on the committee, particularly House Democrats, were skeptical of Wexner's claims of ignorance and downplaying of their long association. They pointed to FBI and Justice Department files showing Wexner's name repeatedly in connection with Epstein and described him as a significant financial backer whose support helped Epstein gain wealth and connections. Some members of Congress also cited survivor allegations tying Wexner to locations where abuse occurred, and they challenged Wexner's assertions that he had no involvement or oversight of Epstein's activities. While the deposition offered Wexner a chance to address his role directly, it did not resolve lingering questions about the depth of his relationship with Epstein, and investigators continue to examine newly released documents and evidence.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

Former Los Angeles Assemblyman Ian Calderon made history in 2012, becoming the first millennial elected to the California State Assembly at age 27. He stepped away from politics in 2020 to focus on his growing family, and now at age 40 he is running for governor. He joins Marisa to frame his pitch to voters, casting himself as part of a new generation of leadership and calling for increased funding for education, expanded access to child care and greater government accountability. He also expressed support for cryptocurrency, suggesting the state invest in it as a way to help manage budget shortfalls.  This interview is part of a series of conversations with the 2026 gubernatorial candidates for California. The primary election is June 2. Check out ⁠⁠⁠Political Breakdown's weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawmakers are weighing legislation today that would prohibit 'Ultra Processed Foods', Holly and Greg discuss. 

Gov. Josh Green discusses Hawaiʻi's economy and reports about Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke's campaign contributions; Hawaiʻi Rep. Della Au Belatti is calling on Gov. Green to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate claims that an "influential state lawmaker" accepted $35,000

A Southern state has voted against transparency for college athletics compensation. Correspondent Gethin Coolbaugh reports.

Episode 456, including tracks from Riot City Radio, Lawmaker, Grade 2, Micah and The Mirrors, Brad Marino, The Melmacs, The Darts, Down Division, Safety Second, D.O.A., Battle Flask, Banda AL9, and The Sh-Booms. Eric adds his upcoming releases, but is unable to make it this episode. The episode is loaded with a bunch of new music shared with us, a great album, and wrap up the show with a couple indie rock and psych-funk tracks.

Host: Heidi HatchGuests: Maura Carabello, Exoro Group & John Dougall, Former State AuditorJudge's Ruling in Redistricting cases Federal District CourtUtah Supreme Court UFRG and Utah GOP surpass expectations, turn in 200K + signatures Current verified signatures 117,114 HB 575, Fuel Tax and Supply Amendments, Rep. Cal Roberts, R-Salt Lake New Gas Tax bill reduces rate by 6 cents a gallon, a 15.8% savings – well below below original 20 Cents a gallon Presser expected Monday: State Leaders to Announce Major Oil and Gas Supply, Water, and Refining Agreements HB 587, Income Tax Amendments, Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Salt Lake The bill reduces both the corporate and individual income tax rates from 4.5% to 4.45%. Immigration HB 88, Public Assistance Amendments, Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Davis Would prohibit undocumented immigrants from accessing state- and local-funded programs: nonemergency medical health care, local- or state-administered health care or health insurance, housing assistance, food assistance, cash benefits, tuition assistance. The bill also allows the public to sue state employees who intentionally ignore the law's requirement to present proof of lawful status to access certain services. HB 294, Employer Verification Amendments, Rep Tiara Auxier, R-Morgan Would require companies with 100 or more workers to use E-Verify (or similar programs) when hiring employees. Current law applies to companies with 150 or more workers. US conducts first air transport of nuclear microreactor in bid to show technology's viability Arrived at Hill Air Force Base via three Air Force C-17s, then transported to Utah San Rafael Energy Lab in Emery County.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for February 19, 2026. 0:30 The United States Department of Justice has joined a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District over a policy that categorizes schools by race and ties funding, smaller class sizes, and enhanced programs to race. We break down what this “PHBAO” classification means, why attaching benefits based on race raises serious Equal Protection concerns, and how the 14th Amendment applies when government actors sort students by skin color. Is this equity… or is it government-sponsored discrimination under a new acronym? 9:30 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Things You Need to Know. The Department of Transportation is ordering 550 truck driving schools across the country to close. It looks like the Chicago Bears are leaving Illinois for Indiana. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew is being investigated for suspicion of misconduct in office. 12:30 Get Prodovite Plus from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 13:00 Representative Ilhan Omar is back in the headlines — sans apple cider viegar— but this time it’s what she said at a recent town hall that has people talking.Omar suggested Democrats don’t just want to abolish ICE — they’re prepared to dismantle the entire United States Department of Homeland Security. We unpack what that would actually mean, the political strategy behind it, and the bigger question: what does “law and order” mean in today’s America? 16:00 We got a question in for our American Mamas Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burelson. If you could rub a magic lamp and get just one wish for America — what would it be? From the days of three-network news to today’s explosion of social media platforms like X, the Mamas reflect on how information — and misinformation — shapes division in our country. They talk about the pandemic years, shadow bans, competing narratives, and the challenge of figuring out what’s actually true in a world where everyone has a microphone. But the conversation goes deeper than media. It’s about friendships strained over politics, assumptions made about neighbors, and how quickly labels replace relationships. When did who you vote for become more important than who you are? And how do we get back to a place where disagreement doesn’t mean disdain? It’s an honest, heartfelt discussion about truth, unity, and loving people even when you don’t share their politics — a reminder that restoring America might start with a little more light… and a lot more grace. If you'd like to ask our American Mamas a question, go to our website, AmericanGroundRadio.com/mamas and click on the Ask the Mamas button. 23:00 New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani built his campaign on a simple, viral promise: only the “uber wealthy” would pay more. Not you. Not your neighbor. Just the fat cats, the yacht crowd, the so-called one percent. But now? The Mamdani is floating a nearly 10% property tax hike — and that doesn’t just land on penthouse owners. It hits homeowners, retirees on fixed incomes, small landlords, and yes, renters, because higher property taxes don’t stay put. They trickle down into higher rents and higher costs for everyone. So what happened to “only the wealthy will pay”? We dig into how big spending promises — free programs, expanded benefits, sweeping commitments — eventually collide with math. When the tax base shrinks and high earners relocate, who makes up the difference? 26:00 Colorado just lost its largest corporation. Palantir Technologies — the $300+ billion AI firm that moved from Silicon Valley to Denver in 2020 citing cultural differences with Big Tech — has now packed up again, relocating its headquarters to Miami. The move follows months of protests outside its Denver offices over its contracts with the Israeli military and federal agencies like ICE, along with growing regulatory pressure from Colorado’s new AI law. So why leave? And why Florida? We break down whether this is about taxes, regulation, activist pressure, or a broader shift as companies seek business-friendly, right-to-work states. As America’s economy evolves, Palantir’s exit raises a bigger question: which vision of governance will win the future of growth? 32:00 Get TrimROX from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 32:30 A tragic shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink is raising disturbing questions. Authorities say the gunman, Robert Dorgan, allegedly targeted his ex-wife, their son, and members of her family during a high school hockey game — and that this was not random, but deliberate. Reports indicate there had been long-standing family conflict, including disputes over his transgender identity and a divorce that followed. As more details emerge, the story becomes even more heartbreaking: a fractured family, mental health concerns, and a violent act that devastated multiple lives in a single moment. We examine what’s known about the case, the role family estrangement may have played, and the broader cultural tensions surrounding gender identity, media coverage, and mental health. Most importantly, we ask the difficult question: how do we recognize warning signs and prevent tragedies like this before they happen? 35:30 Sometimes the left tries so hard to make a point… that they end up making the conservative argument for us. Case in point: columnist Jill Filipovic recently argued that if gender-affirming surgeries for minors are banned, then all cosmetic surgeries for minors — nose jobs, breast augmentations, and the like — should be banned too (with exceptions for true medical necessity). Well… yes. We unpack how that statement actually reinforces a broader concern many conservatives have been raising: maybe we shouldn’t be encouraging cosmetic alterations for children at all. Maybe we shouldn’t be over-sexualizing teenagers. Maybe we shouldn’t be permanently altering bodies that haven’t fully developed. We also look at the cultural pressure to “fix” perfectly healthy bodies — from Hollywood cautionary tales like Jennifer Grey to today’s social media-driven beauty standards — and ask whether our society is sending young people the wrong message about identity and self-worth. At the heart of it all is a bigger question: instead of telling kids there’s something wrong with their bodies, should we be teaching them they were created with purpose and value just as they are? 39:30 Kansas lawmakers have drawn a clear line. After the legislature passed a bill defining sex in state law as biological sex at birth, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly vetoed it. Lawmakers responded by overriding her veto — and now the measure is officially the law in Kansas. To wrap up today's show we unpack the political showdown, the cultural debate behind it, and the broader question of identity in today’s America. We also reflect on a simple but powerful idea echoed by voices like Sophia Loren and Oscar Wilde: real confidence comes from being comfortable in your own skin. At the end of the day, the conversation turns to purpose, design, and the belief that we are not accidents — that we are created intentionally and with value. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Articles Police asking Andrew's protection officers what 'they saw or heard' as part of Epstein files review AI giant Palantir moves its headquarters to Florida as tech company exodus continues Palantir, controversial data company tied to ICE, CIA, multiple countries' militaries, leaving Denver for Miami Goodbye, and Good Riddance: Palantir Technologies Has Left Denver INGERSOLL: No ‘Boob Jobs’ For 16-Year-Olds: The Latest Absurd Argument In Support Of Child Sex Changes See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Changes to Indiana's bail system will be on the ballot in November, as lawmakers seek to broaden a judge's authority to deny bail. Lawmakers create a Stadium Finance Authority to help secure a possible new home for the Chicago Bears. Cambodian national Lorth Sim dies in ICE custody at the Miami Correctional Facility. Host Jill Sheridan is joined by Republican Chris Mitchem, Political Analyst Elise Shrock, Niki Kelly of the Indiana Capital Chronicle, and Laura Merrifield Wilson of the University of Indianapolis to debate and discuss this week's top stories.

Legislators have begun the arduous work of dealing with an avalanche of bills that must be considered by the end of the Oklahoma legislative session in May.

Melissa Lavasani & Jay Kopelman join our podcast to discuss how psychedelic policy is actually moving in Washington, DC. Lavasani leads Psychedelic Medicine Coalition, a DC-based advocacy organization focused on educating federal officials and advancing legislation around psychedelic medicine. Kopelman is CEO of Mission Within Foundation, which provides scholarships for veterans and first responders seeking psychedelic-assisted therapy retreats, often outside the United States. The conversation centers on veterans, the VA, and why that system may be the first realistic federal pathway for psychedelic care. Early Themes Lavasani describes PMC's work on Capitol Hill, including hosting events that bring lawmakers, staffers, and advocates into the same room. Her focus is steady engagement. In DC, progress often happens through repeated conversations, not headlines. Kopelman shares his background as a Marine and how his own psychedelic-assisted therapy experience led him to Mission Within. The foundation has funded more than 250 scholarships for veterans and first responders seeking treatment for PTSD, mild traumatic brain injury, depression, and addiction. They connect this work to pending veteran-focused legislation and explain why the VA matters. As a closed health system, the VA can pilot programs, gather data, and refine protocols without the pressures of private healthcare markets. Core Insights A recent Capitol Hill gathering, For Veteran Society, brought together members of Congress and leaders from the psychedelic caucus. Lavasani describes candid feedback from lawmakers. The message was clear: coordinate messaging, avoid fragmentation, and move while bipartisan interest remains. Veteran healthcare is not framed as the final goal. It is a starting point. If psychedelic therapies can demonstrate safety and effectiveness within the VA, broader adoption becomes more plausible. Kopelman raises operational realities that must be addressed: Standardized safety protocols across providers Integration support, not medication alone Clear training pathways for clinicians Real-world data beyond tightly screened clinical trials They also address recent negative headlines involving ibogaine treatment abroad. Kopelman emphasizes the need for shared learning across providers, especially when adverse events occur. Lavasani argues that inconsistency within the ecosystem can slow federal confidence. Later Discussion and Takeaways The discussion widens to federal momentum around addiction and mental health. Lavasani notes that new funding initiatives signal growing openness to innovative treatment models, even if psychedelics are not named explicitly in every announcement. Both guests stress that policy moves slowly by design. Meetings, follow-ups, and relationship building often matter more than public statements. For clinicians, researchers, operators, and advocates, the takeaways are direct: Veterans are likely the first federal pathway Public education remains essential Safety standards must be shared and transparent Integration and workforce development need attention now If psychedelic medicine enters federal systems, infrastructure will determine success. Frequently Asked Questions What do Melissa Lavasani & Jay Kopelman say about VA psychedelic policy? They argue that veteran-focused legislation offers a realistic first federal pathway for psychedelic-assisted care. Is ibogaine currently available through the VA? No. They discuss ibogaine in the context of private retreats and future possibilities, not an existing VA program. Why do Melissa Lavasani & Jay Kopelman emphasize coordination? Lawmakers respond more positively when advocates present aligned messaging and clear priorities. What safety issues are discussed by Melissa Lavasani & Jay Kopelman? They highlight the need for standardized screening, monitoring, integration support, and transparent review of adverse events. Closing Melissa Lavasani & Jay Kopelman provide a grounded look at how psychedelic policy develops inside federal systems. Their message is practical: veterans may be the first lane, but long-term success depends on coordination, safety standards, and sustained engagement. Closing This episode captures a real-time view of how federal policy could shape the next phase of the psychedelic resurgence, especially through veteran-facing legislation and VA infrastructure. Melissa Lavasani & Jay Kopelman argue that coordination, public education, and shared safety standards will shape whether access expands with credibility and care. Transcript Joe Moore: [00:00:00] Hello everybody. Welcome back to Psychedelics Today. Today we have two guests, um, got Melissa Sani from Psychedelic Medicine Coalition. We got Jake Pelman from Mission Within Foundation. We're gonna talk about I bga I became policy on a recent, uh, set of meetings in Washington, DC and, uh, all sorts of other things I'm sure. Joe Moore: But thank you both for joining me. Melissa Lavasani: Thanks for having us. Jay Kopelman: Yeah, it's a pleasure. Thanks. Joe Moore: Yeah. Um, Melissa, I wanna have you, uh, jump in. First. Can you tell us a little bit about, uh, your work and what you do at PMC? Melissa Lavasani: Yeah, so Psychedelic Medicine Coalition is, um, the only DC based Washington DC based advocacy organization dedicated to the advancing the issue of psychedelics, um, and making sure the federal government has the education they need, um, and understands the issue inside out so that they can generate good policy around, around psychedelic medicines. Melissa Lavasani: [00:01:00] Uh, we. Host Hill events. We host other convenings. Our big event every year is the Federal Summit on psychedelic medicine. Um, that's going to be May 14th this year. Um, where we talk about kinda the pressing issues that need to be talked about, uh, with government officials in the room, um, so that we can incrementally move this forward. Melissa Lavasani: Um, our presence here in Washington DC is, is really critical for this issue's success because, um, when we're talking about psychedelic medicines, um, from the federal government pers perspective, you know, they are, they are the ones that are going to initiate the policies that create a healthcare system that can properly facilitate these medicines and make sure, um, patient safety is a priority. Melissa Lavasani: And there's guardrails on this. And, um, you know, there, it's, it's really important that we have. A home base for this issue in Washington DC just [00:02:00] because, uh, this is very complicated as a lot of your viewers probably understand, and, you know, this can get lost in the mix of all the other issues that, um, lawmakers in DC are focused on right now. Melissa Lavasani: And we need to keep that consistent presence here so that this continues to be a priority for members of Congress. Joe Moore: Mm. I love this. And Jay, can you tell us a bit about yourself and mission within Foundation? Jay Kopelman: Yeah, sure. Joe, thanks. Uh, I, I am the CEO of Mission within Foundation. Prior to this, most of my adult life was spent in the military as a Marine. Jay Kopelman: And I came to this. Role after having, uh, a psychedelic assisted therapy experience myself at the mission within down in Mexico, which is where pretty much we all go. Um, we are here to help [00:03:00] provide, uh, access for veterans and first responders to be able to attend psychedelic assisted therapy retreats to treat issues like mild TBI, post-traumatic stress disorder, uh, depression, sometimes addiction at, at a very low level. Jay Kopelman: Um, and, and so we've, we've been doing this for a little more than a year now and have provided 250 plus scholarships to veterans and first responders to be able to access. These retreats and these, these lifesaving medicines. Um, we're also partnered, uh, you may or may not know with Melissa at Psychedelic Medicine Coalition to help advance education and policy, specifically the innovative, uh, therapy Centers of Excellence Act [00:04:00] that Melissa has worked for a number of years on now to bring to both Houses of Congress. Joe Moore: Thank you for that. Um, so let's chat a little bit about what this event was that just, uh, went down, uh, what, what was it two weeks ago at this point? Melissa Lavasani: Yeah. Yeah. It's called For Veteran Society and it's all, um, there's a lot of dialogue on Capitol Hill about veterans healthcare and psychedelics, but where I've been frustrated is that, you know, it was just a lot of. Melissa Lavasani: Talk about what the problems are and not a lot of talk about like how we actually propel things forward. Um, so it, at that event, I thought it was really important and we had three members of Congress there, um, Morgan Latrell, who has been a champion from day one and his time in Congress, um, having gone through the experience himself, um, [00:05:00] at Mission within, um, and then the two chairs of the psychedelic caucus, uh, Lou Correa and Jack Bergman. Melissa Lavasani: And we really got down to the nitty gritty of like w like why this has taken so long and you know, what is actually happening right now? What are the possibilities and what the roadblocks are. And it was, I thought it was a great conversation. Um, we had an interesting kind of dynamic with Latres is like a very passionate about this issue in particular. Melissa Lavasani: Um, I think it was, I think it was really. A great event. And, you know, two days later, Jack Bergman introduced his new bill for the va. Um, so it was kind of like the precursor to that bill getting introduced. And we're just excited for more and more conversations about how the government can gently guide this issue to success. Joe Moore: Hmm. Yeah. [00:06:00] That's fantastic. Um, yeah, I was a little bummed I couldn't make it, but next time, I hope. But I've heard a lot of good things and, um, it's, it sounded like there was some really important messages in, in terms of like feedback from legislators. Yeah. Yeah. Could you speak to that? Melissa Lavasani: Yeah, I mean, I think when, uh, representative Latrell was speaking, he really impressed on us a couple things. Melissa Lavasani: Um, first is that, you know, they really kind of need the advocates to. Coordinate, collaborate and come up with like a, a strategic plan, you know, without public education. Um, talking to members of Congress about this issue is, is really difficult. You know, like PMC is just one organization. We're very little mission within, very little, um, you know, we're all like, kind of new in navigating, um, this not so new issue, but new to Washington DC [00:07:00] issue. Melissa Lavasani: Um, without that public education as a baseline, uh, it's, it's, you have to spend a lot of time educating members of Congress. You know, that's like one of our things is, you know, we have to, we don't wanna tell Congress what direction to go to. We wanna provide them the information so they understand it very intimately and know how to navigate through things. Melissa Lavasani: Um, and secondly. Um, he got pretty frank with us and said, you know, we've got one cha one chance at this issue. And it's like, that's, that's kind of been like my talking point since I started. PMC is like, you have a very limited window, um, when these kind of issues pop up and they're new and they're fresh and you have a lot of the veteran community coming out and talking about it. Melissa Lavasani: And there's a lot of energy there. But now is the time to really move forward, um, with some real legislation that can be impactful. Um, but, you know, we've gotta [00:08:00] be careful. We, we forget, I think sometimes those of us who are in the ecosystem forget that our level of knowledge about these medicines and a lot of us have firsthand experience, um, with these drugs and, and our own healing journeys is, um, we forget that there is a public out there that doesn't have the level of knowledge that we all have. Melissa Lavasani: And, um. We gotta make sure that we're sticking to the right elements of, of, of what needs to happen. We need to be sure that our talking points are on track and we're not getting sideways about anything and going down roads that we don't need to talk about. It's why, um, you know, PMC is very focused on, um, moving forward veteran legislation right now. Melissa Lavasani: Not because we're a veteran organization, but because we're, we see this long-term policy track here. Um, we know where we want to get [00:09:00] to, um. Um, and watching other healthcare issues kind of come up and then go through the VA healthcare system, I think it's a really unique opportunity, um, to utilize the VA as this closed system, the biggest healthcare system in the country to evaluate, uh, how psychedelics operate within systems like that. Melissa Lavasani: And, you know, before they get into, um, other healthcare systems. What do we need to fix? What do we need to pay attention to? What's something that we're paying too much attention to that doesn't necessarily need that much attention? So it's, um, it's a real opportunity to look at psychedelic medicines within a healthcare system and obviously continue to gather the data. Melissa Lavasani: Um, Bergman's Bill emerging, uh, expanding veteran access to emerging treatments. Um, not only mandates the research, it gives the VA authority for this, uh, for running trials and, and creating programs around psychedelic medicines. But also, [00:10:00] one of the great things about it, I think, is it provides an on-ramp for veterans that don't necessarily qualify for clinical trials. Melissa Lavasani: You know, I think that's one of the biggest criticisms of clinical trials is like you're cre you're creating a vacuum for people and people don't live in a vacuum. So we don't necessarily know what psychedelics are gonna look like in real life. Um, but with this expanding veteran access bill that Bergman introduced, it provides the VA an opportunity to provide this access under. Melissa Lavasani: Um, in a, in a safe container with medical supervision while collecting data, um, while ensuring that the veteran that is going through this process has the support systems that it needs. So, um, you know, I think that there's a really unique opportunity here, and like Latrell said, like, we've got one shot at this. Melissa Lavasani: We have people's attention in Congress. Um, now's the time to start acting, and let's be really considerate and thoughtful about what we're doing with it. Joe Moore: Thanks for that, Melissa and Jay, how, [00:11:00] anything to add there on kind of your takeaways from the this, uh, last visit in dc? Jay Kopelman: Yeah, I, I think that Melissa highlighted it really well and there, there were a couple other things that I, I think, you know, you could kind of tie it all together with some other issues that we face in this country, uh, and that. Jay Kopelman: Uh, representative Correa brought up as well, but one of the things I wanted to go back and say is that veterans have kind of led this movement already, right? So, so it's a, it's a good jumping off point, right? That it's something people from both sides of the aisle, from any community in America can get behind. Jay Kopelman: You know, if you think about it, uh, in World War ii, you know, we had a million people serving our population was like, not even 200 million, but now [00:12:00] we have a population of 330 million, and at any given time there might be a million people in uniform, including the Reserve and the National Guard. So it's, it, it's an easy thing to get behind this small part of the population that is willing to sign that contract. Jay Kopelman: Where you are saying, yeah, I'm going to defend my country, possibly at the risk of my l my own life. So that's the first thing. The other thing is that the VA being a closed health system, and they don't have shareholders to answer to, they can take some risks, they can be innovative and be forward thinking in the ways that some other healthcare systems can't. Jay Kopelman: And so they have a perfect opportunity to show that they truly care for their veterans, which don't, I'm not saying they don't, but this would be an [00:13:00] opportunity to show that carrot at a whole different level. Uh, it would allow them to innovate and be a leader in something as, uh, as our friend Jim Hancock will say, you know. Jay Kopelman: When he went to the Naval Academy, they had the world's best shipbuilding program. Why doesn't the VA have the world's best care program for things like TBI and PTSD, which affects, you know, 40 something percent of all veterans, right? So, so there's, there's an opportunity here for the VA to lead from the front. Jay Kopelman: Um, the, these medicines provide, you know, reasonably lasting care where it's kind of a one and done. Whereas with the current systems, the, you know, and, and [00:14:00] again, not to denigrate the VA in any way, they're doing the best job they can with the tools in their toolbox, right? But maybe it's time for a trip to Home Depot. Jay Kopelman: Let's get some new tools. And have some new ways of fixing what's broken, which is really the way of doing things. It's not, veterans aren't broken, we are who we are. Um, but it's a, it's a way to fix what isn't working. So I, I think that, you know, given there's tremendous veteran homelessness still, you know, addiction issues, all these things that do translate to the population at large are things that can be worked on in this one system, the va that can then be shown to have efficacy, have good data, have [00:15:00] good outcomes, and, and take it to the population at large. Joe Moore: Mm-hmm. Brilliant. Thanks for that. And so there was another thing I wanted to pivot to, which is some of the recent press. So we've, um, seen a little bit of press around some, um, in one instance, some bad behavior in Mexico that a FI put out Americans thrive again, put out. And then another case there was a, a recent fatality. Joe Moore: And I think, um, both are tragic. Like we shouldn't be having to deal with this at this point. Um, but there's a lot of things that got us here. Um, it's not necessarily the operator's fault entirely, um, or even at all, honestly, like some medical interventions just carry a lot of risk. Like think, think about like, uh, how risky bypass surgery was in the nineties, right? Joe Moore: Like people were dying a lot from medical interventions and um, you know, this is a major intervention, uh, ibogaine [00:16:00] and also a lot of promise. To help people quite a bit. Um, but as of right now, there's, there's risk. And part of that risk, in my opinion, comes from the inability of organizations to necessarily collaborate. Joe Moore: Like there's no kind of convening body, sitting in the middle, allowing, um, for, and facilitating really good data sharing and learnings. Um, and I don't, I don't necessarily see an organization stepping up and being the, um, the convener for that kind of work. I've heard rumors that something's gonna happen there, and I'm, I'm hopeful I'll always wanna share my opinion on that. Joe Moore: But yeah. I don't know. Jay, from your perspective, is there anything you want to kind of speak to about, uh, these two recent incidents that Americans for Iboga kind of publicized recently? Jay Kopelman: Yeah, so I, I'll echo your sentiment, of course, that these are tragic incidents. Um, and I, [00:17:00] I think that at least in the case of the death at Ambio, AMBIO has done a very good job of talking about it, right? Jay Kopelman: They've been very honest with the information that they have. And like you said, there are risks inherent to these medicines, and it's like anything else in medicine, there are going to be risks. You know, when I went through, uh, when I, when I went through chemo, you know, there were, there are risks. You know, you don't feel well, you get sick. Jay Kopelman: Um, and, and it. There are processes in place to counter that when it happens. And there are processes and, and procedures and safety protocols in place when caring for somebody going through an ibogaine [00:18:00] journey. Uh, when I did it, we had EKG echocardiogram. You're on a heart monitor the entire time they push magnesium via iv. Jay Kopelman: You have to provide a urinalysis sample to make sure that there is nothing in your system that is going to potentially harm you. During the ibogaine, they have, uh, a cardiologist who is monitoring the heart monitors throughout the ibogaine experience. So the, the safety protocols are there. I think it's, I think it's just a matter of. Jay Kopelman: Standardizing them across all, all providers, right? Like, that would be a good thing if people would talk to one another. Um, as, as in any system, right? You've gotta have [00:19:00] some collaboration. You've gotta have standardization, you know, so, you know, they're not called standard operating procedures for nothing. Jay Kopelman: That means that in a, you know, in a given environment, everybody does things the same way. It's true in Navy and Marine Corps, air Force, army Aviation, they have standard operating procedures for every single aircraft. So if you fly, let's say the F 35 now, right? Because it's flown by the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Air Force. Jay Kopelman: The, the emergency procedures in that airplane are standardized across all three services, so you should have the same, or, you know, with within a couple of different words, the same procedures and processes [00:20:00] across all the providers, right? Like maybe in one document you're gonna change, happy to glad and small dog to puppy, but it's still pretty much the, the same thing. Jay Kopelman: And as a service that provides scholarships to people to go access these medicines and go to these retreats, you know, my criteria is that the, this provider has to be safe. Number one, safety's paramount. It's always gotta be very safe. It should, it has to be effective. And you know, once you have those two things in place, then I have a comfort level saying, okay, yeah, we'll work with this provider. Jay Kopelman: But until those standardized processes are in place, you'll probably see these one-off things. I mean, some providers have been doing this longer than others and have [00:21:00] really figured out, you know, they've, they've cracked the code and, you know, sharing that across the spectrum would be good. Um, but just when these things happen, having a clearing house, right, where everybody can come together and talk about it, you know, like once the facts are known because. Jay Kopelman: To my knowledge, we still don't know all the facts. Like as, you know, as horrible as this is, you still have to talk about like an, has an autopsy been performed? What was found in the patient's system? You know, there, there are things there that we don't know. So we need to, we need to know that before we can start saying, okay, well this is how we can fix that, because we just don't know. Jay Kopelman: And, you know, to their credit, you know, Amio has always been safe to, to the, to the best of my knowledge. You know, I, [00:22:00] I haven't been to Ambio myself, but people that I have worked with have been there. They have observed, they have seen the process. They believe it's safe, and I trust their opinion because they've seen it elsewhere as well. Jay Kopelman: So yeah, having, having that one place where we can all come together when this happens, it, it's almost like it should be mandatory. In the military when there's a training accident, we, you know, we would have to have what's called a safety standout. And you don't do that again for a little while until you figure out, okay, how are we going to mitigate that happening again? Jay Kopelman: Believe me, you can go overboard and we don't want to do that. Like, we don't wanna just stop all care, but maybe stop detox for a week and then come back to it. [00:23:00] Joe Moore: Yeah. A dream would be, let's get like the, I don't know, 10, 20 most popular, uh, or well-known operators together somewhere and just do like a three day debrief. Joe Moore: Hey, everybody, like, here's what we see. Let's work on this together. You know how normal medicine works. And this is, it's hard because this is not necessarily, um, something people feel safe about in America talking about 'cause it's illicit here. Um, I don't understand necessarily how the operations, uh, relate to each other in Mexico, but I think that's something to like the public should dig into. Joe Moore: Like, what, what is this? And I, I'll start digging into that. Um, I, I asked a question recently of somebody like, is there some sort of like back channel signal everybody's using and there's no clear Yes. You know? Um, I think it would be good. That's just a [00:24:00] start, you know, that's like, okay, we can actually kind of say hi and watch out for this to each other. Jay Kopelman: It's not like we don't all know one another, right? Joe Moore: Yes. Jay Kopelman: Like at least three operators we're represented. At the Aspen Ibogaine meeting. So like that could be, and I think there was a panel kind of loosely related to this during Aspen Ibogaine meeting, but Joe Moore: mm-hmm. Jay Kopelman: It, you know, have a breakout where the operators can go sit down and kind of compare notes. Joe Moore: Right. Yeah. Melissa, do you have any, uh, comments on this thread here? And I, I put you on mute if you didn't see that. Um, Melissa Lavasani: all right, I'm off mute. Um, yeah, I think that Jay's hits the nail on the head with the collaboration thing. Um, I think that it's just a [00:25:00] problem across the entire ecosystem, and I think that's just a product of us being relatively new and upcoming field. Melissa Lavasani: Um, uh, it's a product of, you know. Our fundraising community is really small, so organizations feel like they are competing for the same dollars, even though their, their goals are all the same, they have different functions. Um, I think with time, I mean, let's be honest, like if we don't start collaborating and, and the federal government's moving forward, the federal government's gonna coordinate for us. Melissa Lavasani: And not, that might not necessarily be a bad thing, but, you know, we understand this issue to a whole other level that the federal government doesn't, and they're not required to understand it deeply. They just need to know how to really move forward with it the proper way. Um, but I think that it. It's really essential [00:26:00] that we all have this come together moment here so we can avoid things. Melissa Lavasani: Uh, I mean, no one's gonna die from bad advocacy. So like I've, I have a bit of an easier job. Um, but it can a, a absolutely stall efforts, um, to move things forward in Washington DC when, um, one group is saying one thing, another group is saying another thing, like, we're not quite at a point yet where we can have multiple lines of conversation and multiple things moving forward. Melissa Lavasani: Um, you know, for PMC, it's like, just let's get the first thing across the finish line. And we think that is, um, veteran healthcare. And, um, I know there's plenty of other groups out there that, that want the same thing. So, you know, I always, the reason why I put on the Federal Summit last year was I kind of hit my breaking point with a lack of collaboration and I wanted to just bring everyone in the same room and say like, all right, here are the things that we need to talk about. Melissa Lavasani: And I think the goal for this year is, um. To bring people in the same room and say, we talked about [00:27:00] we scratched the surface last year and this is where we need to really put our efforts into. And this is where the opportunities are. Um, I think that is going to, that's going to show the federal government if we can organize ourselves, that they need to take this issue really seriously. Melissa Lavasani: Um, I don't think we've done a great job at that thus far, but I think there's still plenty of time for us to get it together. Um, and I'm hoping with these two, uh, VA bills that are in the house right now and Senate is, is putting together their version of these two bills, um, so that they can move in tandem with each other. Melissa Lavasani: I think that, you know, there's an opportunity here for. Us to show the federal government as an ecosystem, Hey, we, we are so much further ahead and you know, this is what we've organized and here's how we can help you, um, that would make them buy into this issue a bit more and potentially move things forward faster. Melissa Lavasani: Uh, at this point in time, it's, I think that, [00:28:00] you know, psychedelics aren't necessarily the taboo thing that they, they used to be, but there's certainly places that need attention. Um, there's certainly conversations that need to be had, and like I said, like PMC is just one organization that can do this. Um, we can certainly organize and drive forward collaboration, but I, like we alone, cannot cover all this ground and we need the subject matter experts to collaborate with us so we can, you know, once we get in the door, we wanna bring the experts in to talk to these officials about it. Melissa Lavasani: So I. I, I really want listeners to really think about us as a convener of sorts when it comes to federal policy. Um, and you know, I think when, like for example, in the early eighties, a lot of people have made comparisons to the issue of psychedelics to the issue of AIDS research and how you have in a subject matter that's like extremely taboo and a patient population that the government [00:29:00] quite honestly didn't really care about in the early eighties. Melissa Lavasani: But what they did as an ecosystem is really organized themselves, get very clear on what they wanted the federal government to do. And within a matter of a couple years, uh, AIDS research funding was a thing that was happening. And what that, what that did was that ripple effect turned that into basically finding new therapies for something that we thought was a death, death sentence before. Melissa Lavasani: So I think. We just need to look at things in the past that have been really successful, um, and, and try to take the lessons from all of these issues and, and move forward with psychedelics. Joe Moore: Love that. And yes, we always need to be figuring out efficient approaches and where it has been successful in the past is often, um, an opportunity to mimic and, and potentially improve on that. Melissa Lavasani: Yeah. Jay Kopelman: One, one thing I think it's important to add to this part of the conversation is that, [00:30:00] you know, Melissa pointed out there are a number of organizations that are essentially doing the same thing. Jay Kopelman: Um, you know, I like to think we do things a little bit differently at Mission within Foundation in that we don't target any one specific type of service member. We, we work with all veterans. We work with first responders, but. What that leads to is that there are, as far as I've seen, nothing but good intentioned people in this space. Jay Kopelman: You know, people who really care about their patient population, they care about healing, they are trying to do a good job, and more importantly, they're trying to do good. Right? It, it, I think they all see the benefit down the road that this has, [00:31:00] pardon me, not just for veterans, but for society as a whole. Jay Kopelman: And, and ultimately that's where I would like to see this go. You know, I, I would love to see the VA take this. Take up this mantle and, and run with it and provide great data, great outcomes. You know, we are doing some data collection ourselves at Mission within foundation, albeit anecdotal based on surveys given before and after retreats. Jay Kopelman: But we're also working with, uh, Greg Fonzo down at UT Austin on a brain study he's doing that will have 40 patients in it when it's all said and done. And I think we have two more guys to put through that. Uh, and then we'll hit the 40. So there, there's a lot of good here that's being done by some really, really good people who've been doing this for a long time [00:32:00] and want to want nothing more than to, to see this. Jay Kopelman: Come to, come full circle so that we can take care of many, many, many people. Um, you know, like I say, I, I wanna work myself out of a job here. I, I just, I would love to see this happen and then I, you know, I don't have to send guys to Mexico to do this. They can go to their local VA and get the care that they need. Jay Kopelman: Um, but one thing that I don't think we've touched on yet, or regarding that is that the VA isn't designed for that. So it's gonna be a pretty big lift to get the right types of providers into the va with the knowledge, right, with the institutional knowledge of how this should be done, what is safe, what is effective, um, and then it, it's not just providing these medicines to [00:33:00] people and sending them home. Jay Kopelman: You don't just do that, you've gotta have the right therapists on the backend who can provide the integration coaching to the folks who are receiving these medicines. And I'm not just talking, I bga, even with MDMA and psilocybin, you should have a proper period of integration. It helps you to understand how this is going to affect you, what it, what the experience really meant, you know, because it's very difficult sometimes to just interpret it on your own. Jay Kopelman: And so what the experience was and what it meant to you. And, and so it will take some time to spin all that up. But once it's, once it's in place, you know, the sky's the limit. I think. Joe Moore: Kinda curious Jay, about what's, what's going on with Ibogaine at the federal level. Is there anything at VA right now? [00:34:00] Jay Kopelman: At the va? No, not with ibogaine. And, you know, uh, we, we send people specifically for IBOGAINE and five MEO, right? And, and so that, that doesn't preclude my interest in seeing this legislation passed, right? Jay Kopelman: Because it, it will start with something like MDMA or psilocybin, but ultimately it could grow to iboga, right? It the think about the cost savings at, at the va, even with psilocybin, right? Where you could potentially treat somebody with a very inexpensive dose of psilocybin or, or iboga one time, and then you, you don't have to treat them again. Jay Kopelman: Now, if I were, uh, you know, a VA therapist who's not trained in psychedelic trauma therapy. I might be worried [00:35:00] about job security, but it's like with anything, right? Like ultimately it will open pathways for new people to get that training or the existing people to get that training and, and stay on and do that work. Jay Kopelman: Um, which only adds another arrow to their quiver as far as I'm concerned, because this is coming and we're gonna need the people. It's just like ai, right? Like ai, yeah. Some people are gonna lose some jobs initially, and that's unfortunate. But productivity ultimately across all industries will increase and new jobs will be created as a result of that. Jay Kopelman: I mean, I was watching Squawk Box one morning. They were talking about the AI revolution and how there's gonna be a need for 500,000 electricians to. Build these systems that are going to work with the AI [00:36:00] supercomputers and, and so, Joe Moore: mm-hmm. Jay Kopelman: Where, where an opportunity may be lost. I think several more can be gained going forward. Melissa Lavasani: And just to add on what Jay just said there, there's nothing specific going on with Ibogaine at, at the va, but I think this administration is, is taking a real look at addiction in particular. Uh, they just launched, uh, a new initiative, uh, that's really centered on addiction treatments called the Great American Recovery. Melissa Lavasani: And, um, they're dedicating a hundred million dollars towards treating addiction as like a chronic treatable disease and not necessarily a law enforcement issue. So, um, in that initiative there will be federal grant programs for prevention and treatment and recovery. And, um, while this isn't just for psychedelic medicines, uh, I think it's a really great opportunity for the discussion of psychedelics to get elevated to the White House. Melissa Lavasani: Um, [00:37:00] there's also, previous to this announcement last week from the White House, there's been a hundred million dollars that was dedicated at, um, at ARPA h, which is. The advanced research projects, uh, agency for healthcare, um, and that is kind of an agency that's really focused on forward looking, um, treatments and technologies, uh, for, um, a, a whole slew of. Melissa Lavasani: Of issues, but this a hundred million dollars is dedicated to mental health and addiction. So there's a lot of opportunity there as well. So we, while I think, you know, some people are talking about, oh, we need a executive order on Iboga, it's like, well, you know, the, the president is thinking, um, about, you know, what issues can land with his, uh, voting block. Melissa Lavasani: And I think it's, I don't think we necessarily need a specific executive order on Iboga to call this a success. It's like, let's look at what, [00:38:00] um, what's just been announced from the White House. They're, they're all in on. Thinking creatively and finding, uh, new solutions for this. And this is kind of, this aligns with, um, HHS secretaries, uh, Robert F. Melissa Lavasani: Kennedy Junior's goals when he took on this, this role of Health Secretary. Um, addiction has been a discussion that, you know, he has personal, um, a personal tie to from his own experience. And, um, I think when this administration started, there was so much like fervor around the, the dialogue of like, everyone's talking about psychedelics. Melissa Lavasani: It was Secretary Kennedy, it was, uh, secretary Collins at the va. It was FDA Commissioner Marty Macari. And I think that there's like a lot of undue frustration within folks 'cause um, you don't necessarily snap your fingers and change happens in Washington dc This is not the city for that. And it's intentionally designed to move slow so that we can avoid really big mistakes. Melissa Lavasani: Um. [00:39:00] I think we're a year into this administration and these two announcements are, are pretty huge considering, um, you know, the, we, there are known people within domestic policy council that don't, aren't necessarily supportive of psychedelic medicine. So there's a really amazing progress here, and frustrating as it might be to, um, just be waiting for this administration to make some major move. Melissa Lavasani: I think they are making major moves like for Washington, DC These, these are major moves and we just gotta figure out how we can, um, take these initiatives and apply them to the issue of psychedelic medicines. Joe Moore: Thanks, Melissa. Um, yeah, it is, it is interesting like the amount of fervor there was at the beginning. You know, we had, uh. Kind of one of my old lawyers, Matt Zorn, jumped in with the administration. Right. And, um, you know, it was, uh, really cool to [00:40:00] see and hopeful how much energy was going on. It's been a little quiet, kind of feels like a black box a little bit, but I, you know, there was, Melissa Lavasani: that's on me. Melissa Lavasani: Maybe I, we need to be more out in public about like, what's actually happening, because I feel like, like day in and day out, it's just been, you gotta just mm-hmm. Like have that constant beat with the government. Mm-hmm. And, um, it's, it's, it's not the photo ops on the hill, it's the conversations that you have. Melissa Lavasani: It's the dinner parties you go to, it's the fundraisers you attend, you know? Mm-hmm. That's why I, I kind of have to like toot my own horn with PCs. Like, we need to be present here at, at not only on the Hill, not only at the White House, but kind of in the ecosystem of Washington DC itself. There's, it's, there are like power players here. Melissa Lavasani: There are people that are connected that can get things done, like. I mean, the other last week we had a big snow storm. I walked over to my friend's house, um, to have like a little fire sesh with them and our kids, and his next door neighbor came over. He was a member of Congress. I talked about the VA bills, like [00:41:00] we're reaching out to his office now, um, to get them, um, up to speed and hopefully get their co-sponsorship for, uh, the two VA bills. Melissa Lavasani: So, I mean, it, the little conversations you have here are just as important as the big ones with the photo ops. So, um, it, it's, it's really like, you know, building up that momentum and, and finding that time where you can really strike and make something happen. Joe Moore: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Jay, anything to add there? Jay Kopelman: Yeah, I was just gonna say that, you know, I, I, I think the fervor is still there, right? Jay Kopelman: But real life happens. Melissa Lavasani: Yes, Jay Kopelman: yes. And gets in the way, right? So, Melissa Lavasani: yeah, Jay Kopelman: I, I can't imagine how many issues. Secretary Kennedy has every day much less the president. Like there's so many things that they are dealing with on a daily basis, right? It, we, we just have to work to be the squeaky wheel in, in the right way, right. Jay Kopelman: [00:42:00] With the, with the right information at the right time. Like just inundating one of these organizations with noise, it's then it be with Informa, it just becomes noise, right? It it, it doesn't help. So when we have things to say that are meaningful and impactful, we do, and Melissa does an amazing job of that. Jay Kopelman: But, you know, it, it takes time. You know, it's, you know, we're not, this is, this is like turning an aircraft carrier, not a ski boat. Melissa Lavasani: Yeah, Joe Moore: yeah, absolutely. Um, and. It's, it's understandably frustrating, I think for the public and the psychedelic public in particular because we see all this hope, you know, we continue to get frustrated at politics. It's nothing new, right? Um, and we, we wanna see more people get well immediately. [00:43:00] And I, I kind of, Jay from the veteran perspective, I do love the kind of loud voices like, you're making me go to Mexico for this. Joe Moore: I did that and you're making me leave the country for the thing that's gonna fix me. Like, no way. And barely a recognition that this is a valid treatment. You know, like, you know, that is complicated given how medicine is structured here domestically. But it's also, let's face the facts, like the drug war kind of prevented us from being able to do this research in the first place. Joe Moore: You know? Thanks Nixon. And like, how do we actually kind of correct course and say like, we need to spend appropriately on science here so we can heal our own people, including veterans and everybody really. It's a, it's a dire situation out there. Jay Kopelman: Yeah. It, it really is. Um, you know, we were talking briefly about addicts, right? Jay Kopelman: And you know, it's not sexy. People think of addicts as people who are weak-minded, [00:44:00] right? They don't have any self-control. Um, but, but look at, look at the opioid crisis, right? That Brian Hubbard was fighting against in Kentucky for all those years. That that was something that was given to the patient by a doctor that they then became dependent on, and a lot of people died from that. Jay Kopelman: And, and so you, you know, it's, I I don't think it's fair to just put all addicts in a box. Just like it's not fair to put all veterans in a box. Just like it's not fair for doctors, put all their patients in a box. We're individuals. We, we have individual needs. Our, our health is very individual. Like, I, I don't think I should be put in the same box as every other 66-year-old that my doctor sees. Jay Kopelman: It's not fair. [00:45:00] You know, if you, if you took my high school classmates and put us all in a photo, we're all gonna have different needs, right? Like, some look like they're 76, not 66. Some look like they're 56. Not like they're, we, we do things differently. We live our lives differently. And the same is true of addicts. Jay Kopelman: They come to addiction from different places. Not everybody decides they want to just try heroin at a party, and all of a sudden they're addicted. It happens in, in different ways, you know, and the whole fentanyl thing has been so daggum nefarious, right? You know, pushing fentanyl into marijuana. Jay Kopelman: Somebody's smoking a joint and all of a sudden they're addicted to fentanyl or they die. Melissa Lavasani: I think we're having a, Jay Kopelman: it's, it's just not fair to, to say everybody in this pot is the same, or everybody in this one is the same. We have [00:46:00] to look at it differently. Joe Moore: Yeah. I like to zoom one level out and kind of talk about, um, just how hurt we are as a country, as a world really, but as a country specifically, and how many people are out of work for so many. Joe Moore: Difficult reasons and away from their families for so many kind of tragic reasons. And if we can get people back to their families and back to work, a lot of these things start to self-correct, but we have to like have those interventions where we can heal folks and, and get them back. Um, yeah. And you know, everything from trauma, uh, in childhood, you know, adulthood, combat, whatever it is. Joe Moore: Like these things can put people on the sidelines. And Jay, to your point, like you get knee surgery and all of a sudden you're, you know, two years later you're on the hunt for Fentanyl daily. You know, that's tough. It's really tough. Carl Hart does a good job talking about this kind of addiction pipeline and [00:47:00] a few others do as well. Joe Moore: But it's just, you know, kind of putting it in a moral failure bucket. It's not great. I was chatting with somebody about, um, veterans, it's like you come back and you're like, what's gonna make me feel okay right now? And it's not always alcohol. Um, like this is the first thing that made me feel okay, because there's not great treatments and there's, there's a lot of improvements in this kind of like bringing people back from the field that needs to happen. Joe Moore: In my opinion. I, it seems to be shared by a lot of people, but yeah, there's, it's, it's, IGA is gonna be great. It's gonna be really important. I really can't wait for it to be at scale appropriately, but there's a lot of other things we need to fix too, um, so that we can just, you know, not have so many people we need to, you know, spend so much money healing. Joe Moore: Mm-hmm. Jay Kopelman: Yeah. You ahead with that. We don't need the president to sign an executive order to automatically legalize Ibogaine. Right. But it would be nice if he would reschedule it so that [00:48:00] then then researchers could do this research on a larger scale. You know, we could, we could now get some real data that would show the efficacy. Jay Kopelman: And it could be done in a safe environment, you know? And, and so that would be, do Joe Moore: you have any kind of figures, like, like, I've been talking about this for a while, Jay. Like, does it drop the cost a lot of doing research when we deschedule things? Jay Kopelman: I, I would imagine so, because it'll drop the cost of accessing the medicines that are being researched. Jay Kopelman: Right? You, you would have buy-in from more organizations. You know, you might even have a pharma company that comes into this, you know, look at j and j with the ketamine, right? They have, they have a nasal spray version of ketamine that's doing very well. I mean, it's probably their, their biggest revenue [00:49:00] provider for them right now. Jay Kopelman: And, and so. You know, you, it would certainly help and I think, I think it would lower costs of research to have something rescheduled rather than being schedule one. You know it, people are afraid to take chances when you're talking about Schedule one Melissa Lavasani: labs or they just don't have the money to research things that are on Schedule one. Melissa Lavasani: 'cause there's so much in an incredible amount of red tape that you have to go through and, and your facility has to be a certain way and how you contain those, uh, medicines. Oh, researching has to be in a specific container and it's just very cumbersome to research schedule one drugs. So absolutely the cost would go down. Melissa Lavasani: Um, but Joe Moore: yeah, absolutely. Less safes. Melissa Lavasani: Yeah. Joe Moore: Yes. Less uh, Melissa Lavasani: right. Joe Moore: Locked. Yeah. Um, it'll be really interesting when that happens. I'm gonna hold out faith. That we can see some [00:50:00] movement here. Um, because yeah, like why make healing more expensive than it needs to be? I think like that's potentially a protectionist move. Joe Moore: Like, I'm not, I'm not here yet, but, um, look at AbbVie's, uh, acquisition of the Gilgamesh ip. Mm-hmm. Like that's a really interesting move. I think it was $1.2 billion. Mm-hmm. So they're gonna wanna protect that investment. Um, and it's likely going to be an approved medication. Like, I don't, I don't see a world in which it's not an approved medication. Joe Moore: Um, you know, I don't know a timeline, I would say Jay Kopelman: yeah. Joe Moore: Less than six years, just given how much cash they've got. But who knows, like, I haven't followed it too closely. So, and that's an I bga derivative to be clear, everybody, um mm-hmm. If you're not, um, in, in the loop on that, which is hopeful, you know? Joe Moore: Mm-hmm. But I don't know what the efficacy is gonna be with that compared to Ibogaine and then we have to talk about the kind of proprietary molecule stuff. Um, there's like a whole bunch of things that are gonna go on here, and this is one of the reasons why I'm excited about. Federal involvement [00:51:00] because we might actually be able to have some sort of centralized manufacturer, um, or at least the VA could license three or four generic manufacturers per for instance, and that way prices aren't gonna be, you know, eight grand a dose or whatever. Joe Moore: You know, it's, Jay Kopelman: well, I think it's a very exciting time in the space. You know, I, I think that there's the opportunity for innovation. There is the opportunity for collaboration. There's the opportunity for, you know, long-term healing at a very low cost. You know, that we, we have the highest healthcare cost per capita in the world right here in the us. Jay Kopelman: And, and yet we are not the number one health system in the world. So to me, that doesn't add up. So we need to figure out a way to start. Bringing costs down for a lot of people and [00:52:00] at the same time increasing, increasing outcomes. Joe Moore: Absolutely. Yeah. There's a lot of possible outcome improvements here and, and you know, everything from relapse rates, like we hear often about people leaving a clinic and they go and overdose when they get home. Tragically, too common. I think there's everything from, you know, I'm Jay, I'm involved in an organization called the Psychedelics and Pain Association. Joe Moore: We look at chronic pain very seriously, and IGA is something we are really interested in. And if. We could have better, you know, research, there better outcome measures there. Um, you know, perhaps we can have less people on opioids to begin with from chronic pain conditions. Um, Jay Kopelman: yeah, I, I might be due for another Ibogaine journey then, because I deal with chronic pain from Jiujitsu, but, Joe Moore: oh gosh, let's Jay Kopelman: talk Joe Moore: later. Jay Kopelman: That's self inflicted. Some people would say take a month off, but Melissa Lavasani: yeah, Jay Kopelman: I'm [00:53:00] not, I'm not that smart. Joe Moore: Yeah. Um, but you know, this, uh, yeah, this whole thing is gonna be really interesting to see how it plays out. I'm endlessly hopeful pull because I'm still here. Right. I, I've been at this for almost 10 years now, very publicly, and I think we are seeing a lot of movement. Joe Moore: It's not always what we actually wanna see, but it is movement nonetheless. You know, how many people are writing on this now than there were before? Right. You know, we, we have people in New York Times writing somewhat regularly about psychedelics and. Even international media is covering it. What do we have legalization in Australia somewhat recently for psilocybin and MDMA, Czech Republic. Joe Moore: I think Germany made some moves recently. Mm-hmm. Um, really interesting to see how this is gonna just keep shifting. Um Jay Kopelman: mm-hmm. Joe Moore: And I think there's no way that we're not gonna have prescription psychedelics in three years in the United States. It pro probably more like a [00:54:00] year and a half. I don't know. Do you, are you all taking odds? Melissa Lavasani: Yeah. I mean, I think Jay Kopelman: I, I gotta check Cal sheet, see what they're saying. Melissa Lavasani: I think it's safe to say, I mean, this could even come potentially the end of this year, I think, but definitely by the end of 2027, there's gonna be at least one psychedelic that's FDA approved. Joe Moore: Yeah. Yeah. Melissa Lavasani: If you're not counting Ketamine. Joe Moore: Right. Jay Kopelman: I, I mean, I mean it mm-hmm. It, it doesn't make sense that it. Shouldn't be or wouldn't be. Right. The, we've seen the benefits. Mm-hmm. We know what they are. It's at a very low cost, but you have to keep in mind that these things, they need to be done with the right set setting and container. Right. And, and gotta be able to provide that environment. Jay Kopelman: So, but I would, I would love, like I said, I'd love to work myself out of a job here and see this happen, not just for our veterans, [00:55:00] but for everybody. Joe Moore: Mm-hmm. Um, so Melissa, is there a way people can get involved or follow PMC or how can they support your work at PMC? Melissa Lavasani: Yeah, I mean, follow us in social media. Melissa Lavasani: Um, our two biggest platforms are LinkedIn and Instagram. Um, I'm bringing my newsletter back because I'm realizing, um, you know, there is a big gap in, in kind of like the knowledge of Washington DC just in general. What's happening here, and I think, you know, part of PC's value is that we're, we are plugged into conversations that are being had, um, here in the city. Melissa Lavasani: And, you know, we do get a little insight. Um, and I think that that would really quiet a lot of, you know, the, a lot of noise that, um, exists in the, our ecosystem. If, if people just had some clarity on like, what's actually happening or happening here and what are the opportunities and, [00:56:00] um, where do we need more reinforcement? Melissa Lavasani: Um, and, and also, you know, as we're putting together public education campaign, you know. My, like, if I could get everything I wanted like that, that campaign would be this like multi-stakeholder collaborative effort, right? Where we're covering all the ground that we need to cover. We're talking to the patient groups, we're talking to traditional mental health organizations, we're talking to the medical community, we're talking to the general population. Melissa Lavasani: I think that's like another area that we, we just seem to be, um, lacking some effort in. And, you know, ultimately the veteran story's always super compelling. It pulls on your heartstrings. These are our heroes, um, of our country. Like that, that is, that is meaningful. But a lot of the veteran population is small and we need the, like a, the just.[00:57:00] Melissa Lavasani: Basic American living in middle America, um, understanding what psychedelics are so that in, in, in presenting to them the stories that they can relate to, um, because that's how you activate the public and you activate the public and you get them to see what's happening in these clinical trials, what the data's been saying, what the opportunities are with psychedelics, and then they start calling their members of Congress and saying, Hey, there is this. Melissa Lavasani: Bill sitting in Congress and why haven't you signed onto it? And that political pressure, uh, when used the right way can be really powerful. So, um, I think, you know, now we're at this really amazing moment where we have a good amount of congressional offices that are familiar enough with psychedelics that they're willing to move on it. Melissa Lavasani: Um, there's another larger group, uh, that is familiar with psychedelics and will assist and co-sponsor legislation, but there's still so many offices that we haven't been able to get to just 'cause like we don't have all the time in the world and all the manpower in the world to [00:58:00] do it. But, you know, that is one avenue is like the advocates can speak to the, the lawmakers, the experts speak to the lawmakers, and we not, we want the public engaged in this, you know, ultimately, like that's. Melissa Lavasani: Like the best form of harm reduction is having an informed public. So we are not, they're not seeing these media headlines of like, oh, this miracle cure that, um, saved my family. It's like, yes, that can happen psychedelics. I mean, person speaking personally, psychedelics did save my family. But what you miss out of that story is the incredible amount of work I put into myself and put into my mental health to this day to maintain, um, like myself, my, my own agency and like be the parent that I wanna be and be the spouse that I wanna be. Melissa Lavasani: So, um, we, we need to continue to share these stories and we need to continue to collaborate to get this message out because we're all, we're all in the same boat right now. We all want the same things. We want patients to have safe and [00:59:00] affordable access to psychedelic assisted care. Um, and, uh. We're just in the beginning here, so, um, sign up for our newsletter and we can sign up on our website and then follow us on social media. Melissa Lavasani: And, um, I anticipate more and more events, um, happening with PMC and hopefully we can scale up some of these events to be much more public facing, um, as this issue grows. So, um, I'm really excited about the future and I'm, I've been enjoying this partnership with Mission Within. Jay is such a professional and, and it really shows up when he needs to show up and, um, I look forward to more of that in the future. Joe Moore: Fantastic. And Jay, how can people follow along and support mission within Foundation? Jay Kopelman: Yeah, again, social media is gonna be a good way to do that. So we, we are also pretty heavily engaged on LinkedIn and on Instagram. Um, I do [01:00:00] share, uh, a bit of my own stuff as well. On social media. So we have social media pages for Mission within Foundation, and we have a LinkedIn page for mission within foundation. Jay Kopelman: I have my own profiles on both of those as well where people can follow along. Um, one of the other things you know that would probably help get more attention for this is if the general public was more aware of the numbers of professional athletes who are also now pursuing. I began specifically to help treat their traumatic brain injuries and the chronic traumatic encephalopathy that they've, uh, suffered as a result of their time in professional sports or even college sports. Jay Kopelman: And, you know. I people worship these athletes, and I [01:01:00] think that if more of them, like Robert Gall, were more outspoken about these treatments and the healing properties that they've provided them, that it would get even more attention. Um, I think though what Melissa said, you know, I don't wanna parrot anything she just said because she said it perfectly Right. Jay Kopelman: And I'd just be speaking to hear myself talk. Um, but being collaborative the way that we are with PMC and with Melissa is I think, the way to move the needle on this overall. And like she said, if she could get more groups involved in, in these discussions, it would, it would do wonders for us. Joe Moore: Well, thank you both so much for your hard work out there. I always appreciate it when people are showing up and doing this important, [01:02:00] sometimes boring and tedious, but nevertheless sometimes, sometimes exciting work. And um, so yeah, just thank you both and thank you both for showing up here to psychedelics today to join us and I hope we can continue to support you all in the future. Jay Kopelman: Thank you, Joe. Thank you, Joe. It's a pleasure being with you today and with Melissa, of course, always Melissa Lavasani: appreciate the time and space. Joe Moore: Thanks.  

Matt Spiegel and Laurence Holmes detailed how Illinois lawmakers were surprised and upset after seeing the Bears take a meaningful step Thursday toward building a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana.

South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in America — so why are politicians still writing billion-dollar checks to corporations? New data from U-Haul and the United States Census Bureau consistently rank South Carolina among the top inbound move destinations — alongside Texas and Florida. Businesses are coming. People are coming. Growth is exploding. So why is Columbia considering another $200 million for Scout Motors, after already handing over massive incentives? Congressman Ralph Norman says enough is enough — calling for an end to what he labels “corporate bailouts.” Meanwhile, the real debate may be about energy. With massive untapped natural gas reserves off the Carolina coast and renewed federal support under Donald Trump, should South Carolina drill, lower energy costs, and recruit data centers instead of fighting over electricity shortages? Is Columbia behind the times? Are politicians chasing ribbon cuttings instead of taxpayers' interests? And is South Carolina missing a once-in-a-generation energy opportunity?

Les Wexner, the 88-year-old billionaire founder and former CEO of L Brands — the retail empire that once included Victoria's Secret — sat for a closed-door deposition with the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee as part of the ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's network. During the session, Wexner denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities, characterizing him as a “world-class con man” who deceived him and misused their relationship. Wexner acknowledged hiring Epstein in the late 1980s to manage his finances and giving him power of attorney, but insisted that their relationship ended around 2007 after he learned of Epstein's misconduct and alleged that Epstein stole from him. He also said he had only visited Epstein's private island once and maintained he had no involvement in or knowledge of Epstein's sex-trafficking crimes.Lawmakers on the committee, particularly House Democrats, were skeptical of Wexner's claims of ignorance and downplaying of their long association. They pointed to FBI and Justice Department files showing Wexner's name repeatedly in connection with Epstein and described him as a significant financial backer whose support helped Epstein gain wealth and connections. Some members of Congress also cited survivor allegations tying Wexner to locations where abuse occurred, and they challenged Wexner's assertions that he had no involvement or oversight of Epstein's activities. While the deposition offered Wexner a chance to address his role directly, it did not resolve lingering questions about the depth of his relationship with Epstein, and investigators continue to examine newly released documents and evidence.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

First, State Senator Steve Padilla is calling for a pause to a data center project in Imperial County. Next, scientists say they've discovered a way to redesign Fentanyl and lessen the potential risk of an overdose. Also, we tell you about a new fundraising and awareness campaign recently launched in the county. Lastly, a curator at the San Diego Natural History Museum is calling it a career.

An ICE detainee has died while in custody at the Miami Correctional Facility north of Kokomo —  the first at the Indiana prison. A massive backlog for state childcare assistance has spurred lawmakers to advance a financial plan. Lawmakers continue to move a bill they say will connect homeless people with resources through interactions with police. Crypto ATMs could soon be outlawed in Indiana, as lawmakers are close to final passage of  a bill. In Indianapolis, Content partner Mirror Indy reports Martin University's eastside campus is for sale. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. WFYI News Now is produced by Zach Bundy, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

Once listed in a DOJ document as an unindicted co-conspirator, a look at what the former CEO of Victoria's Secret have to say to lawmakers today under oath about Jeffery Epstein.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adam Carter reacts to news that the report on fraud in Minnesota is so heavily redacted, even for lawmakers, that many it as useless for their efforts at fixing the holes in our systems.

This Day in Legal History: Edison Receives Patent on PhonographOn February 19, 1878, Thomas Edison received a patent for one of his most transformative inventions: the phonograph. The device could record and reproduce sound, a breakthrough that stunned the public and reshaped the relationship between technology and creativity. Until that point, copyright law primarily protected written works such as books, maps, and sheet music. The phonograph introduced an entirely new category of expression—recorded sound—that did not fit neatly into existing statutes. Lawmakers and courts were soon confronted with a difficult question: who owns a performance once it is captured on a machine?Early copyright frameworks did not clearly account for performers' rights in recorded works. As the recording industry grew, pressure mounted to recognize both composers and performers as legal stakeholders. Congress responded incrementally, expanding federal copyright protections to cover sound recordings in the twentieth century. These changes reflected a broader shift toward adapting intellectual property law to technological innovation. Courts also played a role by interpreting statutes in ways that acknowledged the economic realities of recorded music. The phonograph's legacy thus extends far beyond its mechanical design. It forced the legal system to confront how creative labor should be valued in an age of reproduction. In doing so, Edison's invention helped lay the foundation for modern intellectual property law governing sound recording and broadcasting.A coalition of environmental and public health organizations has filed suit against the Trump administration over its decision to revoke the scientific “endangerment finding” that underpins federal climate regulations. The case was brought in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and also challenges the Environmental Protection Agency's move to repeal vehicle tailpipe emissions limits. The administration recently announced it would eliminate the 17-year-old finding and end greenhouse gas standards for model years 2012 through 2027.The endangerment finding, first adopted in 2009, concluded that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare, triggering regulatory authority under the Clean Air Act. Its repeal would remove requirements for measuring and complying with federal vehicle emissions standards, though immediate effects on stationary sources like power plants remain uncertain. The administration characterized the rollback as a major cost-saving measure, estimating $1.3 trillion in taxpayer savings.By contrast, the Biden administration had previously argued the vehicle standards would produce net consumer benefits, including lower fuel and maintenance costs averaging thousands of dollars over a vehicle's lifetime. The lawsuit marks one of the most significant legal challenges yet to President Trump's broader effort to scale back climate policy, promote fossil fuel development, withdraw from the Paris Agreement, and dismantle clean energy incentives. Transportation and power generation each account for roughly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the stakes of the regulatory reversal.Environmental groups challenge Trump decision to revoke basis of US climate regulations | ReutersMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify in a Los Angeles jury trial examining whether Instagram harms young users' mental health. The case centers on allegations that Meta designed its platform to keep children engaged despite knowing about potential psychological risks. A California woman who began using Instagram and YouTube as a child claims the platforms contributed to her depression and suicidal thoughts. She is seeking damages, arguing the companies prioritized profit over user well-being.Meta and Google deny the accusations and point to safety features they have implemented. Meta has also cited research suggesting that evidence does not conclusively show social media directly changes children's mental health. Defense attorneys argue the plaintiff's struggles stem from personal and family issues rather than her social media use.The lawsuit is part of a broader wave of litigation in the United States, where families, schools, and states have filed thousands of similar claims against major tech companies. Internationally, governments such as Australia have imposed age-based restrictions, and other countries are considering similar measures. The trial could test the tech industry's longstanding legal protections against liability for user harm. If the plaintiff prevails, the verdict may weaken those defenses and open the door to additional claims. Zuckerberg is expected to face questions about internal company research concerning Instagram's effects on teens.Meta's Zuckerberg faces questioning at youth addiction trial | ReutersA federal judge in San Francisco has ordered a lawyer representing passengers in sexual assault litigation against Uber to pay sanctions for violating a protective order. The ruling requires attorney Bret Stanley to pay $30,000 in legal fees to Uber after he disclosed confidential company information obtained during discovery. The case is part of consolidated litigation accusing Uber of failing to implement adequate safety measures and background checks for drivers, claims the company denies.U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Cisneros found that Stanley improperly shared the names of internal Uber policies in unrelated lawsuits and with other plaintiffs' attorneys. Uber argued that he used the confidential material as a roadmap to pursue evidence in other cases. The judge concluded that Stanley acted unreasonably by unilaterally deciding to disclose protected information. However, she rejected Uber's request for more than $168,000 in fees, finding that the company had not demonstrated significant harm from the disclosures.Stanley defended his actions, stating he intended to streamline discovery in related cases and accused Uber of delaying document production nationwide. The judge also indicated Stanley will owe additional fees tied to a separate sanctions request, after finding he searched case documents to assist another lawsuit. The decision comes shortly after a federal jury awarded $8.5 million to a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by an Uber driver.Uber wins sanctions against lawyer for sexual assault plaintiffs | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

A bill sponsored by Rep. Marc Mihaly, D-Calais, would allow faster evictions but also limit the size of security deposits and rent increases for tenants.

Lawmakers in both parties have rebuked President Donald Trump after he called for Republicans to "take over" and nationalize U.S. elections, warning the proposal would upend the Constitution's system of state-run voting. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the Georgia search, combined with Trump's remarks, signals a broader effort.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Virgin Islands Safe Gun Owners head Kosei Ohno joins Cam to discuss the outrageous behavior of USVI lawmakers in their attempt to stifle opposition to a sweeping gun control law.

A bipartisan truth-finding commission has been officially created by the New Mexico House of Representatives to investigate what happened at Jeffrey Epstein's former Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe and the state's connections to his activities. The resolution creating the four-member panel passed unanimously 62-0 and appoints two Democrats and two Republicans, including Rep. Andrea Romero, who sponsored the measure, and members with legal and investigative backgrounds. The commission is scheduled to hold its first meeting this week, will allow public testimony, has subpoena power to compel witnesses to testify, and is expected to publicly post information it gathers. Though it cannot directly launch criminal investigations, it can coordinate with law enforcement and will issue a report by the end of 2026 outlining its findings and recommendations.Lawmakers say the commission aims to explore gaps in past enforcement and understanding of allegations of sexual abuse and human trafficking tied to Epstein's long tenure in New Mexico, where civil suits have accused him of abusing women and girls at the ranch. The initiative comes amid ongoing scrutiny following the release of federal files that mention New Mexico figures and activities, and officials have pointed to the need to ensure such crimes are fully documented and that “gaps in the law and enforcement” are addressed. Past state efforts never resulted in criminal charges, and the panel's work could renew focus on what state officials knew and how these events unfolded.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Truth-finding commission focused on Epstein's activities in New Mexico set to ramp up quickly

In this episode: On a frenzied day in Florida's Capitol, lawmakers advance bills that would help Donald Trump and a gun manufacturer that makes allegedly “ghost-firing” guns — but hurt laid-off workers and college kids who want to vote. An update from Day 36 of the Florida Legislature's 2026 session. Show notesThe bills discussed in today's show:House Bill 191 — Reemployment Assistance Benefit EligibilityPassed the House of Representatives by an 81-31 vote (vote sheet)House Bill 919 — Commercial Service AirportsPassed the House of Representatives by an 81-30 vote (vote sheet)Senate Bill 706 — Commercial Service AirportsPassed the Senate Rules Committee by a 17-6 vote (vote sheet)House Bill 1551 — Products Liability for FirearmsPassed the House Judiciary Committee by a 13-5 vote (vote sheet)House Bill 455 — Protection of Historic Monuments and MemorialsPassed the House Judiciary Committee by a 14-5 vote (vote sheet)House Bill 641 — Gender Identity Employment PracticesPassed the House Judiciary Committee by a 13-6 vote (vote sheet)House Bill 743 — Prohibited Sex-reassignment Prescriptions and ProceduresPassed the House Judiciary Committee by a 14-5 vote (vote sheet)House Bill 991 — Election IntegrityPassed the House State Affairs Committee by a 17-6 vote (vote sheet)House Bill 173 — Parental RightsPassed the House Education & Employment Committee by a 12-4 vote (vote sheet)Senate Bill 1506 — Civil LitigationRejected by the Senate Rules Committee by an 11-13 vote (vote sheet)Senate Bill 164 — Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an Unborn ChildNote: This bill was referred to by the wrong bill number during the showHouse Bill 1421 — Cattle Grazing on State LandPassed the House State Affairs Committee by a 20-3 vote (vote sheet)Stories discussed in today's show: A billionaire-backed think tank keeps sabotaging Florida workers. More attacks are coming.Prodded by business lobbyists, lawmakers may cut more Floridians off from unemployment insuranceBuried in the budget: Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump and NewsmaxA gun company gave lots of money to Florida lawmakers. Now it's lobbying for legal immunity.Questions or comments? Send ‘em to Garcia.JasonR@gmail.comListen to the show: Apple | SpotifyWatch the show: YouTube Get full access to Seeking Rents at jasongarcia.substack.com/subscribe

An ICE detainee has died while in custody at the Miami Correctional Facility north of Kokomo. Lawmakers in the House and Senate have merged competing bills involving the consolidation of Township governments. Tensions are rising at the Statehouse over a proposal to overhaul the oversight of Indianapolis Public Schools. A commercial turkey flock in Sullivan County has been hit with bird flu, the first case in southwestern Indiana in a year. The wellbeing of children in Indiana has improved according to an annual assessment. Indiana lawmakers propose new penny-policies, after President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Mint not to make the once cent coins last year. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. WFYI News Now is produced by Zach Bundy, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

February 16, 2026; 6pm; MSNOW's Ari Melber reports on the Trump DOJ's handling of the Epstein files, as lawmakers criticize the department over a lack of transparency. Former FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissmann and The New York Times' Michelle Goldberg join. Plus, Melber is joined by progressive host Brian Tyler Cohen to discuss his recent interview with former President Barack Obama. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.