Podcasts about National Lawyers Guild

Last week, Ralph, along with our constitutional law expert, Bruce Fein, organized another symposium in Washington DC on impeaching Donald Trump. On today's program, we play you highlights from that symposium with eight of the participants, each of whom are going to give listeners their perspective on why Donald Trump should be impeached even before the midterm elections.The rhetoric from many Democratic leaders has not kept up with the horror and the urgency of what [Donald Trump] is inflicting on America and the American people. He has moved very, very quickly to develop a fascist dictatorship embodying a kleptocratic corporate state that is marked by non-regulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, and tax escapes for the wealthy and major corporations, as well as expanded corporate welfare in the midst of personal and institutional two-way bribery and extortion. It's very important to punctuate the seriousness of what he's already done.Ralph NaderCelinda Lake is a political strategist and president of Lake Research Partners.What I love about polling is: conventional wisdom is wrong about 90% of the time, plus or minus 5%. Beltway conventional wisdom is wrong about 100% of the time, plus or minus 5%. So, “Everybody knows impeachment is unpopular.” No, it's not. It's very popular. A majority of people support it. “Everyone knows that it'll energize the other side.” No. The other side, to the extent they're going to be energized, they're already energized. We need to energize our side. We need to get our people out to vote… “Everyone knows it's very volatile.” No, it's not. Attitudes about impeachment track with job performance… And finally, “Everybody knows that nobody understands impeachment.” Well, frankly, voters understand it better than a lot of elected officials.Celinda LakeSuparna Reddy is the Senior Counsel for Free Speech For People.Let us be clear: Congress should impeach and remove Trump for each and every one of these hundreds of offenses. And we have a duty to record his every abuse of power. But in the process, we should not miss the forest for the trees— Trump is intentionally and systematically dismantling our democratic institutions to consolidate his own power and line his own pockets.Suparna ReddyRichard Painter is the S. Walter Richey professor of corporate law at the University of Minnesota Law School and was the chief White House ethics lawyer from 2005 to 2007.We have seen serious, indeed, tragic financial conflicts of interest in the executive branch never before seen in the history of our country—unless we look at our very early Presidents who held vast plantations with slave labor, a clear economic conflict of interest with their official duties. A conflict of interest shared by many Senators and Representatives and Justices of the Supreme Court, and indeed a tragic conflict of interest for the first eighty years of our history that ended only with a bloody civil war. But since then, we have not had at least a President who is embroiled in financial conflicts of interest with his official duties.Richard PainterDoug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, specializing in foreign policy and civil liberties.We need to make a persuasive argument for people, whether they like Donald Trump or not, to understand the Constitution transcends this President. The Constitution transcends future Presidents and future crises. We need to convince Americans across the political spectrum to stand with the rule of law, to stand with accountable government, to stand with an accountable executive, responsible legislatures. History tells us that one person making these decisions is not good. Plenty of authoritarians in the past have made these decisions and brought their countries to disaster.Douglas BandowErwin Chemerinsky is the Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.We're now at a moment when the federal government is a threat to our rights. The actions of the Trump administration are unprecedented in the violations of the Constitution. And so I think it's crucial that state and local governments step in so as to protect rights. It's interesting that through American history, Federalism has always been equated, states' rights have always been equated with regressive policies… But now it's time for progressives to use states' rights and look for the opportunities for states to safeguard our constitutionErwin ChemerinskyKeira Havens is a United States Air Force veteran, a former scientist, and a longtime political activist. She is the executive director of Citizens' Impeachment.Everybody has agency. Everybody has a role that they can play. Everybody can take action. As a private citizen, I can say, “Man, there are a lot of things wrong with what's happening.” In fact, I wrote several articles of impeachment: tyranny, treason, obstruction of justice, and of course, corruption, right? Members of Congress have more power than that. They need to do more than say things. They have to take action. Courage is an action. It's what you do after you say the words that really matters. And every single member of Congress is able to take action. They are able to introduce articles of impeachment, and they are refusing.Keira HavensJessica Denson is a former Trump staffer and founder of the Removal Coalition.The American people (and particularly Democratic primary voters) are looking for fighters. For God's sake, what could you do better than to exert the power that you have—this one privilege in the House, Rule 9, that gives any member of the Congress, including the minority, the ability to force a vote any time. Why would you sit on that? Why would you wait? Instead, in my activism, I've had to resort to relying on literally one Congressman. This is so pathetic. He is a dear friend, and I am so grateful for him. But to this day, I think it is pathetic that I have to rely on one Congressman to bring forth articles of impeachment and force votes, and that's Representative Green.Jessica DensonNews 7/31/26* Our top stories this week have to do with the Democratic National Committee. Several stories have recently come out about DNC Chair Ken Martin, ranging from interpersonal issues to his utter failure to raise money for the Democratic Party. The most stunning example of this comes from NOTUS, which reports that Martin “put [the DNC's] physical headquarters up for collateral last year in order to obtain a $15 million line of credit to help invest in off-year elections.” While the party has used this mechanism before, it underlines the gaping disparity between the DNC, which is currently over $2 million in debt compared to the Republican National Committee (RNC), which can boast $128.5 million cash on-hand.* Compounding the issues of the already cash-strapped DNC, the New Republic reports the Democratic National Committee was scammed out of nearly $29,000 by an email from someone pretending to be Chair Ken Martin last year. DNC spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg is quoted saying “The DNC takes seriously our duty to protect the funds provided to us by millions of patriotic Americans chipping in to fund our mission…this was a one-off mistake that was promptly caught and addressed, and no similar issues have occurred since.” That said, only $7,000 worth of this money has been recovered. As TNR puts it, “This has all been very embarrassing. Martin can't raise money, can't keep money, and can't unite the base under the big tent' he likes to talk about.” Martin may also be facing an outright rebellion led by party insiders.* One surprising proposal to this effect is coming from a very unlikely source. The Hill reports veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, while tearing into Martin, opened the door to former DNC Vice-Chair David Hogg taking the reins. Carville said the DNC appears “dysfunctional” and that the committee needs to “figure out a way maybe they could be somewhat relevant,” adding that “If David Hogg wants to take it over, I ain't stopping you…Go ahead, man, I don't really care.” This is a stark turnabout from Carville's position on Hogg when the latter was in DNC leadership; back then, Carville dismissed him as “a contemptible little twerp.” In an interview, Hogg highlighted this exact reversal, while simultaneously saying that he did not want to lead the crumbling Democratic Party organization. Ben Wikler, the former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair who challenged Ken Martin in 2025 has also resisted calls to take over the DNC, with rumors circulating that he is gearing up to run for Senate in the Badger State next cycle. While pressure continues to mount on Martin, alternative leadership remains elusive.* Speaking of lackluster leadership, Sources Say News reports Capitol CNCT has launched The Scoop which they describe as “a confidential rating system that lets current and former Hill staffers weigh in on the members and offices they have worked for.” As one might imagine, some reviews are extremely scathing. This piece cites one that reads, “Leadership is abusive. Lies about promotions and bonuses…This place will leach at your mental health like a vampire…Beware.” Sources Say highlights the fact that “Unlike most workplaces, Congress has no HR department, which means bad behavior by members and senior staff can go unreported and unchecked for years.” The new site verifies that the posters are or were real employees of these offices, but keeps their names anonymous to protect them from retaliation.* In more news from Congress, POLITICO reports Maryland Representative and House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin is launching a new investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, this time focusing on whether the deceased sex offender and financier acted as an unregistered foreign agent. In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, Raskin writes that “Jeffrey Epstein never registered as a foreign agent…Yet numerous recently released documents now show he acted aggressively on behalf of multiple foreign governments, including several with interests adverse to the United States, in order to influence policies of the first Trump Administration.” The declassified files reveal that Epstein “offered to serve as a conduit between Saudi Arabia and members of the Trump administration, consulted with Russian officials on engaging with the president and advised former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.” This inquiry is likely to raise fresh questions about not only Epstein's role working on behalf of foreign governments, but his possible connections with intelligence and espionage organizations including the CIA and Mossad.* Other progressive members of Congress, led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, have issued a formal response to a new Trump administration report on Cuba. These members interpret this report – which claims that the tiny Caribbean nation of 10 million people has “waged a sustained campaign” to “conquer” the United States and is backing “left-wing terrorism on American soil” – is in fact an instrument the administration plans to use to persecute “Trump's perceived political enemies.” Omar, joined by Representatives Jim McGovern, Delia Ramirez, Rashida Tlaib, AOC and more, contend that Trump is “hell-bent on taking America back 70 years to the height of Cold War McCarthyism, when hawkish foreign policy was paired with unsubstantiated accusations of communist subversion and political repression against dissidents at home.” The administration report singled out several organizations and activists, including the National Lawyers Guild, Hasan Piker, and campus activist Isra Hirsi, daughter of Congresswoman Omar. This from Common Dreams.* In more news from the left, POLITICO reports Donavan McKinney – who is challenging incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Detroit – picked up a major batch of endorsements this week from members of the Congressional Black Caucus. These new endorsers include Representatives Steven Horsford, the former chair of the CBC, along with Lateefah Simon and Ayanna Pressley. These endorsements, particularly that of Congressman Horsford, are notable because Thanedar retains the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his deputies, Representatives Pete Aguilar and Katherine Clark. McKinney said he was “honored” by these endorsements, adding that he “[looks] forward to working alongside these incredible leaders to pass critical legislation to protect voting rights, get big money out of our politics, and ensure all families have access to the resources they need to not just survive, but to truly thrive.” McKinney's primary will be held on August 4th, along with the more closely watched Senate primary between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and his moderate, establishment-backed opponent Haley Stevens.* Meanwhile, in New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to fulfill campaign promises at an astonishing rate. First, Forbes reports that Mamdani has officially introduced a $124.7 billion city budget which includes funding for five city-run grocery stores which will sell staple foods at a 30% discount compared to private grocery stores. These staples are set to include produce, dairy, bread, select meat and seafood, and approximately 20 other products. Being city-owned, these stores will not have to pay rent or property taxes, ensuring they can operate more cheaply than their competitors in the private sector. This piece notes that similar experiments in smaller cities like Baldwin, Florida, and Erie, Kansas proved unsustainable financially, while proposals in Chicago and Kansas City struggled to get off the ground. There is reason to believe New York will prove a different matter entirely, but that remains to be seen. At the same time, Jacobin reports Mamdani is launching a new initiative called “Talk to Tenants,” which will “send volunteers door-to-door in buildings with chronic housing code violations, connecting renters with organizing resources, neighborhood organizations, and training on tenants' rights and how to build tenant associations.” This effort will be led by the Office of Mass Engagement in partnership with the Office to Protect Tenants. It is extremely encouraging to see Mamdani utilizing a varied array of tools at his disposal – including both direct action by the city as on grocery stores or using city resources to promote the formation of non-governmental organizing efforts – in order to achieve his vision of a just and affordable American metropolis.* In more troubling, if not surprising, news, the Wall Street Journal is out with a new report finding that the Department of Justice is giving a green light to corporate criminals. The Journal cites examples ranging from Alibaba to Boeing and EagleBank to Abbott Laboratories where the Trump DOJ “declined to charge companies even when prosecutors thought executives or managers were involved in the wrongdoing.” This follows from directives given by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has “said prosecutors shouldn't view prosecuting companies as their goal and should instead focus on holding individual wrongdoers accountable.” This piece cites a December speech by Blanche in which he stated that “Companies don't go to jail, people do.” Yet, it seems that under the Trump Justice Department, neither do.* Finally, in more corporate news, the antitrust lawsuit filed by over a dozen state attorneys general has at least temporarily succeeded in halting the mega-merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and the Ellisons' media conglomerate, Paramount Skydance. After the lawsuit was filed, a federal judge in Oakland ordered a pause on the deal, and since then, the Ellisons themselves have agreed to put the merger “on ice” pending the outcome of the trial, Variety reports. This piece also highlights the private sentiments of anonymous Warner Bros. executives who apparently hope that the deal hits a “legal landmine” and is ultimately “nixed.” However, in an internal memo, David Ellison maintained that “the facts and the law are on our side, and a full hearing will demonstrate why the plaintiffs' arguments should not prevail.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

Back in the fall, Trump's NSPM-7 redirected the FBI, DOJ, and IRS toward "left-wing political violence," opening the door to labeling domestic groups terrorist organizations — despite three independent datasets (New America, CSIS, even the ADL!) showing right-wing violence outpacing left-wing violence by factors of 9-to-1 or greater.  Last week, Rubio's "Ministerial on the Resurgence of Political Terrorism" internationalized this McCarthy reboot. Central to the rhetoric of Rubio and Miller is framing leftist politics as being driven by envy and resentment rather than a response to inequality. Matthew traces this rhetoric, empirically contradicted by relative deprivation research, back through Nietzsche, Scheler, Schoeck, and Rand.  Four days after the Ministerial, the State Department's Cuba report named 70+ Americans — from spies to wedding guests — as one undifferentiated network, a scapegoat machine now churning out congressional subpoenas, a federal grand jury, and a widening dragnet. Show Notes NSPM-7, full text — The White House NSPM-7 constitutional analysis — The Conversation New America, "Terrorism in America After 9/11" impact summary CSIS, "Left-Wing Terrorism and Political Violence in the United States" Just Security rebuttal of the CSIS report ADL, "Murder and Extremism in the United States in 2024" Rubio and Miller Ministerial remarks, full transcript Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morals (1887), full text Scheler, Ressentiment (1912), full text PDF Schoeck, Envy: A Theory of Social Behaviour — Online Library of Liberty Ayn Rand, "The Age of Envy" — Ayn Rand Institute U.S. Department of State, Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism (July 20, 2026) National Lawyers Guild, "The National Lawyers Guild Reaffirms its Solidarity with Cuba in the Face of Increasing McCarthyite Repression" (July 2026) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victoria Taft exposes the expanding Middle Eastern conflict, foreign subversion operations on U.S. soil, and newly declassified election intelligence. The Iran SITREP & Pickaxe Mountain: As hostiles resume, President Trump warns of strikes against Iran's most deeply buried underground nuclear site, Pickaxe Mountain, while naval blockades choke the regime's oil supply. Marco Rubio's Cuba Bombshell: Secretary of State Marco Rubio releases a 100-page State Department report detailing 60 years of Cuban active-measures operations inside America, exposing direct ties to Black Lives Matter, the National Lawyers Guild, and radical street networks. The 2020 China Interference Files: A look at newly unsealed records detailing Chinese database hacking and mail-in ballot exploitation in 2020 to favor Joe Biden. Hard-Hitting Interviews: Former UK Ambassador Edmond Fitton-Brown analyzes the Houthi blockade on Saudi Arabia and ground-troop options, while author Drew Thomas Allen breaks down the permanent deep-state playbook and the fight for the SAVE Act.

You’re listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for July 20, 2026. We open with a 100-page State Department report titled Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism — and the findings go far beyond what most Americans have ever been told about Cuba's reach inside this country. For nearly 70 years, Cuba has been building a revolutionary infrastructure in the United States — funding and directing organizations from the Black Panthers and the Weather Underground to modern Antifa networks, Code Pink, the Democratic Socialists of America, and the National Lawyers Guild, which provided legal assistance to 20,000 people arrested during the 2020 George Floyd unrest. We connect the dots from Bill Ayers launching Barack Obama's political career from his living room to Chessa Boudin running San Francisco's DA office to LaToya Cantrell traveling to Cuba to study economics before being indicted on 16 counts of malfeasance. The pattern, once you see it, cannot be unseen. In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, three U.S. service members were killed in the Middle East over the weekend — 19-year-old Private Isabella Gonzalez of Carrollton, Texas and 25-year-old First Lieutenant Tyler James Feehan of Ewa Beach, Hawaii died in an Iranian missile attack on their base in Jordan, and a third service member was killed during a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone in Iraq. A fourth remains missing. We honor them with Abraham Lincoln's words — the last full measure of devotion. Then a man was arrested for setting off an incendiary device outside the ICE offices in lower Manhattan — fireworks and gasoline, two minor injuries, a federal building housing ICE, immigration courts, and the FBI. And Maine Democrats selected Troy Jackson as their replacement Senate candidate for Graham Plattner — a man accused of mortgage fraud for lying about his primary residence to get a lower interest rate. Mortgage fraud, apparently, is the ceiling Maine Democrats are working with this cycle. We also take on Mayor Mamdani's declaration that he intends to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he sets foot in New York City — based on an International Criminal Court warrant that the United States does not recognize. We explain why this is constitutionally illiterate, diplomatically catastrophic, and practically impossible. The Constitution gives Washington, not City Hall, the authority to conduct foreign affairs. The UN sits in New York City precisely because heads of state must be able to travel there safely. If one mayor can arrest one head of state, no head of state will ever return — and the UN becomes a ghost town. Mamdani's job is to serve the people of New York City. Destroying the diplomatic credibility of the most important city in the world is not that. Our American Mama Teri Netterville makes the case that small talk is a lost art — and a more important one than most people realize. It's not filler. It's the appetizer to the main course. Terry talks about watching her shy daughter Summer learn to work a room by watching her mother walk across it toward the person standing alone. She credits her father, who could run any room because he made whoever was speaking to him feel like they were the only person there. She points to Princess Catherine and Bill Clinton as two of the best practitioners alive — and makes the case that if parents don't put the phones down and model this for their children, an entire generation will grow up incapable of the human connection that holds communities together. We also cover the media's outrage over President Trump presenting the World Cup trophy to Spain — headlines declaring he refused to leave the stage, sparked outrage, and embarrassed the country. We note that presenting the trophy was part of the plan agreed upon months in advance with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. We also note that if Joe Biden had done the same thing, the coverage would have called it proof of his vitality and connection to the world stage. In our Digging Deep segment, a new Echelon Insights poll reveals something stunning about young Democrats — they have a net negative view of capitalism of minus 31%, a net positive view of socialism of plus 35%, and a net positive view of free markets of plus 22%. All three of those positions cannot be simultaneously true. Free markets are capitalism. Socialism is the opposite of free markets. The same poll shows young Democrats under 50 support the Democratic Socialists of America with a net favorability of 54% while Democrats over 50 give the DSA only 28%. The Make America Healthy Again movement is the only political movement in the country with a net approval rating above 50% — and it's below 50% among Democrats. Apparently, Democrats don't want anything associated with Trump — including healthy food. We also push back on Republican strategists panicking about Iran hurting the party in the midterms. The American people are not bloodthirsty and they don't want endless wars. But there is a world of difference between opposing endless wars and surrendering to a regime that has chanted death to America every day for fifty years and was on the verge of obtaining a nuclear weapon. President Trump has made a reasonable case for a defined military objective. He could make it better. But rolling over is not an electoral strategy either. For our Bright Spot, the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University announced the discovery of massive wooden beams from Lebanon — burned and preserved since 586 BCE — that appear to be structural elements from the First Temple of Jerusalem, exactly as described in the Bible. The beams show an unusually high number of growth rings, confirming they came from the large, old trees of Lebanon that scripture specifically identifies as the building material. The Bible said it. The archaeologists found it. Another bright spot hidden in the dirt. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Summary This week on Live Like the World is Dying, Miriam talks with Olive and Garrett from the Outlaw Podcast and your favorite lawyer's favorite lawyer, Moira Meltzer-Cohen about the DAM 15 indictments in the Twin Cities as we all laugh and cry our way through the ever-shifting landscape of our collective legal hellscape. The National Lawyers Guild launched a Federal Defense Hotline for activists who encounter federal repression. Call (212) 679-2811 if you receive inquires from federal law enforcement. For more on the Outlaw podcast and anti-repression work: https://linktr.ee/outlawpod For more on supporting the DAM 15: https://chuffed.org/project/186570-minnesota-15-legal-defense-fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-powderhorn-families-in-crisis Host Info Miriam can be found making funnies on our Bluesky. Publisher Info This show is published by Strangers in A Tangled Wilderness. We can be found at www.tangledwilderness.org, or on Instagram @Tangled_Wilderness and Blue Sky @tangledwilderness.bsky.social You can support the show on Patreon at www.patreon.com/strangersinatangledwilderness. Find out more at https://live-like-the-world-is-dying.pinecast.co This podcast is powered by Pinecast. Try Pinecast for free, forever, no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-69f62d for 40% off for 4 months, and support Live Like the World is Dying.

Fugitives are on the run—not free yet, they are running and running hard…running toward freedom. Refugees have escaped war or catastrophic climate collapse or extreme social disintegration, and forced to flee their homes, compelled to confront a fresh landscape, they invent new ways of living, learning, loving, and being—on the run. Walter Riley is a long-distance runner—he's been in the mix and on the move for eight decades. A refugee from the Jim Crow South where as a teenager he was a renowned organizer and activist, and at 19 moderated a conversation with Malcolm X in Durham, NC, Walter Riley is a civil rights attorney in Oakland, California, winner of the National Lawyers Guild's Champion of Justice Award, and a founder of Haiti Emergency Relief (visit Episode #38 where Walter is in conversation about Haiti with our Beloved late comrade Malik Alim). Walter Riley is a fugitive from our soul-crushing racial capitalist system, and a powerful revolutionary thinker and strategist. His son Boots Riley says that his dad teaches us that “we must participate, we must engage, we must seek to change the world.” In motion and in action we will develop our thinking and figure out with more clarity “how to fight, how to live, how to love…” Arm-in-arm, shoulder-to-shoulder, heart-to-heart, Walter Riley returns to “Under the Tree” for a discussion of movement-building in this political moment as well as his new book (with Jesse Strauss and a Foreword by Boots), Civil Rights and Structural Attacks.

An award winning front-line investigative news magazine, that focuses on human, civil and workers right, issues of war and peace, Global Warming, racism and poverty, and other issues. Hosted by Dennis J. Bernstein. Today on the show: The National Lawyers Guild Demands Respect for Self-Determination, Human Rights and Popular Sovereignty, as Crucial Elections Unfold in Colombia and Perú: We'll be joined by Camilo Perez Bustillo coordinator of the national NLG's Task Force on the Americas: Also while Trump says all he cares about is Iran's nuclear threats,  the whole world knows that Israel is the real danger when it comes to the threat of nukes on the battlefield: And Anita Barrows joins us with more frontline poems on the ongoing israeli Genocide in Gaza The post The National Lawyers Guild Demands Respect appeared first on KPFA.

National Lawyers Guild former President Marjorie Cohn: Supreme Court Kills Voting Rights Act, Green-Lights Return of New ‘Jim Crow' EraInstitute for Policy Studies' Phyllis Bennis: Is the U.S.-Israel War on Iran About to Reignite?Coal River Mountain Watch Executive Director Vernon Haltom: As Trump Pushes to Extract More Coal, Mountaintop Removal Mining Linked to Severe Health ImpactsBob Nixon's Under-reported News Summary• Arizona's SNAP participation rate craters—portends crisis for most vulnerable in America• Islamist militants seize Mali's capital city after the defense minister is assassinated• Papua New Guinea human rights activist wins 2026 Goldman Environmental prizeVisit our website at BTLonline.org for  more information, in-depth interviews, related links,  transcripts and subscribe to our BTL Weekly Summary and/or podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday at 12 noon ET,  website updated Wednesdays after 4 p.m. ETProduced by Squeaky Wheel Productions: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus, Bob Nixon, Anna Manzo, Susan Bramhall, Jeff Yates and Mary Hunt. Theme music by Richard Hill and Mikata. 

National Lawyers Guild former President Marjorie Cohn: Supreme Court Kills Voting Rights Act, Green-Lights Return of New ‘Jim Crow' EraInstitute for Policy Studies' Phyllis Bennis: Is the U.S.-Israel War on Iran About to Reignite?Coal River Mountain Watch Executive Director Vernon Haltom: As Trump Pushes to Extract More Coal, Mountaintop Removal Mining Linked to Severe Health ImpactsBob Nixon's Under-reported News Summary• Arizona's SNAP participation rate craters—portends crisis for most vulnerable in America• Islamist militants seize Mali's capital city after the defense minister is assassinated• Papua New Guinea human rights activist wins 2026 Goldman Environmental prizeVisit our website at BTLonline.org for  more information, in-depth interviews, related links and transcripts and to sign up for our BTL Weekly Summary. New episodes every Wednesday at 12 noon ET,  website updated Wednesdays after 4 p.m. ETProduced by Squeaky Wheel Productions: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus, Bob Nixon, Anna Manzo, Susan Bramhall, Jeff Yates and Mary Hunt. Theme music by Richard Hill and Mikata. 

OA1252 - Just one month ago, nine people were convicted in a Texas federal court for their participation in a protest outside the Prairieland ICE facility in a first-ever prosecution in which the Department of Justice claimed that support for so-called “Antifa” constituted “material support for terrorism.” What can we learn from the plight of the Prairieland defendants about how the Trump administration is punishing dissent, and where do things go from here? We are joined by Ron, a community member who attended the trial, and Prairieland defense attorney Xavier de Janon of the People's Law Collective and National Lawyers Guild for their unique perspectives on this important case.  “Support the Prairieland Defendants” (DFW Support Committee website) Superseding indictment with material support for terrorism charges (filed 12/10/2025) ‘“Exclusive: FBI Files Counter Government's Argument in Texas “Antifa” Trial,” Adam Federman, In These Times (3/26/2026) “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence (NPSM-7)”, The White House, September 25, 2025 Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!

William F. Jasper is an investigative reporter and senior editor at The New American Magazine. He's an author, journalist and commentator. For more than three decades he served as an accredited correspondent at the United Nations in New York and U.N. summits around the world. Wrapping up yesterday in Washington, D.C., was the 72nd Bilderberg meeting, a four-day private event bringing together a who's who of those in industry, finance, academia and also the media. A significant number came from Europe as well as from North America. These individuals operate under what's known as Chatham House Rule. Under this process, those in attendance are free to use the information they receive but are not allowed to reveal the identity nor the affiliation of the speakers or other participants. There's no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken and no policy statements are issued. What is the history of this organization, what goes on at this meeting and what connection does this group have with people such as Stacey Abrams, Anne Applebaum and Doug Burgum? Find out as William brings the details along with information on the National Lawyers Guild that met recently in Detroit. This organization promotes Democratic Socialism and featured Representative Rashida Tlaib as one of its keynote speakers.

William F. Jasper is an investigative reporter and senior editor at The New American Magazine. He's an author, journalist and commentator. For more than three decades he served as an accredited correspondent at the United Nations in New York and U.N. summits around the world. Wrapping up yesterday in Washington, D.C., was the 72nd Bilderberg meeting, a four-day private event bringing together a who's who of those in industry, finance, academia and also the media. A significant number came from Europe as well as from North America. These individuals operate under what's known as Chatham House Rule. Under this process, those in attendance are free to use the information they receive but are not allowed to reveal the identity nor the affiliation of the speakers or other participants. There's no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken and no policy statements are issued. What is the history of this organization, what goes on at this meeting and what connection does this group have with people such as Stacey Abrams, Anne Applebaum and Doug Burgum? Find out as William brings the details along with information on the National Lawyers Guild that met recently in Detroit. This organization promotes Democratic Socialism and featured Representative Rashida Tlaib as one of its keynote speakers.

Sam recaps the moral challenge before all of us living in a country led by a president who just this week explicitly threatened to unleash genocide against a whole people, saying he would "end the whole [Iranian] civilization" unless they bow to his demands. Join the Refuse Fascism webinar next Sunday April 19 ALL OUT FOR MAY DAY: TRUMP MUST GO NOW! Read/distribute the new flyer Then, we share the recording from a recent panel discussion hosted by the Defending Dissent Foundation and the National Lawyers Guild about the Prairieland case, featuring Chip Gibbons (Policy Director at Defending Rights & Dissent and author of the forthcoming critical history of the FBI, The Imperial Bureau), Seth Stern (Chief of Advocacy at Freedom of the Press Foundation), Dario Sanchez (a Prairieland defendant) and moderated by Xavier T. de Janon (Director of Mass Defense at the National Lawyers Guild and Attorney with People's Law Collective). The guilty verdict on federal terrorism charges for activists protesting ICE at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, marks a dangerous win for Trump and the criminalization of dissent. Throughout the 3-week trial in North Texas, prosecutors advanced the baseless claim that “antifa” is a terrorist organization—pointing to political zines and black clothing as supposed evidence. This case delivers a major victory for Trump's long-running effort to recast a loosely defined political ideology as a domestic terrorist threat.Find out more at prairielanddefendants.com and follow @dfwsupportcommitteeTo get involved, text REFUSE to 855-755-1314 or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, follow @RefuseFascism on social media (@RefuseFashizm on TikTok) and our YouTube channel: @Refuse_Fascism.Support:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Refuse Fascism on Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/refusefascism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠donate.refusefascism.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Venmo: Refuse-Fascism⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy merch (Big Cartel)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy merch (Fourth Wall)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music for this episode: Penny the Snitch by Ikebe Shakedown

In this episode we feature two interviews regarding the Prairieland trials and defendants.The first interview is with two people from the support crew, made up of friends and family of the defendants. We talk about how things went down at the noise demo that led to these arrests, how the trial went and how everyone is holding up.The second interview is with Xavier de Janon, from the People's Law Collective, and the National Lawyers Guild. We speak with them in more detail about the charges, and the unprecedented way these cases are being dealt with in general.Please follow along with these cases and upcoming trials, as there is a lot more to come and they need all the support they can get!Best place to find info is at https://prairielanddefendants.com/ Please donate if you can at https://www.givesendgo.com/supportDFWprotestorsHere is some more info about Dario's upcoming trialhttps://www.keranews.org/criminal-justice/2026-03-10/dario-sanchez-prairieland-ice-shooting This article is mentioned in the interview with Xavierhttps://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2026/03/26/exclusive-fbi-files-counter-government-argument-in-texas-antifa-trial/And here is two more recent articles with good infohttps://thelensnola.org/2026/04/02/prairieland-protest-ice-convictions-texas-louisiana/https://www.nplusonemag.com/online-only/online-only/the-state-vs-the-emma-goldman-book-club/ Check out People's Law Collective herehttps://www.peopleslaw.co/And the National Lawyers athttps://www.nlg.org/ More info on International Solidarity Movement at https://palsolidarity.org and follow them on instagram and upscrolled at @ismpalestine

It's Hump Day on the Majority Report   On today's program:   Donald Trump is trying to find a way out of Iran that he can sell as a victory but in reality, it seems that he is just sinking us into a quagmire.   Caitlyn Clark and Lisa Xu join Sam to discuss the first meatpackers strike in the U.S. in 40 years. Caitlyn is a national organizer at Essential Workers for Democracy, an organization dedicated to rank-and-file member education and empowerment for workers in grocery, meatpacking, and retail and Lisa Xu is a staff writer and organizer at Labor Notes. Here is a GoFundMe to help striking workers on the ground Support Colorado Meatpacking Workers on Strike! Or check out the official Local 7 strike fund here. Xavier de Janon, Director of Mass Defense at the National Lawyers Guild on to discuss the 9 people convicted of terrorism related charges after a protest on the Prairieland Ice Detention Center.   For various ways to support the Prairieland Defendants check out their website here.   In the Fun half:   Ryan Grim pieces up some Newsmax doofus over the siege in Cuba.   Rick Scott says we need to destroy Iran before they destroy us.   Markwayne explains that the TSA are working free because of political politics.   Janet Mills holds a town hall teleconference in a half-empty church where the few people who did show up came to express their frustrations with her.   all that and more   No Kings Protests across the country this Saturday, March 28. Check out NoKings.Org to find the protest closest to you.   Check out longtime MR listener Jim Di Bartolo's new graphic novel F*ck Billionaires   To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: SELFAST GROWING TREES: Get 20% off your first purchase.  FastGrowingTrees.com/majority SUNSET LAKE: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) for 20% off of your entire order at SunsetLakeCBD.com  Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com

A Flint lawyer helped end a Jim Crow relic—and the hometown paper barely noticed. We sit down with Robert Steiger, a retired civil rights attorney whose argument before the Warren Court contributed to striking down Virginia's poll tax. From Detroit roots and Michigan training to a chance move to Flint, Bob's journey shows how a small, principled firm can punch far above its weight. He recalls colleagues who marched in Mississippi, the chill of the McCarthy era, and the National Lawyers Guild network that backed embattled Southern lawyers when local support collapsed.Bob opens the courtroom door and walks us through strategy, nerves, and the give-and-take of a hot bench. He explains how the poll tax worked as voter suppression in plain sight, why a 1930s defeat set the stage for a 1960s victory, and how a 6–3 decision ended poll taxes in five states. We talk about the paradox of recognition—headlines in Time and the New York Times, silence in Flint—and what that says about local power and memory. For legal nerds and history fans, there's rich detail: direct appeals, divided argument time, and the Warren Court's role in expanding voting rights.Beyond the spotlight case, Bob shares decades of trial craft and the quiet power of mediation. He argues that facts carry more weight than doctrine, that civility is a professional asset, and that a strong bar culture can keep hard fights human. Honors like “Champion of Justice” and the Herb Milliken civility award mark a career defined by principle over posture. If you care about voting rights history, Supreme Court storytelling, and the everyday choices that shape justice, this is your listen.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow, rate, and share the show, then email us your thoughts at radiofreeflint@gmail.com. Your reviews help others find thoughtful stories rooted in Flint and relevant nationwide.Join us on The Mitten Channel on Substack.Subscribe at the Free tier for regular investigative essays and updates.Or choose the Premium tier for deeper analysis, forensic breakdowns, and exclusive content for paid subscribers.Visit TheMittenChannel.Substack.com and choose your tier today. The Mitten Channel is a network of podcasts.  

Here's my 2017 conversation with CHIP BERLET, investigative journalist, research analyst, activist - and friend - who died January 30, 2026. Over the last 50 years, Chip was one of a handful of folks who consistently tracked and organized against right-wing extremism. As MAGA grew and metastasized from its roots in the Silent Majority and the Tea Party, Chip was on the beat. Can't say he didn't warn us. Berlet was part of a team at the National Lawyers Guild who revealed the COINTELPRO program, in which US security and military forces disrupted left-wing movements for years, and co-authored (with Matthew N. Lyons) Right-Wing Populism in America: Too Close for Comfort a year before 9/11. We recorded this conversation two months into Trump One and five months before Tiki Torches in Charlottesville.

In the first half of this episode, Marcy Winograd and Medea Benjamin co-host Empire on the Rocks to update us on resistance at home and abroad. From Trump administration attacks on the Somali community to US military threats against Latin America to the Israeli blockade of Gaza, CODEPINK Radio unpacks the news with an anti-war quiz. In the second half of this episode, James M. Branum, an attorney with the National Lawyers Guild's Military Law Project, briefs us on the upsurge in GI resistance in the US Air Force and imagines what broader collective resistance might look like in the face of Trump's violence against Venezuela.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Major UBI study finds the more cash you give to the poor, it just makes them quit and not want to work. The debt is out of control 24 cents of every dollar goes to interest. The [CB] is collapsing. The [CB] mission is to destroy their old system and bring the people to a new system. Trump is helping them destroy their old system. The [DS] is desperate, Trump is ushering in peace and they know if this happens they will lose even more leverage to start a war. The [DS] is trying to divide the people this country and the movement that elected Trump. The know that arrests are coming and they are trying to break the counterinsurgency so the people are not behind Trump. This is already failing, nothing can stop what is coming, nothing. Economy https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/1993658495468728570?s=20 (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1993526341665542237?s=20 https://twitter.com/ultrapepemqtter/status/1990938476666048584?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/1993692907115524320?s=20 Political/Rights Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Takes Victory Lap Over ‘First Rebuilt House' in Pacific Palisades After Fires – There's Just One Little Problem Los Angles Mayor Karen Bass recently did a little victory dance about the ‘first rebuild' of a house in the Pacific Palisades after the wildfires. Hey, it has only been almost a year, right? There is one little problem with the house that Bass is celebrating, however. It was a developer project that was in the works before the fires even happened. That's right, this house wasn't even one of the average homes destroyed by fires and her incompetence. What a surprise. The New York Post reports: https://twitter.com/austinbeutner/status/1992983832640073862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1992983832640073862%7Ctwgr%5E1948d10752ca8b2e751627587116d657aa7f9737%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F11%2Flos-angeles-mayor-karen-bass-takes-victory-lap%2F. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/1993619585392853496?s=20 https://twitter.com/FBISanAntonio/status/1993324194008875091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1993324194008875091%7Ctwgr%5E6ff9acc0b508c58b2c0e326d3b42fe771bbb42d2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fwardclark%2F2025%2F11%2F25%2Fnew-san-antonio-sweep-nets-51-confirmed-tda-criminals-n2196559 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1993341609824731480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1993341609824731480%7Ctwgr%5Ea663c448b933df11eb2c62c9f899610bb785a839%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F11%2Fag-bondi-gives-update-memphis-safe-streets-task%2F https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1993419780108550293?s=20 DOGE https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1993404838596792723?s=20 ZILCH! If Ed Malarkey wants the EPA to release any more funding to Massachusetts for lead pipe replacement, he will have to tell his state to submit a plan to us ASAP on how it is going to spend what it has received previously and is still sitting on. The Trump EPA isn't messing around when it comes to TOTAL ACCOUNTABILITY of precious U.S. taxpayer dollars. Geopolitical https://twitter.com/AAGDhillon/status/1993535086462152800?s=20 The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is establishing a new office within its Civil Rights Division specifically dedicated to enforcing and protecting Second Amendment rights, which guarantee the right to keep and bear arms under the U.S. Constitution. Named the Second Amendment Rights Section, this office is set to open on December 4, 2025, and will focus on investigating and challenging local or state laws, policies, or practices that the DOJ deems as infringing on gun rights.  This move is part of a broader shift in priorities under the Trump administration, reallocating resources to emphasize conservative-leaning civil rights issues, such as gun ownership, over traditional areas like racial discrimination or police misconduct oversight. The initiative stems from a February 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump, which instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and address any federal, state, or local infringements on Second Amendment rights.  The office will operate using existing DOJ funding and personnel, without needing new congressional approval, though Congress was notified of the plans.   former DOJ officials, argue that this emphasis on gun rights dilutes the division’s core mission of safeguarding the rights of marginalized groups, especially amid ongoing gun violence issues in the U.S. (with 378 mass shootings reported as of November 25, 2025).  https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1993654295263350864?s=20 SHAME: Brazil Descends Into Tyranny, as Supreme Court Justice Moraes Orders Bolsonaro To Start Serving His Unjust 27-Year Prison Sentence for Fake ‘Coup' Bolsonaro, man of the people. The fakest coup ever. Liberty-loving people in Brazil and around the world are saddened, as a major injustice has taken place. Out-of-control Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a sanctioned human rights abuser, has ordered that former President Jair Bolsonaro begin serving his 27-year prison sentence for plotting an ‘attempted coup'. Under socialist Lula da Silva, the rogue Judiciary is persecuting right-wingers – and no target was more valuable than Bolsonaro. Sanctioned Justice Moraes is still running the country unopposed. CNN reported:   Source: thegatewaypundit.com War/Peace https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1993435854480539753?s=20   despite Trump's January directive to restore all troops forced out under Biden's Covid shot mandate. Officials blame Stephanie Miller, the DoW undersecretary controlling personnel systems, who designed and enforced the original mandate and previously served as the Pentagon's DEI chief. Her husband's work as a defense and pharmaceutical lobbyist adds further conflict concerns. Hegseth and senior Trump deputies have spent months fighting internal resistance to comply with the order. https://twitter.com/ColonelTowner/status/1993459007978172629?s=20   schools/homes repeatedly Russia decides to protect the Ukrainians in the Donbas and therefore according to the CIA: it’s Putin’s war. Trump Says No Firm Deadline for Ukraine, Russia to Reach Peace Deal Trump, speaking to reporters on board Air Force One as he flew to Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday, said U.S. negotiators were making progress in discussions with Russia and Ukraine, and Moscow had agreed to some concessions. He did not detail them. A U.S.-based framework for ending the war, first reported last week, prompted fresh concerns that the Trump administration might be willing to push Ukraine to sign a peace deal heavily tilted toward Moscow. Trump said his envoy Steve Witkoff would be traveling to Moscow soon to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and that his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who helped negotiate the Gaza deal that brought about an uneasy ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, was also involved. Trump in recent days had set the Thanksgiving holiday as the day when he wanted to see Ukraine agree to a deal to bring about an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. But he and his aides have backed away from a firm deadline and now say they would like an agreement as soon as possible. Trump said it appeared that Russia had the upper hand in the war and that it would be in Ukraine’s best interests to reach an agreement. Source: newsmax.com https://twitter.com/kadmitriev/status/1993424275592954337?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/1993448542397251701?s=20   President Putin in Moscow and, at the same time, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll will be meeting with the Ukrainians. I will be briefed on all progress made, along with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. I look forward to hopefully meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter, and let's all hope that PEACE can be accomplished AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!   DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Medical/False Flags BREAKING: Government Accountability Office Director Reveals Covert Effort Inside GAO to Defy RFK Jr., Preserve Vaccine Data Deleted by HHS (VIDEO)  A Government Accountability Office Director was caught on undercover video revealing a covert effort to defy RFK Jr. and preserve vaccine data deleted by the HHS. The O'Keefe Media Group posted video of GAO director Steven Putansu admitting to possible violations of federal records and theft laws. Per OMG: Putansu admitted on hidden camera GAO staff “stole and backed up” federal data to keep it outside RFK Jr. led HHS control – a potential violation of several federal statutes, including: – Unauthorized Removal or Destruction of Public Records (18 U.S.C. § 2071) – Theft or Conversion of Government Property (18 U.S.C. § 641) – Computer Fraud & Abuse Act – CFAA (18 U.S.C. § 1030) for accessing or copying government data without authorization. “We've stolen and backed those things up so that someday they can come back to government,” he said to the undercover OMG journalist. Putansu trashed the ‘vaccine deniers' in the HHS. “I'd watch out for the vaccine denying HHS who's going to ruin health care in this country even more than it already is,” he said. “It limits the amount of permanent damage… research he's trying to delete is stored outside his control,” he said. WATCH: The GAO released a statement in response to OMG's undercover video operation: “Regarding your inquiry, GAO collects & retains data for requested audits & engagements in accordance with GAO's statutes & agency protocols. GAO is committed to meeting the highest level of independence, nonpartisanship, & professional standards while conducting audits, evaluations, & investigations & we take seriously any suggestion otherwise.” Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/AwakenedOutlaw/status/1993477109831119259?s=20  prohibited from removing, copying, or concealing official records without authorization, especially to interfere with executive branch operations or policy implementation.’ ~ Grok All told, because sentencing would run concurrently those involved could easily get a 10-year sentence. However, if the DOJ and judge decide to make an example of him/them, they could get more—along with an 8 to 9 figure for restitution + multi-million-dollars fines, effectively bankrupting them and taking everything they owned. Enjoy, shitbirds!  https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1993372507043242297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1993372507043242297%7Ctwgr%5Ea7086b8f00b98d794a84ab5935e8ccda69f80d81%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fkatie-jerkovich%2F2025%2F11%2F25%2Fone-guess-why-worlds-strongest-female-winner-was-stripped-of-title-n2196553 https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1993374918315319533?s=20 https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent/status/1993411604520505719?s=20   for contributions to qualifying Scholarship Granting Organizations, marking the first time a federal tax credit directly supports private donations for K-12 education. Treasury is working with states now to ensure readiness for implementation. Education is the first step to financial freedom, and the Trump Administration is committed to providing pathways to support students nationwide. [DS] Agenda Democrat Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Surrenders to Authorities After Allegedly Laundering $5 Million in FEMA Funds — Allegedly Bought 3.14-Carat Yellow Diamond Ring A sitting Democratic member of Congress from Broward County, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, surrendered to federal authorities Tuesday in Miami amid explosive allegations that she orchestrated a scheme to steal and launder $5 million in FEMA COVID-19 disaster relief funds, and used a portion to bankroll her 2021 congressional campaign and purchase a luxury yellow diamond ring. “The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source. Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick's 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants. According to the Miami Herald, the money trail reveals a stunning web of alleged financial abuse and deception: $2.4 million transferred into the bank account of Cherfilus-McCormick's consulting company. $1.2 million routed to relatives. $830,000 moved into an account where the congresswoman was an authorized signer. $334,000 sent to a co-defendant, Nadege Leblanc, to orchestrate straw donor contributions. $190,000 transferred to a company associated with her brother, Edwin Cherfilus. $109,000 allegedly used to purchase the now-infamous 3.14-carat Fancy Yellow Diamond ring. The indictment alleges that more than $1.14 million was then funneled into her campaign account in September and October 2021, just in time for her congressional race, funds prosecutors say were “illegally sourced and misrepresented” on campaign reports and tax returns. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/ZohranKMamdani/status/1993107017100304653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1993107017100304653%7Ctwgr%5E271a9bb4777a48bf3973b6303388944477019e08%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailysignal.com%2F2025%2F11%2F25%2Fmamdani-names-radical-cop-hating-professor-to-community-safety-post%2F https://twitter.com/thestustustudio/status/1993111704629395961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1993111704629395961%7Ctwgr%5E271a9bb4777a48bf3973b6303388944477019e08%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailysignal.com%2F2025%2F11%2F25%2Fmamdani-names-radical-cop-hating-professor-to-community-safety-post%2F   humanity. This is the worldview Mamdani is bringing into city government. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1993689427940426054?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/1993491221902418137?s=20 https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/1993497362451296263?s=20  context, as people need to understand certain precedents that illustrate the following points: 1. What the Sedition 6 have done is unprecedented since the Civil War. 2. Historic U.S. military success in some cases may never have happened had the Sedition 6 had a say at the time. 3. The exercise of lethal force we are seeing again the invading drug boats is both legal and consistent with past US actions by some of our greatest Presidents, and is consistent with the Monroe Doctrine. 4. The act of undermining a nation's military through perfidious information ops is a classic behavior of fascists and communists. History speaks, and should be our guide. Links: THREAD President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/1993590807002333358?s=20  n Without War to advertise seditious-adjacent behavior on billboards. And Win Without War has multiple Congressional liaisons on their “About” page. National Lawyers Guild is an infamous supporter of antifa per @MrAndyNgo , which of course is now a foreign terrorist organization. cc: @CynicalPublius https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/1993668483125576071?s=20   Lawyers Guild (NIPNLG) is a fiscally sponsored project of the Alliance for Global Justice (AfGJ), and the NLG as a whole is widely recommended as the primary legal contact and support provider for participants in pro-Palestine and immigration protests. Win Without War is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for International Policy (CIP), as disclosed on CIP's 2019 IRS Form 990. The Center for International Policy (CIP) is a progressive think tank advocating for a non-militaristic U.S. foreign policy centered on diplomacy, transparency, human rights, and solutions to war, corruption, inequality, and climate change.  CIP's major funders include Open Society Foundations (George Soros), Carnegie Corporation of New York, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Charles Koch Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation and McKnight Foundation, among others (per Cause IQ and public 990 filings). https://twitter.com/mrddmia/status/1993720894020063590?s=20  presidential election, which is allowed by the Electoral Count Act of 1887 and the First Amendment. That's why Democrats didn't face charges for objecting to Republican presidential wins in 1968, 2000, 2004, and 2016. Fani Willis took our country https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/1993418873127805086?s=20   allegations that she had placed the explosive devices outside Democratic and Republican party offices. ODNI officials said the agency received a tip from a person affiliated with a media organization about potential criminal wrongdoing by an individual believed to be working at an intelligence agency and set about documenting it in a memo. A short time after the unfinished memo began to circulate, the conservative news outlet, Blaze News, published details similar to those in the draft, including the woman’s full name. CBS News was not shown the memo, but sources said McNamara had accessed confidential files to obtain details about the woman for the draft memo, including her place of work and Social Security number. The federal security officer cooperated with the FBI, sources close to the matter said. Her lawyer said publicly she had done nothing wrong. Both the woman and her lawyer declined to comment. She returned to work after being placed on a brief leave, one of the sources said.” Another “Seven Ways from Sunday” Effort Against DNI Tulsi Gabbard – The J6 Pipe Bomber Was Wrongly Identified  CBS is writing a narrative through the background story of how the wrong identity was originated, and that tracks back to Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.  In essence, a hit against Tulsi Gabbard emerges, and the details end up showing a transparent intelligence operation for those who have paid close attention. According to CBS an anonymous “whistleblower” originally contacted the ODNI, Tulsi Gabbard's office, with information about who the J6 pipe bomber was.  Subsequently, “a unit overseen by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard drafted a memo identifying the woman and describing allegations.” As the article is written, “Several sources told CBS News that the classified draft memo, which was on ODNI letterhead, was written by Paul McNamara, who is in charge of Gabbard's Director's Initiatives Group, which is tasked with providing “transparency and accountability” and executing President Trump's intelligence-related executive orders.” Shortly thereafter, Steve Baker at Blaze News then wrote an article naming the accused pipe bomber, using information that directly paralleled the report within the DNI's office. The accused woman was cleared during an FBI investigation that stemmed from the memo and The Blaze report.   The woman provided an alibi and recordings of her activity timestamped during the time when she was accused of walking through the streets of Washington DC.  CBS narrative doesn't focus on The Blaze or the reporting of Steve Baker, instead the media hit shifts responsibility to Tulsi Gabbard who is operating outside her intelligence oversight lane and conducting independent investigations which includes information from “outside sources.” Having followed the operations of these embed “intel officials” the motive for this operation against the office of the DNI is clear.  You, me, all of us can see with clear non-pretending eyes, the intent of this op was to change the way Tulsi Gabbard is receiving information and to block the delivery of external sunlight. Source: theconservativetreehosue.com https://twitter.com/SenRonJohnson/status/1993418804794474815?s=20   eliminating political opposition. These records are only the tip of the iceberg. https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/1993425046849692155?s=20   totally false. Come on Kash, let's take a picture to show them you're doing a great job!” Do not believe the Fake News! https://twitter.com/TheChiefNerd/status/1993489608034693365?s=20 TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/drawandstrike/status/1993455727718060348?s=20  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Over the past week, the Trump Administration has upped it's attack on American cities by mobilizing ICE and National Guard troops to Chicago where residents were awoken in the middle of the night over the weekend by ICE agents removing them from their beds and arresting them with zip-ties. The administration similarly launched an attack on Portland, Ore., where residents have been protesting ICE activities in a section of the city. In this episode, we speak with Ben Haile, Senior Counsel with the Oregon Justice Resource Center's Civil Rights Project, specializing in litigation on police misconduct, denial of medical care in detention, and the rights of incarcerated people. — Subscribe to this podcast: https://plinkhq.com/i/1637968343?to=page Get in touch: lawanddisorder@kpfa.org Follow us on socials @LawAndDis: https://twitter.com/LawAndDis; https://www.instagram.com/lawanddis/ The post Portland Fights Back w/ Ben Heile from the National Lawyers Guild appeared first on KPFA.

This week, we're featuring two segments. First up, Moira Meltzer-Cohen, an lawyer with the National Lawyers Guild, speaks about the recent declarations of war by the Trump administration on anteefah, what has changed legally, what they might be telegraphing and smart ways to move forward in this tense atmosphere. Check out our recent chat with Mo about Knowing your Rights and Risks with the police, linked in our show notes, or learn more about their work at NLG.ORG Then, A speaks briefly about supporting mutual aid efforts in Gaza. For more information, check out the recommended article on ItsGoingDown.org and some links in our show notes . ... . .. Featured Track: Sleep Now In The Fire (instrumental) by Rage Against The Machine from The Battle of Los Angeles

Margaret continues talking to Joelle Monique about the almost 90 year history of the organization for progressive and radical lawyers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret talks to Joelle Monique about the almost 90 year history of the organization for progressive and radical lawyersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On June 7, 2025, the Trump administration overstepped the state government and federalized the national guard in California. They were deployed to Los Angeles to suppress protests against the rampant raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In an unprecedented move, the administration also ordered marines to Los Angeles to join the guard. Clearing the FOG speaks with attorney James Branum of the Military Law Task Force, a branch of the National Lawyers Guild, about the history and legality of domestic troop deployments, the dangers of escalation and violations of civil rights, and what rights members of the military have to refuse to participate. Branum outlines the resources available to military members who want more information or need legal support. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

Guests:  Sonali Kolhatkar is an award winning journalist, broadcaster, writer, and author. She is the founder, host, and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali that airs at KPFK, KPFA and the Pacifica Radio stations. She is also a Senior Editor at YES! Media, and the author most recently of Talking About Abolition: A Police-Free World is Possible. Ben Camacho is an investigative journalist and documentary photographer. His work focuses on state-sponsored violence and the communities impacted by it.  He is part of The Southlander, a new worker-led outlet in the LA area.  He has been covering the ICE raids in LA. Marjorie Cohn is professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, dean of the People's Academy of International Law and past president of the National Lawyers Guild. Her books include Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral and Geopolitical Issues.  Her articles can be found on Truthout.org. Mohamed Shehk is with the Arab Resource and Organizing Center. He talks about Trump's attacks on immigrants and his latest travel ban. AROC is organizing in the Bay Area to prepare, respond and resist these attacks.   Photo credit: Ben Camacho, ICE Raids, Compton, CA, 2025 The post Trump Deployment of the National Guard to LA appeared first on KPFA.

This week we spoke with Moira Meltzer-Cohen, an anarchist and lawyer with the National Lawyers Guild who practices mostly in New York City. For the hour, Mo talks about knowing ones rights and risks during interactions with law enforcement in the US during Trump 2.0, why even scofflaws should know some basic Bill of Rights trivia, info on warrants and house visits, airports and borders, and the importance of face-to-face practice with local lawyers who know the legal precedents on the ground in your jurisdiction. Links NLG Anti-Repression Hotline: 212.679.2811 NLG website: https://www.nlg.org/ CUNY CLEAR website: https://www.cunyclear.org/ instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuny_clear/ LLWD episode with Mo on Federal Grand Juries Our past episodes on Grand Juries and Grand Jury Resistance Magic Words flyer to stick on the back of your door in case of police visits: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/files/2025/05/Magic-Spell_2025.pdf Announcements June 11th, 2025 Asheville We're a week and a half out from the annual June 11th Day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners. If you're in the Asheville area, Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at The Odd (1045 Haywood Rd near Firestorm in West AVL) . $10 door, opens at 7pm, music at 8pm Featuring XOR, Lo Wolf, Run Over By A Horse and Blake Hornsby with lots of free lit and prizes available including books, stickers, clothing, jewelry and more. More info on the mastodon post: https://kolektiva.social/@BlueRidgeABC/114589079620149305 Also coming soon at the BRABC website: https://brabc.noblogs.org/june-11th-2025/ Elsewhere If you're elsewhere, you can check out announced local events in your area by checking out the social media accounts for June11.Noblogs.Org, particularly their mastodon account on @june11@kolektiva.social Fire Ant Movement call to action Finally, the Fire Ant Movement released the following statement concerning June 11, 2025: "Fire ant movement defense, an organization that works to gather mass opposition to the political prosecutions of the stop cop city movement in atlanta, is calling for a “movement defense day of action” on June 11 to support stop cop city defendants and long term anarchist political prisoners. Their statement reads: This year, June 11th arrives amid growing repression: Pro-palestine protesters are facing indefinite detention in ice facilities, and in Georgia, the state continues its aggressive persecution of the stop cop city movement, with 61 activists currently facing RICO charges. In response, we call for a united front, to link the defense of the stop cop city struggle with the june 11th tradition of solidarity with long-term anarchist political prisoners.   We invite people to learn about Marius Mason and other long-term anarchist prisoners, host public events, drop banners, throw fundraisers, and take action to defend our movements for total liberation.”   Fire ant movement defense says that this will be the first of many movement defense days of action, drawing connections and lines of solidarity between movements fighting for liberation. You can find more information at fireantmovement.org and follow them on instagram, twitter or bluesky." They also wanted to point people to learn more at supportmariusmason.org and weelauneethefree.org . ... . .. Featured Track: Know Your Rights by The Clash from Combat Rock  

I am a product of George Washington University Law School, so I feel I have an insider's right to comment on the super-elite law firms that've suddenly been kowtowing to Trump.Well… actually, I only lasted a week-and-a-half in law school. Still, you don't need to be a legal scholar to see that these butt-kissing, billion-dollar firms are – to use a judicial term – scuzz.It's certainly true that Trump is a vindictive, petty president who routinely turns his office into a weapon of personal political revenge. And he especially despises lawyers who have defied his many blatantly-illegal power grabs, so he's been deploying the crushing force of big government to punish such prominent Democratic firms as Paul Weiss. Trump stripped security clearances from Weiss lawyers, barred them from entering federal buildings, and threatened to cancel their clients' government contracts.No one said battling a despot would be easy. But, as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor recently put it, “If you're not used to fighting and losing battles, then don't become a lawyer.”Rather than fight, the Weiss firm pathetically tucked tail and ran whimpering to Trump, begging forgiveness for challenging his unconstitutional acts. They even made a $40 million payoff to get in Lord Donald's good graces!Senior partners in the Weiss firm, each of whom are paid some $20 million a year, are not only gutless, but greedy as well. They sold their integrity to a mobster like Trump, so he would “let them” keep drawing that fat check. It shows that the opposite of courage is not merely cowardice, but conformity.If lawyers will so meekly abandon their own democratic rights, why would any of us pay them to stand up for ours?Do something!To find and support lawyers who actually support The People, check out the National Lawyers Guild at nlg.org.Jim Hightower's Lowdown is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jimhightower.substack.com/subscribe

Amanda Yarusso, attorney for the National Lawyers Guild, gives a progressive response to the curfew crackdown targeting teens in a number of U.S. cities and offers a refresher course on how to deal with an encounter with police.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Trevor Loudon Reports – West drew a chilling parallel between America's current judicial system and Bolshevik justice. She cited Tom Homan's observation that illegal immigrants face no vetting entering the U.S. but intense scrutiny upon deportation — a hallmark of a system designed to enforce a dictatorial agenda, not equal justice. Influenced by Marxist organizations like the National Lawyers Guild...

Trevor Loudon Reports – West drew a chilling parallel between America's current judicial system and Bolshevik justice. She cited Tom Homan's observation that illegal immigrants face no vetting entering the U.S. but intense scrutiny upon deportation — a hallmark of a system designed to enforce a dictatorial agenda, not equal justice. Influenced by Marxist organizations like the National Lawyers Guild...

"Abolition and Capitalism: Breaking the Ties" w/ Andy “Hood Candidate” Williams Jr.Mass incarceration isn't just about crime and punishment—it's about profit. In this episode, we examine how capitalism fuels the prison-industrial complex, from private prisons to forced prison labor, and why abolition is inherently an economic justice movement. We'll also explore alternative systems that prioritize care over punishment and justice over profit.Andy “Hood Candidate” Williams, Jr., is an abolitionist, advocate, and social entrepreneur. He is the ambassador of AWJ Ministries, a marketplace ministry that sets people free from financial, physical, and spiritual bondage. He is the director of litigation, advocacy, and strategy at For the People: Kingdom Litigators, LLC, a public interest law firm. He has made two bids to become President of the United States, running with the Libertarian Party in 2020 and as an independent in 2024.His life mission is to set people free by any means necessary. To achieve his vision, Andy co-founded a series of social enterprises, including National Coalition for Prisoner Voting Rights, Jailhouse and Street lawyers Association, and the Radical Republicans. Andy serves on the committee for the National Lawyers Guild, New Illinois, and collaborates with many National Organizations and freedom led movements. He speaks regularly about freedom issues primarily around the current and formerly incarcerated rights and government accountability as he strives for freedom of all the people.Turning A Moment Ino A Moment Team:-Jay Love Host: Founder and Creator of Turning A Moment Into A Movement, The Justice for Gerard Movement, to learn more about The Justice for Gerard Movement go to: ⁠www.change.org/Justice4Gerard⁠Executive Board member of Michigan Coalition of Human Rights, G100 Prison Reforms & Reintegration Global Advisory Council Member -Rev. Tia Littlejohn: Behavioral Therapist, Founder of the Choice Zone, G100 Global Chair G100 Prison Reforms & Reintegration, Co-Chair & Executive Board member of Michigan Coalition of Human Rights, Author, www.thechoicezone.com-Trische' Duckworth: Executive Director/Founder of Survivors Speak, Founder/ Lead Consultant of Value Black Lives, Social Worker, Justice Advocate, Board member of Michigan Coalition of Human Rights,https://www.survivorsspeak.info-Alexanderia Hudges: Mental health and human rights Activist, Master's degree student at Wayne State University, and Board member with the Michigan Coalition of Human Rights https://linktr.ee/AlexandriaJHughes -Leslie McGraw: Poet, Writer, and Social Media and Voting Rights ActivistOwner, Les Go Social Media Marketing & Training (Les Go Social MM&T) Founder, Elbert Williams Voting Corner, Board Member and VOTE Caucus Leader, Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice (ICPJ) Communications Lead, Protectors of Equality in Government (PEG), Member, Allies of Mental Health of Washtenaw County www.elbertwilliamsvotingcorner.com***Turning A Moment Into A Movement Podcast MISSION:To bring awareness, organize, and create content that will be a resource that will aide families, communities, and those seeking Justice for WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS and Injustice. ...and advocating for Justice & Exoneration for GERARD HAYCRAFT. change.org/Justice4GerardI do not own the rights to the music.No copyright infringement intended.Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer (Fair Use) under section 107 Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes.

Send us a textCriminal defense usually includes keeping the burden with the prosecution to attempt to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. That approach can be turned upside down with activists who broadcast their actions loudly and clearly. Fairfax criminal lawyer Jonathan Katz first faced that situation when teaming with Ramsey Clark to defend four Plowshares activists who hammered on warplanes outfitted to fire depleted uranium missiles. The four defendants' openness about their actions made winning the destruction of property count a challenge to win at their jury trial, while pretrial, Jon still convinced the trial judge to dismiss the sabotage and sabotage conspiracy counts. Early in his criminal defense career, Jon Katz heard Gerald Lefcourt tell about how his client Abby Hoffman sought for Lefcourt to keep him out of jail so that he could pursue his activism. Jon wondered if he had missed the boat for defending activists until he was asked to defend the Plowshares. Ramsey Clark told Jon that the opportunities to defend activists are many, at least when doing so pro bono. When Jon asked about a lawyer(s) to turn to for suggestions for defending activists, Mark Goldstone's name immediately came up. Mark was delighted when he received a court appointment for an activist protesting in the Capitol against Ronald Reagan's policies in supporting anti-communist combatants in Nicaragua, and was even more delighted when the lawyers for the 130 other defendants withdrew their representation, leaving those defendants with Mark. When Jon met Mark, Mark led the demonstrations committee of the local National Lawyers Guild, which Jon Katz first joined because of its work for criminal defendants and immigrants, and its stand for racial justice and gender equality, but left several years later when the group became too doctrinaire, and even issued a call to support Muntadhar al-Zaid -- who in 2008 threw his shoes at George W. Bush in Iraq -- and called to donate shoes for needy people, with not a peep against violence that was part of the shoe throwing. Over the decades, Mark has become a go-to lawyer for political activists -- including supporting their First Amendment free expression rights -- and for judges seeking criminal defense lawyers for appointments for such defense. Mark is a devoted, principled and caring person and attorney. Jon has great respect for him.This podcast with Fairfax, Virginia criminal / DUI lawyer Jon Katz is playable on all devices at podcast.BeatTheProsecution.com. For more information, visit https://BeatTheProsecution.com or contact us at info@BeatTheProsecution.com, 703-383-1100 (calling), or 571-406-7268 (text). Hear our prior podcasts, at https://podcast.BeatTheProsecution.com/If you like what you hear on our Beat the Prosecution podcast, please take a moment to post a review at our Apple podcasts page (with stars only, or else also with a comment) at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beat-the-prosecution/id1721413675

     On this show we welcome back Zane McNeill to discuss their new edited collection: Building Multispecies Resistance Against Exploitation: Stories from the Frontline of Labor and Animal Rights (published by Peter Lang, 2024). This incredible collection of contributions from activists and scholars about the structures of violence and oppression that are shared by human and non-human labourers working and dying in necropolitical facilities. The book also asks readers to consider the intersection between class and species, race, gender and other categories of oppression, and the ways that the contemporary Animal Activist Non-profit Sector (AANS) upholds hierarchies in its mission towards animal liberation. There are some powerful examples of successful social and political campaigns that we can draw from and that can help us to build strategic alliances and coalitions between social movements and political subjects.    Zane McNeill is a scholar-activist, 15-year vegan, and National Lawyers Guild's Animal Liberation Committee chair. They have worked closely with the Institute of Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) and have published chapters in ICAS collections, including Vegans on Speciesism and Ableism: Ecoability Voices for Disability and Animal Justice and Expanding the Critical Animal Studies Imagination: Essays on Solidarity and Total Liberation. He has also edited Queer and Trans Voices: Achieving Liberation Through Consistent Anti-Oppression, Vegan Entanglements: Dismantling Racial and Carceral Capitalism, and Building Multispecies Resistance Against Exploitation: Stories from the Frontlines of Labor and Animal Rights.     The music we played on the show:  Álmatlanság by Magashegyi Underground L by Laveda I exist, I exist, I exist by Flatsound

This week we're featuring three segments. First up, you'll a conversation I had with Asphalt, a supporter of a recent federal grand jury resister in Charleston, South Carolina. [00:04:53 - 00:36:28] After that Cyprus Hartford, the grand jury resister, speaks for herself and reads her statement of resistance and here's her GoFundMe. [00:36:28 - 00:40:39] Finally, you can find an interview that Ian did with Marisa Holmes and Molly of the Metropolitan Anarchist Coordinating Committee about their recent anarchist film festival. [00:42:32 - 01:01:29] Then you'll hear Sean Swain's review of the presidential debate [01:02:06 - 01:09:16] Past GJ Eps Steve Martinez resists NoDAPL GJ in 2021 Jeremy Hammond resists Wikileaks-related GJ in 2019 & 2020 Chelsea Manning resists Wikileaks-related GJ in 2019 Katie Yow resists NC GJ in 2017 Standing Rock GJ resistance in 2016 Jerry Koch resists NYC GJ in 2013 Resistance to GJ in Pacific Northwest in 2013 ( 1 & 2) San Francisco GJ with Ian Coldwater in 2012 Federal Grand Juries By way of introduction to this first segment, I'd like to remind people that none of the people speaking about grand juries here are lawyers, but we are sharing information we've gotten from lawyers and legal experts to the best of our abilities. I'm going to read a bit from the website NCResistsTheGrandJury.Wordpress.Com: What is a Grand Jury? In the federal legal system, the grand jury is used to decide whether someone should be charged (“indicted”) for a serious crime. The grand jury hears evidence presented by the prosecutor: the U.S. Attorney. The grand jury uses subpoenas to gather this evidence. It can subpoena documents, physical evidence, and witnesses to testify. The “special” federal grand jury, created in 1970, can be used to investigate “possible” organized criminal activity rather than a specific crime. The California legal system also has grand juries, but it is optional whether criminal prosecutions are initiated by grand jury indictment, or by a complaint by the District Attorney and preliminary hearing before a judge. How is a Grand Jury Different Than a Trial Jury? Unlike the “petit” jury, which is used to determine guilt in a trial, a grand jury consists of 16 to 23 jurors who are not screened for bias. The purpose of the grand jury is not to determine guilt or innocence, but to decide whether there is probable cause to prosecute someone for a felony crime. The grand jury operates in secrecy and the normal rules of evidence do not apply. The prosecutor runs the proceedings and no judge is present. Defense lawyers are not allowed to be present in the grand jury room and cannot present evidence, but may be available outside the room to consult with witnesses. The prosecutor and the grand jury members may not reveal what occurred in the grand jury room and witnesses cannot obtain a transcript of their testimony. How Has the Grand Jury Been Used by the State? Because of their broad subpoena powers and secretive nature, grand juries have been used by the government to gather information on political movements and to disrupt those movements by causing fear and mistrust. The grand jury lends itself to being used for improper political investigation due in part to the prosecutor's ability to question witnesses without regard for rules that prohibit irrelevant, unreliable or unlawfully obtained evidence. Those called before the grand jury may be compelled to answer any question, even those relating to lawful personal and political activities. That information has been used by the government as a basis to conduct further surveillance and disruption of political dissent. When used against political movements, the grand jury causes fear and mistrust because persons who refuse to answer questions about their First Amendment political activities, friends and associates may be jailed for the life of the grand jury: up to 18 months. If a witness asserts their Fifth Amendment right to remain silent, they may be forced to accept immunity or go to jail for contempt. Even a witness who attempts to cooperate can be jailed if minor inconsistencies are found in their testimony. Such a perjury charge may stand even when the grand jury fails to hand down any indictment for what it was ostensibly investigating. The grand jury is a complicated and opaque process, by design.  Our movements have decades of experience resisting grand juries, and there are resources available to learn more and support those who resist. If you have been contacted by federal law enforcement, the National Lawyers Guild has a national federal defense hotline at 212-679-2811. . ... . .. Featured Track: Setting Sun (instrumental) by The Chemical Brothers from Setting Sun

After more than a decade of sexual harassment, coerced encounters, and psychological abuse by San Diego vice, Kata Pierce-Morgan and her fellow Les Girls dancers were ready to tap into their stripper energy and fight back. If polite society and the legal system were not going to help them end the abuse, then they would take matters into their own hands. If no one was willing to believe a bunch of strippers, then Kata would install video cameras to prove their claims. If the rat pack cops thought they could terrorize them into silence, then they would find their voice and speak up. And if internal affairs refused to take their complaints seriously, then Kata would simply have to come up with a new game plan. Prepare for Chapter 5, Fighting Back, or the Rise of Stripper Energy. In this chapter: Kata Pierce-Morgan, poet, activist, former dancer, current owner of Les Girls Theater John Barriage, lawyer who represented James Morgan and Les Girls in 1980s Kate Yavenditti, lawyer and co-founder of the County's Task Force on Domestic Violence, also involved with WomenOccupySan Diego and the National Lawyers Guild. J.W. August, journalist Pepper, former dancer and cashier at Les Girls Theater Mel, current manager of Les Girls Theater Credits: Beth Accomando, Producer/Host Christopher Maue, Videographer/Lighting Designer Kurt Kohnen, Sound Designer Phil Nenna, Designer/Animator Sanns Dixon, Videographer Amy Fan and Gaby Moreno, Assistants David Washburn, Editor More information at kpbs.org/stripperenergy #strippers #adultentertainment #lesgirlstheater #sandiegohistory #1980s #vice #policeabuse #fighting back Explicit content.

How dare a stripper, a fringe woman, not stay silent and compliant as vice officers sexually harassed her ... and worse. And how dare Kata Pierce-Morgan challenge stereotypes and fight back? But Les Girls Theater had a history of fighting back starting with its owner James Morgan who spoke up against police abuse to a county Grand Jury in the hopes that the California Attorney General would crack down on the San Diego Police Department's Rat Pack. Kata was a midwestern Catholic girl who believed, like her late husband Jim, in not being a silent bystander. Even if you were a dancer at Les Girls. After all, Jim had won a groundbreaking victory over censorship in the late 1960s. But as the 60s became the 70s, Kata and her fellow dancers faced an onslaught of police raids, nude interrogations and coerced encounters. In this chapter: Kata Pierce-Morgan, poet, activist, former dancer, current owner of Les Girls Theater John Barriage, lawyer who represented James Morgan and Les Girls in 1980s Kate Yavenditti, lawyer and co-founder of the County's Task Force on Domestic Violence, also involved with WomenOccupySan Diego and the National Lawyers Guild. J.W. August, journalist Pepper, former dancer and cashier at Les Girls Theater Mel, current manager of Les Girls Theater Credits: Beth Accomando, Producer/Host Christopher Maue, Videographer/Lighting Designer Kurt Kohnen, Sound Designer Phil Nenna, Designer/Animator Sanns Dixon, Videographer Amy Fan and Gaby Moreno, Assistants David Washburn, Editor More information at kpbs.org/stripperenergy #strippers #adultentertainment #lesgirlstheater #sandiegohistory #1980s #vice #policeabuse Explicit content.

National Lawyers Guild former President Marjorie Cohn: International Criminal Court Targets Both Israeli & Hamas Leaders for War CrimesPeople's Tribunal conveners Crystal Cavalier-Keck and Jason Crazy Bear Keck: People's Tribunal Convened to Expose Mountain Valley Pipeline's Violation of the Rights of NatureJust Associates' Global Solidarity & Learning Coordinator Laura Carlsen: Claudia Sheinbaum Wins Historic Election as Mexico's First Female PresidentBob Nixon's Under-reported News SummaryWho will form South Africa's next government?Is bird flu destined to be next pandemic?Proud Boys re-emerge to rally around TrumpVisit our website at BTLonline.org for more information, in-depth interviews, related links, transcripts and subscribe to our BTL Weekly Summary and/or podcasts. New episodes every Wednesday at 12 noon ET, website updated Wednesdays after 4 p.m. ETProduced by Squeaky Wheel Productions: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus, Bob Nixon, Anna Manzo, Susan Bramhall, Jeff Yates and Mary Hunt. Theme music by Richard Hill and Mikata.

* International Criminal Court Targets Both Israeli & Hamas Leaders for War Crimes; Marjorie Cohn, prof. emerita Thomas Jefferson School of Law, past pres. National Lawyers Guild; Producer: Scott Harris. * People's Tribunal Convened to Expose Mountain Valley Pipeline's Violation of the Rights of Nature; Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, convener of the People's Tribunal and her husband Jason Crazy Bear Keck; Producer: Melinda Tuhus. * Claudia Sheinbaum Wins Historic Election as Mexico's First Female President; Laura Carlsen, Coordinator of Global Solidarity & Learning, with Just Associates in Mexico City; Producer: Scott Harris

National Lawyers Guild former President Marjorie Cohn:  Arms Embargo and Sanctions Can Hold Israeli & Hamas Leaders Accountable for War CrimesPeople's Tribunal conveners Crystal Cavalier-Keck and Jason Crazy Bear Keck: People's Tribunal Convened to Expose Mountain Valley Pipeline's Violation of the Rights of NatureJust Associates' Global Solidarity & Learning Coordinator Laura Carlsen: Claudia Sheinbaum Wins Historic Election as Mexico's First Female PresidentBob Nixon's Under-reported News SummaryWho will form South Africa's next government?Is bird flu destined to be next pandemic?Proud Boys re-emerge to rally around TrumpVisit our website at BTLonline.org for more information, in-depth interviews, related links and transcripts and to sign up for our BTL Weekly Summary. New episodes every Wednesday at 12 noon ET, website updated Wednesdays after 4 p.m. ETProduced by Squeaky Wheel Productions: Scott Harris, Melinda Tuhus, Bob Nixon, Anna Manzo, Susan Bramhall, Jeff Yates and Mary Hunt. Theme music by Richard Hill and Mikata.

Today on the show: We'll speak to the president of the National Lawyers Guild, and to Chip Gibbons of Defending Rights & Dissent about the resurgence of police power in the face of the new national student movement against genocide in Palestine.  Also we'll have a report from UCLA in the aftermath of an attack by a violent pro-Israel contingent, and we'll talk to the author of a new book Resisting the Right-Wing Attack on Academic Freedom The Right to Learn: Resisting the Right-Wing Attack on Academic Freedom The post A Nationwide Spree of Police Violence Against Genocide Protestors appeared first on KPFA.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear McKesson v. Doe. The case involves a police officer injured during a Black Lives Matter protest after the police murder of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, La in 2016. The injured police officer sued the organizer DeRay McKesson for damages. Last year, the US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit sided with the officer. The Supreme Court, for a second time, declined to hear the case. The impact of the Supreme Court's decision to decline to hear the case is potentially devastating for organizers of mass protests. In our latest, Scott talks with movement lawyer Maggie Ellinger-Locke about the case and the precedent it may be setting up. Bio// Maggie Ellinger-Locke, she/her, is a movement lawyer based in the Washington DC area, living on the stolen land of the Anacostan and Piscataway peoples. She works for the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at Howard University School of Law, where she helps train the next generation of movement lawyers. Previously she worked as a staff attorney at Greenpeace USA, and has also worked in public policy and private practice. She is currently co-chair of the DC chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. --------------------------------------------------- Outro- "Green and Red Blues" by Moody Links// +Supreme Court declines to hear appeal from Black Lives Matter organizer facing damages suit (https://bit.ly/3xNTh5K) Follow Green and Red//+G&R Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/greenandredpodcast⁠⁠⁠+Our rad website: ⁠⁠⁠https://greenandredpodcast.org/⁠⁠⁠+We're part of the Labor Podcast Network: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.laborradionetwork.org/⁠⁠+ Join our Discord community ( https://discord.gg/AzY3gmpm )Support the Green and Red Podcast//+Become a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/greenredpodcast+Or make a one time donation here: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/DonateGandR⁠⁠⁠This is a Green and Red Podcast (@PodcastGreenRed) production. Produced by Bob (@bobbuzzanco) and Scott (@sparki1969). “Green and Red Blues" by Moody. Editing by Scott.

Connecting veganism to other justice causes is critical to our success and our guest today recognized this at a very young age. Zane McNeill is a scholar-activist, chair of the National Lawyers Guild's Animal Liberation Committee, and was the co-manager of the collective Right for Animal Rights Activists. They have worked closely with the Institute of Critical Animal Studies (ICAS) and have published chapters in ICAS collections, including Vegans on Speciesism and Ableism: Ecoability Voices for Disability and Animal Justice and Expanding the Critical Animal Studies Imagination: Essays on Solidarity and Total Liberation. They have also edited Queer and Trans Voices: Achieving Liberation Through Consistent Anti-Oppression, Vegan Entanglements: Dismantling Racial and Carceral Capitalism, and Building Multispecies Resistance Against Exploitation: Stories from the Frontlines of Labor and Animal Rights (forthcoming, Peter Lang Publishing).Zane will help us to unpack new terms like “consistent anti-oppression” and “total liberation” as well as “carceral veganism” where animal activists align with agencies to criminalize and deport people in marginalized communities of color when we should be targeting the system of oppression itself. They discuss the parallels of body autonomy issues for humans and non-humans. Zane addresses everything from micro aggressions experienced by animal activists within the movement to larger, structural issues of oppression. Join us for this important discussion.Resources:Zane's Book Vegan Entanglements Hope for the Animals PodcastCompassionate LivingCompassionate Living's YouTube Page 

Here's your local news for Monday, February 19, 2024:We get a democracy advocate's perspective on Wisconsin's new voting maps - signed into law today,Investigate how the maps will affect the Madison area,Share the government's calendar for this week,Mark the anniversary of the National Lawyers Guild's founding,Unveil a new mixology feature,Review two new movies,And much more.

On January 11 and 12, the International Court of Justice, also called the World Court, will hear testimony in South Africa's case charging the state of Israel with genocide. Organizations around the world are mobilizing to press their governments to support South Africa publicly and through Declarations of Intervention in the hope that Israel will be held accountable and that effective actions will be taken to protect the rights and lives of people in Palestine. Clearing the FOG speaks with Suzanne Adely, president of the National Lawyers Guild, about the Genocide Convention, the new International Coalition to Stop Genocide in Palestine and the risk of a broader war in Western Asia. For More information, visit PopularResistance.org.

In this free edited version of the weekly "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast, Kevin Gosztola speaks with Azadeh Shahshahani. Azadeh is the legal and advocacy director for Project South and a past president of the National Lawyers Guild. In our conversation, Azadeh discusses the deactivation of Palestinian activist or solidarity groups on university campuses, legal scholars and law students facing repercussions for speaking out in support of Palestinians, and the cruel indifference of the Biden administration to violence in Gaza (as well as the West Bank). BECOME A SUBSCRIBER: Go to patreon.com/UnauthorizedDisclosure or subscribe at TheDissenter.org

On November 4, people from across the country will gather in Washington, DC for the 15th Annual March to the White House organized by the Black is Back Coalition. Clearing the FOG speaks with Chairman Omali Yeshitela about the theme of this year's march, building an anti-colonial free speech movement in solidarity with peoples who struggle around the world. Yeshitela is one of the Uhuru 3, who are facing 15 years in jail for their activism. Yeshitela speaks about the historic ties between the black and Palestinian liberation movements. Then, Marjorie Cohn, former president of the National Lawyers Guild, joins the program to speak about a new legal brief on the complicity of the United States with Israel in its commission of genocide and other war crimes. For more information, visit PopularResistance.org.

This special episode is a recording of Yvette's lecture on "How To Be a Movement Lawyer," for the National Lawyers Guild and Immigration Law Students Association chapters at the University of Arizona law school. Yvette critiques mainstream impact litigation techniques, shares how she became a movement lawyer, and explains the critical role that the Radio Cachimbona plays in her movement lawyering. To support the podcast, become a patron and get exclusive access to the #litreview online book club for as little as $3 a month: https://patreon.com/radiocachimbonaFollow @radiocachimbona on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Email radiocachimbona@gmail.com to book Yvette for similar guest lectures at your campus

This episode is focused on the campaign to free Sundiata Jawanza. Sundiata Jawanza is a New Afrikan, abolitionist and human rights activist currently incarcerated in the South Carolina. Today we have four guests, Audrey Bomse and Jenipher Jones both co-chairs of the Mass Incarceration Committee of the National Lawyers Guild, Darren Mack of Prison Lives Matter, and Roc, the Jailhouse Lawyers Speak Housing Program Coordinator.  In this discussion J shares a bit about the Sundiata Jawanza's freedom campaign, a bit about the case itself, and primarily we focus on a political discussion of Sundiata Jawanza's work in part discussing his individual contributions, but primarily through the political work that he and his comrades have done through Jailhouse Lawyers Speak. As part of that discussion, we also discuss the overall importance of jailhouse lawyers to the legal education and opportunities at freedom and defense of human rights within US prisons.  We want to ask all of our listeners to please get involved, to connect with Sundiata Jawanza, and to support his freedom campaign by writing the parole board on his behalf. Full details on how to do that can be found at SundiataJawanza.com. To learn more about Jailhouse Lawyers Speak. People can write JLS by mail at:  JAILHOUSE LAWYERS SPEAK PO BOX 673 MERCER, PA 16137 Or email jailhouselawyersspeak@protonmail.com or outthemud.jls@gmail.com Some prior episodes with (or in solidarity with) Jailhouse Lawyers Speak: Jailhouse Lawyers Speak's 2020 Call To Action  “In The Spirit of Abolition” - Jailhouse Lawyers Speak Calls For Shut ‘Em Down Demonstrations "Building Infrastructure: Identifying Tactics for Sustainable Formations": A Panel Discussion Supporting Jailhouse Lawyers Speak's #SHUTEMDOWN2021 Demos

GORDON CHANG, Contributor, Gatestone Institute, Newsweek, Author, “The Coming Collapse of China,” “Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes the World, “Losing South Korea,” and “The Great US-China Tech War,” @Gordongchang Is there a new partnership brewing between China and Russia? Is a war with China "coming home"? How is the Belt and Road progressing? Are the Paris Accords slowing climate change? KYLE SHIDELER, Director/Senior Analyst for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism at Center for Security Policy Updates on the Nashville Covenant School shooting   Are the police going to release the shooter's manifesto? Was the shooting politically motivated? What is the National Lawyers Guild?

What connects the disruptive protests against a conservative judge's speech to Stanford Law and the arrests of over two dozen demonstrators outside Atlanta? Both involved people aligned with the National Lawyers Guild, a radical-left association of attorneys, law students, legal workers, and jailhouse lawyers. Joining me to discuss the NLG is our colleague Robert Stilson, […]