Podcasts about Politico

In his final State of the State address, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed to restructure the California Department of Education by shifting power away from the state superintendent and into the hands of the next governor. Marisa and Guy are joined by Politico's Dustin Gardiner to discuss how the announcement blindsided the current State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.  Then, they talk about the legacy of U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, who died during emergency surgery this week. LaMalfa was a Republican who represented Northern California in Congress for more than a decade and his death leaves Republicans with an even tighter majority in the House of Representatives. Plus, tensions rise between Democratic state officials and the Trump administration following the deadly shooting of a woman by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis. Days later,  U.S. border patrol agents shot two people in Portland. Check out ⁠Political Breakdown's weekly newsletter⁠, delivered straight to your inbox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ghislaine Maxwell originally signaled she was ready to comply with the congressional subpoena demanding her testimony before the House Oversight Committee tentatively scheduled for the week of August 11. Her legal team had framed her cooperation with the Department of Justice—during a two‑day interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, in which she reportedly answered questions about nearly 100 individuals without invoking privilege—as a sign of willingness to come forward fully. That earlier posture suggested Maxwell might walk the halls of Capitol Hill to finally provide insight into Epstein's network and operations.But following that DOJ sit‑down, she is now openly "undecided" about whether she will testify before Congress. Despite praising her own “truthful” and unrestricted cooperation in front of federal prosecutors, Maxwell has refused to commit to congressional testimony, leaving open the possibility of invoking her Fifth Amendment rights absent formal immunity. Critics are quick to suggest this move is a calculated pivot—falling back into legal limbo just as the political temperature rises. Rather than embracing transparency, she's pulling back into silence until she sees whether immunity or clemency might eventually materialize—casting further doubt on the sincerity of her earlier so-called "willingness."to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Maxwell's lawyer says she's undecided on appearing for congressional testimony - POLITICO

Media veteran Ryan Lizza joins Mixed Signals for a raw, sprawling conversation about why he chose to publish an eight-part (and counting) Substack series responding to the most personal and public crisis of his career. Max and Ben press him on whether this was ever just a breakup story, why he believes the real scandal involves RFK Jr. and journalistic failures, and how Substack gave him the only viable way to tell the story in the first place. Lizza reflects on leaving Politico, burning bridges with legacy outlets, the cost of going public, and what this episode taught him about our changing media landscape. Sign up for Semafor Media's Sunday newsletter: https://www.semafor.com/newsletters/media  For more from Think with Google, check out ThinkwithGoogle.com. Find us on X: @semaforben, @maxwelltaniIf you have a tip or a comment, please email us mixedsignals@semafor.com

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> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe US is now withdrawing from the GCF, the entire plan of the [WEF]/[CB] is imploding. Housing is going to boom, Trump has all the pieces in place. Supreme Court is suppose to make a decision on tariffs, if they rule against Trump he has another card up his sleeve.US trade deficit dropped by 40%. Trump just gave the [WEF] the middle finger and shutdown their entire agenda. The [DS] is doing exactly what Trump wants, they are building the insurrection right in front of the countries eyes. Trump has now set the trap of all traps, never interfere with an enemy while in the process of destroying themselves. Trump has the military, he has the law on his side, everything has been planned for, playbook known. Economy https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent/status/2009264006083522849?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/TKL_Adam/status/2009018778294927730?s=20 https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2009298104764219475?s=20 The Supreme Court is expected to potentially rule on the legality of President Trump’s tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as early as tomorrow, January 9, 2026, at around 10 a.m. ET.  The justices heard oral arguments in the consolidated cases (Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump and Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc.) on November 5, 2025, where they appeared skeptical of the administration’s position that IEEPA grants the president authority to impose such sweeping tariffs during declared national emergencies.  Lower courts had previously ruled against the tariffs’ legality, but they remain in effect pending the Supreme Court’s decision.    These options are drawn from existing trade laws and have been used by past administrations. Here’s a breakdown of the key alternatives: Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962: This allows the president to impose tariffs on imports deemed a threat to national security after an investigation by the Department of Commerce. There’s no cap on duty levels or duration, making it flexible for broad application, such as on steel or autos.  Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974: Through the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), this permits tariffs in response to unfair or discriminatory foreign trade practices that violate international agreements or harm U.S. commerce. No rate limit exists, but it requires an investigation and findings, which could target specific countries like China.  Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974: This enables temporary import surcharges of up to 15% (or quotas) for up to 150 days to address “large and serious” balance-of-payments deficits. It’s seen as a quick interim option while longer-term measures are pursued, but extensions need congressional approval.  Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974: Known as “safeguard” measures, this authorizes tariffs if surging imports are causing or threatening serious injury to domestic industries. It requires a U.S. International Trade Commission investigation and recommendation, with tariffs potentially lasting up to four years (extendable to eight).  Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930: This allows duties up to 50% on imports from countries engaging in “unfair” practices that discriminate against U.S. exports. It’s less commonly used and could face immediate lawsuits due to its broad interpretation potential. The administration has signaled readiness to shift to these tools, potentially starting with Section 122 for rapid implementation. U.S. Trade Deficit Drops 40% in Latest Commerce Dept Report  As you review this latest data on trade, remember any drop in trade deficits has two big picture functions: First, lower trade deficits generally mean the accompanying GDP release will be stronger than anticipated because imported products are a deduction from the valuation of all goods and services created in the U.S. economy.  Lower imports mean less is deducted. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, a drop in the trade deficit created by diminished imports means more wealth remains inside the USA. We are not spending, sending money overseas, to import foreign goods at the same rate, and that money stays inside the U.S. economy. More wealth inside the U.S. provides the fuel for expanded domestic growth, more investment gains in USA manufacturing and USA industry and the ability to pay higher USA wages. The Commerce Department is reporting today that the U.S. trade deficit for October 2025 dropped to the smallest amount in 16-years.  A significant amount of the deficit drop was because a high value of physical precious metals (gold/silver) was exported, simultaneous with big offshore pharmaceutical companies dropping the prices of imported products (policy and tariff pressure).   Some may question whether internal consumer demand has declined, causing the significant drop in imports.  However, the U.S productivity rate is still very high – which generally means domestic consumer demand is still high and all units produced have a lower overall cost per unit. Economic analysis can get weedy…. so, a simple way to look at productivity is to think about baking bread in your kitchen. If you were going to bake 4 loaves of bread it might take you 2 hrs. start to finish. However, if you were going to bake 8 loaves of bread it would not take you twice as long because most of the tasks can be accomplished with simple increases in batch size, and only minor increases in labor time. Your productivity measured in the last four loaves is higher. Economic Productivity is measured much the same way, within what's called a production probability equation. Additionally, if two hours of your time are worth $40, each of four loaves of bread costs $10 in labor; but if you make 8 loaves in the same amount of time the labor cost is only $5/per loaf.   When we see higher productivity in direct alignment with GDP increases, the increased production indicates sustainable GDP growth. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/RealEJAntoni/status/2009314808332734604?s=20 Political/Rights https://twitter.com/lizcollin/status/2009046198314008954?s=20 DOGE   Geopolitical https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2009287108796575807?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2009306335087665208?s=20 These nine Republican lawmakers joined the Democrats: Fitzpatrick (PA), Bresnahan (PA), Mackenzie (PA), Lawler (NY), Salazar (FL), LaLota (NY), Valadao (CA), Kean (NJ), Miller (OH). Yes, for S.J. Res. 98 (the Venezuela war powers resolution referenced in the post) to become law and enforce limits on further U.S. military actions, it must pass the House of Representatives after its recent advancement in the Senate. If the House approves it, the bill would then go to President Trump, who has indicated he would likely veto it based on similar past actions.  If vetoed, Congress would need a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override.    Article II of the Constitution, as all Presidents, and their Departments of Justice, have determined before me. Nevertheless, a more important Senate Vote will be taking place next week on this very subject. https://twitter.com/DOGEai_tx/status/2009076665054277855?s=20  101’s 11-point democratization criteria – including releasing political prisoners and restoring National Assembly powers. The 2025 bill mandates strict oversight of any aid through Section 204’s safeguards against regime capture. Taxpayers deserve transparency: Will this embassy facilitate accountability for $150B in stolen oil revenues, or just greenlight more foreign aid slush funds? Strategic engagement only works if tied to verifiable reforms, not symbolic gestures. https://twitter.com/estrellainfant/status/2008948263916015793?s=20 Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth continue to expose Delcy Rodríguez and, at the same time, prevent the internal fissures of the regime from spiraling into an uncontrolled collapse. That is no coincidence: it is strategy. Rubio is not acting to provoke an immediate implosion, but to manage the decomposition of power. By exposing contradictions, routes, false narratives, and opaque movements, he weakens Delcy in front of the Chavista leadership, but without pushing the system toward a violent break that generates a power vacuum, chaos, or an unpredictable military reaction. This achieves several objectives at once: First, it isolates Delcy. Every time she is exposed, her room to maneuver shrinks in front of her “external allies” and the regime’s hardline elements. She shifts from being an operator to becoming a risk. Second, it deepens internal distrust. When sensitive information starts to align with U.S. actions, within the regime no one knows who is leaking what. That paranoia is corrosive and weakens more than a direct strike. Third, it preserves the minimum governability necessary for a transition. An abrupt collapse favors criminal actors, armed dissidents, and foreign powers. Controlling the pace of the erosion allows maintaining channels, containing damage, and preparing the ground for a subsequent political process. In that context, Delcy is trapped. If she cooperates, she exposes herself. If she doesn’t cooperate, she becomes isolated. Any move weakens her. And Rubio, aware of that, pressures her without touching the final detonator. That’s why this deserves attention: we are not seeing improvisation or personal revenge, but a calibrated operation of attrition, where the goal is not to humiliate for spectacle, but to dismantle the regime piece by piece, avoiding Venezuela paying the cost of an uncontrolled collapse. https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2008967791966376081?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2009090766354960453?s=20 War/Peace Security Alert – U. S. Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine (January 8, 2026) Location: Ukraine, all districts Event: The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has received information concerning a potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days. The embassy, as always, recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced. Actions to Take: Identify shelter locations before any air alert. Download a reliable air alert app to your mobile phone, like Air Raid Siren  or Alarm Map . Immediately take shelter if an air alert is announced. Check local media for breaking news. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Keep reserves of water, food, and medication. Follow the directions of Ukrainian officials and first responders in the event of an emergency. Review what the Department of State Can and Cannot Do in a Crisis . https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2008991231507099730?s=20    tremendous numbers being produced by Tariffs from other Countries, many of which, in the past, have “ripped off” the United States at levels never seen before, I would stay at the $1 Trillion Dollar number but, because of Tariffs, and the tremendous Income that they bring, amounts being generated, that would have been unthinkable in the past (especially just one year ago during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration, the Worst President in the History of our Country!), we are able to easily hit the $1.5 Trillion Dollar number while, at the same time, producing an unparalleled Military Force, and having the ability to, at the same time, pay down Debt, and likewise, pay a substantial Dividend to moderate income Patriots within our Country! 
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/DerrickEvans4WV/status/2009097879106015609?s=20 https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2009305173395415310?s=20 https://twitter.com/susancrabtree/status/2009271768121242054?s=20  years, which is happening this morning. This is the arrogant California corruption that has occurred under Newsom's watch and in this case —possibly his own direction or one of his top aide's —because the light was finally beginning to shine on why the Golden State has become so tarnished under his watch. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2009188335873302712?s=20   She warned that the intimidation is systemic, and basically if you speak up, expect your life to be dismantled. Whistleblowers are supposed to be protected by law, and if they're being hunted for telling the truth, the system is being weaponized. @MarionONeill1 : “Retaliation has been going on for quite some time and it's now escalated. You're going to lose your job. You're going to lose your home. They'll track your children. They'll make sure you can't get a job anywhere Democrats control.  https://twitter.com/Peoples_Pundit/status/2009099844506501431?s=20 https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009087403575947648?s=20 DHS Sec. Kristi Noem Drops Facts, Cooks Walz and Frey During Presser on MN Anti-ICE Incident https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/2009046495262110138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2009046495262110138%7Ctwgr%5Ec2c616dd05bfbbc6e3cd4613990f826fb989a6af%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fsister-toldjah%2F2026%2F01%2F07%2Fkristi-noem-drops-facts-cooks-walz-and-frey-during-presser-on-mn-anti-ice-incident-n2197890   these federal law enforcement officers, they’ll say that when you call for back-up…it’s hit and miss.” https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/2009044827158007875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2009044827158007875%7Ctwgr%5Ec2c616dd05bfbbc6e3cd4613990f826fb989a6af%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fsister-toldjah%2F2026%2F01%2F07%2Fkristi-noem-drops-facts-cooks-walz-and-frey-during-presser-on-mn-anti-ice-incident-n2197890 Noem also shared that the woman in the SUV had been “stalking and impeding” the agents during the course of the day: https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2009050638232244548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2009050638232244548%7Ctwgr%5Ec2c616dd05bfbbc6e3cd4613990f826fb989a6af%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fredstate.com%2Fsister-toldjah%2F2026%2F01%2F07%2Fkristi-noem-drops-facts-cooks-walz-and-frey-during-presser-on-mn-anti-ice-incident-n2197890 Source: redstate.com Breaking: The same ICE agent appears to have been dragged roughly 300 feet while executing an arrest warrant on an illegal alien, resulting in 33 stitches just six months ago. Video and full details below. Thanks to @MWhitney93679 for bring this to my attention. @DataRepublican @elonmusk https://cbsnews.com/minnesota/video/shocking-footage-shows-driver-dragging-deportation-officer/?referrer=grok.com https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2009292194406895696?s=20 https://twitter.com/julie_kelly2/status/2009044298486948261?s=20 https://twitter.com/warriors_mom/status/2009038176627876188?s=20   force by an ICE agent becomes unavoidable. And the local Minneapolis politicians decide it's the perfect opportunity to declare war against the federal government? https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009142447905882188?s=20   to the deadly incident, leftists are urging vengeance and riots in Minneapolis. Rioters earlier surged to a federal building and smashed up the entrance. The shooting incident occurred in the context of the far-left and Antifa urging violence against ICE for months. It has led to an Antifa cell carrying out an ambush shooting in Texas on the Prairieland facility. At least seven have pleaded guilty to a federal terrorism charge. Then, in Dallas, an ICE facility was shot up by an anti-ICE activist, killing people. https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2009040818896830650?s=20 BREAKING: The wife of Renee Nicole Good—the 37-year-old Minneapolis shooting victim who attempted to run over an ICE officer—appears to have been outside the vehicle filming as her wife blocked ICE vehicles. She is seen wearing a flannel shirt, walking around the vehicle and recording ICE officers. She later runs back to the vehicle to check on Renee. Afterward, she tells a nearby man, “That's my wife.” When he asks if she knows any of her wife's relatives she could call, she responds, “We’re new here. I don’t have people… I can't even breathe right now.” Why was she outside the vehicle filming while her wife was blocking ICE officers? Terrible https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/2009143305075097679?s=20 https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/2009103459019002182?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009270499398893758?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2009132509607677966?s=20 https://twitter.com/iAnonPatriot/status/2009087576402219051?s=20 https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/2008995871724355652?s=20 https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2009297640555503770?s=20 https://twitter.com/nicksortor/status/2009197905723216144?s=20   After about two minutes on scene, my security began wanting to bring me out of there due to the immediate threats of violence. I tried to shorten this video as much as possible but it's tough given all the BS that unfolded. As soon as I dialed 911, one of the leftist screamed “Minneapolis Police are on OUR side!” Turns out, he was right. – A vehicle began chasing us the wrong way down a one way and then threatened to kiII me (dispatch heard this and responded by asking for my last name?) – First dispatcher promised they'd respond, asked me if I was “White,” held me on the phone for the 10 mins, and then ended the call – Second one called back and gave me the runaround as the situation worsens – Third one calls me back and tells me to go fck myself, essentially We ended up being FOLLOWED out of town, and requested backup set to arrive in a few hours. We are NOT giving up. Leftists WILL NOT terrorize us into silence. See you in a few hours, Minneapolis. Stay tuned. Will Trump invoke the Insurrection Act? Before Jan 20, 2029 57% Before 2027 43% Before Jan 20, 2029 If the President of the United States has invoked the Insurrection Act to deploy the United States military and/or the federalized National Guard within the United States before Jan 20, 2029, then the market resolves to Yes. Sources from the White House, The New York Times, the Associated Press, Reuters, Axios, Politico, Semafor, The Information, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. Minneapolis Public Schools Cancel Classes and Activities for Rest of Week  Minneapolis Public Schools announced Wednesday night that all classes and activities were canceled for the rest of the week and that students would not have to do ‘e-learning' at home while schools are closed. Protests are expected in the coming days after a woman driver was shot and killed by a federal officer when she allegedly tried to run him over during a protest against ICE in a Minneapolis residential neighborhood Wednesday morning. MPS statement: No school Jan. 8-9 due to safety concerns Source: thegatewaypundit.com Preplanned Riot patterns. https://twitter.com/TheSCIF/status/2009115663848362251?s=20 https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009077478073979120?s=20 Do you think the criminals are trying to cover their tracks, with the riots are they going to burn down the many Somali daycares will they then file for insurance claims, loss of business revenue claims. https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/2009131575724625972?s=20 https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2009009290518872568?s=20 https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/2009041195717284106?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009020845239533590?s=20 TAKE A LISTEN https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2009117399300362278?s=20 DHS makes over 1500 immigration arrests in Minneapolis, Secretary Kristi Noem says  https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2008718230039450008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2008718230039450008%7Ctwgr%5Ec51cd928497b686ddee7e7e639023089bf1f9b57%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthenationaldesk.com%2Fnews%2Famericas-news-now%2Fdhs-makes-1500-arrests-in-minneapolis-secretary-kristi-noem-says source:  wgxa.tv/  https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/2009090255908130994?s=20 https://twitter.com/jsolomonReports/status/2009278938019688755?s=20 President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/StephenM/status/2009059590726627814?s=20  https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2009334017250996436?s=20 The saying “don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” (or similar variations) is most famously associated with the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. American colonial forces, low on ammunition and facing British regulars advancing uphill, were reportedly instructed to hold their fire until the enemy was close enough for shots to be effective—maximizing the impact of limited powder and musket balls, which were inaccurate at longer ranges. BREAKING: Obama Judge Disqualifies Trump-Appointed US Attorney Overseeing Letitia James Investigations, Tosses Subpoenas Issued to James A federal judge on Thursday disqualified the Trump-appointed US Attorney for the Northern District of New York overseeing investigations into New York Attorney General Letitia James. US District Judge Lorna Schofield, an Obama appointee, disqualified acting US Attorney John Sarcone and quashed two subpoenas issues to Letitia James. Sarcone is the fifth Trump-appointed US Attorney to be disqualified by a rogue judge Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2009025328065466665?s=20 WITHDRAWING FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organizations that no longer serve American interests. The Memorandum orders all Executive Departments and Agencies to cease participating in and funding 35 non-United Nations (UN) organizations and 31 UN entities that operate contrary to U.S. national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty. This follows a review ordered earlier this year of all international intergovernmental organizations, conventions, and treaties that the United States is a member of or party to, or that the United States funds or supports. These withdrawals will end American taxpayer funding and involvement in entities that advance globalist agendas over U.S. priorities, or that address important issues inefficiently or ineffectively such that U.S. taxpayer dollars are best allocated in other ways to support the relevant missions. RESTORING AMERICAN SOVEREIGNTY: President Trump is ending U.S. participation in international organizations that undermine America's independence and waste taxpayer dollars on ineffective or hostile agendas. Many of these bodies promote radical climate policies, global governance, and ideological programs that conflict with U.S. sovereignty and economic strength. American taxpayers have spent billions on these organizations with little return, while they often criticize U.S. policies, advance agendas contrary to our values, or waste taxpayer dollars by purporting to address important issues but not achieving any real results. By exiting these entities, President Trump is saving taxpayer money and refocusing resources on America First priorities.  This is factually a much bigger deal, a bigger win, than most will initially appreciate. Each of the institutions carry “membership fees” or financial obligations each participating government pays into. Each organization consists of board members, stakeholders and other administrative offices which employ the friends and families of current and former politicians, world “leaders” and essentially well-connected and disconnected elites who run the agencies. It's like a massive network of NGOs, except the entities exist exclusively with government funding. Just like the United Nations itself, the USA always pays the dues, fees and largest portion of the operating expenses, which includes payrolls and travel benefits. Other countries participate, but it is the USA who picks up the largest portion of the financial obligations for the organization itself to exist. Like USAID, the designated “global” organizations (conventions, treaties, etc) operate as massive bureaucratic rule makers for global standards and practices. The organizations themselves employ a network of downstream entities, agencies, contractors, think-tanks, academic liaisons and internal government offices who collaborate with the goals and objectives of the parent organization.   Withdrawing the support of the U.S. means cutting that entire apparatus off from receiving funding from the USA. Europe and the USA are the largest funders of each of these World Economic Forum aligned agencies. It is not coincidental that President Trump and Secretary Rubio are making this move in advance of President Trump traveling to Davos, where the network associations congregate. President Trump is expected to deliver a bucket of ice water upon the heads of those who attend Davos annually. The GREAT RESET crew, who design the global government customs and norms, is being reset. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com (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");

Jacob Ward of The Rip Current joins Mikah Sargent on the show this week! Lego unveils its Smart Brick. Jacob kvetches about AI's overwhelming presence at CES. We get some on-site reporting from CES. And Utah becomes the first state to allow artificial intelligence to renew medical prescriptions. Mikah talks about Lego's new Smart Brick technology that allows you to interact and play with your Lego sets more directly. Jacob shares his thoughts about the overall theme of AI that has become front and center at this year's CES event. Stephen Robles of beard.fm joins the show live from CES to talk about what he saw at the event. And Ruth Reader of POLITICO stops by to talk about Utah being the first state to allow artificial intelligence to begin renewing medical prescriptions for patients. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jacob Ward Guests: Stephen Robles and Ruth Reader Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT zscaler.com/security

Congress returned from its holiday break facing a familiar question: whether to extend the expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans that expired at the end of 2025.  Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke a promise to Bill Cassidy (R-La.), the chairman of Senate health committee, by overhauling the federal government's childhood vaccine schedule to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines will be recommended.  Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet join KFF Health News' Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read (or wrote) this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: KFF Health News' “Advertisements Promising Patients a ‘Dream Body' With Minimal Risk Get Little Scrutiny,” by Fred Schulte.  Alice Miranda Ollstein: SFGate's “A Calif. Teen Trusted ChatGPT for Drug Advice. He Died From an Overdose,” by Lester Black and Stephen Council.  Sarah Karlin-Smith: ProPublica's “The End of Aid: Trump Destroyed USAID. What Happens Now?” by Anna Maria Barry-Jester and Brett Murphy.  Lauren Weber: The Washington Post's “How RFK Jr. Upended the Public Health System,” by Rachel Roubein, Lena H. Sun, and Lauren Weber.  

Jacob Ward of The Rip Current joins Mikah Sargent on the show this week! Lego unveils its Smart Brick. Jacob kvetches about AI's overwhelming presence at CES. We get some on-site reporting from CES. And Utah becomes the first state to allow artificial intelligence to renew medical prescriptions. Mikah talks about Lego's new Smart Brick technology that allows you to interact and play with your Lego sets more directly. Jacob shares his thoughts about the overall theme of AI that has become front and center at this year's CES event. Stephen Robles of beard.fm joins the show live from CES to talk about what he saw at the event. And Ruth Reader of POLITICO stops by to talk about Utah being the first state to allow artificial intelligence to begin renewing medical prescriptions for patients. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jacob Ward Guests: Stephen Robles and Ruth Reader Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT zscaler.com/security

Jacob Ward of The Rip Current joins Mikah Sargent on the show this week! Lego unveils its Smart Brick. Jacob kvetches about AI's overwhelming presence at CES. We get some on-site reporting from CES. And Utah becomes the first state to allow artificial intelligence to renew medical prescriptions. Mikah talks about Lego's new Smart Brick technology that allows you to interact and play with your Lego sets more directly. Jacob shares his thoughts about the overall theme of AI that has become front and center at this year's CES event. Stephen Robles of beard.fm joins the show live from CES to talk about what he saw at the event. And Ruth Reader of POLITICO stops by to talk about Utah being the first state to allow artificial intelligence to begin renewing medical prescriptions for patients. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jacob Ward Guests: Stephen Robles and Ruth Reader Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT zscaler.com/security

Jacob Ward of The Rip Current joins Mikah Sargent on the show this week! Lego unveils its Smart Brick. Jacob kvetches about AI's overwhelming presence at CES. We get some on-site reporting from CES. And Utah becomes the first state to allow artificial intelligence to renew medical prescriptions. Mikah talks about Lego's new Smart Brick technology that allows you to interact and play with your Lego sets more directly. Jacob shares his thoughts about the overall theme of AI that has become front and center at this year's CES event. Stephen Robles of beard.fm joins the show live from CES to talk about what he saw at the event. And Ruth Reader of POLITICO stops by to talk about Utah being the first state to allow artificial intelligence to begin renewing medical prescriptions for patients. Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jacob Ward Guests: Stephen Robles and Ruth Reader Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT zscaler.com/security

New Year Same Bullshit...actually worse. Nothing like kicking off 2026 with an unhinged Trump kidnapping a foreign leader for oil. Nice.  Topics for the show: There used to be rules for this shit. The US's foreign wars and policy has always been problematic but there used to be some sort of process and at least attempt to go through the proper channels. This has completely deteriorated over the last 2 decades and we end up with the mess Trump just created The US isn't on a way to becoming a surveillance state...it already is one...thanks to private companies like Flock Safety If you're gonna spy on people the least you could do would be to secure the cameras so anyone could watch them...right? Politico's interview with Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley shows how absolutely terrible these CEOs are Denver's city council votes to cancel it's contract with Flock Safety only to be overruled by the mayor Apparently if you point out and track Flock cameras you're now a terrorist organization Pay Day loans are back and worse than ever Bonus....Tech Companies have found more loopholes around anti-trust laws by just entering licensing agreements then hiring all the people from the company they want to acquire. Fantastic Guest: Ro @bookblerd.bsky.social‬   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode!   Follow us on BlueSky: @InsanityReport  

Over the weekend, the U.S. military entered Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife. Maduro will now face drug and gun charges in New York, and some members of the Trump administration have described the operation as a law enforcement mission.President Donald Trump has taken a different tack. He has justified the operation by asserting that America is going to “take over” Venezuela's oil reserves, even suggesting that oil companies might foot the bill for the broader occupation and rebuilding effort. Trump officials have told oil companies that the U.S. might not help them recover lost assets unless they fund the American effort now, according to Politico.Such a move seems openly imperialistic, ill-advised, and unethical — to say the least. But is it even possible? On this week's episode of Shift Key, Rob talks to Rory Johnston, a Toronto-based oil markets analyst and the founder of Commodity Context. They discuss the current status of the Venezuelan oil industry, what a rebuilding effort would cost, and whether a reopened Venezuelan oil industry could change U.S. energy politics — or even, as some fear, bring about a new age of cheap fossil fuels. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Jesse is off this week.Mentioned: The 4 Things Standing Between the U.S. and Venezuela's OilTrump admin sends tough private message to oil companies on VenezuelaPreviously on Shift Key: The Trump Policy That Would Be Really Bad for Oil Companies--This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by …Heatmap Pro brings all of our research, reporting, and insights down to the local level. The software platform tracks all local opposition to clean energy and data centers, forecasts community sentiment, and guides data-driven engagement campaigns. Book a demo today to see the premier intelligence platform for project permitting and community engagement.Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's actually happening to the church in America and why does it matter beyond Sunday morning? In this episode I'm joined by Ryan Burge, a social scientist who studies religion in the U.S. and brings long-term data, charts, and lived pastoral experience into a conversation often driven by fear or nostalgia. We discuss his book The Vanishing Church, the quiet decline of the moderate church, the rise of polarization inside Christianity, and how broader cultural tribalism has reshaped faith communities. We also explore the growth of the religious “nones,” why church closures are happening steadily but largely unnoticed, and what's lost when the church can no longer function as a space where people learn how to live together across difference.Ryan Burge is professor of practice at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. Before that he was an associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, and was also the graduate coordinator. He has authored over thirty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters alongside four books about religion and politics in the United States. He has written for the New York Times, POLITICO, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also appeared in an NBC Documentary, on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, as well as 60 Minutes which called him, “one of the country's leading data analysts on religion and politics.” He served as a pastor in the American Baptist Church for over twenty years, leading First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, IL for 17.5 years until its closure in July 2024. He has been married to his wife Jacqueline for over seventeen years. They have two boys.Ryan's Book:The Vanishing ChurchRyan's Recommendation:DominionConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link belowGet Your Sidekick Support the show

As countries around the world celebrated the arrival of 2026, the Trump administration took the opportunity of a new year to herald in historic levels of chaos in diplomatic quarters. And as the events unfolding in Venezuela have shown, the US is clearly not averse to meddling in the politics of smaller nations. Meanwhile, a former trusted adviser of the US president, Steve Bannon, gave an interview to Politico, where he claimed that we are "going to have an Irish MAGA, and we're going to have an Irish Trump”. Making it clear that some elements of the alt-right movement have set their sights on Ireland. Bannon's statement begs a number of questions, such as how exactly would he and other MAGA influencers pull this off? Tabitha Monahan is joined by Declan Lynch (Sunday Independent columnist) and Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc (author of Burn Them Out! A History of Fascism and the Far Right in Ireland) to ask how has this kind of nationalism fared with Irish voters in the past, what could MAGA influence look like, and how vulnerable are we to outside influence in the social media age?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One on One Video Call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_USRing Doorbells as Warrantless Surveillance Networks•  Amazon admitted to sharing Ring footage with police without user consent or warrants in 2022: Politico article •  Update on Ring requiring warrants for police access starting in 2024: The Guardian article Smart TVs (Samsung, LG) as Observation Posts with Audio Recording•  Texas lawsuit against LG, Samsung, and others for turning TVs into surveillance systems: TechRadar article •  How to turn off smart TV tracking features (Consumer Reports guide): Consumer Reports article •  NYT investigation into smart TVs spying and sharing data: New York Times article Alexa/Google Home and CIA Partnerships (AWS Contract)•  Details on Amazon's $600 million AWS cloud deal with the CIA: The Atlantic article •  Recent discussion on the AWS-Intelligence Community partnership: Nextgov article Fitness Trackers (Strava Heat Map Exposing Military Bases)•  Strava's 2018 heat map revealing secret military base locations: The Guardian article •  Wired analysis on Strava's privacy implications for military security: Wired article •  NYT report on how Strava data exposed sensitive sites: New York Times article Flock Safety License Plate Readers with Facial Recognition•  Flock's response to reports on their ALPR networks and data practices: Flock Safety blog •  EFF on Washington court ruling that Flock data is public record: EFF article •  ACLU on Flock sharing data even without police requests: ACLU article Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities Platform•  Official Cisco overview of Smart+Connected Communities infrastructure: Cisco page •  Cisco network designs for smart cities including surveillance elements: Cisco design guide Social Media Surveillance (Facebook as Largest Operation)•  Amnesty International on Facebook's surveillance posing threats to human rights: Amnesty article •  NYT op-ed on Facebook as a surveillance capitalism entity: New York Times article Workplace Monitoring (Gartner Study ~78%)•  Gartner insights on employee monitoring for insight vs. oversight: Gartner document •  Report on 78% of employers using digital surveillance on remote workers: NBC Montana article •  Computerworld on electronic monitoring reaching all-time highs (~80%): Computerworld article Vehicle Surveillance (Black Boxes Post-2020)•  Explanation of car black boxes recording data for accidents, insurance, and police: Michigan Auto Law blog •  How black box data is used in car accident cases: Kameb article Financial Surveillance (IRS $600 Reporting)•  IRS FAQs on the Form 1099-K threshold and reporting: IRS page •  IRS announcement delaying the $600 threshold for 2023: IRS newsroom Medical Surveillance (23andMe Data Sharing)•  23andMe's policy on responding to law enforcement requests: 23andMe support page •  23andMe privacy and data protection overview: 23andMe privacy page Palantir's Gotham Platform for Predictive Policing•  Official Palantir Gotham platform description:

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> Click On Picture To See Larger PictureThe [CB] is panicking, Trump is now reversing their entire system, The D’s have no choice but to fold and go along with Trump’s no tax on tips etc, they resisted but the people complained, this will not work out well for them. Trump is now lowering the fuel prices by unleashing Venezuela’s oil, this will be used to go against the [DS]. Trump is in the process of dismantling the [DS], Venezuela has been released from the [DS] grasp. Maduro was arrested and brought to the US to stand trial. Maduro will most likely assist with the overthrow of the US government in 2020. The flow of money, training of terrorist happened in Venezuela, it is all coming to an end, soon the other countries will fall and the people will take them back. The world is being returned to the people. Economy (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"); Kathy Hochul Caves On ‘No Tax On Tips’ Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill made a straightforward promise: more money in workers' pockets. The plan eliminated the federal tax on tips and overtime pay for linemen and factory workers, and created a new deduction for seniors relying on Social Security. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it “the most pro-worker, pro-family legislation in a generation.”   several blue-state governors were refusing to reciprocate by eliminating state taxes on tips, including Govs. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.), J.B. Pritzker (D-Ill.), and Jared Polis (D-Colo.). Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused them of “deliberately blocking their own residents” from the bill's benefits at the state level. Bessent made clear that states that refused to comply with the law should expect consequences. “Treasury stands ready to work with any state committed to delivering on that promise, but we will not stand idly by as this obstructionism drags down the national recovery,” he said. “This is about fairness. This is about opportunity. And this is about putting America first, starting with the families and workers who make our economy the envy of the world.” Kathy Hochul has now caved. On New Year's Day, she announced that New York will finally move to exempt service workers' tips from state income taxes on up to $25,000 in tipped income.   “Starting today, tax rates for the vast majority of lower and middle-class New Yorkers will be cut, families with children will see a sweeping increase in the child tax credit, and minimum wage workers across the state will see their wages go up. I'm kicking the new year off with a proposal of no state income tax on tips, continuing my efforts to make New York more affordable for hard working New Yorkers.” The change comes only after months of outrage from restaurant owners and service workers who accused Albany of putting politics ahead of paychecks. Service industry workers noticed and called it a slap in the face to people barely scraping by in such an expensive state.   Source: zerohedge.com https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2007496574889537687?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2007500910277325260?s=20 https://twitter.com/TKL_Adam/status/2007468568619696559?s=20  damaged last night. On top of this, President Trump says the US will be “very much involved” in Venezuela’s oil industry going forward and China is “going to get oil.” In 2010, Venezuela was producing over 3 million barrels of oil per day, now down to ~900,000. If the US truly takes control of Venezuela’s oil industry, MUCH more supply is coming to market. Oil and gas prices would head much lower. Geopolitical https://twitter.com/KatieMiller/status/2007541679293944266?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1274910217508196352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1274910217508196352%7Ctwgr%5E7e79690e7ff94a98319d1a5f7cef15f68e12ceb9%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fjoe-bidens-old-tweet-claiming-trump-admires-thugs%2F https://twitter.com/willchamberlain/status/2007652410077086175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2007652410077086175%7Ctwgr%5Ee26360c03ca670b2e4da2b86849c02fab10ca741%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fjust-kamala-harris-gets-lit-up-x-after%2F Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega surrendered to U.S. forces on January 3, 1990, after seeking refuge for 10 days in the Vatican’s embassy (Papal Nunciature) in Panama City.  This event marked the end of Operation Just Cause, the U.S. invasion of Panama that began on December 20, 1989, under President George H.W. Bush, aimed at deposing Noriega and bringing him to face U.S. charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and racketeering.  To pressure Noriega into surrendering, U.S. psychological operations teams blasted loud rock music—including tracks like Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle,” Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” and Van Halen’s “Panama”—at the embassy nonstop, contributing to his decision to give up.   He was immediately flown to Miami, where he stood trial, was convicted in 1992, and initially sentenced to 40 years in prison (later reduced).  After serving time in the U.S., Noriega was extradited to France in 2010 for money laundering charges, and finally to Panama in 2011 to face additional sentences for murder, corruption, and human rights abuses during his rule.   He died in Panama in 2017 while under house arrest for medical reasons.   The invasion itself involved around 25,000 U.S. troops, resulting in 23 American deaths, hundreds wounded, and estimates of 200–4,000 Panamanian civilian casualties, drawing international criticism despite achieving its primary objective. https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/2007796748631314839?s=20 https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/2007549887098040495?s=20  https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2007518675641983427?s=20   advance. Trump Admin's Top Secret Maduro Military Operation Plans Reportedly Leaked To Legacy Media Outlets Despite an unidentified party leaking plans of the Trump administration's top secret military operation targeting Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela to both The New York Times and the Washington Post, neither publication decided to expose it, Semafor reported Saturday night. Two anonymous sources, described as familiar with the communication between the administration and media outlets, told Semafor that both outlets declined to break the news on the operation before it happened out of concern for U.S. troops involved. The military incursion, carried out early Saturday, resulted in the capture and ouster of socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro, whom a grand jury later indicted on four charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy. The identity of the leaker or leakers was not made public as of Sunday morning. Source: dailycaller.com https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2007811723013603611?s=20 Russia, China Demand That US Immediately Release Maduro From Custody Within mere hours after President Trump announced the Saturday capture by US forces of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife after a brief shock bombing campaign and special forces operation in Caracas, Russia has demanded from Washington his immediate release. “We firmly call on the U.S. leadership to reconsider this position and release the lawfully elected president of a sovereign country and his wife,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, and described that the crisis should be resolved through diplomatic means. “Russia will continue to support the course pursued by its Bolivarian leadership to defend the country’s national interests and sovereignty,” the Foreign Ministry said, while also calling for restraint and cautioning against further escalation. China has joined Moscow’s calls for the immediate release of Maduro from US custody: China has called on the United States to immediately releaaljazeera.com/…/china-urges-us-to-stop-toppling-venezuelan-government-release-madurose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after Washington carried out massive military strikes on the capital, Caracas, as well as other regions, and abducted the leader. Beijing on Sunday insisted the safety of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores be a priority, and called on the US to “stop toppling the government of Venezuela,” calling the attack a “clear violation of international law“. https://twitter.com/alaynatreene/status/2007491168389525809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2007491168389525809%7Ctwgr%5E1cec862879fed0a0919d0a99238a33d07975d1bb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fgeopolitical%2Frussia-china-demand-us-immediately-release-venezuelas-maduro Source: zerohedge.com China has embedded operational control into critical mineral extraction that feeds weapons manufacturing  Iran has established drone production facilities within strike range of the continental United States. Russia has deployed military advisers and integrated air defense systems in the Caribbean. Venezuela represents the only location where all three adversaries operate simultaneously https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2007644800779169936?s=20   legitimate, outstanding US drug charges from 2020, the real reason for the military operations early this morning is that neutralizing Maduro’s Venezuela had become a strategic imperative for the USA. Under Maduro, Venezuela had become the Latin American crossroads for all of the USA’s principal enemies. Maduro was nurturing relationships with Russia, Hezbollah and Iran. Worst of all, Venezuela was eagerly becoming a part of Red China’s Belt & Road initiative. As America’s enemies were lining up Venezuela as their base of operations in the Western Hemisphere to cause mischief and destruction for the USA, Maduro was at the same time making Venezuela a crossroads, safe haven and enabler for all manner of narcoterrorist operations, ranging from Colombia’s FARC to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel. On top of all that, Venezuela had become a key player in the illegal alien invasion of the USA, shipping its very worst to the USA in a deliberate and comprehensive destabilizing operation that might have worked had Donald Trump not won in 2024. Next in importance: oil. The global and regional ambitions of both China and Russia are in large part dependent on the politics of petroleum, and the USA just deprived both of the cudgel afforded by friendly Venezuelan oil. Trump opponents say “It’s about oil” as if that was a bad thing. Yeah, it’s about oil. Finally, all of this was in keeping with the most essential and fundamental foreign policy mandate of the USA almost since the nation’s inception: the Monroe Doctrine. Operations like what Maduro was running simply cannot be allowed in the Western Hemisphere. Trump was right for falling back on this most basic of doctrines that protects the USA’s sovereignty. So was Maduro seized because of some five year-old drug charges? Yes. Legally–yes. However, like so many strategic issues in the world today, an action needed to be backed by the fine points of law, and it was. But the reality is that the Maduro takedown was a Monroe Doctrine-driven necessity that has greatly enhanced the power and national security of the USA. Congratulations, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth and the rest of the Trump national security team: you boldly took the steps necessary to defend the USA. Well done. https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2007597322549469370?s=20  Uh… but what about America 1st!!!!” Dominating our hemisphere is America 1st.  READ: Maduro Indictment Unsealed  https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2007468832567222274?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2007468832567222274%7Ctwgr%5Ea380e4654af6dbcd0ced13d78085deb2a2a57e8d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2026%2F01%2Fread-maduro-indictment-unsealed%2F Read the indictment here. The grand jury indicted Maduro, his wife, Cilia Flores and four others on four counts: Narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. “Nicolas Maduro Moros, the defendant, now sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking,” the indictment read. “That drug trafficking has enriched and entrenched Venezuela's political and military elite, including Minister of the Interior, Justice and Peace Diosado Cabello Rondon, the defendant, and former Minister of the Interior and Justice Ramon Rodriguez Chachin, the defendant,” the charging document read. The White House absolutely savaged Maduro on Saturday. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/mrddmia/status/2007459071985676697?s=20 https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2007412199132934453?s=20   with it. Go America! https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/2007404924393697601?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2007510867307626848?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2007503643453559225?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2007737447631945888?s=20 https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2007759220851327278?s=20 War/Peace https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2007814479892111690?s=20  Years after he left office, a reflective Barack Obama admitted that he and his administration made a “mistake” in not forcefully supporting an Iranian civilian uprising in 2009 that could have ousted that country's ruing mullahs. Faced with a fresh protest movement 16-plus years later led by street vendors, President Donald Trump has taken the opposite tact in a robust embrace of everyday Iranians that caught the attention of Tehran. If Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Trump wrote in a 3 a.m. post Friday on his TruthSocial platform. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”  The president was not more specific about his intentions, but Iranian dissidents and non-official Trump advisers cheered the statement and said it set the stage for tougher sanctions or other actions by the administration. Interesting Timing – Zelenskyy Planning to Remove Head of the Security Service of Ukraine This is very interesting timing considering the recent denial by Zelenskyy that Ukraine had anything to do with the attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence. According to Politico, Zelenskyy is removing Vasyl Malyuk as head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the state's top counterintelligence agency. Malyuk previously worked with British intelligence on operation “Spiderweb” where Ukrainian drones hit Russia's strategic bombers on several protected airfields (USA not informed). Source: theconservativetreehouse.com [DS] Agenda  President Trump's Plan FBI Thwarts ISIS-Inspired New Year’s Eve Terror Plot In North Carolina The FBI said it foiled an ISIS-inspired New Year's Eve terror attack in North Carolina. Suspect Christian Sturdivant, 18, was arrested on Dec. 31 and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina Russ Ferguson said at a Jan. 2 press conference. Sturdivant appeared in court on Jan. 2. A U.S. citizen, Sturdivant had allegedly planned the attack for about a year, according to Ferguson. A hand-written document titled “The New Year's Eve Attack 2026” was found in Sturdivant's bedroom trash can and included a section labeled, “martyrdom Op,” court papers claim.  Sturdivant read ISIS material online, visited the terrorist group's websites, and made TikTok videos, Ferguson said. Source: zerohedge.com Former CBS Reporter Catherine Herridge Reveals How Executives Delayed Her Reporting On Hunter Biden Laptop Former CBS investigative reporter Catherine Herridge said Thursday CBS News executives postponed airing her reports on the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop. https://twitter.com/C__Herridge/status/2006795554471186519?s=20   always do the story when it’s ready to go. You should not be dictated by the political cycle.” At that time, CBS News was under different management, and did not respond to our questions seeking comment.   Source: dailycaller.com  https://twitter.com/bread_n_caviar/status/2007473725331960305?s=20 how much Jeb Bush is connected to drug trafficking. Here's my Substack article on that subject: https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/2007377888858062869?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2007528129988862028?s=20 is undoing the damage the CIA has been used to do over the last 78 years around the world. The Deep State network is being dismantled. Trump did the same thing with Iran. Who enabled and paid Iran to make nukes? Obama via the Iran Deal. Neutralizing Iran's nuclear capabilities was Trump cleaning up another Deep State mess created by past administrations. Trump knows where all the Deep State assets and proxies are, and he is uprooting them. It's actually happening. Trump is obliterating the Deep State! Maduro a Cartel/Deep State puppet for a while  Wants out  Negotiates exit with Trump  U.S. military extracts him  Trump rugs the Deep State’s regime change op with his own regime change op https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2007682086271103487?s=20   Maduro played a large role in the destabilization efforts, sending drugs and murderous gangs into our country. Is it considered one crime syndicate?   https://twitter.com/TheQNewsPatriot/status/2007662811296731504?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2007516103950414317?s=20   nations and regions that past US administrations have destabilized and destroyed. If there is no instability, the Deep State cannot operate. Therefore, Trump is going to neutralize those causing the instability, ie, the cartels. Trump is essentially undoing the decades of damage caused by the Deep State, and creating a new world the way it should be.  https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2007547290035302659?s=20   MIL in their cities? Now do you see why they have been panicking about the Insurrection Act? The Dems are Deep State puppets just like Maduro. They fear that what just happened to Maduro, is going to happen to them. THEY FEAR THE RECKONING! (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");

Episode 271- New Year – New Challenges Also Available OnSearchable Podcast Transcript Gun Lawyer — Episode Transcript Gun Lawyer — Episode 271 Transcript SUMMARY KEYWORDS Second Amendment, New Jersey, gun oppression, Bruen decision, carry permits, violent crime, John Petrolino, high capacity magazines, gun training, NRA classes, self-defense, gun laws, gun rights, gun ownership, legal battles, gun journalist. SPEAKERS Teddy Nappen, Speaker 2, Evan Nappen Evan Nappen 00:15 I’m Evan Nappen. Teddy Nappen 00:16 And I’m Teddy Nappen. Evan Nappen 00:18 And welcome to Gun Lawyer. Well, I want to thank all of my listeners and supporters, because on The Gundies Award for Podcast of the Year, I’m proud to tell you that Gun Lawyer has made the top five. And so, as one of the top five nominees, we are now in the running to see whether or not we win the Podcast of the Year. But I’m very honored to have made the top five, and I appreciate all of you that took the time to vote for Gun Lawyer. It’s a great way of getting a statement out there about what we believe in and what we fight for here. You know, our show does have a lot to do with what’s going on with New Jersey, because New Jersey is, as you know, the worst state in the country when it comes to oppression of our Second Amendment rights. And by bringing more and more attention to it, we shine that disinfectant of truth out there. So, this is important, and we want to keep up the keep the pressure. Teddy Nappen 01:44 Do you know what we should do for when we for the awards, we don’t go to accept it. We instead send a couple people who are recently released from the Gun Owner Gulag to accept the award. Yeah, like Marlon Brando sent Evan Nappen 02:00 Yeah, right. We’ll send someone from the Gulag to accept the award. I spent three months just to get out, even though I was innocent of all charges. You know, it’s just insane what New Jersey is doing. We’ll be reporting on the new laws that the Governor has yet to sign, but it appears that he will sign further oppression of our Second Amendment rights in New Jersey. And what you have to be aware of so you can protect yourself, because it is really just the extreme government action focused on attacking the Constitution. I mean, that’s what New Jersey is doing. It’s a fact. They try to contrive every conceivable angle to further deteriorate a Constitutional right. Instead of doing everything they can to Page – 1 – of 10 try to protect it, they do everything they can to try to diminish it. That’s the evil of what the New Jersey government is all about, and that’s really what it is. Evan Nappen 03:18 It is anti-rights, anti-Constitution. They are oppressors, and good people suffer. Good, law-abiding citizens suffer. This isn’t an academic exercise. Real people go to jail. Real people have their lives destroyed. Real people have their careers destroyed, their freedom taken and their families destroyed, over this garbage that New Jersey does in turning law-abiding citizens into criminals. I see it every day in the practice of New Jersey gun law. And the purpose of gun law, Gun Lawyer, of this radio show, is to bring attention to this. To help you, the listener, protect yourself from the evil oppression that is New Jersey. And they will, without any care, destroy you if they can, to promote their agenda, their agenda of destroying guns and gun owners. And this is what I see. Okay? This isn’t just hyperbole. It isn’t some made up fantasy. It is literally what I see happening to individuals as I practice in the, in this very area of New Jersey gun law. And it shows you when you have states that are following this agenda, how they destroy good people. So, you’ve got to be careful, especially in New Jersey. But do not give up. Maintain the fight. Stay vigilant. It’s critical. In the big picture, we are winning. New Jersey is going to get its head handed to it. I’m confident in the court decisions that we’ll be seeing. We will succeed. But in the meantime, it’s a battle. I want to see the least amount of casualties on our side in this battle, but it’s a battle nonetheless. Evan Nappen 05:24 And on that point recently, there was an article by one of my favorite writers, Dean Weingarten, who posted this in AmmoLand. He makes a very interesting point about what happened to the homicide rate after the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision. (https://www.ammoland.com/2025/12/what-happened-to-the- homicide-rate-after-the-supreme-courts-bruen-decision/) So, you know, we have this great Second Amendment decision in Bruen that establishes our right to self-defense outside the home and that actually finally enables the carry permits to have to be issued by the anti-gun oppression states like New Jersey that were using the trick of “justifiable need” to stop law-abiding citizens from being able to have a gun to defend themselves, and the legal barrier that the courts created knowingly to oppress rights was working. Evan Nappen 06:25 You know, we had less than 600 carry licenses. And the Bruen decision handily eliminated that, so that licenses had to be issued. Now we’re in the, you know, 60, 70, 80,000 licenses. The number is hard to pinpoint, but it’s constantly growing. And this is great that so many citizens now can be defenders instead of victims. But New Jersey, of course, embarked on trying to limit where you can use your carry. Hence, the “sensitive places”. This crazy matrix of where you can and can’t carry which is also the subject of a court challenge, and we should be seeing some great outcome there, as the, as the Appellate Court has taken on that issue again. Seeing New Jersey’s gun laws go up in flames and go to the garbage can, the garbage heap of history where they belong. Evan Nappen 07:29 But this article from Dean Weingarten about what happened to the homicide rate after the Bruen decision is really very interesting, because it’s a very interesting question. I mean, what this goes to is, Page – 2 – of 10 every time there is anything that is pro-gun rights, pro-enforcing our Constitutional rights, anything that expands our ability to exercise our rights, the anti-rights crowd, the oppressors, will shout what I call BITS, bits. Which is Blood In The Streets. There’ll be blood in the streets. You know, this is going to be the Wild West. This is going to be, you know, just the sky is falling, right? Every time, every time. And so, of course, the prediction was, if we have carry, we’re going to have blood in the streets. And it’s going to be terrible and all this mayhem. And guess what? The opposite, of course, the opposite. The opposite happened. Evan Nappen 08:31 Because as Dean points out in his article, it says. “As of the latest numbers of October 2025, the 12- month running average of violent crime has dropped 14% since June of 2022. The drop in murders is even more pronounced at 39%. The numbers are from the tools provided by the Real Time Crime Index.” How about that, folks? Murder down 39%. Violent crime down 14%. This is tracking, as you and I always knew it would, when law-abiding citizens can defend themselves. Now, of course, it’s not the only reason that violent crime and murders have gone down, but it is absolutely a contributing factor. And the antis are always quick to say. Well, if it just saves one life, we need to. Well, guess what? How many lives have now been saved by the expansion of our rights to carry and defend ourselves since the Bruen decision? Way more than one life, that’s for sure. Lots of lives, lots of lives are being saved because of Constitutional freedom being expanded and protected and preserved. So, this is important to recognize and to force our adversaries to face the fact that guns save lives. That trained law-abiding citizens are lifesavers, and that firearms are protection that is effective. Not just to that individual defending themselves or their families, but in the big picture, the statistics themselves speak to the benefit of it. Evan Nappen 10:54 Hey, I would also like to mention our good friend, John Petrolino, who does amazing journalistic work. And it’s not just me saying that. I’m happy to mention that John recently was given an award, and actually more than one from the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists. (https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2025/12/30/petrolinos-coverage-of-new-jersey-2a-issues-earns- accolades-from-surprising-source-n1231070) They announced winners of the 2025 Excellence in Journalism Awards. And we’re talking about winners that include the New York Times, the Asbury Park Press and Politico. Evan Nappen 11:39 Well, lo and behold, there’s John Petrolino, one of the contributors for Bearing Arms and a great writer. He really has done tremendous work in New Jersey, and he won first place for “Best Coverage of State Government” for his series of articles highlighting abuses of the “shall issue” carry permit system. These very abuses of which demonstrate institutionalized racism. He documented excessive wait times and how the number of black applicants are discriminated against. And this research was, in fact, corroborated by the group Rise Against Hate, which, you know, they’re normally not a 2A group. And he won first place also for “Best Coverage of Municipal Government for his Bearing Arms story “Permit to Carry Denial Over a Driving Record?” And he’s really gotten praise here from his fellow journalists, and I think it’s great. Because not only does he deserve it, but imagine, you know, we’re talking about real journalism here, not the propaganda that the lamestream media throws at us. I mean, we’re talking Page – 3 – of 10 about real journalism that puts out a product that is otherwise not being seen, and in doing so, aids our Second Amendment rights and helps fight the oppression with the disinfectant of truth. John, congratulations on your awards. That is just really great, because when you win, we win, and it gets the message out. So, that’s a great job, and we’re proud of you. Evan Nappen 13:56 Hey, let me mention our good friends at WeShoot. WeShoot is a range in Lakewood, and they have got some great specials focused on training, including some great price drops. They are putting forward new prices to save money to get folks training. They’re doing it to make training easier and less expensive. So, they’re offering the USCCA and NRA CCW classes now at $225 down from $299. So, it’s even more affordable. This includes the New Jersey concealed carry class as well. You can get your CCARE and get your carry permit. They are great. That’s where Teddy and I got our certification from. And right there at WeShoot. They’re offering dates for both the NRA and doing your renewals for your carry permits, and they even have carry certification for seniors. They do a special seniors class. Evan Nappen 15:14 They are magnificent in their training programs that they offer. They offer also their HSI Adult CPR / AED certification course. You’ll earn a two-year certification on that. You’re learning how to perform CPR and AED, you know, defibrillator use, and handle basic first aid, respond to choking and cardiac arrest and such. So, if you want to get your training in all these areas and many others, and also just learning to shoot better, they are the place to go. WeShoot is conveniently located in Lakewood, right off the Parkway. You can go to wehootusa.com, weshootusa.com, and check out their website. Beautiful photography. They also have a great pro shop. They have lots of great guns and great deals. They will take care of you. You’ll be able to have a great place to shoot and enjoy relaxation at the range. And you’ll know that you are able to defend yourself and your loved ones should the need arise. But also go there and have some fun. Evan Nappen 16:41 Let me also tell you about our good friends at the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs. They are fighting very, very hard in a very challenging environment, and they are the key gun rights group in New Jersey. They are the NRA State Affiliate. They’re the umbrella organization of gun clubs through the state, but they also have individual members. Everybody needs to be a member of the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs. You’ll get their fantastic email alerts, and you’ll get a great newsletter. You’ll also know that you’re part of the solution fighting. They’re going to send you out things you can do real quick to make your voice heard as we continue the fight. And we’ve made a difference. The Association has made a difference. We’re still in a major battle, but the Association is there in the courts, as we speak, fighting on those key issues in the Appellate Courts. Evan Nappen 17:40 As we are talking right now, they’re there in the courts. We’re seeing some incredible results, and we’re going to see even more incredible results. I am extremely optimistic that the courts are going to really deliver for us. The truth is on our side. The law is on our side. The Supreme Court has laid out the groundwork that is all on our side. And the Association is truly on our side, working for the elimination of Page – 4 – of 10 Second Amendment oppression, especially on those key issues that affect so many of us. So, join the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs at anjrpc.org. Evan Nappen 18:33 And don’t forget to get a copy of my book, New Jersey Gun Law. It’s the bible of New Jersey gun law. Get your book today. Go to EvanNappen.com. It’s the big orange book that is the Bible of New Jersey gun law. It’s a book used by everybody, and you need to have a copy so that you can protect yourself. It is the only book out there that describes New Jersey gun law in a question and answer format so that it is actually almost understandable. How’s that? You can almost understand it from that book. Now, I tried to make it as user- friendly as I can, but New Jersey, of course, itself, is just contradictory in many of its own laws. I try to point it out in the book, when they are saying one thing and then saying another. The contradictions seem to just fly out because they just can’t pass new gun laws fast enough, and they don’t bother to make sure that they actually make sense, right? So, that’s where the book comes in. You’ll be able to know these distinctions and protect yourself. When you get the book, scan the QR code on the front cover and join, for free, my private subscriber base. You’ll get updates, and you’ll be able to access the archives for any previous updates that are there. This way the book will stay current because of that. So, go to EvanNappen.com and order your copy today. Hey, Teddy, what do you have for us today? Teddy Nappen 20:11 Well, as you know, Press Checks are always free, and I always want to see what is the Left, what is the argument they are making now? What is the push that they are trying to go for? Well, it seems they’ve gone and changed their tactics. They are now focusing in on high capacity magazines, or as what you know and everyone else knows them to be, standard capacity magazines. Because it’s just another made up term that they use. But going to The Trace to see their newest argument, I love this, by the way. “How Gun Manufacturers Swamped the Market With Large-Capacity Magazines” (https://www.thetrace.org/2025/12/large-capacity-magazine-nssf-gun-study/) Yes, that’s who is to blame for why there is such a high demand of a quote, unquote high capacity magazines. It’s the gun manufacturers. That’s who’s to blame. So, this article is by Mike Spies in The Trace. They start off with “At least 717 million devices like the one used in the Brown University mass shooting . . . ” Oh, well, there you go. Immediately. The first line. Evan Nappen 21:23 All they do is sell emotion. They’re just selling it as emotion. What about, you know. Do you know what a small, virtually, statistically irrelevant, it’s so small, the number of magazines, of a magazine that holds whatever they’re calling high capacity of that day, whatever that may be, was the reason, was the effect for that crime. Because the magazine held a certain amount of rounds. That is somehow the reason for the crime. It is a statistical irrelevancy. It is pure emotion. Teddy Nappen 22:07 I wonder how they, I wonder how they feel about in Australia, where it took, you know, two guys with a couple of bolt actions. And, you know, I think the body count was what? Double from Brown. But no, sorry, don’t talk about that. Page – 5 – of 10 Evan Nappen 22:20 Right. Teddy Nappen 22:21 Mind you they try to highlight this. Oh, man, Dad, did you know that between 1990 to 2021, the gun industry flooded the market with 717 detachable firearm magazines that held 11 rounds or more. You see, Dad, prior to 1990, there were no magazines that held over 11 rounds. Evan Nappen 22:46 That’s what it was? None. There was suddenly a flood. Teddy Nappen 22:52 A flooding, as a flooding. Then describe what the term a magazine, you know, for anyone doesn’t understand. And then tried to make the argument that not all manufacturers of gun magazines provided data to the study to stipulate the figures representing conservative estimates that military and law enforcement sales were not counted, and roughly 46% of magazines were accounted for from some 443 million, including rifle magazines that held 30 rounds or more. Evan Nappen 23:26 Okay. So, if we have millions and millions and millions of magazines that hold over 10 rounds, do you know how few isolated events, just think of how many few events? They get a ton of media coverage, but how few those events are. And even in those events, what statistical difference did it make that they had a magazine that held more than 10 rounds in commission of that crime? It is so rare and to have to this be of anything, of any real impact, of any true impact, yet it’s pure emotion there. So, oh my God, all these magazines are out there. Yeah, well, so what? So, what? They don’t make a difference. The only time it makes a difference is to the individual who needs to defend themselves. Then the issue of firepower is important in one’s own self-defense. So, when magazines are limited, the question you have to ask is, well, how many bullets is your life worth? In other words, how many bullets can you have to defend your life? Your Government has arbitrarily determined that your life is only worth 10 bullets. No more than 10, just 10. That’s all it’s worth. You’re not worth 11 bullets or 12 or anything more. That’s really what they are saying. Teddy Nappen 25:00 They also seem to stress this whole idea that magazines were only at 10 rounds until 1990, and they’re trying to make that argument. Well, thanks to again, always, when the left make their argument, use context and history, and that is how it is debunked. Right here from, I believe, you said this was a very well known writer, Dave Kopel. Evan Nappen 25:29 Absolutely. David Kopel. Page – 6 – of 10 Teddy Nappen 25:30 He wrote a brilliant article, which I highly recommend people read, “The History of Firearm Magazines and Magazine Prohibition”. (https://davekopel.org/2A/LawRev/2015/History-of-firearms-magazines-and- magazine-prohibition.pdf) Evan Nappen 25:33 Well, it must be a short history, since it only began in 1990. Teddy Nappen 25:44 No, no, let’s start with. Evan Nappen 25:46 Oh, really. Teddy Nappen 25:47 Yeah, you know, let’s go all the way back to 1580. Evan Nappen 25:51 Oh, 1580. Wow, how did they miss that? Teddy Nappen 25:55 I know. With the multi-shot guns. And then cut to the patent pending, 1718, of the Puckle Gun, shooting, you know, 23. Evan Nappen 26:05 I love the Puckle gun. Teddy Nappen 26:06 You know, it used 11 pre-loaded cylinders. And then cut over to everyone’s favorite, the Lewis and Clark air rifle, the Girandoni, that had a detachable magazine. Evan Nappen 26:20 And air guns are firearms in New Jersey. So, it would still considered a firearm. Yeah. Teddy Nappen 26:27 Yeah. So, and cut over to the Alexander Hall and Colonel Parry Porter rifles that were 15-shot rotating cylinder. But they may say, oh, it’s not detachable, though. Even though it’s well beyond the capacity, and you know this is only 1850. Cut over now to the 1866 chain pistol fed , 20 round, belt fed chain pistol. Imagine carrying that? Evan Nappen 27:00 I like that. Page – 7 – of 10 Teddy Nappen 27:01 Yeah. And then cut now to 1899 with the, or 1900 when they were commercially available, the Luger semi- automatic pistols that, you know, could use a seven or eight round magazine or a, you know, their version of a high capacity 32 drum mag. Evan Nappen 27:21 Oooh, the old snail drum mag for the Luger. Teddy Nappen 27:25 And then cut to 1927 where you could go to Auto Ordinance for a 30 round mag. Evan Nappen 27:32 Or a 50 or 100. That’s right. Teddy Nappen 27:35 In 1927, you know? Well, we’re getting, we’re getting closer. You’re getting around that time. But now to 1963, with the AR-15 rifle, with the 20 rounds, a little higher than that, to 30 round magazine capacity. Which to the point, where there was a famous (Supreme Court) case, Staples versus United States, where they were trying, where it differentiated from the AR-15 to the M 16. They tried to blend machine gun to semi auto. Evan Nappen 28:06 Well, they did that on purpose — to fool the public. It was even admitted in Josh Sugarmann’s book. He said that was the intention — to fool the public, who won’t be able to tell the difference between full auto and semi- auto. Machine guns and semi autos. It’ll fool them, because that’s what they’re about. They just want to fool the public to get their agenda through. Teddy Nappen 28:27 Because they, because the Left have this whole ideology, which is the people are stupid and we can manipulate them. Unfortunately, yeah, there’s a lot of people that aren’t read up on it and get easily tricked. They play off of emotions and that’s how they play their game. Luckily, now, thanks to the internet and people being able to do their own research. Even though they’ve, you know, censored, but we’ve fought back hard on that, people can actually see and look up and find out. Oh, yeah, wait. They just lied to me. Here’s the proof. It’s very easy now to debunk their lies, and it’s quite hilarious. Teddy Nappen 29:08 And then I love the ending to it all. I love his ending to the whole article, which is we end this story now in 1979. Jimmy Carter is president, and Gaston Glock is making curtain rods in his garage. Now, look right now. Evan Nappen 29:28 Oh, no, the Glock pistol is coming. Page – 8 – of 10 Teddy Nappen 29:30 Yeah, the Glock pistol is coming. And then all magazine which, and then all polymers. It just comes down to this. The magazines, high capacity magazines, have existed throughout history, and they will continue to exist. Because when they try to sell their argument about high capacity magazines, you know, they will forever be out there. Evan Nappen 29:59 What’s going to happen when it is just laser, and it can be endless? Just how much power. There won’t even be a capacity limit. It’ll just be limitless, essentially. Evan Nappen 30:13 I’m so. Sorry, my wife is always about the teleporter, where you won’t even need to load the mag. You’ll just point the gun and it’ll teleport the bullet into you, like. Evan Nappen 30:24 Oh, that sounds like a real accuracy improvement. Teddy Nappen 30:27 I know. So, again, technology will always progress more and more, and they will never be able to keep it. I can’t wait for the National Ray Gun Association. I think it was a Futurama joke. Evan Nappen 30:39 A National Ray Gun Association. That’s good. Evan Nappen 30:46 So, you know, one of the key things we like to do is have our listeners stay protected and not end up a GOFU. And unfortunately, GOFUs are Gun Owner Fuck Ups. They’re expensive lessons that you get to learn on the cheap. You get to learn for free, so you don’t commit the same error, the same fuck up. And so this week’s GOFU, something that, you know these come from actual cases, actual experience, actual folks that I’m representing. And it’s really a principle here today, and that is, don’t escalate the situation. Don’t be the person that initiates a problem that can be avoided. If you can avoid a conflict, you need to avoid the conflict. You cannot engage in a manner the way you used to, let’s say, before you were armed. Evan Nappen 31:56 Because you are armed, you’re essentially having to walk away. If something is just verbal, whatever, don’t escalate it. Don’t engage further. Because then what happens is you, as a gun owner, become the target of the law enforcement action, even though you weren’t the one who may have even initiated it. But if you escalated and went along with whatever this problem was that even got created or started by another person, you end up having to pay the price. I see this often where a law-abiding gun owner has an argument with somebody, and the law-abiding gun owner is in the right. The law-abiding gun owner doesn’t do anything wrong, but the other party somehow sees, notices, believes, thinks, that the gun owner has a gun, and then claims to the police that they saw the gun. You threatened them with the gun. They felt intimidated by the gun, whatever. Page – 9 – of 10 Evan Nappen 33:19 And it’s now escalated to where the gun owner gets charged with threatening, brandishing, whatever, and you just see it take off as an escalation. You need to learn to ignore all the jackasses that are out there that cause trouble, that act stupid. You have to take a different kind of attitude to ignore these people. Ignore them. Unless you are being threatened with serious bodily injury or death, where you have no other option, then ignore these people. Get away from these folks that are just trouble. Because if it comes around that you’re a gun owner, and there’s an issue, I see it. The tables turn on the gun owner all the time. Stay low key. Stay discreet. Don’t escalate. Stay away from these people that get law-abiding citizens into trouble because of the built in bias in the system against gun owners. Evan Nappen 33:42 This is Evan Nappen and Teddy Nappen reminding you that gun laws don’t protect honest citizens from criminals. They protect criminals from honest citizens. Speaker 2 34:25 Gun Lawyer is a CounterThink Media production. The music used in this broadcast was managed by Cosmo Music, New York, New York. Reach us by emailing Evan@gun.lawyer. The information and opinions in this broadcast do not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state. Page – 10 – of 10 Downloadable PDF TranscriptGun Lawyer S3 E271_Transcript About The HostEvan Nappen, Esq.Known as “America's Gun Lawyer,” Evan Nappen is above all a tireless defender of justice. Author of eight bestselling books and countless articles on firearms, knives, and weapons history and the law, a certified Firearms Instructor, and avid weapons collector and historian with a vast collection that spans almost five decades — it's no wonder he's become the trusted, go-to expert for local, industry and national media outlets. Regularly called on by radio, television and online news media for his commentary and expertise on breaking news Evan has appeared countless shows including Fox News – Judge Jeanine, CNN – Lou Dobbs, Court TV, Real Talk on WOR, It's Your Call with Lyn Doyle, Tom Gresham's Gun Talk, and Cam & Company/NRA News. As a creative arts consultant, he also lends his weapons law and historical expertise to an elite, discerning cadre of movie and television producers and directors, and novelists. He also provides expert testimony and consultations for defense attorneys across America. Email Evan Your Comments and Questions  talkback@gun.lawyer Join Evan's InnerCircleHere's your chance to join an elite group of the Savviest gun and knife owners in America.  Membership is totally FREE and Strictly CONFIDENTIAL.  Just enter your email to start receiving insider news, tips, and other valuable membership benefits.   Email (required) *First Name *Select list(s) to subscribe toInnerCircle Membership Yes, I would like to receive emails from Gun Lawyer Podcast. (You can unsubscribe anytime)Constant Contact Use. Please leave this field blank.var ajaxurl = "https://gun.lawyer/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php";

This week we're sharing a special episode from our friends at On NOTUS, which was recently featured by Semafor and POLITICO as a must-listen podcast. Produced by the nonpartisan newsroom NOTUS and hosted by congressional journalist Reese Gorman, On NOTUS brings on lawmakers from Capitol Hill for truly candid conversations. Each week, they go past the headlines and soundbites to hear what really makes Congressional leaders tick and what brought them to Washington in the first place. You'll get an insider's view of the people shaping policy in the United States, from House Majority Whip Tom Emmer to Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and beyond. And today, we're sharing On NOTUS' recent episode with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who breaks down how to get things done in the House, why he decided to run for office, and the assassination attempt that almost took his life. It's a conversation that is well worth a listen.  And for more interviews like this, make sure to follow On NOTUS on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. And tell them we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My mind was rarin' to go again today, but the rest of me wasn't having it. The smart thing to do was to use the Black Hole Week down time to answer a question the last couple of re-runs might have put you in mind of: What the hell did KITM sound like on January 7, 2026? Well, now you'll know! And if you'd like a preview, here's Scott Anderson's summary of that fateful day… after the actual fateful day. David Waldman, broadcasting from the center of our vast KITM World Headquarters, phones Greg Dworkin down in the laundry room, to discuss all that happened yesterday: Did you read my summary yesterday? No? Well, I don't blame you. Yesterday was pretty crazy. Yesterday, I was certain Trumpers would be no challenge to Capitol police. The day before, I thought even the idea of an assault on the House chamber to be an outlandish joke. Imagine my surprise to find attitudes change so quickly.  Otherwise, it wasn't much of a surprise. The forces of white entitlement, white supremacy and white lunacy amassed in DC, and statehouses across the country. Some of the assembled mob believed they were literally going to war. A few of them might have been surprised on all what that entails, but plenty sure as hell knew what they were doing. The rioters might have looked like jokes but they weren't joking, and everyone knew it. Rudy Giuliani tried to subvert the will of the people, but called the wrong Senator. Violent insurrection is what Donald Trump wanted. He already goaded a mob to seize the capitol in Lansing, Michigan, and he used social media to attempt a coup. He and the gang are being deplatformed 5 years too late, and it's not nearly enough anymore. William Barr, Mick Mulvaney, along with several others of the Trump administration, many Republicans, and all the other presidents can tell you it is not enough anymore. Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have called on Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment. Of course, it was only yesterday that Mike got his big boy pants pulled up, so that might be a big ask.  Speaking of Mike, Politico's "Congress Reporter", Kyle Cheney misspoke about a discovery that he misconstrued as Pence manipulation of the electoral count, when in fact it is a parliamentarian hero story.

FBI says it 'thwarted a potential' New Year's Eve terror attack in North Carolina and the suspect was 'directly inspired to act by ISIS'; President Donald Trump & top officials in Iran threaten each other as deadly street protests continue in Iranian cities; As Somalia's Ambassador to the United Nations takes over the rotating UN Security Council presidency, a reporter asked him about President Trump's criticisms of Somalia-Americans linked to alleged public program fraud in Minnesota; New York City's new Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) creates an Office of Mass Engagement and is asked about Israel saying Mamdani is antisemitic for revoking his predecessors' Executive Orders that barred city agencies from boycotting or divesting from Israel and adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism; Head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Gene Dodaro, has retired after a long career at the agency and in government. We will talk with Government Executive reporter Sean Michael Newhouse about Dodaro's accomplishments and efforts to be bipartisan and how Congress will choose his replacement (36); Full video of former Special Counsel Jack Smith's deposition before the House Judiciary Committee was made public on New Year's Eve. We will talk with Politico reporter Hailey Fuchs about what we learn about the Donald Trump election interference and classified documents cases that were ultimately dropped. (44) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toute l'équipe de Radio Foot vous souhaite une bonne année 2026 !  Au programme aujourd'hui : la crise au Gabon après son échec à la CAN 2025...   ► Gabon : Suspension de la sélection annoncée en direct à la télévision par le ministre des Sports, mise en cause de Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang et Bruno Ecuele Manga, dissolution du staff évoquée… avant un rétropédalage et un communiqué retiré. L'élimination prématurée des Panthères ne passe pas : retour sur un imbroglio aux allures « d'affaire d'État ». ► CAN 2025 : Fin de la phase de poules. Focus sur la Tanzanie , qualification historique pour les huitièmes ! Et le Soudan qui franchit les poules… sans avoir inscrit le moindre but (un contre son camp adverse), une première dans l'histoire de la CAN. ► Projection sur les huitièmes de finale. Des chocs très attendus, des affiches plus déséquilibrées, deux parties de tableaux inégales ? Forces en présence, pièges potentiels et sélections capables de créer la surprise... À lire aussiDissolution du staff, cas Aubameyang: le Gabon en crise après son échec   Pour en débattre autour d'Annie Gasnier : Éric Rabesandratana, Yoro Mangara, Nabil Djellit Édition : David Fintzel Réalisation : Laurent Salerno

Happy New Year! Today, the America's Work Force Union Podcast welcomed Ariel Wittenberg, journalist and unit chair of the Politico-E&E News (PEN) Guild, a union representing journalists at Politico and E&E News. Wittenberg discussed the challenges and victories union journalists face as artificial intelligence tools become increasingly prevalent in newsrooms. She provided insight into the PEN Guild's contract negotiations, their fight for editorial standards in an era of AI and ongoing arbitration over contract violations related to AI-generated content. On this edition of the Best of 2025 series, we return to the Presidents Day interview with Claude Cummings Jr., President of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), who joined America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his journey, the challenges of maintaining diversity initiatives and the critical role of unions in advocating for workers amid political and corporate pressures.

Toute l'équipe de Radio Foot vous souhaite une bonne année 2026 !  Au programme aujourd'hui : la crise au Gabon après son échec à la CAN 2025...   ► Gabon : Suspension de la sélection annoncée en direct à la télévision par le ministre des Sports, mise en cause de Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang et Bruno Ecuele Manga, dissolution du staff évoquée… avant un rétropédalage et un communiqué retiré. L'élimination prématurée des Panthères ne passe pas : retour sur un imbroglio aux allures « d'affaire d'État ». ► CAN 2025 : Fin de la phase de poules. Focus sur la Tanzanie , qualification historique pour les huitièmes ! Et le Soudan qui franchit les poules… sans avoir inscrit le moindre but (un contre son camp adverse), une première dans l'histoire de la CAN. ► Projection sur les huitièmes de finale. Des chocs très attendus, des affiches plus déséquilibrées, deux parties de tableaux inégales ? Forces en présence, pièges potentiels et sélections capables de créer la surprise... À lire aussiDissolution du staff, cas Aubameyang: le Gabon en crise après son échec   Pour en débattre autour d'Annie Gasnier : Éric Rabesandratana, Yoro Mangara, Nabil Djellit Édition : David Fintzel Réalisation : Laurent Salerno

New York a un nouveau maire. Le démocrate Zohran Mamdani prend ses fonctions ce jeudi 1er janvier. Son ambition est de rendre la ville plus abordable pour ses 8,5 millions d'habitants. Zohran Mamdan a multiplié les annonces-chocs pendant sa campagne : gratuité des crèches municipales et des bus publics, gel des loyers dits « stabilisés », création d'épiceries municipales... Des mesures que ses détracteurs qualifient de « populistes » et d'« irréalisables ». Pour les mettre en œuvre, le nouveau maire prévoit des hausses d'impôts. Pour cela, il va devoir convaincre les autorités démocrates de l'Etat, qui renâclent à les augmenter, à commencer par la gouverneure Kathy Hochul, candidate à sa réélection en novembre. En revanche, Zohran Mamdani ne devrait pas se heurter à l'hostilité de Donald Trump, en tout cas, pas immédiatement. Les deux hommes se sont rencontrés le 21 novembre et contre toute attente, cela s'est plutôt bien passé. « Le président a été séduit par le personnage qui est, comme lui, une sorte d'outsider qui a tout renversé sur son passage, notamment l'establishment de son propre parti », explique à RFI Serge Jaumain, professeur d'histoire contemporaine à l'Université libre de Bruxelles. Le président est également content que le Parti démocrate ait « une sorte d'épine dans le pied. Zohran Mamdani incarne la gauche du parti et il fait peur à un certain nombre d'eléecteurs plus centristes », analyse l'universitaire. Malgré tout, la stratégie du trentenaire de mettre l'accent sur la vie chère plutôt que sur la défense de la démocratie pourrait bien inspirer son camp. Sur la forme, Zohran Mamdani avait également innové en menant une campagne joyeuse et en jouant la carte de l'espoir. Une recette que le parti démocrate pourrait appliquer pour les élections de mi-mandat. À dix mois de l'échéance, le débat n'est toujours pas tranché. Donald Trump a bien tenté de contester la victoire de Joe Biden en 2020 Mercredi 31 janvier, à la demande de l'ancien procureur spécial, Jack Smith, la commission des Affaires judiciaires de la Chambre des représentants a publié le compte-rendu de son audition qui avait eu lieu à huis clos, le 17 décembre, explique le site Axios. Selon l'ex-magistrat, sans Donald Trump, il n'y aurait pas eu d'assaut du Capitole, le 6 janvier 2021. « Notre enquête a conclu, au-delà de tout doute raisonnable, que le président Trump s'est livré à un stratagème criminel visant à renverser les résultats de l'élection présidentielle de 2020 et à empêcher le transfert légal du pouvoir », a-t-il affirmé, comme le relève le New York Times. Donald Trump est également coupable d'avoir a délibérément conservé des documents confidentiels après avoir quitté le pouvoir, en janvier 2021, toujours selon l'ancien procureur. Lors de son audition, Jack Smith a également défendu son enquête. Il aurait procédé de la même manière avec un président démocrate, assure-t-il. Il affirme avoir fait preuve d'impartialité, avoir travaillé en toute indépendance et n'avoir reçu aucune instruction de la part de Joe Biden, précise Axios. Jack Smith en est certain : si Donald Trump avait été jugé, il aurait été condamné, souligne Politico. Mais comme le veut l'usage, il a dû abandonner toute poursuite pénale à son encontre dès qu'il a été élu président. Comme le raconte le New York Times, Jack Smith « s'est efforcé de démonter le récit selon lequel le président est une victime innocente, persécuté par ses opposants qui instrumentalisent les lois ». L'ancien magistrat sait que Donald Trump va, malgré tout, chercher à se venger. Au Mexique, encore des progrès à faire en matière des droits des femmes Comme le raconte le journal Milenio, dans l'État de Morelos, les partis politiques refusent la parité homme-femmes. La justice avait ordonné que plus de la moitié des postes de maires de cet État soit réservée aux femmes. Une liste de villes n'ayant jamais été dirigées par une femme ou alors il y a très longtemps, avait été dressée, poursuit Milenio. 21 des 36 communes de Morelos étaient, donc, censées élire des femmes à leur tête lors des prochaines élections, en 2027. Mais les partis politiques s'y sont opposé et le Congrès de Morelos a voté une autre règle. Seul un tiers des communes reviendront bien à des femmes. Une décision que dénonce Perla Pedroza de l'Observatoire de la parité et de la violence politique et de genre de Morelos. À Milenio, elle explique pourquoi il faut absolument réserver des postes aux femmes. Elle cite l'exemple d'une ville où lors des dernières élections, un seul homme s'est présenté face à plusieurs femmes. Il a été élu. « Ce n'est pas parce que nous, les femmes, nous ne savons pas gérer une ville ou que nous n'avons pas d'autorité ; c'est parce que les partis ne nous donnent pas de budget et que les gens sont toujours machistes », témoigne cette féministe. En Argentine, les « bureaucrates de la corruption » La Nacion s'est penché sur « les fonctionnaires et les intermédiaires » qui opèrent dans les coulisses du pouvoir « pour piller l'État », ceux qui touchent des pots-de-vin au sein même des administrations, le tout en étant protégés par certains de leurs supérieurs. La Nacion résume les principales affaires qui ont secoué le pays ces dernières années, calculent pour chacune d'entre elles, les sommes perdues par l'État (4 milliards de dollars, par exemple, dans l'affaire VTV - des fonctionnaires qui faisaient sauter des PV). Le journal propose, enfin, des solutions : réduire les pouvoirs arbitraires accordés aux fonctionnaires ou donner la possibilité aux citoyens de s'adresser à différentes personnes. Il ne faut plus qu'une seule personne puisse accorder ou retirer un avantage à quelqu'un, résume La Nacion. La police haïtienne veut récupérer Port-au-Prince En Haïti, mardi 30 décembre, la police nationale a récupéré un important arsenal lors d'une opération à Bel-Air dans le fief du chef de gang connu sous le nom de Jamesley. « Cela fait plusieurs semaines que la PNH essaie de reprendre le contrôle du centre-ville de Port-au-Prince. Elle lance désormais des attaques alors qu'avant, elle était surtout dans un mode défensif », précise Frantz Duval, rédacteur en chef du quotidien Le Nouvelliste. Dans la capitale, rares sont les quartiers qui échappent encore aux gangs. Hier, malgré les coupures de courant et l'insalubrité, on a fêté la nouvelle année. « Dans les quelques zones que ne contrôlent pas les bandits, les festivités durent depuis plusieurs jours », raconte le journaliste. Le 31 décembre au soir, le Premier ministre s'est d'ailleurs rendu au Champ de mars. « Mais par peur, le public n'a pas répondu présent », précise Frantz Duval. « En 2026, des grandes batailles attendent le pays : il faudra retrouver le chemin de la démocratie et organiser des élections », insiste le patron du Nouvelliste.

Justin Barclay filling in for Glenn. Karoline Leavitt promises that arrests are coming in the new year over massive fraud exposure in Minnesota. Federal government ends childcare funding to Minnesota. James Dickson joins to discuss Politico's peace claiming that Nick Shirley 'could have been shot for knocking on doors' in Minnesota and Michigan's bloated voter rolls. Brandon Beach joins to discuss the Trump economy and refunds coming to many Americans. Trump dollar coin for 250th anniversary? Lisa DeMuth, Minnesota candidate for Gov, joins the show to discuss the widescale fraud recently uncovered. Kevin DeVries joins to discuss Noah's Ark and how it applies to our lives today. Jon Justice joins to discuss his predictions for 2026 and Minnesota.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday's Mark Levin Show, WMAL's Larry O'Connor fills in for Mark. The media and radical left have not learned their lesson they're in the middle as they keep attacking President Trump instead of addressing that what occurred in Minnesota was wrong. The moment you say something about Somalians, you ae considered to be racist. Which is absolutely ridiculous. What the Somali community did regarding this money fraud scandal is sad, wrong, and evil. Also, Politico's Josh Gerstein suggested on X that knocking on doors at Minnesota daycare centers could “intersect” with stand-your-ground laws—think about that for a second. A journalist implying homeowners might legally shoot other journalists for investigating fraud? Outrageous! Independent reporter Nick Shirley exposed what looks like massive taxpayer-funded fraud, and instead of focusing on corruption, Gerstein warns about gun laws. Social media lit him up, and rightly so—he even got Minnesota law wrong, claiming “not in your home” when it's a duty-to-retreat state. This is the media protecting the establishment, intimidating citizen journalists, and proving once again why trust in these elitists is in the gutter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking for more DTP Content? Click here: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-linksMajor EndorsementsImpulseBleeding Control Kits by Professionals for Professionalshttps://www.impulsekits.comDoberman Emergency ManagementSubject matter experts in assessments, planning, and traininghttps://www.dobermanemg.comThe Readiness LabTrailblazing disaster readiness through podcasts, outreach, marketing, and interactive eventshttps://www.thereadinesslab.comFor Sponsorship Requestscontact@thereadinesslab.com314-400-8848 Ext 2In this milestone year-end episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, host John Scardena delivers a raw, strategic, and personal recap of 2025—highlighting leadership lessons learned in emergency management, business growth, disaster response, and life.This final episode of Season 6 reflects on a year defined by complexity, transition, and decisive leadership. From FEMA uncertainty and disaster deployments to major shifts in business models and personal priorities, this episode is a candid breakdown of what worked, what failed, and what leaders must understand heading into 2026.Episode Highlights & Key Topics

A Politico journalist's unhinged tweet about the Somali fraud scandal is going viral... and it's unintentionally revealing everything that's wrong with mainstream media. I break it down in this episode of the Brad vs Everyone podcast. Plus, Candace Owens' latest bizarre theory gets brutally debunked after a man she accused of involvement in Charlie Kirk's death provides a clear alibi, and The View's left-wing bias gets mathematically proven by a new analysis.Support My Show: https://linktr.ee/bradpolumboSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ernesto Nuñez

In this episode, Ariane Tabatabai, Scott R. Anderson, and Loren Voss discuss the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. They take stock of how Congress is reasserting itself vis-a-vis the Trump administration on matters related to the national defense, as well as the NDAA's key provisions. Relevant links:National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026United States Senate Committee on Armed Services Executive Summary of the 2026 NDAA“Senate passes defense bill that defies Trump and forces sharing of boat strike videos,” by Connor O'Brien on Politico, December 17, 2025“Inside Trump's Second-Term National Security Strategy,” by Loren Voss on Lawfare, December 19, 2025To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture[CB] around the world are dumping the Fed note, they just aren’t taking on anymore, everything is about to change. Trump’s GDP outshines Biden’s. China is now going to restrict silver, silver is used in electronics, batteries,solar panels etc. Silver prices are going to move. [CB] fraud is now exposed. The Tariff system is the future. The [DS] criminal syndicate is being exposed, it’s not just in DC it is world wide. As people learn how corrupt the system is and most of the taxes and borrowing goes to support the criminal system the people will be with Trump to remove the Fed. Trump is in the process of bringing down the entire corrupt temple on the [DS]. Trump moves closer to peace with Ukraine, 2026 is going to change everything. Economy Status of the US Dollar as Global Reserve Currency: USD Share Drops to Lowest since 1994  Central Banks diversify their holdings into dozens of smaller “non-traditional reserve currencies.”  The share of USD-denominated assets held by other central banks dropped to 56.9% of total foreign exchange reserves in Q3, the lowest since 1994, from 57.1% in Q2 and 58.5% in Q1, according to the IMF's new data on Currency Composition of Official Foreign Exchange Reserves. USD-denominated foreign exchange reserves include US Treasury securities, US mortgage-backed securities (MBS), US agency securities, US corporate bonds, and other USD-denominated assets held by central banks other than the Fed. Excluded are any central bank's assets denominated in its own currency, such as the Fed's Treasury securities or the ECB's euro-denominated securities. It's not that foreign central banks dumped US-dollar-denominated assets, such as Treasury securities. They did not. They added a little to their holdings. But they added more assets denominated in other currencies, particularly a gaggle of smaller currencies whose combined share has surged, while central banks' holdings of USD-denominated assets haven't changed much for a decade, and so the percentage share of those USD assets continued to decline.   Central banks' holdings of foreign exchange reserves in all currencies, and expressed in USD, rose to $13.0 trillion in Q3. Top holdings, expressed in USD: USD assets: $7.41 trillion Euro assets (EUR): $2.65 trillion Yen assets (YEN): $0.76 trillion British pound assets (GBP): $0.58 trillion Canadian dollar assets (CAD): $0.35 trillion Australian dollar assets (AUD): $0.27 trillion Chinese renminbi (RMB) assets: $0.25 trillion Source: wolfstreet.com (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/elonmusk/status/2004750391435755846?s=20 https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2004928015172821228?s=20 https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2004946780216328590?s=20  Political/Rights https://twitter.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/2004590513182367845?s=20  https://twitter.com/Geiger_Capital/status/2005107085865103608?s=20 ICE: 70% Arrested Had Criminal Ties Roughly 70% of illegal migrants arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the second Trump administration reportedly had been convicted of or faced charges for criminal offenses. New data provided to the Washington Examiner shows the Trump administration arrested about 595,000 illegal immigrants between Jan. 20 and Dec. 11, according to the Department of Homeland Security. ICE said 70%, roughly 416,000, had “criminal convictions or pending criminal charges” in the United States, underscoring President Donald Trump’s promise to prioritize the “worst of the worst” in immigration enforcement. ICE officials stressed that even those without U.S. criminal records can still pose major public safety threats, the agency said, noting many are wanted abroad for violent crimes or have ties to gangs, terrorism, or other serious offenses. “This statistic doesn’t account for those wanted for violent crimes in their home country or another country, INTERPOL notices, human rights abusers, gang members, terrorists, etc. The list goes on,” an ICE spokesperson told the Examiner. Source: newsmax.com   New Files Show Epstein Was ‘Too Useful' for Banks to Drop — Trump Was ‘Too Politically Dangerous' to Keep  The newest Epstein disclosures include deposition testimony that illustrates, in unusually concrete detail, how major financial institutions assessed risk, value, and accountability. The transcript does not add new allegations about Epstein. Instead, it explains why he remained bankable long after his 2008 conviction and why his relationship with major banks survived despite generating almost no traditional revenue. That institutional logic is the same logic that later drove JPMorgan to end its ties with Trump Media, and the contrast between the two cases shows how selectively these standards are applied. In the deposition, Paul Morris—a private banker who handled Epstein's accounts at JPMorgan Chase and later Deutsche Bank—described Epstein's financial profile with unusual precision. Epstein's trading was minimal. His accounts produced limited fees. He was not a high-activity client and did not utilize the investment tools that banks rely on to generate consistent revenue. By every conventional benchmark, he was a low-value account. And yet, the relationship continued. The deposition shows why. Epstein was not retained for his financial performance but for his institutional usefulness. Morris acknowledged that Epstein facilitated introductions to ultra-wealthy individuals that the bank viewed as essential prospects. One example was Leon Black, whom Morris identified as a “priority prospect” because of Black's significant net worth and influence in the investment sector. Epstein introduced the bank to real-estate investor Andrew Farkas and discussed a potential connection involving biotech investor Boris Nikolic, who had ties to Bill Gates. These introductions were specific, documented, and initiated by Epstein, not the bank. This is the key element that many public accounts overlook. Epstein was not being managed as a traditional client. He functioned as a relationship broker inside a system where introductions to power carry more internal value than account-level returns. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  DOGE Geopolitical The EU Leaders Shouting About Visa Bans Are the Same EU Leaders Who Sent Political Operatives Into the U.S. to Support Kamala Harris  EU leaders from across the spectrum of their collective assembly, are furious with the administration of President Donald Trump for restricting their entry into the United States by blocking their visa permissions.  However, these same EU leaders are the people who sent operatives into the United States in order to interfere in our 2024 election. The Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, sums up the European position: “The decision by the U.S. to impose travel restrictions on European citizens and officials is unacceptable and an attempt to challenge our sovereignty. Europe will keep defending its values — freedom of expression, fair digital rules, and the right to regulate our own space.” The “attempt to challenge our sovereignty” statement is a particular type of hubris when we consider THIS: GREAT BRITAIN (October 2024) – The British Labour Party is sending approximately 100 current and former staff members to the United States to work for Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign in key swing states. [SOURCE – LINKEDIN] Not only did the U.K attempt to challenge our sovereignty, but they also actively worked to influence the outcome of our national election in 2024. It is worth remembering the British intelligence operation, (Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6), was at the center of the Trump-Russia collusion conspiracy in 2016. The first EU political group to be targeted with the visa bans includes French former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, who was one of the architects of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). Also: Imran Ahmed, the British CEO of the U.S.-based Center for Countering Digital Hate, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon of the German non-profit HateAid, and Clare Melford, co-founder of the Global Disinformation Index. https://twitter.com/GeneHamilton/status/2004656229684224393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004656229684224393%7Ctwgr%5E91706d63d41394916634b106fbd2268d7711e121%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconservativetreehouse.com%2Fblog%2F2025%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-eu-leaders-shouting-about-visa-bans-are-the-same-eu-leaders-who-sent-political-operatives-into-the-u-s-to-support-kamala-harris%2F https://twitter.com/GeneHamilton/status/2004656234910433405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004656234910433405%7Ctwgr%5E91706d63d41394916634b106fbd2268d7711e121%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconservativetreehouse.com%2Fblog%2F2025%2F12%2F27%2Fthe-eu-leaders-shouting-about-visa-bans-are-the-same-eu-leaders-who-sent-political-operatives-into-the-u-s-to-support-kamala-harris%2F Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/michaelgwaltz/status/2005058695647166898?s=20 https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2005035840934723894?s=20 War/Peace   EIGHT, perhaps the United States has become the REAL United Nations, which has been of very little assistance or help in any of them, including the disaster currently going on between Russia and Ukraine. The United Nations must start getting active and involved in WORLD PEACE!   the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.   DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Trump Tasks Military With an ‘Oil Quarantine' Against Venezuela, as Economic Pressure Is Chosen for Now Over Military Action Venezuela's oil industry under maximum pressure.   And now that the extended holidays are over, the socialist regime will have to deal with the veritable siege imposed by the US and its unprecedented armada. Venezuela is running out of storage space for its oil production since some ships are being seized and many others turned around and left.  Now, it arises that Donald J. Trump has directed US forces to enforce ‘an oil quarantine' against Venezuela for at least the next two months. These moves lead many to think that the Trump team will focus on economic rather than military means to pressure Caracas into ousting Maduro. Reuters reported:   Read  more: Source: thegatewaypundit.com Trump Blockade Leaves $1 Billion Of Venezuelan Crude Stranded On Tankers  With a two-month “quarantine” placed on Venezuelan oil by the Trump administration in a foreign policy move called “gunboat diplomacy,” new data estimate that roughly $900 million worth of crude is currently loaded on tankers, unable to depart Venezuela due to the U.S. blockade. “Based on our visual analysis from both shore and space, we estimate that there are around 17.5 million barrels of crude oil floating onboard tankers in Venezuela which are unable to depart due to the ongoing US blockade,” independent research Tanker Trackers wrote on X. “That’s around $900M of oil.” https://twitter.com/TankerTrackers/status/2004713684871078162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2004713684871078162%7Ctwgr%5E016cd45f97095edcd74bb159f40c4e93caf9794d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zerohedge.com%2Fcommodities%2Ftrump-blockade-leaves-1-billion-venezuelan-crude-stranded-tankers Source: zerohedge.com Trump to POLITICO: Zelenskyy ‘doesn't have anything until I approve it' Trump's comments come ahead of his Sunday meeting with Zelenskyy, who will bring with him a new 20-point plan to end the war President Donald Trump on Friday cast himself as the ultimate arbiter of any peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, in an exclusive conversation with POLITICO. “He doesn't have anything until I approve it,” Trump said. “So we'll see what he's got.” Source: politico.com https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/2005352028365848993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2005352028365848993%7Ctwgr%5E1588e24fb392689513bf7b2f064c646c1bf5f470%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Ftrump-says-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-entering-final%2F  Medical/False Flags 19 Blue States Sue Trump Admin to Preserve Right to Perform Child Sex Changes Last week, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would cut off Medicare and Medicaid funding to any provider that offers so-called gender-affirming treatment to minors. “Under my leadership, and answering President Trump's call to action, the federal government will do everything in its power to stop unsafe, irreversible practices that put our children at risk,” Kennedy said at the time. The Oregon-led lawsuit claims that the decision “exceeds the Secretary's authority and violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Medicare and Medicaid statutes.” A total of nineteen blue states are suing the Trump administration in a bid to protect the right to perform child sex changes. His office said in a press release: Source: thegatewaypundit.com [DS] Agenda  https://twitter.com/nickshirleyy/status/2004642794862961123?s=20   work way too hard and pay too much in taxes for this to be happening, the fraud must be stopped. https://twitter.com/MAGAVoice/status/2005011311756017964?s=20 https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2005158623442600391?s=20 https://twitter.com/DataRepublican/status/2005292438114738555?s=20  diabolical. And it’s going to work until we understand that primaries will be more important than generals from here out on. https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2005016429687701811?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2005351086115405986?s=20 https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2005030256382464493?s=20  and your tribe. I spent a lot of my life in the Middle East and Central Asia, working closely with foreign contractors and foreign governments to provide support to American military operations. As a US Army officer with a big checkbook courtesy of Uncle Sam, I can't really count the sheer number of times I was offered bribes to award a contract, or falsify records to do things like create larger (fake) headcounts at places like dining facilities, or to just simply be on the take for future illegal requests. Of course I had enough sense to never comply with such requests. Moreover, they were never explicitly structured as “bribes”; instead it was usually along the lines of “Here I have these Rolexes as gifts for you and your wife to show our friendship.” (Unfortunately, too many US officers and NCOs succumbed to this siren song and ended up breaking rocks in Leavenworth.) The weird thing about this to me was that whenever I turned down such an offering, it was treated as a grave insult. I was the one in the wrong, and not the fraudster trying to bribe me. They considered it rude that I was in their country and refused to accept how things got done. After all, why did I not want to help my tribe by helping their tribe? Let me repeat: in these cultures, FRAUD IS NOT EVEN A CONCEPT. There is only what helps your tribe. Such thought processes are so alien to Americans and much of the West. We are raised on the presumption that our institutions are valid, that the rule of law always prevails, and that integrity is universal. We need these presumptions to have working governments and economies, and without those presumptions—without the mental barrier that causes us not to accept outright fraud—our nation would quickly descend into the economic and social hellscape of countries like…. ummm… you know…. SOMALIA! So when we import people en masse from cultures that accept bribery and fraud as routine, acceptable ways to advance one's tribe, we should not be surprised that things like the $8 BILLION fraud schemes of the Somali population in Minnesota happen so easily. Introducing a fraud-based culture based on tribalism into America is like introducing some sort of lethal virus into a population that has no natural immunity. The virus will spread and grow, unchecked, because it is so alien to the host. Similarly, a culture of fraud is anathema to American thinking, and it must be cut out before it consumes the host. So when you see and hear patriotic Americans decrying what is happening in Minnesota or elsewhere, and when they seek deportation of the offenders, it is not “racism,” it is not “bigotry,” it is not “xenophobia”; instead, it is preserving the American tradition of responsible institutions and national integrity. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2005262465190223928?s=20 https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2005305530651189719?s=20   exploiting federal programs. Fraud that steals from taxpayers and robs vulnerable children will remain a top FBI priority in Minnesota and nationwide. To date, the FBI dismantled a $250 million fraud scheme that stole federal food aid meant for vulnerable children during COVID. The investigation exposed sham vendors, shell companies, and large-scale money laundering tied to the Feeding Our Future network. The case led to 78 indictments and 57 convictions. Defendants included Abdiwahab Ahmed Mohamud, Ahmed Ali, Hussein Farah, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, Asha Farhan Hassan, Ousman Camara, and Abdirashid Bixi Dool, each charged for roles ranging from wire fraud to money laundering and conspiracy. These criminals didn't just engaged in historic fraud, but tried to subvert justice as well. Abdimajid Mohamed Nur and others were charged for attempting to bribe a juror with $120,000 in cash. Those responsible pleaded guilty and were sentenced, including a 10-year prison term and nearly $48 million in restitution in related cases. The FBI believes this is just the tip of a very large iceberg. We will continue to follow the money and protect children, and this investigation very much remains ongoing. Furthermore, many are also being referred to immigrations officials for possible further denaturalization and deportation proceedings where eligible. https://twitter.com/ScottPresler/status/2004932316926193933?s=20 https://twitter.com/HarmeetKDhillon/status/2004976287270731981?s=20 https://twitter.com/rising_serpent/status/2005080344610177489?s=20  https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2005092720927232198?s=20  “skeptical jurors” in federal cases involving President Trump. Co-founder Alex Dodds said jurors have “enormous power” to judge the administration itself. Critics report the sessions encourage rigging trials against the administration, conduct plainly barred under 8 USC §1503. President Trump's Plan https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2004653262491058216?s=20 accomplished what no one else could. When we arrived, taxpayers were about to be on the hook for nearly $5 billion for a new headquarters that wouldn't open until 2035. We scrapped that plan. Instead, we selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions and allowing the transition to begin immediately with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway. Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain. This decision puts resources where they belong: defending the homeland, crushing violent crime, and protecting national security. It delivers better tools for today's FBI workforce at a fraction of the cost. The Hoover Building will be shut down permanently.  They Got Her: FBI Caught Hillary Clinton Talking Donations with Foreign Felon on Tape As Hillary Clinton closed in on the presidential nomination in the spring of 2016, FBI field officers advised colleagues at headquarters to press her on the foreign donations flowing to the Clinton Foundation while she steered American foreign policy and whether she had used the charity as a campaign piggy bank. But the FBI HQ in Washington — a city in which the former secretary of state and first lady wields enormous influence — let the trail go cold. FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez advised agents in Washington to ask Clinton several questions about the foundation, which are reproduced in full in documents released to the Senate Judiciary Committee by the FBI and published on Dec. 15. The questions reveal the concerns about foreign bribery that the Clinton Foundation case — codenamed “Cracked Foundation” — had uncovered. Among the evidence available to investigators, according to their questions: A recorded conversation between Clinton and Indian hotel magnate Sant Singh Chatwal in which Clinton discussed donations to the foundation and her remaining 2008 campaign debt. The new documents confirm that the FBI had at one time been “intercepting individuals associated with the Clinton Foundation.” Source: westernjournal.com  John Brennan's Lawfare Lawyers are Revealing More Than They Intend   former CIA Director John Brennan are sending proactive letters to the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida {SEE HERE}.  However, some of the information included in the letters intended to be exculpatory is actually damning against their defense position. You have to go deep in the weeds to see it but if you understand the details of the events, the information being revealed by Brennan's lawyers is the opposite of helpful to his case.  As an example, there is a citation included in a footnote of the December 22, 2025, [fn #20 page 6] letter that links to a March 31, 2022, letter sent to John Durham. Here's page 6 of the 2025 letter. Compare the underlined section to the 2022 letter sent to John Durham. In 2025 Brennan is telling the Florida court the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) conclusion was confirmed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in a “very serious review.”  However, in 2022 Brennan told John Durham that Robert Mueller never interviewed him or offered an assessment of the ICA; Mueller just regurgitated it. So, which is it? These contradictions are throughout both of the letters when you compare them side-by-side.  In 2022 former CIA Director John Brennan was trying to escape the Durham review.  In 2025 Brennan is trying to escape a grand jury review. [We are aware that the U.S Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quiñones, has access to the CTH public library of research into all of these historic events.] There are other citations in the 2022 letter that are certainly worth reviewing because the legally binding statements made by John Brennan at the time have been shown to be false in 2025. Another of the claims in the 2022 letter to John Durham highlights why it was critical for the CIA to assist in the capture and arrest of Julian Assange in 2019. Source: thegatewaypundit.com  Trump: Upcoming Midterms Will Be ‘About Pricing’ The 2026 midterm elections will be “about pricing,” according to President Donald Trump, who said that his administration is restoring the nation’s economy after the condition in which former President Joe Biden left it. “I think it’s going to be about the success of our country,” Trump said in an interview with Politico, the outlet reported Saturday. “They gave us high pricing, and we’re bringing it down. Energy’s way down. Gasoline is way down.” Over the past two weeks, a series of positive economic reports has shown that inflation is decreasing, with the White House highlighting the latest data while addressing cost-of-living concerns nationwide. According to a Politico poll conducted last month, Americans say they are finding that the costs of groceries, utilities, healthcare, housing, and transportation are too expensive. Trump has been fighting to reframe that, however, blaming Democrats under Biden for driving prices up. He said in the interview, conducted Friday, that “electricity is down. It’s way down.” “When the gasoline goes down, and when the oil and gas go down, the electricity comes down naturally,” he said. “But it’s all coming down. It’s all coming down. It’s coming beautifully.” Source: newsmax.com https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2004696380531503505?s=20   the NG will have quick response troops on standby in every state, the FBI building is being moved to a new location, the war between Russia and Ukraine is coming to an end, and all of Trump's pieces will be in place. There seems to be a shift in attitude. I think we are passing into a different phase of the operation. The shadow war will eventually have to come to the surface. 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Send us a textAs a 13-year-old, former Alaska State House Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins headed Vermont Governor Howard Dean's 2004 Presidential campaign in Alaska. He immersed himself in all things political as a high school student, but gave up politics when he got to college at Yale. During his junior year, he was contacted by several people encouraging him to return home to Sitka to run against the incumbent Republican serving in the state house seat, co-chair of the powerful House Finance committee Bill Thomas. Jonathan ran, won, and served for 10 years in the House where his proudest achievement was getting his HB 216 signed into law in 2014 which made 20 Native languages official Alaska state languages. Much of this interview draws from a 2018 Politico story that profiled three young Alaskans: Forrest Dunbar, John-Henry Heckendorn, and our guest Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins.  

Hosts Rich Ehisen and Tim Foster are joined by Politico's Chris Cadelago for a look back at the Top 10 California political stories of 2025 – and a look at what's coming next year.:41 Chris Cadelago2:10 Leah O'Tarrow2:41 Los Angeles fires10:00 Donald trump vs. California21:16 The firing of Cynthia Moreno and subsequent lawsuit28:10 Artificial Intelligence36:55 CEQA reform42:29 Pharmacy Benefit Managers47:15 The Governor's race56:54 Governor Newsom's media blitz1:02:46 Prop. 501:10:16 Other stories: Pelosi retirement, cannabis tax, etc...1:11:11 Dana Williamson scandal1:19:33 Closing thoughtsWant to support the Capitol Weekly Podcast? Make your tax deductible donation here: capitolweekly.net/donations/Capitol Weekly Podcast theme is "Pickin' My Way" by Eddie Lang  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dean Karayanis — New York Sun columnist, host of the History Author Show, and former Rush Limbaugh staffer — brings the Yuletide cheer for Derek. A story in Politico alleging that the "How the far right stole Christmas" prompts a discussion of the birth of Jesus Christ being turned into a generic, secular holiday. Plus, what happened to the little girl who wrote letter that led to the most reprinted editorial in the English language, 1897's "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus," in the New York Sun. The stories of "It's a Wonderful Life," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and of Luxembourg's "American St. Nick" from a tradition begun by GI's in the middle of World War 2. Dean also notes that Christmas marked the 101st birthday of Rod Serling, who's enduring gift is The Twilight Zone's "Night of the Meek," starring Art Carney as a Skid Row Santa Claus.

Politico reports, far right parties are claiming the Christmas season

H1 - Politico reports, far right parties are claiming the Christmas season, Healthcare costs, keep going up, typical leftist policy, The Christmas strikes the US took against ISIS in Nigeria, The lawsuits against the Federal Gov't to end the ban on transgender surgeries

Friday, December 26 , 2025 - Adam Morgan in for The Tara Show HOUR 1 1st - Politico reports, far right parties are claiming the Christmas season 2nd - Healthcare costs, keep going up, typical leftist policy 3rd - The Christmas strikes the US took against ISIS in Nigeria 4th - The lawsuits against the Federal Gov't to end the ban on transgender surgeries HOUR 2 5th - 19 Atty Generals sue Trump Admin for banning Trans Surgeries 6th - The American Medical Assn used to treat Transgenderism as a mental illness in 80s 7th - A texter writes, Why do we have an Invisible Governor? 8th - The Trump Admin will soon be garnishing paychecks for student loan repayments HOUR 3 9th - CSRP Text line comments about The Trump Admin garnishing for Student loans 10th - Freedom Caucus leader Jordan Pace on Redistricting Dist 6 11th - Rep Jordan Pace of the Freedom Caucus agenda for 2026 12th - We in SC subsidized College lobbyists to ask legislatures for more money HOUR 4 13th- Over ½ of the 18 Billion of the Medicaid paid out in MN was fraud 14th- The Trump Admin working to cut off migrants access to welfare 15th- The Trump Admin has great news, the murder rate has dropped 20% 16th- Gov't will always waste your money unless you hold it accountable

We’re now on YouTube every week! Click here to subscribe. On our radar this week… There is a lot on our radar along with Santa's sleigh… The Justice Department is dipping into the National Black Toner Cartridge Strategic Reserve as it redacts tens-of-thousands of pages of the Epstein files. Even so, the scandal continues to grow in a way not seen since the days of Monica Lewinsky. Larry Nassar, the disgraced onetime MSU sports doctor, is now a part of the scandal. A note allegedly from Epstein celebrates their shared perverted interest in vulnerable teenage girls. The FBI says the letter is a fake – and we know that Kash Patel would never tell a lie. The newly released files also show Trump was an Epstein Frequent Flyer … after saying for months he never flew on Lolita Airlines. Attorneys General are increasingly in the political bullseye. Democrats in the U.S. House may be joined by some Republicans to impeach Pam Bondi over the Epstein files debacle, even as Bondi continues to fail in efforts to indict New York AG Leticia James. In Michigan, state House Republicans are mulling over an attempt to impeach Attorney General Dana Nessel, something that would be totally symbolic but make MAGA Republicans feel good. The MAGA movement may need to get some couples therapy after an unhinged verbal brawl at the Turning Point USA weekend conference. We'll be joined later in the podcast by Politico senior Adam Wren who's been covering Turning Point's efforts to be a major political force. The next key political battle in Michigan: a special election for the state Senate. The primary for replacing now-Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet is set for February 3 … a swing district that will determine control of the state Senate for 2026. We'll take a look at the candidates on both sides. CBS News has gone from The Gold Standard for broadcast news to the toilet with Trump-favorable censorship of 60 Minutes. Murrow, Cronkite, Severeid, et. al. are spinning in their graves, and the very much alive Katie Couric calls it a “disgrace.” First it was the Donald Trump Institute for Peace, then the Kennedy Center, Trump Saving Accounts, Trump $1 coins. Now Donald Trump has decided an entire class of battleships will bear his name…and he'll play a role in designing them because, he says, “I'm a very aesthetic person.” Is the world's first gold-plated Navy fleet in our future? And will he continue his years-long business of licensing use of his name on other people's projects? Trump has raised the possibility of awarding himself a $1-billion settlement of the lawsuit he's filed against the government he runs…in effect, judge, jury and beneficiary. Why stop at a billion? Why not a trillion or gazillion? Of course he'll say tariffs will cover the check. We’re joined this week by Adam Wren, a national political correspondent for POLITICO, based in the Midwest. He is a contributor to POLITICO Magazine, Playbook and West Wing Playbook, focusing on Donald Trump's remaking of the federal government and the Democratic response to his return to power ahead of what could be a wide-open 2028 presidential contest. Wren previously served as a national politics features correspondent at Business Insider. He has also written for The New York Times and Washington Post. Originally from Ohio, Adam graduated from Indiana Wesleyan University and has a master's from Northwestern University's prestigious Medill School of Journalism. You can find Adam online X/Twitter and Instagram. A Republic, If You Can Keep It is sponsored by Nick Anderson substack

In the 5 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Patrice Onwuka discussed: HOW WAS EVERYBODY’S CHRISTMAS? NIGERIAN STRIKES POLITICO DISCOVERS CHRISTMAS IS CHRISTIAN WHAT THE HECK IS BOXING DAY? Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Friday, December 26, 2025 / 5 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just how are you going to pass the time on Christmas Day after you've got the roast in the oven (at low temp, of course) and you've finished your obligatory annual screening of Die Hard? How about a special Christmas Day edition of the Three Whisky Happy Hour! Lucretia took time out from the kitchen to host this ad-free episode which features a discussion of the law governing religious symbols on public property, and why they are NOT violations of the Estasblishment Clause of the First Amendment (the phrase "separation of church and state" is not even hiding in any of the emanantions an punumbras of the Constitution, so don't even look). Discussion also turned to wondering why liberals are increasingly hostile to religion—especially Christianity—and Steve offers his theory that the decline of patriotism among liberals, which also shows up in opinion survey data, is connected to the decline of religion among liberals, too. (He gave the full analysis of the matter in this Substack post a few months ago. One sentence summary: politics, the substitute diety for the left, isn't going well for them right now, which makes them angry.) And did you know that Christmas itself is now a"far right" plot? That's what Politico thinks. (Yes, we know: "Politico thinks" is an oxymoron.)We manage to get in some good holiday cheer, such as mocking John's total ignorance of "throuples" *the latest thing for the "Modern Love" section of the NY Times) and we manage to get in our obligatory reference to—wait for it!—the Clean Air Act, and Sydney Sweeney. Because it's Christmas!We'll be back sometime over the weekend with a regular episode in which we review the most significqnt events of 2025, and offer predictions for 2026.

We're closing out the holiday season with a movie about trying to avoid it altogether: Joe Roth's 2004 holiday comedy Christmas with the Kranks! Join in as we discuss the surprisingly effective marriage between Luther (Tim Allen) and Nora (Jamie Lee Curtis), suburban paparazzi, a disgusting ham, and our least favorite decorating trends. Plus: Why change the title from John Grisham's novel Skipping Christmas? Is Blair secretly a villain? Is this a propaganda film in the secular War on Christmas? And what makes this a quintessential We Love the Love movie? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: About Time (2013)---------------------------------------------------Key sources and links for this episode:Roger Ebert's one-star reviewOfficial Christmas with the Kranks press kit"Joe Roth's 'Third Act'" (The Hollywood Reporter)"Megyn Kelly: Jesus and Santa were White" (Politico)

In this episode, Bill discusses the challenges faced by the media during Donald Trump's second term with Jason Dick, Editor-in-chief of CQ-Roll Call, Jeff Dufour, Editor-in-chief of The National Journal and Sudeep Reddy formerly a Managing Editor at Politico and now Washington Bureau Chief for MS-Now, the renamed MSNBC. The discussion covers the unprecedented actions taken by Trump, including pardoning January 6th participants, issuing over 200 executive orders, and waging an illegal war in the Caribbean. The editors also examine the pressures faced by the media, including the controversy surrounding CBS News under the leadership of Bari Weiss and how to handle the spread of misinformation. Additionally, they discuss the changes in local media coverage, the role of the press in maintaining democracy, and the difficulty in covering both the Trump administration and Congress.Today. Bill highlights the work of Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen and urges our listeners to consider supporting it with a donation. Check out all the places and people they are helping at WCK.org.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Regular readers of MinistryWatch know that I'm a bit of a Ryan Burge fan-boy. His weekly Substack column, “Graphs About Religion,” is required reading for me. I cite it often in my weekly “Signs and Wonders” column. That's why I'm kind of geeking out today, now that we finally have him on the podcast. The occasion for this get-together is his new book. It's called The Vanishing Church: How The Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us. I've got to admit that when I saw the title of this book, I thought to myself, “I'm not sure the hollowing out of moderate congregations is such a bad thing.” Jesus himself didn't have much use for lukewarm Christians. But I have to admit that, after reading Ryan's book, I have – well – moderated my position on moderate congregations. At least…moderately. As you'll hear, I push back on Ryan's thesis a bit, and as I think you will also hear, this was a lively and respectful conversation. Ryan Burge is a professor of practice at The Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. He previously taught at Eastern Illinois University. He is the author of several previous books, including his 2023 book The Great Dechurching, which may have been my onramp to Ryan's work. In addition to writing his weekly Substack column, which I just mentioned, he is also a regular contributor to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, and other publications. He has appeared on CBS News' flagship program 60 Minutes, and has been cited by countless other news programs, podcasts, and news articles. We had this conversation via zoom. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. If you are listening to this program during the week we dropped it, MERRY CHRISTMAS. Thanks for making MinistryWatch a part of your holiday festivities. Until next time, may God bless you.

What happens when the person preaching on Sunday morning believes something completely different than the folks sitting in the pews? Well friends, that's exactly what we're digging into today. My buddy Ryan Burge brought the graphs—including some brand new data that hasn't even dropped on his Substack yet—and let me tell you, it's a real deal predicament for Mainline Protestantism. Turns out about 60-70% of mainline clergy identify as liberal, but only about 25% of the people in the pews do. That's not a gap, that's a canyon. We're talking ELCA, UCC, PCUSA, Episcopalians—the whole crew. And look, Ryan and I are both mainline folks, so we're not throwing rocks across the river here. We're throwing rocks at our own faces. We get into why this disconnect exists, what the "silver tsunami" of aging Boomers means for these congregations, and why young progressive folks aren't joining our churches even though we thought we built them a home. It's honest, it's a little uncomfortable, and yeah, we also talk about Zion Williamson and Christmas movies because that's just how we roll. If you want to go deeper on where American religion is headed, join me and Ryan along with Tony Jones for our upcoming class The Rise of the Nones this January at www.AmericanNones.com. Come on. You can WATCH the conversation and see the graphs on YouTube Dr. Ryan Burge is a professor of practice at the Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author or co-author of four books including The Nones, The American Religious Landscape, and The Great Dechurching. He has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and POLITICO. He has also appeared on 60 Minutes, where Anderson Cooper called him, “one of the leading data analysts of religion and politics in the United States.” Previous Visits from Ryan Burge ⁠Gen Z Revival?: The Next Chapter in American Religious Life⁠ The 2024 Election & Religion Post-Mortem Distrust & Denominations Trust, Religion, & a Functioning Democracy What it's like to close a church The Future of Christian Education & Ministry in Charts The Sky is Falling & the Charts are Popping! Graphs about Religion & Politics w/ Spicy Banter a Year in Religion (in Graphs) Evangelical Jews, Educated Church-Goers, & other bits of dizzying data 5 Religion Graphs w/ a side of Hot Takes Myths about Religion & Politics Join us at Theology Beer Camp, October 8-10, in Kansas City!⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS: The Rise of the Nones⁠⁠ One-third of Americans now claim no religious affiliation. That's 100 million people.  But here's what most church leaders get wrong: they're not all the same. Some still believe in God. Some are actively searching. Some are quietly indifferent. Some think religion is harmful.  Ryan Burge & Tony Jones have conducted the first large-scale survey of American "Nones", which reveals 4 distinct categories—each requiring a different approach. Understanding the difference could transform everything from your ministry to your own spiritual quest. ⁠⁠Get info & join the donation-based class (including 0) here.⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 50 classes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe to Bad Faith on Patreon to instantly unlock our full premium episode library: http://patreon.com/badfaithpodcast Jacobin columnist Branko Marcetic, Green Party Senate candidate and veteran Matthew Hoh, & Current Affairs editor-at-large Yasmin Nair join Bad Faith to discuss the controversies surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner in light of a new Politico article that dives deep into his background. Branko has written a piece for Jacobin arguing that the press is only telling a partial story about the man that is more unflattering for being incomplete, while Yasmin has written that he embodies a kind of toxic masculinity that the left is fetishizing because it thinks it will help them win. Matthew provides an example of a different kind of veteran who has learned & narrativized his past service differently than Platner. The three engage in a rich conversation about whether the left should embrace this candidate, whether it necessarily condones US imperialism by fetishizing veteran candidates, and more broadly, whether it's too willing to abandon its morals in order to "win." Subscribe to Bad Faith on YouTube for video of this episode. Find Bad Faith on Twitter (@badfaithpod) and Instagram (@badfaithpod). Produced by Armand Aviram. Theme by Nick Thorburn (@nickfromislands).

House Republican leadership says there will be no vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire. Politico’s Jordain Carney joins to discuss why the GOP hasn’t been able to rally behind a health-care strategy. Funeral services for a Bondi Beach victim was held in Sydney. As the investigation continues, the Washington Post reports on why the black flag of ISIS keeps showing up at scenes of immense violence. Authorities in Rhode Island released a new image and video of a person of interest in the Brown University shooting. Jennifer McDermott of the Associated Press details why some Providence residents are frustrated with the investigation. Plus, officials in Los Angeles filed charges in the killing of Rob and Michele Singer Reiner, the Department of Defense says it won’t publicly release the video of a controversial boat strike, and why more people are listening to Christmas music for longer periods of time. Today’s episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.

Authorities in Los Angeles will soon consider charges in the killing of iconic film director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer. Politico reports on Reiner’s life as a political activist. Jimmy Lai, a major pro-democracy leader in Hong Kong, was convicted of collusion and sedition. Hong Kong Free Press editor Tom Grundy breaks down the case and its implications. An investigation revealed how major dollar-store chains routinely overcharge customers. The Guardian’s Jocelyn Zuckerman explains how shelf prices don’t always match what shows up at the register. Plus, a JetBlue flight narrowly averted a collision with a U.S. military plane, how the victims of the Brown University shooting are being remembered, and why the man being hailed as a hero after the Bondi Beach attack says he’d do it all again. Today’s episode was hosted by Gideon Resnick.

President Donald Trump loves tariffs. But according to a new analysis from Politico, more than half of US imports right now are not subjected to them. To find out why, we spoke to Paroma Soni. She's a data and graphics reporter at Politico, where she covers trade, immigration, agriculture and politics.And later in the show, two mass shootings occurred over the weekend — one in Sydney, Australia and another at Brown University in Rhode Island. We talk to Talib Reddick, president of Brown University's Undergraduate Council of Students.In headlines, peace discussions continue on how to end Russia's war in Ukraine, Republicans scramble to pass healthcare legislation before the end of the year, and some GOP members want to introduce new affordability legislation to save their seats in the midterms. Show Notes:Check out Paroma's piece – https://tinyurl.com/2kvmep2fCall Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jonah Goldberg invites Rahm Emanuel, former Chicago mayor and ambassador to Japan, aboard The Remnant to talk about the culinary wonders of Japan, the need for a more centrist politics, income inequality, and Rahm's case for banning social media for America's youth. Shownotes:—Jessica Riedl on seizing billionaire wealth—Rahm in Politico on a youth social media ban—Ro Khanna on CNN talking about TikTok—Jonathan Haidt: The Anxious Generation The Remnant is a production of ⁠The Dispatch⁠, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of Jonah's G-File newsletters—⁠click here⁠. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member ⁠by clicking here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the shooting at Brown University, to the Oct. 7-style slaughter in Australia, and the shocking murder of Rob Reiner and his wife—it's been one blow after another. But leave it to Trump to seize the moment to remind Americans what a disgusting human being he is. Meanwhile, social media algorithms keep pushing people to antisemitic content, and Kash is going to have quit with the live-tweeting during FBI investigations. Plus, the MAGA crackup continues, Trump sounds like he's losing his fight fight fight spirit, DOGE cuts hit red America, Dems should invest in campaigns in Iowa and Kansas, and Tim reads from the mailbag. Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller. show notes Sonny's tribute to Reiner's remarkable work as a director Monday's "Morning Shots," including a contribution from Hannah in Providence Trump defending his grotesque comment  Politico on the DOGE cuts in Trump country Axios on how Kamala may run again Get $35 off your first box of wild-caught, sustainable seafood—delivered right to your door. Go to: https://www.wildalaskan.com/BULWARK. Go to https://zbiotics.com/THEBULWARK and use THEBULWARK at checkout for 15% off any first time orders of ZBiotics probiotics.

Donald Trump holds a campaign-style rally to hit his affordability message: making fun of the very idea of an affordability message, and telling parents to buy their kids fewer dolls. And when asked by Politico what grade he'd give the economy right now, he answers: “A+++++.” Jon and Dan discuss how Trump's communications effort is landing and then turn to the rest of the news, including Indiana Republicans' decision to reject a new Trump-backed congressional map, Trump's jaw-droppingly low approval rating in a new AP poll, and Democrats' continued fight to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies before they expire at the end of the year. Then, Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, talks to Jon about the administration's seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela and the illegality of the strikes on boats in the Caribbean—including what Smith saw when the Pentagon showed him the video of the infamous double tap strike.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.