Podcasts about republican attorney general

On this episode: With Incumbent Justice Ann Walsh Bradley retiring, the stakes in Wisconsin's April 1st election  to select her successor couldn't be higher — determining whether the court maintains its current liberal majority or shifts to a conservative 4-3 split. The candidates, former Republican Attorney General and current circuit court judge Brad Schimel, and Dane County circuit court judge Susan Crawford, present voters with starkly different visions. With high-profile cases on issues like abortion rights and collective bargaining on the horizon—and following 2023's record-breaking judicial race spending—all eyes are on Wisconsin once again. Learn more about the election: https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court_elections,_2025 Sign up for our Newsletters: https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia_Email_Updates Stream "On the Ballot" on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have questions, comments, or love for BP, feel free to reach out at ontheballot@ballotpedia.org or on X (formerly Twitter) @Ballotpedia.*On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.

On this episode:With Incumbent Justice Ann Walsh Bradley retiring, the stakes in Wisconsin's April 1st election  to select her successor couldn't be higher — determining whether the court maintains its current liberal majority or shifts to a conservative 4-3 split. The candidates, former Republican Attorney General and current circuit court judge Brad Schimel, and Dane County circuit court judge Susan Crawford, present voters with starkly different visions. With high-profile cases on issues like abortion rights and collective bargaining on the horizon—and following 2023's record-breaking judicial race spending—all eyes are on Wisconsin once again. Wisconsin Public Radio's State Capitol reporter Anya van Wagtendonk breaks it all down.Learn more about the election:https://ballotpedia.org/Wisconsin_Supreme_Court_elections,_2025 Sign up for our Newsletters:https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia_Email_Updates Stream "On the Ballot" on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have questions, comments, or love for BP, feel free to reach out at ontheballot@ballotpedia.org or on X (formerly Twitter) @Ballotpedia.*On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.

It's Wednesday, October 2nd, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark The more gov't corruption, the more persecution of Christians International Christian Concern released a report on the connection between government corruption and persecution. The report notes that countries with significant abuse of public power for private gain are also countries with high levels of persecution for Christians. Countries like Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Nigeria, and North Korea. The report referenced multiple studies that “highlight how corruption within governmental, legal, and societal institutions can exacerbate religious persecution, leading to discrimination, violence, and marginalization of religious minorities.” Iran launched missiles against Israel Speaking of Iran, the country launched dozens of missiles into Israel on Tuesday. There were no immediate reports on any casualties or damage caused by the strike. The attack comes less than a week after Israeli airstrikes killed the leader of Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terrorist group in Lebanon. Israel has also started ground operations against Hezbollah this week. The U.S. stood by Israel, promising severe consequences for Iranian missile attacks on Israel.  J.D. Vance beat Tim Walz in Vice Presidential debate Referring to last night's CBS Vice Presidential debate in New York City between the Republican VP nominee J.D. Vance, an Ohio Senator, and the Democratic VP nominee, Tim Walz, the Minnesota Governor, radio talk show host Erick Erickson sent an email with the subject line: “Even the Democrats Know Vance Won.” He wrote, “JD Vance just turned in the very best performance of a national candidate in decades on a debate stage. He handled himself extremely well.” Vance: Kamala ensured border crisis by dismantling Trump policy When asked about immigration, this was Vance's answer. VANCE: “We have a historic immigration crisis because Kamala Harris started and said that she wanted to undo all of Donald Trump's border policies, 94 executive orders, suspending deportations, decriminalizing illegal aliens, massively increasing the asylum fraud that exists in our system. That has opened the floodgates, and what it's meant is that a lot of fentanyl is coming into our country. “I had a mother who struggled with opioid addiction and has gotten clean. I don't want people who are struggling with addiction to be deprived of their second chance because Kamala Harris let in fentanyl into our communities at record levels. So, you've got to stop the bleeding. You've got to reimplement Donald Trump's border policies, build the wall, reimplement deportations.” Walz lied about being in Hong Kong during Tiananmen Square massacre Talk show host Erick Erickson said Governor Walz did not hold up and opened himself up to more attacks for lying about being in Hong Kong during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Indeed, listen to his inability to answer a straight question from CBS News moderator Margaret Brennan, reports the National Review. BRENNAN: “Governor Walz, you said you were in Hong Kong during the deadly Tiananmen Square protests in the spring of 1989, but Minnesota Public Radio and other media outlets are reporting that you actually didn't travel to Asia until August of that year. Can you explain that discrepancy?” WALZ: “To the folks out there who didn't get at the top of this: Look, I grew up in small, rural Nebraska, town of 400, town that you rode your bike with your buddies till the street lights come on. And I'm proud of that service. I joined the National Guard at 17, worked on family farms, and then I used the GI Bill to become a teacher, passionate about it, a young teacher. My first year out, I got the opportunity in the summer of ‘89 to travel to China, 35 years ago be able to do that. “I came back home and then started a program to take young people there. We would take basketball teams. We would take baseball teams. We would take dancers, and we would go back and forth to China. The issue for that was, was to try and learn. Now, look, my community knows who I am. They saw where I was at. Look, I will be the first to tell you, I have poured my heart into my community. “I've tried to do the best I can, but I've not been perfect, and I'm a knucklehead at times, but it's always been about that. Those same people elected me to Congress for 12 years, and in Congress, I was one of the most bipartisan people. Many times, I will talk a lot. I will get caught up in the rhetoric, but being there, the impact. It made the difference. It made my life. I learned a lot about China. I hear the critiques of this.” BRENNAN: “Governor, just to follow up on that: The question was, ‘can you explain the discrepancy?'” WALZ: “All I said on this was as I got there that summer and misspoke on this. So, I will just, that's what I've said. So, I was in Hong Kong and China during the democracy protests went in, and from that, I learned a lot of what needed to be in governance.” All that to say, Walz was in the United States, not Hong Kong, during the Tiananmen Square massacre, reports Reuters. Hurricane Helene claims 140 lives; Nearly 2 million without power Rainstorms followed by Hurricane Helene dumped over 40 trillion gallons of water across the Southeast U.S. over the last week. The storm has caused at least 140 deaths across six states. Hundreds of people are still missing, and over 1.7 million homes and businesses are without power. North Carolina faced some of the worst flooding. Among the damage there was Ridgecrest Conference Center in Black Mountain, the host of many Christian retreats over the years. Christian groups like Samaritan's Purse have been providing supplies and aid in the region. On Monday, Former President Donald Trump visited hurricane-ravaged Georgia alongside Franklin Graham, the founder of Samaritan's Purse. Listen to Graham's comments. GRAHAM: “This building behind us represents hundreds of thousands of people that have lost homes, businesses, friends, loved ones. And it's going to take an army of volunteers and people to respond. And, of course, at Samaritan's Purse, we want to respond, always in Jesus' name.” In Mark 9:41, Jesus said, “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Georgia's Heartbeat law declared unconstitutional In other Georgia news, a state judge ruled on Monday that Georgia's heartbeat law is unconstitutional. The ruling came despite the Georgia Supreme Court upholding the law last year. Georgia's 2019 Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act effectively banned abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The latest ruling would allow abortions up to 20 weeks. Chris Carr, the state's Republican Attorney General, announced he will appeal the ruling. He said, “We believe Georgia's life act is fully constitutional.”  Kris Kristofferson died Kris Kristofferson died Saturday at 88 years of age.  Haunted through his lifetime by the Christian faith, the singer songwriter of "Why Me Lord?" and "Sunday Morning Coming Down" was known for his contemplative lyrics.  KRISTOFFERSON: “Lord, help me, Jesus, I've wasted it. So, help me, Jesus. I know what I am. Now that I know that I needed You so, help me, Jesus. My soul's in Your hand.” Alex Kendrick chats with Adam McManus And finally, today, as I guest host for Kevin Swanson on Generations Radio, I chat with Alex Kendrick who co-wrote and directed the Christian film called The Forge. It highlights the power of Christian discipleship. KENDRICK: “We wrote this script about a young 19-year-old who has graduated high school, trying to figure out what direction he goes in life. His father's abandoned him, but he does have a praying mother, and she's asking God to send someone into his life that can call him to faith in You and help mentor him as he steps into manhood. “We watch the path of young Isaiah, the 19-year-old, go on the ups and downs of stepping into manhood, embracing responsibility, and growing in his faith. By the end of the film, we hope that people say, ‘I want that to happen to me' or perhaps one of your children.” Take a listen to my conversation with Christian filmmaker Alex Kendrick at Generations.org/radio. That's Generations.org/radio. The Forge is still in 700 theaters. So, make plans to see it this week if you haven't already done so. To find a theater near you, go to TheForgeMovie.com.  My family laughed and cried. And we were inspired to be better disciples of Christ and to help fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples. Watch the trailer. Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, October 2nd, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or emailto our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

The 4th of July seems like a distant memory now that Joe Biden has suddenly become feeble. Yet, the show presses on with hard hitting topics such as who had the best holiday experience. Luke wants to know if Pizza Hut was ever decent or not. The debate comes up for a minute, but there isn't much else to be said about it other than playing a stumblin', bumblin' Biden clip on YouTube. Mike still loves the movie Election (1999) even if he is known for being an Alexander Payne stan. Luke's kid knows how to swim already! Steve had a blast on the 4th in West Virginia with which opens up the debate about fireworks. Are they hell on earth or is it overhyped trash? Mike is know a legit resident in Canada & he spent hif 4th of July moving. Can you guess the monthly rent on Mike's new dump in Windsor, Ontario? Luke wants to know if anybody has seen Dev Patel's Monkey Man yet. A Time Bandits remake is coming out on Apple Plus. Luke is not a fan of Terry Gilliam's movies including the classic Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas! WOW DUDE! We got your emails ya'll! Mr. Pink is in the house first with a checklist verifying the United States is absolutely working in the way it was intended to by certain people. Nobody can forget the time when the Democratic Party lined up & sold out entirely to ensure Joe Biden's victory in 2020 eliminating Bernie Sanders from contention forever Mike is crapping his pants because now that he's living in Canada as a legit resident, he receives access to all the wonderful social support nets in place. Happy days are here again! Insurance billing thrives off the misery they bring every time they sent an unexpected bill from visits that took place months ago. Finn Gurrer & Finn Gurrer Junior send in separate emails. One of them to curse Luke & the other one to curse everybody else. The people of New Brunswick have been developing brain problems that can only be explained by the local families & their companies who poison the area. Also, the Crypt Keeper has a new competitor on the show. Watch out! Mike wants to know if Steve ever heard of the Sega Channel that was online streaming games back in 1995. Steve is quite familiar with the Republican Attorney General's Association which is another example of a highly organized attempt to push an extreme agenda that puts the needs of corporations over the need of the people. We love you all! This talk show is not the same without you listening and emailing us your highly entertaining thoughts. We close the show with Method Actor by Nilufer Yanya. If any of our nonsense provokes your thoughts, please share them with us at isitsafepod@gmail.com or check out our Discord:https://discord.gg/wXPdgujdSj

Bob talks to former Republican Attorney General nominee Michael Henry on the Trump Trial, Bob talks NPR and Politico polls, gives a family update and reads his column.

The battle between red states and ESG is raging in Oklahoma right now.  The pro-energy Treasurer Todd Russ is suffering massive backlash for attempting to enforce a law which calls upon the state to not do business with asset managers such as Blackrock that boycott or seek to harm the fossil fuel industry. Russ found himself on the receiving end of a lawsuit from a union boss and attacks from numerous directions, including the Republican Attorney General of the state. Jerry talks in this episode with Tom Jones, President of the American Accountability Foundation (American Accountability Foundation), who has used Freedom of Information Requests to demonstrate the secretive and cozy relationship between various public officials who have been attacking Russ and an influential Blackrock lobbyist. AAF uncovers a disturbing pattern of public officials coordinating strategy with a company blacklisted by the state for acting against the interests of the state's energy industry. This interview should be a wake-up call to conservative Oklahomans to see that the swamp isn't just in Washington DC, but everyplace where special interests work against the interests of the people.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Republican Attorney General of Ohio is defending his stance amidst criticism, explaining that protestors wearing masks and expressing anti-Israel sentiments could potentially face fines and imprisonment under a lesser-known state statute. A Denver group of illegal immigrants is refusing to leave their encampments until a list of their demands is met by the city. Cartels are enticing American teenagers through social media to smuggle illegal aliens, leading the teens into situations they don't understand with no means of escape. Also, House Dems unanimously voted to grant representation in Congress and the Electoral College to illegal immigrants. Seats and votes will be allocated based on areas with the highest number of illegal immigrants, including those under the Biden administration Dennis Michael Lynch spearheads a podcast covering these stories with his son, Denny.

The Sunshine State has taken legal action against the Biden administration on Tuesday following the enforcement of a novel rule that prohibits health care institutions from making distinctions on the grounds of 'gender identity' or 'sexual orientation'. This directive came under the banner of the Affordable Care Act, courtesy of HHS (Department of Health and Human Services) on April 26. Notably, this decree forbids the health care sector and insurance providers that benefit from federal funding, from refusing to provide necessary services contingent on a patient's sexual orientation or gender identity. Florida's legal offensive was spearheaded by Ashley Moody, the state's Republican Attorney General. She voiced her profound concern with the status quo, alleging that the federal authorities, under this new law, are compelling Florida to violate its own laws. This comes especially with regard to those regulations that expressly forbid physicians from carrying out sex-reassignment procedures on minors. In her address to the public, Moody emphasized the state's rigorous legal framework aimed at safeguarding children from irreversible gender transition therapies and drugs. She accused the Biden administration and federal officials of circumventing their efforts by enforcing state-funded puberty inhibitions and sex-reassignment surgeries in children. The bureaucracy in Washington, according to Moody, is trampling on states' rights and autonomy to secure the well-being of their population. She expressed strong disapproval of Biden's method of strong-arming states into acquiescence with federal laws, particularly those that could potentially undermine Florida's own child protection laws.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Border agents arrest man on FBI terror watchlist amid migrant influx.  "Pro-Palestinian" blockades coming on Monday. Legendary athlete, actor and millionaire: O.J. Simpson's murder trial lost him the American dream. California failed to track how billions of dollars allocated for homelessness programs were spent: State audit. Tony updates his criticism about Liberal White Women to Suburban Liberal White Women. More Than 1,500 Firearms Detected At Airport Checkpoints. Iranian Attack Expected on Israel in Next Two Days. Costco is selling lots of gold; should you be buying? Chinese immigrant takes down gun control activist David Hogg. IMPD Preparing for Potential Pro-Palestine "Blockade" Monday. Doden gubernatorial proposal aims to freeze property taxes for seniors. 'Sasquatch Sunset' is so relentlessly gross. Antifa-Linked Man Charged with Bombing Office of Alabama's Republican Attorney General. Biden buying votes thru Student loan forgiveness. Tony talks about having a 10 year party, Matt Bair doesn't want one for his 15th.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AP correspondent Shelley Adler reports on Ohio Death Penalty.

A second Democrat has entered this year's Attorney General's race. WISH-TV Government Reporter, Garrett Bergquist, sits down with Beth White, a former Marion County Clerk and a former deputy prosecutor. She most recently led the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking. Like fellow Democrat Destiny Wells, White says the controversy surrounding current Republican Attorney General, Todd Rokita, motivated her to run.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hour 3 -  Happy Wednesday! Here's what Nick Reed covers this hour: Congressional investigators have obtained hours of video footage from undercover officers who were dispatched by the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to the U.S. Capitol to conduct electronic surveillance during Jan. 6, a critical new piece of evidence that could help lawmakers fashion long-delayed security reforms. Missouri's Republican Attorney General announced on X, that his office was “looking into” a dispute between the platform's owner, Elon Musk, and the "non-profit media watchdog outlet Media Matters for America." Media Matters is part of a left-wing propaganda machine that wants one thing: to censor and silence everyone who dissents from its narrative. President Joe Biden's deputies are touting the invented “Transgender Day of Remembrance.” Male transgender activists allegedly attacked several women who were holding a sidewalk protest for women's rights in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday. The IRS announced on Tuesday that it is delaying a controversial tax reporting requirement targeting Americans who made more than $600 online through third-party payment apps like Venmo or PayPal.

This is a preview of the full Weekender Friday episode. To unlock the full 50+ minute show, and all future episodes, head over to patreon.com/muckrakepodcast and become a subscriber. You'll gain access to more content, as well as live tapings, and more. Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss how Elon Musk is trying to blame the ADL for his business failures, the abuse of power in Georgia as a Republican Attorney General is trying to file RICO charges on protesters as a blatant retaliatory strike against Fani Willis, and focus on the downfall of former Project Veritas clown James O'Keefe. They then answer a number of your questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thursday, September 7th, 2023*We had some issues with the recording on this episode. Some of it had to be stitched together a bit. Do not adjust your podcast players.Today, in the Hot Notes: Fulton County Judge McAfee has denied Kenneth Chesebro's motion to sever from Sidney Powell; a federal judge has ordered Texas to remove it's floating barrier and stop any construction of additional barriers pursuant to a DoJ lawsuit; E. Jean Carroll has won her second defamation suit against Trump with the trial date set to determine damages; Yuscil Taveras has signed a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Jack Smith's office; Judge Engoron in NY has denied Trump's motion to delay the NYAG's fraud trial set to begin October 2nd; both sides rest in the Navarro criminal contempt trial with closing arguments scheduled for tomorrow; Special Counsel David Weiss will attempt to indict Hunter Biden by September 29th on the gun charge; the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has sued to keep Trump off the ballot in Colorado under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment; a Special Counsel has filed a professional misconduct complaint against the state's Republican Attorney General; Leonard Mack has been exonerated by DNA evidence 47 years after his wrongful conviction; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Want some sweet Daily Beans Merchhttps://shop.dailybeanspod.com/Check out other MSW Media podcastshttps://mswmedia.com/shows/Follow AG and Dana on Social MediaDr. Allison Gill Follow Mueller, She Wrote on Posthttps://twitter.com/allisongillhttps://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrotehttps://twitter.com/dailybeanspodhttps://www.tiktok.com/@muellershewrotehttps://instagram.com/muellershewroteDana Goldberghttps://twitter.com/DGComedyhttps://www.instagram.com/dgcomedyhttps://www.facebook.com/dgcomedyGoogle Doc of current legislation threatening trans people and their families:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fTxHLjBa86GA7WCT-V6AbEMGRFPMJndnaVGoZZX4PMw/edit?usp=sharingHave some good news; a confession; or a correction?Good News & Confessions - The Daily BeansFrom the Good NewsRegional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) Promo CodeVisit http://www.greenpan.us and use promo code DAILYBEANS and you'll receive 30% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER – plus free shipping on orders over $99. Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:https://apple.co/3XNx7ckWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?https://dailybeans.supercast.techOrhttps://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr subscribe on Apple Podcastshttps://apple.co/3UKzKt0

He is loved by all! No one can even come close to beating the Don! And that is precisely why they're trying to destroy him, but alas, to no avail. Even CNN is admitting, whining in fact, wailing, that all of these efforts to take Trump out are only making him all the more popular and powerful, as you can see with your own eyes! The more he is persecuted, the more people, especially people who have themselves felt wronged by the system, love him! And there's nothing the powers that be can do to stop it! This day will be looked back on as the official beginning of the end of the establishment! This is the first hammer chipping away at the Berlin Wall, and make no mistake, IT WILL FALL! Our modern-day Berlin Wall is destined to fall, and there is nothing our corrupt, decrepit ruling elite can do to stop it, and I'm going to show you exactly why!   Highlights: ●     “Trump's enemy, our enemy, the enemy of 100 million patriots across the nation is not the Democrats! I know that all of these prosecutors, all of these corrupt, deceitful, vile prosecutors are Democrats, but they are just the surface! They're just the tip of the iceberg! They are not the ones who are ultimately calling the shots here, and every one of you knows that! You all know who the real enemy is: the real enemy is the ruling class, the permanent political class made up of both Democrats and Republicans!” ●     “A Republican Attorney General in GA could shut this case down this very second and he refuses to do so! Why? You all know the answer! Because the Republican leadership is in on it!” ●     “The rich got the policies they wanted even if the rest of us didn't want them (exactly what we're seeing right now with the hundreds of billions of dollars going to Ukraine, not Ohio, not Hawaii; Ukraine!) And whatever the rich didn't want, didn't get passed even if the majority of the people wanted and supported it!” ●     “The real threat to the political establishment is ultimately NOT Trump. He's just a symbol, the major symbol without question. Make no mistake, the real threat to the establishment is YOU! They see YOU as the real enemy! What they're doing to Trump is vicariously what they are doing to us!”   Timestamps:  [00:49] Donald Trump's iconic mugshot and what it really represents [11:15] Who our real enemy is - how even Republicans are allowing these indictments [29:42] The billionaires and bureaucrats, the permanent political class using wokeism to stay in power [35:44] The real threat to the permanent political establishment and how this will all come crashing down [41:20] Q&A   Resources:  ●     HE'LL BE BACK! Get your limited edition TRUMPINATOR 2024 Bobblehead HERE: https://offers.proudpatriots.com/ ●     Learn how to protect your life savings from inflation and an irresponsible government, with Gold and Silver. Go to http://www.turleytalkslikesgold.com/ ●     Nature's Morphine? Dr. Turley and scientist Clint Winters discuss the incredible pain relief effects of 100% Drug-Free Conolidine. This changes pain relief: https://www.bh3ktrk.com/2DDD1J/2CTPL/?source_id=pc&sub1=82523 ●     The Courageous Patriot Community is inviting YOU! Join the movement now and build the parallel economy at https://join.turleytalks.com/insiders-club-evergreen/?utm_medium=podcast   Thank you for taking the time to listen to this episode.  If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and/or leave a review. Sick and tired of Big Tech, censorship, and endless propaganda? Join my Insiders Club with a FREE TRIAL today at: https://insidersclub.turleytalks.com Make sure to FOLLOW me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrTurleyTalks BOLDLY stand up for TRUTH in Turley Merch! Browse our new designs right now at: https://store.turleytalks.com/ Do you want to be a part of the podcast and be our sponsor? Click here to partner with us and defy liberal culture! If you would like to get lots of articles on conservative trends make sure to sign-up for the 'New Conservative Age Rising' Email Alerts.

Last week the Supreme Court ended this year's session. Like always, they saved the best for last. It also seems like some of the recent rules have created some tensions between the justices… Maura and Leah review some of the biggest decisions from the past week. There has been some backlash and new developments after the Supreme Court's decision to do away with affirmative action in college admissions. Missouri's Republican Attorney General now wants all state universities to drop minority scholarships, leading the University of Missouri to comply. And civil rights activists want Harvard University to get rid of legacy admissions. KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas joins the discussion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newt Gingrich, Naomi Wolf, Glenn Beck, Eric Metaxas, Jesse Kelly. FBI, CIA & DOJ Will Rig 2024 Election, A.I., COVID Vax and Book. Glenn Beck- BEWARE: AI is learning to MANIPULATE YOU just like humans can Naomi Wolf. New Vaccine Facts with Eric Metaxas. Newt Gingrich Jesse Kelly on “The Anti-Communist Manifesto” Former Deputy Nat'l Security Adviser: FBI, CIA & DOJ Will Rig 2024 Election   BEWARE: AI is learning to MANIPULATE YOU just like humans can https://youtu.be/ZgZG5jtvduA Glenn Beck 1.12M subscribers 77,732 views Jun 10, 2023 When many Americans think of artificial intelligence, they think of devices like Siri or Alexa. But that's so 2010, Glenn explains. In fact, AI is FAR beyond those capabilities, and it's learning more skills each day — some of which truly are terrifying to imagine. In this clip, Glenn recaps a recent conversation he had with Tristan Harris, a former design ethicist at Google. Glenn explains that we're now in ‘second contact' with A.I., and how A.I. is learning to MANIPULATE us just like fellow humans can… You can watch the entire conversation Glenn recently had with Tristan about this topic, here:    • Why Experts Are S...   ► Click HERE to subscribe to Glenn Beck on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2UVLqhL ► Click HERE to subscribe to BlazeTV: get.blazetv.com/glenn ► Click HERE to subscribe to BlazeTV YouTube:    / @blazetv   ► Click HERE to sign up to Glenn's newsletter: https://www.glennbeck.com/st/Morning_... Connect with Glenn on Social Media: http://twitter.com/glennbeck http://instagram.com/glennbeck http://facebook.com/glennbeck   Naomi Wolf of DailyClout.IO Returns to Talk Vaccine. https://rumble.com/v2sik0k-naomi-wolf-of-dailyclout.io-returns-to-talk-vaccine-and-the-geneva-bible.html Naomi Wolf of DailyClout.IO returns to talk about what we now know about the "joke vaccine" pushed to combat Covid   Newt's World Jesse Kelly on “The Anti-Communist Manifesto”  Jun 11 2023   Jesse Kelly has written a new book, “The Anti-Communist Manifesto”. He discusses the daily assault Americans are facing on our freedoms from the insidious communist movement in this country. From weaponizing race, sex, and gender to hijacking our schools, communism threatens to destroy our cherished American way of life. Newt's guest is Jesse Kelly. He is a U.S. Marine veteran, a former Congressional candidate, and hosts Premiere Network's The Jesse Kelly Show and First TV's I'm Right with Jesse Kelly. —Links— For Newt Gingrich Apply for a paid internship with Gingrich 360! This amazing opportunity for college students, graduate students and recent grads offers real world experience as you join the Gingrich 360 team. Here you will conduct research, draft briefings, produce content for documentary films, podcasts, social media, and much more. https://www.gingrich360.com/about/app... Newt's World Podcast - https://www.gingrich360.com/podcasts/... Trump and the American Future (Book) - https://www.gingrich360.com/product/t... Beyond Biden (Book) - https://www.gingrich360.com/product/b... Divine Mercy (Documentary) - https://www.gingrich360.com/product/d... The First American (Documentary) - https://www.gingrich360.com/product/t...   The Jesse Kelly Show Visit Jesse Kelly website at https://www.jessekellyshow.com/ Jesse Kelly is highly recommended by ACU. Subscribe for free.   Former Deputy Nat'l Security Adviser: FBI, CIA & DOJ Will Rig 2024 Election https://www.zerohedge.com/political/former-deputy-natl-security-adviser-fbi-cia-doj-will-rig-2024-election?s=03 Former Deputy Nat'l Security Adviser: FBI, CIA & DOJ Will Rig 2024 Election BY TYLER DURDEN TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2023 - 01:35 PM Former Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland, who served for the first four months of the Trump administration under Michael Flynn, says that the deep state is going to rig the 2024 US election following their success in 2020. "We now have black-and-white evidence that the FBI interfered in the 2016 election. When they failed to elect Hillary Clinton, they set out to destroy the Trump administration," she told Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo. 107.8K "Go back to 2020. This time, the CIA got involved in the election with those 51 former intel agents who said the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation. So they've gotten away with it for two elections. They will surely try and get away with it in 2024, right? Because there are no consequences... "There is now hard evidence that there was election interference by the U.S. intelligence agencies and the Department of Justice. Those individuals must be terrified that a Republican president comes in with a Republican Attorney General, investigates them, and charges them with all of the crimes they have committed over the last eight years. Take it to the bank. They will absolutely interfere in 2024... These people are selling us out. Not only to foreign leaders, but they are interfering in our elections. They are tearing up the Constitution... This is just a gut punch to the American people."   --------------------------------------------------------------------  HELP ACU SPREAD THE WORD!  Please go to Apple Podcasts and give ACU a 5 star rating. Apple canceled us and now we are clawing our way back to the top. Don't let the Leftist win. Do it now! Thanks. Forward this show to friends. Ways to subscribe to the American Conservative University Podcast Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts Click here to subscribe via RSS You can also subscribe via Stitcher FM Player Podcast Addict Tune-in Podcasts Pandora Look us up on Amazon Prime …And Many Other Podcast Aggregators and sites ACU on Twitter- https://twitter.com/AmerConU . Warning- Explicit and Violent video content.   Please help ACU by submitting your Show ideas. Email us at americanconservativeuniversity@americanconservativeuniversity.com Please go to Apple Podcasts and give ACU a 5 star rating. Apple canceled us and now we are clawing our way back to the top. Don't let the Leftist win. Do it now! Thanks.   Endorsed Charities -------------------------------------------------------- Pre-Born! Saving babies and Souls. https://preborn.org/ OUR MISSION To glorify Jesus Christ by leading and equipping pregnancy clinics to save more babies and souls. WHAT WE DO Pre-Born! partners with life-affirming pregnancy clinics all across the nation. We are designed to strategically impact the abortion industry through the following initiatives:… -------------------------------------------------------- Help CSI Stamp Out Slavery In Sudan Join us in our effort to free over 350 slaves. Listeners to the Eric Metaxas Show will remember our annual effort to free Christians who have been enslaved for simply acknowledging Jesus Christ as their Savior. As we celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas, join us in giving new life to brothers and sisters in Sudan who have enslaved as a result of their faith. https://csi-usa.org/metaxas   https://csi-usa.org/slavery/   Typical Aid for the Enslaved A ration of sorghum, a local nutrient-rich staple food A dairy goat A “Sack of Hope,” a survival kit containing essential items such as tarp for shelter, a cooking pan, a water canister, a mosquito net, a blanket, a handheld sickle, and fishing hooks. Release celebrations include prayer and gathering for a meal, and medical care for those in need. The CSI team provides comfort, encouragement, and a shoulder to lean on while they tell their stories and begin their new lives. Thank you for your compassion  Giving the Gift of Freedom and Hope to the Enslaved South Sudanese -------------------------------------------------------- Food For the Poor https://foodforthepoor.org/ Help us serve the poorest of the poor Food For The Poor began in 1982 in Jamaica. Today, our interdenominational Christian ministry serves the poor in primarily 17 countries throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Thanks to our faithful donors, we are able to provide food, housing, healthcare, education, fresh water, emergency relief, micro-enterprise solutions and much more. We are proud to have fed millions of people and provided more than 15.7 billion dollars in aid. Our faith inspires us to be an organization built on compassion, and motivated by love. Our mission is to bring relief to the poorest of the poor in the countries where we serve. We strive to reflect God's unconditional love. It's a sacrificial love that embraces all people regardless of race or religion. We believe that we can show His love by serving the “least of these” on this earth as Christ challenged us to do in Matthew 25. We pray that by God's grace, and with your support, we can continue to bring relief to the suffering and hope to the hopeless. -------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer from ACU. We try to bring to our students and alumni the World's best Conservative thinkers. All views expressed belong solely to the author and not necessarily to ACU. In all issues and relations, we hope to follow the admonitions of Jesus Christ. While striving to expose, warn and contend with evil, we extend the love of God to all of his children.

Guests: Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Jose Pagliery, Texas State Representative James Talarico Republicans floundering on the debt ceiling deal as Biden plays it cool. Tonight: How calling the bluff of the hostage-takers was the key to saving the country from economic catastrophe. Then, the radical Republican Attorney General of Texas impeached by his own party. Plus, as the special counsel closes in, new worries about a snitch in Team Trump.  

After much criticism, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his presidential campaign have flipped the script on his campaign launch tech glitches. In a rare display of bipartisanship, President Biden is backing House Republicans' “HALT Fentanyl Act.” The bill, which passed the House yesterday, permanently designates fentanyl-like substances as being among the most dangerous illicit drugs. A Texas House committee voted unanimously Thursday to recommend the impeachment of the state's Republican Attorney General, Ken Paxton. ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

It's Thursday, March 2nd, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Ugandan police rescued 50 children Praise God! Police in Uganda rescued 40 Christian children last month from a Muslim posing as a Christian charity leader. Officials arrested two people in connection with the kidnapping. The children were lured into a hotel. They would likely have been sold to a rebel militant group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A local pastor helped uncover the scheme. Speaking to Morning Star News, he said, “I appeal to the whole body of Christ in Uganda to be vigilant towards strangers who come in the name of helping children. We thank God for rescuing our children.” Jesus said in Matthew 18:10, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in Heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in Heaven.” United Nations to Azerbaijan: Reopen access to Armenian Christians The United Nations' International Court of Justice issued a binding order last Thursday in a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The court ordered Azerbaijan to do everything in its power to reopen access to a region disputed by the two countries. The Nagorno-Karabakh region is in Azerbaijan but is inhabited and controlled by ethnic Armenians. Since December, Azerbaijani protestors have blocked access to the area. This has created a humanitarian crisis for tens of thousands of Armenian Christians there.  Baroness Caroline Cox from U.K.'s House of Lords warned, “This could be another stage of genocide, destruction of Christian people, destruction of Christian heritage. And we need to pray.” Christian college v. Biden over dorms On Monday, a Christian college in Missouri filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court against a Biden administration rule that violates the college's religious beliefs. A directive from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would require College of the Ozarks to open sex-specific campus dorms to people of the opposite sex. Alliance Defending Freedom is representing the college. Attorney John Bursch said, “We hope the Supreme Court will take this case to halt the government's inappropriate order targeting religious institutions and to respect the privacy, dignity, and safety of female students.” Florida looks to ban taxpayer money from abortion mills Last Wednesday, Ashley Moody, Florida's Republican Attorney General, filed a motion for reinstating a law that bans taxpayer funding from going to abortion mills in the state. A district court halted the 2016 law from going into effect. Now that Roe v. Wade is overturned, Moody argues the law should be reinstated. In an interview with LifeSiteNews, the office of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said, “We support this move to fully defund Planned Parenthood from any taxpayer support.” Mississippi bans “sex-change” surgeries for kids On Tuesday, Mississippi became the seventh state in the U.S. to ban so-called sex-change surgeries on minors. The state's legislature passed the bill on February 21. Republican Governor Tate Reeves signed it this week. In a press conference, Reeves labeled transgender ideology as a dangerous movement that Mississippi was standing against. REEVES: “In a world that's upside down, when it comes to doing right by our kids, Mississippi will once again fight to keep our state right side up. And that's why Mississippi will also follow the science and keep our kids safe.” Poll: 7.2% of Americans identify as sexually perverted A new survey from Gallup found 7.2% of adults in America identity with a sexually perverted lifestyle as of 2022. That percentage is double what it was ten years before when Gallup first measured it.  Eighty-six percent of Americans still identify as heterosexual.  Nearly 20% of adult members of Generation Z, those born since 1997, identified as homosexual, bisexual, or transgender. It's the largest proportion of any generation.  Only 4% of Americans have a Biblical worldview The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University recently released the first study on Biblical worldview in America since the COVID-19 pandemic. Only 4% of Americans have a Biblical worldview now, down from 6% in 2020. The study found nearly every demographic subgroup experienced a decline in adherence to a Biblical worldview.  The study noted, “The only exception to the trend was a single percentage-point increase among Blacks, rising from 3% in 2020 to 4% in 2023. The most noteworthy declines across the three years were recorded among born-again Christians (down six percentage points).” The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum top 2 religious museums And finally, USA Today released their 10 Best Poll of best religious museums in 2023. Attractions run by Answers in Genesis in Kentucky ranked at the top. The Ark Encounter, a life-sized Noah's ark, came in first, and the Creation Museum came in second. Ken Ham with Answers in Genesis said, “I'm thrilled that more and more families have been discovering and enjoying our wholesome, God-honoring attractions in our constantly changing culture.” God said in 1 Samuel 2:30, “Those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, March 2nd in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Thursday, February 23rd, 2023 Today, in the Hot Notes: Special Counsel Jack Smith has subpoenaed Ivanka and Jared; Arizona's Republican Attorney General concealed records debunking election fraud claims; we have results in the Wisconsin Supreme Court primary election; Republicans are blaming the East Palestine train derailment on racism against white people; Russian propagandists are buying up blue checkmarks on Twitter; plus AG delivers your Good News. Dana is traveling.  Frangela https://twitter.com/frangeladuo The Final Word https://link.chtbl.com/frangela-the-final-word Check out other MSW Media podcasts https://mswmedia.com/shows/ Follow AG and Dana on Twitter: Dr. Allison Gill  https://twitter.com/allisongill https://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrote https://twitter.com/dailybeanspod Dana Goldberg https://twitter.com/DGComedy Google Doc of current legislation threatening trans people and their families: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fTxHLjBa86GA7WCT-V6AbEMGRFPMJndnaVGoZZX4PMw/edit?usp=sharing Have some good news; a confession; a correction? https://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Listener Survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Promo Codes: Thanks to Athletic Greens for supporting The Daily Beans. Athletic Greens is giving you a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase. Go to athleticgreens.com/DAILYBEANS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Wednesday, February 22nd, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldView.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Chinese Communists claim tithes and offerings are “illegal” China Aid released its 2022 Annual Persecution Report last Monday. The Chinese Communist Party continues its persecution of churches and has introduced new methods as well. For example, house church leaders now face fraud charges. Authorities claim the tithes and offerings they receive are illegal. The government has also implemented strict regulations for online religious content to remove Christianity from the internet. Bob Fu with China Aid said, “Their goal is not only to curate a ‘socialist-friendly' church; they hope to erase it. The international community needs to know about these trends and developments as China continues to rise on the global stage.” Anglican Church condemns Church of England's pro-homosexual stance On Monday, the Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches released a statement in response to the Church of England's new blessing services for homosexual couples. Anglican leaders said the decision by the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby forfeits their leadership role of the global Communion. The letter stated, “the Church of England has departed from the historic faith passed down from the Apostles.” The Global South Fellowship represents Anglican congregations across South America, Asia, and Africa.  In a 12-minute speech last week, Calvin Robinson, a deacon with the Free Church of England, called the Church of England to repent. ROBINSON: “You do not have the authority to bless sin. When I hear the Bishop of London, on record, saying these new prayers will mean priests can bless same-sex relationships, some of which may be sexual in nature, I hear the devil at work. Bishops are promoting the idea of sacramental sodomy. Let them be anathema. Repent!” Revelation 2:5 says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” British court acquitted two pro-life advocates of absurd charges Last Thursday, a British court acquitted two pro-life advocates of all charges. Police recently charged Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, the CEO of March for Life UK, and Sean Gough, a Catholic priest, for praying near abortion mills. Local authorities have established censorship zones around abortion mills. In the coming weeks, the U.K. Parliament will consider bringing such censorship zones to the whole country. After the recent ruling, Spruce said, “I'm glad I've been vindicated of any wrongdoing. But I should never have been arrested for my thoughts and treated like a criminal simply for silently praying on a public street.” Similarly, Gough said, “If the government imposes censorship zones around every abortion facility in the country, as they are considering doing with the Public Order Bill currently under discussion, who knows how many more people will stand trial, even face prison, for offering help, or for praying in their mind?” Isaiah 10:1-2 says, “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!" Kansas blocked Walgreens from selling abortion Kill Pill In the United States, Kansas has kept the pharmacy chain Walgreens from selling the abortion Kill Pill in the state. After the Biden administration dropped certain regulations on abortion drugs, chains like Walgreens, CVS, and RiteAid announced, to their shame, they would be selling them. Kris Kobach, the state's Republican Attorney General, warned Walgreens that selling the drugs would violate state and federal law. On Monday, Walgreens responded by saying they would not be sending the abortion Kill Pill into Kansas. Kobach said, “This is a significant victory for the pro-life cause and for women's health.” Hebrew Bible auctioning for $50 million And finally, the oldest, most complete Hebrew Bible is going up for auction in May for $30 million to $50 million. It could become the most expensive historical document ever sold at auction. Known as the Codex Sassoon, the book dates back to the late 9th or early 10th century. It contains the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible with only 12 leaves missing. Sharon Liberman Mintz, a senior Judaica specialist at Sotheby's, said, “In Codex Sassoon, a monumental transformation in the history of the Hebrew Bible is revealed. The biblical text in book format marks a critical turning point in how we perceive the history of the Divine word across thousands of years and is a transformative witness to how the Hebrew Bible has influenced the pillars of civilization — art, culture, law, politics — for centuries.” Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, February 22nd in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). And here, to close the broadcast, is my son Valor Tyndale, who just turned eight yesterday. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Commonwealth Attorney General Jason Miyares has launched three separate investigations into school systems in northern Virginia during his first year in office. The Republican Attorney General campaigned on education reform. And so far, Miyares has aimed his office's prosecutorial power at Loudoun and Fairfax county school systems — earning him both praise and pushback from Virginians. Regardless, his investigations have launched northern Virginia school systems into the national limelight and the broader culture war over "wokism" and the equity vs. merit-based education debate. In a sit down conversation on the DMV Download podcast, Virginia's top prosecutor addresses each investigation and defends their merits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Commonwealth Attorney General Jason Miyares has launched three separate investigations into school systems in northern Virginia during his first year in office. The Republican Attorney General campaigned on education reform. And so far, Miyares has aimed his office's prosecutorial power at Loudoun and Fairfax county school systems — earning him both praise and pushback from Virginians. Regardless, his investigations have launched northern Virginia school systems into the national limelight and the broader culture war over "wokism" and the equity vs. merit-based education debate. In a sit down conversation on the DMV Download podcast, Virginia's top prosecutor addresses each investigation and defends their merits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

n this week's conversation Paul sat down with Hal Stratton. Hal is a former New Mexico legislator and the only Republican Attorney General to serve New Mexico in modern history. He also co-founded the Rio Grande Foundation back in 2000. Paul and Hal discuss the founding of the Foundation and his reasons for helping to create it. Finally, they discuss Hal's tenure as Chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC recently made headlines when one of President Biden's commissioners publicly discussed banning gas stoves.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

November 4, 2022 ~ Heading into election week we hear from both Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Republican SOS candidate Kristina Karamo, Republican Attorney General candidate Matt Deperno and Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist. The Elissa Slotkin/Tom Barrett race in District 7 is one of the most expensive races in the country, they speak to Paul W Smith and Guy Gordon has both side of the Prop 1 and 3 debate.

Chad speaks with former US Attorney Tom Heffelfinger about his endorsement of Republican Attorney General candidate Jim Schultz and why he believes he'll be better for the office than incumbent Keith Ellison.

EPISODE 50: COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN A-Block (1:45) SPECIAL COMMENT: At his Sunday night rally in Mesa, Trump boasted he had boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago, their contents were all "his." He is all but daring Merrick Garland to arrest him (2:30) Mr. Attorney General: saying "I had a small number of boxes at Mar-a-Lago...guarded by Secret Service...they should give me immediately back everything they took from me, because it's mine" is a CONFESSION (4:06) We now learn he also offered to TRADE the documents for FBI Russia records (6:00) And Friday's conclusion that the FBI was at least ready to search Trump Tower and/or Bedminster was confirmed by Rolling Stone's report that DOJ is asking witnesses if he had documents in those locales (8:30) And while Merrick Garland stalls and hesitates, Trump's minions have dropped the pretense and are joining him on stage to admit they are there to end fair elections (11:00) And his cult's candidate for Governor of Arizona did something last night that was just this side of posing with a ball-gag in her mouth with the word "TRUMP" written on it. B-Block (13:54) EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY: Boomer, in Los Angeles (15:01) POSTSCRIPTS TO THE NEWS: Small problem in the Kremlin case against the "terrorist" who blew up the Kerch bridge, as Michael Flynn calls US Ally Zelenskyy a "fool," the lead Democrats on the L.A. City Council are going to have to resign, and the bad reviews for Yankee Scented Candles may actually augur a new Covid wave, so get your Bivalent! (20:29) IN SPORTS: Ear today, gone tomorrow: Mets get waxed as Showalter's Musgrove Ritual falls on deaf ears (23:55) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: Kanye West (and the Republican Attorney General who defended his antisemitism) try to stave off Tommy Tuberville's racism and Mehmet Oz's Hitler Symbolism for the honors. C-Block (30:21) THINGS I PROMISED NOT TO TELL: My friendship with the legendary actress Elizabeth Montgomery (32:00) How it happened because of the founding of ESPN Radio and the unexpected scoop we got on the first weekend (34:25) Leading me to do my impression of my high school classmate Chris Berman as he greeted me on my first day at ESPN (38:44) And the extraordinary life lesson about fans and memory that she taught me and has stayed with me for 30 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we discuss Republican Attorney General candidate Jim Schultz's anti-abortion extremism and the defamation lawsuit he threatened us. Help spread the word about Schultz by sharing realjimschultz.com with your friends, family, and neighbors.Be sure to show up for the Vota Azul Block Jam if you can make it! María Isa Pérez-Hedges, the Movimiento DFL Caucus, and the Minnesota DFL are co-hosting a “Get out the Vote'' (GOTV) event in celebration of BIPOC women candidates running for office.Vota Azul: DFL Block Jam will feature live music including New Black City, Selah, DJ Keezy, and DJ Miss Brit; food trucks; prominent guest speakers; and a voter registration drive.Here are the details:Tuesday, October 11, 2022 - 3:00 PM  6:30 PMParking Lot of Maharaja's205 7th Street West, Saint Paul, MN, 55102

This episode of The BS Show features Republican Attorney General candidate Jim Schultz, "Wrong About Everything" co-hosts Amy Koch and Brian McDaniel, uber-fan Bernie Bomberg and psychic Ruth Lordan.

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Austin Knudsen, Republican Attorney General for Montana. Later in the show, Michael McKenna of the Washington Times calls into the show.-Austin Knudsen grew up just outside of Culbertson, in the northeast corner of Montana, where his family has farmed and ranched for five generations. Austin grew up participating in 4-H, raising steers to show at the fair, and Future Farmers of America (FFA) throughout high school. In fact, Austin met his wife, Christie, while they both served as FFA State Officers during their freshman year at Montana State University-Bozeman.Austin put himself through college in Bozeman working jobs at the local butcher shop and a hardware store, and returning each summer to work on the family farm and ranch, growing wheat and sugar beets, and raising angus cattle. Austin and Christie were married shortly after graduation and moved to Missoula where Austin earned his law degree from the University of Montana.After law school, Austin and Christie moved their young family back to the farm and ranch where Austin worked at a law firm in Plentywood before opening his own practice in Culbertson. As a private attorney, Austin represented just about every kind of legal case imaginable, including estate planning, probate, civil litigation, land use, oil and gas, and real estate transactions.In 2010, Austin defeated a two-term incumbent and was elected to serve as the Representative for House District 34. While serving in Helena, Austin quickly noticed the extent of the disconnect between Helena bureaucrats and the political insiders and the rest of the people across Montana, so he pursued leadership roles in his caucus and was elected Speaker Pro Tempore during his second session. During his third and fourth sessions in 2015 and 2017, Austin was elected by all 100 members of the House of Representatives to lead them as Speaker of the House. Austin was one of the youngest people to serve as Speaker in Montana history — and in the nation. Austin was also the only two-term Speaker since term limits were imposed.The Knudsen family lived just about as far from Helena as any other legislator, so during the sessions Austin and Christie and their three kids — Leah, Connor, and Reagan — would move as a family to Helena. As a Legislator and Speaker, Austin worked to ensure his constituents had a voice, and that taxpayers were getting the most out of the hard-earned money they send to the state. In addition to his maximum four legislative sessions, Austin presided over a 2017 Special Session in which he led a united Republican caucus to defeat multiple tax increase attempts by the Governor.Back in Culbertson as a private attorney, Austin was astounded by the lack of prosecutions coming out of the County Attorney's office, and the illegal drugs and related crime that was devastating his community. Following a drive-by shooting outside of their kids' school, Austin and Christie knew they had to do more to make their community safe, and in 2018 Austin was elected Roosevelt County Attorney.As a county prosecutor, Austin worked hand-in-hand with the full range of law enforcement personnel, including on the Fort Peck Reservation, to ramp up prosecutions and put violent offenders behind bars. In 2020, Austin ran for Montana Attorney General because the illegal drug pandemic and resulting violence are a statewide problem. In fact, violent crime has increased more than 30% in just over a decade.As Attorney General, Austin has made combating the drug pandemic and supporting law enforcement a main focus — ensuring that Montana is a safe place to live and raise a family.-Michael McKenna, a columnist for The Washington Times, is the president of MWR Strategies. He was most recently a deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Legislative Affairs at the White House. He can be reached at mike@mwrstrat.com.-Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com

Republican candidate for state attorney general John Kellner answers questions about abortion access, public safety, and other issues. Then, we get perspective as the NFL finalizes the sale of the Broncos to an ownership group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton. And voters may get to decide if wine should be sold in grocery stores.

Republican candidate for state attorney general John Kellner answers questions about abortion access, public safety, and other issues. Then, we get perspective as the NFL finalizes the sale of the Broncos to an ownership group led by Walmart heir Rob Walton. And voters may get to decide if wine should be sold in grocery stores.

Republican Attorney General nominee Jim Schultz talks with MPR's Mike Mulcahy.

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2022 Today, in the Hot Notes:  FOIA court filings show that top Trump Pentagon officials text messages have been wiped from phones; the Times has emails showing two Arizona Republican lawmakers told Ken Chesebro that the fraudulent elector scheme seemed like treason; a federal judge has denied Trump's absolute immunity claims in lawsuits filed by Capitol police officers; the SAME judge denies the Oath Keepers motion to delay their trial; the Department of Justice is suing Idaho over anti-abortion laws under a Republican law called EMTALA; Donald makes a peculiar endorsement in Missouri; the Senate has passed the veterans bill for benefits for toxins and burn pits; and the Republican Attorney General in Arizona announces no voter fraud found in yet another taxpayer funded 2020 election review; plus Allison delivers your Good News. Follow the Podcast on Apple: http://apple.co/beans Follow our guest on Twitter: Major Tom Schueman https://twitter.com/t_schue Follow AG and Dana on Twitter: Dr. Allison Gill  https://twitter.com/allisongill https://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrote https://twitter.com/dailybeanspod Dana Goldberg https://twitter.com/DGComedy Follow Aimee on Instagram: Aimee Carrero (@aimeecarrero) How We Win Live! http://secure.actblue.com/donate/howwewinlive How We Win Fund swingleft.org/fundraise/howwewin Listener Survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Adoptable Pets in Your Area: https://adopt.adopets.com/ Have some good news, a confession, a correction, or a case for Beans Court? https://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Want to support the show and get it ad-free and early? https://dailybeans.supercast.tech Or https://patreon.com/thedailybeans Promo Codes Thanks to Thrive Causemetics for supporting The Daily Beans. Go to thrivecausemetics.com/dailybeans for 15% off your first order! Thanks to Athletic Greens for supporting The Daily Beans. Go to athleticgreens.com/dailybeans and get a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase.

Dan O'Donnell moderates a debate between Republican Attorney General candidates Adam Jarchow, Eric Toney, and Karen Mueller.

Friday, July 15th, 2022 Today, in the Hot Notes: Bannon loses his last battle to delay his trial; the House committee is still discussing seeking interviews with Trump and Pence; we are getting more information about the witness Donald tried to call after the Hutchinson testimony; the Republican Attorney General says he'll investigate the Indiana doctor that provided abortion care to the 10 year old victim from Ohio; the Mesa County Colorado recorder Tina Peters has had her bail revoked; and a federal Grand Jury issues a 27 count indictment for the Buffalo shooter; plus Allison delivers your Good News. Follow the Podcast on Apple: http://apple.co/beans Follow AG and Dana on Twitter: Dr. Allison Gill  https://twitter.com/allisongill https://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrote https://twitter.com/dailybeanspod Dana Goldberg https://twitter.com/DGComedy Follow Aimee on Instagram: Aimee Carrero (@aimeecarrero) How We Win Fund swingleft.org/fundraise/howwewin Listener Survey: http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short Have some good news, a confession, a correction, or a case for Beans Court? https://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/ Want to support the show and get it ad-free and early? https://dailybeans.supercast.tech Or https://patreon.com/thedailybeans Promo Codes Thanks to Helix for supporting The Daily Beans.  Helix is offering up to 200 dollars off all mattress orders AND two free pillows for our listeners at helixsleep.com/dailybeans.  Future Hindsight is an award-winning podcast that takes big ideas about civic life and democracy and turns them into action items for you and me.  Follow Future Hindsight wherever you listen to podcasts or tune in on futurehindsight.com.

Indiana's Republican Attorney General says he's investigating to see if the doctor who performed the abortion on a young girl who traveled across state lines reported it properly. Plus, new bombshell reporting from NBC News has found Secret Service agents erased text messages sent and received around the January 6, 2021 deadly Capitol insurrection. And a grand jury indicts disgraced former lawyer Alex Murdaugh on double murder charges in connection with the deaths of his wife and son. Also, we take a look at how grocery bills are adding up as inflation hits Americans' wallets.

Wisconsin Conservative Conversations with… Wisconsin Republican Attorney General Candidate Karen Mueller May 5th, 2022 Tonight we continue the Wisconsin Conservative Conversations series. I'll be welcoming on the show Wisconsin Republican Attorney General Candidate Karen Mueller. We will be discussing her primary big to become the nomination for the Republican side of the General Election, the state of law and order here in Wisconsin, and many more topics. So relax, grab your favorite drink, and let's get into this! Make Sure to Like, Share, Comment, & Subscribe! America! Shall We Begin! Karen Mueller For Attorney General - https://www.mueller4ag.com/ ==================== About The Wisconsin Conservative Conversations is the platform for a one on one conversation with Conservative candidates, lawmakers, and influencers in the state of Wisconsin. ==================== Click Here For All Of My Social Media Links — https://linktr.ee/tccshow

Wisconsin Conservative Conversations with… Wisconsin Republican Attorney General Candidate Karen Mueller May 5th, 2022 Tonight we continue the Wisconsin Conservative Conversations series. I'll be welcoming on the show Wisconsin Republican Attorney General Candidate Karen Mueller. We will be discussing her primary big to become the nomination for the Republican side of the General Election, the state of law and order here in Wisconsin, and many more topics. So relax, grab your favorite drink, and let's get into this! Make Sure to Like, Share, Comment, & Subscribe! America! Shall We Begin! Karen Mueller For Attorney General - https://www.mueller4ag.com/ ==================== About The Wisconsin Conservative Conversations is the platform for a one on one conversation with Conservative candidates, lawmakers, and influencers in the state of Wisconsin. ==================== Click Here For All Of My Social Media Links — https://linktr.ee/tccshow

This week, the crew breaks down a recent Republican Attorney General debate where the candidates say some of the craziest things we've heard from them yet, explain the campaign finance they filed against Scott Jensen and Matt Birk, interview Senator Foung Hawj, and debut a new segment!Be sure to tell your friends and family about the show, follow the DFL Party on Facebook and Twitter, and rate and review on iTunes! 

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and challenger Raul Labrador displayed their differing visions for the office in a candidate Forum presented by the City Club of Idaho Falls.

How do you convince those who believe the 2020 election was rigged that the solution is to participate in a new election? Republican Attorney General candidate Matt DePerno is asked this, among other things.   Former President Donald Trump endorses a second candidate against U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, fissures in the Republican grassroots movement, and more.

Bishop On Air on WMAY News talks with Steve Kim For Illinois Attorney General.

Dan calls out the Democratic Party over a donation from a genocide denier, interviews new Republican Attorney General candidate Adam Jarchow, and discusses new Omicron data.

In just 9 days, one of the most important trials in animal rights history will begin. My friend Matt Johnson faces a felony charge for saving the life of a sick baby pig, and exposing one of the most disturbing episodes of animal torture in recent memory: ventilation shutdown (VSD) at Iowa Select Farms, or ISF. The practice of VSD, which involves shutting down the vents in a building and pumping in hot steam, leads to hours of torment before the animals die. And for working with an employee at ISF to blow the whistle on this practice, Matt is facing 8 years in prison. This is wrong on so many levels. But to understand why this is happening, we have to understand the deep and systemic roots of animal exploitation. And that's why this conversation I had with Matt and Jon Frohnmayer is so important. Matt and Jon, you see, are not your prototypical animal rights activists. Matt grew up in rural Iowa surrounded by pig farms, and still has family members in the industry. Jon's dad was the Republican Attorney General of Oregon, where he prosecuted a case involving the Animal Liberation Front. Both were deeply entrenched in the system – but they got out. This conversation will show you how and why. Now we have to try to help an Iowa jury understand that, too. This is the make or break year, not just for animal rights defendants, but for the movement. If we can show the world that even residents of rural Iowa won't stand for practices like VSD, it'll send shockwaves through the system. If, in contrast, Matt goes to prison for blowing the whistle on one of the most horrific cases of animal torture in history, it'll be a stark indication of a corrupt system. But no matter what happens in 9 days, making change will depend on a mass of people raising their voice together. Change, in other words, depends on you. Hidden Video and Whistleblower Reveal Gruesome Mass-Extermination Method for Iowa Pigs Amid Pandemic - The InterceptAFTER PORK GIANT WAS EXPOSED FOR CRUEL KILLINGS, THE FBI PURSUED ITS CRITICS - The InterceptMusic by Moby: Everything That Rises

The journey of Grant Woods goes from John McCain's staff, to Republican Attorney General of Arizona for two terms, to fighting the extreme right-wing takeover of the Republican Party, to supporting national and state Democrats in the Trump era and finally registering as a Democratic voter. His journey is filled with his own character defining decisions that he praised John McCain for -- principles above party, integrity before political expedience and empathy first.In this episode, Grant Woods talks about the Trump takeover of his former party, the Arizona Republican Party's shameful voter suppression efforts, the potential of the Biden administration, and his working and personal relationship with John McCain his mentor and friend.  Turning Arizona Blue the podcast is now partnering with The Mule News, an online news service dedicated to Maricopa County Democratic politics. Subscribe at https://themulenews.com/.Please subscribe where you get podcasts and follow Turning Arizona Blue on our Facebook page and on Twitter @TurningAz. Please reach us at turningazblue@gmail.com for financial and advertising support on our TAB and The Mule News platforms.

Welcome to Majority.FM's AM QUICKIE! Brought to you by justcoffee.coop TODAY'S HEADLINES: The number of migrant children detained at the U.S. border has tripled in the past two weeks, filling adult detention facilities as places in slightly-more-human shelters run out fast. If this is the new normal, it looks a lot like the old one. Meanwhile, Republican politicians start their legal onslaught against the Biden administration, as a dozen state attorneys general filed suit challenging an executive order regarding climate change. And lastly, DSA-backed candidates pull off a rout in the Nevada Democratic Party -- and establishment leaders threw a fit and took their ball home, quitting en mass rather than supporting the new progressive leadership. THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU NEED TO KNOW: President Biden is already facing a major immigration crisis, as the New York Times reports that the number of migrant children in federal custody has tripled in the past two weeks -- and his administration’s officials aren’t keeping up. The Times reports that immigration authorities have detained more than 3,250 children who crossed the border unaccompanied in the past two weeks. And instead of placing them in shelters, documents obtained by the Times show that more than 1,360 of the children have been detained in jail facilities. The law only permits children to spend 72 hours in federal detention before they have to be transferred to a shelter, and the documents show that the government is blowing right past that. Homeland security, which operates the jails, is blaming Health and Human services, which operates the shelters, saying that the latter has been slow to pick kids up. But either way, you’ve got children on the border being shuffled between one dismal situation and another perhaps slightly-less dismal one. It’s worth noting that adults and families are still largely being turned away en masse under pandemic restrictions. Unaccompanied children, however, are detained. None of this is humane, and all of it needs a fix. If Biden is committed to being a better leader than his predecessor, he’s got to take decisive action soon. GOP Starts Legal Onslaught on Biden The GOP’s legal gameplan against the Biden administration is kicking into gear. On Monday, a group of 12 attorneys general from Republican-led states filed suit against the administration challenging an executive order that biden sent instructing the federal government to analyze the social costs of greenhouse gas emission. The executive order itself was relatively mundane: signed on Biden’s first day in office, it basically audited where the federal government was at on climate change and reaffirmed Biden’s pledge to quote “advance environmental justice.” Endquote. In response, the GOP singled out a single section, which established a working group comprised of the OMB head and several cabinet members tasked with looking at the social costs of various greenhouse gas emissions. The Republican Attorney General gang jumped at that as some overreach of federal power, writing in their lawsuit that the directive was a threat to separation of powers and quoting an absurd Supreme Court dissent by Antonin Scalia. Quote:“Frequently,” a threat to the separation of powers “will come before the Court clad, so to speak, in sheep’s clothing.... But this wolf comes as a wolf.” Endquote. Clearly, these dudes are, shall we say, high on their own supply. But the legal tactic could represent a real hangup for the Biden administration, which is sure to get an avalanche of similar tactics as the GOP looks to derail his agenda at least as much as liberal lawsuits were able to forestall some of Trump’s most destructive actions. It doesn’t even matter if most of these cases fail or get thrown out -- if even one gets upheld or ruled in their favor, it’s a win for the GOP. And meanwhile, it costs the federal government time and money to be defending itself at every turn. This is how politics works now, so we better get used to it -- and hope that Biden’s lawyers are better at their jobs than Trump’s were. Progressives Take Over Nevada Democratic Party In case that last story convinced you that the GOP was the only party capable of throwing weird temper tantrums, you won’t believe what we’ve got next. In Nevada, the entire staff of the state democratic party quit this weekend, largely in protest to a slate of Democratic Socialist-backed progressive candidates sweeping internal leadership elections. The Intercept reports that on Saturday, a coalition of progressive candidates backed by the local chapter of the DSA took over all five party leadership elections in the Nevada Democratic Party. In response, party leadership pre-emptively moved $450,000 out of the party’s larger war chest into separate accounts controlled by the establishment-led Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and then quit en masse. The background drama behind all this is a bit more complicated to parse, involving multiple factions that supported Bernie Sanders and the tightly-controlled old guard of the state’s party that was run by former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, but the Intercept has the details. Judith Whitmer, the progressive who is now the new chair of the Nevada Democratic Party said quote: “We weren’t really surprised, in that we were prepared for it. But what hit us by surprise was the willingness to just walk away, instead of working with us.” Let’s hope that at some point, an adult in the room of the national party decides to give their new progressive colleagues a more friendly welcome. AND NOW FOR SOME QUICKER QUICKIES: Some encouraging news from Brazil, where the Supreme Court invalidated the criminal convictions of former President Lula da Silva. Da Silva is now eligible to challenge fascist Jair [JAI-YEER] Bolsonaro in 2022, and could have pretty substantial support, as he was leading the country’s polls when he was convicted in 2018. The first major poll of the New York City mayoral race has a familiar face out ahead. Andrew Yang leads all contenders with 32 percent, 13 points clear of his nearest challenger, former NYPD officer Eric Adams. The trial of Andrea Sahouri [SA-HOO-REE], a Des Moines Register reporter arrested while doing her job covering the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, began on Monday. The prosecution is trying to obscure the fact that Sahouri was actively reporting during her arrest, and throwing the book at her regardless, setting a dangerous precedent for reporters working during civil unrest in the future. And finally, Congress has a new frontrunner in its always-entertaining “biggest Nazi” competition, after Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar tweeted out a white nationalist group’s slogan on Sunday, a few days after speaking at their convention outside of CPAC. Seems like a great guy! MAR 9, 2021 - AM QUICKIE HOSTS - Sam Seder & Lucie Steiner WRITER - Jack Crosbie PRODUCER - Dorsey Shaw EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - Brendan Finn

Brian Banks is a highly sought-after community educator, author, law school graduate, and former Michigan State Representative. But despite his tremendous career, he has experienced an equally tremendous degree of hardship along the way, from a dysfunctional childhood, to an adolescence marred by fraud charges, to corrupt political forces ousting him from office. In this episode of Open Mike, Banks discusses his personal struggles in depth and reflects on ways they’ve endowed him with the talent and tenacity to continuously create his own success. Show Notes [00:35] Brian Banks's intro and bio taken from his book, It Had 2 Happen. [01:35] Hi, Brian, thank you for being on Open Mike! [2:28] Our governor instituted some new reform in the no-fault arena, for no reason. What do you think about the no-fault changes that are currently going into effect? [04:50] Why do you think she gave a gift to the Republicans and insurance companies without thinking about her Michigan constituents? Do you have any insight on that? [08:13] You have a fascinating story and you’re very open about your story… You’re very open about the criminal activity you unfortunately got involved in, and you took responsibility. So, let’s dig into this — you grew up in Detroit, you went to Denby High School, and you dropped out your senior year. Give us a brief version about how that happened. [10:15] Due to a troubled home life, Brian started skipping class for weeks on end, after transferring to a different school. He eventually got a job, started hanging out with the wrong people, and started committing credit card and check fraud. [12:43] Eventually, Brian was charged on seventeen counts of fraud. [14:31] Eventually, he was sentenced to a year probation with the first six months on a tether, in lieu of jail… the tether was impeding his ability to land a job, so Brian successfully wrote, filed, and argued a motion to remove the tether. The next day, he obtained his GED and enrolled in Wayne State University, with aspirations of becoming an attorney. [18:03] What year did you get into law school? [18:28] Did you take the bar exam? [18:44] For those who don’t know, Michigan lawyers have to go through a process called “character and fitness” where they’re vetted to ensure they’re up to state standards to practice law. Because of Brian’s history, they would not let him be a licensed attorney in the state. [20:31] When someone experiences poverty, it’s a domino effect. Pair that with a felony conviction, it’s incredibly hard to obtain gainful employment. [21:36] When are you giving it another shot? [22:17] You go through the process, they pass you, and then you have to take the bar exam again? [22:59] Let’s talk about your time in the Michigan state legislature… can you tell us why you decided to run for Congress, here in Michigan? [26:09] During Brian’s first term, he had 100% attendance and a 100% voting record. Because of his experiences, he was compelled to make sure his constituents’ voices were represented at the capitol. The first community event he held was for ex-offenders, to help get their records expunged. [27:03] In 2014, Brian was re-elected with more votes than in his 2012 run. He was also elected by his colleagues as chairman of the Detroit Black Caucus. [27:13] Let’s talk about that — a very powerful Democratic caucus. What was that like, walking in as chairman after all that you went through? [28:36] As chairman, Brian was essentially the most powerful African American in the state legislature. He started making enemies because he started taking some unpopular positions. [29:03] What do you think were your most unpopular decisions in 2015, leading up to your 2016 experience? [31:38] You’re thwarting a powerful Detroit mayor and have an upcoming election for your third term… as this is happening, people are running against you… there are rumors that people within your own party are putting others up against you… and one day, you’re sitting at home, and get a knock on your door from a couple FBI agents. Take us through that story. [32:37] Do you believe the mayor put someone up against you? [34:11] Brian was accused by the then Republican Attorney General of improperly paying back a 2010 loan, so he hired an attorney to represent him. His attorney convinced him to plead guilty, after a long, drawn-out process. [34:55] Brian was ultimately able to get the felony charges dropped, but he had to resign from office. It was clear that the entire process was political, and other colleagues wanted him out of the way. [35:48] While many wrote Brian off, he started a successful consulting agency and still conducts educational, community outreach events. He realized he doesn’t need a title to serve. [36:43] Do you think you’re going to run again for a third term? [38:46] If you want to learn more about Brian’s life in detail, check out his book, It Had 2 Happen! [39:05] Thank you to Brian Banks for coming on Open Mike! [40:52] If you think someone would enjoy this episode, pass it along, subscribe, like. And tell us who you’d like to be on Open Mike! We will bring them to you. Thank you for watching and listening!

This week we talk about the epidemic of Republican on Republican violence sweeping the nation. From Republican voters sending death threats to Republican election officials, to caravans of Trump supporters circling the homes Republican election officials, to the President’s Republican lawyers taking daily beatings in courts with Republican judges, to the Republican Attorney General being […] The post BGP – Ep 92 – The Beginning Of The End Pt 3 appeared first on Broken Glass Podcast.

On “In the Hive,” we’re continuing our conversations with candidates for statewide office. Today it’s incumbent Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. He responds to some questions raised last week by his Democratic opponent, attorney Greg Skordas, and makes his pitch for reelection. Later in the show, Utah Elections Director Justin Lee talks about the ins […]

Paris Dennard has a very impressive resume as a GOP commentator, author, and senior communications advisor for Black Media Affairs for the RNC. He says what makes America great is our Constitution which gives us Freedoms and Rights. America is the only country where we can have Black Entrepreneurs, meaning you can come from nothing and become whatever you want.Leslie Rutledge is the first Republican Attorney General of Arkansas and the first woman to be elected to the office. She also is the first to give birth while in office. AG Rutledge says America is the greatest nation on earth, and it all revolves around our Faith, Family, and Freedoms. She points out that Freedom is not Free, but rather we have to fight for our freedoms, to protect them always.Paster Brad Jurkovich visits with Louis Avallone and Stephen Parr about the events of his live which impacts him today. He believes we cannot ignore the importance of the spiritual influence in the very beginning of the Nation. Every generation has had to take a stand to protect some important, critical aspect of American values and freedoms. It always takes courage.Jacquie Baly joins Stephen and Louis to talk about her immigrating from the Caribbean Islands to Houston when she was 7 years old, and how she has personally succeeded in living the American Dream. She has been a Mayor Pro Tem, served under both Texas Governors Perry and Abbott on various committees, is a political conservative commentator for a local Houston television station, and is a professor of political science at the University of Houston.

Paris Dennard has a very impressive resume as a GOP commentator, author, and senior communications advisor for Black Media Affairs for the RNC. He says what makes America great is our Constitution which gives us Freedoms and Rights. America is the only country where we can have Black Entrepreneurs, meaning you can come from nothing and become whatever you want.Leslie Rutledge is the first Republican Attorney General of Arkansas and the first woman to be elected to the office. She also is the first to give birth while in office. AG Rutledge says America is the greatest nation on earth, and it all revolves around our Faith, Family, and Freedoms. She points out that Freedom is not Free, but rather we have to fight for our freedoms, to protect them always.Paster Brad Jurkovich visits with Louis Avallone and Stephen Parr about the events of his live which impacts him today. He believes we cannot ignore the importance of the spiritual influence in the very beginning of the Nation. Every generation has had to take a stand to protect some important, critical aspect of American values and freedoms. It always takes courage.Jacquie Baly joins Stephen and Louis to talk about her immigrating from the Caribbean Islands to Houston when she was 7 years old, and how she has personally succeeded in living the American Dream. She has been a Mayor Pro Tem, served under both Texas Governors Perry and Abbott on various committees, is a political conservative commentator for a local Houston television station, and is a professor of political science at the University of Houston.

Trump has taken us to the brink of war with Iran, leading to the deaths of hundreds (already), shattering any good will America had left around the world, and creating an incredibly dangerous precedent. Plus! Kentucky's new Republican Attorney General has won bipartisan praise for calling for an investigation into the state's Republican ex-governor. Stu explains why the credit is not at all deserved.   Take Action: Call 202.224.3121 to tell your Senators to limit Trump's ability to take us to war with Iran.   Moment of Uplift: Beneath the cloud of horrific war crimes committed by Edward Gallagher, Stu and AJ find inspiration in the self-less actions of his fellow SEALs who risked everything to do what is right.   This is your country for the week of January 13, 2020!   Produced by Sam Graber Engineered by Mark Charles, recorded at the Ramshackler Room, Louisville, KY Music by Mike Michel

Episode 99: Republican Attorney General Nominee Keith Wofford by Max & Murphy

Riding Shotgun With Charlie #028 Jay McMahon Massachusetts Attorney General Candidate Charlie drives Jay around Bourne, MA, on Cape Cod, while Jay shares couple of sights including the Aptuxcet Trading Post from 1627. Jay also talks about Maura Healey, his opponent in the AG race, and her overreaching move on July 20, 2016. Jay talks extensively about two of the recent killings of police officers by career criminals. Massachusetts residents, please support Jay McMahon for Republican Attorney General candidate.  He needs your vote on Sept 4, 2018 in the primary.  And again on Nov 6, 2018. Website www.attorneyjaymcmahon.com Facebook page www.facebook.com/AttorneyJayMcMahon/ Twitter @jaymcmahonforag

Courtney Cogburn: Virtual Reality to Improve Race Relations (Ep. 132) Columbia University School of Social Work Professor Courtney Cogburn joined Joe Miller to discuss her work with virtual reality to improve race relations. Bio Courtney Cogburn (@CourtneyCogburn) is an assistant professor at the Columbia School of Social Work and a Faculty Affiliate of the Columbia Population Research Center. Her research integrates principles and methodologies across psychology, stress physiology and social epidemiology to investigate relationships between racism-related stress and racial health disparities across the life course. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Her current research projects examine: the effects of cultural racism in the media on physiological, psychological and behavioral stress reactivity and moderating effects of cognitive appraisal processes; the role of structural racism in producing disease risk; and chronic psychosocial stress exposure and related implications for understanding Black/White disparities in cardiovascular health and disease between early and late adulthood. At the end of 2014, Dr. Cogburn received an award from the Provost’s Grants Program for Junior Faculty Who Contribute to the Diversity Goals of the University for a project titled “Black Face to Ferguson: A Mixed Methodological Examination of Media Racism, Media Activism and Health.” In addition to her academic research, Dr. Cogburn works with the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and is a senior advisor at the International Center Advocates Against Discrimination in NYC to educate and build community activism around issues of racism and health. Before coming to Columbia in July 2014, Dr. Cogburn was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar at the Harvard School of Public Health. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of Virginia, MSW from the University of Michigan School of Social Work and PhD in the Combined Program in Education and Psychology from the University of Michigan. Resources Columbia School of Social Work Experiencing Racism in VR by Courtney Cogburn (Ted Talk) The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss News Roundup Facebook makes moves to contain Cambridge Analytica fallout Facebook has made several moves to contain the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal and salvage what remains of its integrity and public image. The company announced that it will now fact-check political photos and videos, allow you to see the personal data they have on you, and limit the sharing of your personal information with data brokers. Meanwhile, on the legal front, Missouri’s Republican Attorney General has opened an investigation into Facebook’s data collection practices. Attorney General Josh Hawley wants to know about every instance in which Facebook shared user data with political entities, the rates they paid and whether users were notified.  In addition, Facebook will not provide evidence or testify before a U.K. parliamentary committee investigating Facebook’s use of user data. However, he will testify before Congress, and Sunny Bonnell reports in Inc. that it could happen as soon as April 10th. In addition, housing groups are suing Facebook for allowing real estate advertisers to discriminate against mothers, the disabled and minorities, according to Jordan Pearson in Motherboard. And Ali Breland reported on a memo leaked from 2016 written by Facebook executive Andrew Bosworth suggesting the company’s expansion is justified even if it costs lives from bullying or a terrorist attack. Sinclair, which is in the process of buying Tribune Media, has anchors read same script Sinclair Broadcasting, the little-known media company that’s in the process of buying Tribune Media for $3.9 billion, has been accused of being a mouthpiece for conservative viewpoints. Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has been seen by many to have paved the way for Sinclair by relaxing longstanding media ownership rules. Now, Deadspin has put together a video showing dozens of anchors on tv stations owned by Sinclair reciting the exact same script making the same claims about fake news that the Trump administration has been making. Sinclair now reaches 2 out of every 5 American homes, with 193 stations concentrated in midsize markets. The merger with Tribune Media would bring that number up to 236, including stations in New York City and Chicago, if Sinclair doesn’t divest some of the stations.  Emily Stewart reports in Vox. In a Tweet, President Trump defended Sinclair.  Saks/Lord & Taylor hacked  Vindu Goel and Rachel Abrams report for the New York Times that a well-known band of cybercriminals hacked the credit and debit card numbers of some 5 million Saks and Lord & Taylor customers. The parent company of the two department stores, Hudson’s Bay Company, said in  a statement that the company has identified the issue, is taking steps to contain it, and will keep the public informed. Trump attacks Amazon Trump attacked Amazon on twitter last week, saying the company should be regulated, which led to a dip in the company’s stock prices. But policy experts say that antitrust action against Amazon is a long shot. Laura Stevens reports in the Wall Street Journal. City of Atlanta hit by cyberattack Eight thousand employees of the City of Atlanta had to shut down their computers last week. The reason? A ransomware attack. The attackers demanded $51,000 to unscramble government processes usually handled online. While the attack did not affect major systems like wastewater treatment and 911 calls, police officers had to write tickets by hand, none of Atlanta’s 6 million residents could apply for city jobs, and the courts could not validate warrants. Nicole Perlroth and Aland Blinder report in the New York Times. FCC greenlights SpaceX’s satellite internet service The FCC has given the green light to SpaceX’s satellite broadband internet service. The company aims to deploy thousands of small satellites to reach underserved areas, such as rural communities, at fiber-like speeds. Samanta Masunaga reports in the LA Times.   Tumblr cancels 84 accounts tied to Russia Morgan Chalfant reports in the Hill that Tumblr took down 84 accounts linked to the Internet Research Agency, the Russian troll farm at the center of a federal investigation into the Russian propaganda campaign that swayed the 2016 presidential election. Last month DOJ Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russians and 3 Russian entities connected to the Internet Research Agency. Trump administration to look at social media accounts for visas The Trump administration announced that it is planning to review the social media accounts of people applying for visas to enter the U.S. People entering the U.S. from countries with visa-free status, like the UK, Canada, France, and Germany, won’t be subjected to the additional vetting. But individuals seeking entry visas into the U.S. from countries like India, China and Mexico would need to turn over their social media information. The BBC has the story. But Joe Uchill and Stef W. Kight reported for Axios that ICE already uses Facebook data – not to track immigrants, though, but to track child predators. D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to hear challenges to the FCC’s net neutrality order Finally, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will now hear the consolidated appeals of the FCC’s December order to repeal the 2015 net neutrality rules. The Ninth Circuit had won the lottery to hear the case, but Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request to move the cases to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard the appeals of both the 2011 rules and the 2015 rules, which it had upheld. John Eggerton reports in Broadcasting and Cable.

Exxon Mobil’s CEO is now the Secretary of State. The Koch Brothers’ Congressman is the CIA Director. We’ve already seen signs that the Trump Administration and the fossil fuel industry are merging. In this episode, hear the highlights of the confirmation hearings of the two men now most responsible for environmental law enforcement in the United States: Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Scott Pruitt. Will they protect the environment from the fossil fuel industry or did President Trump appoint foxes to guard the henhouse? Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute using credit card, debit card, PayPal, or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD144: Trump's War Manufacturers Additional Reading Article: Trump's EPA is reconsidering a rule that limits mercury from power plants by Samantha Page, Think Progress, April 19, 2017. Article: 'Like a slow death': families fear pesticide poisoning after Trump reverses ban by Sam Levin, The Guardian, April 17, 2017. News Release: EPA Launches Back-To-Basics Agenda at Pennsylvania Coal Mine, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, April 13, 2017. Op-Ed: Now we know Scott Pruitt isn't serious about fighting smog by Jack Lienke, Grist, April 12, 2017. Article: What's at Stake in Trump's Proposed E.P.A. Cuts by Hiroko Tabuchi, The New York Times, April 10, 2017. Article: Federal Judge Orders Supplemental EIS For Nevada Sage Grouse Plan by Richard Nemec, Natural Gas Intel, April 6, 2017. Article: E.P.A. Chief, Rejecting Agency's Science, Chooses Not to Ban Insecticide by Eric Lipton, The New York Times, March 29, 2017. Article: Herbert pushing for Interior Secretary Zinke to visit Utah and Bear Ears by Bryan Schott, UtahPolicy.com, March 27, 2017. Press Release: Interior Department Auctions Over 122,000 Acres Offshore Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for Wind Energy Development, U.S. Department of the Interior, March 16, 2017. Press Release: Secretary Zinke Issues Lease for 56 Million Tons of Coal in Central Utah, U.S. Department of the Interior, March 15, 2017. Article: Zinke pledges big changes at Department of the Interior by Rob Chaney, Missoulian, March 10, 2017. Press Release: Secretary Zinke Announces Proposed 73-Million Acre Oil and Natural Gas Lease Sale for Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Department of the Interior, March 6, 2017. Article: Fate of Bears Ears in question as Senate confirms Montana Rep. Zinke as Interior secretary by Thomas Burr, The Salt Lake Tribune, March 1, 2017. Article: Oklahoma's earthquake threat now equals California's because of man-made temblors, USGS says by Rong-Gong Lin II, The Los Angeles Times, March 1, 2017. Article: Thousands of emails detail EPA head's close ties to fossil fuel industry by Brady Dennis and Steven Mufson, The Washington Post, February 22, 2017. Article: Scott Pruitt makes it clear that the Clean Power Plan is going away by Natasha Geiling, Think Progress, February 19, 2017. Article: Utah Representative Wants Bears Ears Gone And He Wants Trump To Do It by Kirk Siegler, NPR, February 5, 2017. Article: Good Question: What Exactly Is The Dakota Access Pipeline? by Heather Brown, CBS Minnesota, January 24, 2017. Document: State of the Air 2016 by The American Lung Association Article: Obama Designates Atlantic, Artic Areas Off-Limits To Offshore Drilling by Merrit Kennedy, NPR, December 20, 2016. Article: Ryan Zinke, Donald Trump's Pick for Interior Secretary, and the Rising American Land Movements by Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, December 16, 2016. Press Release: Interior Department Announces Final Rule to Reduce Methane Emissions & Wasted Gas on Public, Tribal Lands, U.S. Department of the Interior, November 15, 2016. Article: Incumbent Ryan Zinke says security, jobs, health care top priorities by Holly Michels, Montana Standard, October 14, 2016. Article: Obama announces moratorium on new federal coal leases by Joby Warrick and Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post, January 15, 2016. Article: With Only $93 Billion in Profits, the Big Five Oil Companies Demand to Keep Tax Breaks by Daniel J. Weiss and Miranda Peterson, Center for American Progress, February 10, 2014. References Encyclopedia Britannica: Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 Fact Sheet: Methane and Waste Prevention Rule, US Department of the Interior U.S. Energy Information Administration: Natural Gas Overview U.S. Energy Information Administration: U.S. Energy Mapping System Environmental Protection Agency: EPA History Environmental Protection Agency: California Greenhouse Gas Waiver Request Environmental Protection Agency: Order denying petition to revoke tolerances for the pesticide chlorpyrifos GovTrack: On the Nomination PN31: Ryan Zinke, of Montana, to be Secretary of the Interior GovTrack: H.R. 5259 (114th): Certainty for States and Tribes Act Overview OpenSecrets: Sen. Lisa Murkowski - Summary OpenSecrets: Sen. Lisa Murkowski - Career Profile Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Interior Secretary Confirmation - Ryan Zinke, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, January 17, 2017. Part 1 Part 2 Timestamps & Transcripts Part 1 42:54 Senator Lisa Murkowski: Will you commit to a formal review of all of the Obama administration’s actions that took resource-bearing lands and waters in Alaska effectively off the table, including the decisions that specifically prevented the leasing of those lands and those waters for development, and determine whether or not they can be reversed? Ryan Zinke: Yes. I think the president-elect has said that we want to be energy independent. As a former Navy Seal, I think I’ve been to 63 countries in my lifetime, and I can guarantee it is better to produce energy domestically under [missing audio] than watch it be produced overseas with no regulation. I’ve seen the consequences of what happens when you don’t have any regulation in the Middle East. We can do it right. The backbone of our environmental policies has been NEPA, and I’m a strong supporter of NEPA, but we also have to understand that we need an economy. And, look, if we don’t have an economy as a country, then the rest of it doesn’t matter, because we’re not going to be able to afford a strong military, nor are we going to be able to afford to keep the promises we’ve made as a great nation; and we’ve made a lot of promises to education, to our children’s future, to infrastructure, to Social Security; all that takes an economy that’s moving forward, and energy is a part of that economy, and Alaska is a critical part of that economy. Alaska’s different for a reason: you are blessed with great resources, you are blessed with great recreation—a little cold in the winter, but it’s not Palm Springs. Murkowski: You’re from Montana. You can handle it. Zinke: We can handle it. But, yes, I think we need to be prudent. And always, I think we need to review things to make sure we’re doing it right because over time the government keeps on getting bigger and bigger, the bureaucracy gets larger and larger, and we can’t get something done. 53:12 Senator John Hoeven: Also in North Dakota, we’ve had a real challenge with the Dakota Access Pipeline protest. You and I talked about it. State and local law enforcement has worked very hard to keep the peace and to keep people safe, but we need federal law-enforcement help as well, and so in your case, that’s going mean BIA law enforcement. And, so, my question is, if you’re confirmed, will you ensure that BIA law enforcement works with state and local law enforcement to resolve the situation, to keep people safe, and to make sure that the rule of law is followed? Ryan Zinke: Yes, sir. And we talked about it in your office, and if confirmed, I’m going to be a very busy man, travelling. I’m going to travel to Utah, travel to Alaska, and travel to North Dakota. Those are three impending problems that we need to resolve quickly. I have great respect for the Indian nations. I’m adopted Assiniboine. Last time the Sioux Nations all got together, I would say General Custer probably would say that was not a good issue. So, you look at this, and there is deep cultural ties, there is a feeling that we haven’t been a fair consultant, a fair partner, and so I think we need to listen to that voice. 57:45 Senator Bernie Sanders: President-elect Trump has suggested—more than suggested—stated in his view that climate change is a “hoax.” Now I know that you’re not here to be administrator of the EPA or secretary of the Energy, but the issue of climate change is in fact very important for issues that the Department of Interior deals with. Is President-elect Trump right? Is climate change a hoax? Ryan Zinke: I can give you—the best answer is three things: First of all, climate is changing. That’s indisputable. I’m from Glacier National Park, and I’ve seen— Sanders: You don’t have any more glaciers there, huh? Zinke: Well—and I’ve seen glaciers over the period of my time recede. Matter of fact, when my family and I have eaten lunch on Grinnell Glacier, the glacier has receded during lunch. Sanders: All right. But I have—if you could— Zinke: Yeah. Sanders: —is the president-elect right? Is climate change a hoax? Zinke: Well, if I can give you two more points— Sanders: Okay. Zinke: —I’ll make it short. The second thing is man has had an influence. I don’t think—I think that’s indisputable as well. So, climate is changing, man is an influence. I think where there’s debate on it is what that influence is, what can we do about it, and as the Department of Interior, I will inherit, if confirmed, the USGS. We have great scientists there. I’m not a climate-scientist expert, but I can tell you I will become a lot more familiar with it, and it’ll be based on objective science. I don’t believe it’s a hoax; I believe we should— Sanders: You do not believe it's a hoax. Zinke: No. I believe we should be prudent to be prudent. That means I don’t know definitively; there’s a lot of debate on both sides of the aisle— Sanders: Well, actually, there’s not a whole lot of debate now. The scientific community is virtually unanimous that climate change is real and causing devastating problems. There is the debate on this committee but not within the scientific community. 59:40 Senator Bernie Sanders: If climate change is already causing devastating problems, should we allow fossil fuel to be drilled on public lands? Ryan Zinke: Again, we need an economy and jobs, too. And I, in my experience, have probably seen 63 different countries. I’ve seen what happens when you don’t have regulated— Sanders: I’m taking your—I don’t mean to be rude, but this is not a whole lot—I’m taking your answer to be yes, we should allow fossil fuel to be drilled on public lands. Zinke: I’m an all-the-above energy, and I want to be honest with you—I’m all the above. Sanders: Will you encourage wind and solar on public lands? Zinke: I will encourage, absolutely, wind and sol—all the above. Sanders: Okay. Zinke: So I think that’s the better solution going forward is all-the-above energy. 1:00:40 Ryan Zinke: I want to be clear in this point: I am absolutely against transfer or sale of public land. 1:39:40 Senator John Barrasso: The war on coal: it is real for communities across the West, including Wyoming, including Montana; it’s devastated small towns, ultimately threatens our country’s energy security. If confirmed, will you commit to ending this moratorium on federal coal leasing? Ryan Zinke: The war on coal, I believe, is real. I have Decker, Montana, in my area, and behind me is a gentleman that works in the coal mines of the Crow Agency, which, by the way, the Crow Agency, if you were to take coal out of the picture, the unemployment rate would probably in the 90 percent. So they’re very keen on making sure they have their jobs and we give them the ability for self-determination. The moratorium, I think, was an example of many, is that one size fits all. It was a view from Washington and not a view from the states, particularly if you’re a state such as Wyoming, parts of Montana, West Virginia, where coal’s important. So overall, the president-elect has made a commitment to end “ the war on coal.” I think we should be smart on how we approach our energy. “All the above” is a correct policy. Coal is certainly a great part of our energy mix. To your point, I’m also a great believer that we should invest in the research and development, particularly on coal, because we know we have the asset. Let’s work together to make it cleaner, better. We should be leading the world in clean-energy technology, and I’m pretty confident that coal can be a part of that. 1:41:36 Senator John Barrasso: With the use of the Congressional Review Act, and I’m planning introducing a disapproval resolution on the BLM’s venting and flaring rule. To me that rule far exceeds the authority of the BLM, will ultimately put federal lands at a greater competitive disadvantage to state and private lands. Will you support our efforts to reverse this rule under the Congressional Review Act? Ryan Zinke: Yes, and I think what the driving force is is we’re venting a lot, and we’re wasting energy. And that is troubling to me, is that the amount of venting in North Dakota alone almost exceeds what we get out of the fields. So, a lot of the wasting can be approached by having an infrastructure. So let us build a system where we capture that energy that is otherwise being wasted. And that’s an enormous opportunity. It’s an enormous opportunity, our natural gas and geopolitically as well. We haven’t talked a lot about overseas, but energy is so critically important. If we want to check Russia, then let’s do it with liquid natural gas. If we want to put pressure on Iran, then let’s supplant every drop of Iranian crude. This is all part of a larger package, and it cannot be done without the great state of Wyoming and their assets, or Alaska. But we have to think globally on it, and it is better—and I’ve said this once before—but it is better to produce energy in America under reasonable regulation and get better over time than watch it be produced overseas with no regulation. That is indisputable. 1:43:23 Senator John Barrasso: And I want to talk about sage grouse management plans. The administration has ignored input from key stakeholders, including Western governors during the development of their plans, plans which were used to justify [missing audio] unwarranted status under the Endangered Species Act. But at the core, the plans fundamentally oppose the multiple-use mandates of the BLM, which includes grazing, recreation, energy development. Will you commit to returning conservation and management authority of the sage grouse back to the states in preventing this top-down mandate like this in the future? Ryan Zinke: My understanding is the sage grouse decision is going to come before the Department of Interior some time in March. I understand there’s going to be options and alternatives, proposed alternatives. I will work with you when I see those documents, and I’ll work with all of you when I see those documents, to make sure we’re doing the right thing. What concerns me about sage grouse is there’s no target number. I’m not sure how you can manage without a number. If we just grab a management of property without a number, I look at that with a suspect eye. So I think we’ve got to look at, everyone loves sage grouse, everyone understands that we have to protect the species, and generally those living in the ground are in a better position, and we should be an advocate and a partner in this rather than heavy-handed and just dictate terms, particularly when we don’t have a number. 2:33:40 Senator Mazie Hirono: In the discussion about energy, you’ve said a number of times that you support “all of the above,” which sounds really great except that in “all of the above,” what’s happened is that the fossil-fuel side of energy has gotten a lot of support over decades. So I hope that when you say “all of the above” that you will also be committed to providing more resources and support, particularly R&D for alternative and renewables, aside from, or in addition to, fossil fuels. So we need to have a more-level playing field for policies that truly reflect support for “all of the above.” Ryan Zinke: Yeah. I’ve always been a strong proponent on the record for research and development of different technologies, different innovations, different opportunities in this complete spectrum of the energy to include looking at traditional sources to make sure we’re better at doing that, you know, certainly horizontal drilling, fracking— Hirono: Yeah. Zinke: —coal. But “all the above” I think is the right approach. And when it comes out of the test tube and into fielding, energy needs to be affordable, reliable, and abundant. Part 2 12:15 Ryan Zinke: On the Gateway Pacific Terminal, what I raised my eyebrow on is I didn’t take a position, whether yes or no, on the Terminal. I took a position to make sure the NEPA process was followed and the EIS was completed before making a judgment. What I found was we were close to ending the NEPA process, with the EIS, after years and millions of dollars were spent on it, and then that was truncated and stopped by affidavits—and I didn’t judge whether the affidavits from the tribe were true or not true—if you don’t finish the NEPA process and don’t finish an EIS, and then all of a sudden that process can be interrupted and a permit can be pulled on the basis of something outside the EIS, why would you ever consent to spend millions of dollars on an EIS? That was my objection. And I don’t mean to speak for Senator Daines. Senator Maria Cantwell: So, you believe in the tribal sovereignty of the Lummi tribe to object in this case. Zinke: They certainly had every right to object as well as, in this case, the Crows, who also have a treaty obligation. 15:06 Senator Steve Daines: You have been a champion fighting on behalf of the Crow tribes, as you mentioned here in that last exchange, their sovereign right to develop their coal resources. And as you said in your testimony, the unemployment rate in Crow country will go north of 90 percent if they lose those jobs. Hearing: EPA Administrator Confirmation - Scott Pruitt, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, January 18, 2017. Part 1 Part 2 Timestamps & Transcripts Part 1 01:30 Chairman John Barrasso: Good morning. I call this hearing to order. We have a quite a full house today. I welcome the audience. This is a formal Senate hearing, and in order to allow the committee to conduct its business, we’ll maintain decorum. That means if there are disorders, demonstrations, by a member of the audience, the person causing the disruption will be escorted from the room by the Capitol Police. 22:50: Senator Jim Inhofe: Yes, as attorney general, Scott Pruitt has fought the EPA, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the oil companies, and the out-going administration on many fronts, but all of these suits were brought to protect state and local interests from overzealous and activist executive agencies. Over the last eight years, the Obama administration has advanced a radical environmental agenda, has exhibited a deep distrust of state governments and private land owners, and has worked to obstruct the fossil-fuel industry and agriculture producers, the most-ardent protectors of the environment. 29:52 Scott Pruitt: I would lead the EPA with the following principles in mind: First, we must reject as a nation that false paradigm that if you’re pro-energy, you’re anti-environment; and if you’re pro-environment, you’re anti-energy. I really reject that narrative. In this nation we can grow our economy, harvest the resources God has blessed us with, while also being good stewards of the air, land, and water by which we’ve been favored. It is not an either-or proposition. Next, we should celebrate the great progress we’ve made as a nation since the inception of the EPA and the laws that have been passed by this body, but recognize that we have much work to do. Third, rule of law matters. Process matters. It inspires confidence in those that are regulated. The law is static, not transient. Regulators are supposed to make things regular, to fairly and equitably enforce the rules and not pick winners and losers. A regulator should not be for or against any sector of our economy; instead, a regulator ought to follow the law in setting up the rules so that those who are regulated can plan, allocate resources, to meet the standards versus operating in a state of uncertainty and duress. Fourth, federalism matters. It matters because Congress says so. And because we need to achieve good outcomes as a nation for air and water quality, we need the partnership of the states to achieve that. It is our state regulators who oftentimes best understand the local needs and the uniqueness of our environmental challenges, plus our state regulators possess the resources and expertise to enforce our environmental laws. Fifth, public participation is key. We need to hear all voices as we make decisions in behalf of our country with respect to environmental laws. 39:07 Senator Tom Carper: In 2011 the EPA required dirty coal power plants to clean up mercury and air toxic emissions by issuing the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule. This rule will reduce the mercury, a neurotoxin that contaminates our streams and our oceans, pollutes our fish, and harms our children’s health. As attorney general, I believe you’ve been part of at least 14 legal cases against the EPA, and at least three of these cases against the EPA’s rules, to reduce mercury emissions from power plants. Is that correct? Just yes or no. Scott Pruitt: Senator, we have been involved in litigation around the MATS rule. Carper: Is that correct? Yes or no. Pruitt: As I indicated, yes, we’ve been a part of litigation involving the MATS rule. Carper: Thank you. It’s my understanding that at least one of these cases against the mercury rule is still pending. Is that correct? Just yes or no. Pruitt: I believe so, Senator, yes. Carper: Thank you. 43:40 Senator Jim Inhofe: I’m glad you brought up this thing about the Clean Air Act. The amendments from 1990, I was one of the cosponsors, it’s been incredibly successful. I mean, you mentioned that we’ve reduced those pollutants by 63 percent, but what you didn’t add was that it is in spite of the fact that we had 153 percent increase in our economic activity. That’s a major thing. 48:52 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: In Rhode Island, we have bad air days, and because of EPA’s work, there are fewer and fewer. A bad air day is a day when people driving into work hear on the radio that ozone from out-of-state smokestacks has made the air in Rhode Island dangerous and that infants and the elderly and people with breathing difficulties should stay home on an otherwise beautiful day. Because those smokestacks are out of state, we need EPA to protect us, and I see nothing in your record that would give a mom taking her child to the hospital for an asthma attack any comfort that you would take the slightest interest in her. And your passion for devolving power down to states doesn’t help us, because our state regulators can’t do anything about any of those problems; they all come from out-of-state sources. 49:45 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: One of the things I’d like to ask you about here is the connection between you and some of these fossil-fuel companies. These are some of the companies that have supported you. These are some of the political organizations that you’ve raised money for. You’ve raised money for them for Pruitt for Attorney General, correct? Scott Pruitt: Yes, sir. I have a campaign committee for that, yes. Whitehouse: And Devon Energy, Koch Industries, ExxonMobil have all maxed out to that account. Pruitt: I’m not aware— Whitehouse: At various times. Pruitt: —if they maxed out or not, Senator, but I’m sure they’ve given to that committee. Whitehouse: Oklahoma Strong PAC is your leadership PAC? Pruitt: It was, yes. Whitehouse: It was? And, similarly, they gave money, they maxed out to that organization as well, which you controlled? Pruitt: I’m unsure about that, Senator. Whitehouse: Okay. But they contributed to it. Pruitt: I’m even unsure about that as well. I haven’t looked at that. Whitehouse: You closed your super PAC, Liberty 2.0, but that took fossil-fuel contributions as well, correct? Pruitt: That particular entity has been closed, yes. Whitehouse: Now, you helped raise money for the Republican Attorney General’s Association. While you were a member of its executive committee, they received $530,000 from Koch Industries, $350,000 from Murray Energy, $160,000 from ExxonMobil, and $125,000 from Devon Energy, the company whose letter you transposed onto your letterhead and sent as an Oklahoma attorney general document. 1:11:57 Senator Jeff Merkley: Over a number of years, information started pouring into EPA that the estimate of the amount of fugitive methane escaping in gas and oil drilling had been deeply underestimated. In 2011 the EPA put out its best estimates based on the information that was being presented. And this is relevant because methane is a global-warming gas, more potent than CO2. Gas companies didn’t like this because, well, it presented a vision of natural gas being more damaging environmentally than folks had previously understood. Devon Energy is one of the groups that sought to cast doubt on this scientific information, and it came to you to be their spokesperson, and they asked, will you be our mouthpiece in casting doubt and send a letter we have drafted to the EPA, and you sent that letter. And I just want to ask, first, are you aware that methane is approximately 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a global-warming gas? Scott Pruitt: I am, Senator. It’s— Merkley: Thank you. Pruitt: —the impact on human health— Merkley: That’s the answer. Yes. Thank you. It’s a yes-no question. And on a one to 10 scale, how concerned are you about the impacts of fugitive methane in driving global warming? Pruitt: Methane, as you indicated, has— Merkley: One to 10 scale. Highly, 10, very concerned; or one, not so concerned? Pruitt: The quantities of methane in the atmosphere compared to CO2 is less, but it’s far more potent, and it is— Merkley: Are you concerned? I’m asking about your level of concern. Pruitt: Yes, yes. Merkley: Highly concerned? Pruitt: I'm concerned. Merkley: Thank you. 1:13:34 Senator Jeff Merkley: Do you acknowledge sending this letter to the EPA in October 2011? Pruitt: Senator, that is a letter that’s on my letterhead that was sent to the EPA, yes, with respect to the issue. Merkley: You acknowledge that 97 percent of the words in that letter came directly from Devon Energy? Pruitt: I have not looked at the percentages, Senator. Merkley: The statement that’s been analyzed many times is that all of the 1,016 words, except for 37 words, were written directly by Devon Energy. Pruitt: Senator, that was a step that was taken as attorney general representing the interest of our state. Over 25 percent of our— Merkley: Yeah, so, I didn’t ask that question. I was just asking if you copied the letter virtually word for word. You have acknowledged that, yes, it’s in the record, people can count it, is correct. All right, so, a public office is about serving the public. There is a public concern over the impact of methane on global warming. There is scientific research showing that it’s far more devastating than anticipated and far more is leaking than—but you used your office as a direct extension of an oil company rather than a direct extension of the interests of the public health of the people of Oklahoma. Do you acknowledge that you presented a private oil company’s position rather than a position developed by the people of Oklahoma? Pruitt: Senator, with respect, I disagree. The efforts that I took as attorney general were representing the interests of the state of Oklahoma. Merkley: Earlier you said you— Pruitt: And there was a concern about— Merkley: No, no, excuse me. I’m asking the questions. You said earlier you listen to everyone. In drafting this letter, you took an oil company’s position, and then, without consulting people who had diverse views about the impact, you sent it off. How can you present that as representing the people of Oklahoma when you simply only consulted an oil company to push its own point of view for its private profit? Pruitt: Senator, there’s an obligation the EPA has to follow processes as established by this body. The cost-benefit analysis under Section 112 is something that they have to engage in. There was a concern about the overestimated percentages that the EPA put in the record—it was a record-based challenge—that was the expression of the letter to the EPA, and it was representing the interests of an industry in the state of Oklahoma— Merkley: Thank you. Pruitt: —not a company, an industry. Merkley: So, my question was, what other groups—environmental groups or other groups—did you consult so that you had that full perspective before representing simply a for-profit oil company using your official office and your official letterhead? Pruitt: There—I consulted with other environmental officials in Oklahoma that regulate that industry and learned from them with respect to the concerns about the estimates that were provided by the EPA. Merkley: Can you provide this committee with information showing who you consulted in representing this letter specifically for Devon Energy, because the information that’s in the public realm only shows that they simply sent you a letter, asked you to send it, and you sent it without questions. Pruitt: We have seven or so individuals in our office that are involved in these kinds of issues, and we will collect the information they have and provide it to this body pursuant to the chairman’s direction. Merkley: Your staff expanded substantially while you were in charge, to 251 staff members. Why do you need an outside oil company to draft a letter when you have 250 people working for you? Pruitt: Senator, as I’ve indicated, that was an effort that was protecting the state’s interest in making sure that we made the voices of all Oklahomans heard on a very important industry to our state. Merkley: You said that all heard, but you only sent it on behalf of a single voice: the oil company. Pruitt: That— Merkley: Thank you. 1:24:11 Senator Cory Booker: You’ve joined or filed 14 lawsuits against the EPA, challenging clean air and clean-water rules, yes? Scott Pruitt: We’ve been involved in multiple pieces of litigation, Senator. Booker: Yeah, but I’m looking at specifically 14, and, Mr. Chairman, I’d like to put those 14 lawsuits into the record, of where you specifically challenged the EPA on air quality. And let me just go through some of those. Chairman Barrasso: Without objection. Booker: Thank you, sir. To refresh your recollection, you filed two lawsuits challenging the EPA Mercury and Air Toxics Standards; you filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA’s 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone; you filed four lawsuits challenging the EPA’s Clean Power Plan; you have sued to challenge the EPA’s 111(b) standards for carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants; and you also sued to challenge the EPA’s Federal Implementation Plan for Oklahoma under the Regional Haze rule. You’re familiar with those, I imagine. Pruitt: Yes, Senator. Booker: And you filed a lawsuit challenging the EPA Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, something in New Jersey we’re very concerned with. And are you aware that that Rule, which you lost in that suit, scientists estimate that that alone prevents 400,000 asthma attacks nationally each year? Are you aware or those estimations? Pruitt: Yes, Your Honor. Or, yes, Senator. May I offer— Booker: I appreciate your promotion to judge. Let me continue, Mr. Pruitt. I don’t have that much time. Pruitt: Okay. Booker: So, each of these lawsuits that I just went through and that we analyzed, all of them challenge attempts by the EPA to reduce air pollution. In all of them except one you filed those lawsuits, joining with polluting companies that were also suing the EPA. And, so, in addition to filing those lawsuits with some of the polluting companies, or at least one that has now been specifically mentioned by two of my colleagues, you used substantial portions of the letters from those companies, put them on your official attorney general letterhead; and what was sort of surprising to me is that when you’ve been asked about this in the public, you basically represented that, “That’s actually called representative government in my view of the world.” Your testimony here says that you were representing industry; you were representing the polluters. And, so, with all of these lawsuits you filed, and with all of these letters like this one written to the EPA, on behalf of the industries that are causing the pollution, it seems clear to me that obviously the fact pattern on representing polluters is clear, that you worked very hard on behalf of these industries that have their profits externalized, negative externalities are their pollution. And, so, I just have a question for you specifically about the children of Oklahoma. Do you know how many kids in Oklahoma, roughly, have asthma? Pruitt: I do not, Senator. Booker: Well, according to the data published by the very non-partisan group, the American Lung Association, more than 111,000 children in Oklahoma, which is more than 10 percent, more than one in 10 of all the kids in Oklahoma, have asthma. That’s one of the highest asthma rates in the entire United States of America. Now, this is a crisis—similar data, for where I was mayor—and I can tell you firsthand the devastating impacts that asthma has on children and families: affecting their economic well-being; parents who have to watch their children struggle to breathe; people that have to miss work, rushing their kids to the hospital. One in 10 kids having a disease, missing school, is a significant problem. And so if you’ve been writing letters on behalf of polluting industries, I want to ask you, how many letters did you write to the EPA about this health crisis? If this is representative government, did you represent those children? I want to know what actions you’ve taken in the past six years in your capacity as protector of the welfare of Oklahoma citizens to protect the welfare of those 111,000 children. Did you ever let any of them write letters on your letterhead to the EPA, and did you even file one lawsuit—one lawsuit—on behalf of those kids to reduce the air pollution in your state and help them to have a healthy life? Pruitt: Senator, I’ve actually provided a list of cases to the chairman with respect to enforcement steps we’ve taken in multiple pieces of environmental litigation, but let me say to you, with respect to Cross-State Air Pollution and some of the cases you referred to, the state has to have an interest before it can bring those cases, as you know. You can’t just bring a lawsuit if you don’t have standing, if there’s not been some injury to the state of Oklahoma. In each of those cases, the court determined that there was a state interest— Booker: My time has expired, but if I could just say, injury, clearly asthma is triggered and caused by air pollutants. Clearly there is an air pollution problem, and the fact that you have not brought suits in any of the levels which you’ve represented the industries that are causing the pollution is really problematic when you’re going to sit in a position that is nationally supposed to be affecting this reality. And asthma in our country is the number one reason why children in America, health reason, why children in America miss school. 1:37:28 Senator Ed Markey: Eight of those cases are still ongoing, including your litigation that challenges critical rules that reduce levels of hazardous smog, mercury, and carbon pollution. As EPA administrator, you would be in a position to serve as plaintiff, defendant, judge, and jury on these ongoing eight lawsuits, and that would be wrong. In your ethics agreement, you have said that you would not participate in any matter that is ongoing litigation within one year, but, Mr. Pruitt, isn’t it correct that these lawsuits may very well continue for much longer than one year? Scott Pruitt: Well, Senator, I have the letter from the ethics counsel at the EPA, and the one-year time period is intended to address covered entities, entities that I served in a chairmanship or an officer capacity. The Southern Theological Seminary, the Windows Ministry, those entities are covered entities. So if there is a matter that arises before the EPA within a one-year period, a particular matter, a specific case that involves those entities, then the recusal would be in order. But that’s really the focus of the one-year timeline. Markey: So, will you agree to recuse yourself from those lawsuits which you brought as the attorney general of Oklahoma against the EPA, not just for one year, but for the entirety of the time that you are the administrator of the EPA? Will you commit to doing that? Pruitt: Senator, for clarity, I think that it’s important to note that the one-year time period, again, is for those covered entities that were highlighted in the EPA letter. With respect to pending litigation, the EPA ethics counsel has indicated, with respect to particular matters and specific parties, there will be an opportunity to get counsel from the EPA at that point to determine what steps could be taken to avoid appearances of impropriety. Markey: So, you will not recu—are you saying that you will not recuse yourself from the actual matters which you’re suing the EPA on right now as attorney general of Oklahoma for the time that you are the head of the EPA? Pruitt: I’m not saying that at all, Senator. Markey: You are saying that. Will you recuse yourself? Pruitt: I’m saying that the EPA ethics counsel has indicated those cases will require a review by the EPA ethics counsel, and if it involves a particular matter with a specific party, then recusal would potentially be in order, and I would follow the guidance and counsel of EPA ethics. Markey: I just think this is—this is a clear line for the American public, given your record from Oklahoma in suing the EPA on all of these matters, that if you don’t agree to recuse yourself, then, again, you become plaintiff, defendant, judge, and jury on the cases that you’re bringing right now as attorney general of Oklahoma against the EPA; and the EPA is for all of the people of the United States, not just the fossil-fuel industry of Oklahoma. So you’re not committing—and I think that’s a big mistake, Mr. Pruitt—to recuse yourself from those cases. It is critical. 2:19:49 Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: I’ve looked at your record. Most of the lawsuits you filed as attorney general were related to businesses, specifically what was important for your state in terms of employers and businesses, and the few lawsuits you did file about human safety were few and far between, but this role as head of the EPA, you’re going to have a much more important role to play. And I want to talk specifically about mercury. If you believe that mercury is a threat to public health but oppose the remedy of reducing mercury air pollution from power plants because it’s too costly, what, then, do you think you should do or what should be done to address the mercury pollution? Scott Pruitt: Let me say, Senator, mercury is something—it is a hazardous air pollutant under Section 112. It is something that the EPA has authority to regulate and should regulate. It should do so, though, within the framework established by this body, and the Supreme Court said that the EPA did not follow the cost-benefit obligations. It’s not that the benefits outweigh the costs, it’s just that they simply didn’t engage in a proper record-based support for their rule. And so that goes back to earlier questions with other senators about the process mattering, being committed to the rule of law and the rulemaking authority that Congress has given the EPA in making sure that as rules are passed, that they can be upheld in court. Gillibrand: But, I need you also to be worried about human health. I understand there’s a cost, but when you’re talking about lives, when you’re talking about children who can’t breathe—I’ve been to the emergency room at two in the morning with a child who can’t breathe; it’s a horrible thing. We’ve had children die in New York City because none of their teachers, no administrators in the schools knew what to do when a child has an asthma attack. It’s a huge problem. So I need you to care about human health and really believe that the cost, when human health is at risk, when people are dying, is far higher than it is the cost to that polluter to clean up the air and change their processes. I need you to feel it as if your children sitting behind you are the ones in the emergency room. I need you to know it. 2:31:32 Senator Bernie Sanders: And I apologize for being late, but we were at a hearing with Congressman Price, who is the nominee for HHS, and perhaps not a great idea to have important nominating hearings at exactly the same time. 2:33:30 Scott Pruitt: I believe the ability to measure with precision the degree of human activity’s impact on the climate is subject to more debate on whether the climate is changing or the human activity contributes to it. Senator Bernie Sanders: While you are not certain, the vast majority of scientists are telling us that if we do not get our act together and transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, there is a real question as to the quality of the planet that we are going to be leaving our children and our grandchildren. So, you are applying for a job as administrator for the EPA to protect our environment; overwhelming majority of scientists say we have got to act boldly, and you are telling me that there needs to be more debate on this issue and that we should not be acting boldly. Pruitt: No, Senator. As I’ve indicated, the climate is changing, and human activity impacts that. Sanders: But you haven’t told me why you think the climate is changing. Pruitt: Well, Senator, the job of the administrator is to carry out the statutes as passed by this body and to _ Sanders: Why is the climate changing? Pruitt: Senator, in response to the CO2 issue, the EPA administrator is constrained by statutes Sanders: I'm asking you a personal opinion. Pruitt: My personal opinion is immaterial— Sanders: Really?! Pruitt: —to the job of carrying out— Sanders: You are going to be the head of the agency to protect the environment, and your personal feelings about whether climate change is caused by human activity and carbon emissions is immaterial? Pruitt: Senator, I’ve acknowledged to you that the human activity impacts the climate. Sanders: Impacts. Pruitt: Yes. Sanders: Scientific community doesn’t tell us it impacts; they say it is the cause of climate change, we have to transform our energy system. Do you believe we have to transform our energy system in order to protect the planet for future generations? Pruitt: I believe the EPA has a very important role at regulating the emissions of CO2. Sanders: You didn’t answer my question. Do you believe we have to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel, to do what the scientific community is telling us, in order to make sure that this planet is healthy for our children and grandchildren? Pruitt: Senator, I believe that the administrator has a very important role to perform in regulating CO2. Sanders: Can you tell me, as I think all of us know, Oklahoma has been subjected to a record-breaking number of earthquakes. Scientists say that Oklahoma is almost certain to have more earthquakes, with heightened risk of a large quake, probable to endure for a decade and that the cause of this is fracking. Can you point me—picking up on Senator Harris’s discussion with you, can you point me to any opinion that you wrote, any enforcement actions you took, against the companies that were injecting waste fracking water? Pruitt: Senator, let me say I’m very concerned about the connection between activity in Oklahoma and- Sanders: And, therefore, you must have taken action, I guess. Can you tell me who you fined for doing this, if you are very concerned? Pruitt: The Corporation Commission in Oklahoma is vested with the jurisdiction, and they have actually acted on that. Sanders: And you have made public statements expressing your deep concern about this. Pruitt: We have worked with, through our- Sanders: You have made public statements. You’re in a state which is seeing a record-breaking number of earthquakes. You’re the attorney general. Obviously, you have stood up and said you will do everything you can to stop future earthquakes as a result of fracking. Pruitt: Senator, I’ve acknowledged that I’m concerned about the- Sanders: You acknowledged that you are concerned. Pruitt: Yes. Sanders: Your state is having a record number of—well, if that’s the kind of administrator for the EPA—your state’s having a record-breaking number of earthquakes, you acknowledge you are concerned; if that’s the kind of EPA administrator you will be, you are not going to get my vote. 2:37:43 Senator John Barrasso: I want to talk about some of the concerns I have with overregulation, and I’ll ask, do you have the same concerns with the overregulation of U.S. manufacturing over the last eight years? I believe we’ve _____(00:08) exported manufacturing jobs overseas, jobs that go with them in terms of the manufacturing of those goods to places like China and India that are going to produce those products in a less environmentally friendly way. And do you agree with this notion that this approach harms not just the environment, but also our own U.S. economy? Pruitt I believe, Senator, that it puts us in an economic disadvantage when we don’t hear all voices in the rulemaking process with respect to these issues, absolutely. Part 2 17:04 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: Let me just ask you this as a hypothetical: if you had raised significant amounts of money for the Rule of Law Defense Fund from corporations who will be subject to EPA’s regulation, before EPA, with matters before EPA, might that place you in a conflict of interest? Scott Pruitt: The EPA ethics counsel has said—and by the way, these are career individuals as you know, Senator. Justina Fugh is a career person at EPA ethics, and so as they’ve reviewed these potential conflicts, I’ve disclosed all entities I’ve been affiliated with. Whitehouse: I understand that, but I’m asking you if you think it might place you in a conflict of interest, because we both understand that the ethics rules that the EPA’s enforcing predate Citizens United, predate dark money, and they’ve said in the letter that they aren’t even looking at that because they don’t have the authority to. That doesn’t mean it’s not a conflict of interest; it means that the regulatory authority on government ethics hasn’t caught up with this post-Citizens United, dark-money world. Pruitt: I think— Whitehouse: My question is, you’re a lawyer, you know conflicts of interest, you’ve been an attorney general, might it be a conflict of interest, within your definition of the term, if you had raised significant amounts of money for this Rule of Law Defense Fund and they’ll have business before EPA with you? Is that a potential conflict of interest? Pruitt: I think Justina Fugh actually did address those entities to the degree that I was never an officer of the super PAC that you referred to earlier, the Liberty 2.0, and so they looked at those entities to determine— Whitehouse: The question was fund raising. Pruitt: They looked at those entities— Whitehouse: That’s the question we don’t have any answers on is what you raised. Pruitt: They looked at those entities to determine what the nature of my relationship was and then indicated that those would have to be evaluated in the future as cases arose, and— Whitehouse: Right now, the chairman asked you a question which is, are there matters that might place you in a conflict of interest that you have not disclosed? You answered no. Might not having raised significant money—let’s say $1 million, let’s say you made a call to Devon Energy and said, I did you letter for you, RAGA needs a lot of money, we’ve got this dark-money thing where we can launder your identity clean off it, and the money will go into RAGA, I need a million bucks out of you—might that not create a conflict of interest for you if that were the facts? Pruitt: Ms. Fugh has indicated in her letter to me—again, these are career individuals at EPA ethics—that if particular matters involving specific parties arise in the future, it will be evaluated at that point, but I want to call into account— Whitehouse: But how will they know if you’re not willing to disclose that you raised the hypothetical million dollars from Devon Energy? Pruitt: Well, those aren’t even covered entities under her letter at this point. Whitehouse: That's my point. Pruitt: But it’s factual— Whitehouse: But that may very well create a conflict of interest, mightn’t it? Pruitt: Senator, I did not serve in an office or capacity at that entity. In fact, I was not [unclear] in any way— Whitehouse: You’ve said that already, too, but that also is not the question. The question is a very simple one: did you raise money for the Rule of Law Defense Fund from entities that will appear before EPA as potential defendants in subjects of regulation, and if so, how much, and what did you tell them, and what did you ask? It seems to me that’s not an unusual or— Pruitt: The Rule of Law Defense Fund, according to Ms. Fugh, would need to be a party in the future for that to be an issue. That’s what she’s indicated in her letter to me. Whitehouse: So— Pruitt: At the time— Whitehouse: So let me— Pruitt: —if issues arise in the future, I will seek the counsel of EPA ethics and follow the advice of those career folks to make a decision and recuse if necessary. That is— Whitehouse: But at this point— Pruitt: —something I commit to doing. Whitehouse: At this point, what I deduce from your statement is that if that set of hypothetical facts were true, if you had raised a million dollars from a big energy corporation to go through the Rule of Law Defense Fund to support your efforts at RAGA, that that is not something anybody should care about, even if that corporation is before you at EPA and subject to your regulation at EPA. Pruitt: Well, I think something that, if presented in the future, Justina Fugh and myself, EPA ethics would evaluate that, and I would take the appropriate steps to recuse if they told me to do so. Whitehouse: But how would it be presented in the future if you’re not willing to present it now? Pruitt: If there’s a matter— Whitehouse: Why does it matter in the future and not now? Pruitt: If there’s a matter or cast that comes before the EPA’s authority, that would be something. There’s ongoing—as you know, Senator, Ms. Fugh indicated this in her letter—there’s ongoing obligations that I will have, if confirmed as administrator, to bring those kinds of matters to attention of EPA ethics. Whitehouse: Well, for what it’s worth, I think that the Senate has a role in policing this as well, that the whole purpose of advice and consent and the reason there are these government ethics filings is so we can look at this exact question, and the fact that they haven’t been updated to take into account dark money and all these big political organizations that have been created with dark money doesn’t take away our Senate obligation to find out what conflicts of interest you will bring to the position of administrator. And it gives me very little comfort that you’re not willing to answer those questions here. My time has expired. I’ll continue in other rounds. 1:07:50 Senator Ed Markey: Do you support the current California waiver for greenhouse gas standards? Scott Pruitt: Senator, that’s what would be evaluated, and I think it’s very difficult, and we shouldn’t prejudge the outcome in that regard if confirmed as administrator. Markey: So you’re questioning the current waiver. You don’t think they’re entitled to the current waiver. Pruitt: Well, the waiver is something that’s granted on an annual basis, and the administrator would be responsible for making that decision. Markey: Yeah. And so you say you’re going to review it. Pruitt: Yes, Senator. Markey: Yeah. And when you say review, I hear undo the rights of the states, and I think to a certain extent that it’s troublesome because, obviously, what we’ve heard all day is how much you support states’ rights when it comes to these issues, but now when it comes to the right of California or Massachusetts and other states to be able to reduce carbon pollution, you’re saying you’re going to review that. So my problem really goes to this double standard that is created that when you sue from the Oklahoma perspective, from the oil and gas industry perspective, and you represent Oklahoma, you say they have a right to do what they want to do in the state of Oklahoma. But when it comes to Massachusetts or it comes to California, and it comes to the question of those states wanting to increase their protection for the environment, protect their victimization from carbon pollution, you say there you’re going to review. 1:51:58 Senator Jim Inhofe: The cost of regulations: as you know, the Supreme Court overturned the EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics—that’s MATS—rule in 2015 because the EPA failed to—ignored the fact that the cost was $9.6 billion annually of the rule. Now, in fact, the EPA’s regularly issued rules over the past eight years that are very costly for our industries and our job creators. According to the CRS—now, CRS, when they make an evaluation, are much more conservative, the figure is always a very conservative figure, but they said the Clean Power Plan would be at least $5 billion to $8 billion a year. The figures I’ve heard on that are far greater because it wouldn’t be that much different than the old systems that they tried to do through legislation: the methane standards on oil and gas facilities, $315 million a year; the new ozone standards, $1.4 billion; the 2015 coal ash standards, $587 million a year; and the 2011 sulfur dioxide standards, $1.5 billion a year. Now, when you hear this, all this money is being spent on compliance costs by our job creators, people out there that are working for a living, and they’re hiring people. What are you thoughts, and what do you believe should be the role of the costs of EPA’s decision making? Pruitt: I think it’s very important in the rule-making process, Senator, and the Supreme Court and courts have recognized that very important factor. 1:54:46 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: We have been talking about fundraising done by you for the Rule of Law Defense Fund during the time when you were both a board member and for a full year the chairman of the Rule of Law Defense Fund and the fact that we have exactly zero information in this committee about that fundraising. We also have zero—and let me ask unanimous consent for the page from— Chairman Barrasso: Without objection. Whitehouse: —the filing that discloses that he was in fact a member of the board of directors and chairman of the Rule of Law Defense Fund. We also have a meeting agenda from the Republican Attorney Generals Association during a time that you were executive committee member of the Republican Attorney Generals Association meeting at The Greenbrier, which I’ll stipulate for my friend from West Virginia is a lovely place to go, and the agenda, which I’d like to take this page of and put into the record, mentions a private meeting with Murray Energy. It mentions a private meeting with Southern Company. It mentions a private meeting with the American Fuel Petrochemical Manufacturers. If you’ll show the graphic, these are all the same groups that I’d been asking about in terms of your fundraising for the Rule of Law Defense Fund, and there’s Murray Energy, and there’s Southern Company, and I’m sure the American Fuel Petrochemical Manufacturers represent a lot of the others. As I understand it, we know nothing—no minutes, no statements, no reports—about what took place in those meetings that are described as private meetings on a sheet that is stamped “confidential.” Correct? We know nothing about the content of those meetings. Scott Pruitt: Senator, I didn’t generate the document. I know nothing about how that document got generated or what— Whitehouse: Are you denying that those private meetings took place? Pruitt: No, Senator. I just didn’t generate the document and don’t know about the content other than what you’ve represented. Whitehouse: Okay. And we don’t know. And because you were on the executive committee of RAGA, that’s information that we could get, right? I mean, it’s available, if there were minutes or reports out of those meetings, notes taken; but we don’t have them, correct? Pruitt: Senator, that would be a request made to the Republican Attorney Generals Association. And I might add, the Republican Attorney Generals Association, there’s a Democrat Attorney Generals Association as well. 1:59:43 Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: Given how many of these groups have important financial interests before the EPA, do you not think that 3,000 emails back and forth between you and your office and them are relevant to potential conflict of interest as an administrator and should be before us as we consider this? Scott Pruitt: Again, I think the EPA ethics council has put out a very clear process with respect to covered entities, as we described earlier, and on particular matters and specific cases, I will follow advice of that EPA career person, ethics, to make sure that there are recusing [unclear]— Whitehouse: You keep saying that, but the problem is— Chairman Barrasso: The senator’s time has expired. Whitehouse: Will you finish my sentence? Barrasso: Please do. Whitehouse: The problem with that is that if you haven’t disclosed any of this information, then the EPA ethics council would have no idea to even look. They would have no idea what the risks are. You can’t say, nobody can look at whether I did this, but by the way, they’re going to look at it. It just doesn’t add up. 2:12:30 Senator Jeff Merkley: Ten years ago we were talking about models that led to the conversation Senator Inhofe had about Climategate, about wrestling with assumptions and models. We don’t need models now; we have facts on the ground: the moose are dying because the ticks aren’t being killed by the winter being cold enough, the fish are migrating on the Atlantic coast, and Maine’s losing its lobsters to Canada. These facts on the ground are extraordinarily real, they have a huge economic impact, and shouldn’t we take a very serious approach to the urgency of this problem as we see it descending upon us? Scott Pruitt: Senator, I think the EPA—and if confirmed [missing audio] and obligation to deal with the issue. The Massachusetts v. EPA case says that CO2 is a pollutant under the Clean Air Act, and as such, that’s what generated the 2009 endangerment finding. So I think there is a legal obligation presently for the EPA administrator to respond to the CO2 issue through proper regulations. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

Podcast of CT-N's Coverage of Campaign 2010 - 10-14-10

Podcast of CT-N's Coverage of Campaign 2010 - 10-14-10

After 17 years in Congress, Republican Jim Ramstad of Minnesota says he is not going to run again. He won his last election by a huge margin. You might think that means the Republicans have the edge in this district for 2008. I have been crunching the numbers and that might not be so. Watch the video for more details (Cross posted from The Uptake)iPod video fileIt’s been 17 years since anyone other than Jim Ramstad has represented Minnesota’s Third Congressional District. Now that he’s decided not to run in 2008, the question is which party is more likely to win the seat.Ramstad has won his seat by huge margins. So on the surface it seems like a safe bet that any other Republican would have the same advantage in the third district. But a look at voting trends from the last several elections indicates it may not be that easy.Let’s look at how the Third District has voted in recent races that Jim Ramstad was not in.First there’s last year’s US Senate race. DFLer Amy Klobuchar won the third district by 15 percentage points. Hardly a close race.But those same voters also backed Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty by a larger margin than he got statewide.In the other statewide races, which tend to be less partisan the Republican Attorney General candidate was just 311 votes better than the statewide winner DFLer Lori Swanson.The DFL won the State Auditor’s race in Ramstad’s district, but lost the Secretary of State’s race.So the Third District has a lot of ticket-splitters. It’s not a shoe-in for a Republican candidate.But trends indicate this may be a Congressional seat the DFL could take in 2008. The DFL has picked up a total of seven state legislative seats in Ramstad’s district since 2004, indicating the area may be trending Blue.