Podcast appearances and mentions of vivian salama

Some of Donald Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks will be trying to win over the Senate next week. It comes as Trump threatens allies and friends from Denmark to Panama, giving new meaning to “America First.” Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Laura Barrón-López of PBS News Hour, Carl Hulse of The New York Times, Tom Nichols of The Atlantic, and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to disc

Joe Biden is still president, but you wouldn't know it. Elon Musk and his partner, President-elect Trump, are making it clear that they are already in charge and a government shutdown is on the table. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Asma Khalid of NPR, Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic, Ashley Parker of The Washington Post and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to discuss this and more.

On today’s show: The Wall Street Journal’s Vivian Salama shares what we know so far about who will be in Trump’s Cabinet. Jake Bittle of Grist outlines five important issues to track at the COP29 climate conference this year. CNN’s Betsy Klein explains how President Biden is racing to Trump-proof his legacy. Plus, a New York judge is set to decide today whether the president-elect’s 34-count conviction for falsifying business records can stand. Maryland posthumously declared abolitionist Harriet Tubman a one-star general for her role in the Union Army. And the complicated story of lab monkeys that escaped from a research facility. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

This is the closest presidential race in memory, and one of the strangest and most foreboding, as well. How did we get here, and where are we headed? Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Peter Baker of The New York Times, McKay Coppins of The Atlantic, Eugene Daniels of Politico and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to discuss this and more.

Next week, American voters will decide who will become the next President of the United States: former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. In this week's episode, One Decision's Christina Ruffini speaks to Vivian Salama, Wall Street Journal's national politics reporter, to see what she's watching ahead of the election. Later, Christina sits down with her co-host, former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director Leon Panetta, to discuss what the world can expect following the election, the candidates' foreign policy plans, potential Cabinet members, and how a new administration— whether Trump or Harris—could influence Western alliances. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out a previous episode of One Decision with former National Security Advisor John Bolton, which features our other spymaster, former head of Britain's MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove.

With Election Day just over two weeks away, Harris and Trump are ratcheting up their rhetoric in key battleground states. Plus, what the death of Hamas' leader means for Middle East tensions. Join guest moderator Franklin Foer, Peter Baker of The New York Times, Francesca Chambers of USA Today, Susan Glasser of The New Yorker and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to discuss this and more.

P.M. Edition for Sept. 10. Wall Street Journal reporter Vivian Salama explains what to expect in the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. And U.S. incomes rose for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic. WSJ's Paul Overberg explains why many Americans might not be feeling richer. Plus, Bank of America invests $205 million in carbon-capture tax credits. The Journal's Amrith Ramkumar discusses the significance of the deal. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President Harris and former President Trump will soon face off in a televised debate. With less than 60 days until the election, the candidates and their running mates are working to sway swing state voters. Join guest moderator William Brangham, Leigh Ann Caldwell of Washington Post Live, Lisa Desjardins of PBS News Hour and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to discuss this and more.

Kamala Harris seems to be enjoying taking the fight directly to Donald Trump. Trump's Biden playbook is no longer operative and he's struggling to find a way to stop Harris's momentum. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Anne Applebaum of The Atlantic, Elisabeth Bumiller of The New York Times, Steve Inskeep of NPR and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to discuss this and more.

A.M. Edition for July 18. WSJ editor Aaron Zitner says Donald Trump's running mate is connecting some of the economic grievance that drove the Republicans' 2016 campaign to more recent discontent, and WSJ reporter Vivian Salama says his stance on Ukraine is fueling unease in Europe. Plus, Goldman Sachs opens up an investment strategy once reserved for the wealthy. And, Bud Light slips to the No.3 spot more than a year after a boycott turned the U.S. beer industry upside down. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for July 15th. Leaders in the U.S. call for unity after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. WSJ national political reporter Vivian Salama discusses how this historic event will affect this year's presidential election, and what to expect from this week's Republican National Convention. Plus, Google closes in on a deal to buy cybersecurity startup Wiz. And, China's economy slows sharply. Kate Bullivant hosts.  Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for July 1. The U.S. Supreme Court says Donald Trump has immunity from some prosecution. WSJ's Jess Bravin dissects the ruling. And national politics reporter Vivian Salama discusses the potential impact on the 2024 presidential race. Plus, Heard on the Street columnist Jon Sindreu explains why French markets seem to embrace political uncertainty following the first round of legislative elections. Sabrina Siddiqui hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're just days away from watching Joe Biden and Donald Trump, two men whose combined age is 159, debate in front of a television audience of millions. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Anne Applebaum of The Atlantic, Zolan Kanno-Youngs of The New York Times, Jonathan Karl of ABC News and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal for a look at what to expect when the rivals take the stage.

Joe Biden brings the hammer down on Israel and Marjorie Taylor Greene tries, and fails, to bring the hammer down on the House Speaker. Plus, the very strange trial of an ex-president continues. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Peter Baker of The New York Times, Jonathan Karl of ABC News, Elaina Plott Calabro of The Atlantic and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to discuss this and more.

Speaker Mike Johnson is learning that friends can appear in unlikely places, including the Democratic caucus. Plus, Israel and Iran bring more uncertainty to the Middle East. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Eugene Daniels of Politico, Seung Min Kim of the Associated Press, Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal and Graeme Wood of The Atlantic to discuss this and more.

P.M. Edition for April 4. President Biden has called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the White House. National politics reporter Vivian Salama has more. Meanwhile, the Israeli military scrambled GPS signals today, as the country prepares for possible retaliation from Iran. Plus, why Amazon sellers are miffed about return theft. Annmarie Fertoli hosts. Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 - 10:14)A Dark Day in US Diplomacy: The U.S. ‘Abstains' on UN Gaza Ceasefire ResolutionExplanation of Vote Delivered by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield Following the Adoption of a UNSC Resolution on the Situation in the Middle East by United States Mission to the United NationsPart II (10:14 - 18:58)Biden Looks Left as Netanyahu Looks Right: The Political and Global Pressures Pulling the U.S. and Israel Apart over GazaBiden-Netanyahu rift grows, as Israel cancels delegation visit by The Washington Post (Karen DeYoung, Yasmeen Abutaleb and Toluse Olorunnipa)Israel Cancels Visit to Washington After U.S. Abstains on U.N. Cease-Fire Resolution by The Wall Street Journal (Michael R. Gordon, Vivian Salama, and Dov Lieber)Biden Abstains on Israel and Hamas by The Wall Street Journal (The Editorial Board)Loser of the UN Resolution: Biden by Commentary Magazine (Seth Mandel)Part III (18:58 - 25:18)Sociologists for Palestine? Proposed American Sociological Association Resolution Goes After Existence of IsraelAmerican Sociological Association by Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (01/16/2024): 3:05pm- On Monday night, former president Donald Trump won the Iowa caucus with 51% of his party's vote—with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis earning 21%, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 19%, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy finishing fourth with 8%. Media outlets called Trump the winner roughly 30-minutes after the caucus began and before some votes were cast. 3:15pm- The Wall Street Journal noted that “Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses Monday night with the largest margin in the history of the first Republican presidential nominating contest.” You can read the full recap from John McCormick, Alex Leary, and Eliza Collins here: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/iowa-caucus-2024-republican-primary-d55c152a 3:20pm- Following the release of Monday's Iowa caucus results, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy announced he was suspending his campaign. Ramaswamy finished fourth with roughly 8% of the vote and is now endorsing Republican frontrunner Donald Trump. 3:40pm- After learning he finished a distant second to Donald Trump in Monday's Iowa caucus, Ron DeSantis told a crowd of supporters that “we've got our ticket punched out of Iowa”—calling the result a success as rivals “spent almost $50 million attacking” him and his campaign. 4:05pm- During his Iowa caucus victory speech, Donald Trump joked: “I want to congratulate Ron [DeSantis] and Nikki [Haley] for having a good time” in Iowa. However, MSNBC did not air his speech—host Rachel Maddow explained that the decision was “not out of spite” but because the television station didn't want to broadcast “untrue things.” In the same broadcast, Joy Reid accused white Christians in Iowa of supporting Trump because they believe everyone aside from “white, conservative Christians” are “fraudulent” Americans. She also accused Ron DeSantis of destroying Florida's K-12 education system—however, a quick fact check indicates it's actually ranked #1 in country. 4:20pm- Despite finishing behind former President Donald and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Iowa caucus, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley claimed that the Republican presidential nomination is now a “two-person race” between herself and Trump. According to Real Clear Politics polling averages, Trump leads Haley 44% to 29% in New Hampshire and 52% to 22% in her home state of South Carolina. 4:30pm- On a recent episode of The Journal podcast, New Hampshire voters revealed that they are changing their party affiliation from Democrat to Republican prior to the state's January 23rd primary. Because they can't vote for their preferred candidate—Joe Biden—as he won't appear on the ballot following a Democrat National Committee feud with the state over scheduling dates, many Democrat voters are now registering as Republicans in order to vote against Donald Trump, supporting rival candidates like Nikki Haley. Democrats have seemingly destroyed their own New Hampshire primary, are they impacting the Republican primary as well? 4:40pm- The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board writes: “The Supreme Court has been trying to restore the proper constitutional balance of power, and its next opportunity comes Wednesday when it hears two cases challenging its own landmark Chevron doctrine (Loper Bright Enterprises, Inc., v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Dept. of Commerce). In 1984 in Chevron v. NRDC, the Justices ruled that courts should defer to administrative agencies' interpretation of laws when the statutory text is silent or ambiguous. In practice this has become a license for Congress to write vague laws that delegate legislative power to administrative agencies. Over the last 40 years the federal register of regulations has grown by tens of thousands of pages. Wednesday's cases are textbook examples of how regulators invoke Chevron to expand their power and impose enormous burdens on Americans. Family-owned herring fisheries and vessel operators are challenging an obscure Commerce rule that requires New England fisheries to pay for on-board monitors.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-case-for-the-supreme-court-to-overturn-chevron-deference-e7f762b4?mod=opinion_lead_pos2 5:05pm- On Monday night, former president Donald Trump won the Iowa caucus with 51% of his party's vote—with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis earning 21%, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 19%, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy finishing fourth with 8%. Media outlets called Trump the winner roughly 30-minutes after the caucus began and before some votes were cast. Despite finishing behind former President Donald and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Iowa caucus, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley claimed that the Republican presidential nomination is now a “two-person race” between herself and Trump. According to Real Clear Politics polling averages, Trump leads Haley 44% to 29% in New Hampshire and 52% to 22% in her home state of South Carolina. With Trump seemingly well on his way towards winning the Republican nomination, despite Haley's claims to the contrary, who might the former president select to be his Vice President? 5:10pm- On Monday Night Football, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 32 to 9. The Eagles finished their season losing six of their final seven games. Will head coach Nick Sirianni be fired? According to reports, Eagles All-Pro Center—and future Hall of Famer—Jason Kelce is expected to retire. 5:30pm- In The New York Times podcast Matter of Opinion, hosts Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat, and Carlos Lozada discussed the possibility that if Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election, he might run again in 2028—wrongfully claiming he was constitutionally permitted to serve again because his presidential terms weren't consecutive. 5:40pm- While speaking with CNBC, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Ukraine needs an additional $50 billion in aid. He also emphasized that “this is not a forever war.” 5:50pm- Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal reports: “The Biden administration plans to put the Houthi rebel group back on its list of foreign terrorist organizations, days after the U.S. launched strikes on its facilities in Yemen in retaliation for months of attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.” You can read more here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-s-to-put-houthis-back-on-terrorist-list-596a974a# 5:55pm- Following the release of Monday's Iowa caucus results, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy announced he was suspending his campaign. Ramaswamy finished fourth with roughly 8% of the vote and is now endorsing Republican frontrunner Donald Trump. 6:05pm- Suzanne Monyak of Bloomberg Law writes: “Conservative appellate judges, including three appointed by Donald Trump, decried what they view as an unprecedented search of the former president's social media records as part of the special counsel's election interference investigation. Decisions by two courts blessing a search warrant into Trump's Twitter account “have flipped the presumption” that presidential communications should be privileged, Judge Neomi Rao of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit wrote Tuesday.” 6:10pm-Ryan Binkley shocks the world in Iowa caucus! Wait. Who? No one has ever heard of him, but Binkley somehow won more votes than former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie combined. 6:20pm- In an editorial featured in The Wall Street Journal, Tal Fortgang writes: “The anti-Israel demonstrators who have blocked traffic in major cities across the country know that their victims are decent people. There is little risk that the drivers who can't get to their jobs, families and other obligations will run them over because those drivers are careful to avoid harming others and breaking the law—even as they face down people who flagrantly do both… Those who reacted to Hamas's Oct. 7 attack by doubling down on calls for Israel's elimination emulate Hamas by inflicting suffering on innocent people to achieve their political ends, albeit at a much smaller scale. Seeing their own cause as absolutely righteous, they are blind to the cruelty of their own actions and prey upon those too decent to respond with deterrent force. They think they are engaging in civil disobedience, the tactic that exposed the injustice of racial segregation. But they aren't trying to draw attention to the wrongness of the laws they are breaking; they are trying to draw attention to an unrelated political issue. These demonstrators would more accurately be called civil terrorists.” You can read the full editorial here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/blocking-the-road-is-a-hamas-like-strategem-anti-israel-protesters-099787f0?mod=opinion_lead_pos7 6:40pm- Did a half-naked man randomly just walk through Dick Morris' living room during a Newsmax appearance?

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 3: On Monday night, former president Donald Trump won the Iowa caucus with 51% of his party's vote—with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis earning 21%, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 19%, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy finishing fourth with 8%. Media outlets called Trump the winner roughly 30-minutes after the caucus began and before some votes were cast. Despite finishing behind former President Donald and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the Iowa caucus, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley claimed that the Republican presidential nomination is now a “two-person race” between herself and Trump. According to Real Clear Politics polling averages, Trump leads Haley 44% to 29% in New Hampshire and 52% to 22% in her home state of South Carolina. With Trump seemingly well on his way towards winning the Republican nomination, despite Haley's claims to the contrary, who might the former president select to be his Vice President? On Monday Night Football, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 32 to 9. The Eagles finished their season losing six of their final seven games. Will head coach Nick Sirianni be fired? According to reports, Eagles All-Pro Center—and future Hall of Famer—Jason Kelce is expected to retire. In The New York Times podcast Matter of Opinion, hosts Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat, and Carlos Lozada discussed the possibility that if Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election, he might run again in 2028—wrongfully claiming he was constitutionally permitted to serve again because his presidential terms weren't consecutive. While speaking with CNBC, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Ukraine needs an additional $50 billion in aid. He also emphasized that “this is not a forever war.” Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal reports: “The Biden administration plans to put the Houthi rebel group back on its list of foreign terrorist organizations, days after the U.S. launched strikes on its facilities in Yemen in retaliation for months of attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.” You can read more here: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-s-to-put-houthis-back-on-terrorist-list-596a974a# Following the release of Monday's Iowa caucus results, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy announced he was suspending his campaign. Ramaswamy finished fourth with roughly 8% of the vote and is now endorsing Republican frontrunner Donald Trump.

Ukraine is fighting Russia on the eastern front and Israel is hunting Hamas in Gaza. How President Biden navigates this crisis could determine the future of democracy around the globe and at home. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Anne Applebaum of The Atlantic, Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post, Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal and Chuck Todd of NBC News to discuss this and more.

A.M. Edition for Nov. 6. Under pressure to secure a pause in Israel-Hamas fighting and ease regional tensions, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken rushed to visit leaders around the Middle East over the weekend. The Journal's Vivian Salama explains the challenges he faces as opinions about the crisis harden. Plus, foreign brands feel the squeeze as Chinese consumers pull back on spending. And why migrants from around the world are showing up at the U.S. southern border. Luke Vargas hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 3. U.S. employers added 150,000 jobs to the economy last month, signaling a cooling economy. Economics reporter David Harrison explains. Plus, national security reporter Vivian Salama has more on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Israel. And on Sunday we will be a year away from the U.S. presidential election. White House reporter Ken Thomas explains how Americans are feeling about a potential rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Annmarie Fertoli hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As war rages on between Israel and Hamas, civilians across the region are suffering. We hear an update about the 21-year-old Israeli Adi Meisel, who disappeared after Hamas attacked a music festival. And, we hear from people trapped within Gaza. And, NBC's Sahil Kapur and the Wall Street Journal's Vivian Salama discuss why the leadership crisis in the House GOP deepened this week, and what the political fallout might be from President Biden's trip to Israel this week after the bombing of a hospital in Gaza. Then, director Raoul Peck's new documentary "Silver Dollar Road" centers on one family who had their land taken from them even though several family members live on the property.

Six days after the deadliest pogrom since the Holocaust, Israel is on the attack and Gaza's civilians are in mortal danger. For now, the U.S. is supporting Israel's overwhelming response. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, David Ignatius of The Washington Post, Susan Glasser of The New Yorker, Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal and Mary Louise Kelly of NPR to discuss this and more.

Republicans this week continued to fight over government funding, with pressure growing for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, just as Ukraine's president visited Capitol Hill seeking weapons and aid. Join moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, Steve Inskeep of NPR's Morning Edition, Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal and Manu Raju of CNN's Inside Politics to discuss these stories and more.

After a tense start, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky walked away from the NATO summit with some tangible wins—unprecedented long-term security commitments–and a clear path to join the alliance. In this week's bonus episode, Brett Bruen, the former Director of Global Engagement in President Obama's White House speaks with the Wall Street Journal's Vivian Salama from Vilnius, Lithuania. They discuss the big takeaways from the meeting, Ukraine's future and how Russian President Vladimir Putin may view the developments out of Vilnius. Salama also shares an update on her colleague, reporter Evan Gershkovich who has been detained for over 100 days in a Russian prison. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for July 11. A federal judge has ruled that Microsoft can close its $75 billion deal to buy videogame publisher Activision Blizzard, clearing a major hurdle in the U.S. Tech reporter Sarah Needleman has more on what's next. Plus, NATO agrees to pull Ukraine closer, but fails to offer a timeline for membership, disappointing Kyiv. National security reporter Vivian Salama reports from the NATO summit in Lithuania. Annmarie Fertoli hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hunter Biden reaches a plea deal and outraged Republicans vow to further investigate the president's family. Plus, tensions between the U.S. and China flare up just a day after a delicate diplomatic visit. Join guest moderator William Brangham, Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal, Mary Bruce of ABC News, Carl Hulse of The New York Times and Weijia Jiang of CBS News to discuss this and more.

The Supreme Court once again wades into the battle over reproductive rights. Plus, an arrest is made in one of the worst leaks of classified U.S. intelligence in years. Join guest moderator Amna Nawaz, Sarah McCammon of NPR, Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post, Carl Hulse of The New York Times, Franco Ordoñez of NPR and Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal to discuss this and more.

A Russian GRU operative posing as a Brazilian student in the U.S. was arrested, after the FBI and the CIA kept tabs on him for years. Moscow retaliated and detained American journalist Evan Gershkovich on trumped-up charges of espionage.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/DUBIOUS today to get 10% off your first month of therapy. In this episode we discuss the specifics of Sergey Cherkasov's arrest: Sergey is a Russian spy, an illegal, arrested by the Danish authorities in Brazil. If you like our content, please become a patron to get all our episodes ad-free. Cherkasov's legend – a made-up bio created by the GRU, Russia's military intelligence service – presented him as Victor Muller Ferreira, a Brazilian student in his late 20s. In reality, Sergey is 33 and a spy. Using fake documents, he managed to obtain a post graduate diploma from John Hopkins University. He then was offered a junior analyst position at the International Criminal Court, the same institution that recently issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of war crimes in Ukraine. The CIA and the FBI had been keeping tabs on him for a while, so he was arrested in Brazil in April 2022 and will spend the next 15 years in prison. 1 The Russian spy story broke on March 26 in The Guardian, and just 4 days later, on March 30, 2023, the Wall Street Journal reporter was arrested near Moscow. Not a coincidence, this was probably payback for the public embarrassment the Russian intelligence services are facing after a very sloppy operative they trained was caught. 2 Evan Gershkovich, a thirty-one-year-old reporter for the Wall Street Journal is the son of Soviet-born émigrés who came to the U.S. in the late seventies. He was detained while on a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg, a city 800 miles east of Moscow. The next day, he was brought to Moscow, formally charged with espionage in a closed hearing, and ordered to be held in Lefortovo Prison awaiting trial. Evan Gershkovich is accredited to work as a journalist in Russia by the country's foreign ministry. 3 1. Greg Miller. He came to D.C. as a Brazilian student. The U.S. says he was a Russian spy.. The Washington Post. March 2023. ⇤2. Joshua Yaffa. The Unimaginable Horror of a Friend's Arrest in Moscow. The New Yorker. March 2023. ⇤3. Daniel Michaels, Vivian Salama, and Jared Malsin. White House Condemns Russia's Detention of Wall Street Journal Reporter. The Wall Street Journal. March 2023. ⇤4. Greg Botelho. Dangerous diplomacy: A look at U.S. diplomats killed in the line of duty. CNN. March 2015. ⇤

P.M. Edition for April 5. The U.S. State Department is working on an official “wrongful detention” designation for WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia last week. National security reporter Vivian Salama reports. Plus, national legal affairs reporter Laura Kusisto explains how abortion rights played a key role in Wisconsin's Supreme Court election. Annmarie Fertoli hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Biden made a secret trip to Ukraine marking the first anniversary of the Russian invasion. Plus, Republicans criticize the president arguing he should be more focused on the Ohio train derailment and immigration. Join moderator Yamiche Alcindor, Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal, David Sanger of The New York Times, Weijia Jiang of CBS News and Abby Phillip of CNN to discuss.

Experts from FDD's Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program were scheduled to attend the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) annual conference at The Hague when they learned their attendance was blocked. Iran, Syria, and/or Russia – all known rogue proliferators—managed to veto the attendance of FDD observers. What are the chemical weapons and proliferation concerns associated with each of these rogue states and North Korea? What can Washington and allied nations do to hold them to account? FDD hosted an on-the-record event to discuss the state of global nonproliferation efforts, the role each of these proliferators play individually and in coordination with each other, and recommendations for addressing these issues.The event featured keynote remarks by Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation C.S. Eliot Kang followed by a panel discussion with Michael Allen, former Special Assistant to the President and NSC Senior Director for Counterproliferation Strategy; Anthony Ruggiero, Senior Director of FDD's Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program and former Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and NSC Senior Director for Counterproliferation and Biodefense; and Andrea Stricker, FDD Research Fellow and Deputy Director of FDD's Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program. The conversation was moderated by Vivian Salama, national security reporter for The Wall Street Journal.

New York's attorney general announces a lawsuit against former President Trump and his children. Russian President Putin issues a threat and escalates the war as Ukraine's military makes gains. Join moderator Yamiche Alcindor, Peter Baker of The New York Times, Hugo Lowell of The Guardian, Vivian Salama of The Wall Street Journal and Nancy Cordes of CBS News to discuss these stories and more.

​Wall Street Journal national security correspondent Vivian Salama joins the podcast to discuss her reporting from the ground in what the Ukrainians call, “The Great War” against Russia.

Hundreds of Ukrainian troops and civilians hunker down in a Mariupol steel plant as Russian forces close in. This, as Ukraine's deputy PM reveals the evacuation corridor didn't work as planned. Meantime, the Dept. of Justice appeals the ruling that overturned the federal travel mask mandate. Maksym Borodin, Kevin Baron, Vivian Salama, Julia Davis, Melissa Murray, Yamiche Alcindor, Bill Kristol and Casey Revkin join.

Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy says “the fate of Ukraine is being decided now” as more explosions are heard in the capital city. Ukrainian citizens that have not evacuated are sheltering in subway lines and basements. And the U.S. joins Canada, the United Kingdom and European Union in sanctioning Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin and his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Meanwhile, Pres. Biden fulfils his campaign promise to appoint the first Black woman to the supreme court – announcing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is his pick to fill Justice Breyer's seat. Matt Bradley joins from Dnipro, Ukraine and Raf Sanchez has the latest in Moscow. And Cal Perry reports from Lviv, Ukraine. Also joining: Peter Baker, Vivian Salama, Tom Nichols, Melissa Murray, Lanhee Chen, Jeremy Bash, Terrell Jermaine Starr and Jon Meacham.

This morning in Munich, Vice President Harris warned there is a "real possibility" of war in Europe. In Washington, President Biden is set to meet with his National Security Council days after declaring Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling on Western nations to do more to help defend his country and is asking for immediate sanctions on Russia. Plus, a long simmering feud between top Republicans came to a head this week as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy endorsed Rep. Liz Cheney's primary challenger. And a new CNN original series reveals in a secret recording how President Johnson was prepared to achieve voting rights for Black Americans if the Voting Rights Act failed. On today's panel: Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal, Hans Nichols of Axios, Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report, CNN's Melanie Zanona, Presidential historian Mark Updegrove. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Montenegro is a young country where the stakes are especially high as the United States along with its NATO allies look to prevent a further Russian invasion of Ukraine. Former Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Luksic shares the challenges and critical lessons learned from their independence to integration into NATO with our guest host from the Wall Street Journal, Vivian Salama. They take a close look at the current crisis in Ukraine and how the experience of freeing itself from Russia's nexus may provide valuable recommendations and even a roadmap for other nations.

A.M. Edition for Oct. 14. Amid a reported attack on five American families connected to the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, WSJ's Vivian Salama tells us what we know about the mysterious neurological ailment known as Havana Syndrome. The WHO creates a new, bigger team to investigate the origins of Covid-19. Plus, Hollywood faces another strike that could put production at a near standstill. And WSJ's David Benoit explains why banks in this earnings season are positive about the future. Peter Granitz hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wall Street Journal National Security Reporter Vivian Salama discusses what to expect at the UN this week, including the impact of the US-France diplomatic dispute on the Middle East; why an Iran nuclear deal remains elusive; the state of UN diplomacy in Yemen, Syria and Libya; and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An increasingly dire situation in Kabul as thousands in, and around the airport are desperate to flee the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. U.S. officials say more than 17,000 people have been flown out of Kabul in the last week. But, the State Department is now warning Americans not to travel to the airport unless they have been told to after some were beaten by the Taliban. Plus, the FDA is expected to give full approval to the Pfizer vaccine as soon as  Monday. Why that could lead to more shots and vaccine requirements. And the Northeast braces for its first major Tropical Storm in decades as Henri barrels towards New England and New York. On today's show: CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Julie Pace of the Associated Press, Politico's Heather Caygle, Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal, Associate Dean of Brown University School of Public Health Dr. Megan Ranney and CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

One million Americans got vaccines on Thursday. But back to school for some quickly means back to Covid quarantine. Hospitalizations of children with Covid are at an all-time high, with 2,066 children under the age of 17 in the hospital with Covid today, a higher figure than the initial surge. California voters will go to the polls to decide if they want to recall their Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. The leading Republican candidate hoping to replace Newsom is a conservative Talk Radio host Larry Elder, a Trump supporter known for his inflammatory rhetoric. As Qatar almost reaches its Afghan evacuee capacity, The U.S. urgently examines alternative locations, including in Europe, for the flights to go. Flights have not taken off from Kabul airport in the last eight hours as the situation in central Kabul worsens, with reports of a Taliban crackdown against protesters carrying the Afghan National flag. On today's panel: The Washington Post's Olivier Knox, CNN Political Analyst Sabrina Siddiqui, The Wall Street Journal's Vivian Salama, Former Deputy UN Envoy to Afghanistan Ambassador Peter Galbraith, and Professor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine Dr. Carlos Del Rio. Hosted by John King. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

President Biden said there was "no consensus" in intelligence reports on Afghanistan when he claimed in June it was "highly unlikely" the Taliban would take over the country after U.S. forces departed, later saying that it had happened much quicker than he anticipated. The President maintains there is nothing he would change about the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Pentagon today admits the evacuation effort in Afghanistan is not going fast enough. They are to open up one gate at Hamid Karzai airport which the U.S. Military will oversee and also rush U.S. Consular Officers to the airport to process the Afghans' paperwork to get them onto flights. Along with 45 of her Senate Colleagues, Senator Hirono has signed onto a bipartisan letter urging the Biden Administration to protect Afghan women leaders in the wake of the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. As the Government rolls out the booster shot plan saying every American vaccinated eight months ago should get a booster shot, the CDC reports that people in states with low vaccination rates are four times more likely to be hospitalized and six times more likely to die from coronavirus. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says it is the parents' choice to quarantine a "healthy kid" after possible coronavirus exposure in school. The statement is a continuation of weeks of tension between the White House and Governor DeSantis, as the state grapples with one of the worst outbreaks of Covid-19 in the Nation. BREAKING NEWS IN WASHINGTON: The United States Capitol Police are investigating an active bomb threat after reports of an explosive device in a truck near the Library of Congress. On today's panel: CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr, Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace, The New York Times' Jonathan Martin, The Wall Street Journal's Vivian Salama, CNN National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood, Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner, and Afghanistan Veteran Kristen Rouse. Hosted by John King. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Afghanistan has fallen to the Taliban. The chaos in Kabul is now part of a worst-case scenario, one that ended with The Mujahideen inside The Presidential Palace in Kabul, chanting "death to America." Evacuation flights are now resuming following a temporary stop to clear and secure the airfield at Hamid Karzai International Airport as Afghans try to escape the country. CNN's Nick Paton-Walsh reports from Kabul on this rapidly developing story. As President Joe Biden prepares to address the Nation, former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta joins to discuss the Presidents' recent comments on the Taliban's take-over of Afghanistan not being inevitable, and how the intelligence community appear to have underestimated the speed at which the current situation in Afghanistan has escalated. Pfizer has submitted data to the FDA showing that their vaccination booster dose works well against the original and delta strains of the coronavirus. CNN Medical Analyst Dr Leana Wen joins to discuss the facts on how much extra protection a booster shot gives those who have already been double vaccinated. As U.S. General Mark Milley warns terror groups may rise up sooner than expected following the collapse of Afghanistan, Anthony Cordesman from the Center for Strategic and International Studies joins to give his perspective on the possible resurgence of Al Qaeda activity. On tonight's panel: CNN Chief Whitehouse Correspondent Kaitlin Collins, CNN National Security Correspondent Kylie Atwood, CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr, CNN Global Affairs Analyst Susan Glasser, The Washington Post's Olivia Knox and The Wall Street Journal's Vivian Salama. Hosted by John King. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

On his first foreign trip as President, Joe Biden is delighting the country's closest allies as he says on the world stage America is back. Meanwhile, he prepares to take a hard line against Russian President Vladimir Putin at their Wednesday summit. And, following revelations that Trump's Justice Department secretly seized the phone records belonging to two Democratic congressmen, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are demanding answers. Plus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers have proposed a new infrastructure plan, but can it earn enough votes to clear the Senate? On today's panel: CNN's John Harwood, Olivier Knox of the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal's Vivian Salama, Laura Barron Lopez of Politico, Politico's Melanie Zanona; CNN Legal Analyst Carrie Cordero.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson renew a World War II accord that seeks to strengthen ties between both nations as they face new threats. And, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar under fire from members of her own party. Jewish Democrats are demanding that she apologize after she equated the United States and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban. On today’s show: CNN’s Clarissa Ward, Kaitlan Collins, Kylie Atwood and Jessica Schneider; Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal; POLITICO’s Laura Barrón-López and former CDC detective Dr. Seema Yasmin.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

The House passed a bill to create an independent commission to investigate the January 6 insurrection, with 35 GOP votes. But Mitch McConnell is promising to block it in the Senate. Plus, how the latest Israel-Gaza conflict exposed new rifts in the Democratic Party. And, is the truth out there? An upcoming government report could shed light on UFOs. On today's roundtable: Politico's Rachael Bade, Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal, Karoun Demirjian of the Washington Post and CNN's Jeff Zeleny.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

A man is shot dead in Portland, Oregon after Trump supporters clashed with pro-Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland, Oregon. Meanwhile, the President says he'll visit Kenosha, Wisconsin -- the site of the latest police violence flashpoint -- this week. Plus, criticism after the CDC changes its coronavirus testing guidelines. And how college students are adjusting to a new semester as universities try to reopen, even as the coronavirus infects thousands of students across the country. On today's show: CNN's Jeff Zeleny and Vivian Salama and Maggie Haberman of the New York Times; former FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg; Wisconsin Lt. Gov Mandela Barnes; Turner Sports NBA analyst Chris Webber.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

After a bold U.S. strike, Iran backs down. President Trump sees a major victory - but finds himself facing a crisis of credibility over his constantly-shifting justification for it. Meanwhile, Iranians take to the streets en masse to protest their government's accidental shootdown of a Ukrainian airliner. Plus, the impeachment trial approaches, as Nancy Pelosi signals she's ready to name managers and submit the articles to the Senate. And three weeks from the first votes, Iowa is a tossup. Today's panel: Julie Pace of the Associated Press, CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Karoun Demirjian of the Washington Post, and Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal

The House is scheduled to vote Wednesday on two articles of impeachment -- one says President Trump abused his powers, the other says he obstructed Congress as it demanded answers about his Ukraine policy. Looking ahead to a Senate trial, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer asks for four Trump insiders to be called as witnesses. Don't bet on that happening, but it's a warning to Trump allies who have their own witness list. And don't forget the 2020 race. New polling shows Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders leading the fight for the Democratic nomination. Today's panel: CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Rachael Bade with The Washington Post, Lisa Lerer with The New York Times, and Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal Also on the program: CNN's Manu Raju

Congress enters the end game, as House Democrats get closer than ever to impeaching the president. Plus, the gloves come off in the 2020 race, as Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg square off over transparency and corruption. And a look at President Trump on the world stage - and how his fellow leaders treat him behind the scenes. David Gregory in the anchor chair. Today's panel: Julie Pace with the Associated Press, CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post's Karoun Demirjian

The impeachment spotlight shifts to the Judiciary Committee. Trump at a strained NATO summit. Kamala Harris drops out of the presidential race. The roundtable weighs in on the week that was. Seung Min Kim, Jack Beatty and Vivian Salama join David Folkenflik.

How and why are Arabs shifting their loyalty away from traditional networks? In the latest episode, Vivian Salama, White House correspondent for the Wall Street Journal, interviews Jon Alterman on his new report. He also introduces Babel's new 6-episode miniseries, "China in the Middle East," which will air in 2020. Jon Alterman, Ties that Bind: Family, Tribe, Nation, and the Rise of Arab Individualism, CSIS, December 2, 2019 Sarah Dadouch, “Amid economic despair, young Lebanese see only two options: protest or leave,” The Washington Post, November 9, 2019. Amy Chua, “Tribal World: Group Identity is All,” Foreign Policy, July/August 2018.

Big impeachment inquiry news: Democrats announce public hearings beginning next week, starting with key diplomats who in private testimony offered damning takes on the President's Ukraine policy. Plus, another big Trump-era election night for Democrats, apparently winning the Kentucky governor's race, flipping the Virginia legislature and claiming local posts across the Philadelphia suburbs. And more 2020 lessons: The suburban revolt against Trumpism deepens, making the President's state by state path to an electoral victory even more narrow than it was in 20-16. On today's panel: CNN's Nia-Malika Henderson, Rachael Bade with The Washington Post, NPR's Tamara Keith, and Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal Also, on today's panel: CNN's Phil Mattingly, Kylie Atwood, and Michael Warren

Blockbuster indictment: The Feds indict two Rudy Giuliani clients on charges they illegally funneled foreign money into American campaigns -- including a Trump re-election Super PAC Pentagon officials among those angered by President Trump's sudden decision to abandon the Kurds in northern Syria. And, the President lashes out at Fox News over a poll showing 51% of Americans now favor impeachment and his removal from office. Today's panel: Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal, Carl Hulse with The New York Times, Matt Viser with The Washington Post, and NPR's Tamara Keith. Also on the program: CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Evan Perez, Manu Raju, Michael Warren, Clarissa Ward and Legal Analyst Shan Wu

House Democrats are fast-tracking their impeachment inquiry - now focused on the Ukraine scandal and President Trump's conversation with that country's leader. Trump says he's the victim of a smear campaign orchestrated by Democrats and the "Deep State." The full Congress is on recess for two weeks, but the House Intelligence Committee plans interviews and hearings using the whistle-blower complaint as a road-map for the inquiry. Today's panel: Jackie Kucinich of The Daily Beast, Time's Molly Ball, Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal, and CNN's Manu Raju.

President Trump announces new sanctions on Iran and his pick for a new National Security Adviser. This as Secretary of State Pompeo arrives in Saudi Arabia -- and the Saudis display what they say are Iranian weapons used to attack the kingdom's oil facilities. Plus, Joe Biden still leads the Democratic pack. But the first national poll after the latest debate shows Elizabeth Warren closing in -- and outpacing all her rivals when it comes to voter enthusiasm. And new wrinkles in the House Democratic family feud over impeachment. This as Trump confidante Corey Lewandowski tells Congress there is nothing wrong with lying -- and then gets schooled on CNN. On today's panel: Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal , Paul Kane with The Washington Post, CNN's Kylie Atwood, Julie Hirschfeld Davis with The New York Times, and Tarini Parti with The Wall Street Journal Also on the program: CNN's Oren Liebermann, Clarissa Ward, and Douglas Brinkley

Breaking News: President Trump fires National Security Adviser John Bolton. Sources say the President and Bolton got into a heated argument last night over the plan to host Taliban leaders at Camp David. The question now is who will fill this important position? Today's Panel: CNN's Nia-Malika Henderson, TIME's Molly Ball, POLITICO's Heather Caygle, and Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal. Also on the Program: CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Kylie Atwood, Nic Robertson, Michael Warren, Aaron David Miller, and Rear Admiral John Kirby (Ret.)

Florida starts to feel the effects as Hurricane Dorian as it batters the Bahamas. The storm has killed at least five people and island officials expect the number to rise. Plus, battle lines being drawn over Brexit. British Parliament is back from its summer break for a showdown with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. And, in the 2020 race, Joe Biden's campaign announces it will return donations it received from federally registered lobbyists, as he once again defends his botched version of a war story. Today's Panel: CNN's Phil Mattingly, Julie Pace with the Associated Press, and Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal Also on the program: CNN's John Berman, Chad Myers, Patrick Oppmann, Brian Todd, Nic Robertson, and Arlette Saenz. Also, National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham, Florida Senator Rick Scott, and Martin County Sheriff William Snyder

Hurricane Dorian makes its way toward the U.S. east coast; Florida gas stations are starting to run dry as the Governor looks at the possibility of mandatory evacuations. President Trump's personal assistant is out of the White House, forced to resign after telling some reporters a little too much about life in the West Wing. And Joe Biden is pushing off the media coverage after facing criticism over a war story he got wrong. On today's panel: CNN's Phil Mattingly, Laura Barrón-López with POLITICO, Lisa Lerer with The New York Times and Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal Also on the program: CNN's Rosa Flores, Vero Beach Mayor Val Zudans, NOAA Hurricane Hunter Nick Underwood, CNN's Meteorologist Chad Myers, Democratic Pollster Anna Greenberg, and Republican Pollster Ed Goeas

Just another week in the Trump presidency - a feud with Denmark, and a promise that he alone can beat China on trade. What will this weekend's G7 summit bring? Plus, the Trump economy on edge - with markets dropping over the president's words and an escalating trade war. But the White House insists it's nothing to worry about. And Team Biden admits you may have your doubts about him - but says Democrats still should vote for him if they want to win in 2020 Nia-Malika Henderson in the anchor chair. Today's panel: Jonathan Martin of the New York Times, Vice News' Shawna Thomas, Vivian Salama of the Wall Street Journal, and CNN's Phil Mattingly. Plus CNN's Nic Robertston live from the G7 summit in France.

Nancy Pelosi says her advice to Democrats is be in favor of impeachment, if that is what helps you back home. But Mueller's testimony did not change the Speaker's mind -- she is still in go-slow mode and as the House breaks for summer recess, Pelosi's advice is talk more about health care. Plus, the former Special Counsel did nothing to move Republicans. The President and GOP leaders say it is time for Congressional investigations to end, and Republicans in the Senate block votes on measures designed to protect against future foreign election interference. And the Democrats prepare for next week's CNN debates: Joe Biden gets more aggressive, and a National Urban League meeting highlights the competition for African American voters. Today's Panel: Maggie Haberman with The New York Times, CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Heather Caygle with POLITICO, and Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal Also on the Program: CNN's Shimon Prokupecz and Dianne Gallagher

The lineups are set: Democratic debates round two includes a Biden-Harris rematch on one night. And on the other, center stage will feature the two leading progressives -- Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren -- whose public talk of being friends and allies is being tested by an intense campaign competition. Plus, Hope Hicks has some explaining to do. She told Congress under oath she knew nothing about hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. Newly released court documents from the Michael Cohen case paint a different picture. And President Trump lashes out again at the media and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. She did what the President asked, sort of -- receiving a very warm welcome going back home to Minnesota. Today's Panel: Julie Pace with the Associated Press, Rachael Bade with The Washington Post, Vivian Salama with The Wall Street Journal and CNN's Jeff Zeleny Also on the Program: CNN's Manu Raju and Evan Pérez

We knew it was coming, and now it's here: A coup is in progress in Venezuela. In this follow up episode to CD176 (Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress), learn additional backstory and details about the recent events in Venezuela, including the proclamation by Juan Guaido that he is now the President of Venezuela and all of the efforts being made by the Trump administration to get this regime change to stick. Please Support Congressional Dish – Quick Links Click here to contribute monthly or a lump sum via PayPal Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Send Zelle payments to: Donation@congressionaldish.com Send Venmo payments to: @Jennifer-Briney Send Cash App payments to: $CongressionalDish or Donation@congressionaldish.com Use your bank's online bill pay function to mail contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North, Number 4576, Crestview, FL 32536 Please make checks payable to Congressional Dish Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD186: National Endowment for Democracy CD176: Target Venezuela: Regime Change in Progress Sound Clip Sources Hearing: U.S. Africa and Southern Command Operations, Senate Armed Service Committee, C-SPAN, February 7, 2019. Witnesses: Admiral Craig Fuller - U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Commander Sound Clips: 16:10 Fuller While Russia and Cuba and China prop up the Maduro dictatorship, the reminder of the world is united. SOUTHCOM is supporting diplomatic efforts and we are prepared to protect U.S. personal and diplomatic facilities, if necessary. 53:44 Sen. Rick Scott In the Venezuelan military, have you -- have you seen any cracking from the standpoint, what we've been doing over the last -- especially the last two weeks, has any thing changed? Fuller - Certainly, there's been readiness aspects of their military that we watch very closely. It's a degraded force, but it is still a force that remains loyal to Maduro, and that makes it dangerous. We're looking for signs of those cracking, and we can talk in the closed session on some more details in trends we're seeing. 1:00:00 Sen. Tom Cotton (AR) - He said earlier Cuban guards completely surround the Maduro government. Does that mean that Maduro is dependent on the Cuban security and intelligence forces for his continuation in office? Fuller - Senator, I think it's a good sense of where the loyalty of the Venezuelan people are that to his immediate security forces made up of Cubans. Cotton  - So the men that surround Maduro, like our Secret Service, are Cubans not Venezuelans. Fuller - That's my understanding and assessment. 1:01:54 Fuller - I would also mention that the presence of China, China has not been helpful in a diplomatic way. I will leave that to the diplomats. China is there and involved in cyber in ways that are absolutely not helpful to the democratic outcome. 1:18:47 Sen Tim Kaine (VA) - If the world wants to see a democracy versus a dictatorship challenge Venezuela is just like the perfect test case for circa 2019, what do democracies care for an what dictatorships care for, Venezuela government of Maduro is supported by Russia, Cuba, and Iran. And they are enabling him to do all kinds of horrible things economically and in violation of human rights. The interim government, which has a constitutional claim in the vacancy of a president, the speaker of the legislative assembly becomes interim president supported by the United States and the EU. You really can see what the difference between democracy and the aspirations of democratic governments and dictatorship and what they care about very clearly int eh Venezuela circumstance now. Here's the reality, we are dealing with regional institutions like the OAS, every nation has one vote. The U.S. has a hard time to get the UA asked firmly come out against the Maduro government because many Caribbean nations still support the Maduro government. They've been bribed to do so with low-price oil. But it's very hard for us to do something like this on our won and when a principal regional institution like the LAS is not completely with us it's hard to put the appropriate pressure on. Interview: Mnuchin says Trump's economic plan is working and 'we're not going back to socialism', CNBC, February 6, 2019. 00:58:37 Steven Mnuchin : I’ve always watched the stock market a lot. I’ve been in the investment business since I graduated from Yale and I’ve tended to watch the stock market every day since then... As the President talked about last night, his economic program is working. We’re not going back to socialism. We’re going on an economic plan for America that works. 2019 State of the Union Address: Trump appeals for unity to end political gridlock, February 5, 2019. 2019 State of the Union Address: Trump Praises the Venezuela Coup, February 5, 2019. 1:05:28 President Donald Trump - Two weeks ago, the United States officially recognized the legitimate government of Venezuela, and its new interim President, Juan Guaido. We stand with the Venezuelan people in their noble quest for freedom -- and we condemn the brutality of the Maduro regime, whose socialist policies have turned that nation from being the wealthiest in South America into a state of abject poverty and despair. Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and independence --- not government coercion, domination, and control. We are born free, and we will stay free. Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country. Interview: President Trump on "Face the Nation," CBS News, February 3, 2019. 00:42:58 MARGARET BRENNAN: What would make you use the U.S. military in Venezuela? What's the national security interest? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well I don't want to say that. But certainly it's something that's on the- it's an option. MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you personally negotiate with Nicolás Maduro to convince him to exit. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well he is requested a meeting and I've turned it down because we're very far along in the process. You have a young and energetic gentleman but you have other people within that same group that have been very very - if you talk about democracy - it's really democracy in action. MARGARET BRENNAN: When did he request a meeting? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We're going to see what happened. A number of months ago he wanted to meet. Interview: National Security Adviser Ambassador John Bolton, interviewed by Hugh Hewitt, Hugh Hewitt Book Club, February 1, 2019. Transcript Sound Clips: 01:20:23 Hugh Hewitt: There are reports of Venezuela shipping gold to the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is a very close ally of ours. Have you asked the UAE to sequester that gold? John Bolton: Let me just say this. We’re obviously aware of those reports consistent with what we did on Monday against PDVSA, the state-owned oil monopoly where we imposed crippling sanctions. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, is implementing them as we speak. We’re also looking at cutting off other streams of revenue and assets for the Maduro mafia, and that certainly includes gold. And we’ve already taken some steps to neutralize gold that’s been out of the country used as collateral for bank loans. We’ve frozen, and our friends in Europe, have frozen a substantial amount of that. We want to try and do the same here. We’re on top of it. That’s really all I can say at the moment. Council Session: Political Situation in Venezuela, Atlantic Council, January 30, 2019. Witnesses: Ed Royce - Former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Carlos Alfredo Vecchio - Voluntad Popular Co-Founder, Interim Venezuelan Charge d’Affaires to the U.S. Julio Borges - Former President for the National Assembly of Venezuela David O’Sullivan - European Union Ambassador to the United States Sound Clips: 11:30 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio (via translator): What do we want to do? What is what we are asking the international community to support us with? First, to put an end to the usurpation of power by Nicolas Maduro. We cannot resolve the political and economic and social crisis as long as the dictatorship is in place. And this is something that we have to make clear. That is my priority, is to put an end to that and to help orchestrate international support to put an end to Maduro's dictatorship. 13:30 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio (via translator): Just to make very clear, I mean, from an economic point of view, we believe in an open market, an open economy. We believe in the private sector, we believe in the international and the national sectors, though, often, of course, our main source of revenue is the oil sector. So that would be a key element to recover our country, and we need to open that market. We need to increase our oil production. 39:15 David O’Sullivan: I think we absolutely share the same objective here. The European Union has always believed that the situation in Venezuela is unsustainable. We did not accept the results of the so-called elections last year. We declined collectively to attend the inauguration. And we are wholly supportive of the efforts of the National Assembly and Guaido to restore true democracy and free and fair elections. 48:00 Representative Ed Royce (CA): And a few years ago when the people in Venezuela elected the National Assembly, over two-thirds opposition to Maduro, he doubled down by asking China to bring the ZTE Corporation in and do a social credit system inside Venezuela on the same basis that it's done in China, which means that you now need that card in order to get food or medicine or your pension or your basic services. 48:30 Representative Ed Royce (CA): The fact that this ZTE-type arrangement exists in Venezuela, and now it exists in North Korea, and there's one other country where they have a contract—they're putting it in the Republic of Iran—this represents a new challenge to democracies. 1:15:00 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio: Just to make very clear, I mean, from an economic point of view, we believe in an open market, an open economy. We believe in the private sector, we believe in the international and the national sectors, though, often, of course, our main source of revenue is the oil sector. So that would be a key element to recover our country, and we need to open that market. We need to increase our oil production. 1:23:30 Carlos Alfredo Vecchio: Those agreements that has not been recognized by an international examiner, who has been illegal, we will not recognize illegal agreements. The rest, yes, we will comply with that. And let me send a clear message. For example, the only way that bond holders will not get paid, if Maduro remains in power. Nobody will complain with them. And China has to understand that, and Russia has to understand that. Discussion: Political Situation in Venezuela, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), January 29, 2019. Witnesses: Gustavo Tarre - George Washington University, CSIS Americas Program member, Designated Venezuelan Ambassador to the Organization of American States (appointed by Juan Guaido William Brownfield - Former US Ambassador to Venezuela, Chile, and Columbia during the George W. Bush administration and Obama administration Michael Matera - Center for Strategic & International Studies, America’s Program Director Sound Clips: 3:30 Michael Matera: In what is shaping up to be a very unstable and potentially explosive situation in Venezuela, the leading authoritarian nations of the world have stood by Maduro. Russia, Iran, Turkey, China, and Cuba, among a few others, have stated their continued recognition of Maduro. The future of Venezuela is turning more clearly than ever into a proxy struggle between the authoritarian regimes and the democratic nations. Venezuela could easily become the active front on which this struggle is defined. 8:15 Gustavo Tarre: Not only because his knowledge of Venezuela— Madea Benjamin: Not easy because you are here representing a coup. You are totally illegitimate. Nobody elected Juan Guaido, and nobody legitimate appointed you. You are taking Venezuela down the path of a civil war— Unknown Male Speaker: Excuse me. Excuse me, ma’am. Madea Benjamin: How dare you go to a civil war? What kind of patriot are you that allow yourself to be manipulated— Unknown Male Speaker: Out. Get out. Madea Benjamin: —by Donald Trump, John Bolton, and now Elliott Abrams, the ultra hawk. It is a very dangerous situation. We need negotiations, which is why we should be supporting Mexico and Uruguay in their call for negotiations. You don't follow the coup collaborators, like this man right here. Say no to coup. Unknown Male Speaker: See ‘ya. Ambassador— Madea Benjamin: We’re in the 21st century. 1:08:50 William Brownfield: What is the Cuban interest? It's 50,000 barrels of oil a day to an energy-starved nation. What is the Chinese approach? It is very much an economic approach, which is to say there are raw materials of great importance to the Chinese economy that are located in Venezuela, and they have a long-term economic interest in having access to them, driven by economics. Russia is more complicated. They do not need oil. They are, in fact, one of the three largest oil producers in the world right now, who produce more than their national need. It is geostrategic politics. I would offer everyone two thoughts—because I have taken this question from excellent representatives of the media over the last week with some frequency—first, don't listen that closely to the words that you hear from the governments of China or Russia. See if they put another billion or two or three billion investment into Venezuela. Money talks, and I have not seen evidence of that, which suggests that they, too, are pausing and taking a look at what happens. And second, if I could be Russia-specific briefly, I would note, and we all realize this, that over the last 10 years or so, Russia annexed the Crimea, and the Western democracies criticized and protested. Russia created two new republics—one in South Ossetia, the other in North Georgia, I believe—and the Western world protested. Russia at least supported, and I would argue actually infiltrated, large numbers of security personnel into the two easternmost provinces of Ukraine, and the Western world criticized. But at the end of the day, geography and history determined the Crimea is still under Russian control, South Ossetia and North Georgia still exist as independent states, and Russian influence is still quite visible in and whatever the other province is called. All right. That is geographic reality. We are now in the Western Hemisphere. If Brazil and Colombia and Argentina and Canada and the United States take a position, those same geographic realities will, in fact, move in the other direction. Of course we must listen to the Russian and Chinese governments—they are two of perhaps the three most important governments in the world—but we're entitled to use our brains as we calculate what they are saying and how we respond to it. 1:16:30 William Brownfield: What if Maduro hangs on yet once again, which by the way, ladies and gentlemen, is not inconceivable; it's happened before. We had not quite this much of a conversation, but in 2017 some sensed that things might be happening, and they did not happen. Is it possible again? Of course, it is. That is why we talk about a strategy, an international community strategy with two elements: one element being focused on the Maduro de _____(00:35) esta, the removal of that government, and that strategic component is not eliminated until someone new has moved into Miraflores Palace; and the second, related but separate element of planning for the day after. Hearing: Hearing to Consider Worldwide Threats, Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S. Senate, January 29, 2019. C-SPAN Report Video Witnesses: Dan Coats - Director of National Intelligence Christopher Wray - FBI Director Gina Haspel - CIA Director Lt. General Robert Ashley - Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Director General Paul Nakasone - National Security Agency Director Sound Clips: 1:11:00 Senator Marco Rubio (FL): We know they have openly and repeatedly, at least Maduro has, invited the Russians and Putin to establish either a rotational or a permanent presence somewhere in Venezuela, thereby creating a Russian military presence in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, they flew, about three weeks ago or a month ago, two Russian nuclear-capable bombers into the Caribbean Sea. 1:12:15 Senator Marco Rubio (FL): Is it not in the national interest of the United States of America that the Maduro regime fall and be replaced by a democratic and more responsible government? 1:15:15 Lieutenant General Robert Ashley: The reference you made to the Tu-160 Blackjacks that flew those strategic bombers, third iteration of that—first time was in '08, and then '14, and we've seen it again. As far as presence on the ground, we can talk a little bit more detail in a closed session about where we see Russia and China going with that greater instability. But in the open press, what you've seen thus far really is nothing more than just vocal support that's coming out of Moscow and that's coming out of China as well, but there is relationship there. From the military standpoint in the way of training, lots of Venezuelan officers go to Russia for training, and there's a reciprocal relationship for equipping them as well. 1:16:00 Senator Angus King (ME): In light of Senator Rubio's comments, I'd just like to note of caution, he listed refugee flows, human rights abuses, and corruption. There are lots of countries in the world that meet that description, and our right or responsibility to generate regime change in a situation like that, I think, is a slippery slope. And I have some real caution about what our vital interests are and whether it's our right or responsibility to take action to try to change the government of another sovereign country. That same description would have led us into a much more active involvement in Syria, for example, five or six years ago, other parts of the country. I just wanted to note that. Fox Business Video: John Bolton on Regime Change in Venezuela, Iraqi Christian HRC, Twitter, January 28, 2019. White House Daily Briefing: Trump Administration sanctions against Venezuela's state-owned oil company, January 28, 2019. Speakers: Steve Mnuchin - Treasury Secretary John Bolton - National Security Advisor Sound Clips: 1:26 John Bolton: As you know, on January the 23rd, President Trump officially recognized the president of the Venezuela National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the interim president of Venezuela. Venezuela's National Assembly invoked Article 233 of the country's constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate. This action was a statement that the people of Venezuela have had enough of oppression, corruption, and economic hardship. Since then, 21 other governments in the region and across the world have joined the United States in recognizing Guaido as Venezuela's interim president. 3:53 John Bolton: I reiterate that the United States will hold Venezuelan security forces responsible for the safety of all U.S. diplomatic personnel, the National Assembly, and President Guido. Any violence against these groups would signify a grave assault on the rule of law and will be met with a significant response. 4:24 Steven Mnuchin: Today Treasury took action against Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA, to help prevent the further diversion of Venezuela’s assets by former President Maduro. 5:21 Steven Mnuchin: The path to sanctions relief for PDVSA is through the expeditious transfer of control to the interim president or a subsequent democratically elected government who is committed to taking concrete and meaningful actions to combat corruption. 5:40 Steven Mnuchin: Today OFAC also issued a number of general licenses that authorize certain transactions and activities with PDVSA for limited periods of time to minimize any immediate disruptions and support of ongoing humanitarian efforts. 6:00 Steven Mnuchin: Citgo assets in the United States will be able to continue to operate provided that any funds that would otherwise go to PDVSA instead will go into a blocked account in the United States. 6:10 Steven Mnuchin: Refineries in the United States have already been taking steps to reduce the reliance on imports from Venezuela. Those imports have fallen substantially in recent months. We have also issued general licenses to ensure that certain European and Caribbean countries can make an orderly transition. 6:20 Steven Mnuchin: We continue to call on all of our allies and partners to join the United States in recognizing Interim President Guaido in blocking Maduro from being able to access PDVSA funds. 7:10 Reporter: Is there any circumstance under which American forces would get involved? John Bolton: Well, the president has made it very clear on this matter that all options are on the table. 7:43 Steven Mnuchin: But effective immediately, any purchases of Venezuelan oil by U.S. entities, money will have to go into blocked accounts. Now, I've been in touch with many of the refineries. There is a significant amount of oil that's at sea that's already been paid for. That oil will continue to come to the United States. If the people in Venezuela want to continue to sell us oil, as long as that money goes into blocked accounts, we'll continue to take it. Otherwise, we will not be buying it. And again, we have issued general licenses, so the refineries in the United States can continue to operate. 9:06 Steven Mnuchin: The purpose of sanctions is to change behavior. So when there is a recognition that PDVSA is the property of the rightful rulers, the rightful leaders, the president, then, indeed, that money will be available to Guaido. 9:52 John Bolton: And the authoritarian regime of Chavez and Maduro has allowed penetration by adversaries of the United States, not least of which is Cuba. Some call the country now Cubazuela, reflecting the grip that Cuba’s military and security forces have on the Maduro regime. We think that’s a strategic significant threat to the United States, and there are others as well, including Iran’s interest in Venezuelan’s uranium deposits. 15:56 Steven Mnuchin: We're dealing with Venezuelan oil that is a rather modest part of our overall supply. Again, we're a net exporter of energy. We are particularly concerned that there were a handful of refineries that had a dependence on Venezuelan oil. I think they read the tea leaves. They reduced that dependence significantly along the way. Most of them have in the neighborhood of 10% or less of their dependent on Venezuelan oil. So, I don't expect that people will see an impact on the gas pumps. 17:10 Steven Mnuchin: I’m sure many of our friends in the Middle East will be happy to make up the supply as we push down Venezuela’s supply. Meeting: Secretary Pompeo Speaks at U.N. Security Council Meeting on Venezuela, January 26, 2019. Speaker: Mike Pompeo - Secretary of State Sound Clips: 2:20 Mike Pompeo: Let’s be crystal clear: The foreign power meddling in Venezuela today is Cuba. Cuba has directly made matters worse and the United States and our partners are the true friends of the Venezuelan people. 16:40 Mike Pompeo: Such scenes of misery are now the norm in Venezuela, where millions of children are suffering from malnutrition and starvation, thanks to a socialist experiment that caused the economy to collapse. 20:24 Mike Pompeo: And now it’s time for every other nation to pick a side. No more delays. No more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem... But no regime has done more to sustain the nightmarish condition of the Venezuelan people than the regime in Havana. For years, Cuban security and intelligence thugs, invited into Venezuela by Maduro himself and those around him, have sustained this illegitimate rule. They have trained Maduro’s security and intelligence henchmen in Cuba’s own worst practices. Cuba’s interior ministry even provides former President Maduro’s personal security... Some countries have publicly taken former President Maduro’s side. China, Russia, Syria, and Iran are just four of them. Just this morning, we tried to find a way for this council to speak in one voice in support of the Venezuelan people and our democratic ideals through a presidential statement not this council. But our Russian and Chinese colleagues refused to let this move forward. It’s not a surprise that those that rule without democracy in their own countries are trying to prop up Maduro while he is in dire straights. Meeting: U.N. Security Council Meeting on the Situation in Venezuela, January 26, 2019. Speakers: Jorge Arreaza - Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elliott Abrams - U.S. Special Envoy to Venezuela Sound Clips: 00:10 Jorge Arreaza: So 2002 is a direct precedent to what is happening. They were behind the coup d’etat. They weren’t as much in the vanguard or in advance as this time. They recognized Carmona, the dictator for the 72 hours that it lasted... It was on the 22nd, where Vice President Pence basically in a tweet gave a green light for a coup d’etat in Venezuela. As Under Secretary General said the interim President is self proclaimed. There was no ceremony. It was self proclamation by a member of Parliament at a public rally, at a peaceful public rally, one of many that there have been over the past years... If one of you can tell me in which article and which provision of the United Nations charter you can find the legal basis for self proclamation who wasn’t elected by anyone as President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, then we can open a discussion on the legal aspects, but I don’t think that will happen... At last we have a chance to speak. We have a written text but before that I wanted to share some thoughts with you. Indeed, we can even thank Mr. Mike Pompeo because in the face of failure at the Organization of American States on the 24th of January, they didn’t have enough weight to impose a resolution, well they convened a meeting of the Security Council. In fact, we - President Maduro - thought of appealing to this body not only to debate the case of Venezuela but rather the blatant and gross intervention, and mechanisms of interference by the United States in our country. In this case, the United States is not behind the coup d’etat, it is in advance in the vanguard of the coup d’etat. It is dictating the orders not only to the Venezuelan opposition but also to the satellite governments in the region, and it seems it Europe and in other parts of the world. 31:47 Elliot Abrams: I can not respond to every attack that was made on every country here. The insults that were made by calling many countries here “satellites”. In fact, it was interesting that every single country that was attacked - or criticized - was a democracy. Every single one that you criticized was a democracy... Today there is a satellite present here and it is Venezuela, which is unfortunately has become a satellite of Cuba and Russia... The regime is hiding behind, and it’s spokesman is hiding behind, the laws and constitution of Venezuela. Hearing: Defense Department Nominations, Senate Armed Services Committee, January 25, 2019. Witness: Vice Admiral Craig Faller - US Southern Command Commander Sound Clips: 1:37:00 Senator Bill Nelson (FL): What do you think that is the proper role of SouthCom in supporting the Venezuelan people now, in this time of exceptional chaos? Craig Faller: Senator, the Southern Command is focused on supporting our partners—Brazil, Columbia, those that have been most affected by the migrants, the spillover of some one-million-plus in Columbia. Recently, visited Columbia was the secretary of defense. President Duque is keenly aware and sharply focused on all his security challenges, and this is at the top of that list. As a result of the Columbian government's request, we intend to deploy the hospital ship Comfort—it will be underway shortly. It was delayed because of the hurricane—to the region to help our partners offset some of the impacts of this, particularly with the medical care that's been required and the strain that's placed on the resources. Fox Business Video: Vice President Mike Pence Tweet about US recognizing Guaido as Venezuelan President, Twitter, January 23, 2019. 00:33:32 Vice President Mike Pence: Today, freedom broke out in Venezuela with the recognition of a new interim president in Juan Guaido, a courageous man who stepped forward, the President of the National Assembly who took the oath of office, and I couldn’t be more proud that at President Trump’s direction, the United States of America became the first country in the world to recognize President Guaido, and now many other nations join us as well. Video: Vice President Mike Pence Tweet about Venezuela, Twitter, January 22, 2019. Vice President Mike Pence: Hola. I’m Mike Pence, the Vice President of the United States, and on behalf of President Donald Trump and all the American people, let me express the unwavering support of the United States as you - the people of Venezuela - raise your voices in a call for freedom. Nicholas Maduro is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power. He’s never won the Presidency in a free and fair election and he’s maintained his grip on power by imprisoning anyone who dares to oppose him. The United States joins with all freedom loving nations in recognizing the National Assembly as the last vestige of democracy in your country, for it’s the only body elected by you, the people. As such, the United States supports the courageous decision by Juan Guaido, the President of your National Assembly, to assert that body’s constitutional powers, declare Maduro a usurper, and call for the establishment of a transitional government. As you make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say to all the good people of Venezuela, estamos con ustedes. We are with you. We stand with you and we will stay with you until democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright of libertad. Muchas gracias y vayan con Dios. Hearing: Foreign Policy in the Western Hemisphere, House Foreign Affairs Committee, July 11, 2018. Witnesses: Kenneth Merten - Deputy Assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Sarah-Ann Lynch - USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Sound Clips: 27:30 Chairman Ed Royce (CA): And meanwhile, despite sitting on the world's largest oil reserves, Venezuelan oil production has fallen by half in the last few years. Venezuela in the meantime has been sending several hundred thousand barrels of oil every day to China as repayment on the tens of billions of dollars it has borrowed. And more recently, China's development bank announced a new quarter-billion dollar investment to shore up Venezuela's struggling oil production. Video: You're Welcome, Duane Johnson, Moana, YouTube, November 28, 2019. Hearing: The Collapse of the Rule of Law in Venezuela, Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, July 19, 2017. Witness: Luis Almagro - Secretary General of the Organization of American States Sound Clips: 07:15 Senator Marco Rubio: I also know this, and I do not speak for the president, but I’ve certainly spoken to the president, and I will only reiterate what he has already said, and I’ve been saying this now for a number of days: it is my—I have 100% confidence that if democracy is destroyed once and for all in Venezuela on the 30th in terms of the Maduro regime, the president of the U.S. is prepared to act unilaterally in a significant and swift way. And that is not a threat; that is the reporting of the truth. Hearing: Full Committee Hearing Venezuela: Options for U.S. Policy, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, March 2, 2017. Witnesses: Dr. David Smilde - Professor at Tulane University & NYT writer Dr. Shannon O’Neil - Council on Foreign Relations Former equity analyst at Indosuez Capital and Credit Lyonnais Securities Member of the Board of Directors at Rassini, an multinational auto parts manufacturers that make parts for US auto companies Senior advisor for Latin America at Macro Advisory Partners, a multinational consulting firm founded in 2013 Mark Feierstein - Center for Strategic and International Studies Senior Advisor to the Albright Stonbridge Group CLS Strategies GBA Strategies Special assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs Former Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean at USAID Worked in State Dept and USAID in Clinton Administration Former principal at Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, an international political consulting firm Sound Clips: 21:53 Shannon O’Neil: Multilateral initiatives are perhaps more important and potentially more fruitful as a means to influence Venezuela. This will mean working behind the scenes to galvanize opposition and condemnation for the Maduro regime. This’ll be more effective than U.S. efforts alone as it will be much harder for the Venezuelan government to dismiss the criticisms and the actions of its South American neighbors as imperialist overreach. And such a coalition is much more possible today than in any time in the recent past, due both to the accelerating repression and the breaking of the last democratic norms in Venezuela, and due to the very different stances of South America’s recently elected leaders, particularly in Peru, in Brazil, and in Argentina. 41:12 Senator Bob Menendez: I’m pleased to have led a bipartisan and bicameral letter of my colleagues, urging the administration to take actions against the administration, and I look forward for a continuing engagement. But I hope we can work together to hold human-rights violators and drug traffickers, send a clear message, “If you’re going to violate rights of others inside of Venezuela, know that you’re next. Know that you’re next.” And while the Maduro regime may have sanctioned me and forbidden my entry into Venezuela, it will not stop me from pursuing this issue. Video Compilation: Either With Us or With the Terrorists - President George W. Bush, YouTube, May 26, 2013 Additional Reading Article: How Washington funded the counterrevolution in Venezuela by Tim Gill and Rebecca Hansen, The Nation, February 8, 2019. Statement: Pelosi statement on the situation in Venezuela, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, February 8, 2019. Article: Venezuela says plan from Miami delivered weapons for use by enemies of Maduro by Tim Johnson, McClatchy DC, February 7, 2019. Article: Senators fail to reach deal on recognizing Venezuela's Guaido, aide says by Daniel Flatley, Bloomberg, February 7, 2019. Article: Bipartisan Venezuela legislation fizzles over use of military force by Leigh Ann Caldwell and Josh Lederman, NBC News, February 6, 2019. Article: Spotify podcast acquisitions will bring a lot of money into tiny industry by Taylor Telford, The Washington Post, February 6, 2019. Article: Spotify technology S.A. announces financial results for fourth quarter 2018, Spotify Investors, February 6, 2019. Article: Trump's Venezuela envoy to testify to U.S. House panel amid crisis by Patricia Zengerle and Arshad Mohammed, Reuters, February 6, 2019. Article: Russia starts to worry Maduro's grip is slipping in Venezuela, The Moscow Times, February 6, 2019. Article: French, German farmers destroy crops after GMOs found in BAyer seeds by Sybille de La Hamaide, Reuters, February 6, 2019. Article: Venezuela opposition will name new Citgo board this week: WSJ, Reuters, February 6, 2019. Article: How the neocons captured Donald Trump by Brian D'Haeseleer, The Washington Post, February 5, 2019. Article: Lima group warns against Venezuela military intervention, France 24, February 5, 2019. Article: Maduro's allies: Who backs the Venezuelan regime? by Rocio Cara Labrador, Council on Foreign Relations, February 5, 2019. Article: What does it mean for the United States to recognize Juan Guaido as Venezuela's President? by Scott R. Anderson, Lawfare, February 1, 2019. Article: Venezuela opposition leader outlines plan to revive nation by Ryan Dube and Kejal Vyas, The Wall Street Journal, January 31, 2019. Article: Elliott Abrams, Trump's pick to bring "democracy" to Venezuela, has spent his life crushing democracy by John Schwarz, The Intercept, January 30, 2019. Article: U.S. push to oust Venezuela's Maduro marks first shot in plan to reshape Latin America by Jessica Donati, Vivian Salama, and Ian Talley, The Wall Street Journal, January 30, 2019. Article: The real reason why those foreign powers are so interested in Venezuela by Melik Kaylan, Forbes, January 29, 2019. Article: How Citgo, a U.S. oil company, became Venezuela's lifeline by Adam Taylor, The Washington Post, January 29, 2019. Article: US diplomat convicted over Iran-Contra appointed special envoy for Venezuela by Julian Borger, The Guardian, January 26, 2019. Tweet: America stands by the people of #Venezuela... Nancy Pelosi, Twitter, January 24, 2019. Article: Russia warns U.S. not to intervene in Venezuela as military backs Maduro by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Neil MacFarquhar, The New York Times, January 24, 2019. Tweet: The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for too long at... Donald J. Trump, January 23, 2019. Tweet: Today @POTUS announced the U.S. officially recognizes Juan Guaido as... Vice President Mike Pence, January 23, 2019. Tweet: .@POTUS & the US stand w/ the Venezuelan peopl eas they seek to regain their liberty from... Vice President Mike Pence, January 22, 2019. Article: Brazil's Bolsonaro pledges action to 'restore democracy' in Venezuela, Reuters, January 17, 2019. Article: Venezuela is in crisis. So how did Maduro secure a second term? by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Megan Specia, The New York Times, January 10, 2019. Article: Lima group says it won't recognize Maduro's new term as president of Venezuela by Jim Wyss, Miami Herald, January 4, 2019. Article: Trump taps ex-Boeing executive Patrick Shanahan as acting Defense Secretary by Darko Janjevic, DW, December 23, 2018. Article: Russia sends 2 nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela by Vladimir Isachenkov, Navy Times, December 10, 2018. Article: Russia signs $6 billion investment deals with Venezuela, Maduro says, The Moscow Times, December 7, 2018. Press Release: Rubio, Van Hollen urge administration to investigate ZTE business with Venezuelan government, Marco Rubio Newsroom, November 28, 2018. Article: How ZTE helps Venezuela create China-style social control by Angus Berwick, Reuters, November 14, 2018. Article: Trump administration tightens sanctions gains Cuba, Venezuela by Courtney McBride, The Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2018. Article: Canada's Rusoro Mining reaches $1.3B deal with Venezuela by Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.com, October 12, 2018. Article: Rusoro Mining has received a settlement proposal from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Rusoro Mining News, October 11, 2018. Article: Venezuela hands China more oil peresence, but no mention of new funds by Ben Blanchard and Alexandra Ulmer, Reuters, September 14, 2018. Article: Trump administration discussed coup plans with rebel Venezuelan officers by Ernesto Londono and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, September 8, 2018. Article: A record-breaking market doesn't matter to most Americans by Helaine Olen, The Washington Post, August 22, 2018. Article: The politics of food in Venezuela by Ana Felicien, Christina Schiavoni, and Liccia Romero, Monthly Review, June 1, 2018.html) by William Neuman and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, May 20, 2018. Article: Regional leaders call on Venezuela to suspend 'illegitimate' election by Eli Meixler, Time, May 15, 2018. Article: [Venezuela election won by Maduro amid widespread disillusionment](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/20/world/americas/venezuela-election. Article: US media ignore - and applaud - economic war on Venezuela by Gregory Shupak, Common Dreams, March 22, 2018. Article: Rusoro mining wins key U.S. court ruling confirming arbitration award, Rusoro Mining News, March 14, 2018. Article: Venezuela's Maduro calls for 'mega-election' that could cement his power by Rachelle Krygier, The Washington Post, February 22, 2018. Article: Venezuela opposition will boycott election, and Maduro tightens his hold by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Kirk Semple, The New York Times, February 21, 2018. Article: Venezuela launches virtual currency, hoping to resuscitate economy by Kirk Semple and Nathaniel Popper, The New York Times, February 20, 2018. Tweet: The world would support the Armed Forces in #Venezuela if they decide to... Marco Rubio, February 9, 2018. Article: Few challengers in sight, Venezuela sets April 22 for presidential vote by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, February 7, 2018. Briefing: Background briefing on the Secretary's travel to Austin, Texas; Mexico City, Mexico; San Carlos Bariloche, Argentina; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Lima, Peru; Bogota, Colombia; and Kingston, Jamaica, Senior State Department Officials, U.S. Department of State, January 29, 2018. Article: Venezuela calls for early elections, and Maduro aims to retain control by Kirk Semple, The New York Times, January 23, 2018. Article: Tired of regional critics, Venezuela looks to Russia and China by Ernesto Londono, The New York Times, December 27, 2017. Article: Venezuela puts up roadblock for opposition in next presidential vote by Ana Vanessa Herrero, The New York Times, December 20, 2017. Article: As Venezuela opposition shuns vote, leader's party tightens grip on power by Kirk Semple, The New York Times, December 10, 2017. Article: Putin extends lifeline to cash-strapped Venezuela by Patrick Gillespie, CNN Business, November 15, 2017. Article: Venezuela's two legislatures duel, but only one has ammunition by Kirk Semple, The New York Times, November 3, 2017. Advisory: Reports from financial institutions are critical to stopping, deterring, and preventing the proceeds tied to suspected Venezuelan public corruption from moving through the U.S. financial system, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, September 20, 2017. Article: White House raises pressure on Venezuela with new financial sanctions by Clifford Krauss, The New York Times, August 25, 2017. Article: Venezuela's new, powerful assembly takes over legislature's duties by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, August 18, 2017. Report: Vladimir's Venezuela - leveraging loans to Caracas, Moscow snaps up oil assets by Marianna Parraga and Alexandra Ulmer, Reuters, August 11, 2017. Article: Trump says military is 'locked and loaded' and North Korea will 'regret' threats by Peter Baker, The New York Times, August 11, 2017. Article: Venezuela's new assembly members share a goal: Stifle dissent by Nicholas Casey and Ana Vanessa Herrero, The New York Times, August 3, 2017. Article: Venezuela vote marred by violence, including candidate's death by Nicholas Casey, Patricia Torres, and Ana Vanessa Herrero, The New York Times, July 30, 2017. Article: Goldman buys $2.8 billion worth of Venezuelan bonds, and an uproar begins by Landon Thomas Jr., The New York Times, May 30, 2017. Article: Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela President, calls for a rewrite of the constitution by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, May 1, 2017. Article: Venezuela says it will leave pro-democracy organization by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, April 26, 2017. Article: Crisis-ridden Venezuela gave $500k to Trump inauguration by Patrick Gillespie and Flora Charner, CNN Money, April 20, 2017. Article: Venezuelan court revises ruling that nullified legislature by Nicholas Casey and Patricia Torres, The New York Times, April 1, 2017. Article: As criticism mounts, Venezuela asks high court revisit power grab by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, March 31, 2017. Article: Venezuela muzzles legislature, moving closer to one-man rule by Nicholas Casey and Patricia Torres, The New York Times, March 30, 2017. Article: An actual American war criminal may become our second-ranking diplomat by Eric Alterman, The Nation, February 2, 2017. Article: What happened when Venezuela outlawed its own currency by Jeremy Ashkenas and Quoctrung Bui, The New York Times, December 30, 2016. Article: Venezuela: three opposition lawmakers resign in concession to Maduro, Reuters, November 15, 2016. Article: Venezuelan lawmakers vote to put President Nicolas Maduro on trial by Ana Vanessa Herrero and Elisabeth Malkin, The New York Times, October 25, 2016. Article: Venezuelan electoral panel halts effort to recall President Nicolas Maduro by Patricia Torres and Elisabeth Malkin, The New York Times, October 21 2016. Article: Venezuela's supreme court consolidates Nicolas Maduro's power by Elisabeth Malkin and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, October 12, 2016. Article: O.A.S. issues rebuke to Venezuela citing threats to democracy by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, May 31, 2016. Article: Venezuela panel clears the way for a process to oust Nicolas Maduro by Patricia Torres and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, April 26, 2016. Article: Venezuela's court deals another blow to opposition lawmakers by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, April 12, 2016. Article: In power struggle, Venezuela's high court declares parliament in contempt by Mery Mogollon and Chris Kraul, Los Angeles Times, January 11, 2016. Article: Venezuela: Court held lawmakers in contempt by Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, January 11, 2016. Article: Venezuela opposition takes reins of assembly as tensions rise by William Neuman and Nicholas Casey, The New York Times, January 5, 2016. Article: 9 opposition candidates barred from Venezuela's December ballot by William Neuman, The New York Times, August 23, 2015. Article: Venezuelan court rejects challenge to Presidential election results by William Neuman, The New York Times, August 7, 2013. Article: Kerry encourages Venezuela recount by William Neuman, The New York Times, April 17, 2013. Report: Study mission of the Carter Center in 2013 Presidential elections in Venezuela, The Carter Center, April 14, 2013. Article: Venezuela coup linked to Bush team by Ed Vulliamy, The Guardian, April 21, 2002. Article: Uprising in Venezuela: The government; Venezuela's chief forced to resign; civilian installed by Juan Forero, The New York Times, April 13, 2002. Article: 12 years of tortured truth on El Salvador by Guy Gugliotta and Douglas Farrah, The Washington Post, March 21, 1993. Article: Bush pardons Weinberger, 5 others in Iran-Contra;Act called cover-up by Robert Jackson and Ronald J. Ostrow, The Los Angeles Times, December 25, 1992. Article: Elliot Abrams admits his guild on 2 counts in Contra cover-up by David Johnston, The New York Times, October 8, 1991. Article: Aide says U.S. planes carried contra arms, Archives, The New York Times, August 15, 1987. Resources Bio: Elliot Abrams, Council on Foreign Affairs National Endowment for Democracy: Elliott Abrams, Council on Foreign Relations Community Suggestions See more Community Suggestions HERE. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio)