Podcasts about voting rights act

The scope of presidential power is front and center as the Supreme Court begins a new term. Cases on the docket will test Trump's agenda, including his ability to levy tariffs and his attempts to fire Federal Reserve members. Also at stake are the survival of the Voting Rights Act, as well as a state's authority to ban conversion therapy, and the rights of transgender athletes.  We talk about how the conservative-leaning Roberts court might rule, and what role the Court will play in supporting or stopping Trump's efforts to shape the country. Guests: Olatunde C. Johnson, professor of law, Columbia Law School; she served on President Biden's Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer, Slate; co-host of the "Amicus" podcast Melissa Murray, professor of law, NYU School of Law; co-host of the "Strict Scrutiny" podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next Wednesday, the Supreme Court hears a case that could further weaken the Voting Rights Act, which was passed to ensure fair districting and voting practices across different racial groups. Meanwhile, lawmakers across states are taking other paths to limit who can vote, from redrawing districts in order to favor a single party to limiting which government-issued IDs are permitted at the ballot box. And with election day just a few weeks a day, we're asking, who will be able to vote — and whose votes will really count?Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Sophia Lin Lakin on How the Supreme Court Could Dismantle the Law Protecting Voters The U.S. Supreme Court is once again preparing to rule on a case that could further dismantle the Voting Rights Act — Callais v. Landry. At the center of this case is Section 2, one of the last remaining protections against racial discrimination in voting. After Louisiana courts ruled that the state's congressional map illegally diluted Black voting power, a new map was drawn to include a second majority-Black district. But now, a group of white voters — and the state of Louisiana itself — are asking the Court to go even further, claiming that Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional. If the Court agrees, it could strip away the very protections that ensure voters of color can participate equally in our democracy. To unpack the case and its sweeping implications, Jen Taylor Skinner speaks with Sophia Lin Lakin, Director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project, whose team represents Black voters in this landmark case. They discuss the history behind Section 2, the chilling parallels to Shelby County v. Holder, and what this moment could mean for the future of voting rights in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Later this month, the Supreme Court will hear a case that could overturn a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that protects against racial discrimination. Without it, some legal experts say states and local jurisdictions would be permitted to effectively silence the votes of millions of people.

On this episode: Several states are moving to redraw their congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterms, reviving a practice that has happened before but rarely on this scale. Texas has already acted, with Republicans pushing through a new map that could net them multiple House seats. In response, Democrats in California are advancing a ballot measure that would suspend the state's independent commission and open the door to a more favorable map of their own. As a result, nearly a dozen states are engaged in redistricting efforts of their own, with huge implications not just for the balance of power in the House — but the Americans who live in the districts in question. To break down what's happening and why it matters, Erin Covey — Editor of U.S. House coverage at the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter — explains the political strategies at play and the legal uncertainties that surround them. She walks through the domino effect of Texas's decision, how California, Missouri, Ohio, and Utah fit into the bigger picture, and why deadlines in other states are quickly closing in.At the same time, a looming Supreme Court case from Louisiana could reshape the legal boundaries for redistricting nationwide.The case revisits Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and carries major implications for how states consider race when drawing districts — with potential ripple effects across the South and beyond.Read Erin Covey's analysis for The Cook Political Report: https://www.cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/redistricting/2025-2026-redistricting-tracker-how-many-seats-could-flip-0 Learn more about the latest redistricting efforts on our site: https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_ahead_of_the_2026_electionsComplete a brief 5 minute survey to review the show and share some feedback: https://forms.gle/zPxYSog5civyvEKX6 Sign up for our Newsletters: https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia_Email_Updates Stream "On the Ballot" on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have questions, comments, or love for BP, feel free to reach out at ontheballot@ballotpedia.org or on X (formerly Twitter) @Ballotpedia.*On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.

After a very active summer on the emergency docket, the Supreme Court is set to begin a new term.  Christopher Wright Durocher and Taonga Leslie join Lindsay Langholz to break down several important cases on the Court's merits docket, including those focused on LGBTQ+ rights, free speech, immigration, voting rights, and more.Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.orgHost: Lindsay Langholz, Senior Director of Policy and ProgramGuest:  Christopher Wright Durocher, Vice President of Policy and ProgramGuest: Taonga Leslie, Director of Policy and Program for Racial Justice, ACSLink: Brief of Amici Curiae National Women's Law Center and 51 Additional Organizations, B.P.J. v. West Virginia State Bd. of Ed. (4th Cir.)Link: The First Amendment in Flux, ACS 2025-2026 Program GuideLink: Episode 180: The Voting Rights Act at 60Link: Concurring Opinion, Hilo Bay Marina v. State of Hawai'iVisit the Podcast Website: Broken Law Podcast Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org Follow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | LinkedIn | YouTube -----------------Broken Law: About the law, who it serves, and who it doesn't.----------------- Production House: Flint Stone Media Copyright of American Constitution Society 2025.

Join hosts Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross, and Andrew Gillum live from the 54th Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference (CBCF ALC) for a conversation made for this moment. This special live recording brings together a rotating panel of esteemed guests to talk about how we move forward as a people. Hosts center power, policy, and progress, in their discussion about what it takes to carry that work into the next generation. We dig into the future of Black political power, the fight to protect voting rights and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and the role of grassroots organizing in pushing back against misinformation and building lasting change. Taking place in Washington, D.C., this live recording captures the urgency and the hope of the moment and is grounded in collective power. Find out more about Native Land Pod: https://nativelandpod.com/ If you’d like to submit a question, watch our tutorial and send yours to @nativelandpod: www.instagram.com/reel/C5j_oBXLIg0/ Welcome home y’all! —--------- We want to hear from you! Send us a video @nativelandpod and we may feature you on the podcast. Instagram X/Twitter Facebook NativeLandPod.com Watch full episodes of Native Land Pod here on YouTube. Native Land Pod is brought to you by Reasoned Choice Media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. Supreme Court has vastly reshaped American democracy — rolling back voting rights, enabling secret money in politics and expanding presidential power. These decisions have a real impact on all Americans by making it harder for citizens to exercise their freedom to vote, easier for wealthy interests to sway elections and more difficult to hold leaders accountable.In this episode, host Simone Leeper speaks with law professor and co-host of the Strict Scrutiny Podcast Leah Litman, Campaign Legal Center Senior Vice President Bruce V. Spiva and Campaign Legal Center Campaign Finance Senior Counsel David Kolker. Together, they unpack the real-world impact of landmark Supreme Court decisions — from voting rights cases like Shelby County v. Holder and Brnovich v. DNC to campaign finance rulings like Citizens United — and explore what reforms could restore balance, accountability and trust in the Court.Timestamps:(00:05) — What do Americans really think about the Supreme Court?(02:18) — Why does the Supreme Court's power matter for democracy?(07:01) — How did Shelby County v. Holder weaken voting rights?(16:39) — What was the impact of Brnovich v. DNC?(23:39) — How has the Supreme Court reshaped campaign finance?(29:24) — Why did Citizens United open the floodgates for money in politics?(32:37) — How have super PACs changed elections?(34:02) — How have wealthy special interests reshaped U.S. elections?(35:44) — What does presidential immunity mean for accountability?(37:30) — How do lifetime seats protect the Supreme Court from accountability?(39:22) — What role can Congress play in restoring trust and democracy?Host and Guests:Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at Campaign Legal Center, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.Leah Litman is a professor of law at the University of Michigan and a former Supreme Court clerk. In addition to cohosting Strict Scrutiny, she writes frequently about the Court for media outlets including The Washington Post, Slate, and The Atlantic, among others, and has appeared as a commentator on NPR and MSNBC, in addition to other venues. She has received the Ruth Bader Ginsburg award for her “scholarly excellence” from the American Constitution Society and published in top law reviews. Follow her on Bluesky @LeahLitman and Instagram @ProfLeahLitman.Bruce V. Spiva is Senior Vice President at Campaign Legal Center. He is an attorney and community leader who has spent his over 30-year career fighting for civil rights and civil liberties, voting rights, consumer protection, and antitrust enforcement.Over the past three decades, he has tried cases and argued appeals in courtrooms across the country, including arguing against vote suppression in the United States Supreme Court in 2021. In 2022, in his first run for public office, Bruce mounted a competitive run in the primary election for Washington, D.C. Attorney General. In addition to founding his own law firm where he practiced for eleven years, Bruce has held several leadership and management positions as a partner at two national law firms. Most recently, Bruce served as the Managing Partner of the D.C. Office and on the firm-wide Executive Committee of Perkins Coie LLP, where he also had an active election law practice. He first-chaired twelve voting rights and redistricting trials across the country, and argued numerous voting rights appeals in U.S. circuit courts and state supreme courts during his tenure at Perkins. David Kolker is Campaign Finance Senior Counsel at Campaign Legal Center. He focuses on both short- and long-term strategies to improve campaign finance laws across the country, and precedent interpreting those laws. David has spent decades litigating cases in both the public and private sectors. He worked for nearly 20 years at the Federal Election Commission, where he litigated cases on federal campaign finance law and for several years led the agency's Litigation Division. He represented the government in dozens of oral arguments, including the government's defense in SpeechNow.org v. FEC before the D.C. Circuit sitting en banc. He litigated many cases decided by the Supreme Court, including the landmark cases of McConnell v. FEC and Citizens United v. FEC. David joined CLC from the Federal Communications Commission, where he served as the deputy bureau chief, Enforcement Bureau. He previously was a partner at the law firm Spiegel and McDiarmid in Washington. Early in his career, David worked as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. Links:The Supreme Court Needs to Start Standing Up for Democracy – CLCThe Supreme Court's Role in Undermining American Democracy  – CLCSupreme Court's Impact on Voting Rights Is a Threat to Democracy  – CLCWhy the Current U.S. Supreme Court Is a Threat to Our Democracy  – CLCU.S. Supreme Court Reinstates Illegal Virginia Voter Purge at the Eleventh Hour – CLCWhat Does the U.S. Supreme Court's Recent Arizona Decision Mean for Voters? – CLCAlito Flags the Fatal Flaw of the Supreme Court Ethics Code – CLCU.S. Supreme Court Reinstates Illegal Virginia Voter Purge at the Eleventh Hour – CLCImproving Ethics Standards at the Supreme Court – CLCSupreme Court tossed out heart of Voting Rights Act a decade ago, prompting wave of new voting rules – The HillU.S. Supreme Court Significantly Limits Restraints on Unconstitutional Presidential Actions – CLCCampaign Legal Center Responds to SCOTUS Ruling Limiting Court Restraints on Unconstitutional Presidential Actions – CLCProtecting the Promise of American Citizenship – CLCBringing the Fight for Fair Voting Maps to the U.S. Supreme Court – CLCThe Supreme Court Must Uphold Fair Voting Maps for Fair Representation – CLCAbout CLC:Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to solving the wide range of challenges facing American democracy. Campaign Legal Center fights for every American's freedom to vote and participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Learn more about us.Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Passing Judgment, Jessica is joined by David Goodman of the New York Times to break down the unexpected surge of mid-cycle redistricting in Texas. They discuss how political maneuvering by Republicans—aimed at flipping congressional seats—has triggered national reverberations, with states like California now considering similar actions to counter Texas. The episode dives into the partisan motivations, the legal and political pushback, and the threat to independent redistricting commissions. Together, Jessica and David make sense of the fast-evolving redistricting landscape and its far-reaching impact on representation and the future balance of power in Congress.Here are three key takeaways you don't want to miss:Mid-Cycle Redistricting—Why Now? The episode opens with an exploration of why an unusual mid-cycle redistricting is being discussed in 2025, even though redistricting typically happens every ten years after the census. The trigger for this push is political: Republicans, facing a narrow margin in the U.S. House, sought ways to gain additional seats, focusing first on Texas where state Republican control made this feasible.The Politics and Justification of Gerrymandering Both Jessica and David highlight that Texas Republicans were fully open about the political motives behind redrawing district lines—to flip as many as five Democratic seats to Republican. They justified this by pointing out gerrymandering in Democratic-led states and emphasizing partisan advantage as allowed by the Supreme Court, which has found political gerrymandering to be outside federal judicial review.The Domino Effect—Other States Respond Texas's actions triggered similar conversations in other states. However, David points out that most opportunities for follow-on aggressive redistricting are found in Republican-led states because many Democratic-led states (like California and New York) have independent redistricting commissions, which limit the legislature's ability to redraw maps for partisan gain. States specifically considered for similar moves include Indiana, Missouri, and Florida, while California emerged as the prime Democratic candidate, though with significant procedural hurdles.Follow Our Host: @LevinsonJessica

On this episode: The Supreme Court's 2025 term opens with a docket that could reshape trade, elections, civil rights, and executive power. Among the major cases: challenges to Trump-era tariffs that test the scope of presidential authority over economic policy, a Voting Rights Act dispute from Louisiana involving claims of racial gerrymandering, and a Title IX case on whether transgender students can participate in school sports. The justices will also confront questions about capital punishment and intellectual disability, the independence of federal agencies like the FTC and Federal Reserve, and the growing influence of the Court's emergency docket.Zachary Shemtob, executive editor of SCOTUSblog, helps break down the key cases to watch, the broader trends shaping the Court's work, and how this term's decisions could have lasting consequences for law, politics, and governance in the United States.Read Shemtob's analysis: https://www.scotusblog.com/author/zachary/ Learn more about the cases coming before the Supreme Court in the 2025-26 term: https://ballotpedia.org/Supreme_Court_cases,_October_term_2025-2026 Complete a brief 5 minute survey to review the show and share some feedback: https://forms.gle/zPxYSog5civyvEKX6 Sign up for our Newsletters: https://ballotpedia.org/Ballotpedia_Email_Updates Stream "On the Ballot" on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you have questions, comments, or love for BP, feel free to reach out at ontheballot@ballotpedia.org or on X (formerly Twitter) @Ballotpedia.*On The Ballot is a conversational podcast featuring interviews with guests across the political spectrum. The views and opinions expressed by them are solely their own and are not representative of the views of the host or Ballotpedia as a whole.

This week, Donna and Orlando sat down with David Daley, investigative journalist and author of Anti-Democratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections.In 1981, a young lawyer, fresh out of Harvard law school, joined the Reagan administration's Department of Justice, taking up a cause that had been fomenting in Republican circles for over a decade by that point. From his perch inside the Reagan DOJ, this lawyer would attempt to bring down one of the defining pieces of 20th century legislation—the Voting Rights Act. His name was John Roberts.Now lauded investigative reporter David Daley reveals the urgent story of this fifty-year Republican plot to end the Voting Rights Act and encourage minority rule in their party's favor. From the bowels of Reagan's DOJ to the walls of the conservative Federalist Society to the moneyed Republican resources bankrolling restrictive voting laws today, Daley reveals a hidden history as sweeping as it is troubling. To learn more about Anti-Democratic: Inside the Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections, click here. FOR HOT TAKES:DETROIT GETS $19.8M FROM KNIGHT FOUNDATION TO BOOST ART, TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNITY PROJECTSCITY OF DETROIT SLAMS ROGERS FOR CALLING ON TRUMP TO SEND TROOPS Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

In this episode of Passing Judgment, Jessica Levinson welcomes Reuters reporter Joseph Axe to discuss the intensifying battle over redistricting across the country. They examine Texas' unprecedented mid-decade redistricting push, California's proposed response, and the broader trend of overt partisan gerrymandering. The episode delves into what these changes mean for voters, political polarization, and the balance of power in Congress, highlighting how the fight over district lines could have lasting impacts on American democracy.Here are three key takeaways you don't want to miss:What is Redistricting and Why It's Unusually Timely Now: The discussion highlights why redistricting is happening now, outside the normal decade cycle, mainly due to political pressure—specifically, former President Trump urging Texas to redraw its maps to increase Republican representation.The Texas Redistricting Battle: There's a deep dive into recent, unprecedented actions in Texas, where Republicans are seeking to replace a map they themselves passed just four years ago with one even more favorable to their party.Partisan vs. Racial Gerrymandering: Political gerrymandering is drawing lines to benefit a party (now effectively permitted by the Supreme Court), while racial gerrymandering—diluting the voting power of racial minorities—remains illegal, though often overlaps with partisan efforts.Follow Our Host: @LevinsonJessica

Headline: How Smith v. Allwright Broke the Back of the White Primary If you think your vote doesn't matter, history has a powerful story to change your mind. In the latest episode of Trey's Table, we dive deep into Smith v. Allwright (1944), a landmark Supreme Court case that fundamentally reshaped the political landscape of the American South and supercharged the modern Civil Rights Movement. For decades after Reconstruction, Southern states used a web of discriminatory tactics to disenfranchise Black voters. One of the most effective was the “white primary.” Because the Democratic Party dominated the South, winning its primary was tantamount to winning the election. By banning Black voters from participating in these primaries, white officials effectively silenced them without breaking a single federal law. That is, until Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund took on the case of Lonnie E. Smith, a Black dentist in Houston who was denied a ballot. Their victory was monumental. The Supreme Court ruled that barring Black voters from primaries was unconstitutional, violating the 14th and 15th Amendments. The impact was immediate and dramatic: · Black voter registration in the South skyrocketed from around 200,000 in 1940 to over 800,000 by 1948. · The legal victory provided a crucial playbook for challenging other Jim Crow laws, paving the way for Brown v. Board of Education a decade later. · It proved that the courts could be a powerful tool for achieving racial justice. However, the fight was far from over. Southern states swiftly invented new barriers—literacy tests, poll taxes, and economic intimidation—to continue suppressing the Black vote. This ongoing struggle highlights why the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was so necessary and why protecting voting rights remains critical today. This story is more than a history lesson; it's a testament to the power of strategic litigation and unwavering courage. To hear the full story of the legal strategy, the risks involved, and the lasting legacy of this case, listen to the latest episode of Trey's Table. #TreysTable #Podcast #SmithVAllwright #ThurgoodMarshall #VotingRights #CivilRightsHistory #NAACP #BlackHistory #LearnHistory

8.28.2025 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Louisiana Voting Rights SCOTUS Battle, Trump Firing Spree, U.S. Open Racism, Emmett Till 70thLouisiana is taking its fight over voting rights straight to the U.S. Supreme Court. The state seeks to gut a key provision of the Voting Rights Act by prohibiting the use of race in redistricting. Activist Gary Chambers will be here to discuss what's really at stake for Black political power.Trump's firing spree continues. His latest casualty, Surface Transportation Board member Robert Primus. Could it be his stance on a merger that got him fired?Controversy at the U.S. Open... A French player is under fire after making racist remarks toward American Taylor Townsend, a Black woman, right after losing their match.And the family of Emmett Till takes the same train ride from Chicago to Mississippi to commemorate the 70th anniversary of his brutal lynching. #BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbaseThis Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (https://bit.ly/3VDPKjD) and Risks (https://bit.ly/3ZQzHl0) related to this offering before investing.Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV.The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ninth Circuit upheld a lower court ruling that Washington's redistricting map violated the Voting Rights Act, forcing changes that displaced Senator Nikki Torres and several GOP lawmakers. Bill Bruch argues the map harms Latino representation while boosting Democratic control. https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/opinion/opinion-ninth-circuit-court-of-appeals-issues-ruling-in-wa-state-redistricting-case/ #Washington #Redistricting #VotingRights #NikkiTorres #Politics #NinthCircuit #VRA #Elections

Today's West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy Podcast for our especially special Daily Special, Smothered Benedict Wednesday is now available on the Spreaker Player!Starting off in the Bistro Cafe, Trump got a rude awakening with major protests chasing his goons from swank DC neighborhoods.Then, on the rest of the menu, a Wisconsin Lutheran pastor tested the new IRS endorsement rule by backing AOC and lost his church; ICE Barbie says the entire southern border wall will be painted black to stop people from climbing it; and, a federal judge ruled the Mississippi Supreme Court gerrymander map violates the Voting Rights Act.After the break, we move to the Chef's Table where a US appeals court puts the brakes on the contested land transfer for an Arizona copper mine to a pair of international companies; and, Paris residents fight the ‘Disneyfication' of their beloved Montmartre neighborhood.All that and more, on West Coast Cookbook & Speakeasy with Chef de Cuisine Justice Putnam.Bon Appétit!The Netroots Radio Live Player​Keep Your Resistance Radio Beaming 24/7/365!“It may be safely averred that good cookery is the best and truest economy, turning to full account every wholesome article of food, and converting into palatable meals what the ignorant either render uneatable or throw away in disdain.” - Eliza Acton ‘Modern Cookery for Private Families' (1845)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/west-coast-cookbook-speakeasy--2802999/support.

Elaine Weiss, acclaimed author of The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, follows that magisterial work with a work of equal scholarly significance and narrative excellence, Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement (Simon and Schuster, 2025), "the story of four activists whose audacious plan to restore voting rights to Black Americans laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.""In the summer of 1954, educator Septima Clark and small businessman Esau Jenkins travelled to rural Tennessee's Highlander Folk School, an interracial training center for social change founded by Myles Horton, a white southerner with roots in the labor movement. There, the trio united behind a shared mission: preparing Black southerners to pass the daunting Jim Crow era voter registration literacy tests that were designed to disenfranchise them.Together with beautician-turned-teacher Bernice Robinson, they launched the underground Citizenship Schools project, which began with a single makeshift classroom hidden in the back of a rural grocery store. By the time the Voting Rights Act was signed into law in 1965, the secretive undertaking had established more than nine hundred citizenship schools across the South, preparing tens of thousands of Black citizens to read and write, demand their rights—and vote. Simultaneously, it nurtured a generation of activists—many of them women—trained in community organizing, political citizenship, and tactics of resistance and struggle who became the grassroots foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King called Septima Clark, “Mother of the Movement.” Elaine Weiss is an award-winning journalist, author, and public speaker. In addition to Spell Freedom, she is the author of Fruits of Victory: The Woman's Land Army of the Great War; and The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote. Elaine lives with her husband in Baltimore, Maryland. Find out more at her website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Elaine Weiss, acclaimed author of The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, follows that magisterial work with a work of equal scholarly significance and narrative excellence, Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement (Simon and Schuster, 2025), "the story of four activists whose audacious plan to restore voting rights to Black Americans laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.""In the summer of 1954, educator Septima Clark and small businessman Esau Jenkins travelled to rural Tennessee's Highlander Folk School, an interracial training center for social change founded by Myles Horton, a white southerner with roots in the labor movement. There, the trio united behind a shared mission: preparing Black southerners to pass the daunting Jim Crow era voter registration literacy tests that were designed to disenfranchise them.Together with beautician-turned-teacher Bernice Robinson, they launched the underground Citizenship Schools project, which began with a single makeshift classroom hidden in the back of a rural grocery store. By the time the Voting Rights Act was signed into law in 1965, the secretive undertaking had established more than nine hundred citizenship schools across the South, preparing tens of thousands of Black citizens to read and write, demand their rights—and vote. Simultaneously, it nurtured a generation of activists—many of them women—trained in community organizing, political citizenship, and tactics of resistance and struggle who became the grassroots foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King called Septima Clark, “Mother of the Movement.” Elaine Weiss is an award-winning journalist, author, and public speaker. In addition to Spell Freedom, she is the author of Fruits of Victory: The Woman's Land Army of the Great War; and The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote. Elaine lives with her husband in Baltimore, Maryland. Find out more at her website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Elaine Weiss, acclaimed author of The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, follows that magisterial work with a work of equal scholarly significance and narrative excellence, Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement (Simon and Schuster, 2025), "the story of four activists whose audacious plan to restore voting rights to Black Americans laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.""In the summer of 1954, educator Septima Clark and small businessman Esau Jenkins travelled to rural Tennessee's Highlander Folk School, an interracial training center for social change founded by Myles Horton, a white southerner with roots in the labor movement. There, the trio united behind a shared mission: preparing Black southerners to pass the daunting Jim Crow era voter registration literacy tests that were designed to disenfranchise them.Together with beautician-turned-teacher Bernice Robinson, they launched the underground Citizenship Schools project, which began with a single makeshift classroom hidden in the back of a rural grocery store. By the time the Voting Rights Act was signed into law in 1965, the secretive undertaking had established more than nine hundred citizenship schools across the South, preparing tens of thousands of Black citizens to read and write, demand their rights—and vote. Simultaneously, it nurtured a generation of activists—many of them women—trained in community organizing, political citizenship, and tactics of resistance and struggle who became the grassroots foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King called Septima Clark, “Mother of the Movement.” Elaine Weiss is an award-winning journalist, author, and public speaker. In addition to Spell Freedom, she is the author of Fruits of Victory: The Woman's Land Army of the Great War; and The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote. Elaine lives with her husband in Baltimore, Maryland. Find out more at her website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

In 1965, a nonviolent voting rights march in Alabama culminated in a brutal televised brutal attack by state police. The public outrage that followed prompted Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act, a law meant to dismantle racially discriminatory barriers to voting. Since then, this landmark civil rights law has faced continued attacks. The Supreme Court has weakened its protections, most notably in the 2013 case Shelby County v. Holder. And just this summer, a lower court ruling in Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians v. Howe blocked voters in seven states from using the Voting Rights Act to challenge racially discriminatory voting practices. The Supreme Court has put that decision on hold for the moment while it considers whether to take up the case. But the very fact that we're celebrating a pause on the near destruction of the Voting Rights Act's last remaining protection illustrates how bad things have gotten in the courts. Thankfully, courts don't have the only say. The 15th Amendment gives Congress the power to safeguard the right to vote through legislation. This conversation explores the history of the Voting Rights Act, its impact on voters today, and what it will take to ensure fair representation for all.Speakers:Alexander Keyssar, Matthew W. Stirling Jr. Professor of History and Social Policy, Harvard Kennedy SchoolSean Morales-Doyle, Director, Brennan Center Voting Rights and Elections ProgramLenny Powell, Staff Attorney, Native American Rights FundNikema Williams, U.S. Representative (D-GA)Moderator: Natalie Tennant, Kanawha County Commissioner; Former West Virginia Secretary of StateIf you enjoy this program, please give us a boost by liking it, subscribing, and sharing it with your friends. If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, please give it a five-star rating. Recorded on August 19, 2025. Keep up with the Brennan Center's work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing, at https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing.

Elaine Weiss, acclaimed author of The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, follows that magisterial work with a work of equal scholarly significance and narrative excellence, Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement (Simon and Schuster, 2025), "the story of four activists whose audacious plan to restore voting rights to Black Americans laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.""In the summer of 1954, educator Septima Clark and small businessman Esau Jenkins travelled to rural Tennessee's Highlander Folk School, an interracial training center for social change founded by Myles Horton, a white southerner with roots in the labor movement. There, the trio united behind a shared mission: preparing Black southerners to pass the daunting Jim Crow era voter registration literacy tests that were designed to disenfranchise them.Together with beautician-turned-teacher Bernice Robinson, they launched the underground Citizenship Schools project, which began with a single makeshift classroom hidden in the back of a rural grocery store. By the time the Voting Rights Act was signed into law in 1965, the secretive undertaking had established more than nine hundred citizenship schools across the South, preparing tens of thousands of Black citizens to read and write, demand their rights—and vote. Simultaneously, it nurtured a generation of activists—many of them women—trained in community organizing, political citizenship, and tactics of resistance and struggle who became the grassroots foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King called Septima Clark, “Mother of the Movement.” Elaine Weiss is an award-winning journalist, author, and public speaker. In addition to Spell Freedom, she is the author of Fruits of Victory: The Woman's Land Army of the Great War; and The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote. Elaine lives with her husband in Baltimore, Maryland. Find out more at her website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

On todays Show Madelynn and the Fearsome Threesome talk about he legal case of Robinson vs. Callais, involving Louisiana's redistricting post-2020 census. The plaintiffs, primarily black political participation groups, argued that the new districts violated the Voting Rights Act by using tactics like packing and cracking to dilute black voting power. The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, citing the Thornburg v. Jingles test, which requires minority groups to be sufficiently large and geographically compact. The court ordered Louisiana to redraw its maps to provide more opportunities for black voters. The conversation also touched on the broader implications of gerrymandering and the role of race in redistricting. Don't miss it!

This Day in Legal History: Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation ActOn August 22, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act into law, reshaping the American welfare system in ways that continue to spark debate. Billed as a way to "end welfare as we know it," the law imposed strict work requirements on recipients and introduced a five-year lifetime limit on federal benefits, regardless of economic conditions. The legislation replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), transforming a federal entitlement into a state-administered block grant system.Supporters of the reform hailed it as a bipartisan success, encouraging employment and reducing long-term dependency. But critics argue that the law eroded the social safety net and punished the poor, particularly single mothers and children, by prioritizing ideological goals over economic realities. States were given broad discretion in how to allocate funds, leading to uneven access and accountability. Many used their new flexibility not to expand support systems but to restrict eligibility and reduce caseloads, often with little evidence of improved outcomes.The law also failed to account for structural barriers to employment—such as childcare shortages, low wages, and racial discrimination—leaving many without support when they failed to meet work requirements. Moreover, the block grant's fixed funding has not kept pace with inflation or need, effectively shrinking welfare over time. While welfare rolls dropped sharply in the years following the reform, poverty did not—suggesting that many were simply pushed out of the system rather than lifted out of hardship. The 1996 law codified a narrative of moral failing over structural inequality, framing poverty as a matter of personal irresponsibility rather than systemic dysfunction.A federal judge ordered an immediate halt to new construction at the controversial "Alligator Alcatraz" migrant detention center in Florida's Everglades. The facility, championed by Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, was barred from accepting new detainees and required to dismantle supporting infrastructure—including generators, waste systems, fencing, and lighting—within 60 days. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, sided with environmental groups who argued the project violated federal, state, and local environmental laws.The detention center, estimated to cost $450 million annually and house up to 5,000 detainees, had drawn backlash for its location in a fragile wetland ecosystem populated by endangered species. Environmental advocates and some local leaders had long criticized the plan, noting it conflicted with decades of political pledges to protect and restore the Everglades. The Department of Homeland Security had tapped FEMA funds to support the project, raising additional controversy over funding priorities.In her ruling, Judge Williams emphasized that the project ran counter to longstanding legislative commitments to environmental protection. Florida has already filed an appeal, but environmental groups hailed the decision as a critical victory. Despite mounting opposition, Trump dismissed ecological concerns and reaffirmed his intent to replicate the model nationally as part of his broader immigration crackdown.Judge orders halt to new construction at 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention center | ReutersAlligator Alcatraz Expansion Blocked for Harm to Environment (1)California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a pair of redistricting bills designed to redraw congressional districts in favor of Democrats—part of an aggressive political response to a newly passed gerrymandered map in Texas. Both states are now embroiled in legal and constitutional battles, as Republicans and Democrats seek to lock in partisan advantages ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Newsom also set a special statewide election for November 4, asking voters to approve the new map. If passed, it could flip up to five Republican-held House seats and secure four Democratic-leaning swing districts.California's strategy sidesteps its voter-created independent redistricting commission, which has been enshrined in the state constitution since 2010 to prevent political interference. Because of that, lawmakers are now required to get voter approval to implement their plan—creating a high-stakes ballot measure, Proposition 50. Republicans and good-government advocates, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Charles Munger Jr., have vowed to fight the plan in court and on the ballot. A pending GOP lawsuit argues the legislature violated the state's 30-day waiting period for new bills, pushing through the redistricting effort without proper transparency.In Texas, the Republican-controlled legislature approved a new congressional map at the urging of President Trump, hoping to maintain a narrow House majority. Voting rights groups immediately challenged the plan, claiming it violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by racially diluting Black and Latino voting power. The case will be heard by a federal three-judge panel in El Paso, with a likely fast track to the U.S. Supreme Court. Texas Republicans, including Governor Greg Abbott, deny any racial bias and argue the map reflects demographic shifts and Republican gains among minority voters.This escalating redistricting clash highlights the legal vulnerability of U.S. voting systems when partisan manipulation goes unchecked. Though the Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that federal courts cannot weigh in on partisan gerrymandering, racial gerrymandering remains justiciable under the Voting Rights Act. Meanwhile, California Democrats are relying on voter sentiment—and Trump's unpopularity in the state—to justify a temporary abandonment of anti-gerrymandering principles.Explainer: The legal battles over redistricting in Texas and California | ReutersNewsom Signs California Redistricting Plan to Counter Texas Republicans - The New York TimesA federal judge ruled that Alina Habba, President Trump's controversial appointee as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, had no legal authority to hold the office after her temporary term expired. U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann found that the Trump administration violated federal law by firing Habba's court-selected successor, Desiree Grace, and then using a series of procedural maneuvers to reinstall Habba. These included appointing her as “special attorney,” then naming her first assistant U.S. attorney to invoke the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.Brann concluded that Habba was unlawfully performing the duties of U.S. Attorney as of July 1 and that her actions from that point forward “may be declared void.” The ruling blocks her from overseeing or participating in criminal cases, and it extends to prosecutors operating under her supervision. The judge criticized the administration's strategy as an attempt to bypass Senate confirmation entirely by exploiting loopholes in temporary appointment rules, warning that this interpretation could let the executive branch install preferred prosecutors indefinitely.The Trump-appointed Attorney General, Pam Bondi, vowed to appeal, and Brann stayed his ruling pending the outcome. Still, the decision casts a shadow over prosecutions under Habba's leadership, and some courts in New Jersey have already paused proceedings. Brann also rejected the idea that firing interim appointees before their terms expire could justify continual reappointments without oversight.Defense attorneys in the case that triggered the ruling argued that the executive branch cannot sidestep a process designed to check prosecutorial power through judicial or Senate involvement. Though the judge refused to throw out defendant Cesar Pina's indictment—since the investigation began before Habba's unlawful tenure—the ruling reinforces that prosecutorial authority must be rooted in lawful appointment.Alina Habba Blocked From Handling Cases in Rebuke to Trump (3)This week's closing theme is by Claude Debussy.This week's closing theme comes from Debussy, born on August 22, 1862—an apt choice as we mark the anniversary of his birth. Debussy was a revolutionary figure in Western music, often associated with Impressionism, though he rejected the label. He sought to break from the rigid structures of the Germanic tradition, instead favoring color, atmosphere, and suggestion over clear-cut form and resolution. His music evokes shifting light, fluid motion, and emotional ambiguity—more akin to poetry or painting than to classical architecture.One of his early works, Rêverie, composed in the 1890s, offers a glimpse into the world he would come to define. The title means “daydream,” and the piece unfolds with a gentle, unhurried lyricism that floats outside of time. Though simple in construction, it is harmonically rich and emotionally resonant—hinting at the innovations to come in Clair de Lune, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, and Pelléas et Mélisande.Rêverie was one of Debussy's first pieces to gain public attention, though he later dismissed it as “a piece for salon use.” Listeners have disagreed ever since. Its introspective tone and delicate touch make it a lasting favorite among pianists and audiences alike. It feels like a whisper—never urgent, never insistent, always inviting. In that sense, it's a fitting farewell for the week: contemplative, unresolved, and open to interpretation.Without further ado, Claude Debussy's Rêverie enjoy! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Today's Headlines: Texas lawmakers finally got enough people in the room to move their new congressional map forward, shutting down Democratic objections along the way. Meanwhile in Mississippi, a federal judge ordered the state to ditch its decades-old gerrymandered map that diluted Black voters' power. On tariffs, Trump quietly expanded his 50% steel and aluminum tariffs to over 400 new products—everything from fire extinguishers to construction materials—hitting about $320 billion worth of imports. Border searches are also spiking: CBP combed through nearly 15,000 travelers' phones and laptops last quarter, the most ever, and they're looking for even more invasive tech to dig through people's texts. At HHS, over 750 employees blasted Secretary RFK Jr. for spreading anti-vax lies that they say are fueling violence against health workers—just weeks after a gunman attacked the CDC. Overseas, Israel is calling up 60,000 more reservists for its Gaza campaign and extending others' service, even as protests grow at home and a controversial West Bank settlement project gets the green light and a think tank says North Korea has a secret missile base near China capable of launching nukes at the U.S.—one of at least 15 hidden facilities. Lastly, in a weird twist, the White House just launched an official TikTok account on the very app Trump keeps trying (and failing) to ban. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: Texas Republicans bring redistricting bill to house floor after finally reaching quorum AP News: Mississippi Supreme Court map violates Voting Rights Act, judge rules NBC News: Trump expands 50% steel and aluminum tariffs to include 407 additional product types Wired: Phone Searches at the US Border Hit a Record High Axios: HHS workers accuse RFK Jr. of stoking violence against them NBC News: Israel enters first stage of planned assault on Gaza City WSJ: North Korea Has a Secret Long-Range Missile Base Near Chinese Border, Report Says The Guardian: White House launches official TikTok account after Trump vowed ban in 2020 Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ironically, mere minutes after Texas Republicans pushed through a racially-gerrymandered congressional map ordered by Donald Trump to cut his losses in next year's midterms, we convened a panel of esteemed Black leaders from across the D/FW area to discuss the state of voting rights 60 years since LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act into law in 1965. We were pleased to team with the Legal Defense Fund to host a panel featuring former Dallas City Council Member for District 3 Casey Thomas, Grand Prairie City Council Mayor Pro Tem Junior Ezeonu, and Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons at the DEC Network Center in Dallas.Learn more about the Legal Defense Fund at https://www.naacpldf.org/.Learn more about the DEC Network Center at https://dallasbuilds.org/organization-profile/the-dallas-entrepreneur-center-dec-networkProgress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

More To The Story: The Voting Rights Act turned 60 years old this month. The landmark piece of legislation is considered one of the most effective laws protecting the right to vote for racial minorities around the country. But the conservative movement has successfully hollowed out much of the law, thanks to Supreme Court decisions over the last decade. On this week's episode, New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie sits down with host Al Letson to talk about how the Voting Rights Act has been defanged by the Supreme Court, why the Democratic Party is made up of “a bunch of weenies,” and why he believes the country is now in a constitutional emergency.Producer: Josh Sanburn | Editor: Kara McGuirk-Allison | Theme music: Fernando Arruda and Jim Briggs | Copy editor: Nikki Frick | Deputy executive producer: Taki Telonidis | Executive producer: Brett Myers | Executive editor: James West | Host: Al LetsonDonate today at Revealnews.org/moreSubscribe to our weekly newsletter at Revealnews.org/weeklyFollow us on Instagram and Bluesky Listen: How Trump Exploits Working-Class Pain (More To The Story) Read: Republican Gerrymandering Schemes Target Minority Voters and Their Representatives (Mother Jones) Listen: Not All Votes Are Created Equal (Reveal) Read: The Nation's Landmark Voting Rights Law Just Turned 60. It May Not Survive Trump. (Mother Jones) Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:After promising the families of July 4th flood victims that flood relief would take a top priority in the second special session, the Trump-gerrymandered congressional map is the only item on the agenda for today at the House: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/20/politics/texas-redistricting-california...California Republicans are getting nervous as preparations to allow that state's voters to approve a retaliatory redistricting of the Golden State: https://www.axios.com/2025/08/19/newsom-trump-texas-california-redistricting-democrats...Several Democratic House members who had agreed to DPS tails have "ripped the slip" and joined Fort Worth Rep. Nicole Collier during her long-term stay on the House floor: https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-texas-nicole-collier-capitol-protest-10f8e3f721a507237d5272ccd1b2f81b...Austin Rep. Sheryl Cole gave us details on a public altercation she had on Tuesday morning with her DPS handler, who grew frustrated after he lost track of her while she was walking on an Austin trail: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/update-austin-rep-sheryl-cole-on-public-scrape-with/id1552998795?i=1000722710239...Meanwhile, the Texas Senate has passed all kinds of MAGA business, from the bathroom bill, to additional power to the Attorney General to press election fraud cases, to more leeway for Texas law enforcement agencies to conceal complaints against their officers: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-senate-second-special-session-thc-disaster-relief-bathroom-bills/Dallas/Fort Worth friends: Join Progress Texas Institute and the Legal Defense Fund in Dallas for a live podcast taping, featuring Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, at the DEC Network Center—honoring the years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act and a review of where voting rights stand today, amid redistricting threats. Admission is free! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/vra_event_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠Austin friends: tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:Fort Worth Rep. Nicole Collier spent the night last night on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives, refusing a Texas DPS tail that Republicans have required for all of the Democratic quorum breakers to leave the Capitol: https://abc7ny.com/post/democratic-texas-state-rep-nicole-collier-slept-house-floor-protest-refusing-demand-law-enforcement-escort/17584775/...A nonviolent protest and solidarity gathering on behalf of Rep. Collier is happening tonight (Tuesday 8/19) at the Capitol: https://www.mobilize.us/handsoffcentraltexas/event/830948/...At least four of Collier's supporters were arrested last night after refusing to leave their vigil: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNhc65Ju5LX/?igsh=Y3czYnhocGV2ZTI0...A new analysis of the Trump map shows that it will extend what is already a disproportionate level of Republican representation in Texas relative to the popular vote: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-redistricting-maps-charts-analysis/?_bhlid=8e069a6f680e3d5c42668d3fccf9cea202d76672...A coalition of legal defense groups are preparing their challenge to the new Texas map: https://thehill.com/homenews/5458835-democratic-aligned-nonprofit-civil-rights-groups-ready-to-sue-over-texas-congressional-map/Those new Ten Commandments posters plastered all over your kid's school are causing tension: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/08/19/tensions-rise-in-texas-as-students-return-to-school-under-new-ten-commandments-law/The notoriously conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down West Texas A&M's ban on drag shows: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/08/19/court-blocks-West-Texas-AM-drag-ban/9401755573254/Dallas/Fort Worth friends: Join Progress Texas Institute and the Legal Defense Fund in Dallas for a live podcast taping, featuring Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, at the DEC Network Center—honoring the years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act and a review of where voting rights stand today, amid redistricting threats. Admission is free! ⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/vra_event_2025⁠⁠⁠Austin friends: tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:The Texas House Democrats who have stopped the Donald Trump-ordered redistricting of Texas for the last two weeks are expected to restore quorum today: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/us/politics/redistricting-texas-maps.html...In Houston, Colin Allred calls the quorum break a success in buying time and building understanding of the situation across the country: https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/texas/quorum-may-be-reached-in-texas-house-during-special-session-monday/285-0a9ea4b3-d53b-4992-b165-1c44a5ce4332...The quorum break has also inspired Democrats to up their efforts against Trump, and fired up the voting base: https://apnews.com/article/trump-democrats-redistricting-texas-california-newsom-9422a8300f5bcc2aa587bcb3811a1479...An example of that fired up base, over 5,000 braved a hot August afternoon to rally against the Trump map on Saturday at the Texas State Capitol: https://www.kut.org/politics/2025-08-16/texas-austin-redistricting-rally-protest-capitol-congressional-maps...Don't count on Republicans to dial back their efforts - or their dangerous and violent rhetoric, on which Houston Rep. Ann Johnson weighs in: https://x.com/voteannjohnson/status/1956737162277269904?s=46Republicans on the Tarrant County Commissioners Court - again - are scheming to cut voting locations, especially those at area colleges: https://www.keranews.org/government/2024-09-09/tarrant-county-early-voting-at-colleges...Commissioner Alisa Simmons sounds the alarm: https://x.com/commalsimmons/status/1957274231688851652?s=46Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett says that should polling show her competitive, she'll consider running for the U.S. Senate: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/if-this-happens-congresswoman-jasmine-crockett-consider-run-senate/287-26b58ed8-f392-48e3-ac8c-61c7440346d0Dallas/Fort Worth friends: Join Progress Texas Institute and the Legal Defense Fund in Dallas for a live podcast taping, featuring Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, at the DEC Network Center—honoring the years since the signing of the Voting Rights Act and a review of where voting rights stand today, amid redistricting threats. Admission is free! ⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/vra_event_2025⁠⁠Austin friends: tickets are on sale now for our live podcast taping with legendary Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver on September 15 at Hopsquad Brewing in Austin! Tickets are limited and are available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/allstaractivism_2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Progress Texas' financial reserves have dropped to about 3 months worth of funding. Help us avoid going on a permanent vacation this summer by becoming a sustaining member: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/join-pt-summer-vacation-membership-drive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

OA1182 - DC is under full federal occupation. California is putting the Trump administration's unprecedented deployment of the National Guard to support federal immigration enforcement on trial. And a major challenge to a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act is on the line in front of the Supreme Court. It's Rapid Response Friday, and we're here for all of it. Finally, Matt breaks down THE BIG FREEZE--a new collective approach to stopping the rapid coming expansion of ICE which every decent person can do something to be a part of. Nothing is inevitable, and none of us are alone. DC Home Rule Act (President's emergency authority over Metropolitan Police at p.85) Declaring a Crime Emergency in the District of Columbia – The White House Complaint in Newsom v. Trump (6/9/25) “THE AMERICAN GESTAPO IS HERE (and there is only one way that we can stop them now),” Matt Cameron, DEPORTNATION (8/15/25) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

In this episode, Bradley Smith of Capital University Law School and Nicholas Stephanopoulos of Harvard Law School join to discuss the history and future of racial gerrymandering, including how the Court's upcoming decision in Louisiana v. Callais could affect the Voting Rights Act.  Resources Louisiana v. Callais (2025)  Allen v. Milligan (2023)  Shelby County v. Holder (2013)  Nicholas Stephanopoulos, Aligning Election Law (2024)  Bradley Smith, Unfree Speech: The Folly of Campaign Finance Reform (2001) Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠live program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Support our important work. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate

Gerrymandering is one of those things that makes people tune out of politics. It doesn't just sound technical and complicated, it feels so far outside our control. But it's important to understand because we all deserve to have our votes count. Gerrymandering is basically politicians picking their voters, instead of the other way around. And in Texas, Democratic reps like Ann Johnson are standing up for voters.Both parties have been known to participate in gerrymandering, but over the past few decades, it's mostly been Republicans manipulating the maps. That's not political speculation — many Republican leaders have come right out and said so. They even have an official project, named Operation REDMAP, which stands for Republican Redistricting Majority Project. And unfortunately, so far the project has been extremely successful.You may wonder… how is this even legal?Racial gerrymandering has been outlawed since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but the Supreme Court keeps ruling that partisan gerrymandering is fine. So what's happening in Texas, where President Trump asked Republican reps to redraw district lines to favor himself, may be wrong and anti-democratic but it's not illegal. As Rep. Mitch Little said in an interview, “we're doing it because we can.”We're grateful to Democratic representatives like Ann Johnson who are fighting back against gerrymandering. And we're very excited that she'll be joining Red Wine & Blue on Monday to talk about what's going on in Texas! You can sign up for our Don't Mess With Texas virtual event here.For a transcript of this episode, please email comms@redwine.blue. You can learn more about us at www.redwine.blue or follow us on social media! Twitter: @TheSWPpod and @RedWineBlueUSA Instagram: @RedWineBlueUSA Facebook: @RedWineBlueUSA YouTube: @RedWineBlueUSA

From "Bloody Sunday" to Modern Activism: Civil Rights Leaders Reflect on LegacyThis show is made possible thanks our members! To become a sustaining member go to https://LauraFlanders.org/donate   Thank you for your continued support!Description: 60 years ago in Selma, Alabama, state troopers beat peaceful protesters bloody on the Edmund Pettus Bridge as they marched for civil rights. The horror of “Bloody Sunday” and the resilience of the Civil Rights Movement ultimately led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and many of the landmark achievements that are now directly under attack. As civil rights activists look to history to understand — and prepare for — the present, Laura walks the Bridge and talks with, among others, Sheyann Webb Christburg, who marched at the age of eight, Black Voters Matter co-founders LaTosha Brown and Clifford Albright; law professor and author Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw and Maya Wiley, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. What does people power look like today? Plus, a commentary from Laura on name calling then and now.“We're not going to phone bank our way out of this. We're not going to text our way out of this. And in truth, we're not even going to vote our way out of this . . . It's going to take revisiting some of the same strategies that we saw here in Selma, in terms of nonviolent civil disobedience and direct action.” - Clifford Albright“When we see and hear and think about fascism, we think about anti-democratic movements in Europe. We think about the Holocaust . . . But for Black people, as Langston Hughes said, you don't have to explain to us what fascism is. We experienced it. That is what we were fighting, for the 60, 70 years after Reconstruction was overthrown.” - Kimberlé CrenshawGuests:• Clifford Albright: Co-Founder & Executive Director, Black Voters Matter• Willard and Kiba Armstead: Veteran & Spouse• Trayvon Bossa: Sigma Chapter Member, Miles College Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity• LaTosha Brown: Co-Founder, Black Voters Matter• Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw: Co-Founder & Executive Director, African American Policy Forum; Host of the Intersectionality Matters! Podcast• Noelle Damico: Director of Social Justice, The Workers Circle• Melinda Hicks: Military Family• Jaribu Hill: Executive Director & Founder, Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights• Myla Person: Jack and Jill Club, Columbus, Georgia• Ann Toback: CEO, The Workers Circle• Sheyann Webb-Christburg: Youngest Participant,1965 Bloody Sunday March• Maya Wiley: President & CEO, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Watch the broadcast episode cut for time at our YouTube channel and airing on PBS stations across the country Subscribe to episode notes via Patreon Music Credit:  "Tremole" "Jagged" "Thrum of Soil" & "Dawn Summit" by Blue Dot Sessions from the album Empty Outpost.  "Steppin" by Podington Bear. And original sound production and design by Jeannie Hopper.Podcast Endorsement:  Intersectionality Matters! Podcast Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:•  Rep. John Lewis on Making Justice from Selma to the Present, Watch•  Kimberlé Crenshaw & Soledad O'Brien Call Out the Media on Critical Race Theory, Watch / Listen / Download Podcast•  Reporting on Policing at the Polls & BIPOC Voter Suppression in 2024, Watch / Listen/Download Podcast:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode• Deciding the Fate of Democracy in North Carolina, Watch / Download Podcast •  The Georgia Way:  Strategies that Work for Winning Elections, Watch / Listen/Download Podcast:  Full Uncut Conversation and Episode Related Articles and Resources:•  Anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday' Marks Continued Fight for Voting Rights, by Temi Adeoye, March 24, 2025, ACLU•  U.S. Civil Rights Trail, Learn More• United State of Amnesia, The Real History of Critical Race Theory, Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw Podcast Mini Series•  Documentary Trailer:  “Love, Joy, and Power: Tools for Liberation” follows Cliff Albright and LaTosha Brown as they reshape American democracy. As founders of Black Voters Matter Fund, they didn't just flip Georgia in 2020 - they sparked a movement that's still growing. April 8, 2025, Watch Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders, along with Sabrina Artel, Jeremiah Cothren, Veronica Delgado, Janet Hernandez, Jeannie Hopper, Gina Kim, Sarah Miller, Nat Needham, David Neuman, and Rory O'Conner. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

The Supreme Court is potentially overseeing cases that could end same-sex marriage and the Voting Rights Act. Louisiana cops pointed guns at an innocent Black family's kids in a botched night raid and much more. Host: Dr. Rashad Richey (@IndisputableTYT) *** SUBSCRIBE on ⁠⁠⁠YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠  ☞ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/IndisputableTYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FOLLOW US ON: ⁠⁠⁠FACEBOOK⁠⁠⁠  ☞ ⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/IndisputableTYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠TWITTER⁠⁠⁠  ☞     ⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/IndisputableTYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠ ☞ ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/IndisputableTYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was the week when the Department of Justice fully embraced its new status as the corrupt, ruthless agent for Trump's endless retribution agenda. The president's lieutenants in the department launched a legal barrage against Trump foes like Barack Obama, Adam Schiff, and New York AG Letitia James. We chronicle the steep descent with 3 DOJ experts: Kristy Greenberg, Perry Stein, and Glenn Thrush. Rough but essential listening. Plus: a special sidebar on the beleaguered Voting Rights Act. Courtside with Kristy Greenberg: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@CourtsidewithKG/videos⁠ Glenn's reporting: ⁠https://www.nytimes.com/by/glenn-thrush⁠ Perry's reporting: ⁠https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/perry-stein/ ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8.8.2025 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: TX Dems Break Quorum, Abbott Threats; AL Map Violates VRA; DOJ Probes Letitia James Texas Democrats are standing firm, breaking quorum despite threats from Governor Abbott and the GOP. We'll hear live from Jon Rosenthal, Texas House Vice Chair of the Redistricting Select Committee, who's currently in Illinois with the latest on this high stakes showdown. Plus, a federal court once again rules Alabama's congressional map violates the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voters' power, A major ruling with big political implications. And in a new twist, the Department of Justice opens a criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, following her civil fraud victory against former President Trump. We'll break down what this means for the ongoing legal battles. #BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbase This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (https://bit.ly/3VDPKjs (https://bit.ly/3ZQzHl0) related to this offering before investing. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Last Word: Texas Republicans' attempt to remove Democrats goes to the state Supreme Court. Also, the Justice Department requests for the unsealing of the grand jury exhibits and transcripts in the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases. Plus, nearly two million Americans are receiving unemployment benefits. And the Supreme Court is poised to come for the Voting Rights Act. Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Heather Long, Conor Lamb, and Melissa Murray join Jonathan Capehart.

Rachel and Van start the show by reacting to the news of the cancellation of The Howard Stern Show before getting into some one-sided beefs: Donald Trump against Gayle King and Megyn Kelly against Beyoncé. Then, they talk about Diddy's possible presidential pardon and the threats against the Voting Rights Act before Van gets into the conspiracy happening in the WNBA. 00:00 - Welcome!  08:44 - The Howard Stern Show is done  18:57 - Gayle King vs. Trump? 24:17  - BET Hip-Hop and Soul Train Awards suspended indefinitely 45:22 - Megyn Kelly tries to rip Beyoncé 1:00:48 - Diddy's possible presidential pardon 1:14:22 - Voting Rights Act under threat 1:26:57 - The WNBA dildo-tossing conspiracy 1:37:42 - Van's lovely sister joins us!  1:41:26 - Thanks for watching! Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Producers: Donnie Beacham and Ashleigh Smith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and Joel start the show with J-School, discussing the new threats to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as well as the ongoing Texas redistricting fight (01:43). Next, they dive into some headlines, starting with the deals made by ESPN this week. First, they go through all the details from the ESPN-NFL deal, including what properties ESPN acquired from the NFL, and they debate whether Donald Trump will try to interfere (13:40). After, they break down the WWE's deal with ESPN, who acquired the rights to air all of WWE's live premium events starting in 2026 (30:30). They then move on to how Shams Charania has affected the NBA media since Woj retired and LeBron James's dwindling power in the news cycle (35:27). Lastly, Bryan and Joel discuss the New York Post's announcement that a sister publication will be coming out west (45:28). Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel AndersonProducer: Jessie Lopez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The New Republic’s Meredith Shiner examines the death of the Voting Rights Act and how it has shaped our politics today. The Economist’s Mike Bird details how Trump’s tariffs are shaking out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John talks about the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and the recent reversal of voting freedoms with the Republican Save Act officially the "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act," - (a bill that would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections) and the Texas gerrymandering debacle. Plus, he also talks about RFK Jr. announced that 22 projects, totaling $500 million, to develop vaccines using mRNA technology (including ones being developed to fight covid 19and the flu) will be halted. Then, he kids around with the amazing Bob Cesca about Trump firing Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner Erika McEntarfer, the sweet deals for Ghislaine Maxwell, and the big gerrymandering war. Next, John welcomes back Desimber Rose and Dillon Naber Cruz for their God Squad segment and they discuss the GOP's outrage over Cynthia Erivo playing Jesus in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar and they chat with listeners about the bible. Then finally, Dr. Tracy Pearson returns to talk listeners off the edge with sound and hopeful legal advice.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

8.6.2025 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Bomb Threat at TX Dem Hotel, Amb. Young on Voting Rights, Brain Eating Amoeba Death, July Jobs Slump Texas Democrats fighting back against GOP redistricting plans just got hit with a bomb threat at their hotel in Illinois. We've got Representatives Bowers and Reynolds joining us to break it all down and trust, they're not backing down. Also 60 years since the Voting Rights Act was signed into law. Civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young is here to reflect on the legacy of that moment and what's still at stake today. A tragic story out of South Carolina, a young boy dies after swimming in a lake, exposed to a rare brain-eating amoeba. His family joins us with a powerful message every parent needs to hear. The July jobs report just dropped and it's not pretty. Hiring is cooling off, and that could hit Black workers the hardest. Morgan Harper is here to explain what's really going on and how to stay ahead of the curve. #BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbase This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (https://bit.ly/3VDPKjs (https://bit.ly/3ZQzHl0) related to this offering before investing. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Supreme Court just ordered a rehearing in a major redistricting case — a move that could gut the Voting Rights Act. This comes as Texas escalates its efforts to blatantly disenfranchise voters. Dina Doll reports. Hexclad: Find your forever cookware @HEXCLAD and get 10% OFF at https://Hexclad.com/misstrial #hexcladpartner Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane

The Voting Rights Act turns 60 today. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, with the goal of ensuring that Black Americans could actually exercise their constitutional right to vote. But the landmark legislation — or at least what's left of it — is facing new challenges. Roughly a decade ago, the Supreme Court gutted one of its key provisions. And late last week, the justices signaled they could be ready to strike a second major blow to the law. It all comes amid an increasingly ugly redistricting fight that's pitting red states against blue states ahead of next year's midterms. Rick Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, joins us to talk about the latest threats to the Voting Rights Act, and why decades later we're still talking about decades after its passage.And in headlines: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly weighing a full occupation of Gaza, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a task force on the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and Rwanda became the third African nation to agree to take in U.S. deportees.Show Notes:Check out Rick's blog – https://electionlawblog.org/Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

USA TODAY Domestic Security Correspondent Josh Meyer breaks down subpoenas issued by Republicans on the House Oversight Committee in their probe of the Jeffrey Epstein case.President Donald Trump says 2028 Olympic athletes will be tested to prevent transgender competitors in women's sports.USA TODAY National Correspondent Deborah Barfield Berry takes a look back at the Voting Rights Act on its 60th anniversary, and why some worry the law's protections are now at risk.A new Coast Guard report reveals who and what to blame for the 2023 Titan submersible implosion.In this month's edition of Kind Time, we hear about a group that reunites Texas flood victims with lost stuffed toys. Please let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@usatoday.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wednesday marks the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the law that ended the era of Jim Crow voting laws that blocked Black Americans from exercising their right to cast a ballot. But 60 years later, there’s renewed effort to give parties more control over the process by giving politicians more ability to pick their voters. William Brangham discussed more with Tony Plohetski and Rick Hasen. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Civil rights are under attack. The Supreme Court seems to have its sights set on the Voting Rights Act. The Trump administration, meanwhile, is taking every issue to the court knowing that it will never have to face accountability there. And with states like Texas considering unpopular redistricting plans, the administration may never face it at the ballot box either. Put more bluntly, many of our elected officials are operating with a perceived immunity from accountability of any sort. This week Dahlia spoke about the deleterious effects of these actions on voting rights with Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. They discuss the damage done to our civil rights by the current Department of Justice, and what we can learn about accountability from recent developments in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Civil rights are under attack. The Supreme Court seems to have its sights set on the Voting Rights Act. The Trump administration, meanwhile, is taking every issue to the court knowing that it will never have to face accountability there. And with states like Texas considering unpopular redistricting plans, the administration may never face it at the ballot box either. Put more bluntly, many of our elected officials are operating with a perceived immunity from accountability of any sort. This week Dahlia spoke about the deleterious effects of these actions on voting rights with Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. They discuss the damage done to our civil rights by the current Department of Justice, and what we can learn about accountability from recent developments in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices