The Mark Thompson Show

Colorado justices Who Ruled in the Trump Ballot Case Threatened & Personal Info Posted Online

Trump Axed From Colorado Ballot Pending SCOTUS Appeal. All-Star Panel of Analysts Weigh In

The Colorado Supreme Court voted 4-3 yesterday to take Donald Trump’s name off the 2024 primary ballot. The judges say he’s disqualified from being president because of the 14th Amendment clause banning a person from state or federal office who took an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution but “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” or gave “aid or comfort to insurrectionists. The ruling is stayed until January 4th to give Trump time to appeal. It is an unprecedented ruling and one deserving of ou...

Nikki Haley is Rising in GOP Primary Polls, Trump is Spending on Haley Attack Ads. Is Trump Scared? 12/19/23

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley is rising in GOP primary polling and garnering interest as a good alternative to Donald Trump. New polling in New Hampshire done by CBS News/YouGov collected data from potential Republican primary voters. The poll shows 29 percent said they’d vote for Haley compared to 44 percent who said they would for Trump. However, her numbers are rising and if other candidates drop out, she could be a real threat. Already, the Trump campaign is spending money on Ha...

Words From the Very Dark Past Are Coming Out of Trump’s Mouth. It Should Be Alarming to Everyone

Is Trump taking a page from the Hitlarian playbook? Between his recent vermin comments and his speech this weekend where he said “immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country,” the language he’s using evokes a frightening time in world history. Why is it not giving more people pause? Oh the hypocrisy! A Florida couple, well known in ultra conservative circles, finds themselves in some trouble. Bridget Ziegler, one of the Mom’s for Liberty founders- a group known for banning books and for it...

The House Recesses for a Holiday Break Without Addressing Funding for Ukraine

While Senators are pushing back the holiday break and staying in DC to work on President Biden’s emergency funding bill, House members are not. The GOP led House won’t return until January 9th. That means critical military and financial assistance to Ukraine will be delayed. Michael Shure will discuss the possibility that this is a waiting game tactic. Albert is collecting a treasure trove of wild stories out of Florida. Get ready to pick your favorite Friday Fabulous Florida entry. Bradley Coop...

GOP Won’t Pass Basic Budget But Votes to Begin Impeachment Inquiry of President Biden

House Republicans have formally authorized their impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden. While disarray in the party has prevented them from getting things done in recent weeks, Republicans pulled together for a vote seemingly rooted in revenge. Hunter Biden says he will not testify at a private hearing and will only comply with a congressional subpoena if he can appear publicly. He says it’s the only way to ensure his words are not manipulated. We will run all of this past former federal pr...

Shohei Ohtani Made a Record $700M Deal With the Dodgers, But the SF Giants Agreed Too! Why Dodgers?

New revelations about the record setting baseball contract between superstar Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers have many people wondering why he didn’t choose the San Francisco Giants. One day after the Dodgers announced the $700M deal, Farhan Zaidi, SF Giants president of baseball operations, revealed that Ohtani’s representatives presented the exact deal to San Francisco and the Giants were agreeable! So with the same deal on the table, what was it that made Ohtani choose Dodger blue? ...

Politics with David Cay Johnston and the most amazing Ukelele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro! 12/12/23

The special council prosecuting the federal election interference case against Donald Trump is now asking the Supreme Court to quickly rule on whether or not presidential immunity applies in this case. We will discuss it and so much more with our friend, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author David Cay Johnston. Then, it’s special treat with ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. Jake is on tour with stops planned In Carmel, Napa and Sacramento. We will talk to him about how he managed to take...

Al Gore Takes on Trump With Tough Talk 12/11/23

Over the weekend, Donald Trump began his holiday name-calling. He blasted Bill Barr and he compared himself to mobster Al Capone. Meanwhile, during an interview about the environment, Former Vice President Al Gore was asked about Trump just as Trump was busy telling us exactly who he is, Gore reminded us that we should believe him. Something super creepy happened at Steph Curry‘s house over the weekend. Some random person walked right in when their children were home with the nanny. Maybe now it...

Living in the Lap of Luxury - Kevin McCarthy’s Opulent Lifestyle Courtesy of PAC Money 12/8

rom luxury resort hotels to private jets and fine restaurants, former house speaker Kevin McCarthy really knows how to live it up. According to an analysis done by the LA Times, campaign finance records show that from 2012 through last June, McCarthy’s PAC paid more than $1 million on such things. To put that in perspective, that’s more than double the combined total spent by the leadership PACs of the seven other top House and Senate leaders. Hunter Biden is now facing 9 charges in connection w...

As Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley Rises in the Polls, She’s Become a Target for Lesser Candidates

Vivek Ramaswamy came after former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in the fourth Republican primary debate last night. He tried to paint her as a corrupt Dick Cheney in high heels. She fought back, but her recent ascent in the polls made her the candidate to take down. We’ll dissect the important moments from the debate. The fake electors that tried to lie for Trump are being held accountable in some states. While some face fines and jail time, others just have to apologize and come clean wit...

Rudy Giuliani Skips Court Despite Judge’s Order, Ditching the Poll Workers He Defamed 12/6

“America’s Mayor” was a no-show yesterday to a federal court hearing. It’s the last before the civil damages case heads before a jury next week. It was also supposed to be the time when the two Georgia poll workers he defamed, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, were supposed to be able to confront Giuliani. The judge was not pleased.. Liz Cheney warned America about “sleepwalking into a Trump dictatorship” but Trump says he’ll only be a dictator on day 1 if elected. During a Fox Town Hall event last n...

Gold Bars Seized From NJ Senator Menendez Were the Subject of Another Criminal Case 12/05/23

These gold bars really get around! The bullion the feds found in New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez’s house has crossed the path of law enforcement officers before. Senator Bernie Sanders is going against President Joe Biden and Democratic leadership in saying he will be voting against a supplemental spending bill to provide emergency military aid to Israel and Ukraine. Hunter Biden says he paid his dad back for a car but Republicans are ready to make a federal case out of it. We will talk to Pulit...

A Second Trump Term is Dangling Over Our Heads. Is it Inevitable?

Dueling columnists offer vastly different predictions of the 2024 presidential election. Robert Kagan, in the Washington Post, says It’s inevitable that Donald Trump will be elected once again. He argues that there is too much money to be made off of Trump. Glynn Wilson, with The New American Journal, disagrees. He says he predicted Trump’s win in 2016, his loss in 2020 and that there is no way Americans would select Trump in 2024 or at any other time. He predicts Trump will be facing jail time ...

A Hollering Hot Mess! Goverors Newsom & DeSantis Clash Face to Face in Fox Debate..Santos Out 12/1

There didn’t seem to be many rules, and a time clock was not rigidly followed. The result for last night’s debate between governors Gavin Newsom and Ron DeSantis was a chaotic, stressful, zoo-like atmosphere where they both tried to talk over each other. Questions asked by Sean Hannity were based on a series of graphs and charts, as if the information presented was factual. Answering questions from that starting point was difficult, especially for Newsom, since it’s unclear if Fox can be trusted...

Busted! Trump Defies Judge & Shuffles 40 Million From Biz to Personal account

Trump reportedly caught thumbing his nose at a court order not to shift assets around. A court-ordered financial auditor zeroed in on Trump quietly moving $40 million from the Trump Organization into a personal bank account. It appears he may have been gathering funds to pay his $29 million tax bill. Former federal prosecutor David Katz will weigh in. Henry Kissinger is dead. The 100 year old former US secretary of state and national security adviser died at his Connecticut home yesterday. His f...

Hackers Target Water Facilities Around America. Feds are Investigating

A number of American water treatment facilities are being targeted by hackers. The federal government puts the number so far in the single digits, but there’s word the hackers are zeroing in on Israeli made technology and it seems they have may have foreign ties. With Congress approving only a stopgap government funding measure, the pentagon finds itself getting creative with cash. They need to build up a presence in the Middle East because of the Israel – Hamas war, but because that was unexpec...

NEW: TRUMP PARDON BUSINESS REVEALED...DAVID CAY JOHNSTON DISCUSSES...ALSO, SF NAME CHANGE? 11/28/23

In the final hours of the Trump administration a flurry of pardons was granted. One of those pardons derailed a major Justic Dept case and investigation. A new report reveals what happened and the ties to Jared Kushner. Pulitzer winner, David Cay Johnston is here to discuss. We'll also touch on the flow of Koch Bros. and big donor money to Nikki Haley. Is she an actual contender? Also... SF Landmark Gets a New Non Racist Name After 130 Years. Long Time Coming or Cancel Culture at Work? When you ...

TRUMP, in Iowa, Frustrated That In First Term He Was Limited on Using Troops on U.S. Streets 11/27/23

Trump expresses frustration at his inability during his last term to beat back protesters with American troops. As it turns out, he may have more latitude to do so in a second term. Also...Should the President Be Blamed For High Prices at the Store & the Gas Pump? Social media posts blaming the president for everything from the price of a big Mac to the price of eggs and groceries to the price of gas have become a hot button campaign issue. Is any president to blame for the cost of goods in ...

Chemical Train Derails in Kentucky...Mark's Thanksgiving Story

We hope you had a nice Thanksgiving! We are ready to get right back into things today. Mark has a story from Thanksgiving dinner. Kentucky’s Governor declared a state of emergency after a train derailed, taking 16 cars off the tracks, and sparking a molten sulphur fire. The town of Livingston was evacuated and it’s residents were fed Thanksgiving dinner by CVX rail company. Two of the train cars carried molten sulphur. Two others were hauling magnesium hydroxide, though there is no indication th...

Speaker Mike Johnson Goes to Bow Before the Boss 11/21/23

Off to kiss the ring! House Speaker Mike Johnson went to Mar-a-Lago last night to meet with Donald Trump. Speaker Johnson is the highest ranking Republican to endorse Trump’s candidacy. An 8th Circuit Court of Appeals panel comprised of conservative judges slapped the teeth out of the Voting Rights Act. The panel ruled that private individuals or groups cannot bring suit under the Voting Rights Act. That removes the most common way the law is enforced. We get two David’s today! David Cay Johnsto...

Up in Smoke: California’s Biggest Pot Distributor Collapses! 11/20/23

It’s one of California’s largest cannabis distribution companies. Leaders of HERBL insisted the company was operational last spring, but rumors of trouble turned out to be true. HERBL has completely collapsed. It joins other big companies like Flow Kana and MedMen. What’s happening in a seemingly thriving industry? We might have to add a Tuesday Terrible Texas segment here at The Mark Thompson Show. The Texas Board of Education rejected seven proposed 8th grade science textbooks because of the w...

Manchin Says Trump is Dangerous for Democracy, Warns Against a Second Term 11/17/23

Senator Joe Manchin, the moderate Democrat from West Virginia, has a warning for America. As he announced his decision not to run for reelection in 2024, he said that if Donald Trump is sent back to the White House in next year’s presidential election “he will destroy democracy in America”. Manchin said that it would be “dangerous” if the American people gave Trump a second term because he’d use the opportunity not merely to shake up the political establishment as he did first time round, but to...

Michigan Judge Allows Trump on Primary Ballot Saying Congress Has Power To Enforce 14th Amendment 11/15/23

For a Biden/Trump Rematch, There’s Only One Choice for Biden 11/16/23

All signs point to a Biden Vs Trump rematch in 2024. Data shows Trump supporters haven’t wavered much, but President Biden’s supporters seem to be shifting around. What’s the one way President Biden can beat Trump? We’ll discuss. A lawyer for one of the defendants in the election interference case in Georgia is admitting to leaking some of the video depositions. In admitting it to the judge, the lawyer said the public was due some transparency and that he would be sleeping very well tonight. Wha...

The Supreme Court Now Has a Code of Ethics, Though it Lacks Enforcement or Penalties 11/14/23

Is the wild party of greed over for the US Supreme Court? The days of collecting gifts, rolling mansions, trips and school tuition may wind to a close with the adoption of a formal "Code of Conduct" for the justices. Or will it? The 8-page code, much like the one in place for lower federal court, says Justices should "avoid impropriety and the appearance of it" in all their actions. That’s subjective and who is enforcing the new code? No one. What are the penalties for breaking the code? Nothing...

Protests Over APEC Summit in SF. World Leaders Arriving Today 11/13/23

Republicans Love Joe Manchin’s Retirement Because They’ve Been Working on it For a Year! 11/10/23

Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans worked for more than a year to make Joe Manchin’s retirement a reality. By not running again, Manchin puts Republicans on the verge of a majority that’s eluded them for two straight election cycles. She’s still at it! Jill Stein, the two-time Green Party presidential nominee, will seek the party’s nomination for the White House in 2024. Last night, she ran a video online announcing her decision saying, “The political system is broken. The two Wall Street pa...

Trump Holds Rally While GOP Candidates Bicker at Debate. We Saw Name Calling & Infighting.

The GOP Debate last night in Florida came at the same time as a Trump rally nearby. Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy got into a spat on the debate stage. We’ll rehash the important moments.. At the Trump trial, the New York AG has rested her case with the final witness testimony coming from Ivanka Trump. Now, Trump’s team of lawyers will have their turn. We will chat with former federal prosecutor David Katz about that and more! It’s the Planet Stupid with Belinda Waymouth brings us back to envir...

Ohio Women Deliver Strong Message! Abortion Rights Not Protected in Ohio Constitution.

Democrats took some wins yesterday in key elections around the country. Notably, voters approved an Ohio ballot measure to lock abortion rights into the state constitution. It looks like they’ve legalized recreational marijuana too. Kentucky voters are keeping Democratic Governor Andy Beshear and Democrats collected seats in the Virginia legislature. Republicans did win in Mississippi, where Governor Tate Reeves will stay on. Is that an indicator of where the 2024 Presidential election is headed...