Thinx, one of the most recognizable brands for period underwear, agreed to pay out $5 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that its signature product contains PFAS — despite having advertised the underwear as safe. A recent New York Times investigation revealed that the National Restaurant Association coerced millions of restaurant workers nationwide into unknowingly funding the lobbying efforts that keep their wages low. Saru Jayaraman, the President of One Fair Wage, joins us to d...
Jan 19, 2023•18 min
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the U.S. is on track to hit its debt ceiling by Thursday. The federal government has never defaulted on its debt, but House Republicans say they won’t lift the ceiling without spending cuts or other concessions. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reinstated coveted committee assignments to far-right members of his party – including Reps Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar. Both lawmakers were booted off their respective panels in the last Congress over controvers...
Jan 18, 2023•18 min
Today marks 130 years since the United States illegally overthrew the Hawaiian monarchy. Healani Sonoda-Pale, an O’ahu-based community organizer and member of the Ka Lāhui Hawai’i political action committee, tells us what this day means to Native Hawaiians and the movement to restore Hawai’i’s sovereignty. And in headlines: a Russian missile strike killed at least 40 civilians at an apartment complex in Ukraine, the family of a man who died after an LAPD officer repeatedly Tasered him is demandi...
Jan 17, 2023•19 min
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate how classified documents turned up at President Biden's home, and at an unsecured private office he used after his time as vice president. Dan Pfeiffer, co-host of Crooked's Pod Save America, joins us to unpack what we know so far, and how the discovery compares to Donald Trump's case. And in headlines: an L.A.-based bank agreed to pay $31 million to settle allegations of lending discrimination, thousands of New York Cit...
Jan 13, 2023•20 min
Thousands of flights across the U.S. were canceled or delayed early Wednesday morning after a Federal Aviation Administration computer outage. Officials are calling it the largest national grounding of flights since 9/11, though there’s no evidence to suggest that it was the result of a cyberattack. New York Republican leaders publicly called for Representative George Santos to resign from Congress, following revelations that Santos fabricated many key aspects of his resume. Meanwhile, House Maj...
Jan 12, 2023•18 min
Another intense winter storm slammed into California Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, wind, and intense wind to the Golden State. It's the latest in a series of atmospheric rivers that have led to the deaths of at least 17 people since late last month, and put millions of Californians under flood warnings. California Rep. Katie Porter announced she's running for Senator Dianne Feinstein's seat – even though Feinstein, a longtime incumbent, has not signaled her intention to retire. And in headlines:...
Jan 11, 2023•22 min
The first federal death penalty trial under the Biden administration began in New York on Monday against Sayfullo Saipov. Saipov faces murder and terrorism charges for allegedly using a rented truck to kill eight people on a bike path in 2017. The Golden Globes makes its return to TV tonight after a year off the air. The organization behind the annual awards ceremony faced sharp criticism in 2021, after an investigation revealed it had no Black members, along with numerous instances of ethical m...
Jan 10, 2023•19 min
After four days and 15 rounds of voting, Rep. Kevin McCarthy was finally elected Speaker of the House early Saturday. But in order to get enough votes, he had to cut some deals with the most conservative and hardline members of the GOP. Backers of Brazil's far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed the country's congressional building, the presidential residence, and its Supreme Court on Sunday, days after leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was sworn into office. Lula blamed his predecesso...
Jan 09, 2023•17 min
Once again, Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to secure the votes he needed in the eleventh round of voting for Speaker of the House – even after offering new concessions to the far-right Republicans who continue to oppose him. President Biden announced a major change to border policy, aimed at discouraging migrants from entering the U.S. from Mexico. It expands on a pandemic-era program used by the Trump administration to expel migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela who illegally cross th...
Jan 06, 2023•21 min
The House of Representatives adjourned for a second day without electing a new speaker, after Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to convince 20 of his Republican colleagues to support his bid. He lost another three rounds of voting Wednesday, leaving no indication when the stalemate will end. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency amid a potentially catastrophic storm that’s bearing down on the Golden State. It's now the third atmospheric river to hit the state in just two weeks....
Jan 05, 2023•14 min
Republicans made history on Tuesday by failing to select a new House Speaker on the first vote for the first time in 100 years. Rep. Kevin McCarthy couldn’t get enough support from his own party in three rounds of voting, as his colleagues clashed over who should get the speaker’s gavel. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin remains in critical condition after he collapsed on the field during his team’s highly-anticipated game against the Cincinnati Bengals Monday night. Lindsay Jones, the senior NF...
Jan 04, 2023•20 min
For our first episode of 2023, we talk about the big stories our hosts are watching this year. Stories include: the ongoing war in Ukraine, the effort to reform America’s childcare system, the release of some potentially game-changing films, and the ongoing battle over President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. Show Notes: What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Crooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roast...
Jan 03, 2023•20 min
As the year comes to a close, we look back at the stories we thought were most memorable in 2022. We talk about the rising momentum of the labor movement, the politicization of drag, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the historic gains Democrats made in the midterm elections. Show Notes: WAD will be on a two-week break for the winter holidays. We’ll have a new episode on Tuesday, January 3rd! What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Vote Save America – https://www.votesa...
Dec 16, 2022•23 min
Lawmakers introduced a bipartisan agreement on a spending bill to keep the government funded — but it’s bringing out the claws among Republicans. Rep. Kevin McCarthy went after Sen. Mitch McConnell for supporting the spending package, in what may be a move to muster support for his bid to become House Speaker. The Federal Reserve hiked its target interest rate by half a percentage point on Wednesday. This is the seventh time the central bank has raised rates this year, and warned that more incre...
Dec 15, 2022•16 min
Federal authorities officially charged FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried with multiple counts of criminal fraud and other financial crimes. It follows the stunning collapse of what was once the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange – while $8 billion in customer funds remain unaccounted for. Twitter abruptly dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the volunteer advisory group formed in 2016 to address online safety, harassment, and other issues on the platform. And since Elon Musk’s takeover in Oc...
Dec 14, 2022•17 min
The sports world continues to mourn American soccer journalist Grant Wahl, whose body was returned to the U.S. after he died while covering the World Cup in Qatar. Although whatever caused his sudden death remains a mystery, his family hopes that a pending autopsy will give them answers. Over half a million people have signed a petition calling for New York Governor Kathy Hochul to grant clemency to Nikki Addimando. She's been in prison since 2017 for fatally shooting her longtime partner, which...
Dec 13, 2022•20 min
Congress has until Friday to reach an agreement on a spending package that will fund the government through the next fiscal year, but lawmakers are clashing over what to prioritize. Republicans want to invest heavily in military spending, but Democrats want to put more money toward the social safety net. Karen Bass was officially sworn in as the mayor of Los Angeles yesterday, making her the first woman to serve in the role. Meanwhile, embattled LA City Councilmember Kevin de León is facing more...
Dec 12, 2022•21 min
WNBA star Brittney Griner is finally free from Russian imprisonment, 294 days after she was first arrested. U.S. officials negotiated her release, which involved a 1-for-1 prisoner swap for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. And in headlines: the House passed a landmark bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, tens of thousands of academic workers in the University of California system continued their strike, and the FTC sued to block Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard. Show...
Dec 09, 2022•20 min
The Washington Post reported that a team hired by former President Donald Trump’s lawyers found at least two documents marked “classified” inside a storage unit in West Palm Beach, Florida. It’s the first indication that more potentially sensitive material was, or could still be, at one of Trump’s properties. China is reportedly easing some of its strict “zero COVID” policies, following mass protests over the government’s response to the pandemic. But there are questions about how the rollback w...
Dec 08, 2022•18 min
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock is heading back to D.C. for a full 6-year term, after defeating Republican challenger Herschel Walker in Tuesday’s special runoff election. Warnock’s victory now gives Democrats an outright majority in the Senate with 51 seats, and brings a whirlwind midterm cycle to a close. And in headlines: the suspect in the Club Q mass shooting was charged with over 300 counts, a Manhattan jury convicted the Trump Organization of tax fraud, and Indonesia’s parliament passed a...
Dec 07, 2022•22 min
Today is election day in Georgia’s Senate runoff. Voters are headed to the polls to decide between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker, in a race that could give Democrats an outright majority in the Senate. This Wednesday marks one year since the state of Hawai’i ordered the U.S. Navy to defuel its Red Hill fuel facility, after thousands of gallons of jet fuel contaminated the local water supply. Keoni DeFranco, an O’ahu-based community organizer, join...
Dec 06, 2022•18 min
The rule-making arm of the Democratic National Committee voted to reshuffle the presidential primary schedule, making South Carolina the first state to hold a primary in the 2024 elections. The new order will change which voters have an outsized voice in selecting the Democratic nominee for president, and the issues that candidates will center in their campaigns. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in Moore v. Harper on Wednesday, a high-stakes case that could endanger free and fair elect...
Dec 05, 2022•22 min
In this special bonus episode of What a Day, we look back on the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, and the first woman to seek a major party nomination for president. She would have turned 98 earlier this week. Host Juanita Tolliver sat down with Representatives Barbara Lee and Ayanna Pressley, and biographer Dr. Anastasia Curwood for a candid conversation about Chisholm's trailblazing legacy. Show Notes: Shirley Chisholm | Anastasia C. Curwood - UNC...
Dec 03, 2022•21 min
President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program is headed to the Supreme Court. While the plan is blocked for now, the justices will hear arguments in February to decide whether the administration has the authority to cancel federal student loan debt for millions of borrowers. Crooked’s new workplace advice podcast “Work Appropriate” covers everything from how to deal with pushy bosses, to the systemic issues that plague many industries. Host Anne Helen Peterson tells us how a period of burn-...
Dec 02, 2022•21 min
House Democrats voted unanimously Wednesday to make New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries their new leader – making him the first Black person to lead a party in Congress. Meanwhile, the House passed legislation that would force rail companies and labor unions to accept a tentative deal to avert a nationwide rail strike — and while progressives pushed for a separate bill to guarantee paid sick leave, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate. And in headlines: the FDA is reportedly planning to a...
Dec 01, 2022•21 min
New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a directive to city agencies on Tuesday to begin involuntarily hospitalizing unhoused people who are, presumably, suffering from mental illness – a move sharply criticized by mental health experts and homeless advocates. Today would have been Shirley Chisholm’s 98th birthday. She was the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first woman to seek a major party nomination for president. Rep. Barbara Lee of California, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachuset...
Nov 30, 2022•25 min
Protesters in China continue to voice their discontent over the country's strict "zero Covid" policies. And while authorities have eased restrictions in some cities in an effort to quell public anger, Beijing isn't backing down from the overall strategy. It's been three weeks since Election Day, but in one Arizona county and two in Pennsylvania, the GOP remains in a state of denial about the results. And in headlines: the gunman who killed 10 Black people in a racist mass shooting in Buffalo ple...
Nov 29, 2022•21 min
A mass shooting left five people dead and dozens of others injured last week at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ bar that’s served as a safe space for the Colorado Springs queer community for over 20 years. Just days later, a gunman opened fire in a Virginia Walmart, killing six people. Both shootings have raised questions about the state of gun violence in the U.S. and how we can prevent such tragedies from happening again. And in headlines: protestors took to the streets in China over the country’s strict CO...
Nov 28, 2022•17 min
After leading congressional Democrats for over 20 years, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she won’t be seeking a leadership role in the next Congress. Her decision to step down is expected to pave the way for a new generation of leaders to fill the caucus’s top ranks. Congresswoman Karen Bass is the next mayor of Los Angeles, after beating out billionaire Rick Caruso. She will become L.A.’s first woman mayor, and the second Black mayor in the city’s 241-year history. And in headlines: worker...
Nov 18, 2022•20 min
Whether we like it or not, the 2024 campaign season has officially kicked off, after Donald Trump announced he’s running for president for the third time. But many of his allies are already eyeing the exits. Tensions have eased after NATO officials said a missile that killed two people in Poland came from neighboring Ukraine – not from Russia as originally suspected, though world leaders say the Kremlin is still to blame for the deadly explosion. And in headlines: a Senate bill to protect same-s...
Nov 17, 2022•15 min
