A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake and a series of aftershocks struck Turkey and Syria early Monday, killing thousands of people and devastating a region already grappling with civil war and a refugee crisis. The U.S. military on Saturday shot down a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean, days after it entered American airspace. The incident prompted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to postpone a trip to China, saying it “undermined” efforts to repair the relationship between the tw...
Feb 07, 2023•20 min
To kick off our series on Black History Month, What A Day host Juanita Tolliver sits down with Veda Tunstall and Emmett Lewis, descendants of enslaved people brought to Alabama aboard the Clotilda, the last known slave ship in American history, and whose stories are featured in the Netflix documentary "Descendant." What A Day is taking a short break, with a new episode on Tuesday, February 7th. Show Notes: Watch ‘Descendant’ | Netflix – https://www.netflix.com/title/81586731 What A Day – YouTube...
Feb 03, 2023•20 min
Tyre Nichols was remembered at a funeral service in Memphis, Tennessee on Wednesday. His family spoke about their grief in the company of political figures from around the country — including civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, who gave the eulogy, and Vice President Kamala Harris. And in headlines: the College Board unveiled the official curriculum of its AP African American studies course, the Fed said it will raise interest rates by a quarter of a percent, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quart...
Feb 02, 2023•19 min
The Biden administration announced it will end the national and public health emergency declarations for COVID on May 11th, marking a new phase in the government’s response to the pandemic. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s “America Dissected” podcast, tells us about the potential health care consequences of the decision, and the benefits that will likely cease later this year. And in headlines: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied ...
Feb 01, 2023•21 min
The Manhattan district attorney’s office started presenting evidence to a grand jury about former President Donald Trump’s role in paying hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. Journalist Andrea Bernstein, who covers democracy for ProPublica and Trump legal matters for NPR, joins us to discuss the investigation – and whether it will bring criminal charges. And in headlines: two more Memphis police officers involved in the violent arrest that led to Tyre Nichols’ death were reli...
Jan 31, 2023•15 min
Memphis authorities released video footage of the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, who was pulled over during a traffic stop on Jan. 7 and died three days later. The release of the videos triggered nationwide protests over the weekend, and led to Memphis police disbanding the so-called SCORPION crime unit, whose officers are accused of murdering Nichols. And in headlines: Utah became the first state this year to pass a ban on gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth, U.S. Secretary of State An...
Jan 30, 2023•19 min
Five former Memphis police officers have been charged with second degree murder for the killing of Tyre Nichols, a Black man who died days after he was violently arrested on Jan. 7th. Footage of the incident is set to be released Friday night — and lawyers for Nichols’ family, who have seen the video, compared it to the infamous police beating of Rodney King in 1991. And in headlines: Israeli forces killed 9 Palestinians during a raid in the occupied West Bank, the College Board said it will rev...
Jan 27, 2023•21 min
After weeks of pressure, President Biden announced he would send Ukraine M1 Abrams tanks. The decision clears the way for Germany to send over a dozen of their own tanks to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian forces. In an interview with the Associated Press, Pope Francis called laws that criminalize homosexuality “unjust.” It’s the latest statement he's made in support of the LGBTQ+ community — though he maintained the Catholic Church’s view that being gay or lesbian is a sin. And in hea...
Jan 26, 2023•17 min
Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor investigating Donald Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in that state, said criminal charges are "imminent." During a hearing over whether to unseal a special grand jury's final report on the matter, she argued it should remain secret – for now. The Senate Judiciary Committee held its highly anticipated hearing into Ticketmaster’s parent company, two months after the Taylor Swift ticket sale meltdown. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar...
Jan 25, 2023•21 min
Host Josie Duffy Rice tells us about “Unreformed,” her investigative podcast series about Mt. Meigs — a juvenile reform school outside of Montgomery, Alabama, where thousands of Black children were subjected to abuse for decades. The series follows the stories of former students who were sent to Mt. Meigs as children during the Civil Rights era — and how their time at the facility impacted their lives as adults. And in headlines: the death toll from the mass shooting in Monterey Park, California...
Jan 24, 2023•17 min
The city of Monterey Park, California is reeling after a gunman opened fire inside a dance studio Saturday night, killing 10 people and injuring 10 others. Though authorities have not determined a motive, the mass shooting happened on Lunar New Year’s Eve in one of the largest Asian American communities in the U.S. Sunday marked 50 years since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision – and nearly seven months since the current Supreme Court overturned it. Morgan Hopkins, the president of All Above All,...
Jan 23, 2023•18 min
As expected, the U.S. government ran up against its legal debt limit of $31.381 trillion on Thursday. In response, the Treasury Department sent a letter to Congressional leaders stating that it has started taking “extraordinary measures” to avoid the government defaulting on its financial obligations. The Supreme Court announced that it has been unable to identify who leaked the draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade last May. Leah Litman, co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny, tells us more about...
Jan 20, 2023•21 min
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
