This week marks the anniversary of the Stonewall riots — the very reason we celebrate Pride in June every year. In honor of the drag queens that have always been on the front lines of the fight for equality before, during, and after Stonewall, we dive deep into the troubling saga of Tennessee’s first-in-the-nation attempt to ban public drag performances. Memphis-based drag queen and Tennessee native Bella DuBalle joins us to discuss the impact the legislation has had on local performers ever sin...
Jul 01, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Thursday, the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions. In a decision along ideological lines, the high court ruled that race-based affirmative action programs violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause, and that American colleges and universities can no longer take race into consideration for admissions. We’re joined by Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls and Strikes, to talk about this decision and its consequences. And in headlines: the Supreme Court expa...
Jun 30, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Joe Biden delivered an economic speech in Chicago on Wednesday outlining his vision for what he calls “Bidenomics.” The goal is to create more jobs, lower inflation, increase broadband internet access, and more. We’re joined by Jared Bernstein, President Biden’s top economic advisor, to discuss the details of Bidenomics. And in headlines: Yusef Salaam is on track to win a Democratic primary for a City Council seat in Harlem, millions of Americans are under air quality alerts due to smo...
Jun 29, 2023•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling in Moore v. Harper Tuesday, dismissing the “independent state legislature” theory in a case about a GOP-drawn North Carolina congressional map. Mark Joseph Stern, senior writer at Slate Magazine, joins us to talk about the Supreme Court’s ruling, and the theory central to the case. And in headlines: an audio recording recently made public suggests former President Donald Trump had “highly confidential” documents he did not declassify, the first UN investigat...
Jun 28, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed his nation on Monday for the first time since the short-lived military rebellion by the Wagner Group came to an end. During his five minute televised speech, Putin refused to specifically name Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, and called the mutiny organizers “traitors.” The Kremlin said that it reached a deal for Prigozhin to move to Belarus and receive amnesty, along with his soldiers. On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that sexual abuse lawsuits...
Jun 27, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia’s most notorious mercenary leader, sent an armed convoy toward Moscow over the weekend after accusing the country’s military of staging an airstrike on his own fighters. Crooked news contributor Max Fisher joins us to break down what happened, and what it could entail for Russia and the war in Ukraine. And in headlines: Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was re-elected for a second term, the Supreme Court sided with the Biden administration over how it can enforce...
Jun 26, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The days-long search for the tourist submersible that went missing near the wreck of the Titanic came to a tragic end Thursday. A U.S. Coast Guard official said the five people aboard the vessel are presumed dead, after pieces of the craft were found on the ocean floor roughly 1,600 feet from the Titanic's bow. It’s believed that the submersible imploded. This Saturday, June 24th marks one year since Roe v. Wade was overturned, ending the decades-long constitutional right to an abortion. Since t...
Jun 23, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito failed to disclose a luxury fishing trip he took in 2008 with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer and did not recuse himself from later cases involving Singer, according to a new report from ProPublica. Instead of responding to ProPublica’s questions directly, Justice Alito penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal ahead of the report’s publication defending his actions. We’re joined by Leah Litman, professor of law at the University of Michigan and co-host of ...
Jun 22, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Tuesday, French financial police raided the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympics organizing committee as part of two ongoing investigations into the misuse of public funds. Prosecutors said they’re looking into potential conflicts of interest, embezzlement and favoritism. President Joe Biden touted his administration’s historic record on combatting climate change during a recent trip to California. He recently won the endorsement of four major environmental groups for his re-election campa...
Jun 21, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast SB 1718, Florida’s controversial new immigration law, is set to go into effect in less than two weeks. The law limits social services for undocumented people in the state, makes it harder for businesses to hire them, and earmarks millions to fund DeSantis' relocation of migrants to other states. Paula Muñoz with the Florida Immigrant Coalition tells us just how harmful this measure will be once it goes into effect. And in headlines: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Chinese Preside...
Jun 20, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a major victory for Native American rights, the Supreme Court voted 7-2 to uphold key provisions of the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act Thursday. ICWA was enacted to keep Native children with their families and tribes during custody disputes. Rebecca Nagle, host of Crooked’s This Land documentary podcast series, joins us to discuss the decision, and why the challenge against ICWA threatened tribal sovereignty. And in headlines: Miami Mayor Francis Suárez has become the latest Republican to ente...
Jun 16, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast For the first time since March 2022, the Federal Reserve decided to pause interest rate hikes. The Fed – which has raised interest rates ten times in the past fifteen months – said it wants to take some time to evaluate how the economy is reacting to previous rate increases. On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Daniel Penny in connection to the death of Jordan Neely. Penny – a former marine – was charged with second degree manslaughter last month after he fatally choked Neely – an unhoused Black ...
Jun 15, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast At a Miami courthouse Tuesday, former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 felony counts that he allegedly kept classified documents from his time in office. The historic case makes Trump the first-ever former U.S. president to be criminally charged by the federal government. L.A. Times senior legal affairs columnist Harry Litman joins us to talk about what comes next, and the complications ahead. And in headlines: a Russian airstrike killed at least 11 people in Ukrainian president V...
Jun 14, 2023•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Former President Donald Trump will appear in federal court in Miami today to be arraigned on 37 federal counts over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. It’s his second court appearance as a criminal defendant this year – and he is expected to plead not guilty. SB 1718, a sweeping anti-immigration law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, takes effect next month. It bears striking similarities to a ballot measure passed by California voters almost 30 years ago called Proposition 1...
Jun 13, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Justice Department on Friday unsealed a 49-page federal indictment against former president Donald Trump. He faces 37 felony counts, including 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act. We’re joined by Kate Shaw, professor of law at the Cardozo School of Law and co-host of Crooked’s Strict Scrutiny podcast, to dig into the charges and what comes next. And in headlines: a section of the I-95 highway in Philadelphia collapsed after a tanker truck caught fire, “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski died by s...
Jun 12, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a social media post on Thursday, former president Donald Trump said he has been indicted on federal charges. Trump faces at least seven counts in connection with the classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago home last year. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court voted to uphold the Voting Rights Act and reject Alabama’s congressional map, saying that the state legislature improperly diluted the political power of Black voters in the state. Melissa Murray, NYU law professor and co-host of Cro...
Jun 09, 2023•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Smoke and haze from wildfires burning in Canada have blanketed much of the eastern United States. Several cities, including New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C., remain under air quality alerts, and forecasters warn that dangerous conditions could linger for days. Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law is back in the spotlight, after the woman accused of fatally shooting Ajike “AJ” Owens, was arrested Tuesday night. Authorities say Owens, who was Black, was shot through the front door...
Jun 08, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine collapsed on Tuesday, unleashing floods and forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes. While the cause of the collapse remains unclear, both Russia and Ukraine have blamed the other for the dam’s explosion. In a win for trans rights, a federal judge in Florida partially blocked a law that bans trans youth from receiving puberty blockers and other forms of gender-affirming care. In a 44-page ruling Tuesday, Judge Robert Hinkle called the ban a politi...
Jun 07, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hundreds of people crowded Atlanta’s City Hall yesterday to give public comment ahead of a city council vote over the proposed police training facility that activists call “Cop City.” The vote would decide whether or not to allocate $31 million in public funds to help build the facility, which has drawn widespread opposition. Another group of Latin American migrants arrived in Sacramento on a chartered jet Monday morning – the second flight of migrants to land at the state’s capital in the past ...
Jun 06, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Biden signed the bipartisan debt ceiling bill into law, averting default and an economic crisis just days before the June 5th deadline posed to lawmakers. The final legislation – which passed swiftly through the House and Senate last week – suspends the nation’s debt limit until 2025. Nearly 300 people were killed and more than 800 others were injured in a train accident in Eastern India on Friday. While the government has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, the mass...
Jun 05, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a blow to unions and organized labor, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a concrete company seeking to sue the Teamsters union for the profit they lost during one of its strikes. Advocates say the decision could prevent workers from exercising their right to strike nationwide. The Senate voted to block Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, advancing the Republican-led legislation that nullifies the plan and repeals the current freeze on student loan repayments and interest. The bill now ...
Jun 02, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Former Gov. Chris Christie and former Vice President Mike Pence are expected to launch their 2024 presidential campaigns next week, joining the already crowded field of Republican candidates. They’ll be going up against frontrunners Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, both of whom are on the campaign trail in Iowa. The Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings in several cases that will have huge social implications nationwide — from elections and voting rights to student loans, affirmative action, ...
Jun 01, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The debt limit deal struck between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is headed to a full House vote today despite hard-right Republicans opposing the legislation. Lawmakers have until June 5th to reach a consensus to avoid a default. A drone attack hit Moscow Tuesday morning, marking the first strike in a Russian civilian area since the Kremlin launched its Ukraine invasion last year. The attack comes after Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, has seen a relentless onslaught of bombing over t...
May 31, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close this May, we’re joined by Brian Beutler, Crooked’s Editor in Chief and host of Crooked’s Positively Dreadful, to talk about maintaining our mental health when the news gets bad, and how to stay hopeful in light of it all. 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 roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/cof...
May 30, 2023•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Every May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. The occasion was created to celebrate both Asian and Pacific diasporas — but the “PI” in “AAPI” is often erased despite the term’s intention to include them. As the month comes to an end, Kristian Fanene Schmidt, the executive director and co-founder of the Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK), joins us to talk about how Pacific Islander communities are represented in entertainment — and h...
May 26, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially entered the 2024 presidential race. In a glitchy announcement on Twitter Wednesday, DeSantis said he’s running for president to lead a “great American comeback,” and he’s using the slate of harmful, regressive laws he’s passed in Florida as evidence that he can get that job done. The ACLU’s Gillian Branstetter, who’s been keeping tabs on his legislative record, joins us to explain the dangers of the DeSantis agenda. And in headlines: debt ceiling talk...
May 25, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast A year ago today, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. As the community of Uvalde, Texas marks the grim anniversary, families of the victims continue to demand answers – and accountability – from law enforcement and elected leaders. Shannon Watts, founder of the gun control advocacy group Moms Demand Action, joins us to discuss what needs to be done to stop America’s gun violence crisis. And in headlines: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to announce hi...
May 24, 2023•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast More than 100 trans youth from across the country gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol on Monday for Trans Prom – a demonstration to center and celebrate trans joy. They were supported by parents, allies and trans adult – including WAD host Tre’vell Anderson – who spoke with some of the youth organizers at the steps of the Supreme Court. And in headlines: an historic deal has been reached to keep the Colorado River from running too dry, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott announced his 2024 presid...
May 23, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy landed in Japan for the G7 summit, where he met with world leaders to continue lobbying for more military support for his country. And just hours after his arrival, Russian officials said troops had captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, a claim Zelenskyy denied. President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are back at the negotiating table today to continue debt ceiling discussions as the June 1st deadline looms closer. If bo...
May 22, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Publishing giant Penguin Random House and literary organization PEN America — along with a group of authors, students, and parents — sued Florida’s Escambia County School District and school board for banning books about race and LGBTQ+ issues from its libraries. Banned author George M. Johnson joins us to talk about the fight to free their book, All Boys Aren’t Blue , from censorship. And in headlines: Senator Dianne Feinstein’s condition is worse than what was previously disclosed, Disney canc...
May 19, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
