Former President Donald Trump pleaded the Fifth Amendment during depositions for the civil case against him by New York state. The strategy could be advantageous for him since anything revealed could be used in the criminal case against Trump by Manhattan’s District Attorney. Jury selection began Wednesday in Vanessa Bryant’s lawsuit against Los Angeles County. Vanessa Bryant is the widow of Kobe Bryant and the mother of Gianna Bryant, both of whom were killed in a helicopter crash in January of...
Aug 11, 2022•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The FBI raided Donald Trump’s Florida property Mar-A-Lago on Monday. A New York Times source says agents were searching for classified documents the former President might’ve taken with him after he left the White House. But the event was just one of several developments in the past few days involving Trump records kept from the various teams investigating him. Ilya Marritz, co-host of the podcasts "Will Be Wild" and “Trump Inc,” helps us round up all of Trump’s mounting legal battles, including...
Aug 10, 2022•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Three men were sentenced in federal court for their role in the February 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery. The man who shot Arbery, Travis McMichael, and his father Gregory McMichael were sentenced to life in prison. William Bryan, who was with the McMichaels that day, got 35 years. A new study published in the Nature Climate Change journal found that climate change can worsen the spread of infectious diseases like malaria, cholera and anthrax. It also details how climate disasters can wreak havoc o...
Aug 09, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hot Take’s Mary Annaïse Heglar joins us to talk about the Senate passing the Inflation Reduction Act on Sunday. It now heads to the House this week where it’s expected to pass. One of the main pieces of the legislation addresses the climate crisis, but the bill ultimately falls short of many activists’ demands. And in headlines: Indiana’s banned nearly all abortions, President Biden is now negative for COVID, and Lake Mead revealed another set of human skeletal remains. Show Notes: NPR: “Democra...
Aug 08, 2022•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The U.S. declared a federal public health emergency over the monkeypox outbreak on Thursday after the states of New York, California and Illinois did the same recently. A Russian court convicted WNBA star Brittney Griner of smuggling illegal drugs into the country and sentenced her to nine years in prison — all because she had less than one gram of cannabis oil in her luggage. And in headlines: the Justice Department charged four police officers for violating Breonna Taylor’s civil rights, the N...
Aug 05, 2022•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Far-right talk show host Alex Jones took the stand on Wednesday in one of his many defamation cases. Jones has spent the last decade lying repeatedly about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting and claiming that it was a hoax. In headlines: Republican Congresswoman Jackie Walorski died in a car accident, the Justice Department is investigating over 100 cases of threats made against election workers, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan. And we chat with Zayd Dohrn, host of Crooked’s “Mother Country...
Aug 04, 2022•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Abortion access in Kansas will be preserved because yesterday the state overwhelmingly voted against a referendum designed to open the door to abortion bans. Meanwhile, the Justice Department sued Idaho on Tuesday over that state’s abortion law — the first lawsuit filed against a state’s anti-abortion law by the Biden administration since the Supreme Court overturned Roe. California declared a state of emergency on Monday to combat the outbreak of monkeypox. New York and Illinois have done the s...
Aug 03, 2022•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kansas votes today on whether the state’s constitution should still explicitly protect the right to an abortion. Ashley All, a spokesperson for Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, joins us to discuss how she’s been organizing ahead of the vote. And in headlines: the U.S. killed Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri, Cleveland Browns quarterback DeShaun Watson was temporarily suspended, and Capitol rioter Guy Reffitt was sentenced to over seven years in prison. Show Notes: Kansans for Constitutional F...
Aug 02, 2022•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Indiana state lawmakers on Saturday moved one step closer to banning nearly all abortions. The vote puts the state on track to be one of the first in the nation to enact new abortion restrictions after Roe V. Wade was overturned. President Biden tested positive for COVID again over the weekend. He had one of the uncommon “rebound” cases after taking Paxlovid. And in headlines: Ukraine’s President ordered a mass evacuation from the Donetsk Province, Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell passed away,...
Aug 01, 2022•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Senate Democrats reached a deal on a historic climate spending package – thanks to a surprise reversal from West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who previously rejected the measure. Judges in North Dakota and Wyoming both put temporary holds on abortion bans that would have taken effect in those states this week. And in headlines: the U.S. economy shrank again, torrential rains triggered devastating floods in eastern Kentucky, and Pope Francis ends his week-long tour of Canada today. Show Notes: T...
Jul 29, 2022•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The U.S. announced Wednesday that it has officially proposed a deal to Russia for the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner as well as former Marine Paul Whelan. Griner also got the chance to speak for herself in court during her trial. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 0.75% on Wednesday, continuing its efforts to bring down inflation without causing a recession. This is the fourth rate increase this year, and it comes as inflation continues to hit record levels. And in headlines: the...
Jul 28, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast WNBA star Brittney Griner is set to testify in Russian court today for the first time since being detained back in February at a Moscow airport. Her defense team hopes that her guilty plea will be taken into account by the court as a mitigating factor in its sentencing. Russia said on Tuesday that it will pull out of the International Space Station after 2024. This would end decades of partnership between the country and NASA – which is led by the United States – and Russia will reportedly build...
Jul 27, 2022•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Pope Francis apologized on Monday to a crowd of survivors, advocates and others in Alberta, Canada, for the Catholic Church’s historic role in the mistreatment, abuse and even death of Indigenous children throughout the country. We wanted to put the spotlight on Indigenous people and how they reacted to the Pope’s apologies after decades of working for this moment. And in headlines: a sixth, lesser-known co-defendant in the Central Park Five case was exonerated; Myanmar’s military executed four ...
Jul 26, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast About 71 million Americans live in places that were dangerously hot on Sunday. Temperatures from Texas to Arkansas, from Washington DC to Massachusetts faced temperatures that were so high that they were a public health risk. Pope Francis arrived in Canada on Sunday for what he has called a “pilgrimage of penance” to acknowledge and apologize for the wrongdoing done to Canada’s Indigenous people by the Roman Catholic Church. One of his focuses is the historical abuse that children endured at the...
Jul 25, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Biden tested positive for COVID. He’s fine, but remember — everyone 6 months and over is eligible for vaccination, so get yours today. The January 6th Committee met in prime time last night for its final hearing of the summer. They went moment-by-moment over the 187 minutes where former President Donald Trump failed to stop the mob. Brian Beutler, Crooked’s own Editor-in-Chief and host of the pod Positively Dreadful, joins us to recap the hearings so far. And in headlines: the House pa...
Jul 22, 2022•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast A bipartisan group of senators announced a new bill on Wednesday that aims to protect election integrity. The legislation would make it clear that former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election was not okay. Monkeypox cases are spreading throughout the U.S. and the vaccine rollout has hit some bumps. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” tells us what we need to know about the outbreak. And in headlines: President Biden issued executive orders to addre...
Jul 21, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The House passed the Respect for Marriage Act on Tuesday with bipartisan support. The law would mandate that all states recognize same-sex marriage and formally repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act, which federally outlawed same-sex marriage. Meanwhile the White House is hoping to pass a “slimmed down” version of Biden’s domestic policy bill through Congress soon. But to do it, they need the support of West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin — the same man who dealt a huge blow to the Presid...
Jul 20, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Heat waves are devastating people in Europe and North America this summer. In the U.K. it’s hotter than the Sahara Desert, and in the U.S. 35 million Americans are currently living in places with excessive heat warnings this week. The ACLU published “thousands of pages of previously unreleased records” on Monday about the government surreptitiously collecting people’s private information without a warrant. The report shows that the Department of Homeland Security — including border protection an...
Jul 19, 2022•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast None of the 400 law enforcement officials on location at the Uvalde mass school shooting in May did anything for over an hour to stop the gunman who eventually killed 21 people, mostly children. That’s according to a new report released by Texas officials on Sunday. Patients around the country are reportedly having medical care delayed or denied over concerns from doctors and hospitals. Those providers fear that treating some pregnancy-related medical emergencies would run afoul of the abortion ...
Jul 18, 2022•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast The House will vote on the Women’s Health Protection Act today in an effort to codify abortion rights — but without a Democratic majority in the Senate as well, it probably won’t go anywhere. Congresswoman Barbara Lee joins us to discuss what Democrats can actually do on a federal level to protect access to abortion right now. A 10-year-old rape victim in Ohio had to cross state lines to Indiana a few weeks ago to get an abortion. Her story has garnered national attention recently, specifically ...
Jul 15, 2022•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Consumer prices are up 9.1% over this time last year, according to new inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the highest inflation rate in 40 years. President Biden landed in the Middle East on Wednesday and will be there until the end of the week. His administration is focused on building support among Israeli leadership for the Iran Nuclear Deal. And in headlines: School surveillance video of the Uvalde school shooting was released, Sri Lanka’s freshly ousted president fle...
Jul 14, 2022•14 min•Transcript available on Metacast As the U.S. sees another rise in COVID cases, White House officials are working to give all adults access to a second vaccine booster shot. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, an epidemiologist and host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” tells us what we need to know about the Omicron sub-variants driving the current surge in cases. And in headlines: California residents can now sue gun companies when their products cause harm, Twitter officially sued Elon Musk, and this year’s Emmy nominations were announced. S...
Jul 13, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The House Select Committee investigating January 6th is back in action with another hearing today. Dan Pfieffer, co-host of Crooked’s “Pod Save America,” gives us a refresher on what we’ve learned so far and what to watch for today. And in headlines: Russia is ramping up its attacks on eastern Ukraine, a Minnesota judge struck down most of the state’s abortion restrictions, and actress Lea Michele will replace Beanie Feldstein in the Broadway revival of "Funny Girl." Show Notes: Crooked Coffee i...
Jul 12, 2022•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Biden signed an executive order on Friday to try to protect access to abortion, but it’s not the solution many reproductive rights advocates were seeking. Then on Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators protested the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade over the weekend in D.C. to pressure Congress to codify abortion-related care into law. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed on Friday while giving a speech in the Japanese city of Nara. Now, as the country griev...
Jul 11, 2022•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Embattled UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that he’ll be stepping down after three years in office. This comes after many members of the government have lost confidence in his leadership over several scandals throughout his career. After 140 days in custody, WNBA star Britney Griner appeared before a Russian judge and pleaded guilty to the criminal charges against her. As charged, she faces up to 10 years in a Russian penal colony. And in headlines: Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 21 yea...
Jul 08, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast During an Independence Day parade this Monday, a 21-year-old man in Highland Park, Illinois shot and killed at least seven people and injured many more. We discuss the latest developments and the stories of the victims, who ranged in age from 8 to 88 years old. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Mississippi abortion provider at the center of the case that brought down Roe, officially closed its doors after a judge refused to block the state's trigger law from going into effect. Laurie Bert...
Jul 07, 2022•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Supreme Court issued a ruling on Thursday that limits the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to combat climate change. Our friends at Crooked’s Hot Take podcast recorded such a great episode about climate and the courts this week that we decided to share the episode in this feed too. We’ll be back with our regular episodes next week - until then, check out this week’s Hot Take and be sure to look out for new episodes of that show every Friday. https://crooked.com/podcast-series/h...
Jul 01, 2022•2 hr 43 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Supreme Court issued more rulings on Wednesday — one of which dramatically increased the power that states have over Native American tribes and tribal lands. We walk through what was decided yesterday and what’s still to come as the court finishes up its term. In headlines: Ukrainian and Russian officials agreed to the largest prisoner exchange since the war began, R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and Britney Griner’s detention in Russia was extended for the fourth time. And Gid...
Jun 30, 2022•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The latest House January 6th hearing was perhaps the most explosive to date with testimony from Cassidy Hutchinson, the top aide to former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. We walk through some of our biggest takeaways from the surprise hearing. The fight to preserve abortion access continues in several states. Kelley Robinson, the executive director of Planned Parenthood’s Action Fund, joins us to discuss what advocacy organizations like hers are doing on the ground to protect access. An...
Jun 29, 2022•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Supreme Court issued more rulings on Monday. There have also been several legal challenges to the trigger laws set to go into effect in states like Louisiana and Utah once the court overturned Roe last Friday. Today is the 53rd anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. In honor of the drag queens of color like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera who were central to the fight for LGBTQ equality, we walk through the history of drag and politics. We talk to actor and activist Terence Smith about his ...
Jun 28, 2022•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
