As the clock ticks closer to the June 1st default deadline, top aides to President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are working toward an agreement by Sunday. Meanwhile, Democrats are already looking into other last-ditch efforts – including a petition to force a debt ceiling vote in Congress, and even urging the president to invoke the 14th Amendment. On Wednesday, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments over the abortion pill mifepristone. The three judges on the historical...
May 18, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast A former aide to Rudy Giuliani has sued him for alleged sexual assault, harassment, wage theft, and other misconduct. In a 70 page lawsuit filed Monday, Noelle Dunphy says she has recordings of the former Donald Trump attorney making sexist, racist and anti-semitic remarks, and claims he tried to sell off presidential pardons for $2 million a piece. Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT creator OpenAI, made his debut on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. During his testimony before a Senate Judiciary subcommitte...
May 17, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast As debt limit negotiations continue between Republicans and the Biden Administration, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen repeated her warning that the U.S. government could run out of money to pay its bills as early as June 1st. And if a deal isn’t reached before then to avoid default, it could have catastrophic consequences for the global economy. Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that defunds diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public colleges and universi...
May 16, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Turkey’s presidential election is likely heading to a runoff on May 28th. Neither incumbent Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who’s been in power for two decades – nor his rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, have cleared the 50% threshold to win. The results will determine if Turkey, a NATO ally, will continue its autocratic backslide, or take a more democratic path. Nearly two weeks after putting Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on a New York City subway train, Daniel Penny surrendered to police on Friday to face...
May 15, 2023•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today marks the official end of Title 42, the Trump-era border policy that allowed U.S. border officials to expel asylum-seekers on public health grounds. We talk to Dara Lind, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, about the end of the policy, and what the restrictions that the Biden administration is putting in its place. Republican-controlled state houses across the country continue to push anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, including Montana, where lawmakers have banned gender affirming ca...
May 12, 2023•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today marks the official end of the nationwide COVID-19 public health emergency. It was declared in January 2020, when just six cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the U.S. Now, more than three years later, more than 1.1 million people in the United States in total have died from the virus. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s America Dissected, joins us to talk about what the end of the emergency will mean for many Americans. And in headlines: the Trump-era border policy Title 42 officiall...
May 11, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast A Manhattan jury found former President Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing – and later defaming – writer E. Jean Carroll, ordering him to pay her a total of $5 million in damages. Though Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by dozens of women over the years, Tuesday’s verdict in the civil case marks the first time he has faced legal repercussions for such allegations. New York Representative George Santos is facing criminal charges and could appear in federal court as soon as today....
May 10, 2023•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Award-winning journalist and What A Day host Tre’vell Anderson has officially added “author” to their many accolades. Their debut book, We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV & Film , is out today, along with the audiobook and an accompanying limited series podcast. Tre’vell walks us through their process writing the book, the stories within it, and their message to future generations of Black trans kids. And in headlines: a New York jury will begin deliberations today over whether...
May 09, 2023•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Eight people were killed and at least seven others were wounded Saturday after a gunman opened fire at an outlet mall in Allen, Texas – making it the 200th mass shooting of the year, and the second deadliest since the Monterey Park attacks in January. King Charles III was officially crowned Saturday as Britain's first new reigning monarch in 70 years. Royal watcher Kristen Meinzer tells us how Charles' coronation was different from when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne, and...
May 08, 2023•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Thursday, four members of the Proud Boys – including former leader Enrique Tarrio – were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in the January 6th riot. The trial was the last of three sedition cases brought by the Justice Department against key figures in the insurrection. Another report from ProPublica is raising questions about ethical standards for the Supreme Court. The independent newsroom found that billionaire Harlan Crow paid the boarding school tuition for Justice Clarence...
May 05, 2023•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Wednesday, Russia accused Ukraine of trying to assassinate President Vladimir Putin in a drone attack on the Kremlin. Ukraine has denied the accusations, but Russia says it has the right to retaliate. An investigation by the Department of Labor found that McDonald's franchises in at least four states had employed over 300 children to work in their restaurants, including two 10 year-old workers in Kentucky. This comes amid a sharp rise in federal child labor law violations over the past five y...
May 04, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast With the debt ceiling deadline now projected for June 1st, House Democrats are taking action in case negotiations fail. The move would allow Democrats to collect signatures to force Congress to consider a “clean” bill to raise the debt limit and avoid a catastrophic default. Members of the Writers Guild of America are officially on strike after negotiations with Hollywood studios failed to reach a new contract. Alex O’Keefe, one of the writers behind the hit FX series “The Bear,” joins us from t...
May 03, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Writer’s Guild of America, the union representing thousands of film and TV writers, has called for a strike against Hollywood studios, after both sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract. It’s the first major work stoppage to hit the entertainment industry since the 100-day strike of 2007-2008. And in headlines: JPMorgan Chase will acquire First Republic Bank, Montana State Representative Zooey Zephyr sued over her removal from the House floor, and pilots with American Airlines h...
May 02, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast For more than two months, Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh has filibustered nearly every single bill that has passed through the state legislature. It’s an effort to keep her Republican colleagues from following other red states to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth. Sen. Cavanaugh joins us to talk about how she’s managed to hold the floor – and keep fighting. And in headlines: authorities in Texas are searching for a man accused of fatally shooting five of his neighbors, fightin...
May 01, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Writer E. Jean Carroll, who is suing Donald Trump for allegedly raping her in 1996, faced hours of cross examination Thursday – leading to a heated exchange with Trump’s lawyer, who questioned her memory and actions surrounding the alleged attack. The Biden administration has announced plans to open migrant centers throughout Latin America in an effort to slow down the influx of migrants heading to the U.S. The announcement comes as Title 42, which border officials have used to turn away asylum-...
Apr 28, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Montana Republicans voted to censure Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr, the first openly transgender person to be elected to the state’s legislature. The vote comes after Rep. Zephyr last week said supporters of a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for young people would have “blood on their hands.” And in Florida, Disney sued Governor Ron DeSantis for revoking the company’s long-standing control over its Disney World Resort. The suit claims DeSantis engaged in "a targeted campaign of government r...
Apr 27, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast There are growing calls for the Supreme Court to adopt stronger ethics rules. It follows revelations earlier this month that Justice Clarence Thomas failed to disclose gifts and lavish vacations paid by a major Republican donor, along with a new report from Politico involving a real estate deal between Justice Neil Gorsuch and a law firm that had business before the high court. Jay Willis, editor-in-chief of Balls & Strikes, joins us to discuss what’s being done to address the allegations. And i...
Apr 26, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a series of high-profile cable news firings Monday morning, Fox News announced that the network agreed to part ways with top host Tucker Carlson — and just minutes later, news broke that CNN terminated longtime anchor Don Lemon after 17 years with the network. President Biden is expected to announce his 2024 bid for re-election as soon as today. Multiple outlets reported that he tapped White House Senior Adviser Julia Chavez Rodriguez as his campaign manager, signaling that he’s already geari...
Apr 25, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Supreme Court issued a decision preserving access to the abortion drug mifepristone, meaning access to the medication will likely remain unchanged at least into next year. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unveiled his plan to raise the debt ceiling last week. The proposal has a long list of demands that take aim at the Biden administration’s agenda — including cutting climate change investments, blocking student loan forgiveness, and adding work requirements for Medicaid and food stamp recipient...
Apr 24, 2023•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Pentagon is moving American troops to Sudan to prepare for a possible evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in the region. This comes amid a dayslong series of clashes between two warring military factions that has led to hundreds of deaths and injuries. Buzzfeed is shutting down its entire news division after elevating reporting that rivaled many more established, legacy media outlets for over a decade. The company will also cut another 120 people across its teams, laying off about 15% of its work...
Apr 21, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the latest in the fight against mifepristone, the Supreme Court has delayed its ruling on the abortion pill until Friday at midnight — extending the continued use of mifepristone for a couple more days. In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with Texas death row inmate Rodney Reed in his years-long effort to get post-conviction DNA evidence to try and prove his innocence. And in headlines: the mother of Tyre Nichols sued the city of Memphis and its police department over the death of her so...
Apr 20, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The defamation trial brought by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News was called off after both parties agreed to settle for $787.5 million at the last minute. Crooked news contributor Max Fisher joins us to break down what happened and what comes next. And in headlines: The white homeowner who shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl turned himself in to Missouri authorities, a Russian judge ruled that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich must remain in pretrial detention, and Nebraska lawmakers...
Apr 19, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast House Speaker Kevin McCarthy proposed a one-year debt ceiling increase on Monday, calling the idea a “responsible, sensible” solution — but it’s unclear if he has the support of his own party to pass the divisive measure. A new report from The Washington Post revealed that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas claimed income for two decades from a now-defunct real estate firm. This is the latest in a series of recent reports that call into question the justice's willingness to skirt ethical guid...
Apr 18, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The defamation lawsuit brought by the election technology company Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News is scheduled to start on Tuesday. Crooked news contributor Max Fisher tells us what’s at stake, and what we can expect over the next few weeks. And in headlines: a shooting in Alabama left at least four people dead and 28 others injured, French President Emmanuel Macron signed into law his controversial plan to raise the country’s retirement age, and lawmakers in Montana approved a statewid...
Apr 17, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The FBI has arrested 21-year old Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard suspected of leaking classified government documents on Discord early last month. The materials revealed sensitive information about the war in Ukraine, and how the U.S. spies on some of its allies. A federal appeals court partially blocked the decision by a Texas judge to suspend the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, but with tightened restrictions. The Justice Department is now asking the Supreme Cou...
Apr 14, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a unanimous vote, county officials sent State Representative Justin Pearson back to his seat in Tennessee’s House of Representatives. His reinstatement comes less than a week after he and another Black Democratic colleague were expelled for leading a protest on gun reform. And in headlines: California Senator Dianne Feinstein will temporarily give up her seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Donald Trump is suing his former lawyer Michael Cohen, and NPR has decided to ditch Twitter after th...
Apr 13, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a lawsuit against Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, accusing him of a “brazen and unconstitutional attack” on the criminal prosecution and investigation of former President Donald Trump, and organizing a “transparent campaign to intimidate and attack” the D.A. The Biden Administration has laid out two tough options it may take to solve the Colorado River water crisis, though both would lead to dramatic water cuts to states like California, Nevada, and ...
Apr 12, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Justice Department has appealed a Texas judge's decision that suspends the FDA's nationwide approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Meanwhile, a separate ruling in Washington state would bar the agency from taking the medication off the market in at least 17 states. The Pentagon has launched an investigation after highly classified military documents were leaked online in recent weeks. The materials show sensitive information about the war effort in Ukraine, as well as how the U.S. is sp...
Apr 11, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tennessee House Republicans voted to expel two of three Democratic lawmakers for "disorderly behavior," after leading a demonstration inside the state Capitol against gun violence. It marks the first time in state history that any House member has been removed for violating the chamber's rules on decorum. In a bombshell report, the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica found that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been treated to lavish gifts and vacations by a GOP mega donor for years. The ...
Apr 07, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Judge Janet Protasiewicz won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving liberals control of the state’s highest court for the first time in 15 years. Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, joins us to discuss the impact it will have on the battleground state. And in headlines: former Vice President Mike Pence won't appeal a ruling ordering him to testify in the DOJ's January 6th probe, a judge said Rupert Murdoch can be forced to take the stand in the Fox News defamation tria...
Apr 06, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
