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Nov 13, 2018
Controversy is growing over President Trump's selection of Matt Whitaker to serve as acting attorney general following the ousting of Jeff Sessions. The state of Maryland is heading to court today to challenge the legality of Whitaker's appointment. The state contends that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should have been named acting attorney general instead of Whitaker, who was not confirmed by the Senate for his previous post—chief of staff to Sessions. Meanwhile, pressure is growing on Whitaker to recuse himself from overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. We speak with Ian Millhiser, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress Action Fund and the editor of ThinkProgress Justice.
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Nov 13, 2018
The death toll in Gaza has risen to at least six after Israel launched its heaviest airstrikes on the region since 2014, targeting scores of buildings, including the TV station Al-Aqsa TV. Israeli airstrikes also reportedly hit dozens of homes. Militants in Gaza responded by launching hundreds of homemade rockets into Israel. One person in Israel, a Palestinian man in Ashkelon, was reportedly killed. Some 16 others were injured, including at least two critically. The escalation began after a team of Israeli commandos drove into the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis Sunday in a clandestine raid that killed seven Hamas members, including a commander. Israel said one of its soldiers had been killed in an exchange of fire before Israel called in tank fire and airstrikes while the commandos escaped back to Israel. We speak with Muhammad Shehada, a writer and activist from the Gaza Strip and a student of development studies at Lund University, Sweden. He writes for Haaretz, The Forward and other publications.
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Nov 13, 2018
On Thursday, a federal judge in Montana temporarily halted the construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada's tar sands region in Alberta to refineries as far away as the Gulf of Mexico. The court's decision will require the Trump administration to review more thoroughly the potential negative impacts of the pipeline on the surrounding environment and climate change. President Obama halted the construction of the pipeline, which is being built by TransCanada, in 2015 following mass public protests, but Trump reversed the order shortly after he came into office. Environmental and indigenous groups hailed the decision Thursday. Sierra Club attorney Doug Hayes said in a statement, "The Trump administration tried to force this dirty pipeline project on the American people, but they can't ignore the threats it would pose to our clean water, our climate, and our communities." We speak with May Boeve, executive director of 350 Action, the political arm of the climate organization 350.org.
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Nov 13, 2018
California's Camp Fire has become the state's deadliest fire on record, decimating the town of Paradise, killing 42 people and destroying 7,200 structures. The fires in California are so large they can be clearly seen from space. Smoke and ash have left millions of Californians exposed to air quality rated at "unhealthy" or "very unhealthy" levels, with residents of Los Angeles, Sacramento and the Bay Area warned against spending time outdoors. We speak with May Boeve, executive director of 350 Action, who says, "We are really daunted by the reality of the climate impacts that are facing us."
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Nov 13, 2018
At least 44 people are dead and more than 200 remain missing as two massive wildfires, fueled by easterly winds and a historic drought, continue to rage in California. In Northern California's Butte County, the Camp Fire has become the state's deadliest fire in history, after the blaze swept through the town of Paradise, killing 42 people and destroying nearly 6,500 homes. In Southern California, a quarter-million residents of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were ordered to evacuate the Woolsey Fire—including the entire city of Malibu and parts of the San Fernando Valley. Governor Jerry Brown said Sunday that the fires were driven by climate change and that California needs to learn to adapt. We speak with climate expert Glen MacDonald, John Muir memorial chair of geography, director of the White Mountain Research Center and a UCLA distinguished professor. He was forced to evacuate his Thousand Oaks home due to the Woolsey Fire.
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Nov 13, 2018
California's Record-Breaking Wildfires Kill At Least 44 Across State, Arizona's U.S. Senate Seat Flips Blue as Sinema Declares Victory, Trump Falsely Claims Voter Fraud in FL, Says Races Should Go to Republicans, Mississippi Senator Under Fire for "Public Hanging" Comment, Daily Beast: ICE Imprisoning Record High of 44,000 People, Audio of Khashoggi's Murder May Implicate Saudi Crown Prince, Amnesty Int'l Withdraws Top Honor from Burmese Leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Gaza: Israeli Airstrikes Kill 6 Palestinians as Fighting Intensifies, DRC: Ebola Outbreak Worst in Country's History, Kills Almost 200, NYT Investigation Accuses North Korea of Expanding Missile Program, Vatican Orders U.S. Bishops to Halt Vote on Stopping Child Sex Abuse, Roger Stone Associate Jerome Corsi Expects to Be Indicted by Mueller, In New Memoir, Michelle Obama Slams Trump's Sexism and Bigotry, Amazon Selects Queens, NY and D.C. Suburb for Headquarters Expansion, Trump Blames Democrats as Stock Market Falls 600 Points, Legendary Comic Book Creator Stan Lee Dies at 95
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Nov 12, 2018
On November 7, 2018, a former marine opened fire at a country music bar in Thousand Oaks, California, killing 12 people, mostly college students. Police have identified the gunman as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a Marine veteran who had deployed to Afghanistan and had a history of mental health issues, including possible PTSD. The shooting has reignited a national discussion over mental healthcare for veterans returning from war. Earlier this year, Ian Long was evaluated by mental health professionals after police responded to a disturbance at his home, where he lived with his mother—and was cleared by the specialists. For more, we talk with Suzanne Gordon, whose new book probes the history of the Veterans Health Administration providing healthcare to U.S. veterans, generating medical innovations and healing the wounds of war.
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Nov 12, 2018
On the federal observance of Veterans Day, we take a closer look at the issue of veterans' healthcare. On Sunday, Vice President Mike Pence wrote an article for Fox News touting Trump's record on veterans' health and the passage of a policy known as "Veterans Choice," which is seen by veterans' advocates as an attempt to drain the Veterans Health Administration of needed resources and eventually force privatization of the system. We're joined by award-winning journalist and author Suzanne Gordon. Her new book is "Wounds of War: How the VA Delivers Health, Healing, and Hope to the Nation's Veterans." She recently wrote an article for The New York Times titled "By Protecting Veterans' Health, You May Protect Your Own."
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Nov 12, 2018
Between 1914 and 1918, about 10 million civilians perished in World War I, and almost 10 million soldiers were killed. Another 21 million were wounded. This week marks the 100th anniversary of the celebrated armistice credited with ending the war. But the agreement, which signified German surrender, was a shock to the people of Germany, says journalist and author Adam Hochschild—and it guaranteed the continuation of a brutal wartime naval blockade that saw over 400,000 Germans die of malnutrition. A right-wing backlash in Germany followed after the armistice, leading into World War II and the Holocaust. Hochschild says WWI, like the Iraq War, holds important lessons for today's leaders to avert another war. "Wars almost always cause more problems than they solve," he says. "Anybody at any time should take that lesson from this first of the terrible wars of the 20th century."
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Nov 12, 2018
This weekend marked 100 years since the armistice that ended World War I. In a speech commemorating the anniversary, French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned against the dangers of nationalism, in comments widely viewed as a rebuke of U.S. President Trump, who has recently identified himself as a "nationalist." Just before the summit, Macron also called for the formation of a European army that would operate without the United States. Journalist and author Adam Hochschild argues that the 100th anniversary of the war's end is an opportunity to honor the dissenting voices against the war, including anarchist political activist and writer Emma Goldman, socialist and trade unionist Eugene V. Debs and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jane Addams.
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Nov 12, 2018
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month—that's when World War I ended in 1918, 100 years ago this weekend. On Sunday, world leaders gathered in Paris to pay tribute to the dead, marking the anniversary of the armistice of what had been described as the "war to end all wars." Following the formal ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended a peace conference with dozens of heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump was reportedly the only one among 72 leaders to skip the meeting. Trump also faced widespread criticism for his decision to cancel a visit to a U.S. military cemetery in France on Saturday because it was raining. To find out more about the significance of the war and its commemoration, we speak with Adam Hochschild, lecturer at the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley. His most recent book, published last month, is titled "Lessons from a Dark Time and Other Essays." His article for The New Yorker earlier this month was headlined "A Hundred Years After the Armistice."
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Nov 12, 2018
Over 30 Killed and 200 Missing in California Wildfires, Gov. Brown Blames Climate Change for Fires as Trump Blames California, Thousand Oaks Evacuated for Wildfires Days After Deadly Mass Shooting, Florida Recounts Underway in Contested Senate and Governor Races, Senate Race in AZ Still Uncalled as CA District Flips to Democrats, MS Senate Candidates Head to Runoff as GOP Incumbent Under Fire for Racist Joke, FBI Probing "Scam Company" Where Acting AG Matt Whitaker Once Served, Trump Continues Attacks on Black Women Reporters, In Final Act as AG, Sessions Limits Police Abuse Consent Decrees, Trump Skips Paris Peace Forum During WWI Commemoration, Yemen: U.S.-Backed Assault Threatens Supplies to Millions Facing Famine, NYT: Saudi Intelligence Officials Discussed Iran Assassinations, Somalia: Al-Shabab Attack Kills 39 as U.S. Ramps Up Airstrikes, Gaza: Israeli Raid Kills Seven Palestinians, Gaza: Israel Allows Qatar to Pay Palestinians' Back Salaries, Aetna Ordered to Pay Family of Cancer Patient Denied Treatment
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Nov 09, 2018
We turn now to the crisis in Yemen, where the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition has drastically escalated its assault on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. The Guardian reports there have been at least 200 airstrikes in the past week, killing at least 150 people. One Saudi airstrike destroyed a home in Hodeidah, killing a father and his five children. The increased fighting comes as calls grow for a ceasefire to the 3-year war, which has devastated Yemen. On Thursday, a group of Yemeni and international organizations called for "immediate cessation of hostilities" in Yemen, warning that 14 million people were now "on the brink of famine." UNICEF has warned that the Saudi assault and blockade on Hodeidah is increasing shortages of food, drinking water and medicine. The group says a Yemeni child now dies from a preventable disease every 10 minutes. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis have both called for a ceasefire in Yemen. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that the Trump administration is considering designating the Houthis a "terrorist organization." We speak to newly elected Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, a campaign to end U.S. military and economic warfare. She took part in Thursday's protest.
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Nov 09, 2018
On Tuesday evening, Palestinian American Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and Somali American Ilhan Omar in Minnesota became the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress. Rashida Tlaib is a Democratic Socialist who supports the Palestinian right of return and a one-state solution. She also supports Medicare for all, a $15 minimum wage and abolishing ICE. The child of immigrants, Tlaib has spoken out against the Trump administration's travel bans.
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Nov 09, 2018
Days after the midterm elections, Florida's contests for U.S. Senate and governor appear to be heading for recounts. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum said he is prepared for a possible recount, as his margin with Republican opponent Ron DeSantis narrowed to less than half a percentage point Thursday. A recount is triggered in Florida if the winning candidate's margin is less than half a percentage point. Incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and Republican Governor Rick Scott will likely also head to a recount in the Senate race, with Scott leading by less than a quarter percentage point as of Thursday. Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott is also suing the Democratic election supervisors of Broward and Palm Beach counties, accusing them of trying to steal the election. Andrea Cristina Mercado, executive director of The New Florida Majority, joins us to discuss the group's grassroots organizing to expand the electorate in Florida. She also details reports of widespread voting problems on Tuesday, including confusion over ballot design and problems with accessing polling sites and navigating Florida's voter ID law.
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Nov 09, 2018
The city of Thousands Oaks, California, is mourning after a former marine opened fire at a country music bar Wednesday night, killing 12 people, mostly students. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since the Parkland, Florida, school shooting in February. Police have identified the gunman as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a Marine veteran who had deployed to Afghanistan and had a history of mental health issues, including possible PTSD. The dead include 27-year-old Telemachus Orfanos, who survived the deadly Las Vegas massacre at a country music festival last year, only to be gunned down Wednesday night. We speak with Sarah Dachos, a Navy veteran and volunteer with the D.C. chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and a founding member of the Everytown Veterans Advisory Council.
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Nov 09, 2018
SoCal Mass Shooter Was Veteran with History of Mental Health Issues, Wildfires Rage In Northern and Southern California, Judge Halts Construction of Keystone XL Pipeline, Congressional Responses to Sessions Firing Seek to Protect Mueller, Protesters Take to the Streets to Call for Protection of Mueller Probe, Trump to End Asylum for Migrants Entering U.S. Outside of Ports of Entry, Court Rules Trump Cannot End DACA, Key Midterm Races Still Uncalled, FL Races Likely Headed to Recounts, WH Press Secretary Shares Doctored Video of CNN Reporter Acosta, North Korea-U.S. Talks Postponed, Gaza: Israeli Forces Shoot and Kill Palestinian Man, U.S. Imposes New Sanctions over Russian Annexation of Crimea, Google to Overhaul Policy for Responding to Sexual Misconduct, SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospitalized with Fractured Ribs
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Nov 08, 2018
Two Native American women have made history in the midterms, becoming the nation's first Native congresswomen. Democrat Sharice Davids won the 3rd Congressional District in Kansas, unseating Republican Kevin Yoder. In New Mexico, Democrat Deb Haaland won in the 1st Congressional District, defeating Republican Janice Arnold-Jones. They will join more than 100 women in the U.S. House of Representatives—another historic first. We speak to Deb Haaland about her plans for Congress, the crisis of missing and murdered Native American women around the country, and whether she'll attempt to impeach Donald Trump.
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Nov 08, 2018
Democrats have seized control of the House of Representatives, flipping more than two dozen seats in a historic midterm election that gives Democrats subpoena power for the first time since President Donald Trump was elected two years ago. A day after the election, Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump's firing of Sessions has led to many comparisons between Trump and former President Richard Nixon. On Wednesday, CNN's Jake Tapper called Sessions's ouster another chapter in "a slow-motion, multi-monthed Saturday Night Massacre." He was referencing the infamous Saturday Night Massacre in 1973, when then-Attorney General Elliot Richardson and his deputy resigned after President Richard Nixon ordered Richardson to fire the special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal. We speak with Elizabeth Holtzman, former U.S. congressmember from New York who served on the House Judiciary Committee that voted to impeach Richard Nixon. Her new book, "The Case for Impeaching Trump," is out on Monday. And we speak with David Cole, the national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union and professor of law and public policy at Georgetown University Law Center.
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Nov 08, 2018
President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions, replacing him with a Trump loyalist who has called special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation a "witch hunt." Matthew Whitaker, formerly Jeff Sessions's chief of staff, will now take charge of the Russia inquiry, prompting questions about the future of the Russia investigation and whether Trump will target Robert Mueller next. Some experts are raising questions about the legality of putting Whitaker in charge rather than Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who had been overseeing the Russia probe. The ACLU wrote in a statement, "Jeff Sessions was the worst attorney general in modern American history. Period. But the dismissal of the nation's top law enforcement official shouldn't be based on political motives." We speak with David Cole, national legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union and professor of law and public policy at Georgetown University Law Center. His most recent book is "Engines of Liberty: The Power of Citizen Activists to Make Constitutional Law."
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Nov 08, 2018
California: Mass Shooter Kills At Least 12 at Student-Filled Bar, Trump Fires AG Sessions, Puts New Loyalist in Charge of Mueller Probe, WH Bans CNN Reporter Acosta as Trump Spars with Reporters, At Least 15 Midterm Races Still Uncalled, GOP Congressmembers Facing Indictments Re-elected, Voters Weighed In on Abortion Rights Measures in WV, AL, OR, Philippines: Lawyer Fighting Duterte's Drug War Shot Dead, Poland: Warsaw Mayor Bans Annual Far-Right March, Cameroon: Almost 80 Kidnapped Students Released
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Nov 07, 2018
At least 1.4 million people have regained the right to vote in Florida, following the passage of Amendment 4, a statewide initiative to re-enfranchise people with felony convictions who have completed their sentences, excluding people convicted of murder or sex offenses. The amendment passed overwhelmingly, with 64.5 percent of the vote. It needed 60 percent to pass. The win will permanently alter politics in a state that elected Republican Ron DeSantis as Florida governor by just over 55,000 votes, according to the latest numbers. DeSantis defeated Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, who was vying to be the first African-American governor in Florida's history. We speak with Desmond Meade, who spearheaded the fight for Amendment 4. Desmond Meade is the president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. He's also chair of Floridians for a Fair Democracy. He is one of some 1.4 million people who has just regained his right to vote.
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Nov 07, 2018
Twenty-nine-year-old Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Ocasio-Cortez rose to national prominence in June, when she unseated 10-term incumbent Representative Joe Crowley, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House. She was elected to represent New York's 14th Congressional District by a landslide last night, defeating Republican candidate Anthony Pappas with 78 percent of the vote. Ocasio-Cortez celebrated her victory in Queens last night. Democracy Now! was there with The Intercept for our special election broadcast. We spoke with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez about her plans for Congress.
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Nov 07, 2018
As Democrats retake the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years, we speak with Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation, about the future of the Democratic Party. The Democrats picked up more than the 23 seats they needed to flip the House, but the Republican Party expanded its grip on the Senate in Tuesday's midterm elections. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is poised to reclaim her gavel as speaker of the House, barring a leadership challenge.
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Nov 07, 2018
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp is holding a slim lead over Democrat Stacey Abrams in the race to be governor of Georgia. Abrams is vying to be the first black woman governor in U.S. history. Despite Kemp's slight lead, Abrams is refusing to concede because thousands of absentee ballots have not yet been counted. Kemp is currently at 50.5 percent. If he dips below 50 percent, the race will go to a runoff. The Georgia race was marred by widespread allegations of voter suppression carried out by Brian Kemp. We speak with Carol Anderson, chair of the African American Studies Department at Emory University and author, most recently, of "One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy."
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Nov 07, 2018
In a historic midterm election, Democrats have seized control of the House of Representatives, flipping more than two dozen seats. This gives Democrats subpoena power for the first time since President Donald Trump was elected two years ago. While the Democrats will control the House, the Republicans picked up two more seats in the Senate. The midterms were a groundbreaking election for women. At least 100 women will serve in the U.S. House for the first time in U.S. history, including the first two Native American women and the first two Muslim women. We speak with Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation, and Rashad Robinson, executive director of Color of Change.
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Nov 07, 2018
Democrats Take the House of Representatives as GOP Gains in Senate, Democrat Stacey Abrams Refuses to Concede Georgia Governor's Race, Republican Ron DeSantis Defeats Andrew Gillum in Florida Governor's Race, Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan Defeats Former NAACP Head Ben Jealous, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz Defeats Progressive Democratic Challenger Beto O'Rourke in Texas, Incumbent Senate Democrats Lose in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, Democrats Win Governor's Races in Maine and Midwestern States, Wave of Women Voters Brings Historic Firsts in Midterm Elections, Florida to Restore Voting Rights to 1.4 Million with Felony Convictions, Colorado Anti-Fracking Proposition Defeated, Washington Voters Reject Fee on Carbon Dioxide Pollution, Texas: Border Patrol Cancels Drill Amid Voter Intimidation Accusations, Yemen: Dire Warnings of Famine Amid Saudi-Led Assault on Port City, U.N. Warns of Ecosystem Collapse Without Swift Action on Biodiversity, Accused Pipe Bomber Cesar Sayoc Denied Bail at First Court Appearance, Death Row Prisoner Tells High Court Lethal Injection Would Be "Cruel and Unusual", Wisconsin: Foxconn Recruits Chinese Workers for Taxpayer-Subsidized Factory
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Nov 06, 2018
Florida voters are preparing to vote on Amendment 4, a measure that would restore voting rights to 1.4 million people with nonviolent felonies who have fully completed their sentences. One in five African Americans in Florida and 10 percent of the state's adult population are ineligible to vote because of a criminal record. Across the United States, more than 6.1 million people with felony convictions are not eligible to vote. Florida is one of just four states that bar them from voting for life. In October, Amy Goodman traveled to Melbourne, Florida, and spoke with Desmond Meade, the president of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, who is a formerly homeless returning citizen who is leading the fight to re-enfranchise people with felony convictions in Florida.
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Nov 06, 2018
Colorado voters have managed to get a statewide anti-fracking measure on the November ballot. Proposition 112 would require companies to place new wells at least 2,500 feet from homes, schools, waterways and other areas designated as "vulnerable." This distance is two-and-a-half to five times the current state regulation. The initiative is unprecedented in its scope because it potentially bars new wells on 95 percent of land in top-producing counties. Industry executives are watching with concern, fearful that Proposition 112 could encourage similar measures across the nation. In response, the oil and gas industry has spent millions to defeat Proposition 112, while at the same time putting millions of dollars behind a different measure on the ballot that would amend the constitution to allow property owners to sue their local governments for regulating industries like fracking. We are joined by David Sirota, investigative reporter for Capital & Main.
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Nov 06, 2018
A historic number of women of color are running for public office in today's election. At least 255 women are on the ballot as congressional candidates, including a record number of women of color. In Georgia, Stacey Abrams hopes to become the state's first black governor—and the country's first black woman governor. Meanwhile in New Mexico, Deb Haaland could become the nation's first Native American woman to serve in Congress. Amid a rash of racist ads by Abrams's opponent Brian Kemp, there is something "deeply transformational about the electoral organizing and the campaign that Stacey Abrams represents," says Aimee Allison, president of Democracy in Color and founder of She the People.
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Nov 06, 2018
We look at a federal trial underway in New York City that could overturn the Trump administration's plans to put a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Voting rights activists fear the question will deter immigrants from participating in the census, leading to a vast undercount in states with large immigrant communities. This could impact everything from the redrawing of congressional maps to the allocation of federal funding. The citizenship question was announced in March by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who touted it as a way to enforce the Voting Rights Act and protect minorities against voter discrimination. But on Sunday evening, the plaintiffs released a deposition that seems to contradict the Trump administration's stated purpose for adding the citizenship question to the census. We speak with reporter Ari Berman, who has been following the case and says, "The fix was in from the very beginning. This was done by Kris Kobach, Steve Bannon, Jeff Sessions—the most anti-immigrant figures in the Republican Party." Berman's newest story is headlined "Trial over Census Citizenship Question Kicks Off Amid Revelation of Trump Administration Deception."
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Nov 06, 2018
Millions of voters head to the polls today for a midterm election that's widely seen as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency, with both houses of Congress and 36 governor's races in the balance. In fact, millions have already voted: A record 36 million Americans voted early this year, with participation high among young people and people of color. That's up from 27 million four years ago, leading many to predict a record turnout for a midterm election. "If you look at the numbers, early voting is shattering records among young people, among people of color," says Ari Berman, senior writer at Mother Jones. "We're seeing a lot more people that typically sit out midterm elections going and showing up because they believe these races are so important."
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Nov 06, 2018
Huge Turnout for Early Voting in Midterms as Technical Issues Surface, Trump Attacks Democrats and Migrants on Eve of Midterm Elections, Fallout from Racist Trump Campaign Ad Continues as Networks Pull Ad, Georgia Dem. Gov. Candidate Abrams Responds to Kemp Hacking Probe, Racist Robocalls Attack Georgia Dem. Gov. Candidate Abrams, Students Across Country Walk Out of Class to Cast Ballots in Midterms, NYC: Trial Begins over 2020 Census Citizenship Question, Coloradans to Vote on Divisive Oil and Gas Ballot Measures, Washington State Voters to Vote on Fee for Large Carbon Polluters, NYC: Local Leaders Decry Racist Graffiti at African Burial Ground, Cameroon: At Least 79, Mostly Children, Kidnapped by Rebels, Ukraine: Anti-Corruption Activist Dies 3 Months After Acid Attack, Brazil: Ex-President Lula Challenges Conviction, Citing Judge's Bias
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Nov 05, 2018
Just weeks after the United Nations warned that humanity has only a dozen years to mitigate global warming and limit the scope of global catastrophe, we speak with world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky. He says, "We have to make decisions now which will literally determine whether organized human life can survive in any decent form."
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Nov 05, 2018
President Donald Trump recently announced plans to pull the United States out of a landmark nuclear arms pact with Russia in a move that could spark a new arms race. President Ronald Reagan and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 1987. The INF banned all nuclear and non-nuclear missiles with short and medium ranges. The treaty helped to eliminate thousands of land-based missiles. We speak to world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author Noam Chomsky about the significance of the INF treaty and the impact of Trump's plan to pull out.
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Nov 05, 2018
In the run-up to the U.S. midterm elections, we speak with world-renowned linguist, dissident and author Noam Chomsky. "What are the domestic policies of the Trump administration?" Chomsky says. "Very straightforward: lavish gifts on the rich, powerful corporate sector and try to undermine and destroy anything that might be of benefit to the general population."
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Nov 05, 2018
Two women were shot and killed at a yoga studio in Tallahassee, Florida, on Friday when a far-right extremist and self-proclaimed misogynist entered a yoga class and opened fire. Forty-year-old gunman Scott Beierle murdered 61-year-old Nancy Van Vessem, a medical doctor and a faculty member at Florida State University, and Florida State University student 21-year-old Maura Binkley in the deadly shooting. He critically injured four other women, including one woman who was shot nine times. Beierle also pistol-whipped a man in the rampage before turning the gun on himself. Police say Beierle was found dead at the yoga studio from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Beierle had a track record of attacking women, black people and immigrants via online videos and songs and had previously been investigated for harassing women and arrested at least twice, once on allegations of battery against women. We speak with Soraya Chemaly in Washington, D.C. She is a longtime writer and feminist activist and author of the new book "Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger." She is also director of the Women's Media Center Speech Project.
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Nov 05, 2018
U.S. Reinstates Harsh Sanctions on Iran After Nuclear Deal Withdrawal, Florida: Self-Proclaimed Misogynist Kills 2, Injures 5 in Tallahassee, Georgia Secretary of State and GOP Candidate Launches Probe into Dem. Party, Obama Campaigns for Vulnerable Senate Democrats Ahead of Midterms, Kansas Republican Kris Kobach Took Donations from White Nationalists, Trump Praises "Beautiful" Razor Wire as Soldiers Deploy to Border, NBC Airs Racist Anti-Immigrant Trump Campaign Commercial, Nigerian Military Tweets Trump Video to Justify Shooting Protesters, U.N.: A Yemeni Child Dies Every 10 Min. from War-Caused Disease, Hunger, Khashoggi's Sons Call on Saudis to Repatriate Slain Father's Remains, Pakistan: Protests Erupt After Woman Accused of Blasphemy Set Free, Egypt: ISIS Kills 7 Coptic Christians, Gov. Claims to Kill 19 ISIS Fighters in Response
, Afghan Commando Kills Utah Mayor, New Caledonia Rejects Independence from France, SCOTUS Rules Youth Climate Trial Against U.S. Gov. Can Proceed, Judge Denies DOJ Bid to Halt Emoluments Lawsuit Against Trump, NYC: Suspect Arrested in Brooklyn Synagogue Anti-Semitic Vandalism
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Nov 02, 2018
A political event hosted by Ilana Glazer of Comedy Central's "Broad City" at the Union Temple Synagogue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, was canceled Thursday night after anti-Semitic and racist messages were found scrawled on walls throughout the building. Among the messages were "Jew Better Be Ready" "Insert Oven Here" "End is now," "Hitler," "Free Smoke for [N-word] Jews" and "FPEE PR." The graffiti comes amid a surge in anti-Semitic hate crimes nationwide, including Saturday's massacre of 11 Jewish worshipers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Amy Goodman was scheduled to speak at the event about coverage of the midterm elections. We speak with Ilana Glazer in New York City. She is the co-creator and star of the hit Comedy Central show "Broad City."
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Nov 02, 2018
The nation is continuing to grieve the 11 Jewish worshipers who were gunned down at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh Saturday in what is being described as the worst anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history. Funerals were held Thursday for three more victims of the shooting: husband and wife Sylvan and Bernice Simon, and Richard Gottfried. Robert Bowers, who is accused of the mass shooting, pleaded not guilty Thursday. Bowers is charged with 44 counts, including murder and hate crimes. We speak with Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned professor, linguist and dissident, about the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh and other recent white supremacist and right-wing attacks.
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Nov 02, 2018
As President Trump escalated his attacks and threats against the Central American migrant caravans making their way to the U.S.-Mexico border, the Trump administration unveiled new sanctions against Venezuela and Cuba on Thursday. National security adviser John Bolton declared Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua to be part of a "troika of tyranny" and a "triangle of terror." We speak with world-renowned professor, linguist and dissident Noam Chomsky about U.S. foreign policy in Central America. He joins us in Tucson, Arizona, where he now teaches at the University of Arizona. Chomsky is also institute professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he has taught for 50 years.
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Nov 02, 2018
Trump Ramps Up Migrant Attacks, Says Soldiers Can Shoot Migrants, Funerals for Victims of Pittsburgh Shooting Continue; Gunman Pleads Not Guilty, Trump to End Program Fighting Hate Groups, Trump to Nominate State Dept. Spokesperson Nauert as U.N. Ambassador, Report: Oceans Warming Much Faster Than Previously Thought, WaPo: Saudi Crown Prince Told Kushner & Bolton Khashoggi Was a Terrorist, U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba, U.N. Adopts Resolution to End U.S. Embargo on Cuba for 27th Time, Brazil: Bolsonaro Confirms Appointment of Anti-Corruption Judge, Nigeria: Boko Haram Attacks Kill At Least 15, Google Workers Walk Out to Protest Sexual Misconduct, Oprah Winfrey Campaigns with Gubernatorial Candidate Stacey Abrams, Rep. King Erupts After Constituent Questions His Anti-Semitic Ties, NYC: Event Canceled After Anti-Semitic Tags Found on Walls of Synagogue
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Nov 01, 2018
The 2018 U.S. midterm elections mark a critical point in the era of President Donald Trump, as the potential Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives has unleashed a torrent of white supremacist vitriol in the run-up to November 6. In the past week alone, a militant Trump supporter was accused of mailing three pipe bombs to CNN and 12 bombs to people Trump frequently criticizes; two African-Americans were murdered by a white supremacist outside Louisville, Kentucky; and 11 Jewish worshipers were massacred in a Pittsburgh synagogue by a white supremacist who railed on social media against Jews who help refugees. Both the gunman and Trump have called immigrants "invaders." Meanwhile, Trump has sharply escalated his attacks on immigrants, threatening to send as many as 15,000 U.S. troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and to rewrite the Constitution to revoke birthright citizenship. We speak with investigative journalist Allan Nairn, who says that fascism is on the rise in the U.S. Nairn has been a fierce longtime critic of the Democratic Party and its support for war and neoliberal policies, but he is calling for the public to mobilize to elect Democrats in the midterm elections.
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Nov 01, 2018
In the wake of a series of hate-fueled gun attacks in the United States, we speak with Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed by a gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history this February. As the nation reels from the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre and the Kentucky grocery store killing of two African Americans, Guttenberg is calling on voters to elect politicians who stand for gun control in next week's midterm elections.
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Nov 01, 2018
Pittsburgh Funerals Continue as Trump Focuses on Protests and "Fake News", Racist Kentucky Shooter Indicted for Murder, Trump Threatens to Send 15,000 Troops to U.S.-Mexico Border, Trump Attacks Paul Ryan for Birthright Citizenship Rebuke, Trump Tweets Racist Campaign Ad Ahead of Midterms, Multiple Caravans Head to U.S. Border as Humanitarian Concerns Grow, Trump Tells Reporter "When I Can, I Tell the Truth", Native American Tribe Sues over North Dakota Voter ID Law, Judges Order Ohio to Let Purged Voters Cast Midterm Ballots, Turkey Says Khashoggi Strangled in Consulate as International Fallout Continues, U.S. Calls for Yemen Ceasefire as U.K. Supports "De-escalation", U.N. Votes to Extend Peacekeeping Force in Western Sahara, Brazil: Governor-elect Proposes Escalating Military Role in Rio, N. Korea Prepares for Nuclear Inspectors as Formal Halt to Hostile Activities Starts, Colombia: Feminist Activist Kidnapped and Killed, Google Workers Walk Out to Protest Sexual Harassment, Seattle: Activists Protest Amazon's Relationship with ICE, Newark City Officials Say Tap Water Not Safe, Questions Remain in Death of Drowned Saudi Sisters Found in NYC, Watergate Documents Released After Lawyers Argue Relevance for Mueller Probe
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Apr 24, 2018
Immigrants rights activists are demanding the release of Manuel Duran, a prominent Latino journalist in Memphis who has been in ICE custody since early April. Duran was detained by immigration officials after he was arrested while covering a protest against immigrant detention outside a county jail. Duran, who was born in El Salvador, is a well-known reporter on Spanish radio stations in Memphis. He also runs the online site Memphis Noticias. Duran issued a statement while detained about the conditions in the LaSalle Detention Center in Jena, Louisiana, where he is being held. He writes, "Through this experience I have learned first hand details about the treatment our immigrants receive before they are deported. How they keep the lights on day and night and you have to sleep with a towel over your eyes. How they make you lie in bed for 45 minutes, in what seems to be at random after roll calling, and you cannot use the phone or the bathroom during that time."
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Apr 24, 2018
A new Politico cover story reveals how an ABC journalist named Lisa Howard conducted a secret liaison with Cuba's Fidel Castro, eventually establishing a secret back channel between Castro's office and the White House. For more, we speak with Peter Kornbluh, who directs the Cuba Documentation Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University, and who wrote the piece in Politico, "'My Dearest Fidel': An ABC Journalist's Secret Liaison with Fidel Castro."
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Apr 24, 2018
For the first time since the Cuban revolution toppled dictator Fulgencio Batista, a president who does not have the last name Castro has taken power. Miguel Díaz-Canel was sworn in as president last Thursday. He succeeds Raúl Castro, who served two consecutive 5-year terms in office. Castro is now 86 years old and will remain head of the Communist Party. Fidel Castro handed over power to his brother Raúl in 2008 while his health deteriorated, and died in 2016. Thursday's session was held on the 57th anniversary of Cuba's 1961 defeat of a CIA-backed Cuban exile invasion known as the Bay of Pigs. Díaz-Canel began his term with a promise to defend the socialist revolution led by the Castro brothers. We speak to Peter Kornbluh, who directs the Cuba Documentation Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University.
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Apr 24, 2018
At least 20 people died Sunday when a Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit a wedding party in northern Yemen. Most of the dead were reportedly women and children who were gathered in one of the wedding party tents. The bride was among the dead. Medics and residents said more than 46 others—including 30 children—were also injured. The attack on the Yemeni wedding party was one of at least three airstrikes over the weekend that killed Yemeni civilians. A family of five died in an airstrike in the province of Hajjah. And 20 civilians died on Saturday when fighter jets bombed a bus near the city of Taiz. Earlier this month, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said Yemen had become the world's worst humanitarian crisis. We speak to Shireen Al-Adeimi, a Yemeni doctoral candidate at Harvard University.
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Apr 24, 2018
Yemen: U.S.-Backed, Saudi-Led Airstrike Kills At Least 20 at Wedding, Toronto Driver Plows into Pedestrians, Killing 10 and Injuring 15, Suspected Gunman in Waffle House Massacre Arraigned on Murder Charges, Senate Committee Recommends Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State, 109 Retired Military Leaders Oppose Gina Haspel to Head CIA, Veterans Affairs Nomination in Doubt over Alleged "Improper Conduct", Trumps Welcome French President Macron for Official State Visit, French Parliament Advances Immigration Bill Restricting Asylum Seekers, Greece: Neo-Nazis Attack Peaceful Demonstration of Asylum Seekers, White House Defends Trump Tweet Condemned as Racist Toward Immigrants, Tucson, AZ: Murder Acquittal for Border Agent Who Shot Mexican Teen, Armenia: Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan Resigns Amid Mass Protests, George H. W. Bush Hospitalized One Day After Barbara Bush's Funeral
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Apr 23, 2018
Fifty years ago today, on April 23, 1968, hundreds of students at Columbia University in New York started a revolt on campus. They occupied five buildings, including the president's office in Low Library, then students barricaded themselves inside the buildings for days. They were protesting Columbia's ties to military research and plans to build a university gymnasium in a public park in Harlem. The protests began less than three weeks after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The 1968 Columbia uprising led to one of the largest mass arrests in New York City history—more than 700 people arrested on April 30. It also inspired student protests across the country. Today, we spend the hour looking back at this pivotal moment. We are joined by Raymond Brown, former leader of the Student Afro-American Society; Nancy Biberman, a Barnard College student who joined the protests as a member of Students for Democratic Society; Mark Rudd, chair of the Columbia University chapter of SDS during the student strike; Juan González, _Democracy Now!_ co-host who was a Columbia student and strike organizer; and Paul Cronin, editor of the new book "A Time to Stir: Columbia '68." We also feature excerpts from the 1968 documentary "Columbia Revolt" by Third World Newsreel.
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Apr 23, 2018
North Korea to Freeze Nuclear Tests Ahead of Trump Summit, French President Macron in U.S. for Three-Day State Visit, Manhunt Underway for Tennessee Shooter Who Killed 4 People of Color, Afghanistan: Suicide Bomb Kills 57, Injures 119 at Voter ID Center, Israeli Snipers Kill 4 More Palestinians at Gaza's Militarized Border, Palestinian Engineer Assassinated in Malaysia; Family Blames Mossad, Syrian Military Bombards Last Opposition-Held Areas Around Damascus, Nicaraguan President Scraps Pension Rollback as Protest Death Toll Hits 26, Peru: Assassinated Forest Defender Olivia Arévalo Lomas Laid to Rest, Armenia: Thousands Protest Power Grab by Leader Serzh Sargsyan, Arizona Teachers Authorize a Strike, Demanding Public Education Funds, Harvard Student Teaching Assistants Vote to Unionize, Climate Denier Jim Bridenstine Narrowly Confirmed as NASA Chief, HSBC Pledges to Roll Back Financing of Fossil Fuel Projects, Women Claim 5 of 6 Goldman Environmental Prizes for 2018, Georgia: Police Arrest 10 Anti-Fascist Protesters as Neo-Nazis Rally, Herman Bell Set to Be Freed on Parole After 45 Years in Prison, Colin Kaepernick Wins Amnesty's Ambassador of Conscience Award
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Apr 20, 2018
This Sunday more than a billion people will celebrate Earth Day. This year's theme: ending plastic pollution by Earth Day 2020. Of the nearly 300 million tons of plastic sold each year, about 90 percent ends up in landfills, in the oceans—and in our bodies. Part of the focus will be microplastics, those small bits of plastic that are seemingly everywhere. We speak to Marcus Eriksen of the 5 Gyres Institute, who has led 20 expeditions around the world to research plastic marine pollution, and Priscilla Villa of the #BreakFreeFromPlastics movement.
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Apr 20, 2018
The imprisonment of former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has shaken up this year's presidential election. Lula is the front-runner but will likely be barred from running if he is not released from prison. Polling second is the far-right former military captain Jair Bolsonaro. We speak to former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff about the rise of the far right and the recent assassination of Brazilian human rights activist and Rio City Councilmember Marielle Franco.
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Apr 20, 2018
Protests are continuing in Brazil over the imprisonment of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Two weeks ago, Lula began serving a 12-year prison sentence for a highly controversial corruption conviction. Lula had been the front-runner in this year's presidential election. His supporters say his jailing is a continuation of a coup that began in 2016, when his close ally, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached as president. Both Lula and Rousseff are members of the left-leaning Workers' Party, which has been credited with lifting tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty since Lula was first elected in 2003. Last month, Lula spoke on Democracy Now! in one of his final TV interviews before being jailed. Earlier this week, Lula was dealt another setback when Brazil's Fourth Federal Regional Court denied Lula's latest appeal. Meanwhile, hundreds of Lula supporters have set up an encampment outside the prison where Lula is being held in the the southern city of Curitiba. We speak to former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. Her impeachment in 2016 ended nearly 14 years of rule by the Workers' Party. Rousseff is a former political prisoner who took part in the underground resistance to the U.S.-backed Brazilian dictatorship in the 1960s. She was jailed from 1970 to 1972, during which time she was repeatedly tortured. She was elected president in 2010 and re-elected in 2014.
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Apr 20, 2018
Released Comey Memos Show Trump Distracted by Rivalries, Fear, Rudy Giuliani to Join Trump's Legal Team, Nationwide Student Walkout Marks 19th Anniversary of Columbine Massacre, Dick's Sporting Goods to Destroy Assault-Style Rifles It Didn't Sell, Trump Admin Moves to Open Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for Oil Drilling, Trump Admin Aims to Expand Sale of Armed Drones Globally, GOP Voter Suppression Architect Kris Kobach Found in Contempt of Court, Cuba: Outgoing President Raúl Castro Gives Final Speech at National Assembly, Nicaragua: Thousands Protest New Pension Plan, 4 Reported Dead, Chile: Massive Student Mobilization Protests Privatization of Education, Detroit Threatens to Shut Off Water at 17,000 Homes for People $150 Behind on Bills, Wells Fargo to Be Hit with $1 Billion Fine over Financial Crimes, Natalie Portman Refuses to Go to Israel to Accept Award over "Recent Events", Reproductive Justice Activist Alejandra Pablos Freed from ICE Detention
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Apr 19, 2018
Tuesday marked the end of the inaugural Black Maternal Health Week, a campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance. The effort was launched to build awareness and activism around the state of black maternal health in the U.S. The United States ranks 32 out of the 35 wealthiest nations in infant mortality. Black infants are now more than twice as likely to die as white infants, a disparity greater than existed in 1850, 15 years before slavery ended. Each year, an estimated 700 to 900 maternal deaths occur in the U.S., which is one of only 13 countries in the world where the rate of maternal mortality is worse than it was 25 years ago. And according to the Centers for Disease Control, black women are three to four times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes as their white counterparts. These statistics were reported in a powerful new investigation in The New York Times Magazine, "Why America's Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis." Even more shocking is that, according to the report and contrary to widely accepted research, education and income offer little protection. The answer to the disparity in death rates has everything to do with the lived experience of being a black woman in America. We speak to New York Times Magazine contributing writer Linda Villarosa, who directs the journalism program at the City College of New York.
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Apr 19, 2018
As President Trump continues to refuse to close the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo, we speak to a former prisoner at the camp—Moazzam Begg. He was held in extrajudicial detention by the U.S. government from 2002 to 2005, first in Kandahar, then at Bagram Air Base, for approximately a year before being transferred to Guantánamo.
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Apr 19, 2018
Columbia professor Rashid Khalidi discusses how the war in Syria has become a proxy war with a number of nations involved, including Russia, Iran, the United States, Israel, Turkey and the Gulf states.
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Apr 19, 2018
In Syria, international chemical weapons inspectors are still attempting to enter the town of Douma, where an alleged chemical gas attack killed dozens of people earlier this month. Inspectors with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived in Damascus on Saturday but have been unable to reach Douma and have accused Syrian and Russian authorities of blocking access to the town. On Friday, the United States, France and Britain carried out airstrikes against two chemical weapons storage facilities and a research center in Syria. In response to the U.S.-led strikes, Russia announced it may supply Syria with a state-of-the-art air defense system—a move likely to anger the United States and Israel. Israel has carried out more than 150 bombing raids in Syria since 2011. Just last week Israel bombed an Iranian air defense system at a Syrian base.
We go to London to speak with Moazzam Begg. He is a former Guantánamo detainee. He was held in extrajudicial detention by the U.S. government from 2002 to 2005, first in Kandahar, then at Bagram Air Base for approximately a year before being transferred to Guantánamo. In 2011 and 2012, Begg made several trips to Syria to investigate reports of U.S. and U.K. rendition operations and to interview former prisoners of the Assad regime. Begg works as outreach director at the London-based organization CAGE, which advocates on behalf of victims of the "war on terror."
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Apr 19, 2018
Palestinian protests against the Israeli occupation are continuing this week as Israel begins to mark the country's 70th anniversary of its founding in 1948. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, Israeli forces have killed 33 Palestinian protesters over the past three weeks since the "Great March of Return" protests began to commemorate the mass expulsion of Palestinians during Israel's establishment. Palestinian authorities estimate nearly 4,300 Palestinians have been injured in the peaceful protests—many were shot with live ammunition or rubber-coated steel bullets. Gaza authorities have also accused Israel of deliberately targeting journalists and medics. Since the protests began, one journalist—Yaser Murtaja—was killed, and 66 journalists were injured. In addition, 44 medics have been wounded, and 19 ambulances were reportedly targeted. The protest marches are set to last to until May 15, recognized as the official Israeli Independence Day. Palestinians mark the date as Nakba Day, or "Day of the Catastrophe." For more, we're joined by Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said professor of Arab studies at Columbia University. He's the author of several books, his most recent titled "Brokers of Deceit: How the U.S. Has Undermined Peace in the Middle East."
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Apr 19, 2018
Trump Says He's Prepared to Abandon North Korea Summit If Talks "Fruitless", Trump Won't Say Whether He'll Fire Special Counsel Mueller, Pittsburgh Police Preparing for Riots If Trump Fires Robert Mueller, Senate Votes Against Rule on Predatory Car Loans for People of Color, Senate to Allow Breastfeeding Mothers to Bring Infants to Chamber Floor, Puerto Rico: 1.4 Million Lose Electric Power in Island-Wide Blackout, Syria: U.N. Chemical Weapons Team Comes Under Fire, Delays Inspections, Palestinian Security Forces Arrest West Bank Journalist, Cuba: Miguel Díaz-Canel to Become President as Raúl Castro Steps Down, Kansas: Militia Members Convicted of Plot to Massacre Somali Immigrants, FBI Whistleblower Convicted of Leaking Documents in "Act of Conscience", Georgia: Immigrants Sue For-Profit Prison, Alleging Forced Labor, New York State to Restore Voting Rights to Those with Felonies on Parole, Poland: EU Court Orders a Halt to Logging in Pristine Forest, Canadian PM Trudeau Faced with Pipeline Protest in London
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Apr 18, 2018
An environmental activist and young black mother in Detroit may be forced to give birth behind bars, after standing her ground during a frightening encounter. Since she was 15 years old, Siwatu-Salama Ra has fought for environmental justice. She campaigned against the Marathon oil refinery and the Detroit Renewable Power trash incinerator. She represented Detroit at the Paris climate summit. She's also worked to engage kids and educate young mothers about nutrition. Now, at age 26, Siwatu has been sentenced to a mandatory two years in prison, following an incident in which she brandished her unloaded—and legally registered—handgun while defending her mother and 2-year-old daughter. She was sentenced last month to two years in prison even though she is scheduled to give birth in June. We speak to two of her attorneys and Patrisse Khan-Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter.
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Apr 18, 2018
A new exposé by Reuters reveals how the Trump administration plans to make the U.S. an even larger weapons exporter by loosening restrictions on the sale of equipment ranging from fighter jets and drones to warships and artillery. Reuters reveals that the new initiative will provide guidelines that could allow more countries to be granted faster deal approvals, and will call on Cabinet officials to help close deals between foreign governments and U.S. defense contractors. In one example, Reuters reveals President Trump himself urged the emir of Kuwait, in a telephone call, to finalize a $10 billion fighter jet deal with Boeing, the country's second-largest defense contractor. The exposé details the role U.S. Cabinet officials may be asked to play in pushing arms exports abroad as part of the new initiative, which will call for a "whole of government" approach—from the president and his Cabinet to military attachés and diplomats—to help draw in billions of dollars more in arms business overseas. The Trump administration is expected to announce the new rules as early as Thursday. We speak to Mike Stone of Reuters and William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy.
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Apr 18, 2018
The New York Times is reporting President Trump launched airstrikes against Syria on Friday despite opposition from his own defense secretary, James Mattis, who wanted Trump to first get congressional approval. Meanwhile, a number of lawmakers have described the strikes on Syria as illegal since Trump did not seek congressional input or authorization.This comes as Congress is considering rewriting the war powers granted to the president after the September 11 attacks—what's known as the AUMF, or Authorization for Use of Military Force. On September 14, 2001, the current AUMF passed the Senate 98-0 and 420-1 in the House, with California Democrat Barbara Lee casting the sole dissenting vote. Since then, it's been used by Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump to justify at least 37 military operations in 14 countries—many of which were entirely unrelated to 9/11. On Monday, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, and Democratic committee member Tim Kaine of Virginia introduced legislation to replace the AUMFs with a new one. Corker and Kaine claim their legislation would strengthen congressional oversight. But critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union, warn the proposed legislation would actually expand the authority of President Trump and all future presidents to engage in worldwide war without limitations. For more, we're joined by Faiz Shakir, national political director for the ACLU.
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Apr 18, 2018
Pompeo Held Clandestine Meeting with Kim Jong-un, Congress Considers Rewriting the Post-9/11 Authorization for Use of Military Force, Nikki Haley to White House on Russia Sanctions: "I Don't Get Confused", In 5-4 Vote, Supreme Court Strikes Down Law Mandating Deportation for Some Crimes, Cuba: President Raúl Castro Stepping Down from Power, Starbucks to Close More Than 8,000 Stores for 1-Day Anti-Racial Bias Training, NYC Removes Statue of Gynecologist Who Experimented on Enslaved Black Women, Activists Fundraise to Erect Ida B. Wells Monument in Chicago, Graduate Students at Harvard, Northeastern, Columbia Demand Right to Form a Union, Former First Lady Barbara Bush Dies at 92
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Apr 17, 2018
On Monday, rapper Kendrick Lamar became the first non-classical or jazz musician to ever win a Pulitzer Prize for Music. Lamar has topped the charts with music that tackles issues of race, politics, religion and even mental health. The Pulitzer follows the five Grammy Awards won by Lamar in January for "DAMN.," his fourth studio album. His previous album, "To Pimp a Butterfly," also won five Grammys. Lamar recently produced and curated the soundtrack for the "Black Panther" film to critical acclaim. We speak to a high school teacher in New Jersey who uses Lamar's recordings in his classroom.
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Apr 17, 2018
At least seven prisoners died and 17 were seriously injured after bloody violence broke out Sunday night at a maximum security prison in South Carolina. It was the deadliest prison riot in the United States in 25 years. A coroner said all of the prisoners were stabbed, slashed or beaten. Six of the seven were African-American. No guards were hurt. In total, at least 20 prisoners have been killed by fellow prisoners in South Carolina since the start of 2017. One investigation found the number killed across the state's prisons had quadrupled from 2015 to 2017. The state's prison agency has also been hit with several lawsuits that outline a "long history of violence" and allege sometimes the violence is "encouraged" by guards. We speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Heather Ann Thompson, who wrote "Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy."
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Apr 17, 2018
In a potentially major setback for President Trump, a federal judge has rejected efforts from the president to be given first access to documents seized by the FBI last week during raids on the properties of Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen, who is being investigated for possible bank and wire fraud. Monday's court hearing pitted the president against his own Justice Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas McKay urged the judge to reject the president's request. McKay said, "Just because he has a powerful client doesn't mean he should get special treatment." The FBI seized 10 boxes of documents and as many as a dozen electronic devices from Cohen. According to press accounts, the Trump administration now views the probe into Cohen as a more serious threat to the president than special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Meanwhile, on Monday, Cohen's attorneys were forced to reveal Fox News host Sean Hannity was also one of Cohen's other legal clients. Just last week, Hannity slammed the FBI for raiding Cohen's office and home, but he never disclosed his ties to Cohen. We speak to Marcy Wheeler, independent journalist who covers national security and civil liberties. She runs the website EmptyWheel.net.
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Apr 17, 2018
Theresa May & Emmanuel Macron Face Backlash over Military Strikes on Syria, U.S. & U.K. Issue Joint Warning About Risks of Russian Cyberattacks, Judge Rejects Trump's Efforts to Have First Access to Cohen Docs Seized by FBI, Watchdog Rules EPA Broke Law with $43,000 Soundproof Phone Booth, Philadelphia: Protesters Shut Down Starbucks over Racial Discrimination, Trudeau Continues to Back Controversial Kinder Morgan Oil Pipeline, Nina Simone & Sister Rosetta Tharpe Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Beyoncé Rocks Coachella with Historic Performance Celebrating Black Culture, Kendrick Lamar Wins Historic Pulitzer Prize for Music
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Apr 16, 2018
Police officers responding to a 911 call shot dead an unarmed, mentally troubled African-American man on a street corner in Brooklyn on April 5. At the time of his death, Saheed Vassell was holding a metal pipe that police say they mistook for a gun. The NYPD said four officers—three in plainclothes and one uniformed—fired 10 rounds at Vassell, a Jamaican immigrant. None of the officers who opened fire were wearing body cameras. The Vassell family is now calling for the release of all unedited video from the area leading up to and during the shooting. We are joined by Saheed Vassell's parents, Lorna and Eric Vassell.
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Apr 16, 2018
Palestinians gathered at the Israeli-Gaza border for a third Friday in a row as part of the ongoing "Great March of Return" protests. Paramedics say at least 30 Palestinians were injured by Israeli soldiers during Friday's protest. Israeli soldiers have killed at least 34 Palestinians since the wave of protests against Israel's occupation began on March 30. We get response from Ramah Kudaimi, director of grassroots organizing at US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. She is also a member of the Syrian Solidarity Collective and on the National Committee of the War Resisters League. She calls for the U.S. to end its military support for Israel, and argues that Palestinian rights cannot be separated from U.S. actions in the region.
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Apr 16, 2018
On Friday, the U.S., U.K. and France launched coordinated military strikes in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria, over a week ago. The attack has not yet been independently investigated. The U.S. has blamed the Assad government for the alleged attack. On Sunday, United Nations chemical weapons investigators began examining the scene of the alleged attack, which came amid a brutal campaign by the Syrian government to retake the rebel-held district of Eastern Ghouta outside the capital Damascus. We get response from perhaps the most famous whistleblower of the Iraq War, Chelsea Manning, who is now a network security specialist and advocate for government transparency and queer and transgender rights. She spent seven years in military prison after leaking a trove of documents about the Iraq and Afghan wars and the State Department to WikiLeaks in 2010 and is now running for the U.S. Senate. We also speak with Ramah Kudaimi, a Syrian-American activist who is a member of the Syrian Solidarity Collective and on the National Committee of the War Resisters League.
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Apr 16, 2018
The United States is expected to introduce new sanctions against Russian companies with links to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, following the coordinated U.S., British and French military strikes against two alleged chemical weapons storage facilities and a research center in Syria on Friday night. Trump hailed the military strikes a success and declared in a tweet, "Mission Accomplished!" The military strikes came in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma over a week ago. "The United States has claimed, proclaimed that it wants to see and support the Syrian people's revolution," says our guest Ramah Kudaimi, "but in fact has really intervened in ways that have strengthened the [Syrian] regime." Kudaimi is a Syrian-American activist, a member of the Syrian Solidarity Collective, and is on the National Committee of the War Resisters League.
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Apr 16, 2018
U.S. Threatens Sanctions Against Russia After Military Strike Against Syria, Nikki Haley Defends Trump's Refugee Ban, Claiming Syrians Don't Want to Come to U.S., James Comey: Trump Is Not Morally Fit to Be President, Michael Cohen Faces New Scrutiny About Trip to Prague & Broidy's Affair Payoff, Afghanistan: 26 Government Officers Killed in String of Attacks, Nationwide Protests in India Denounce Rape & Murder of Muslim Girl, Palestinians Gather at Israeli-Gaza Border in Latest "Great March of Return" Protests, Ecuador Accuses Colombian Rebel Group of Killing 2 Journalists and Driver, Salvadoran Journalist Karla Lisseth Turcios Murdered, Hundreds of Thousands Protest in Barcelona to Demand Freedom for Catalan Leaders, Protests at Philadelphia Starbucks After Viral Video of Cops Arresting 2 Black Men Inside Store, Hundreds of Denver Teachers Join Teachers' Protests Sweeping Nation, South Carolina: At Least 7 Prisoners Dead After Uprising at Lee Correctional Institution, Alabama: Black Teen Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for a Murder Committed by Cop, Lawyer Self-Immolates in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, as Protest Against Climate Change, Tens of Thousands Gather in South Africa for Funeral of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
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Apr 13, 2018
A new project called the Eviction Lab examined more than 80 million eviction records going back to 2000 and found that in 2016 alone there were nearly four evictions filed every minute. More than 6,300 Americans are evicted every day. Studies show that eviction can lead to a host of other problems, including poor health, depression, job loss and shattered childhoods. Having an eviction on one's record also makes it far more difficult to find decent housing in the future. Now the Eviction Lab's database is being shared with the public in an interactive website that allows people to better track and understand evictions in their own communities. We speak with Matthew Desmond, who runs the project at Princeton University, where he is a professor of sociology. It grew out of his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City."
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Apr 13, 2018
President Trump campaigned against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, calling it a "disaster," a "horrible deal" and a "rape of our country." He withdrew from the controversial deal during his first week in office. But on Thursday, he told a group of state lawmakers he wants the U.S. to rejoin the pact. Meanwhile, 11 nations that represent about a seventh of the world's economy signed the TPP earlier this year. We get response from Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch. "I do think where the real fight is right now is on NAFTA renegotiation," Wallach says. "And this kind of pandering on the TPP makes that NAFTA fight even more important."
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Apr 13, 2018
As the United Nations Security Council holds an emergency session over the growing prospect of a war between Russia and the U.S., after President Trump threatened U.S. strikes in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, we get response from Syrian-Canadian writer Yazan al-Saadi. "Let's remind everyone that the U.S. is striking Syria already. You have more than 2,000 soldiers on the ground. There are bases." He adds, "For me, as a Syrian, I see it as an occupation, just like how I see the Russians are an occupation on the country." Regarding the alleged chemical attack in Syria, he says, "This ignores the fact that most deaths are happening through conventional means," such as airstrikes.
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Apr 13, 2018
Syrian Forces Retake Damascus Suburb of Eastern Ghouta from Rebels, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Warns of Possible War with U.S. over Syria, Russia Claims Douma Chemical Attack Was "Fabricated", Secretary of State Nominee Mike Pompeo Grilled at Senate Confirmation Hearing, In Reversal, Trump Says U.S. Should Join Trans-Pacific Partnership, Former FBI Director Comey: Trump "Unethical, Untethered to Truth", Trump to Pardon Former Cheney Aide Scooter Libby over Perjury Charges, Report: National Enquirer Killed Rumor About Trump's Out-of-Wedlock Child, Senate Approves Former Coal Lobbyist as EPA's Second-in-Command, Palestinian Shot Dead by Israeli Troops Near Gaza Border, 34th in 2 Weeks, Colombian Activist Álvaro Pérez Killed Near Venezuela Border, French Police Raid Protest Encampment at Site of Planned Airport, Trump Administration Drops Chad from Travel Ban List, Former U.S. Ambassador: Trump Plans Deportation of Vietnamese Immigrants, Muslim Activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied Refused Entry to U.S., Columnist Shaun King Detained at Airport and Questioned over Activism, Levels of Toxic Lead Exceed FDA Limit in 30% of Chicago Water Samples, Seattle Seahawks Cancel Tryout for Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, Report: Wealthiest 1 Percent Will Hold Two-Thirds of Wealth by 2030
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Apr 12, 2018
In the continuing teachers' rebellion sweeping the U.S., dozens of Oklahoma teachers have completed a 7-day, 110-mile march from Tulsa to the state capital Oklahoma City. Public schools across Tulsa and Oklahoma City remain closed as thousands of teachers continue their strike for education funding into a ninth day. The strike comes as the Supreme Court is considering Janus v. AFSCME, a case that could deal a massive blow to public unions nationwide—and as President Trump is successfully appointing right-wing judges to federal courts, reshaping the judiciary for decades to come. We continue our conversation with Corey Robin, a professor of political science at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Robin calls the conservative movement "weak and incoherent" and the Democratic Party "a gutted machine," and says labor organizing like the teachers' revolt are the "real resistance" in the U.S. today.
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Apr 12, 2018
In news that has sent shock waves through Capitol Hill, House Speaker Paul Ryan has announced he will not seek re-election this fall. Over 40 House Republicans have announced they will resign or retire, including nine chairmen of committees, leading many to speculate Republicans are fearing a blue wave will bring a Democratic majority to power in November. The most prominent Republican contender for Ryan's seat is Paul Nehlen, a white nationalist and anti-Semite who has called for deporting all Muslims from the United States. For more, we speak with Corey Robin, a professor of political science at Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is the author of "The Reactionary Mind: Conservatism from Edmund Burke to Donald Trump," which The New Yorker called "the book that predicted Trump."
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Apr 12, 2018
Vermont independent Senator Bernie Sanders has warned the White House against any attack on Syria without a declaration of war from Congress. On Wednesday, Sanders tweeted, "President Trump has no legal authority for broadening the war in Syria. It is Congress, not the president, who determines whether our country goes to war, and Congress must not abdicate that responsibility." We speak to Trita Parsi of the National Iranian American Council and The Intercept's Zaid Jilani, who co-wrote, with Glenn Greenwald, the piece "With Latest Syria Threats, Trump Continues to Be More Confrontational Toward Russia Than Obama Was."
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Apr 12, 2018
Confirmation hearings begin today for Mike Pompeo, the CIA director, tapped by President Trump to become the next secretary of state. Last year the Senate confirmed Pompeo to head the CIA by a vote of 66 to 32, but the vote is expected to be far closer this year. At least one Republican—Rand Paul—has already announced he will vote against Pompeo due to his support for the Iraq invasion and for torture. Pompeo also has a long history of ties to Islamophobic organizations, and the National Iranian American Council has warned that Pompeo's confirmation would threaten the Iran nuclear deal and increase the risk of a U.S. attack on Iran. We discuss Pompeo's nomination with Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, and Zaid Jilani, a staff reporter at The Intercept.
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Apr 12, 2018
Trump Tweets Syria Assault Could Come "Soon or Not So Soon At All!", Russian Ambassador Warns U.S. over "Sad and Serious Events" in Syria, Sen. Bernie Sanders Warns Trump Against Syria Strike, House Speaker Paul Ryan Will Not Seek Re-Election, FBI Raid on Trump's Lawyer Sought Documents on "Access Hollywood" Tape, Algeria: Plane Crash Kills 257, Including Western Sahara Activists, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Grilled on Privacy by House Panel, Trump Judicial Nominee Won't State Position on School Desegregation, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens Won't Resign over Reported Sexual Abuses, Study: Climate Change Is Weakening Gulf Stream Ocean Currents, Chicago Tribune Journalists Seek to Unionize, Former House Speaker John Boehner Joins Medical Marijuana Firm
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Apr 11, 2018
During Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's 5-hour testimony to lawmakers Tuesday about the massive privacy scandal enveloping the platform, lawmakers also questioned him about Facebook's increasing effort to market the platform to children. For more, we speak with Josh Golin, executive director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. The group has launched a campaign to end Facebook Messenger Kids.
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Apr 11, 2018
As Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified to lawmakers Tuesday about the massive privacy scandal enveloping the platform, Facebook has also been slapped with a new lawsuit by fair housing groups who accuse Facebook of allowing employers and housing brokers to discriminate in their targeted advertising. The lawsuit says some of Facebook's advertisers do not show job and housing listings to African Americans and women. For more, we speak with Neema Singh Guliani, legislative counsel for surveillance and privacy at the American Civil Liberties Union.
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Apr 11, 2018
In Burma, seven soldiers have been sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in the massacre of Rohingya Muslims in the village of Inn Din in western Rakhine State. The bodies of 10 Rohingya men were discovered in a mass grave there last September. The victims are among thousands of Rohingya who have been killed by the Burmese military's ethnic cleansing campaign against the minority Muslim group. For years, activists have demanded Facebook regulate hate speech against Rohingya on its platform, saying this speech has contributed to the rise in violence against the persecuted community. For more, we speak with Zeynep Tufekci, associate professor of information and library science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a faculty associate at the Harvard Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Her book is titled "Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest."
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Apr 11, 2018
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced off with lawmakers in a marathon 5-hour hearing Tuesday about how the voter-profiling company Cambridge Analytica harvested the data of more than 87 million Facebook users, without their permission, in efforts to sway voters to support President Donald Trump. We speak with Zeynep Tufekci, associate professor of information and library science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a faculty associate at the Harvard Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Her book is titled "Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Protest."
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Apr 11, 2018
"Get Ready Russia": Trump Threatens to Strike Syria After Alleged Chemical Attack, After FBI Raid, Concern Trump Will Fire Rosenstein or Mueller, Zuckerberg Faces Off with Lawmakers About Facebook Privacy Scandal, Trump's Chief Homeland Security Adviser Thomas Bossert Ousted, Israeli Military Censures Soldiers Who Cheered After Shooting Palestinian Man in Gaza, Burma: 7 Soldiers Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Killing Rohingya in Inn Din, Indian Supreme Court Upholds Right to Interfaith Marriage, in Blow to Hindu Nationalists, Oklahoma Teachers Complete 110-Mile March to State Capitol as Strike Continues, Florida's Broward County Votes Not to Arm Teachers, California Sheriff: "Better Financially" for Officers to Kill Suspects, Arizona Supreme Court Ends In-State Tuition for DACA Students, NYC Immigration Lawyers Protest Against ICE Agents at Courthouses, Sex Workers Speak Out Against Shut Down of Backpage.com, Reports: House Speaker Paul Ryan Will Not Seek Re-election, 257 Die in Algerian Military Plane Crash Near Algiers
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Feb 27, 2018
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a key case that could deal a massive blow to public unions nationwide. The case, Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, deals with whether workers who benefit from union-negotiated contracts can avoid paying union dues if they opt not to join the union. The lead plaintiff, Mark Janus, is a child support specialist who argues that a state law in Illinois allowing the union to charge a fee for collective bargaining activities violates his First Amendment rights. Numerous right-wing groups have trumpeted his claim in their latest attempt to weaken the political power of public unions. The groups include the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity, the State Policy Network, ALEC—American Legislative Exchange Council—and the Bradley Foundation. We speak to Amanda Shanor, staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed an amicus brief in Janus v. AFSCME in support of AFSCME.
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Feb 27, 2018
As the state of Pennsylvania and the city of Philadelphia begin probes into racist lending practices, Pennsylvania state Senator Vincent Hughes urges constituents to pull their money from banks denying home loans to people of color. This comes after a recent investigation by Reveal found African-American mortgage applicants in Philly are almost three times as likely to be denied a conventional mortgage as white applicants.
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Feb 27, 2018
A shocking new investigation by Reveal and the Center for Investigative Reporting has uncovered evidence that African Americans and Latinos continue to be routinely denied conventional mortgage loans, even at rates far higher than their white counterparts, across the country. According to the piece, the homeownership gap between whites and African Americans is now wider than it was during the Jim Crow era. Reveal based its report on a review of 31 million mortgage records filed with the federal government in 2015 and 2016. The investigation found the redlining occurring across the country, including in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and San Antonio, Texas. Since its publication earlier this month, the report has sparked national outrage and, in some states, unusually swift political action. Pennsylvania's attorney general and state treasurer have both launched investigations into redlining in Philadelphia. We speak to Pennsylvania state Senator Vincent Hughes and Aaron Glantz, senior reporter at Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. His new investigation is headlined "Kept out: How banks block people of color from homeownership."
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Feb 27, 2018
Supreme Court Deals Major Blow to Trump's Efforts to Cancel DACA, Trump Claims He Would Run into a Building to Stop a School Shooting, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Slams Trump's Idea to Arm Teachers, Georgia Lt. Gov. Threatens to Retaliate Against Delta for Stopping Discount to NRA, WH Aide Ivanka Trump: "Inappropriate" to Ask Her About Reports of Father's Sexual Assault, Trump Proposes Appointing His Private Pilot to Head Federal Aviation Authority, Syrian Gov't Continues Airstrikes & Shelling in Eastern Ghouta During 5-Hour Truce, China Drops Presidential Term Limits, Clearing Path for Xi to Serve Indefinitely, Congo: Soldiers Kill 4 People Protesting Delay of Elections & Kabila's Extended Rule, Israeli Soldiers Arrest 10 Members of Ahed Tamimi's Family, Including Cousin Shot by IDF, Haaretz: Israeli Prosecutor's Office Directly Links PM Netanyahu to Bezeq Bribery Case, ACLU: Jailed Mexican Immigrant Was Beaten and Put in Solitary for Joining a Hunger Strike, Court Rules Civil Rights Law Prohibits Employers from Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Georgia: Reality Leigh Winner to Appear in Court Tuesday, NBA Golden State Warriors Meet with D.C. Kids, Not President Trump, Indian Superstar Actress Sridevi Dies at 54, Health Advocate & Anti-TPP Activist Zahara Heckscher Dies at 53 of Breast Cancer
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Feb 26, 2018
This week marks six months since Hurricane Harvey caused historic flooding in Houston, Texas, the most diverse city in the nation and one of its largest. Houston is also home to the largest refining and petrochemical complex in the country. As federal money for rebuilding trickles in, Houston's chief "recovery czar" is the former president of Shell Oil, Marvin Odum, whose past experience includes rebuilding Shell's oil and gas facilities after Hurricane Katrina. Meanwhile, immigrants and fenceline communities who suffer from pollution along Houston's industrial corridor are still largely absent from much of the discussion about how the city plans to recover. For more, we host a roundtable discussion with Dr. Robert Bullard, the "father of environmental justice"; Bryan Parras of the Sierra Club; undocumented immigrant activist Cesar Espinosa; and Goldman Environmental Prize winner Hilton Kelley in Port Arthur, Texas.
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Feb 26, 2018
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments today in a key case that could deal a massive blow to unions nationwide. The case, Janus v. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, deals with whether workers who are covered by union-negotiated contracts are required to pay a portion of union dues even if they are not members of the union. This case is among a slew of conservative causes that right-wing donors have poured money into in recent years—among them, the Koch brothers, who recently boasted they've won a "laundry list" of victories from the Trump administration. For more, we speak with Lee Fang, investigative reporter for The Intercept. His recent piece is entitled "Koch Document Reveals a Laundry List of Policy Victories Extracted from the Trump Administration."
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Feb 26, 2018
In Parkland, Florida, students returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Sunday afternoon for the first time inside their school since February 14, when a 19-year-old former student named Nikolas Cruz walked into the school and opened fire with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, killing 17 people. This comes as lawmakers return to Capitol Hill today after a one-week vacation. Congress is facing massive pressure to pass gun control measures amid the rise of an unprecedented youth movement, led by Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students who survived the mass shooting. President Trump has reiterated his calls to arm teachers with concealed weapons. For more, we speak with The Intercept's investigative reporter Lee Fang, whose recent piece is entitled "Even as a Student Movement Rises, Gun Manufacturers Are Targeting Young People."
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Feb 26, 2018
U.N. Chief: "Stop This Hell on Earth" in Syria's Eastern Ghouta, Students Return to Stoneman Douglas HS for First Time Since Massacre, Broward Sheriff Faces Criticism over Failure to Probe Warnings About Gunman, Congress, NRA Face Pressure as Support for Stricter Gun Control Laws Grows, Ex-Trump Aide Pleads Guilty & Agrees to Cooperate with Mueller Probe, Democratic Memo Defends FBI Actions Surrounding Surveillance of Trump Aide, Weinstein Company to File for Bankruptcy, California Democrats Vote Not to Endorse Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Report: Trump Speaks Privately About Executing Drug Dealers, U.S. Imposes New N. Korea Sanctions, Palestinians Condemn U.S. Plan to Move Embassy to Jerusalem on Nakba Day, 20,000 Protest Israeli Plan to Push Out African Migrants, Oakland Mayor Warns Residents of Possible ICE Raid, Louisiana Judge Revokes Permit for Energy Transfer Partners Pipeline, West Virginia Teachers Begin Third Day on Strike, Supreme Court to Hear Arguments in Key Case About Future of Labor Unions
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Feb 23, 2018
World-famous filmmaker Raoul Peck is releasing a film today in Los Angeles and New York on the life and times of Karl Marx. It's called "The Young Karl Marx." The film's release comes as the head of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, broke his silence after last week's Florida school shooting that left 17 dead, attacking gun control advocates as communists in an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. We speak with acclaimed Haitian filmmaker and political activist Raoul Peck about his new film and the role of Marxism in organizing for gun reform.
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Feb 23, 2018
Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen talks about how President Trump has benefited from what she calls the "conspiracy trap" around Russia's role in the 2016 election. She wrote last year, "Russiagate is helping him—both by distracting from real, documentable, and documented issues, and by promoting a xenophobic conspiracy theory in the cause of removing a xenophobic conspiracy theorist from office."
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Feb 23, 2018
The Justice Department recently indicted 13 Russians and three companies in connection with efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. The indicted are accused of orchestrating an online propaganda effort to undermine the U.S. election system. The indictment claims the Russians spread negative information online about Hillary Clinton and supportive information about Donald Trump, as well as Bernie Sanders—but some are warning against overstating what Russia accomplished. For more, we speak with award-winning Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen, a longtime critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Her recent piece for The New Yorker is titled "The Fundamental Uncertainty of Mueller's Russia Indictments."
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