Talking Feds

Fentanyl remains the leading cause of deaths of all Americans aged 18-45, and in the last year took over 100,000 lives. Its combination of astonishing potency, synthesis, and control by criminal cartels have produced an extraordinary health and law enforcement crisis. In this special re-release of a Talking Feds episode that garnered significant attention, we begin by examining recent developments in the Fentanyl crisis before revisiting a conversation that is only more pertinent now than when we first released it over a year ago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A week in which important pitched battles commenced, as explained and analyzed by a super-knowledgeable panel of Al Franken, Alexi McCammond, & Bob Shrum. The House Rs voted to undertake an impeachment inquiry based on meager or nonexistent proof of any wrongdoing by Pres. Biden. And there were harbingers of Supreme Court intervention in the 2024 election, with the Court’s initial consideration of Trump immunity & of availability of Mifepristone, which is used in over ½ the abortions in the US. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An episode with a somewhat longer vantage point than our normal fare, w/ a matching thoughtful panel of David French, Susan Glasser, & Jonah Goldberg. We begin with a clear-eyed & sober look at the prediction by a noted political scientist that the Trump presidency is becoming more and more likely. From there, we turn to McCarthy’s calling it quits and Johnson’s latest kissing of Trump’s ring. We then delve into the debacle of the university presidents’ testimony, and the lessons it presents. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a week of bombshell developments across a range of venues, & a stellar roundtable of Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Carol Lee, & Charlie Sykes joins Harry to take stock, even as the news continued to explode. Killer potential testimony emerged against Trump, & the courts rejected his immunity claim. The House expelled George Santos; while evidence surfaced implicating Scott Perry in the insurrection. And Israel resumed its bombardment in Gaza in a way guaranteed to put maximum pressure on Biden. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s our quarterly episode focusing on DOJ, and it coincides with a series of high-visibility cases—most but not all involving Trump—and the pivotal decisions they present for Garland, Smith, & Co. Our returning group of lawyers & journalists who know DOJ like the backs of their hands—Katie Benner, Paul Fishman, & Amy Jeffress—weighs in on fine-grained tactical decisions & larger priorities, while also giving us a sense of what it feels like these days inside the halls at 950 Pennsylvania. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a week in which Donald Trump & his party plunged to new rhetorical and physical lows, & a terrific roundtable of Alisyn Camerota, Kyle Cheney & Bill Kristol join Harry to consider the fallout. Released temporarily from the fetters of a gag order, Trump launched a series of tirades that can only be described as fascist, inc comparing his opponents to “vermin.” The group considers the implications of Trump’s dark turn, courts’ efforts to rein him in, and his R colleagues’ bullyboy conduct. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our semi-annual focus on economics with a stellar set of guests – Dean Baker, Paul Krugman, and Stephanie Ruhle – falls this week at the starkest of crossroads: economic news and bellwethers are stunningly good while American’s views of the state of the economy are stunningly bad. Our roundtable discusses these trends, along w/ several other important economic factors—including the impact of two wars-- before moving to thoughts about AI and where we are as a country with economic inequality.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a week of stock-taking as well as explanation of the Trump developments on half a dozen separate fronts. With a fantastic panel of leading commentators – Norm Eisen, Hugo Lowell, and Jen Rubin, – we canvass the events of the week, especially in the NY fraud trial, but also double back to the nuanced, and largely under-appreciated, takeaways from recent events, involving Meadows and immunity, Trump’s motions in the Jan 6 case, Fulton County pleas, 14th Am §3, the Mar-A-Lago case, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 years after reports surfaced of strange and worrisome connections between Donald Trump the presidential candidate & Russia, we still don’t know the full story, a glaring gap in the history & understanding of the Trump era. This special episode of Talking Feds plumbs the depths of what we do know & what we might discover, w/ an ideal set of guests: Jeannie Rhee & Andrew Weissman, senior members of the Mueller probe, and Adam Davidson, a journalist who has reported on the issue more than anyone. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The concluding installment of a very special trio of episodes recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival. Each episode explores the state of an institution of existential value to our democracy after eight years of Trump's influence and assesses what needs to be done going forward to return to full health. This episode explores what needs to be done to return to some semblance of healthy polity with the help of four distinguished panelists: Bill Kristol, Jason Kander, Jennifer Palmieri, and David French. To hear the Q&A from this panel discussion, head on over to our Patreon at patreon.com/talkingfeds See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The second of a very special trio of episodes recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival. Each episode explores the state of an institution of existential value to our democracy after eight years of Trump's influence and assesses what needs to be done going forward to return to full health. This episode focuses on law enforcement with three incisive commentators who know law enforcement inside and out: Frank Figliuzzi, Juliette Kayyem, Asha Rangappa, and Elie Honig.  To hear the Q&A from this panel discussion, head on over to our Patreon at patreon.com/talkingfeds See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our periodic focus on US foreign policy, with a twist. The Biden Administration must pursue foreign policy in a world keenly aware of the prospect of Trump’s return and all that entails for the U.S.’s trustworthiness. Meanwhile, the Administration's foreign policy initiatives have rekindled engagement on various fronts, extending beyond traditional alliances. In this episode, experts Natasha Bertrand, Amna Nawaz, & Robert Costa analyze the impact of these dynamics on the U.S.’s foreign affairs. Taped before the Israel-Hamas war. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The country, the Senate, & CA lost one of its longest-serving and most distinguished public servants last week. Senator Dianne Feinstein—the first woman mayor of SF who became the longest serving female senator in history—had far too many important accomplishments to chronicle in an hour. But with the aid of 3 of the people who knew her best—Senator Barbara Boxer, Jim Lazarus, and DeeDee Meyers—this special episode of Talking Feds paints a detailed portrait of DiFi the person & political leader. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our annual first Monday in October episode, marking the Supreme Court’s new Term. With the consolidation of power of the hard-right super-majority, the stakes of the Court’s work have grown vastly greater. At the same time, a series of unpopular–and legally controversial–decisions and ethical black eyes have deeply eroded the Court’s public standing. A great trio of Court commentators – Dahlia Lithwick, Mark Stern, and Steve Vladeck – join Harry to discuss the Court’s position and trajectory. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first of a very special trio of episodes recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival. Each episode explores the state of an institution of existential value to our democracy after eight years of Trump influence and assesses what needs to be done going forward to return to full health. This episode focuses on the journalism industry, with three of the most prominent and experienced members of the 4th estate: Katie Benner, Jacob Weisberg, and Columbia School of Journalism Dean Jelani Cobb. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a week of continuing hot action in the Trump prosecutions, combined major lawsuits not involving the former President. An awesome set of guests–Peter Baker, Erin Burnett, and Josh Marshall–join Harry to break it all down, starting with the odiferous indictment of Hunter Biden on rarely brought charges following a political outcry from House R’s. They then take up impeachment, McCarthy’s feckless week, Romney’s parting broadsides against the GOP, and the landmark antitrust case v Google. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the end of another explosive news week, another great group of thoughtful guests—Julia Ainsley, David Jolly, & Lisa Rubin—join Harry to talk through the biggest stories: removal efforts in Fulton County & what comes next; publication of Special Grand Jury Report—who dodged bullets & why; Hunter Biden’s sudden new jeopardy and whether it’s driven by improper considerations; and a potpourri of important political questions bearing on the election re Trump, Biden, DeSantis, McCarthy, and more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a week of intricate legal maneuvers with potential huge political consequences. A great group of legal & political commentators - George Conway, Al Franken, and Melissa Murray - join Harry to break it all down, including Mark Meadows' high-risk testimony in support of moving his state charges to federal court & Judge Tanya Chutkan’s selection of a trial date in March 2024. The group goes on to discuss Rudy Giuliani’s continued self-destruction & the latest grotesque episodes of rampage shootings. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We pause our coverage of Trump’s burgeoning legal minefield and the related political landscape for a periodic close look at the current status & future prospects of the Russia-Ukraine War. A phenomenal set of experts–former Ambassador Mike McFaul, columnist and CFR senior fellow Max Boot, & CFR fellow for Europe Liana Fix–join Harry for a clear-eyed look at whether full victory for Ukraine remains possible, the state of support in the West, the contours of an end game, and many related issues. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week’s @talkingfedspod, a stellar set of expert commentators—Carol Leonnig, Alexi McCammond, and Norm Ornstein—dives in to the law and the politics of Trump’s long list of legal calamaties. We take up Trump’s pugnacity in the 1/6 trial, the circumstances setting up cooperators against him in Fulton County, his political strategy for beating the raps, the grotesque encouragement of violence against judges & grand jurors, and a whole lot more, before moving on the mifepristone decision. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices