Guest host Nicole Sandler speaks with author, professor and journalist Jeff Sharlet about the cult of Trump, something he wrote about for Vanity Fair. She also checks in with Jack Rice, a former CIA officer who is also a criminal defense attorney in Minneapolis, who weighs in on the Russian bounty for dead American soldiers in Afghanistan story.

'BradCast' 7/2/2020 (Nicole Sandler with Jeff Sharlet and Jack Rice)

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com. Originating on Pacifica Radio's KPFK 90.7FM in Los Angeles and syndicated coast-to-coast and around the globe! NOW FIVE DAYS A WEEK!

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On today's 'BradCast': The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in 'Fischer v. U.S.,' a challenge to the criminal statute used to charge and convict hundreds of January 6 insurrectionists, including Donald Trump. Legal journalist CHRIS GEIDNER of Law Dork News discusses the case, which questions whether some January 6th insurrectionists should have been charged with obstruction of an official government proceeding. Geidner explains how a ruling could pivot on the meaning of the word 'otherwise;' the rightwing justices' newly-discovered concerns about over-criminalization; potential impacts on January 6 cases and the Trump indictment; and upcoming oral arguments on Trump's ridiculous assertions of 'absolute immunity.' Also today: Republicans' revenge impeachment against DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas quickly failed in the US Senate. Arizona GOP lawmakers again blocked repeal of the state's 1864 abortion ban. Alabama's newly-drawn, fairer House maps generated a massive surge in voter turnout in a special election.

'BradCast' 4/17/2024 (Guest: LawDork's Chris Geidner on SCOTUS hearing on J6 obstruction charges)

On today's 'BradCast':  The value of Trump Media, listed under Donald Trump's initials as DJT, has plummeted since its debut on the stock market, destroying the life savings of many brain-poisoned MAGA cult members who believed rightwing media hype and plowed all of their money into the fraudulent scheme. Trump demanded that presidents must receive 'absolute immunity' for any crimes committed while in office, except for President Joe Biden. Jury selection is moving quickly in Trump's criminal hush money-election interference trial in New York. House GOP lawmakers sent two baseless articles of impeachment against DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas to the US Senate, which are expected to be dispatched quickly. Far-right news outlet One America News has struck a confidential deal to settle the massive defamation lawsuit brought by voting system vendor Smartmatic over OAN's 2020 election lies. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

'BradCast' 4/16/2024 (MAGA Investors Losing Life Savings on Trump Media Stock; House GOP delivers impeachment articles to Senate)

On today's 'BradCast':  An historic day for the United States -- the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. President is now underway in a Manhattan courtroom. It's the first of four criminal trials seeking accountability for disgraced ex-President Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for the 2024 election. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's 34 felony criminal counts allege that Trump unlawfully falsified business records to hide hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and violated federal campaign finance laws in service of cheating to win the 2016 election. Columnist HEATHER DIGBY PARTON of Salon and former attorney KEITH BARBER of Daily Kos delve into the legal, political and cultural significance of the historic first day of Trump's first criminal trial, the evidence in the case, and its potential ramifications for the critical 2024 election in November.

'BradCast' 4/15/2024 (Special Coverage: Trump on criminal trial in NY, Day 1, with Heather Digby Parton of Salon, attorney Keith Barber)

Encore: original airdate 4-12-2024. On today's 'BradCast':  Encouraging news from Tuesday's elections in rural Enid, Oklahoma, where voters successfully removed a neo-Nazi from the city council in a recall election. In Presidential primaries in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Wisconsin, President Biden again saw small but noteworthy protest votes against him in response to his policy on Israel's brutal war in Gaza. Donald Trump continued to do worse among his own Republican Party voters, with significant numbers voting for Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the race weeks ago. In Wisconsin, voters approved two deceptively benign constitutional amendments, placed on the ballot by the extremely gerrymandered Republican-controlled state legislature, that could unleash chaos in the November 2024 election. Voting rights journalist ALEX BURNESS of Bolts Magazine explains the two ballot measures that are likely to wreak havoc in November in the closely divided state, and could be wielded to criminalize routine election tasks, intimidate election officials and volunteers, and more.

'BradCast' 4/12/2024 (Encore: Journalist Alex Burness on new Wisconsin election restrictions, Neo-Nazi recalled from office in OK)

On today's 'BradCast':   Donald Trump's hand-picked new RNC Chair channels Russian propaganda to suggest Ukraine is somehow trying to 'meddle' with our elections. In a victory for gun safety, President Biden closed the 'gun show loophole.' Alabama's Republican Sec. of State follows GOP-controlled Ohio in warning he may not allow Biden on the state's 2024 ballot because the DNC convention is scheduled after state deadlines. Georgia's Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R) is now being investigated for his role as a fake elector in the 2020 election. Fox 'News' omitted coverage of the Arizona Supreme Court's ruling banning abortion in nearly all of its primetime shows, then the next day misled viewers to blame Democrats for the political fallout. Liberal justice on Wisconsin Supreme Court will not run for re-election next year, potentially tipping the court's majority control back to Republicans; the stakes could not be higher. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

'BradCast' 7/2/2020 (Nicole Sandler with Jeff Sharlet and Jack Rice)

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