In this hour, former White House ethics attorney Richard Painter sounds the alarm on the dark side of cryptocurrency. He warns that the lack of transparency in digital currencies opens the door for foreign influence in U.S. politics and exposes deep vulnerabilities in the financial system. Painter draws striking parallels between today’s crypto landscape and the deregulation that led to the 2008 financial collapse. From the Trump family's crypto entanglements to the downfall of Sam Bankman-Fried, the conversation lays bare how lobbying power and regulatory gaps threaten democracy and stability. As crypto firms pour money into Congress, Painter calls on voters to demand real oversight—before the next crisis hits, touching everything from the economy to national security.

The Maggie Daun Show is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 2-4 pm across the network. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and Instagram to keep up with Maggie and the show!