District Sentinel Radio

Hosts Sam Sacks and Sam Knight sit down with Chip Gibbons for a new edition of Chip Chat.

-Secretary of State castigates US enemies for spending money on defense over civilian needs during the COVID-19 crisis, like buddy….you know which country you represent, right?

-Can we not launch huge construction projects during a pandemic, please? Trump calls for Phase 4 of the stimulus to be infrastructure week

-Supreme Court grants new case in isolation, takes up plea for immunity from FBI agent and local cop who beat, arrested, and charged the wrong guy in pursuit of a fugitive

-NLRB ploughs forward with bogus union-busting “free choice” rule

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-The coronavirus bailout law allows the Treasury Secretary to exempt companies from restrictions on stock buybacks and shareholder dividend payments “to protect the interests of the Federal Government”

-The law also leaves the short-staffed Postal Service wholly dependent on debt, while private air cargo companies are getting their employees’ salaries paid

-Some bright spots: landlords with federally-backed loans are banned from carrying out evictions for 120 days. Plus, expanded unemployment benefits

-Executive pay restrictions are a joke, though: bailed out CEOs can still make millions

-Amazon and Instacart today, Whole Foods tomorrow: Workers all over the country are taking action against unsafe conditions and insulting levels of pay

-Any excuse to be sketchy: The FBI is only taking written FOIA requests right now, despite most federal agencies asking for only digital submissions

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This interview aired on Friday's subscriber-only District Sentinel Radio. Given the topic, we've pulled it from behind the paywall so that everyone can now listen. To hear the rest of Friday's show, subscribe at Patreon.com/DistrictSentinel

-People have every right to be angry and scared of getting evicted during a pandemic. But rent strikes might not be the most effective way of fighting back right now. Stephanie Bastek from the DC Tenants Union and Stomp Out Slumlords joins us to explain.

-Washington residents: Sign the DCTU petition to cancel rent and mortgages during the crisis. This can happen. The Fed is making the money printer go brrrr. Click here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/cancel-rent/

-ICE is putting detainees in quarantine, buying tens of thousands of respirators, and using sensitive intelligence units to track COVID

-Reporter Ken Klippenstein broke the news. He joins us to talk about his latest findings, and how privatization makes the coronavirus nightmare even worse for detainees

-Dem Senators asked for info from major for-profit prison company GEO Group, and were told to take their questions to the Bureau of Prisons

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-Democrats secure bailout oversight modeled after 2008 Wall Street rescue fund, which left banks bigger than ever

-Stop encouraging people to get each other sick: the Fed and the Treasury are preparing up to $4 trillion in emergency loans for businesses

-Stress test framework relaxed on federal home loan banks, just in time for the huge unfolding crisis

-More patchwork infrastructure: Senators propose $2 billion for rural ISPs; local governments are banned from offering public broadband in most states

-FBI fails test on tracking its own ammunition and explosives: DOJ inspector general

-The Secret Service spent almost $10,000 at Trump’s golf course in Scotland: DHS inspector general

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-Schumer notes improvements on GOP coronavirus stimulus bill, with safeguards on bailout money not among them

-Not a great start to the week for libertarianism: Rand Paul swam in the Senate pool on the same day he tested positive for coronavirus

-HHS Inspector General to investigate why officials were dispatched without protective equipment to deal with coronavirus evacuees

-Supreme Court votes 6-3 to upend insanity pleas; dissent says decision goes against “seven hundred years of Anglo-American legal history”

-Appellate court upholds ruling against Trump blocking people on Twitter, citing official nature of January posts threatening Iran

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-Pelosi, Schumer embarrassingly lag behind high profile Republicans in boldness of coronavirus relief proposals, though some Dems are pushing for comprehensive aid

-Maxine Waters calls on financial services committee Dems to back package including $2000 monthly to every individual, and a prohibition on debt collection and repossession

-Tulsi Gabbard proves she never had any principles whatsoever, drops out and endorses Joe Biden

-Most Senate Republicans reject Rand Paul push to demonize undocumented immigrants during sick leave debate--but that’s probably because Paul’s amendment called for a withdrawal from Afghanistan

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-The folks who brought you “post-truth Dangerous Donald” want you to vote (for Joe Biden) against the advice of public health officials

-Ohio’s Republican governor shutdowns polling places, calls for vote to be held in June

-Total mess in the works in Illinois, Arizona, and Florida

-Pelosi and Republican leaders ram through watering down of sick leave bill after calling changes “technical corrections”

-Congress reauthorizes warrantless spying powers minus the telephone records program exposed by Edward Snowden

-White House seeking bailouts for buyback-happy airlines, considering $1,000 checks to Americans for immediate relief

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-The two Sams are recording from separate locations now

-Lyin’ Joe Biden’s new debate strategy: incessantly lying about his record to stave off brain short circuits

-Per the CDC guidance: tomorrow’s primaries should be postponed

-Stock market plummets again today; Pelosi’s atrocious attempt at emergency relief calms no jitters

-Liberals once again ill-equipped to deal with far-right, give Tom Cotton room to pretend like he is pro-worker

-GAO: The F-35’s guidance system gets poor internet connection

-Trump admin pushes ahead with first border wall contract after DHS obliterated procurement regulations

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