Joan Esposito (Featured Interviews)

Joan Esposito is joined by Lisa Graves, founder and executive director of True North Research, a national investigative watchdog group that works with journalists and other researchers to shine a bright light on the dark money fueling regressive agendas targeting vital institutions in our republic.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Eric Zorn, writer-publisher of The Picayune Sentinel.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL). 

Underwood, who represents the west suburban 14th Congressional District, discussed the ongoing budget negotiations ahead of the September 30th deadline to fund the federal government.

"We have some simple demands," she told WCPT.

"Number one: Let's cancel the cuts, those awful Medicaid cuts that we saw in the big, ugly bill [formally known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act], the largest health care cut in history. That is actively harming Illinoisans, and we want to make sure that we can reverse that damage. 

"Number two: We've got to lower costs. That is the number one issue on the mind of my constituents, for sure. Donald Trump campaigned and said that that would be his priority, that he was lower cost on day one, and we're still waiting. 

"And then, number three, we want to save our health care. On December 31st there are some really popular health care tax credits that will be expiring. Republicans did not take it up in their big, ugly bill. Why? Because they were so focused on giving tax cuts to billionaires that they are leaving working people across this country to be kicked off of their health care, and we're not going to stand for it." 

Underwood highlighted the importance of making health care tax credits permanent to prevent premium increases, citing Blue Cross Blue Shield's recently announced 27 percent premium hike. 

Speaking to Esposito one day after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr publicly urged ABC television affiliates to "preempt" and "not run" "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Underwood called for Carr to resign. (A few hours after his remarks, ABC announced the long-running show would be "preempted indefinitely.")

"We need to continue to, as consumers that are actively supporting these different broadcast companies, to be vocal about our point of view," Underwood said. "As Americans, we have the ability, as advocates, to make a big difference right now. And I have been heartened to see so many people raising their voices today and speaking out against this censorship, this caving.

"Number two, I think it's really important for these companies to remember that there's going to be an election in a year, and a House Democratic majority will 100 percent be standing up for the First Amendment. And so if they want to capitulate and sell out the freedom of the press, sell out free speech, to just sell out in general, I think that they should expect to hear from us on that issue."

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Lisa Hernandez, chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois and member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 2nd District.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by BJ Jones, Northlight Theater artistic director. He talks about Northlight’s new production, “The First Lady of Television"; it plays through October 12th at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts. 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Carolyn Fiddler, state politics expert and communications director for the Democratic Attorneys General Association.

Fiddler discussed the coordinated efforts of Democratic attorneys general to challenge President Donald Trump's actions. Since Trump's inauguration, attorneys general have held almost daily meetings to strategize against his lawlessness, filing 50 lawsuits, including a tariff lawsuit headed to the Supreme Court and a lawsuit against Trump's arbitrary halt of a wind project off the coast of Rhode Island. Fiddler emphasized the critical role of Democratic attorneys general in upholding the rule of law. "It is literally [their] job description to hold him to account for breaking the law and running afoul of the Constitution, as he seems to really enjoy doing," Fiddler told WCPT.   

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Susan Demas, CEO and executive editor of Lincoln Square. 

Demas discussed her independent news outlet's mission to provide fact-based journalism. "We don't have corporate donors, billionaire donors. We will never kowtow to anyone. We are part of building a pro-democracy movement in America, because that is one that's sorely needed."

Lincoln Square, which bills itself as "an ambitious effort between The Lincoln Project & Resolute Square," offers content on Substack and across social media. 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Fred Tsao, policy director at Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Tsao discussed a September 12 incident, reported in Block Club Chicago, where a federal immigration officer fatally shot a man, Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, in Franklin Park, Illinois. Tsao highlighted the importance of knowing one's rights, including the right to remain silent and the right to legal representation. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to hold ICE accountable and the need for legislative action to ensure transparency and protection for immigrants.

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Sarah Bury, Democratic candidate for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joan Esposito is joined by Kendall Scudder, chair of the Texas Democratic Party.

Scudder discussed the legal battle against the Republican-gerrymandered Texas congressional map, which was enacted last month. A hearing is set for October 1. He highlighted the strong field of Democratic candidates challenging incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and his primary challenger Ken Paxton, noting Paxton's corruption and unpopularity as Texas attorney general. Scudder also noted Texas's significant Democratic voter base and the potential for the Democrats to flip the U.S. Senate seat, despite historical voter suppression and low turnout. He praised DNC Chair Ken Martin for his grassroots engagement and strategic approach, emphasizing the need for Democrats to stand firm on issues like health care and minimum wage. 

Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive).

And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.