KPFK - BradCast w/ Brad Friedman

Guest: Jordan Zakarin, Progress Report and More Perfect Union

The Obamas released an eloquent statement addressing the leaked draft Supreme Court opinion that overturns Roe v. Wade, ending a woman's constitutional right to make her own reproductive choices. They warn that all privacy rights are now at risk of being dismantled by Republicans, and urge all Americans to take action to preserve our rights and freedoms. Jordan Zakarin explains the latest (mostly encouraging) developments in labor rights, as a surge of workers across the country organize for better wages and working conditions, overcoming million-dollar union-busting campaigns from behemoth corporations like Amazon, Starbucks and Delta. Also today: Big Oil pulls in record quarterly profits while raising prices on consumers.

Notable results from the 2022 primaries in Ohio and Indiana on Tuesday, which included a fresh round of computerized voting system failures. Federal court forced Ohio to vote using maps heavily gerrymandered by Republicans that violate the state's constitution. All of Trump's endorsed candidates won their GOP primaries, including former Never-Trumper turned Trump acolyte, JD Vance. A truly bizarre exchange in a voter challenge to insurrectionist Rep. Madison Cawthorn's (R-NC) eligibility to run for reelection. Former Trump official claims Trump asked why the US military couldn't shoot Black Lives Matter protesters in the street. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: Jessica Mason Pieklo, Exec. Editor, Rewire News Group

Polls have shown for decades that the vast majority of Americans broadly support access to abortion. But a bombshell leak of a draft majority opinion shows that the GOP's packed-and-stolen Supreme Court plans to overturn the landmark ruling Roe v. Wade, and sets a road map to repeal other rulings similarly based on 'unenumerated rights,' like contraception, marriage equality, and inter-racial marriage. Lawyer/journalist JESSICA MASON PIEKLO explains the draft ruling, how we got here, what it all means, and actions voters can take to restore and rebuild hard-won constitutional and civil rights now being dismantled by Republicans and their stolen rightwing court majority.

2022 midterm election primary season begins in earnest this week in Ohio and Indiana. Polls show broad, bipartisan majorities of Americans support Pres. Biden's actions in Ukraine -- including sanctions and military, humanitarian and economic aid -- yet don't support Biden's overall Ukraine policy. There is a tsunami of fact, opinion, misinformation and disinformation about Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, coming from all sides. We open up the phones for a lively exchange of ideas, in hopes of straightening out at least some of what happens to be Kremlin propaganda and what is not.

Guest: Prof. Nicholas Grossman, U. of Illinois

Putin's war in Ukraine rages on, increasing fears it could embroil the world in a nuclear World War III. EU moves to ban on Russian oil. Anti-war advocates call on US/NATO to force Ukraine to reach a deal with Russia to stop the killing. International relations expert Prof. Nicholas Grossman explains why he believes that is a false choice, why arming Ukraine is likely the best path to peace, and offers nuanced insights into various scenarios that could end the war. Also today: several states sue USPS to stop its plan to buy 150,000 new gas-guzzling delivery trucks. NY judge again rejects Trump's attempts to avoid accountability in NY Attorney General's probe into allegations of bank, tax, and insurance fraud.

Ultra-conservative Republican federal judge reveals the real objective behind Republicans' "obsession" with the 2020 election, "which even they know was not stolen," spelling out the Republican plan to "execute successfully in 2024 the very same plan they failed in executing in 2020" using a radical legal theory that has gained traction among the rightwing US Supreme Court majority. Russia appears to be planning to expand its war on Ukraine into Transnistria, Moldova, with Russian media beginning to frame it as a 'holy war.' Pres. Biden explained why he believes ongoing US assistance to Ukraine is crucial. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: David Daley, FairVote.org

Redistricting expert David Daley explains recent court rulings on last-minute efforts, primarily in Republican-controlled states, to game the 2022 midterm elections with outrageously partisan gerrymandering of U.S. House maps. Daley discusses how the rightwing US Supreme Court has put its 'foot on the scale' to cheat Black voters in AL and WI, potential 'constitutional hardball' tactics, and how supporters of fair elections can fight back to save democracy.

A more transmissible COVID sub-variant (BA.2.12.1) is rising quickly around the US; protect yourself and resist pressure to remove your mask indoors if you don't want to. VP Kamala Harris tested positive for COVID. America's political divisions are reflected in COVID mortality rates, which are 2-3 times higher in GOP-controlled red states like FL and GA than in blue states. Twitter announced it would ban ads promoting climate change denial - will billionaire 'free speech absolutist' Elon Musk keep the ban after buying Twitter? Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: John Bonifaz, President, Free Speech For People

Democracy-lovers are breathing a sigh of relief for democracy after French Pres. Macron defeated far-right extremist Marine Le Pen. New York judge holds Donald Trump and his company in contempt of court. Constitutional law expert JOHN BONIFAZ of Free Speech For People explains the latest developments in a voters' challenge seeking to disqualify far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) under the 14th Amendment, Sec. 3, which bars from federal office anyone who engaged or aided in insurrection, etc., similar challenges in NC and AZ, and how the amendment could apply to candidates like Donald Trump.

Guest: David Faris, Roosevelt University

Encore: original air-date 4/13/2022. Political scientist David Faris explains how Democrats can take action and go on offense to counter Republicans' idiotic but effective culture war tropes and ensure that voters understand the extraordinarily high stakes in the November midterm elections as potentially the last chance to defend democracy, preserve hard-won rights, and stop 'radical Republican authoritarianism.' Finland and Sweden announce they will examine whether to join NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Plus: listener mail.