KPFK - BradCast w/ Brad Friedman

Guest: Aaron Belkin, Dir., Take Back the Court

The GOP's stolen Supreme Court blocks WI from counting legal, post-marked late-arriving absentee ballots. Republicans ram through installation of Amy Coney Barrett on the US Supreme Court, the first justice in US history confirmed so close to a presidential election. Aaron Belkin of Take Back the Court explains the data underlying growing calls for court expansion and reform of the federal judiciary, whether Democrats will act if they win back control of the Senate and White House, and what Americans can do to help save democracy itself. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: Ion Sancho, former FL elections supervisor

Top Trump official announces the administration is no longer trying to control the coronavirus epidemic, as US infections/hospitalizations surge again, and Trump and VP Pence continue super-spreader rallies. Ransomware attack cripples GA county's election system. Legendary former Florida elections supervisor Ion Sancho explains the risks of the hackable, wireless cellular modems installed on the state's electronic voting machines that could allow hackers to change election results, and offers actions voters can take now to protect their vote -- and the integrity of the election -- in every state.

Guest: Heather 'Digby' Parton, Salon; Richard Eskow, 'The Zero Hour'

Special coverage of the final 2020 Presidential debate, with analysis, context and fact-checking by award-winning opinion journalist Heather 'Digby' Parton of Salon.com and Digby's Hullabaloo, and Richard Eskow, 'The Zero Hour'

Guest: Ron Fein, Free Speech For People

Senate GOP breaks rules to ram through Trump's Supreme Court nominee before election. Joe Biden proposes bipartisan commission to study court reform. Supreme Court blocks safer curbside voting in AL. Trump Admin. declares without evidence that Iran is behind threatening emails received by Democratic voters. Ron Fein of Free Speech For People explains new lawsuit filed against Trump and Barr charging voter intimidation. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: David Daley, Senior Fellow, FairVote.org

TX appeals court rules election officials can discard absentee ballots for perceived signature mismatch without contacting voters first. Author David Daley discusses his blockbuster new article in The New Republican detailing the full scope of Karl Rove's successful national scheme, the "Plot for Permanent Minority Rule," begun in 2010 to gain control of state legislatures to entrench their minority rule, gerrymander democracy, and restrict voting rights. Daley also discusses actions voters can take to restore democracy. Plus a few words from comedy legend Mel Brooks...

Former RNC Chair Michael Steele joins hundreds of former Republicans in endorsing Joe Biden. USA Today endorses Biden, citing Trump's "shambolic coronavirus response." Good news/bad news for voters as Supreme Court intervenes in PA voting rights case. Record turnouts in Early Voting and big fundraising hauls for Democratic Senate candidates come with bigger caveats. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report'.

Guest: Emily Levy, Election protection advocate, Scrutineers.org

In Michigan, GOP-appointed judges block extended deadline for legal mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day due to US Postal Service delays. In Florida, long lines on first day of Early Voting caused by private voting vendor. Election protection advocate Emily Levy of the non-partisan Scrutineers.org details numerous election integrity projects and trainings that citizens can join to protect voters and voting in their communities, and ensure ballots are tallied accurately.

Guest: Joshua Douglas, Univ. of Kentucky Law, author of "Vote for US: How to Take Back Our Elections and Change the Future of Voting"

Law professor and author Joshua Douglas analyzes the tsunami of GOP lawsuits across the country trying to block efforts to make voter safer and easier during the pandemic (with help from the US Supreme Court), and what voters can do to restore voting rights and voter protections -- starting with voting by November 3rd. Trump rejected CA's request for disaster aid for record catastrophic wildfires -- then reversed himself after an outcry. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate legal correspondent

Ace legal reporter Mark Joseph Stern analyzes the "deranged power grab" of Senate confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett this week, and Republicans' unprecedented rush to install her on the Supreme Court before Election Day. Hours-long lines in early voting in Georgia were caused by failed voter check-in computers. FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issue new warnings that malicious actors have accessed elections support systems, but say 'no evidence' that election integrity has been compromised...

Guest: Lisa Graves, True North Research, Former U.S. Ass't. Dep. Attorney General

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) on Tuesday delivered a must-watch speech deconstructing the insidious network of GOP dark money groups that have succeeded in packing the federal judiciary and the Supreme Court to benefit their funders. Lisa Graves, whose research Sen. Whitehouse cited, offers deep insights into the decades-long rightwing dark money conspiracy to remake the federal judiciary, the push to install Amy Coney Barrett on the high court, and the judicial dishonesty of the late Justice Scalia. Plus: good news for voters and voting rights in the courts in Texas, Virginia, and Alaska.