KPFK - BradCast w/ Brad Friedman

Guest: Former AL Gov. Don Siegelman (D)

Smoke from 400+ wildfires in Canada is choking the skies in the Northeast, underscoring the rising costs of the climate crisis. Alabama's former Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman explains the racist history and politics of the death penalty, why he regrets overseeing executions while in office, and details specific reforms to end the unequal, unjust application of the death penalty in our perverted justice system. EPA announces $115 million in funding to repair the deteriorating water system in Jackson, Mississippi. Justice Clarence Thomas gets more time to complete required annual financial disclosures after revelations that he omitted luxury travel and gifts from a rightwing billionaire.

Former intelligence officer sentenced to 3 years in prison for unlawful retention of classified national defense documents. Former DOJ prosecutor suggests Special Counsel Jack Smith may file indictments very soon, as Trump becomes increasingly unhinged on social media. GOP 'voter fraud' fraudsters of True The Vote allegedly used the non-profit to enrich themselves. Missouri GOP election official caught tampering with voting machines. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had Black voters arrested for mistakenly voting after the state told them they were eligible, but declined to arrest white voters in strikingly similar cases. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

President Biden outfoxed Congressional Republicans in his ingenious debt ceiling deal, blocking three GOP-engineered fiscal cliffs over the next two years for the price of less than one. There are painful cuts and concessions, but Republicans got shockingly little in the deal, and the corporate media is failing to inform the public about what just happened. Callers weigh in. Also today: Several new entries in the 2024 Presidential race.

Guest: Marilyn Marks, Coalition for Good Governance

The GOP crime wave continues with the indictment of serial liar, Rep. George Santos (R-NY), on federal corruption charges. MARILYN MARKS, a plaintiff in a long-running lawsuit challenging Georgia's use of costly, unverifiable touchscreen voting systems, explains new revelations in a Georgia courtroom exposing that state elections officials know of massive security vulnerabilities but are refusing to implement DHS-recommended upgrades until 2025 in the critical battleground state. Marks also reports on disturbing new revelations in the Fulton Co, GA probe of a multi-state plot to breach election systems by GOP operatives. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.' Original air-date 5-10-2023.

Guest: Marcy Wheeler, independent national security journalist

Veteran independent national security journalist MARCY WHEELER of Emptywheel.net delivers an update on the three ongoing, as-yet-unindicted criminal probes of disgraced former President Donald Trump. Wheeler explains new developments and final issues under consideration by prosecutors before indictments can be brought in Special Counsel Jack Smith's federal investigations of Trump's January 6 related conspiracies, his theft of documents from the White House, and the Georgia probe into Trump's failed attempt to pressure state officials into stealing the 2020 election from Joe Biden. Original air-date 5-3-2023.

Guest: Lisa Graves, Lisa Graves, Former DOJ official, True North Research

Pres. Biden officially announced he is running for re-election in 2024. Polls show many voters prefer a younger candidate but would support Biden if he's the nominee. RNC releases apocalyptic, dystopian AI-generated ad in response. LISA GRAVES, former Justice Dept. official, explains new revelations exposing even more corruption and self-dealing by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, how federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk (who recently banned the abortion pill mifepristone) deceived the U.S. Senate during his confirmation process, and more. Original air-date 4-25-2023.

The rightwing's fake 'culture war' outrages are weaponized nonsense designed to keep their viewers angry. We debunk the right's latest manufactured trope over a mundane investment framework known as ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), which considers factors like the environment in business decisions. Former AZ GOP Attorney General Brnovich referred to state bar association for investigation after revelations he hid and lied about a report concluding the 2020 election was not rigged or stolen. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.' Original air-date 3-2-2023.

Guest: Peter Sinclair, Yale Climate Communications

Farmers and climate activists rallied in DC for climate provisions in the federal Farm Bill, with Democrats boosting funding for farmers grappling with climate impacts and Republicans seeking to slash farm funding across the board. Journalist Peter Sinclair explains his on-the-round reporting in America's heartland that has exposed a well-coordinated, under-the-radar campaign to harass and intimidate farmers and elected officials trying to build wind and solar projects on their lands and in their small towns, the shadowy groups behind the campaign, and why renewable energy serves as a critical lifeline to farmers and struggling rural communities. Also today: Michigan repeals 2012 so-called right-to-work (for less!) law. Original air-date 3/15/2023.

Guest: Susan Greehalgh, Election security expert, Free Speech For People

Election Security expert SUSAN GREENHALGH of Free Speech for People explains blockbuster new revelations regarding the multi-state criminal plot by MAGA conspiracists to breach voting system software after the 2020 election, including evidence that the plot was hatched in Trump's Oval Office. Greenhalgh also explains how the stolen software can be used to attack upcoming elections, why federal investigations are needed into the security breach and Georgia officials' lackadaisical response, and critical actions to secure elections going forward. Original air-date 4-24-2023.

The far-right activist judges on the US Supreme Court gutted the EPA's authority to regulate wetlands under the Clean Water Act. Rightwing extremist Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in organizing the US Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021, along with several others. AZ court tosses out another bogus lawsuit from election denier Kari Lake. A novel theory potentially explains why Pres. Biden hasn't deployed any of the multiple options to shut down House Republicans' dangerous debt ceiling hostage-taking. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'