KPFK - BradCast w/ Brad Friedman

Encore: original air-date 12/12/2022. All election lawsuits are not created equal. Losing Arizona GOP candidates Kari Lake and Mark Finchem baselessly allege fraud and malfeasance by election officials, and are asking courts to simply install them as the winners. But GOP AG candidate Abe Hamadeh's is the only lawsuit with a chance of not being laughed out of court. Arizona's Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she has registered as an Independent, a self-serving move that could change the electoral outlook in 2024. Callers weigh in on all of the above.

Guest: Heather 'Digby' Parton, Salon and Hullabaloo

A debunking of several provably false claims made by erratic Twitter CEO Elon Musk that he used to justify suspending the accounts of legitimate journalists. Salon columnist Heather 'Digby' Parton discusses what the hell happened in 2022, the surprising midterm elections, the House January 6 Committee's criminal referrals of Trump to the Justice Department, and more. Parton also offers a look ahead to 2023, with Republicans taking over the U.S. House amid an internal power struggle with far-right members, and their pledges of retribution for their political adversaries. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

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The House Jan. 6 Committee voted unanimously to issue 4 criminal referrals for disgraced ex-President Trump to the US Justice Department for investigation. The referrals include obstruction of an official proceeding; conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to make false statements; and for inciting insurrection. Callers weigh in.

Guest: Susan Greenhalgh, Free Speech For People

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Newly-appointed DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith subpoenaed Georgia Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger (R) in his criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's efforts to steal the 2020 election. Election security expert SUSAN GREENHALGH explains the new effort by nationally-recognized election integrity experts to push the feds to open a criminal investigation into the still-ongoing, post-2020 multi-state plot, coordinated by Trump's top MAGA lieutenants, to unlawfully breach election system security in Coffee County, Georgia and several other states, why it matters, and much more. Also today: Trump hawks 'digital trading cards' in an unintentionally hilarious, dumb ad. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: Michal 'Spocko', progressive media activist

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Since purchasing global social media giant Twitter, Elon Musk's erratic decisions have devolved from dumb to dangerous, unleashing chaos and a surge of hate-speech and disinformation on the site. Musk's selective 'Twitter Files' don't show evidence of political bias against Donald Trump or rightwing figures, as he falsely claims. Pseudonymous media activist 'SPOCKO' explains actions and pressure methods that can help push back against Musk's increasingly threatening actions to 'reduce potential harm.' Outgoing Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) commuted all death sentences on the state's death row. The Senate will vote on critical reforms to the Electoral Count Act to clarify the law and prevent a repeat of Donald Trump's attempts to exploit it to steal the 2020 election.

Dept. of Energy announced a major scientific breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology, and fossil fuel promoters are freaking out about it. Economic data show US gas prices and inflation are easing. Control of the statehouse in PA is mired in a confusing mess. Other late-concluding election results include GOP nut Rep. Lauren Boebert winning re-election in CO. Overall, the 2022 election was an extraordinary and historic midterm election. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

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All election lawsuits are not created equal. Losing Arizona GOP candidates Kari Lake and Mark Finchem baselessly allege fraud and malfeasance by election officials, and are asking courts to simply install them as the winners. But GOP AG candidate Abe Hamadeh's is the only lawsuit with a chance of not being laughed out of court. Arizona's Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she has registered as an Independent, a self-serving move that could change the electoral outlook in 2024. Callers weigh in on all of the above.

Guest: Marcy Wheeler, national security journalist

Encore: Original air-date 12/1/2022. National security journalist MARCY WHEELER explains the guilty verdicts returned by jurors against the founder of the far-right militia Oath Keepers, Stewart Rhodes, and others on charges of seditious conspiracy, obstruction of an official government proceeding, and more, and what it all means going forward for upcoming trials and as-yet unindicted plotters of the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Wheeler also delves into the newly-appointed Special Counsel's criminal probe into Trump's theft of classified government documents, and much more. 11th Circuit Appeals nixes Special Master in Trump documents case. Failed GOP Senate nominee Dr. Oz not welcome back on TV. Judge delivers poetic justice in the sentencing of GOP operatives who tried to hoax voters.

Guest: Mark Joseph Stern, Slate

WBNA star Brittney Griner has been released in a prisoner swap with Russia. US House passes Respect For Marriage Act protecting same-sex and interracial marriages; most Republicans voted against it. Slate's SCOTUS expert Mark Joseph Stern explains the landmark new law, and delves into the wildly dangerous case heard by the Supreme Court this week, 'Moore v. Harper,' focused on Republicans' fringe so-called 'independent state legislature' theory that would grant gerrymandered state legislatures the absolute, unreviewable power to control federal elections. Stern also explains the 'stupid' case of an anti-gay website designer who preemptively sued for the right to discriminate. DOJ reportedly asks for Trump to be held in contempt for failing to turn over all of the classified government documents he stole. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

Guest: David Daley, FairVote

Incumbent Sen. Rafael Warnock (D) won re-election in Georgia run-off, and other late-concluding 2022 election results. Gerrymandering expert DAVID DALEY explains what happened in the US Supreme Court during oral arguments over 'Moore v. Harper,' a disturbing case brought by NC Republicans who argue that their radical, fringe 'independent state legislature' theory grants state legislatures total, unchecked, unreviewable power to enact laws regarding federal elections with no constraints. Daley unpacks what the theory entails, how it would 'shake the very foundation of our democracy,' how the Court's far-right super-majority is likely to rule, and much more.