This Day in Ohio History

Did you know the first-ever U.S. train robbery happened right here in North Bend, Ohio, on May 5, 1865? Steve digs into the story: 15-20 former Civil War bandits reportedly used an ax and gunpowder to rob passengers and safes, kicking off a Wild West tradition in the Buckeye state. 01:16

News & Culture: What’s Going On?

• White House Correspondents Dinner Incident: Norm breaks down the recent security event in D.C., involving a gunman and the Secret Service, with reminders of the violent rhetoric and normalization of violence in today’s discourse. 03:49
• The Culture of Violence: Both Steve and Norm reflect on the disturbing trend of justifying violence for political or social causes, warning about chilling free speech and the dangers of becoming numb to basic moral boundaries. 05:40

Harper CPA Plus

Supreme Court & Redistricting: A Turning Point

• New Direction in Gerrymandering: The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 against forming voting districts based expressly on race, saying it’s unconstitutional. Steve and Norm discuss potential impacts—noting that race-based gerrymandering is out, but clever political maneuvering isn’t going away any time soon. 18:30
• Merit Over Identity: The hosts debate affirmative action, policies, and the importance of judging people on accomplishment, not gender or skin color—sharing anecdotes from the military, law, and real life.

Ohio Primary Day: Did You Vote?

• Big offices are at stake: Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Supreme Court justices, and more. Don’t let other people make your choices for you!

“If you complain on social media about lousy government, you gotta go vote!” 49:13

The Good, The Bad, The Ohioan

• Personal Milestones: Graduation season is on! Congratulations to Steve’s son, all new graduates, and Norm for finishing law school and prepping for the Ohio Bar. 01:00:25

Recorded at the 511 Studios, in the Brewery District in downtown Columbus, OH.

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Stephen Palmer is the Managing Partner for the law firm, Palmer Legal Defense. He has specialized almost exclusively in criminal defense for over 26 years. Steve is also a partner in Criminal Defense Consultants, a firm focused wholly on helping criminal defense attorneys design winning strategies for their clients.

Norm Murdock is an automobile racing driver and owner of a high-performance and restoration car parts company. He earned undergraduate degrees in literature and journalism and graduated with a Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1985. He worked in the IT industry for two years before launching a career in government relations in Columbus, Ohio. Norm has assisted clients in the Transportation, Education, Healthcare, and Public Infrastructure sectors.

Copyright 2026 Common Sense Ohio

🎙️ Full transcript & key moments:

https://app.castmagic.io/share/8hd0SIDgCyHpgQih