🎙️ Doug Fiefia: Protecting Families, Expanding School Choice & Building Smarter Communities. In this episode of the PoliticIt Podcast, Senator John D. Johnson sits down with Doug Fiefia for a wide-ranging conversation about family, opportunity, technology, and the kind of public policy that actually improves everyday lives. Doug’s story begins with his parents’ immigration from Tonga and growing up in a crowded, multi-family home in Utah—experiences that shaped his lifelong commitment to family-centered policy and upward mobility. From playing college football and earning an MBA at Rice University, to building a career in technology at Google and Domo, Doug brings rare private-sector and technical insight into the legislature. The conversation explores how that background informs his work on responsible AI governance, foster care reform, economic development, and education choice—always with a focus on outcomes, accountability, and human dignity. Topics covered in this episode include:

• Growing up first-generation American and why family policy matters

• How tech experience shapes smarter, more realistic legislation

• Utah’s leadership in AI policy and consumer protection

• Co-chairing a bipartisan national AI task force with Future Caucus

• Fixing foster care finance so benefits truly follow the child

• Expanding school choice while prioritizing equity and quality

• Building institutions that can adapt as technology and communities evolve. Doug also explains why Utah’s approach—measured, practical, and institution-focused—is drawing national attention, and why civic engagement at the state level still makes a real difference. If you care about family stability, smarter tech policy, foster youth outcomes, and education options that strengthen communities, this is a conversation worth your time.

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Catherine Austin Fitts has spent her life following one question: How does money shape power, neighborhoods, and personal freedom? From the row houses of Philadelphia to the trading floors of Wall Street, from the corridors of HUD to founding Solari, Inc., her journey exposes the hidden architecture of modern finance — and the new risks emerging from programmable digital money. In this episode, we explore:

🔹 Why neighborhoods crumble even when money is available

🔹 How Wall Street once ran on trust, reputation, and speed

🔹 What Catherine learned inside HUD — and why federal programs often enrich intermediaries, not communities

🔹 The massive wealth creation revealed by her “Community Wizard” optimization models

🔹 How litigation and political pushback shaped her turn toward public education

🔹 Why she believes a “financial coup” is underway

🔹 The real danger behind CBDCs, programmable money, and debanking

🔹 What states are doing to push back — and how citizens can defend financial autonomy

🔹 Practical steps to preserve cash, build local resilience, and reduce dependency on centralized systems This conversation is not about fear — it’s about agency. Catherine explains why the next decade will be shaped by the choices we make at the local and state level, and how a small, organized minority can restore economic freedom and rebuild local prosperity.

If you care about liberty, money, or the future of governance, this is a must-watch.

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Catherine Austin Fitts is an American investment banker and former public official who served as the Assistant Secretary of Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner under President George H.W. Bush. She is a former managing director at Dillon, Read & Co. and is also known for her work with Solari, Inc. and her writings on finance and economics.

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As CEO of Braver Angels, Maury Giles leads a national movement to preserve one of America’s most vital assets — our ability to disagree, debate, and still work together in pursuit of the common good. Braver Angels is more than a bridge across divides; it’s a mission to restore the unity of purpose essential to the survival of our constitutional republic.

This work goes beyond conversation — it demands courage, clarity, and a commitment to something greater than ideology. Drawing on a career spanning journalism, politics, market research, communications strategy, experience design, and business development, [Name] brings deep experience helping organizations navigate complexity, uncover truth, and act with intention.

Now, that same drive fuels a focus on one of the most urgent challenges of our time: reframing and renewing civic engagement. As polarization grows, Braver Angels volunteers are proving that Americans can do better — that hope and collaboration are still possible.

👉 Learn more or join the movement at braverangels.org

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Randy Watt’s Story

Born and raised in Ogden, Utah, Randy built a career that bridged law enforcement and military service. He holds degrees in Police Science (Weber State), Business Administration (University of Phoenix), and Strategic Studies (U.S. Army War College).

Randy served 32 years with the Ogden Police Department, rising to the rank of Assistant Chief before retiring in 2011. In 2017, he was called back to lead as Chief of Police, a position he held until 2021.

With decades of leadership in both policing and the Army National Guard, Randy’s journey reflects dedication, service, and a lifelong commitment to his community.

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Dr. Kirk Moore is a plastic surgeon with nearly two decades of experience helping patients feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. He trained at the University of Miami School of Medicine, graduating with Alpha Omega Alpha honors, and completed his plastic surgery residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. His rigorous education and dedication to his craft have shaped his reputation for precision, safety, and natural-looking results. He became board-certified in 2002. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Saturday ordered the Department of Justice to dismiss all charges against Michael Kirk Moore Jr., his business — the Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah — and his neighbor, Kristin Jackson Andersen, who was also allegedly involved. "Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so. He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today," Bondi said in a post on the social platform X.

Moore, his business, and his neighbor were accused of conducting a scheme in which they distributed false COVID-19 vaccination record cards to individuals who did not want the vaccine. Critics of the vaccine have rallied around Moore, arguing that he shouldn't face any jail time.

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In this episode of the PoliticIt Podcast, host Senator John D. Johnson sits down with Kris Andersen and Jamie Renda of Path Forward Utah to unpack one of Utah’s most extraordinary legal sagas. What began as a neighborhood effort to support families during the COVID-19 era — organizing graduations, forming the Freedom Fighters parent network, and connecting with Dr. Michael Kirk Moore for medical choice — escalated into a federal prosecution on charges tied to fraudulent vaccine cards. Andersen recounts her traumatic arrest, the experience of pretrial confinement, and the three-day jury trial that brought high-level public-health officials to the witness stand. She and Renda describe the behind-the-scenes advocacy, including outreach to Senator Mike Lee and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, that ultimately helped bring national attention to the case. On July 14, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi dismissed all charges — a dramatic conclusion that Andersen says was both a relief and a call to action.

Celeste Maloy is Utah’s 2nd District Rep, Focused on Rural Issues and Public Lands | PoliticIt Podcast In this wide-ranging Politic-It interview, Representative Celeste Maloy (UT-02) breaks down the realities of serving in Congress, from fiscal debates and reconciliation rules to her influential committee work on Appropriations and Natural Resources. We cover:

✅ The controversy around the reconciliation package and the “tax cuts for billionaires” talking point

✅ Why deficit projections depend on flawed assumptions

✅ What reconciliation can and cannot do under Senate rules

✅ The difference between mandatory vs. discretionary spending

✅ Appropriations, rescissions, and Congress’s multi-track fiscal strategy

✅ How Maloy landed a rare freshman seat on Appropriations

✅ Why Utah’s House delegation is small but highly effective

✅ Public lands, water, and rural issues that drive Utah’s priorities

✅ Personal moments in Washington—including her first visit to the Oval Office

✅ How constituents can connect directly with Rep. Maloy: “Reconciliation is not a policy process. It’s a tax and revenue process.” – Rep. Celeste Maloy

📌 Stay tuned to the end for Rep. Maloy’s advice on tuning out the political noise and focusing on the real substance of policymaking. ⸻

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Tawnee has been married to Dan for 26 years and is the proud mom of six children and foster kids. She earned her MBA from Utah State University (go Aggies!) with a focus on financial planning and has dedicated her career and community service to helping others.

Tawnee is currently serving her 8th year on the Riverton City Council. She also serves on the Utah League of Cities and Towns Board, is Vice-Chair of the Tourism, Recreation, Culture and Convention (TRCC) Board, and a member of the Jordan River Commission Board. Locally, she is active on the Riverton High School Community Council and PTA. Professionally, Tawnee is an Accredited Financial Counselor, Financial Literacy Instructor, Adjunct Faculty at USU, and Director of the Housing and Financial Counseling Center. In her free time, she loves traveling, reading, and exploring National Parks.

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A proven leader in both public service and business, Trent was elected as mayor of Riverton, Utah in 2017, delivering exceptional results, including cutting property taxes, reducing fees, and saving residents tens of millions of dollars. He has been consistently pro-liberty during the COVID lockdowns, has protected the right to life of the unborn, and pushed back on damaging “woke” policies like ESG.

Trent was also a candidate for US Senate in 2024, receiving the endorsement of President Trump, Senator Tuberville, Senator Paul, Charlie Kirk, Kash Patel and several other national conservatives. Beyond his mayoral duties, Trent has over 25 years of executive experience, successfully managing organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small and medium-sized enterprises. He recently served on the board of an energy company he helped take public, securing a listing on NASDAQ in 2022. Trent and his wife Alisha are the proud parents of two children. In May 2025, Trent was appointed as a regional advocate in the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, where he is one of 10 regional advocates within SBA tasked with working with businesses and local leaders to support small business growth.

Staggs said, "My mission is to champion small business, listen to your concerns, identify cumbersome red tape and make policy proposals to the White House, Congress and state legislatures that will make a difference. Just as I've done as a mayor, I will continue to champion limited government, fiscal responsibility and local control. These are the principles that allow small businesses to thrive rather than merely survive.

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