Southpaws

Topics discussed this week include:

Jack Prince joined Darren to talk about an upcoming live interview with a member of the Mason, Michigan city council who's pushing for a day of commemoration for Malcolm X.

A Republican sponsored bill would force Michigan libraries to have a separate section for books deemed "obscene". This is a problem manufactured by Republicans because libraries can't purchase obscene material under state law.

Michigan Democratic legislators are ready to repeal right-to-work (for less money) that was passed a decade ago. They're also ready to reinstate prevailing wage, which is good news for workers. Republicans are threatening to retaliate by sponsoring a ballot initiative to enshrine right-to-work in the State Constitution.

A U.S. Department of Justice investigation showed that police in Louisville, Kentucky used excessive force, conducted searches using invalid warrants, and discriminated against Black people.

News Corp. Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch admitted under deposition testimony that Fox allowed election deniers on air when they knew that their claims were false.

Text messages taken during discovery in the Dominion Voting Machine lawsuit against Fox shows that several of their hosts wanted to put Donald Trump in the rear view mirror just days before the January 6, 2021 traitorous insurrection.

And Tucker Carlson used footage provided by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to push his own narrative of the January 6 insurrection. Democrats and some Republicans are angry with one Republican lawmaker describing Carlson's analysis of the video as "bulls**t."

Hammer Time: Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill this week rolling back child labor laws. This happened just a week after a bombshell New York Times article describing migrant children working dangerous jobs.

Hammer Time: Chief Twit Elon Musk may have violated the Americans With Disabilities Act by exposing confidential medical information about a Twitter employee while arguing with him on the platform about whether he was still working for the company.

Hammer Time: Boomer Esiason walked out of the studio during his radio show and didn't defend co-host Gregg Giannotti after a caller started mocking Giannotti about his mental health struggles. Darren then gave his own impassioned speech about his own mental health struggles.

Darren discussed these topics:

A blockbuster New York Times article has put Grand Rapids, Michigan front and center over the corporate use of migrant child labor in various industries.

Darren said that companies who use child labor should be shut down.

The Ottawa County, Michigan Board of Commissioners is attempting to undo actions of the previous board. Meanwhile, the Ottawa County Republican Party wants to introduce a resolution making the county a "Second Amendment sanctuary."

Darren implores everyone to completely boycott Ottawa County until new leadership is in charge. He also wants Governor Gretchen Whitmer to invoke the Emergency Manager law in the county.

Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN) said he was "mistaken" over what he earned his college degree in after a local television station investigated his claims.

And the Republican controlled West Virginia House of Delegates passed a "religious freedom" bill. Darren said it's more like a freedom to discriminate bill.

Hammer Time: The "Dilbert" comic strip has essentially ended after racist comments by creator Scott Adams led newspapers to stop publishing it.

Darren is back to discuss these topics:

The Michigan Republican Party chose failed Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo as their new chair at the state party convention.

Many "moderate" Republicans didn't attend the convention, as it appears they are being pushed out by far right extremists.

Karamo's ex-husband alleged in court documents in 2021 that she threatened to crash a car with him, her, and their two children in it when he asked her for a divorce.

A defamation lawsuit filed by a voting technology company against Fox will continue after a court failed to dismiss the case.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said an investment management company operated by the Mormon church tried to hide a $32 Billion investment portfolio. The investment company and the church agreed to pay penalties totaling $5 Million to settle the charges.

Darren said it's time to heavily tax the churches.

House Republicans want to stop the Federal Trade Commission from issuing a rule banning non-compete agreements in just about every type of employment. Republicans want the rich to get richer while making the poor even poorer.

The antics of the MAGA nut jobs running Ottawa County, Michigan have now entered the international news.

Darren said that the public needs to keep Christo-fascism in check now.

And the Detroit Free Press editorial board said that Michigan might finally pass gun reform now that Democrats control all three branches of state government. At least, they hope so.

Hammer Time: Conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer made disparaging comments about former President Jimmy Carter on Twitter after he announced that he's entering hospice care.

Darren and Jack return to discuss these topics:

The latest mass shooting in the U.S. happened on the campus of Michigan State University, leaving three students dead and five more injured.

Michigan's Democratic legislators are sick of thoughts and prayers. Now that they have control of the legislature and the governor's office, they say they'll take action.

Residents in East Palestine, Ohio says officials are being less than truthful about the environmental effects from a train carrying harmful chemicals derailing.

We can directly blame Donald Trump for the derailment, as he removed the requirement for mandatory electronic controlled pneumatic brakes on trains transporting chemicals.

An Oregon woman was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for assaulting a cookie store owner over mask mandates in 2021.

The Buffalo grocery store shooter was sentenced to life in prison without parole for his racist murder of 10 Black people. He could get the death penalty on federal charges.

A new Gallup survey shows that half of the country believes that national news organizations intentionally misinform the public.

And Donald Trump wins Hammer Time for 2022.

Hammer Time: The Tennessee House GOP criticized a newly elected Black legislator for wearing a dashiki in the State House.

Darren is back this week to discuss the following topics:

One of the former Memphis Police officers charged with the death of Tyre Nichols allegedly took photos of Nichols after the beating and sent them to several people.

The Memphis Police union is more worried about the fired officers rights than they are about Tyre Nichols' death.

Seven more Memphis Police officers are under investigation for their roles in the death of Tyre Nichols.

President Biden gave the State of the Union speech earlier this week.

Republicans lie when they say they won't cut Social Security or Medicare. Their past actions are proof.

Campaign donations to Michigan Republicans have dried up after Democrats won control of the state legislature. Democrats have seen big increases in donations since the mid-term elections.

A Pennsylvania family made a suicide pact, presumably after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.

The "pro-life Spiderman" was arrested after climbing the outside of a 40 story building in Phoenix.

And Hobby Lobby threatens to leave Escanaba, Michigan after a marijuana shop is proposed to open near their location.

Hammer Time: 5 Michigan Democrats in the U.S. House voted for a Republican resolution to condemn socialism.

Hammer Time: The East Palestine, Ohio Police Department arrested a Nexstar reporter covering Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's press conference about a train derailment.

Darren and Jack discuss these topics:

The College Board released their curriculum for Advanced Placement classes for Black History. Some topics are missing like Black Lives Matter and queer theory. These changes come after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) criticized the classes for teaching "wokeness."

A West Michigan credit union employee who helped organize a union at his branch has been fired. Darren called for an official boycott of Lake Michigan Credit Union.

The Michigan Court of Appeals overturned a lower court ruling to increase the state's minimum wage. An appeal will be filed with the Michigan Supreme Court. Business owners claimed the increase would hurt them. We say BS.

Workers at a Battle Creek, Michigan Arby's location recently quit en masse by leaving a profanity laced message on the store's outdoor sign.

The video of Memphis Police beating Tyre Nichols was worse than we could even imagine.

None of the conservatives who spread conspiracies about the attack of Paul Pelosi have apologized after video of the attack was released. Darren and Jack said those people need to be held accountable.

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced that she's retiring once her current term ends. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) may be the early front runner to replace Stabenow.

Why are the AFL-CIO and AARP supporting Medicare Advantage plans?

Canada has settled a lawsuit with 325 First Nations for $2.8 Billion dollars over residential schools. Will Indigenous people in the U.S. ever see reparations?

And Thom Hartmann warned Democrats that Republican partisans intend to use Spanish Language radio to go after Hispanics to get them to vote Republican. Thom's solution is for Democrats to invest in purchasing radio stations and get their message out...just like Republicans have for the last 40 years.

Darren returned to discuss these topics:

5 former Memphis, Tennessee police officers were charged with second degree murder in the killing of motorist Tyre Nichols.

Classified documents were found at the Indiana home of Mike Pence.

Republicans change their tune when one of their own has done something wrong.

President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. Military will send 31 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to help aid the country in repelling the invading Russians. Germany will also send some of their Leopard tanks to Ukraine.

Ice core data from Greenland has been analyzed and it doesn't look good for the planet.

A Canadian court ordered a woman to repay her former employer over $2,000 after the company used computer software to track her work time.

And Darren discussed the rise of right wing talk radio, especially religious radio, through history. He also had some homework to issue to the listeners.

Hammer Time: Donald Trump said that the Politico journalists (and perhaps their editor and publisher) who received the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft decision that overturned Roe v. Wade should be jailed until they reveal their source.

Hammer Time: Tucker Carlson completely lost his mind over the M&Ms mascots.

Darren and Jack discuss these topics:

New Mexico Republican candidate Solomon Pena is accused of paying others to shoot firearms at the homes of several Democratic lawmakers. Pena denied that he lost his election, even though the results show a wide margin of defeat.

Can we expect more violence from conservative politicians when they lose an election?

Darren stated that Donald Trump's stoking of violence from the first day he ran for office has emboldened the right to commit violence.

Text messages show that members of the incoming Allendale, Michigan school board affiliated with the conservative group Ottawa Impact discussed replacing the district's law firm before the board's public meeting, which may be a violation of Michigan's Open Meetings Act. The firm they hired never represented a school district until now.

Darren and Jack gave an on-air lecture stating that you can't call yourself a progressive if you are against Bernie Sanders or if you are for members of the millionaire or billionaire class.

Jack details new measures taken by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) to further dismantle public education in the state. DeSantis has rejected proposed Advanced Placement courses about African American studies for high school students.

And Jack gave a history lesson about Rosewood, Florida, a primarily Black community that was destroyed in 1923 by violent white people.

Darren returns to discuss these topics:

In an act reminiscent of the January 6, 2021 insurrection in Washington, supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro engage in their own insurrection, causing damage to the Presidential palace, the Supreme Court, and Congress.

Bolsonaro was at Mar-A-Lago while the attempted insurrection was happening. Could he be extradited back to Brazil? How deep are his ties to Donald Trump and friends?

Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a special counsel to look into classified documents found in President Joe Biden's think tank office and in a locked garage at his Delaware residence. The documents are from the Obama administration when Biden was Vice-President.

There's a huge difference between the few documents found at Biden's office and the large amount of documents found at Mar-A-Lago.

A journalist said she was fired from West Virginia Public Broadcasting due to her reporting of alleged abuse of disabled people by the state's Department of Health and Human Resources. The order to fire her allegedly came from the station's executive director, who used to be the communications director for West Virginia Governor Jim Justice.

And Dr. Dre sent a cease and desist to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) for using one of his songs in a video without his permission.

Hammer Time: Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein lashed out at fellow Justice Kyra Harris Bolden for hiring a reformed criminal as a law clerk. Bernstein later apologized, but his claim that he's "intensely pro-law enforcement" should be grounds that he recuse himself for all future cases involving police brutality and misconduct.

Hammer Time: Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) was extremely condescending to CNN's Erin Burnett during live coverage of the House Speaker vote last week.

Off The Cuff: A Pennsylvania man had to be rescued after his car flipped over in an automatic car wash.

Darren returns to discuss these topics:

Darren is joined by Jack Prince to talk about the injury to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin that happened during a live Monday Night Football broadcast. Jack said that the National Football League's decision to postpone the game should have been immediate based on Hamlin's injury.

The House of Representatives have no Speaker as of press time as Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) still doesn't have enough votes to secure the seat.

And two men have been arrested in the Christmas Day sabotage of electric substations in Washington state.

Hammer Time: The newly elected Ottawa County, Michigan Board of Commissioners fired the county administrator and replaced him with former congressional candidate John Gibbs. The board also fired their Health Department officer and replaced her with a science denier; changed the county motto; and shut down the county's Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Thankfully, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is investigating to see if any laws were broken by the board.

Hammer Time: Louisiana residents now must verify their ages to view online adult material as a result of a Republican supported porn law signed by Governor John Bel Edwards (D).