The people who mounted an attack on American Democracy, tried to steal the voice of the people by interrupting certification of the vote, smashed our nation’s capitol building and left it smeared with bodily fluids, attacked Capitol police and left them mentally shaken to the point of self harm, and threatened the lives of our elected representatives…they all just got  big fat pardon from Trump. In a disgusting anti-American display, Trump ordered “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
About 1,500 were pardoned, including members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who had been convicted of seditious conspiracy against America. 
We’ll dive deep into this with Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist and author David Cay Johnston. 
The Mark Thompson Show 
1/21/25
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A cold Inauguration Day brings Trump back to power in America. His return brings swift change. 
Trump will sweep into office with the intent to sign upwards of 200 executive actions. It’s an attempt to try to start keeping some of his campaign promises on Day 1 while wiping away the accomplishments of the Biden administration.
We will talk politics with iHeart TV and radio political analyst Gary Dietrich as we follow the day’s events. 
Jefferson Graham joins to take a look at the best tech gadgets to have in an emergency. 
The Mark Thompson Show 
1/20/25
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The Trump festivities are starting as the money rolls in from corporations and the elite. Meanwhile,  obut a new poll shows Americans are already skepical of one of Trump’s biggest campaign promises. 
Presient Biden gave his last interview while still in office and warned of Amrica’s fragile democracy.. His final days in the oval included commuting thouands of sentences for drug offenders.
Michael Shure will discuss it all, plus we pay a visit to Florda and check in with The Culture Blaster, Michael Snyder. 
The Mark Thompson Show 
1/17/25
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Tech Billionaires are assembling a new club…the American Oligarchy. An ultra rich and well connected group of powerful men like this moves into an influential position every so often, but this time it feels like a serious threat. President Biden warned of it in his goodbye speech and political commentator Thom Hartmann shares his thoughts about what Americans can do to support democracy. 
Our legal expert, former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney David Katz, will join us. We’ll see if he has any insights on the Jack Smith Report and more.
The Mark Thompson Show 
1/16/25
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Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth says Pete Hegseth is not qualified to be America’s Secretary of Defense. After her questioning brought his lack of knowledge regarding defense issues to the surface, Senator Duckworth said the hearing “seems to be about whether or not women are qualified to serve in combat…and not about whether or not you are qualified to be Secretary of Defense. And let me just say that the American people need a secretary of defense who's ready to lead on day one. You are not that person." Ouch. The hearing continues today. We Welcome, political analyst and presidential historian John Rothmann to the show to talk politics. With the Southern California wildfires still raging, Eco-journalist Belinda Waymouth talks about worsening Santa Ana winds and the effect of climate change during “It’s the Planet Stupid! “

Had Attorney General Merrick Garland moved faster, there’s a pretty good chance that now President-elect Donald Trump would be facing serious consequences in the 2020 election interference case. The report by Special Council Jack Smith was released early today and indicates that Smith had enough evidence to convict Trump. Smith also writes that Trump‘s reelection and Constitutional protections for presidents make it impossible to move forward with the prosecution of that case. Smith also wrote that evidence shows the January 6th Capitol attack was Trump’s doing. 
We will welcome Pulitzer Prize winning author and investigative journalist David Cay Johnston to the show.
We’ll check in on Southern California as a new fire in Ventura County cropped up in strong winds yesterday. New data indicates the Los Angeles fires may be the most expensive disaster in American history. 
Tech Tuesday brings Jefferson Graham by to talk about the latest gadgets.
The Mark Thompson Show 
1/15/25
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As crews work to get containment on the Palisades Fire, many are asking how this happened and whether it could be a case of arson. Investigative journalist Cece Woods says she has some eye opening information. She joins the show to share it. 
As these fires started, many people ran for their lives, leaving animals behind. Now, they’re having trouble getting to their pets. We’ll talk to a pair of animal activists about what’s happening and how you can help. 
There was no shortage of political news over the weekend. We welcome iHeart television and radio political analyst Gary Dietrich to the show to discuss it all. 
The Mark Thompson Show 
1/13/25
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Courtney's Fire Links: 
DONATE TO THE FIREFIGHTERS
+ Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation
https://www.lafoodbank.org/
+ California Fire Foundation
https://cafirefoundation.org/
+ Anti-Recidivism Coalition
+ Write ‘Firefighter Fund’ On Your Donation
https://antirecidivism.org/
DONATE TO THE FAMILIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS
+ California Community Foundation
+ Donate to the ‘Wildfire Recovery Fund’
https://www.calfund.org/
+ Ventura County Community Foundation
+ Donate to the ‘Wildfire Relief & Recovery’
https://vccf.org/
+ American Red Cross Los Angeles Division
https://www.redcross.org/local/california/los-angeles.html
+ Center for Disaster Philanthropy
+ CDP California Wildfires Recovery Fund
https://disasterphilanthropy.org/funds/cdp-california-wildfires-recovery-fund/
DONATE TO THE FAMILIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS
+ Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
+ Disaster Relief Fund
https://www.lafoodbank.org/
+ GlobalGiving
+ California Wildfire Relief Fund
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/california-wildfire-relief-fund/
+ GiveDirectly
+ Relief for Low Income Survivors
+ Sends Cash to LA Families on Food Stamps Based on Their Location
https://www.givedirectly.org/lafires/
+ Direct Relief
+ California Wildfires
https://www.directrelief.org/2025/01/as-southern-california-fires-rage-medical-aid-en-route/
+ World Central Kitchen
+ Chefs for California
https://wck.org/news/first-alert-ca-fires-jan25
+ GoFundMe
+ Helping Families Affected By The LA Fires Restore Hope
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pK5omSsD4KGhjEHCVgcVw-rd4FZP9haoijEx1mSAm5c/htmlview?urp=gmail_link
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1km3lEvdVY70P3875guzujp5xtoIFMr6jVZVxfpN3MeA/edit?gid=220233750#gid=220233750
DONATE TO ANIMAL RESCUE AND WELFARE
+ Social Compassion in Legislation
https://socialcompassioninlegislation.org/
+ Pasadena Humane Society
https://pasadenahumane.org/
+ Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation
https://lacountyanimals.org/
+ World Animal Protection US
+ California Wildfire Emergency Animal Shelters and Rescue
+ Support The Disaster Response Fund
https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/latest/blogs/california-wildfire-emergency-animal-shelters-and-rescues/
DONATE TO ANIMAL RESCUE AND WELFARE
+ Best Friends Animal Society
+ Los Angeles Wildfires Response
https://bestfriends.org/emergency-response/los-angeles-wildfires
+ Kitten Rescue
https://kittenrescue.org/
+ spcaLA
+ Help Animals Affected By Disaster
https://spcala.com/
+ Wags and Walks
+ Support The Wildfire Fund Rescue Efforts
https://www.wagsandwalks.org/
Palms & Paws
https://www.instagram.com/animaladvocacynet/
800-290-8129

Trump's sympathetic Supreme Court decided not to intervene in his hush money trial sentencing hearing. At sentencng, Trump lashed out at the judicial system that was used against him. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett sided with the more liberal justices in allowing the sentencing to move forward. The justices decided that Trump could address any problems he has with the verdict through appeals, and that because the judge has indicated Trump will not face jail time, probation or fines, "the burden that sentencing will impose on the President-Elect's responsibilities is relatively insubstantial.” Political analyst and journalist Michael Shure joins. We are covering the Southern California wildfires on The Mark Thompson Show. We will discuss the latest details as well as the arrest of a man for arson in connection with the fire near Calabasas. It wouldn’t be Friday without Friday Fabulous Florida! Nor would it be Friday without The Culture Blaster, Michael Snyder. He will bring a recommended mix of movie and streaming options.

At least six fires are burning around the Los Angeles area. Five people are dead and many more injured…homes and businesses lost to flames. Many residents are still wondering whether they need to leave for safer ground. In the middle of all of this, the president-elect has decided being a helper is not as fun as causing political drama during a crisis. We’ll look at what we expect from our leaders during times of trouble, President Biden’s response and whether Trump measures up. Attorney General Merrick Garland says he will be releasing part of the Jack Smith report on Trump‘s interference in the 2020 election. Will Trump be able to stop him? We welcome Brown University Political Science Professor Corey Brettschneider to the show to discuss that and more. Our legal expert, former federal prosecutor and now defense attorney David Katz, is in Southern California. We are hoping he is able to come on the show but fire conditions seem to be changing rapidly.

CNN reports the flames from the Palisades Fire are burning through about five football fields every minute. At nearly 3,000 acres, as of Tuesday night, emergency officials warn that a windstorm means the worst is yet to come. As of this writing, Palisades Charter High School has burned along with multiple homes in the Pacific Palisades area. This fire is threatening the Getty Villa Museum. UCLA students received a warning email but have not been asked to leave. We will follow developments of both the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire in the Eaton Canyon area on The Mark Thompson Show. Trump held a press conference at Mar-a-Lago yesterday that brought out some of his wild ideas. In addition to wanting to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, the president -elect would not rule out military force in his desire to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal. He appeared to blame Hezbollah for the violence on January 6th. We will discuss it all with presidential historian and political analyst John Rothmann.