The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute and The Last Ward, and political pundit Marj Halperin! This week the Rascals begin the podcast with a fascinating discussion about the future of journalism and Substack. The Rascals then mince about Chicago Tribune film critic Michael Phillips announcing he’s taking a buyout from the paper. Do the Rascals think the city needs a local movie critic? There was a Tribune editorial about the dangers of driving on DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Should we put speed cameras (or even AI) on DLSD to catch speeders? Austin gets us up to speed on a critical budget vote scheduled for Chicago Public Schools later this month. Last Friday, President Trump met with Vladimir Putin to discuss a peace deal with Ukraine. And then earlier this week President Trump met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders to discuss how the war Russia-Ukraine war might be resolved. What were the major takeaways? Also this week, President Trump said the Smithsonian focuses too much on ‘how bad slavery was.’ Is this all just a distraction? California Governor Gavin Newsom has been trolling President Trump on social media. Do the Rascals think this mockery is effective and what does it mean for Newsom’s political future?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals begin the podcast talking about the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office declining to file charges against the Chicago police officers who fired dozens of shots at Dexter Reed. Do the Rascals agree with the decision by State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s office. The Rascals also catch us up on the latest movements of the Texas legislators who came to Illinois to avoid voting on a GOP-favored map. And what about the responses to the redistricting debate from Governor JB Pritzker and California Governor Gavin Newsom? This week, Mayor Brandon Johnson said that if the Bears move to the suburbs, they should be called the Arlington Heights Bears. What do the Rascals make of those comments? Mayor Brandon Johnson’s chief financial officer, says Illinois’ regressive tax structure is ‘crime of the century’ that needs to be solved. The Rascals break it down. New York City is proposing a 15mph speed limit on e-bikes. Do the Rascals think Chicago should propose the same limit? The Trump administration will begin a review of current and planned exhibitions at the Smithsonian so that they align with President Trump’s vision. The Rascals have thoughts. Also this week, President Donald Trump said he was nominating economist E.J. Antoni as the new Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner. The Rascals explain why the find this nomination very troubling. And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week.

The Mincing Rascals this week are Jon Hansen of WGN Radio and Block Club Chicago, longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute. Our small, but mighty podcast crew start the episode talking about Texas lawmakers coming to Illinois to avoid voting on a new legislative map that would favor the GOP. Governor Pritzker even went on with Stephen Colbert to talk about the issue! What are the Rascals takeaways? Next, the Rascals talk about Governor Pritzker signing a new bill that will boost the pensions of some Chicago police officers and firefighters. And finally, The Chicago Park District wants to move a portion of DuSable Lake Shore Drive underground. Do the Rascals like this proposal? If money were no object, how would the Rascals see the future of DLSD?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals begin the podcast talking about the possibility of Jesse Jackson Jr. running for congress. Should a convicted felon be allowed to run for federal office? Mayor Brandon Johnson is considering several strategies that would tax the wealthy residents of Chicago. What do the Rascals make of these ideas? Former congressman and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is leading an effort to end the partisan influence on drawing state legislative boundaries. Do the Rascals think this is something that needs to be done to end gerrymandering? It’s time for attraction / distraction. President Trump this week went after Beyoncé, former president Barack Obama, the press who continue to dig into the Jeffrey Epstein story, etc. Were all of these distractions? And will the Epstein story eventually impact the midterm elections? And finally, it’s time for red light / yellow light / green light. What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute and The Last Ward, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals start the podcast talking about CBS canceling ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.’ Where are the Rascals on the cancellation? Was this just a financial decision by CBS or is there something more sinister happening? This week, Donald Trump pushed for Coca-Cola to be made with American cane sugar, and for the Washington Commanders to change their name back to Redskins. Do the Rascals think these are all distractions to take away the Jeffrey Epstein story? And do the Rascals think there is any type of smoking gun in the Epstein files? A tech CEO was caught with the company’s HR head on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert last week. Do the Rascals have any sympathy for the couple? A police board ruled that a Chicago police officer who tested positive for marijuana can keep his job. Do the Rascals think this was the fair decision? Mayor Brandon Johnson is cracking down on people who continue to smoke on CTA trains and buses. Are Mayor Johnson’s efforts (placing social workers at CTA stops, starting an anti-smoking campaign, etc.) enough? And finally, Mayor Johnson’s team is floating another plan to raise property taxes. Austin gets everyone up to speed on the proposal for the 2026 budget. The Rascals end the podcast with red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

We have a packed panel on this week’s edition of The Mincing Rascals. This week your Rascals are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, political pundit Marj Halperin, longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys, Emmy-winning journalist Brandon Pope, and Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute. The Rascals start the podcast by talking about the unpredictable flooding that continues to affect many areas in the U.S. and share their thoughts on whether or not the government should do away with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). Then, the Rascals pivot and discuss the Jeffrey Epstein case. They also touch on the MLB All-Star Game, Emmy nominations and more.

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, political pundit Marj Halperin, and longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys! The Rascals start the podcast talk about the devastating flooding in Texas. There has been a lot of finger pointing, but is it too early to place blame for the catastrophe? 4th of July has come and gone, but John heard from many listeners this week who either didn’t fly a flag or displayed a flag upside down in protest of the current administration. Do the Rascals think this is an effective way to protest? Are people still proud to be American? And have people ceded the American flag to President Trump? The NASCAR event took place in Chicago over the holiday weekend. It’s not known yet if the race will be back in Chicago next year. Do the Rascals want NASCAR to return? Former Alderman Ed Burke was released early from federal prison. What do the Rascals think of the decision to release Burke early? Eric believes history will be unkind to Burke. And speaking of crime and politicians, the Rascals break down the political futures of former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and disgraced former governor Rod Blagojevich. And should convicted felons be allowed to run for federal office?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute, Jon Hansen of WGN Radio and Block Club Chicago, and political pundit Marj Halperin! This week, the Rascals star the show talking about President Trump’s tax and policy bill. The Rascals break down the latest. Do the Rascals believe this bill will pass? And do the Rascals think this bill will backfire on Republicans who are voting yes? Next, the Rascals talk about Paramount agreeing to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump that had alleged an interview that aired on “60 Minutes” with Kamala Harris, was edited to favor Harris. Eric says he will now refuse to watch CBS. Last week, the Supreme Court sided with President Trump in a birthright citizenship case. Austin explains why this is a really bad ruling. The city of Chicago is increasing the minimum wage for tipped workers. Do the Rascals like the One Fair Wage ordinance in general? And will this impact how you tip your server? Block Club is reporting that a few local politicians would like ICE agents to not be allowed to wear masks. Do the Rascals like this idea? And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, Austin Berg of the Illinois Policy Institute, and political pundit Marj Halperin! This week the Rascals head to New York to start the podcast and break down Zohran Mamdani winning the Democratic mayoral primary. What do the Rascals think the win means for the Democratic party? Governor JB Pritzker will officially announce he’s running for a third term tomorrow. Will he still eventually decide to run for president in 2028? The Rascals break down JB’s political future. The United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend and the debate continues on just how much damage was done. What do the Rascals think of the initial military action and the debate on the effectiveness of the airstrikes? The Rascals also chat about some songs that were created entirely by AI. What did the Rascals think of the quality of AI songs and how do they think AI and emerging technology will impact the music industry? And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light! What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week?

The Mincing Rascals this week are John Williams of WGN Radio, Eric Zorn, Publisher of The Picayune Sentinel, longtime Chicago journalist Cate Plys, and political pundit Marj Halperin! The Rascals kick off today’s podcast talking about some Illinois politicians being denied entry to ICE facilities this week. What are these types of actions designed to accomplish? The ‘No Kings’ protests across the country took place on Saturday. What were the big takeaways from the protests? And what did the Rascals make of the military parade in Washington DC? Former ABC news correspondent Terry Moran defended his tweet that criticized Stephen Miller and President Trump saying, ‘“You don’t sacrifice your citizenship in journalism and your job is not to be objective.’ Do the Rascals agree? The Israel-Iran conflict continues on. Are the Rascals concerned about the role the U.S. is playing? The ‘snap curfew’ ordinance in Chicago passed the City Council 27-22. Do the Rascals believe Mayor Johnson will veto it? Former Illinois Speaker of the House Mike Madigan was sentenced to 90 months in prison. Do the Rascals think the sentence was fair? And finally, it’s time for red light, yellow light, green light. What are the Rascals recommending (or not recommending) this week.