The Union Makes U.S. Strong with Sara Nelson
Tomorrow, the National Labor Relations Board is set to hold a hearing into the failed unionization vote of workers at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, with the union that sought to represent the workers alleging foul-play. We spoke with Sara Nelson, head of the Association of Flight Attendants, about the hearing, and the state of the labor movement in the U.S. more generally. Nelson h...
17m May 06, 2021
17m
Who's Afraid Of Critical Race Theory
After delivering on his promise of 200 million shots in 100 days, President Biden has set a new vaccine target: that 70 percent of the adult population get at least one shot by July 4. The Biden administration also plans to change the way doses are portioned out to states by allowing states to request or reject doses from a central stockpile according to their need.  Republican state lawmakers ...
20m May 05, 2021
20m
Vaccine But Not Herd Immunity
Four mothers who had been separated from their children at the border by the Trump administration will finally be reunited with them this week, according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas yesterday. These are the first families to be brought together as a result of a task force President Biden created shortly after taking office, and over the next few weeks, an additional 32 fam...
15m May 04, 2021
15m
Pharm-Accountability In The Opioid Crisis
The COVID crisis in India is getting worse by most metrics, with Saturday marking another daily record of new cases. In the U.S., Oregon is emerging as a hotspot. On the brighter side of things, the U.S. vaccination campaign remains extremely successful with over 103 million adults now fully vaccinated. A landmark lawsuit in the decades-long opioid crisis begins today between two communities in...
17m May 03, 2021
17m
The Fall Of Menthol
The pandemic continues to spiral out of control in India, with the country recently topping 200,000 deaths by the official count. The initial flights carrying relief from the U.S. landed yesterday. Vaccine manufacturing supplies from the U.S. will soon follow. The Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday that it’s creating standards over the next year to ban menthol in cigarettes and al...
17m Apr 30, 2021
17m
100 Days Of Biden
President Biden gave his first address to Congress last night, themed largely around moving America out of the most difficult stage of the pandemic and approaching a new normal. Part of that has to do with The American Families Plan, a $1.8 trillion program that would pay for two free years of community college, universal pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds, and more. We go over the main takeaways. Bi...
22m Apr 29, 2021
22m
CDC What Happens Next
The CDC issued new guidance yesterday that fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks outdoors unless they’re gathering in a large crowd, and they can safely enjoy many indoor activities with masks. Of course, the key phrase here is “fully vaccinated." Until you’re pumping COVID antibodies, the CDC continues to recommend masking up in any situation where you’re around other unvaccinated p...
20m Apr 28, 2021
20m
Make It Make Census
The results of the 2020 Census were released yesterday, and they showed that over the past decade, the U.S. population grew by the slowest pace since the 1930s. The results will change how the 435 seats in Congress are allocated, with a handful of states set to gain or lose a seat. We discuss. The Supreme Court will be taking up a case that deals with the rights that people have to carry guns o...
19m Apr 27, 2021
19m
J&J It Again, Sam
The CDC and the FDA have lifted their recommended pause on the Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine, and added a warning label about the very, very rare reported cases of blood clots. But overall vaccination rates in the US are slowing down, indicating that while supply is increasing, demand is decreasing. President Biden lifted the partial ban against the export of the supplies necessary to make ...
18m Apr 26, 2021
18m
Emission Critical
President Biden and 40 heads of state met for the first day of a virtual climate summit, yesterday, and he pledged to cut America’s greenhouse gases in half from where they were in 2005 by 2030. Biden also announced a plan for the US to double the amount of money it gives to other countries to help them lower their own emissions. COVID cases are still surging worldwide, with a record 5.24 milli...
15m Apr 23, 2021
15m
What's Next For American Policing
Derek Chauvin has been found guilty, but it's painfully obvious that the issue of police brutality is bigger than the conviction of one officer for murder. For example, today is the funeral for Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old Black man who was killed by police during a traffic stop near Minneapolis. Plus details are still coming out in Columbus, Ohio, about the police killing of 16-year-old Ma'K...
21m Apr 22, 2021
21m
Chauvin Guilty On All Charges
Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, yesterday, and now faces up to 40 years in prison. The verdict represented a rare moment of accountability in a country where law enforcement officers who kill rarely get convicted. We discuss the verdict, along with reactions from elected officials, activists, and Floyd’s family in Minneapolis.  And in ...
14m Apr 21, 2021
14m
Amazon The Defensive
President Biden held bipartisan meetings yesterday to find some middle ground for his massive infrastructure bill. On the left, AOC and Bernie Sanders introduced their own version of the bill with a larger commitment to public housing. But passing any infrastructure bill will likely require budget reconciliation as long as the filibuster remains in place.  The union that sought to represent Ama...
18m Apr 20, 2021
18m
Gun Violence Continued
It was another tragic weekend in the midst of our national epidemic of gun violence, with mass shootings taking place in Wisconsin, Texas, Nebraska, and Ohio. That was after the shooting last week at a FedEx warehouse in Indiana, which many have called to investigate as a hate crime against Sikhs. We discuss the shootings, as well as what’s happening in Minnesota in relation to the police killi...
17m Apr 19, 2021
17m
One Vax Fits Most
Only a handful of blood-clotting cases have been reported among recipients of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, but it's predominantly women who have developed these rare symptoms. To answer questions about the “one dose fits all” mode of medical research that can occasionally lead to these kinds of outcomes, we spoke to Rosemary Morgan, a research scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of ...
25m Apr 16, 2021
25m
Charges For Daunte Wright's Killer
A CDC committee voted yesterday to keep the pause going on the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least until it meets again. Temporarily stopping use of the vaccine makes sense, but the move also has immediate impacts on the underserved populations that had been relying on the vaccine for protection. Now-former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter will be charged with second-degr...
18m Apr 15, 2021
18m
Johnson & Pausin'
Federal health officials recommended a pause on giving out the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, yesterday, after they reported that six women experienced rare blood clots. Nearly 7 million people have received the J&J vaccine so far, so the incidents are extremely rare, but all 50 states suspended the vaccine’s use or advised a pause. Today, President Biden is expected to announce that he will withdr...
16m Apr 14, 2021
16m
Justice For Daunte Wright
A police officer shot and killed 20-year-old unarmed Black man Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb this Sunday, just a few miles from where former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for the murder of George Floyd. We discuss the details of the killing, plus the reactions from leaders and residents of the city. The CDC’s director Dr. Rochelle Walesnky said that vaccines won’t...
19m Apr 13, 2021
19m
The Current State Of COVID with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed
Most adults in America can soon sign up for a vaccine, but we're faced with a new set of COVID-related questions on vaccine passports, virus variants, and more. To give us some answers, we're joined by epidemiologist, physician, and former Detroit health commissioner Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. Plus, Michigan has become the center of America's latest COVID surge with an average of over 7,300 new daily ...
21m Apr 12, 2021
21m
Two Months Of Protest In Myanmar
It's been over two months since the military first seized control of Myanmar. The coup was met with a massive protest movement in the streets, in workplaces, and on the internet. As a response, the military has become increasingly violent in its crackdown, killing over 500 people and jailing thousands more. We spoke to Aye Min Thant, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has been reporting on...
22m Apr 09, 2021
22m
Atlanta Is For Voters
The CDC is continuing to warn about new, more infectious variants of the coronavirus in the US, and is tracking potential spread in daycare centers and youth sports. Meanwhile, Brazil is grappling with its own new variant that has caused infections and deaths to reach new highs this week. Republicans in Kentucky joined together with the Democratic Governor to expand voting rights in the state —...
17m Apr 08, 2021
17m
Senate Parliamentarian Funkadelic
Senate Democrats got the green light to pass more bills with a simple majority vote. On Monday, the Senate’s parliamentarian ruled that the Dems can pass more budget reconciliation bills this year — the same process they used for the relief bill. We explain what this means. President Biden wants states to make all adults eligible for vaccines by April 19th. The new date is two weeks sooner than...
16m Apr 07, 2021
16m
Read My Lips: Corporate Taxes
The Biden administration is trying to get corporations to pay their fair share of taxes in order to fund a new jobs and infrastructure package. Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for a global minimum corporate tax rate. We explain. Clinical trials of a low-cost COVID vaccine are beginning in Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam. The vaccine is produced in a less expensive, more ...
15m Apr 06, 2021
15m
Vaccine Passport To Adventure
The MLB is officially moving the All-Star Game out of Georgia after Republicans in the state passed a restrictive voting law. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp insinuated the move amounts to so-called “cancel culture.” And in Texas, big businesses are starting to speak out against a similar voter suppression law there before it’s on the books. The CDC released new guidance for vaccinated Americans on...
17m Apr 05, 2021
17m
America, Online
As Biden works to sell his infrastructure plan, we take a look at the money he’s proposing for high-speed internet and what it could do to address equity issues in education. 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had to be tossed out after a factory mix-up in Baltimore. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is back and the Texas Rangers have announced no plans to cap attendance … even th...
21m Apr 02, 2021
21m
Corporate Slacktivism In Georgia
Journalists got a tour this week of a detention facility in Texas housing migrants — the first time the media have gotten access to one since Biden took office. They reported that 4,000 people, including children, were packed into a space designed for only 250. Companies like Coca-Cola and Delta finally spoke out about Georgia’s new voter suppression law. We discuss the statements, whether they...
19m Apr 01, 2021
19m
OK Ladies, Now Let's Get Infrastructure
President Biden is in Pittsburgh, today, to unveil a new infrastructure plan that would invest trillions in the country’s roads, bridges, affordable housing, broadband, and manufacturing industry. We explain how Biden might fund the bill and how earmarks might come into play.  Today is the Trans Day of Visibility, and it comes at a moment when the human rights of trans kids and adults are under...
20m Mar 31, 2021
20m
The State Of Voter Suppression
Florida is following Georgia’s lead by moving forward on a bill that makes it harder to vote. It’s part of a broader and coordinated effort to roll back voting rights in states across the country, backed by groups like The Heritage Foundation. We explain that, and listen to leaked audio that reveals how Republican donors are trying to message against federal voting rights legislation. Yesterday...
21m Mar 30, 2021
21m
OK Folks, Plateau's Over
The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is set to begin today with opening statements. We explain what to expect and highlight new police reform efforts in cities across the country, including a pandemic decriminalization program in Baltimore that could become permanent. Covid-19 cases are starting to rise again driven by increasing infection rates in places like New York, ...
15m Mar 29, 2021
15m
Gender Disparities in College Sports (Takeline preview!)
In the new Crooked podcast Takeline, hosts Jason Concepcion and Renee Montgomery discuss the recent viral tweet by an Oregon Ducks women’s basketball player, highlighting the unequal support in women’s sports by the NCAA. They are also joined by senior writer for The Athletic Chantel Jennings, who provides more context regarding the treatment of female college athletes and coaches. Subscribe no...
17m Mar 28, 2021
17m
Biden Said Shots, Make It A Double
Biden held the first press conference of his presidency, yesterday, discussing the state of the nation’s vaccination effort, his views on the filibuster, and more. States are opening up vaccine eligibility, but there's an early pattern emerging of Black and Hispanic people getting smaller shares of vaccinations.  The LAPD evicted an unhoused community that had set up tents in the Echo Park neig...
18m Mar 26, 2021
18m
Standing Up For Sex Workers
In light of the Georgia shooter's claim that his attack was intended to "eliminate" "temptations," activists have talked about the killings in the context of violence targeted at Asian migrant sex workers, an often dehumanized and stigmatized community of AAPI women. We spoke with Yves Tong Nguyen, an organizer with Red Canary Song, a grassroots collective of Asian and migrant sex workers and m...
21m Mar 25, 2021
21m
Colorado Mourns Again
Boulder police have identified a suspect in Monday’s deadly shooting in Colorado, which killed 10 people. President Biden addressed the nation and called on Congress to not wait "another minute" before working to act gun control laws, including a ban on assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines.  An independent oversight board accused Astrazeneca of choosing data that was “most favorable...
16m Mar 24, 2021
16m
Divine Secrets Of The DC Statehood
The AstraZeneca vaccine was shown to completely prevent serious cases of COVID in a US clinical trial. We dig into the efficacy data on it, and what it means for the US and global vaccination campaigns. The House held a hearing on D.C. statehood yesterday. DC has 700,000 residents and a large Black population, but no direct representation in Congress... House democrats want to change that, but ...
17m Mar 23, 2021
17m
The Sunshine State Of Emergency
Thousands gathered in Georgia and other cities across the country for #StopAsianHate protests over the weekend, calling for solidarity and an end to hatred as well as stricter gun control laws. As we reflect on the horrors of the shootings, we discuss the victims and who they were.  Coronavirus cases in the US have plateaued around 50,000 to 60,000 a day. Miami Beach had to declare a state of e...
18m Mar 22, 2021
18m
Ad AstraZeneca
European countries including Germany, France, Italy, and Spain will resume using the AstraZeneca vaccine as early as today or next week. This comes the European Medicines Agency found no increased risk of blood clots among millions of vaccinations. The Biden administration announced plans to do "vaccine diplomacy" by sending millions of AstraZeneca doses to Canada and Mexico. It's still not cle...
20m Mar 19, 2021
20m
Biden At The Border
A White gunman attacked three spas in the Atlanta area on Tuesday killing eight people including six women of Asian descent. The shootings happened in the larger context of increasing violence and racism faced by Asian-Americans.  Yesterday we talked about the surge in migrants seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border. Today, we spoke to Atlantic staff writer Caitlin Dickerson to get a better sen...
22m Mar 18, 2021
22m
Shots For Tots
Nearly 10,000 children seeking asylum have arrived to the United States southern border since February, and a lack of shelter space has led many of them to detention centers with substandard conditions. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the number of people arriving at the border this year is expected to reach a 20-year high. Moderna is beginning to test its COVID vaccine in children ages 6...
18m Mar 17, 2021
18m
Vax on Pause
Italy, Germany, France and several other countries in Europe are halting use of Astrazeneca’s coronavirus vaccine amid concerns over side effects in handful of people. The company is defending the drug while authorities assess the situation further.  Derek Chauvin’s defense lawyers have requested to postpone and relocate his trial following news of a $27 million settlement for the killing of Ge...
21m Mar 16, 2021
21m
Cuom Alone 2: Lost In New York
Covid cases continue to decline, though at a much slower rate than in January. That leveling off, plus the continued threat of variants has public health officials warning people to stay vigilant. Meanwhile, Italy goes back into lockdown.  The Governor Cuomo saga continues to worsen with new reporting that his vaccine czar inappropriately called local officials to secure their support for Cuomo...
20m Mar 15, 2021
20m
Respect Trans Existence Or Expect Resistance
President Biden said last night that he wants states to make all US adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1st. In the coming days, he and VP Harris have plans to travel to sell the relief bill to the American people, and the first round of direct payments could be going out as soon as this weekend. Mississippi just approved the first anti-trans law of 2021, which would require public ...
17m Mar 12, 2021
17m
Giving Vax And Taking Names
Today marks one year since the World Health Organization officially called the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. The US vaccination effort offers a glimpse of hope, though, with the total number of fully vaccinated Americans now exceeding the number of reported cases we've had nationwide. We spoke with Sana Khan, a PhD student at the University of Arizona who is also a vaccination site volunteer...
22m Mar 11, 2021
22m
Fight For Your Right To Organize
The House passed the Protecting the Right to Organize Act on Tuesday, a bill that’s been called the biggest expansion of labor rights since the New Deal. Now, the question is whether the filibuster will kill this bill in the Senate… or if the bill will kill the filibuster. We discuss, and hear from Faiz Shakir, founder of More Perfect Union, on what this moment means for the labor movement.  To...
18m Mar 10, 2021
18m
Our House Is A Very Very Very Vaxxed House
The CDC said fully vaccinated Americans can safely gather indoors together, and laid out other guidelines for our current stage of the pandemic. The daily rate of vaccination continues to increase, with a record of 2.9 million shots being given last Saturday. The jury selection process in the trial of Derek Chauvin was delayed yesterday due to a dispute over whether a third degree murder charge...
19m Mar 09, 2021
19m
Coming To The American Rescue
Senate Democrats passed the $1.9 trillion economic relief bill on Saturday, without any support from Republicans. The final bill pared back some elements of the House's version, including a minimum wage hike. Still, it's a massive cash infusion for low and middle income Americans, and could cut child poverty in half by some estimate. Yesterday was the 56th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," where ...
16m Mar 08, 2021
16m
UBI Feel It Coming
Republican governors in West Virginia and Alabama have continued to advise wearing masks, bucking the trend of governors in Mississippi and Texas who want to rush things back to normal. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that his state will start sending 40 percent of doses to its most vulnerable neighborhoods. New data out this week from a Basic Income experiment in Stockton, Californi...
17m Mar 05, 2021
17m
The Trial Of Derek Chauvin
Jury selection begins next week for the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on George Floyd’s neck and killed him last summer. We spoke to Jamiles Lartey, staff writer at The Marshall Project, about Chauvin’s history of using excessive force and how that could play into the trial. And in headlines: the House passes a bill to fight voter suppression and protect de...
22m Mar 04, 2021
22m
It's Gonna Be May
Biden is now saying that we'll have enough vaccine doses for every American by the end of May, instead of July. Meanwhile, states like Texas and Mississippi lifting their mask requirements and relaxing restrictions -- something that public health officials have warned against. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified to congress yesterday, defending his agency’s handling of intelligence in advan...
16m Mar 03, 2021
16m
Read My Lips: More Billionaire Taxes
The coronavirus relief bill moves to the Senate this week. A group of progressive House Democrats are continuing to push for a minimum wage increase in the bill. Meanwhile, Senator Warren and other Democrats introduced a wealth tax proposal aimed at addressing economic inequality. We talk to Representative Pramila Jayapal about why she's pushing for it now. Protests in Myanmar are ongoing follo...
17m Mar 02, 2021
17m
GO—And I Cannot Suppress This Enough—P
The US vaccination campaign is accelerating, with the country hitting over 2 million doses a day last Friday and Saturday. Following a plunge in new cases over the last few weeks, health experts are expressing some concern that progress may be plateauing. This week the Supreme Court is hearing a case that could determine the future of the Voting Rights Act. It comes as Republicans around the co...
18m Mar 01, 2021
18m