Remembering Shirley Chisholm, A Catalyst For Change
In this special bonus episode of What a Day, we look back on the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, and the first woman to seek a major party nomination for president. She would have turned 98 earlier this week. Host Juanita Tolliver sat down with Representatives Barbara Lee and Ayanna Pressley, and biographer Dr. Anastasia Curwood for a candid conv...
21m Dec 03, 2022
21m
Student Debt Forgiveness Goes To Court
President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program is headed to the Supreme Court. While the plan is blocked for now, the justices will hear arguments in February to decide whether the administration has the authority to cancel federal student loan debt for millions of borrowers. Crooked’s new workplace advice podcast “Work Appropriate” covers everything from how to deal with pushy bosses, to ...
21m Dec 02, 2022
21m
Full Hakeem Ahead
House Democrats voted unanimously Wednesday to make New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries their new leader – making him the first Black person to lead a party in Congress. Meanwhile, the House passed legislation that would force rail companies and labor unions to accept a tentative deal to avert a nationwide rail strike — and while progressives pushed for a separate bill to guarantee paid sick ...
21m Dec 01, 2022
21m
Happy Birthday Ms. Chis
New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a directive to city agencies on Tuesday to begin involuntarily hospitalizing unhoused people who are, presumably, suffering from mental illness – a move sharply criticized by mental health experts and homeless advocates. Today would have been Shirley Chisholm’s 98th birthday. She was the first Black woman elected to Congress and the first woman to seek a m...
25m Nov 30, 2022
25m
Arizona Iced Election Results
Protesters in China continue to voice their discontent over the country's strict "zero Covid" policies. And while authorities have eased restrictions in some cities in an effort to quell public anger, Beijing isn't backing down from the overall strategy. It's been three weeks since Election Day, but in one Arizona county and two in Pennsylvania, the GOP remains in a state of denial about the r...
21m Nov 29, 2022
21m
Another Week of Gun Violence in the U.S.
A mass shooting left five people dead and dozens of others injured last week at Club Q, an LGBTQ+ bar that’s served as a safe space for the Colorado Springs queer community for over 20 years. Just days later, a gunman opened fire in a Virginia Walmart, killing six people. Both shootings have raised questions about the state of gun violence in the U.S. and how we can prevent such tragedies fro...
17m Nov 28, 2022
17m
All About That Karen Bass
After leading congressional Democrats for over 20 years, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she won’t be seeking a leadership role in the next Congress. Her decision to step down is expected to pave the way for a new generation of leaders to fill the caucus’s top ranks. Congresswoman Karen Bass is the next mayor of Los Angeles, after beating out billionaire Rick Caruso. She will become L.A.’...
20m Nov 18, 2022
20m
Florida Man Makes Announcement
Whether we like it or not, the 2024 campaign season has officially kicked off, after Donald Trump announced he’s running for president for the third time. But many of his allies are already eyeing the exits. Tensions have eased after NATO officials said a missile that killed two people in Poland came from neighboring Ukraine – not from Russia as originally suspected, though world leaders say t...
15m Nov 17, 2022
15m
The Kids Are All Left
Republicans have essentially secured a House majority for the next two years. But the GOP is in disarray, as members vying for leadership positions point fingers at who's to blame for their midterm losses. Young voters turned out in historic numbers this election cycle to support Democrats. Victor Shi, strategy director for the Gen Z-led nonprofit Voters of Tomorrow, explains how young people ...
24m Nov 16, 2022
24m
Academic Workers Of The World Unite
48,000 academic workers across the University of California’s 10 campuses walked off the job on Monday in the nation’s largest strike of the year. Labor historian and UCLA professor Toby Higbie tells us how we got here and what’s at stake. As winter approaches, experts are warning of a “tripledemic” of RSV, COVID, and the flu. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” explains...
19m Nov 15, 2022
19m
We Did It Again, Joe
Democrats have officially retained their majority in the U.S. Senate, after incumbent Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto held off a challenge from her Trump-endorsed Republican challenger, Adam Laxalt. Meanwhile, the governor’s race in Arizona is still too close to call, though Democrat Katie Hobbs holds a slim lead over Republican Kari Lake — and it could be days before a winner is declare...
16m Nov 14, 2022
16m
SCOTUS And The Future Of Indigenous Sovereignty
As the vote count continues from Tuesday's midterm elections, both parties are eyeing next month's Senate runoff in Georgia, but Arizona and Nevada are also in the spotlight. Democrats can clinch control of the Senate if incumbents win in at least two of those states. The Supreme Court this week heard arguments in Haaland v. Brackeen, a case challenging the Indian Child Welfare Act. Rebecca Na...
21m Nov 11, 2022
21m
All Eyes On Georgia (Again)
Democrat Raphael Warnock is once again heading into a runoff election in the Georgia Senate race. Tia Mitchell, the Washington correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, tells us what voters in that state can expect in the weeks ahead. And in headlines: Brittney Griner was transferred to a Russian penal colony to serve out her nine-year prison sentence, Moscow said it ordered a troop ...
22m Nov 10, 2022
22m
Stuck In The Midterms With You
Election Day has wrapped, but now the wait begins as votes are counted and results pour in from across the country. We walk through what we know so far, and what to watch in some key races. And in headlines: Tropical Storm Nicole is tracking toward Florida, the January 6th committee interviewed Donald Trump’s driver from the day of the insurrection, and someone in Southern California won the r...
16m Nov 09, 2022
16m
The Midterm Voter's Guide To The Galaxy
Today is Election Day. And Shaniqua McClendon, Crooked’s political director, explains what you need to know if you’re voting today – from what to bring to the polls, to how to respond to voter intimidation. And in headlines: Ukraine accused Russian forces of looting and occupying empty civilian homes in Kherson, a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin admitted to interfering in U.S. electio...
18m Nov 08, 2022
18m
A Twitter Pill To Swallow
Elon Musk, who recently acquired Twitter for $44 billion, laid off about half of the company’s staff on Friday. The move also impacted teams that moderate content on the site. New York Times technology reporter Mike Isaac says that’s raising concerns about how well the platform can combat misinformation ahead of the midterm elections. And in headlines: the UN’s annual climate summit opened in ...
21m Nov 07, 2022
21m
True Crime Rates
In the run-up to the midterm elections, Republicans have made crime a central issue in their attacks against Democrats. But the fear tactics aren’t backed up by facts. North Korea tried to launch a powerful long-range missile on Thursday, following an intense volley of short-range missile tests earlier this week. And with tensions already high in the region, there’s concern that North Korea ma...
22m Nov 04, 2022
22m
For God's Sake, Vote
President Biden on Wednesday made his closing argument to voters ahead of Election Day. In a speech delivered near Capitol Hill, where violent extremists attempted to overturn the 2020 election, he warned that America’s democratic traditions are on the line this midterm cycle. For our final installment of WAD The Vote, Rep. Sean Casten, the first Democrat to represent Illinois’ 6th Congression...
22m Nov 03, 2022
22m
Who Watches The Poll Watchers
As Democrats make their final push on the campaign trail ahead of Election Day, election deniers are making their presence known in person. In Florida, two former members of the Proud Boys were hired as poll workers in Miami-Dade County – a third was dismissed because he’s facing charges for his involvement in the Jan. 6th riot. School board elections have a huge impact on local communities, b...
22m Nov 02, 2022
22m
Affirmative Action’s Last Stand
The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday over two cases that will decide the fate of affirmative action at American colleges and universities. Jay Willis, the editor-in-chief of Balls & Strikes, tells us what’s at stake if the justices decide to overturn decades of precedent on the issue. And in headlines: federal prosecutors charged the man accused of attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s hu...
18m Nov 01, 2022
18m
The Catastrophic Effects Of Climate Change Hit Nigeria
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 82-year-old husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked in their San Francisco home early Friday morning. The alleged assailant was reportedly looking for the Speaker – who was in Washington, D.C. at the time. The attack comes amid heightened fears of political violence before the midterm elections. In Nigeria, more than 600 people have died and 1.4 million others have been...
20m Oct 31, 2022
20m
Sayonara Bolsonaro (We Hope)
Brazilians will vote for their next president on Sunday — an election that could be the most decisive in that country’s democratic history. The choice is between leftist challenger Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. The U.S. economy grew 2.6% in the third quarter, but inflation is still driving up costs for essentials — including housing. Lindsay Owens, the exec...
23m Oct 28, 2022
23m
Toxic Jobs May Be Hazardous To Your Health
Pennsylvania Senate candidates John Fetterman and Mehmet Oz met on Tuesday for one of the most highly anticipated debates of this midterm election cycle. They covered everything from abortion rights to fracking to immigration, in a race that could determine control of Congress. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently released a report on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed workplaces ...
20m Oct 27, 2022
20m
Feeling Frost In Florida
Arizona election officials have referred at least six cases of alleged voter intimidation at ballot drop-off boxes to the Justice Department. The complaints describe groups of people – some armed with guns and wearing tactical gear – harassing and taking pictures of voters. Maxwell Frost, who is running for Florida’s 10th Congressional District, is on track to become one of the youngest member...
20m Oct 26, 2022
20m
It's Rishi, Bitch
There’s growing concern among Western countries that Russia could be planning a false flag operation in Ukraine – by deploying a so-called “dirty bomb” there, while blaming Ukraine. The Kremlin could use such an attack to justify an escalation in the war. Rishi Sunak won the fight to become Britain's next prime minister, making him the first person of color to serve in the role. This comes aft...
18m Oct 25, 2022
18m
Debt Relief It Or Not
A federal appeals court has temporarily put a hold on the Biden administration’s student debt forgiveness plan. The challenge comes from six Republican-led states, though the White House said borrowers should still apply for relief. The January 6th committee officially subpoenaed former president Donald Trump, a little over a week after the panel unanimously voted to issue it. It calls on Trum...
19m Oct 24, 2022
19m
No Truss, No Fuss
Liz Truss abruptly resigned as Britain’s prime minister on Thursday, after just 45 days in office — making her the shortest-serving prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom. Hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills are moving through legislatures across the country,  many of which specifically target transgender people. Oklahoma House Representative Mauree Turner — the first out non-binary sta...
25m Oct 21, 2022
25m
Defund The Florida Election Police
In August, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the arrests of several people accused of illegally voting in the 2020 election. But newly released police body camera footage from some of those arrests debunk DeSantis' claims of mass election fraud. Women-led protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini are in their second month, and have become the biggest challenge to the Islamic Re...
21m Oct 20, 2022
21m
One More Reason To Roe To The Polls
President Biden promised to codify abortion access into federal law next year if voters elect more Democrats to the Senate and maintain their majority in the House. Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, joins us to discuss the historic investments her organization is making to mobilize voters ahead of the midterm elections. And in headlines: the U.S. will release anot...
22m Oct 19, 2022
22m
Understanding Russia's "Kamikaze" Drones
Another deadly round of Russian attacks hit Ukraine’s capital Kyiv early Monday morning – this time, from so-called "kamikaze" drones believed to be made in Iran. Military analysts believe Russia is relying on those weapons because its stockpiles of other weapons are running low. A new ACLU report found that Atlanta’s Fulton County jail is overcrowded — and many inmates haven’t even been charg...
20m Oct 18, 2022
20m
One Month Of Women-Led Protests In Iran
It’s been one month since women began burning their hijabs and leading daily protests in the streets of Iran over the killing of Mahsa Amini. In that time, Iranian security forces have reportedly killed at least 233 protesters — including 32 children. The Biden administration soft-launched its student loan forgiveness application site over the weekend. This comes after President Biden announce...
21m Oct 17, 2022
21m
Don-Subpoena Relationship
The House select committee investigating the January 6th insurrection held its latest — and potentially last — public hearing on Thursday, and voted to question former President Donald Trump about his role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. What a Day’s Juanita Tolliver recaps what we’ve learned so far, and what’s at stake with the midterm elections on the horizon. And in headlines: the Parkla...
20m Oct 14, 2022
20m
Angry White Guys Gone Wild
A jury in Connecticut ordered Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay nearly $1 billion in damages to the families of eight victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. The verdict is the largest award to date for those families, who say they've suffered for years because Jones has repeatedly claimed the massacre was a “hoax.” Members of the Oath Keepers are currently on trial for seditious...
17m Oct 13, 2022
17m
No Country For Extremist Election Officials
John Fetterman, the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania's open U.S. Senate seat, is hanging on to his lead over his Republican opponent, Mehmet Oz. But Republicans are sharpening their attacks by questioning Fetterman’s health and fitness for office, after he suffered a stroke earlier this year. Things are heating up in Arizona's secretary of state race, where Democrat Adrian Fontes is squar...
23m Oct 12, 2022
23m
No Digas Nada, Nury
Russia launched its biggest attacks against Ukraine in months, targeting at least 14 regions – including civilian areas – on Monday. Vladimir Putin said the strikes were retaliation for a blast that damaged the only bridge connecting annexed Crimea to Russia. Nury Martinez stepped down as the L.A. City Council president, after she, two other council members, and a local labor leader were heard...
17m Oct 11, 2022
17m
Kerch Strait Bridge Is Falling Down
Over the weekend, 20 Russian missiles hit civilian areas of Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 13 people and injuring 60 more. These air strikes followed an explosion on Saturday on the bridge between Russia and Crimea, which has both economic and symbolic importance. New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency on Friday after the city’s primary shelter system became overloaded, d...
17m Oct 10, 2022
17m
Puff Puff Pardon
President Biden announced Thursday he will pardon federal marijuana convictions. The order will impact a few thousand people, since most cannabis convictions happen at the state level, but it will also revisit how cannabis is classified with other drugs under federal law. As Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia continues to gain ground, there are now signs of growing discontent from promi...
18m Oct 07, 2022
18m
Can Russia Take Its Foot Off My OPEC?
President Biden visited Florida on Wednesday to survey the damage from Hurricane Ian, which has left at least 100 people dead in that state. So far, many of those victims are older adults. Dr. Sue Ann Bell, a disaster researcher at the University of Michigan, tells us why older people are especially vulnerable during natural disasters. The OPEC Plus coalition, led by Russia and Saudi Arabia, s...
22m Oct 06, 2022
22m
Herschel Walk Of Shame
Conservative leaders have rallied behind Republican Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker, following a report that he paid for an abortion for an ex-girlfriend. It's one of the first October surprises to drop ahead of the high-stakes midterm elections. The federal government has a history of underfunding our election infrastructure, even though the people who run state and local election de...
26m Oct 05, 2022
26m
L.A. Hopes For A New Sheriff In Town
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited Puerto Rico on Monday, weeks after Hurricane Fiona tore through the island. The trip – and the pledges of support – was markedly different from when then-President Trump arrived after Hurricane Maria five years ago. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, who is up for re-election in November, is embroiled in another controversy – this ...
17m Oct 04, 2022
17m
I'm Sorry, Justice Jackson
Florida's death toll from Hurricane Ian soared to at least 74 over the weekend, and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses still do not have electricity. President Biden plans to visit the state Wednesday, after a stop in Puerto Rico to survey damage from Hurricane Fiona. The Supreme Court begins its new term today, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson becoming the first-ever Black woman ...
21m Oct 03, 2022
21m
Tracking The Devastation Of Hurricane Ian
After leaving a trail of destruction in southern Florida, Hurricane Ian is expected to make a second landfall in South Carolina on Friday. Officials in Charleston are bracing for intense rain, higher-than-usual tides, and a storm surge across the state’s coast. Russian President Vladimir Putin today plans to formally annex separatist regions of Ukraine that supposedly voted to join the Russian...
15m Sep 30, 2022
15m
Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall In Florida
Hurricane Ian reached Florida Wednesday afternoon as one of the strongest storms to hit the U.S. mainland in decades. Some 2.5 million residents of Tampa and Fort Myers were ordered to evacuate, but thousands stayed behind – even in areas expected to be inundated by extreme storm surge flooding. And in headlines: a human rights organization said at least 76 Iranian protesters have been killed ...
19m Sep 29, 2022
19m
Florida Prepares For Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian has knocked out power across Cuba and is barreling toward Florida, where it’s expected to intensify into a Category 3 or 4 storm. Mary Annaïse Heglar, co-host of Crooked’s “Hot Take,” explains how climate change is making hurricanes like Ian stronger, less predictable, and more dangerous. Texas attorney general Ken Paxton is up for re-election on November 8, but his legal trouble...
24m Sep 28, 2022
24m
The Pound And The Fury
The British pound hit a record low against the U.S. dollar on Monday. We discuss the economic plan by new U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss that sent the currency tumbling, and how international markets are responding. Nearly complete results from Italy’s election showed a clear victory for a right-wing coalition – making it almost certain that the coalition's leader, Giorgia Meloni, will be prim...
17m Sep 27, 2022
17m
Move Over, Monkeypox
Almost 750 demonstrators were arrested in Russia on Saturday. They were protesting president Vladimir Putin’s declaration from last week of a “partial mobilization” or a draft in which some men are being called up to join the war. Plus, Ukraine's response to Putin's nuclear threats. The number of new cases of monkeypox in the U.S. are down significantly since their peak just about a month ago....
18m Sep 26, 2022
18m
How Favre We've Fallen
Outrage continues in Iran over the death of a woman detained by that country's "morality police," and at least nine people have been killed in clashes with security forces. Former N.F.L. quarterback Brett Favre has emerged as a key figure in one of the largest welfare fraud cases in Mississippi's history, after text messages revealed his connections to state officials involved in the scandal. ...
21m Sep 23, 2022
21m
A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Fraud
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a $250 million lawsuit against former President Donald Trump and his three adult children, accusing them of "persistent and repeated" business fraud. Rolling Stone politics reporter Nikki McCann Ramirez joins us to discuss the case and what's at stake for the Trumps. Russian president Vladimir Putin declared a “partial” military mobilization to sho...
23m Sep 22, 2022
23m
You Can't Always Declassify What You Want
The legal battle over sensitive government documents seized from Mar-a-Lago continued on Tuesday, as lawyers for Donald Trump and the Justice Department met for the first hearing overseen by the special master appointed to review the materials. The midterm elections are fast approaching and a lot of candidates and organizations are vying for financial support. Shaniqua McClendon, Crooked’s pol...
19m Sep 21, 2022
19m
Nobody Puts COVID In A Corner
Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest Monday, marking the end of the ten days of public mourning since her death on September 8th. President Biden said in an interview that the pandemic is "over,” prompting swift criticism from public health officials. Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s “America Dissected,” tells us, there's still work to be done. And in headlines: Hurricane Fiona left more ...
15m Sep 20, 2022
15m