Podcast Summary
Political Prisoners in Russia: The Biden-Harris administration played a key role in securing the release of several political prisoners, including artist Alexandra Scotchilenko, from Russia through a hostage swap involving multiple countries.
This past week saw the release of several political prisoners from Russia, including a young artist named Alexandra Scotchilenko, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for placing small anti-war protest notes on store shelves. This act of peaceful dissent started as an art project outside of Russia but gained momentum inside the country as well. The Biden-Harris administration played a crucial role in securing their release through a complex hostage swap involving multiple countries. Despite this achievement, it's important to remember the ongoing geopolitical tensions, such as the escalating crisis in the Middle East between Israel and Iran, which could lead to further instability and potential harm to American personnel.
Campaign Anticipation and Middle East Tensions: The Harris campaign is using the anticipation of her running mate announcement to expand their supporter base, while tensions in the Middle East pose real-world challenges for the Biden administration
While the identity of Vice President Harris' running mate remains a mystery, the anticipation surrounding the announcement is being leveraged by the campaign to build excitement and expand their supporter base. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate, with American personnel reportedly attacked, and the response from the Biden administration remains uncertain. The presidential campaign trail presses on, with Harris preparing to announce her running mate and gearing up for a tour of swing states. The Harris campaign is using the anticipation to build a contact list of potential supporters, offering them the first chance to know the news through text messages. The situation in the Middle East, however, serves as a stark reminder of the real-world challenges that the administration must address, even as the campaign season heats up.
Trump's criticism of Kemp: Trump's attacks on Georgia Governor Kemp could disrupt the electoral process by preventing certification of election results in multiple counties, leading to uncertainty and potential legal battles.
During a recent rally, Donald Trump attacked the Republican governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, in a bid to win over Georgia Republicans, despite the fact that voters in the state had not elected Trump but had elected Kemp. Trump's criticism of Kemp was particularly harsh and vicious. Additionally, Trump praised members of the Georgia State Elections Board by name, who are typically obscure figures in elections administration. These individuals, who are now election deniers and Trump supporters, have the power to refuse or delay certification of election results in their counties. If this happens in multiple counties, it could prevent the state from certifying its results, leading to uncertainty and potential disruption of the electoral process. This could ultimately delay the allocation of electors in the Electoral College and potentially lead to the process being decided in the courts or Congress.
Election certification opposition: Since the 2020 election, Republican officials have been opposing or delaying certification of election results at an unprecedented rate, not due to any known issues, but as a statement of their opposition to the democratic process, reminiscent of past American movements seeking to undermine democracy and seize control.
Since the 2020 election, Republican officials have been refusing or delaying the certification of election results at an unprecedented rate. This behavior is not due to any known issues with the elections, but rather as a statement of their opposition to the democratic process. This trend is reminiscent of past American movements and organizations that sought to undermine democracy and seize control, as explored in the podcast "Ultra." These forces, which have historically existed on the fringe but occasionally ascend to power, are motivated by a desire to replace the American system of government with one where their preferred leader holds ultimate control. Their disregard for election results is a reflection of this goal. Trump and his supporters have encouraged this sentiment, with Trump telling his followers they will never have to vote again and Republicans stacking election boards with officials intent on obstructing certification.
Election subversion tactics: Republicans are employing new tactics to prevent votes from being counted and subvert election results, creating roadblocks in the certification process and casting doubt on democratic elections
While the Democratic campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris is focused on winning the most votes, the Republican strategy in elections has shifted to preventing votes from being counted. This was first seen in the 2020 presidential election in Michigan, where two county officials tried to take back their vote to certify the results after pressure from then-President Trump and the Republican Party. Since then, Republicans have continued to refuse certification in various elections at the county and state levels. This year, Donald Trump has encouraged Georgia State Board of Elections officials who refuse to acknowledge Joe Biden's win to push through new rules making it easier for county-level officials to refuse certification. The goal is to create roadblocks in the certification process, making it impossible to certify elections at the state level and ultimately casting doubt on the presidential election results. This organized effort to subvert election results is a significant shift in election tactics and a threat to the democratic process.
Election Interference, Local Participation: Speaking out and getting involved at the local level is crucial to prevent election interference and maintain democratic process integrity, despite potential foreign involvement and lack of financial transparency.
The refusal to certify elections results in certain counties and the potential involvement of foreign entities in influencing U.S. elections are serious concerns that require the active participation of citizens. Mark Elias, a lawyer specializing in election litigation, emphasizes the importance of speaking out and getting involved at the local level to prevent such incidents. The case of Egypt's alleged $10 million cash payment to Donald Trump's 2016 campaign is an example of the potential impact of foreign interference and the need for transparency in political financing. However, the lack of access to necessary financial records hinders investigations and allows allegations to remain unproven. Citizens must stay informed, attend local meetings, and speak out against any suspicious activities to protect the integrity of the democratic process.
Trump-Egypt financial transactions: Despite CIA intelligence and evidence of suspicious funds, the Trump administration halted the investigation into potential financial transactions between Trump and Egypt's president due to lack of predicate or factual basis, leaving the financial records unaccounted for
During the Trump presidency, the Department of Justice, under the leadership of Robert Mueller, investigated potential financial transactions between Donald Trump and Egypt's president involving $10 million. The CIA had provided intelligence suggesting the money was intended for Trump, and investigators found corroborating evidence of the funds leaving a Cairo bank. However, they were unable to subpoena Trump's financial records despite having a narrowly scoped subpoena proposed multiple times. The investigation was ultimately shut down due to lack of factual basis or predicate, as determined by the US Attorney's Office and Attorney General Bill Barr. The investigators involved were reportedly shocked by the quality of the evidence they had gathered and the sudden policy shift towards Egypt, which they believed could be connected to the suspicious funds. Despite this, Trump has not publicly released the financial records that could clear up the allegations.