Apple News Today: The Whitewashing of Jan. 6 Hosted by Shemitah Basu | Released on January 24, 2025
Shemitah Basu delves into the contentious aftermath of President Donald Trump’s mass pardons related to the January 6th Capitol riot, explores ongoing crises such as the wildfires and housing price gouging in Los Angeles, examines the precarious future of TikTok in the United States, and touches upon notable developments in the entertainment and sports worlds. This comprehensive episode provides listeners with in-depth analysis, expert opinions, and timely updates on these pressing issues.
1. The Aftermath of President Trump’s Pardons and the January 6th Riots
The episode opens with a critical examination of President Donald Trump’s recent distribution of over 1,500 pardons to individuals involved in the January 6th Capitol riot. Basu highlights the divisive reaction these pardons have elicited from both the public and the individuals affected.
Pam Hemphill’s Rejection of the Pardon Pam Hemphill, a former participant in the riots, expressed her refusal to accept the pardon. Speaking to NBC, Hemphill stated:
“Think about it. The message is if I took a pardon, that what I did that day was okay. They were criminals. They broke the law. I broke the law, pay the price.”
(00:05)
Trump’s Narrative on January 6th Contrasting Hemphill’s stance, Trump has reframed the events of January 6th, describing it as a "day of love" and labeling the rioters as "patriots." This rhetoric underscores his attempt to reshape the historical narrative surrounding the incident.
Tom Jackman on Rewriting History Tom Jackman, a crime and justice reporter at the Washington Post, provides a stark counterpoint to Trump’s narrative. He emphasizes the concrete evidence of the riot:
“This is not somebody's word against somebody's word. This is, we can see what happened. We can see these individuals attacking the police, overrunning the police, using stun guns on the police, throwing flagpoles and fire extinguishers at the police. It happened. It's real.”
(01:16)
Public and Political Response Public opinion remains largely unfavorable towards the pardons, with a Reuters and Ipsos poll indicating that 58% of respondents disapprove of broad pardons. In response, Speaker Mike Johnson has announced the formation of a House subcommittee aimed at investigating and countering what he perceives as false narratives about January 6th.
Concerns Over Rising Extremism Jackman voices significant concerns about the potential for these pardons to embolden extremist groups:
“That's a serious fear that a lot of terrorism type folks are looking at that. People, people will think, heck, I can go out and attack a liberal judge or a liberal prosecutor or a liberal reporter that I don't like because this political violence has been approved and sanctioned by the president. And so even if I get caught, he'll let me out.”
(02:16)
Statements from Militia Leaders Leaders of extremist groups are reacting to their pardons with calls for retribution. Enrique Tarrio of the Proud Boys addressed his supporters alongside Alex Jones, declaring:
“Success is gonna be the. Is gonna be retribution, okay? And it's up to us. And when I say us, I include your listeners on there. You know, we gotta do everything in our power to make sure that the next four years sets us up for the next hundred years.”
(03:06)
Insights from Josh Kaplan In a recent interview with Josh Kaplan from ProPublica, Basu explores how these pardons are perceived within militia movements. Kaplan explains:
“There's a lot of excitement about it. You're seeing people who feel confident that this is going to be great for their organizations, that there are people that have been keeping their distance still out of fear of potential legal repercussions, and those people are now going to feel kind of invincible... That is what a lot of people, including a lot of people in the militia movement, thought would happen after January 6th. So this reshaping of the narrative, it really matters.”
(03:34)
Kaplan further draws parallels to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, underscoring the historical significance and potential long-term consequences of the current political climate.
2. Wildfires in Los Angeles and Housing Price Gouging
Shifting focus to Los Angeles, Basu reports on the ongoing battle against multiple wildfires and the subsequent issue of price gouging in the housing market. Despite expectations of rain providing relief, the city continues to grapple with widespread destruction and displacement.
Legal Action Against Price Gouging California Attorney General Rob Bonta has taken decisive action by filing charges against a real estate agent near Altadena for raising rental prices by 38%, a clear violation of state law that caps increases at 10% during a state of emergency. Reporter Liam Dillon of the LA Times elaborates:
“You have 11,000 or more homes that have been destroyed in these two major fires in Los Angeles. That means tens of thousands of people who could be looking for immediate housing... landlords taking advantage of needy folks and raising prices on their rental units.”
(05:39)
Reactions from the Real Estate Community Jason Oppenheim, a prominent figure from the reality TV show Selling Sunset, expressed outrage over the illegal price hikes:
“I couldn’t believe it, so I started taking screenshots and posting them on social media... I've just been trying to get some press to let landlords know that what they're doing is not only immoral, but also illegal and they need to stop.”
(07:03)
Potential Deterrent Effects While only one individual has been prosecuted so far, Dillon suggests that these actions could serve as a deterrent:
“As much as one individual prosecution may be a drop in the bucket for the circumstances that are going on. I think he hopes there will be a deterrent effect for some of the sort of the bad actors that are out there.”
(07:40)
3. The Uncertain Future of TikTok in the U.S.
Basu delves into the tumultuous situation surrounding TikTok, which serves approximately 170 million Americans. Following a brief blackout after failing to secure a new buyer by Congress's deadline, TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains in flux.
Trump’s Influence and Executive Order Trump has played a pivotal role in the app’s uncertain status. Though he promised a resolution, the executive order only instructs the Attorney General to refrain from enforcing Congress's ban, leaving TikTok absent from U.S. app stores for the time being. Tom Jackman comments on the irony of Trump’s stance:
“And the irony in all this was Donald Trump was the first guy to point out this problem. Matter of fact, his administration had to convince me. They did a great job of convincing me and the overwhelming members of Congress.”
(09:38)
Potential Solutions and Legislative Efforts Several pathways could potentially restore TikTok’s presence in the U.S.:
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Legislative repeal: Senators Rand Paul and Ro Khanna have introduced a bipartisan bill to overturn the ban. However, given the strong initial support for the ban rooted in national security concerns, the bill faces significant opposition.
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Corporate Sale: Trump has suggested partial ownership by a U.S.-based company. Potential buyers include high-profile figures like Elon Musk, Larry Ellison, Frank McCourt (backed by Kevin O'Leary), and social media creator Mr. Beast, among others. Additionally, firms like Perplexity AI have shown interest.
International Negotiations Interestingly, China’s foreign ministry appears more amenable to joint ownership with an American entity, possibly as a strategic response to escalating trade tensions, including threats of additional tariffs on Chinese products.
Future Uncertainties If no viable solution materializes within the next 70 days before Trump’s executive order expires, TikTok could face a prolonged hiatus or permanent ban in the U.S.
4. Additional News Highlights
Social Media Account Transfers Basu addresses a puzzling phenomenon where Facebook and Instagram users noticed their feeds beginning to follow new accounts, including President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance. These alterations are attributed to the standard procedure during political transitions, where account management shifts from outgoing to incoming officeholders. However, some users have reported difficulties in unfollowing these accounts. A Meta spokesperson clarified that follow and unfollow requests might experience delays during such transitions.
Academy Awards and AI in Film The podcast shifts to the entertainment industry, noting the record-breaking nominations for the non-English language film Emilia Perez, which has garnered 13 nominations. Other notable contenders include Wicked and The Brutalist. The discussion raises ethical questions about the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, particularly concerning performances. Basu highlights a controversy where AI was used to enhance the Hungarian accents of actors Felicity Jones and Adrien Brody in The Door, prompting debates on the fairness of evaluating such performances.
Super Bowl Preview Concluding the episode, Basu provides a preview of the upcoming Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders. The Commanders, underdogs with a remarkable playoff run, will face off against the Eagles in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Additionally, the rivalry between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs is highlighted, noting their frequent postseason clashes and the Chiefs’ history of triumphing over the Bills.
Conclusion
Shemitah Basu wraps up the episode by directing listeners to stay tuned for her in-depth interview with Josh Kaplan from ProPublica, which delves deeper into America’s militia movements and the ongoing implications of the January 6th pardons. She encourages listeners to follow all updates through the Apple News app, ensuring they remain informed on these critical national and international issues.
Notable Quotes Recap:
- Pam Hemphill (00:05): “The message is if I took a pardon, that what I did that day was okay... I broke the law, pay the price.”
- Tom Jackman (01:16): “We can see these individuals attacking the police... It happened. It's real.”
- Tom Jackman (02:16): “People will think... this political violence has been approved and sanctioned by the president.”
- Enrique Tarrio (03:06): “Success is gonna be retribution... we gotta do everything in our power.”
- Josh Kaplan (03:34): “The last event similar to January 6th... the militia movement did not recover from that for over a decade.”
This detailed summary encapsulates the multifaceted discussions of the episode, providing listeners with a thorough understanding of the key issues and perspectives presented.