It Could Happen Here – Episode Summary

Executive Disorder: Portland Shooting, the FED, Visa Pause & Turtle Island Liberation Front
Date: January 16, 2026
Hosts: Garrison Davis, James Stout, Mia Wong (with appearances by Sophie Lichterman)

Episode Overview

This episode of "It Could Happen Here" tackles a whirlwind of urgent developments in the United States and abroad, centered on state violence, authoritarian escalation, political prosecutions, and leftist resistance—and the fallout these provoke. The hosts dissect the fallout from a recent Portland shooting by federal agents, an unprecedented move by the Trump administration against the Federal Reserve, escalating governmental overreach in migration policy, and the details behind an alleged left-wing bombing plot. Throughout, the tone is analytical, darkly humorous, and deeply concerned about creeping authoritarianism.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Portland Shooting by Federal Agents [00:45–06:28]

Incident Recap: Two people were shot by Border Patrol or ICE agents during a "targeted vehicle stop" in Portland. Both survived the shooting.
Conflicting Narratives: DHS claims the suspects were gang-affiliated "Venezuelan illegal aliens" involved in violent crime, while local officials express skepticism and outrage, citing thin intelligence and lack of corroborating local charges.
- Quote [03:42]:
  
  “Hundreds of records obtained by Wired shows thin intelligence on the Venezuelan gang in the United States describing fragmented low level crime rather than a coordinated terrorist threat.”
  — Mia Wong, summarizing Wired reporting.
Media and DOJ Response: Little transparency about the shooting; federal narrative is met with skepticism due to the pattern of misinformation following police shooting incidents.
Broader Pattern: Parallels drawn to other cases where law enforcement responds to failed attempts at lethal force with dubious prosecutions. (Example: Renee Goode's killing and the charging of her wife.)

2. Updates on the Middle East: Syria and Iran [07:10–10:41]

Syria: The neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Al Asafriyah in Aleppo have been seized; SOHR documents extrajudicial executions and desecration of bodies, with such actions broadcast on Telegram.
- Quote [09:19]:
  
  “The bodies of 15 members of the internal security forces as AISH, including bodies of four female members, were deliberately incinerated. A female member ... was killed and her body was thrown from the top of the building.”
  — James Stout, relaying SOHR findings.
Regional Escalation: PKK and KCK release statements suggesting ceasefire with Turkey is at risk; Turkish drone activity mentioned.
Reminder: Previous episode focused on Iran for deep dive.

3. Synagogue Arson in Mississippi [10:42–15:13]

Incident: 19-year-old Steven Spencer Pitman set fire to the historic Beth Israel Congregation synagogue, previously targeted by the KKK, and has been charged under federal hate crime statutes.
- Social Media: Pitman posted antisemitic memes and described himself as a "follower of Christ."
- Memorable Moment [12:35]:
  
  “Glad he got hurt.”
  — Mia Wong, in response to perp suffering burns.
- Quote [14:42]:
  
  “This is not like a Hamas, anti-imperialist zoomer, red triangle in bio type guy. This is a right wing Christian nationalist, college athlete, Christian zoomer ... shares anti Semitic memes on Instagram. This is a pretty standard, you know, pre-2022 type of synagogue attack.”
  — Garrison Davis
Misinterpretation: Deborah Lipstadt, Biden’s antisemitism envoy, attempts to label the attack as part of a "globalization of the Intifada," which the hosts reject as off-base.

4. Federal Reserve: DOJ Prosecution of Jerome Powell [15:27–24:51]

Extraordinary Allegation: Fed Chair Jerome Powell releases a “kidnapping-style” video revealing DOJ subpoenas and criminal charges, arguing it’s retaliation for refusing to let the President dictate interest rates.
- Quote [16:56]:
  
  “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessments of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President.”
  — Quoting Jerome Powell.
International Fallout: Central bank leaders worldwide express "solidarity" with Powell. Even mainstream Republican Senators break with Trump on this.
- Quote [17:48]:
  
  "Do you know how bad it is to get central bank leaders to say the word solidarity?"
  — Mia Wong.
Economic Consequences: If Trump seizes control of the Fed, his preferred candidate, Stefan Mirren—described as having “no idea what he's doing”—would have catastrophic effects on the economy.
- Quote [22:25]:
  
  “If you put someone in charge of the Federal Reserve, who literally did not understand what economics was, they would do less damage than putting Steve Devin Mirren in charge of this. This is a nightmare.”
  — Mia Wong.
Historical Parallel: Comparison to Erdoğan’s takeover of the Turkish Central Bank and ensuing hyperinflation.

5. Sanctioned Groups and the Weaponization of Banking [25:26–28:19]

Red Aid (Rote Hilfe) Bank Accounts Closed: The German legal aid group is targeted after the US placed associated groups on the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, resulting in banks denying them service for fear of US sanctions.
- Quote [25:46]:
  
  “Being unbanked is effectively going to be fatal for the organization ... it can’t provide legal support if it doesn’t have a place to store its money.”
  — James Stout

6. The Turtle Island Liberation Front Bombing Plot [28:19–37:45]

Alleged Plot: On December 12, the FBI arrested four alleged members of the leftist Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), charged with planning bomb attacks on corporate sites.
- Details:
  - Handwritten plan called “Operation Midnight Sun” outlined multiple bombings on New Year’s Eve, with elaborate OPSEC measures.
  - FBI informant(s) involved from the outset; informant operated for financial compensation.
  - Surveillance led to SWAT arrests before any explosives were assembled.
- Quote [33:34]:
  
  “This is the type of stuff I find really interesting is this emphasis on all of these, you know, OPSEC like operational security measures, all while working with an FBI informant from the very start of the operation.”
  — Garrison Davis
Political Discourse: Case sparks debate over the FBI’s role in orchestrating vs. merely monitoring such plots, with historical comparisons to previous leftist prosecutions.
- Upcoming episode promised for deeper analysis on TILF, FBI informant involvement, and political context.

7. Migration and Judicial Updates [37:45–41:09]

Brutality at Santa Ana: DHS severely injured a protester with “less than lethal” ammunition.
Venezuelan Deportation Redress: Federal judge orders relief for deported Venezuelans; Senator Rubio opposes.
Visa Freeze: State Department announces visa pause for 75 countries accused of “extracting wealth” via welfare use; over 100,000 visas revoked, including 8,000 student visas. Details remain murky—potentially impacting millions.
- Quote [39:13]:
  
  "It's not clear what they are talking about ... Are they talking about immigrant, non immigrant visas, both of the above?"
  — James Stout
Impeachment Attempts: Republican Senators call for impeachment of judges over migration-related rulings; rare public defense issued by US Courts’ admin office.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Fed prosecution
-- “This is giving [Trump] the keys to the global economy, and they are going to just start pushing buttons.”
— Mia Wong [19:18]
On the Senate GOP’s alarm
-- “This is the Rubicon for a lot of sectors of capital… Almost anything can be endured as long as the President does not have direct control over the money supply.”
— Mia Wong [20:34]
On the episode’s grim resonance
-- “We reported the news.”
— Garrison Davis [41:09]
-- “We reported the news.”
— Unison reply [41:11]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment Topic | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------|--------------| | Portland Shooting Response | 00:45–06:28 | | Syria/Iran/Regional Escalation | 07:10–10:41 | | Mississippi Synagogue Arson | 10:42–15:13 | | Federal Reserve Prosecution | 15:27–24:51 | | Red Aid (“Rote Hilfe”) Unbanking | 25:26–28:19 | | Turtle Island Liberation Front Plot | 28:19–37:45 | | Migration/Judicial Updates, Visa Freeze | 37:45–41:09 |

Structure & Tone

The hosts maintain their signature sardonic, unsparing tone—simultaneously distressed at the erosion of civil liberties and darkly amused by the state’s incompetence and brutality. They balance clear explanation with biting skepticism, highlighting both the gravity and absurdity of current events.

For Further Listening

Previous Episode Recommendation: Deep dive on Iran situation (aired two days before this one).
Coming Up: Full analysis of the Turtle Island Liberation Front and the Federal Reserve crisis in upcoming episodes.

TL;DR:
This episode delivers a sobering, detail-rich overview of state violence, authoritarian power grabs, and resistance—showing how each headline fits within a broader trend toward executive disorder and the breakdown of old norms. The hosts connect the dots across events and continents, situating individual stories within systemic, historical, and international contexts with clarity, acerbic humor, and a call for continued vigilance.

It Could Happen Here – Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Portland Shooting by Federal Agents [00:45–06:28]

Incident Recap: Two people were shot by Border Patrol or ICE agents during a "targeted vehicle stop" in Portland. Both survived the shooting.
Conflicting Narratives: DHS claims the suspects were gang-affiliated "Venezuelan illegal aliens" involved in violent crime, while local officials express skepticism and outrage, citing thin intelligence and lack of corroborating local charges.
- Quote [03:42]:
  
  “Hundreds of records obtained by Wired shows thin intelligence on the Venezuelan gang in the United States describing fragmented low level crime rather than a coordinated terrorist threat.”
  — Mia Wong, summarizing Wired reporting.
Media and DOJ Response: Little transparency about the shooting; federal narrative is met with skepticism due to the pattern of misinformation following police shooting incidents.
Broader Pattern: Parallels drawn to other cases where law enforcement responds to failed attempts at lethal force with dubious prosecutions. (Example: Renee Goode's killing and the charging of her wife.)

2. Updates on the Middle East: Syria and Iran [07:10–10:41]

Syria: The neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsood and Al Asafriyah in Aleppo have been seized; SOHR documents extrajudicial executions and desecration of bodies, with such actions broadcast on Telegram.
- Quote [09:19]:
  
  “The bodies of 15 members of the internal security forces as AISH, including bodies of four female members, were deliberately incinerated. A female member ... was killed and her body was thrown from the top of the building.”
  — James Stout, relaying SOHR findings.
Regional Escalation: PKK and KCK release statements suggesting ceasefire with Turkey is at risk; Turkish drone activity mentioned.
Reminder: Previous episode focused on Iran for deep dive.

3. Synagogue Arson in Mississippi [10:42–15:13]

Incident: 19-year-old Steven Spencer Pitman set fire to the historic Beth Israel Congregation synagogue, previously targeted by the KKK, and has been charged under federal hate crime statutes.
- Social Media: Pitman posted antisemitic memes and described himself as a "follower of Christ."
- Memorable Moment [12:35]:
  
  “Glad he got hurt.”
  — Mia Wong, in response to perp suffering burns.
- Quote [14:42]:
  
  “This is not like a Hamas, anti-imperialist zoomer, red triangle in bio type guy. This is a right wing Christian nationalist, college athlete, Christian zoomer ... shares anti Semitic memes on Instagram. This is a pretty standard, you know, pre-2022 type of synagogue attack.”
  — Garrison Davis
Misinterpretation: Deborah Lipstadt, Biden’s antisemitism envoy, attempts to label the attack as part of a "globalization of the Intifada," which the hosts reject as off-base.

4. Federal Reserve: DOJ Prosecution of Jerome Powell [15:27–24:51]

Extraordinary Allegation: Fed Chair Jerome Powell releases a “kidnapping-style” video revealing DOJ subpoenas and criminal charges, arguing it’s retaliation for refusing to let the President dictate interest rates.
- Quote [16:56]:
  
  “The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessments of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the President.”
  — Quoting Jerome Powell.
International Fallout: Central bank leaders worldwide express "solidarity" with Powell. Even mainstream Republican Senators break with Trump on this.
- Quote [17:48]:
  
  "Do you know how bad it is to get central bank leaders to say the word solidarity?"
  — Mia Wong.
Economic Consequences: If Trump seizes control of the Fed, his preferred candidate, Stefan Mirren—described as having “no idea what he's doing”—would have catastrophic effects on the economy.
- Quote [22:25]:
  
  “If you put someone in charge of the Federal Reserve, who literally did not understand what economics was, they would do less damage than putting Steve Devin Mirren in charge of this. This is a nightmare.”
  — Mia Wong.
Historical Parallel: Comparison to Erdoğan’s takeover of the Turkish Central Bank and ensuing hyperinflation.

5. Sanctioned Groups and the Weaponization of Banking [25:26–28:19]

Red Aid (Rote Hilfe) Bank Accounts Closed: The German legal aid group is targeted after the US placed associated groups on the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list, resulting in banks denying them service for fear of US sanctions.
- Quote [25:46]:
  
  “Being unbanked is effectively going to be fatal for the organization ... it can’t provide legal support if it doesn’t have a place to store its money.”
  — James Stout

6. The Turtle Island Liberation Front Bombing Plot [28:19–37:45]

Alleged Plot: On December 12, the FBI arrested four alleged members of the leftist Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), charged with planning bomb attacks on corporate sites.
- Details:
  - Handwritten plan called “Operation Midnight Sun” outlined multiple bombings on New Year’s Eve, with elaborate OPSEC measures.
  - FBI informant(s) involved from the outset; informant operated for financial compensation.
  - Surveillance led to SWAT arrests before any explosives were assembled.
- Quote [33:34]:
  
  “This is the type of stuff I find really interesting is this emphasis on all of these, you know, OPSEC like operational security measures, all while working with an FBI informant from the very start of the operation.”
  — Garrison Davis
Political Discourse: Case sparks debate over the FBI’s role in orchestrating vs. merely monitoring such plots, with historical comparisons to previous leftist prosecutions.
- Upcoming episode promised for deeper analysis on TILF, FBI informant involvement, and political context.

7. Migration and Judicial Updates [37:45–41:09]

Brutality at Santa Ana: DHS severely injured a protester with “less than lethal” ammunition.
Venezuelan Deportation Redress: Federal judge orders relief for deported Venezuelans; Senator Rubio opposes.
Visa Freeze: State Department announces visa pause for 75 countries accused of “extracting wealth” via welfare use; over 100,000 visas revoked, including 8,000 student visas. Details remain murky—potentially impacting millions.
- Quote [39:13]:
  
  "It's not clear what they are talking about ... Are they talking about immigrant, non immigrant visas, both of the above?"
  — James Stout
Impeachment Attempts: Republican Senators call for impeachment of judges over migration-related rulings; rare public defense issued by US Courts’ admin office.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Fed prosecution
-- “This is giving [Trump] the keys to the global economy, and they are going to just start pushing buttons.”
— Mia Wong [19:18]
On the Senate GOP’s alarm
-- “This is the Rubicon for a lot of sectors of capital… Almost anything can be endured as long as the President does not have direct control over the money supply.”
— Mia Wong [20:34]
On the episode’s grim resonance
-- “We reported the news.”
— Garrison Davis [41:09]
-- “We reported the news.”
— Unison reply [41:11]

Timestamps for Key Segments

Structure & Tone

For Further Listening

Previous Episode Recommendation: Deep dive on Iran situation (aired two days before this one).
Coming Up: Full analysis of the Turtle Island Liberation Front and the Federal Reserve crisis in upcoming episodes.

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Executive Disorder: Portland Shooting, the FED, Visa Pause & Turtle Island Liberation Front

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Summary

It Could Happen Here – Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Portland Shooting by Federal Agents [00:45–06:28]

2. Updates on the Middle East: Syria and Iran [07:10–10:41]

3. Synagogue Arson in Mississippi [10:42–15:13]

4. Federal Reserve: DOJ Prosecution of Jerome Powell [15:27–24:51]

5. Sanctioned Groups and the Weaponization of Banking [25:26–28:19]

6. The Turtle Island Liberation Front Bombing Plot [28:19–37:45]

7. Migration and Judicial Updates [37:45–41:09]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Structure & Tone

For Further Listening

Summary

It Could Happen Here – Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Portland Shooting by Federal Agents [00:45–06:28]

2. Updates on the Middle East: Syria and Iran [07:10–10:41]

3. Synagogue Arson in Mississippi [10:42–15:13]

4. Federal Reserve: DOJ Prosecution of Jerome Powell [15:27–24:51]

5. Sanctioned Groups and the Weaponization of Banking [25:26–28:19]

6. The Turtle Island Liberation Front Bombing Plot [28:19–37:45]

7. Migration and Judicial Updates [37:45–41:09]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

Structure & Tone

For Further Listening