Podcast
Speaking Freely With the ACLU-PA
Hosted by ACLU of Pennsylvania · EN
This is the podcast that tells the story of civil liberties in Pennsylvania. You'll hear from our staff, our clients, and our allies about the most prominent civil liberties issues of the day.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Documenting the Cruel Practices of ICE
Dec 18, 202400:38:29Tap to summarizeIn October, ACLU-PA released a new report called Cold Reality: Uncovering the Cruelty and Chaos of ICE Practices in Pennsylvania. The report is an analysis of documents obtained from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, and what they show about the harm that ICE enforcement actions do to families and communities. Here to talk about it are Vanessa Stine, senior staff attorney for immigrants’ rights at the ACLU of PA; Laura Perkins, human rights organizer with Casa San Jose in Pittsburgh; and Professor Caitlin Barry of Villanova University School of Law and the director of the law school’s Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic. Read the report at this link: https://www.aclupa.org/en/publications/cold-reality-uncovering-cruelty-and-chaos-ice-operations-pennsylvania
Transcribe →Pennsylvania’s Failed System of Indigent Defense
Dec 10, 202400:33:04Tap to summarizeBoth the U.S. and Pennsylvania constitutions guarantee the right to an attorney for someone facing criminal charges, regardless of a person’s ability to pay. But for decades, Pennsylvania has been woefully inadequate in ensuring that people living in poverty receive effective representation. So in June, the ACLU of Pennsylvania, with volunteer attorneys from several law firms, sued the governor and the leaders of the General Assembly because the executive and legislative branches have failed their constitutional duties. In this episode, we hear from Veronica Miller, senior policy counsel for criminal legal reform, and Ari Shapell, fellowship attorney, both at the ACLU of PA. Veronica and Ari are co-counsel in the case, Warren v. Commonwealth. In this conversation, they explain how Pennsylvania’s indigent defense system has failed and what we hope to achieve with this litigation. Learn more about this case at this link: https://www.aclupa.org/defenders
Transcribe →Getting Ready for the Challenges Ahead
Dec 2, 202400:27:41Tap to summarizeDonald Trump will be the next president of the United States. And based on his first turn as president and his rhetoric in the campaign, we know that he and his cronies are a clear and present danger to our most basic freedoms and to democracy itself. So what does that mean for the ACLU, as an organization dedicated to defend people’s civil liberties? And what does it mean for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, as an organization that is largely working at the state and local level? To talk through what’s ahead in challenging the incoming Trump administration, we hear from Mike Lee, executive director of the ACLU-PA, and Vic Walczak, ACLU-PA’s legal director. Support the work of the ACLU of PA at www.aclupa.org/join.
Transcribe →A pro-voter legal strategy
Oct 5, 202400:52:07Tap to summarizeIn 2024, ACLU-PA and our partners have taken a different approach with our legal strategy than in past election cycles. This year, we’ve implemented a proactive strategy to make sure that voters who want to cast a ballot can do so without unnecessary hurdles. Vic Walczak, legal director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, joins the pod to talk about it. By the time you listen to this, it’s possible that there will be new rulings in the cases discussed in this episode. To get the latest updates, go to www.aclupa.org/litigation and click the dropdown box to choose “voting rights.”
Transcribe →What voters really want on immigration and public safety
Oct 3, 202400:42:36Tap to summarizeIn the run up to this year’s election, we here at the ACLU knew that candidates would be talking about the two issues of immigration and public safety. Knowing that was coming, the ACLU has been engaged all year in a research project called Battleground Blueprint. We’ve deployed multiple rounds of surveys in multiple states, including Pennsylvania, to get a better look at voters’ attitudes on these two issues. On this episode, we’ll hear from three people who have been actively involved in this project - Ellen Flenniken, deputy director of the ACLU’s Justice Division, Anu Joshi, national campaigns director on immigration for the ACLU, and Jeff Liszt, a partner at Impact Research, the pollster that conducted the survey in Pennsylvania. More information about the Pennsylvania results is available here: https://www.aclupa.org/solutions And information about the nationwide project is here: https://www.aclu.org/battleground-polling
Transcribe →Living With a Criminal History and the Right to Vote in PA
Sep 20, 202400:27:48Tap to summarizeMore than 20 years ago, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to prohibit people who are living with a criminal record from voting. But misinformation about those rights persists here in Pennsylvania. In this episode, we hear from ACLU-PA executive director Mike Lee and Saleem Holbrook, executive director of Abolitionist Law Center and a member of ACLU-PA’s board of directors. Mike and Saleem talk about who can and can’t vote in PA based on their involvement with the criminal legal system and why it matters. Learn more about voting with a criminal conviction here: https://www.aclupa.org/en/know-your-rights/voting-criminal-conviction And learn more about the Abolitionist Law Center at their website: https://abolitionistlawcenter.org/
Transcribe →Capitol Complex
Jul 26, 202400:29:52Tap to summarizeThe Pennsylvania General Assembly recently wrapped up its work on the new state budget. Elizabeth Randol, ACLU-PA’s legislative director, talks about all that has happened in this session around civil liberties. Liz dives into ACLU-PA’s priority issues, including voting rights, free speech, and decarceration, and also talks about emerging issues that came to the fore in this session. For more information about ACLU-PA's legislative work, including our scorecard of how legislators voted, visit www.aclupa.org/legislation.
Transcribe →How your county may - or may not - be helping you to vote
Jul 11, 202400:28:21Tap to summarizeThe impact that counties have on how we vote, where we vote, and even whether our vote is counted is enormous. On this episode, we hear from Beth Gilbert of Action Together NEPA and In This Together NEPA, where she is the voting and elections manager, and Marian Schneider, senior policy counsel for voting rights at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. Beth and Marian describe the ways in which counties impact how elections are run and also some of the current issues with county administration of elections in Pennsylvania. Visit www.actiontogethernepa.org, www.inthistogethernepa.org, and aclupa.org/letpeoplevote to learn more.
Transcribe →Schools Where Everyone is Welcome
Apr 30, 202400:36:43Tap to summarizeHistorically, America’s public schools have been spaces where debates and resistance to civil liberties have played out. From racial integration to political protests, protecting the rights of students has been central to the story of constitutional rights. The times we’re in now are no different. In this episode, we hear from three advocates who have been helping people organize to support inclusive education in their schools - Alex Domingos of ACLU-PA, Ashli Giles-Perkins of the Education Law Center, and Ronna Dewey of Red Wine and Blue PA. The organizations are part of a new coalition called Pennsylvanians for Welcoming and Inclusive Schools, or PAWInS. Ashli, Ronna, and Alex talk about why the coalition came together and what you can do if you feel moved to advocate for inclusive education at your school district. Learn more about PAWInS at www.pawins.org.
Transcribe →Meet the new boss
Apr 18, 202400:53:07Tap to summarizeIn episode 83, we’re introducing our new executive director, Mike Lee. Mike joined ACLU-PA in January after serving for six years in the administration of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. In this conversation, Mike talks about what brought him to this moment leading the ACLU of Pennsylvania, his vision for the organization, and our priorities for 2024.
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