The Daily Beans Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: NoKings 3k (feat. Ezra Levin)
Date: March 24, 2026
Hosts: Allison Gill (AG) & Dana Goldberg (DG)
Featured Guest: Ezra Levin, Co-founder and Co-Executive Director of Indivisible
Main Theme: A deep dive into current political news with a particular focus on threats to democracy, voting rights, and a special segment on the rapidly growing No Kings 3 protest movement, including an interview with Indivisible's Ezra Levin.

Episode Overview

This episode centers on escalating efforts to undermine voting and democracy in the United States, highlighting recent and upcoming attempts to disrupt or discredit elections, attacks on voting rights, and authoritarian-leaning tactics proposed or enacted by GOP leaders and allies of Donald Trump. The centerpiece of the episode is an interview with activist Ezra Levin about the grassroots No Kings 3 protest movement, emphasizing community organizing, protest strategy, and the critical moment for democracy in the U.S.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalating Election Interference & GOP Tactics

Sheriff Seizing Ballots in California

• [05:55] Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican running for governor, seized 650,000 ballots from the 2025 Prop 50 special election, citing fraud concerns despite zero evidence.
  • The move was widely condemned by Democrats and Republicans in California.
  • The investigation was sparked by the “Riverside Election Integrity Team,” whose claims have been debunked by local officials.
  • “Such efforts could be used as a justification for attempts to change the way future elections are conducted, or...come in and take our voting machines if he doesn’t like the way things go.” (AG, [06:47])
  • AG and DG note alarming similarities to tactics used to undermine the 2020 election.

Supreme Court Arguments on Mail-In Ballots

• [10:00] The Supreme Court heard arguments about whether ballots postmarked by Election Day but received later can be counted.
  • DOJ and RNC push to stop late-counted ballots could affect 30+ states.
  • Justices Roberts and Barrett challenged the logic of allowing early voting while denying late postmarked ballots.
  • “How can you say receiving postmarked ballots a day after don’t count, but that early voting is okay?” (AG, [14:21])
  • Justice Alito raised debunked fears about late ballots flipping elections.

Steve Bannon Proposes ICE at Airports and Polling Places

• [14:49] Bannon pushes for ICE presence at major airports as a “test run” for deploying ICE to polls during the 2026 midterm elections.
  • Explicitly suggested ICE at polling places to intimidate (primarily minority) voters.
  • “ICE is going to be there in the fall of 26, just like they’re in the airports today. So from the war room. Suck on that.” (Steve Bannon, [17:43])
  • AG and DG react with deep concern about normalization of authoritarian tactics.

Attempted Dismissal of Charges in Breonna Taylor Case

• [18:44] Federal prosecutors asked to dismiss charges against Louisville officers who falsified the warrant in the Breonna Taylor raid.
  • Seen as a retreat from justice and a signal of which way the DOJ may be heading under Trump’s current administration.
  • “It’s a falsified warrant. They lied on the warrant to go in with a no-knock.” (AG, [21:19])

2. Major News & Notable Stories Covered

• [03:05] Trump threatened Iran with a war crime over the Strait of Hormuz but immediately backtracked, with Iran denying negotiations.

  • “He said, if you don’t open the Strait of Hormuz, I’m going to blow up your electrical grid in Iran, which is a war crime, by the way.” (AG)

• [03:58] Bill Cosby ordered to pay $19 million in civil damages for a 1972 rape case.

  • “It’s justice. Like E. Jean Carroll got... So this makes me very happy.” (AG, [04:22])

• [04:34] Trump administration to pay a French energy giant $1 billion to walk away from wind farm plans—ties to fossil fuel interests suspected.

3. No Kings 3k: The Power of Protest – Interview with Ezra Levin

Movement Origins and Scale

• [27:57] “We’re calling it No Kings 3000 at this point because as of right now, we have more than 3,000 events on the map. And I mean that. It is wild.”
  • Previous No Kings rallies drew millions and were among the largest in U.S. history.
  • The latest protest (March 28th) is expected to be the largest yet.
  • “Three of the five largest protests in American history have been done in the last 15 months.” (Ezra Levin, [29:17])

Media Coverage Evolution

• Early protests struggled to get mainstream attention.
• “By the time of No Kings 2, the Republicans were spending all their time attacking us...the scale was difficult to ignore.” (Ezra Levin, [29:17])
• The movement is now too significant for media to disregard.

Grassroots, Inclusive Approach

• [31:23] Emphasis on training, safety, and inclusion: “If you are uncomfortable, you’ve not done it before, you’re like, ‘I’m not a protest person.’ We’ve got you.”
• “This is made for everybody to be part of and everybody to lead. I hope the message people are taking is this is an accessible, powerful, and joyful representation of what the American people actually want in this moment.” (Ezra Levin, [32:20])

Protest Strategy & Importance of Community

• “One of the key lessons that comes out of anti-authoritarian work is that these fascists, they want you to feel alone.” (Ezra Levin, [36:31])
• Building local, neighbor-based networks is critical both for resistance and for resilience.
• The goal: plug new people into action beyond one-day protests.

Protest Numbers and Organization

• [38:47] “We have a whole internal process...we take crowd counting as seriously as we can because we don’t want to be drinking our own Kool Aid...”
• The real success isn’t just numbers but in getting people plugged into ongoing local organizing after the protest. “That’s real success.” (Ezra Levin, [39:48])

Get Involved

• Visit nokings.org to find or create a protest, sign up for training, or get resources.
• “If it’s more than roughly 30 minutes to an hour away, start your own.” (Ezra Levin, [40:48])
• Make history and help organize against authoritarianism locally.

Memorable Quote

• “Years from now, when someone asks you what you did, you can proudly tell them.” (AG, [42:35])

Highlighted Quotes

On Supreme Court Arguments ([14:21])

• AG: “How can you say receiving postmarked ballots a day after don’t count, but that early voting is okay?...Because you’re an asshole.”

On Bannon’s ICE Proposal ([17:43])

• Steve Bannon: “ICE is going to be there in the fall of 26, just like they’re in the airports today. So from the war room. Suck on that.”

On Community & Protest Strategy ([36:31])

• Ezra Levin: “These fascists, they want you to feel alone. They want you to feel isolated because if you are alone, if you are disconnected from your community, you are that much easier to steamroll. That is what they depend on.”

On the Success of Protest Movements ([39:48])

• Ezra Levin: “We want [organizers] out at these events with a clipboard and collecting names and cell phone numbers and emails and telling everybody, great that you’re here. We’ve got this what’s next meeting coming up next Saturday. You should come and check it out...That’s real success.”

Important Timestamps

• [03:05] – Trump’s Iran bluster and backtrack
• [05:55] – Sheriff Bianco’s ballot seizure in CA
• [10:00] – Supreme Court debate on mail-in ballots
• [14:49] – Steve Bannon’s ICE at polling places push
• [18:44] – Dismissal request for Breonna Taylor warrant officers
• [27:47]-[42:35] – Interview: Ezra Levin on No Kings 3 & anti-authoritarian organizing

Listener Good News & Community Engagement

• Listeners shared stories of preparing for the No Kings protest (e.g., 70-year-old listener making a protest sign for the first time, [46:03]).
• Advice for ICE surveillance at airports: photograph and upload to the ICE List Wiki if you spot unmasked officers ([46:03]).
• Shared images and pet stories, reinforcing the podcast’s theme of community and mutual support.

Overall Tone & Style

• The episode is fast-paced, urgent, and laced with the hosts’ trademark wit and snark.
• Emphasis is on community resilience, outrage at anti-democratic maneuvers, and optimism about the power of protest and inclusive organizing.
• Calls to action are frequent and practical, encouraging listeners to get involved and bring new people into the movement.

How to Get Involved

• No Kings 3 Protests: Visit nokings.org to RSVP, find or start an event, or join a training before March 28th.
• Stay Engaged: Meet people, bring friends, join ongoing local organizing efforts after the protest—“That’s real success.”

This summary covers the episode’s full substantive content, provides direct quotes and timestamps, and highlights the original voices of the hosts and guest. It is ideal both for listeners who missed the episode and for activists who want to engage further.