The Daily Beans Podcast - "Without Fear Or Favor"

Date: January 13, 2026
Hosts: Allison Gill (AG), Dana Goldberg (DG)
Producer: MSW Media

Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Beans centers on escalating threats to U.S. institutions, civil rights, and democracy under a second Trump administration. The hosts provide their signature mix of progressive news, sharp commentary, and snarky humor while covering breaking stories such as the criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, the legal fight over veterans’ rights, Trump’s ongoing attacks on voting integrity, regressive environmental rollbacks, and grassroots political updates from the field.

Major Stories & Key Insights

1. Criminal Investigation of Jerome Powell and the Fed's Independence

[03:38–07:03]

• Trump’s Justice Department, led by Janine Pirro, has initiated a criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell regarding the renovation of its HQ and alleged misleading testimony to Congress.
• Pirro, described as a Trump ally (and not a teetotaler, with Fox News roots), was appointed to the U.S. Attorney’s office by Trump to oversee the probe.
• The action is seen as both personal retribution—Trump’s “long running feud” with Powell for not bowing to his economic demands—and a larger assault on the Fed’s political independence.
• Powell’s Public Rebuke: Powell responded in a rare video, stating:

  "The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president." (AG, 05:54)

• He frames the investigation as a potential tipping point for politicizing monetary policy, warning of the dangers of presidential intimidation.
• Hosts note Powell’s courage in publicly pushing back:

  "Takes a lot of courage and I’m thankful that he did." (AG, 06:19)

• Memorable Snark: DG on Pirro’s grand jury tactics:

  "Box of wine shopped around for a grand jury one time. She’ll do it again." (DG, 07:03)

2. DOJ Civil Rights Division Declines Investigation into Renee Good’s Killing

[07:03–09:19]

• The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, now overseen by Harmeet Dhillon, is refusing to investigate the killing of Renee Nicole Good, shot by a federal ICE officer.
• Normally, federal prosecutors take the lead in high-profile law enforcement shootings, but were told to stand down in this case.
• Video evidence shows not only was medical care withheld from Good after the shooting, but a doctor offering to help was rebuffed by officers:

  "When he said, I’m a physician, they said, I don’t care." (AG, 09:19)

• The hosts frame this as both an unsurprising but "infuriating" abdication of federal accountability and emblematic of a deepening rights crisis.

3. Sen. Mark Kelly Sues Pentagon Over Veteran Free Speech Rights

[09:20–12:03]

• Democratic Senator Mark Kelly has filed a lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon for attempting to censor him, reduce his military rank, and cut his pension for speaking out against the Trump administration.
• The suit sees Kelly (a retired Navy captain and astronaut) defending not just himself, but all military and intelligence veterans’ right to free speech:

  "If you speak out and say something the president or secretary of defense doesn’t like, you’ll be censured, threatened with demotion, even prosecuted. That is not the way things work in the United States of America, and I won’t stand for it." (Sen. Mark Kelly statement, 11:34)

• Filing claims Hegseth’s actions "dismantle bedrock principles" of congressional independence and an apolitical military.
• Hosts’ Reactions:
  DG: "Such a powerful statement." (11:50)
  AG: "There are few things as important as standing up for the rights of the very Americans who fought to defend our freedoms." (11:52)

4. Trump’s Regret Over Not Seizing Voting Machines

[12:03–13:50]

• In a New York Times interview, Trump confesses he regrets not having the National Guard seize voting machines in swing states after the 2020 loss.
• He laments the Guard may not have been "sophisticated enough" to do it—a remark skewered by the hosts:

  DG: "The National Guard is too stupid to pick up a machine." (13:21)
  AG: "That’s exactly what it sounds like." (13:26)

• Trump signals ongoing intent to undermine voting machine legitimacy, a warning the hosts say should not be taken lightly.

5. Trump Administration Pushes Out ExxonMobil from Venezuela Oil Plans

[13:50–15:46]

• Trump announces plans to exclude ExxonMobil from his initiative to have U.S. oil majors revive Venezuela’s oil industry, after Exxon CEO expressed doubts.
• The hosts portray this as chaotic government-by-impulse, with Trump reducing national policy to personal beefs:

  AG: "Probably because they’re like, we don’t even know what he’s talking about." (15:45–15:46)
  DG: "You want me to respond to what, a bunch of fucking nonsense? Hard pass." (15:47–15:52)

6. EPA Will No Longer Count Saved Lives When Regulating Air Pollution

[15:52–18:58]

• Trump’s EPA will cease factoring in lives saved by reducing deadly pollutants in new regulatory cost-benefit analyses, a sharp reversal on decades of EPA policy.
• This move will make it easier to relax pollution limits, benefiting polluting industries at the expense of public health.
• DG and AG criticize the move as both "unbelievable but believable," expressing outrage that policymakers are discounting preventable deaths to help corporations:

  "These old white guys don’t give a shit about the planet they are leaving to their children." (DG, 18:16)

• AG sums up the absurdity:

  "Even Erin Brockovich in a writers’ room would be like, sorry, this is just too on the nose." (18:29)

7. Political Bright Spots: Mary Peltola’s Senate Run in Alaska

[02:38–03:38]

• Former Rep. Mary Peltola, the first Alaska Native in Congress, is running for Senate, offering Democrats a strong chance in a traditionally red state:

  "With all the other races around the country starting to gain percentage points in the Democrats’ favor, If we’re up 14 points nationally, there’s a hell of a chance Peltola could win." (DG, 03:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Powell Investigation:
  “This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions, or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation.” – Jerome Powell [05:54]

• On Trump and Voting Machines:
  “The National Guard is too stupid to pick up a machine.” – Dana Goldberg [13:26]

• On EPA Cost-Benefit Changes:
  “Unbelievable but believable.” – Allison Gill [18:58]
  "Even Erin Brockovich in a writer’s room would be like, sorry, this is just too on the nose." – Allison Gill [18:29]

• On Mark Kelly’s Lawsuit:
  “If you speak out and say something the president or secretary of defense doesn’t like, you’ll be censured, threatened with demotion, even prosecuted. That is not the way things work in the United States of America, and I won’t stand for it.” – Sen. Mark Kelly [11:34]

Listener Interaction & Community

[25:00–35:37]

The show’s signature "Good News/Good Trouble" segment features:

• Grassroots activism spotlights (e.g., WikiICE List boycott tracker)
• Listener art, crafts, pets, and stories of community resilience
• Political engagement updates, including a listener launching a city council run after canvassing for a recall

Notable Listener Quote:
"I decided that I needed to be part of the solution. I just launched my campaign for a seat on town council… it’s a little terrifying, but I take a lot of strength from the courage of the Leguminati." – Mitch, listener [31:14]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Main headlines overview; Peltola's Senate bid | 02:38–03:38 | | Powell investigation & Fed independence | 03:38–07:03 | | DOJ Civil Rights Division & Renee Good | 07:03–09:19 | | Mark Kelly's lawsuit vs Pentagon | 09:20–12:03 | | Trump’s voting machine regret | 12:03–13:50 | | ExxonMobil & Venezuela oil plans | 13:50–15:46 | | EPA ignores health in pollution regulation | 15:52–18:58 | | Good Trouble / Good News community segment | 25:00–35:37 |

Tone & Closing Thoughts

The Daily Beans maintains its mix of humor, sharp critique, and encouragement to stay engaged. Hosts are bluntly honest about the dangers posed by Trump-era legal and administrative moves but keep listeners motivated by highlighting grassroots successes, progressive candidates, and a robust, activist-minded listener community.

Final Host Message:
“All of our shows are free…but if you want to become a patron and help support, you can do it…Because of our patrons, we can afford to pay extremely high wages and continue to employ human beings to do this work instead of AI.” (AG, 34:21)

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