The Daily Beans — “A Tale Of Two Whistleblowers” (feat. Andrew Bakaj)

Date: February 9, 2026
Host: Dana Goldberg (for Allison Gill, who contributes via interview)
Guest: Andrew Bakaj (Whistleblower Aid attorney, reprising role in both Trump-era intelligence whistleblower scandals)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Beans focuses on the latest developments in political and social justice news, with a primary deep-dive into the ongoing whistleblower scandal involving Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Highlighting parallels to the 2019 Trump–Ukraine whistleblower case that precipitated Trump’s first impeachment, host Allison Gill interviews Andrew Bakaj, attorney for both whistleblowers. The interview exposes concerning patterns of executive obstruction, improper classification, and administrative manipulation in handling whistleblower complaints. The episode is filled with the energetic, irreverent, and justice-focused tone typical of the show.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Racist Social Media Activity — MAGA Excuses & White House Turmoil

[03:00–07:00]

• Trump posts a racist video depicting the Obamas as apes via Truth Social.
• Right-wing influencer Ben Shapiro defends Trump, claiming he lacks the "attention span" to watch the full video:

  "I don't think it has the attention span to get through any of the videos that he has tweeted..." — Ben Shapiro, quoted at [03:50].

• Trump first blames a staffer; staff then defends the post as “fake outrage.”
• Trump ultimately admits posting the video but refuses to apologize, causing chaos among supporters and staff.
• Dana Goldberg’s blunt take:

  “He's always been racist... it runs in the family... The whole thing is a mess. Everyone threw each other under the bus.” [05:53]

2. Immigration, ICE, and Judicial Pushback

[07:00–13:00]

• Judge allows Miramar Martinez (U.S. citizen, teacher’s assistant, police shooting victim) to release ICE agent’s text messages, which suggest ICE officers’ boasts and lack of remorse.
• DOJ seeks to expedite deportation of 5-year-old Liam Ramos and family; judge provides temporary relief.
• Dana’s analysis:

  “They don’t care if people come in the right way, they don’t want them here at all… the cruelty is the point…” [12:30]

3. Congress Accesses Epstein Files

[13:00–16:00]

• DOJ will let Congress review unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files (only three of six million documents).
• Lawmakers forced to review files under controlled conditions—no physical documents, no electronics.
• Dana:

  “What they've uploaded into these computers are actually the full unredacted files? … out of all the things they are covering up this has to be one of the most grotesque.” [15:00]

4. Gateway Tunnel Project — Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Sabotage

[16:00–18:00]

• Judge orders Trump administration to release billions in infrastructure funding for massive NYC rail tunnel.
• Insider reports that Trump tried to leverage the funds in exchange for naming Penn Station and Dulles Airport after himself.
• Dana:

  “The extortion from this government is staggering…” [17:20]

5. Immigration Safety Act in New Mexico

[18:00–19:00]

• Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signs law banning local contracts with ICE for detention centers.
• Dana contends that opposition to detention centers is bipartisan due to inhumane conditions.

Featured Interview: Allison Gill & Andrew Bakaj

[22:14–65:55]

Main Theme: A Tale of Two Whistleblowers

Background [22:14–24:26]

• Allison Gill draws parallels between:
  • The 2019 CIA whistleblower complaint regarding Trump’s call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy (which led to impeachment), and
  • The current, suppressed whistleblower complaint involving DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s handling of sensitive intelligence implicating someone close to Trump.
• In both cases, Inspector Generals’ actions and executive branch stonewalling play vital roles.

The New Whistleblower Case [24:26–32:26]

• Whistleblower is a member of the intelligence community; first reached out to Bakaj after their complaint was stalled within the system.
• The complaint involves intelligence about someone close to Trump—a heads-up given to DNI Gabbard, who then involved the President’s chief of staff and directed that the intelligence not be distributed further.
• Bakaj:

  “… upon receiving a hard copy of that intelligence … [Gabbard] went to the president's chief of staff … and discussed it … the following day … she directed that intelligence not be distributed any further … and make me the only one on the distribution list.” [30:01]

• This process mirrors the Zelenskyy call transcript suppression from 2019, where a politically embarrassing document was “over-classified” and hidden.

Legal and Procedural Issues [32:26–42:12]

• Over-classification is not legitimate if used to hide wrongdoing; now executive privilege is being invoked for the redactions.
• Bakaj flags deliberate process delays:
  • “In this case … they're not redacting for congress because of the classification, now they're redacting … because they're asserting executive privilege.” [33:53]
• Concerns raised around acting ICIG Tamara Johnson, and Tulsi Gabbard placing an overseer (Dennis Kirk) in the IG office, jeopardizing independence.

Timeline Manipulations & Whistleblower Rights [43:45–49:06]

• After the initial urgent concern is filed, process deviates: the acting IG first finds the complaint urgent (but undetermined credibility), then—after apparent Gabbard intervention—labels it not credible.
• Bakaj:

  “That's a crazy way of determining credibility in my mind … No lawyer or investigator would conclude … with only two parties … and making conclusions strictly based on that.” [48:02]

  • Emphasizes the required “urgent concern” process is not for a full investigation, but for immediate notification to Congress.

Current Status & Next Steps [50:42–61:02]

• If Gabbard’s office doesn’t provide guidance, Bakaj plans to brief Congress directly with what he can share, even if it’s only an unclassified summary.
• Notes disturbing 8-month delay vs. one month for the Zelenskyy complaint.
• Critiques shell game of hiding behind executive privilege, lack of oversight, and outright defiance of statutory requirements:

  “It shouldn't take even five months to get it there. People freaked out that it took a month to get the Zelensky report … this one’s eight months... now we’re asserting executive privilege to hide the classified information from the Gang of Eight. It's a shell game. It's really disturbing.” [59:00]

Call to Action and Ways to Help [61:20–64:16]

• Allison encourages listeners to support Whistleblower Aid (tax-deductible donations) and assist in flipping Congress for greater oversight powers.
• Bakaj notes Whistleblower Aid provides free legal and safety services to federal employees, especially in the intelligence community:

  “We provide free legal services … to make sure they are able to lawfully disclose things that they see that are wrong … particularly for members of the intelligence community.” [62:42]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Whistleblower system:

  "[The process] has, I think, been weaponized unfortunately in favor of hiding what happened." — Andrew Bakaj [37:29]

• On urgency and institutional sabotage:

  “[The shell game is]… really disturbing. And here's process wise — you know, what's interesting is… when things don't go the right way, they start eliciting clues…” — Bakaj [59:00]

• On what’s at stake:

  “National security… should not have a left or right posture on this. This should be apolitical. Let's make sure we’re all safe.” — Andrew Bakaj [55:26]

Additional Hot Topics (“Hot Notes”)

• Judge allows public release of ICE texts involved in shooting of Miramar Martinez. [~07:00]
• DHS attempts to fast-track deportation of young child Liam Ramos; judicial pushback provides reprieve. [~10:00]
• Congress gains partial but restricted access to Epstein files; skepticism over transparency remains high. [~13:00]
• Federal judge intervenes in Trump’s stalling of the Gateway tunnel project, exposes attempted extortion for naming rights. [~16:00]
• New Mexico’s passage of the Immigration Safety Act, joining a broader movement against ICE detention contracts. [~18:00]

Community & Good News [68:51–end]

• Community shoutouts:

  • Central Vermont Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels upgrades (with goats!).
  • Overground Railroad in Michigan supports immigrant detainees.
  • Listener stories, pet dedications, and music trivia.

• Legislative call to action: Urges listeners to contact senators to block the SAVE Act, a bill that could disenfranchise millions by requiring passports or birth certificates to register to vote.

Episode Structure & Tone

• Language: Candid, passionate, often irreverent and laced with humor and expletives; deeply values justice, transparency, and civic engagement.
• Format: Rapid news summary > hot picks > main interview > community good news.
• Target Audience: Social justice-minded, politically engaged progressive listeners who value both information and accountability.

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:00–07:00 | Trump’s racist Truth Social post and MAGA excuse-making | | 07:00–13:00 | ICE, Miramar Martinez, and judge’s order on text message release | | 13:00–16:00 | Epstein files: Congress gets (limited) access | | 16:00–18:00 | Gateway Tunnel Project funding battle | | 18:00–19:00 | New Mexico Immigration Safety Act | | 22:14–65:55 | In-depth interview: Allison Gill & Andrew Bakaj on whistleblowers | | 68:51–end | Good News, community updates, legislative calls to action |

Conclusion

“A Tale Of Two Whistleblowers” connects patterns of executive abuse, transparency failures, and civic courage from Trump’s first term to the present. With vital insights from Andrew Bakaj, the episode reveals entrenched institutional efforts to stave off oversight and the importance of effective, fearless legal advocacy and public support for whistleblowers. For listeners, it’s an urgent reminder that the machinery of accountability still needs constant vigilance and their engagement.