
Friday, January 10th, 2025 Today, Rudy Giuliani will appear in person before Judge Beryl Howell in one of his many contempt hearings; Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito asked Trump for a favor an hour before Trump petitioned the high court to stop his sentencing which so far is scheduled to happen today; Jim Jordan’s star witness in the Biden impeachment farce has been sentenced to six years in prison for making it all up; a New York appeals court rules that the Fox Corporation must face Smartmatic’s $2.7B defamation lawsuit; Virginia Democrats keep control of the state house following the first elections after Trump won; and Allison and Dana delivers your Good News.
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Allison Gill
MSW Media. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Friday, January 10, 2025. Today, Rudy Giuliani is supposed to appear in person before Judge Beryl Howell in one of his many contempt hearings. Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito asked Trump for a favor over the phone an hour before Trump petitioned the high court to stop his sentencing, which so far is scheduled to happen today. Jim Jordan's star witness in the Biden impeachment farce has been sentenced to six years in prison for making it all up. A New York appeals court rules that Fox Corporation must face Smartmatic's 2.7 billion doll dollar defamation suit. And Virginia Democrats keep control of the state houses following the first elections after Trump won. I'm Allison Gill.
Dana Goldberg
And I'm Dana Goldberg.
Allison Gill
Hey, Dana. So everyone's asking how you're doing. What. What's going on?
Dana Goldberg
I'm. I'm safe. We were in the apartment last night, and I think I told everyone it was a lot of smoke and a lot of wind, but we looked out the window and the sunset fire exploded down the hill. Not sure how it started, but it was barreling toward the city. And thank God the winds were low enough that the helicopters could attack it. But, and I'm telling you, if you see fire from your living room, we just decided to evacuate. We didn't even wait for a warning because everything was moving so fast. So we got out, we went to Long beach for night and went back and packed a normal bag, quote, unquote normal, and the air quality is just so bad, we ended up coming south. So I am safe. There's another fire that is barreling near the Thousand Oaks area now. And please just stay vigilant. If you do not have an app called Watch Duty, download it and you're anywhere near these fires, download Watch Duty because it's giving you live updates on evacuation areas, how close the fires are, if you need to get out. So thank you for asking. I am safe. And so much more devastation is happening to so many. So we're gonna keep you posted on everything that's going on there.
Allison Gill
Thank you so much, Jane. I'm so glad that you're safe. And please let us know if you need anything.
Dana Goldberg
Thank you.
Allison Gill
So, you know, Biden and Harris just announced, as right before we started recording this episode, that the federal government, the feds, are gonna cover 100% of the fire response for 180 days. That's six months. So that includes, you know, shelters, first responders, paychecks, cle, things like that. So thanks to President Biden for, for making sure that for the next six months those efforts are funded. He and he and Kamala Harris, like I said, just announced that. So I figured I would, I would drop that in. A lot's going on today. They're supposed to. As of as we sit here right now, Dana, the Supreme Court has not yet blocked Trump's sentencing.
Dana Goldberg
Interesting.
Allison Gill
So as you listen to this, on Friday, we don't know as we sit here whether or not he will be sentenced. But aside from Trump's sentencing, which so far is scheduled to take place Friday, Rudy Giuliani has to show up in court. And this is funny, Dana. He tried to get out of it. He wrote a letter just like he did to Judge Lyman to not have to appear in person and said he was sick and he has health problems and he can't be there in person. And Judge Beryl Howell was like, all right, cool. So you won't mind signing a sworn declaration under the penalty of perjury that you haven't been doing anything else, going anywhere else, traveling anywhere else for the last 30 days because you're too sick, right?
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
Allison Gill
And in response, Rudy was like, fine, I'll be there. So he's, he's going to be there today for that contempt hearing. Harry and I are going to cover it on next week's cleanup on all 45. But, yeah, we're sitting here waiting. I'll check one last time here and I'll check, you know, periodically throughout the show to see whether or not Donald Trump is going to be sentenced today or whether Sam Alito, who he spoke on the phone with, we'll talk about that in a minute to see if he's going to be sentenced today. And again, no news from the Supreme Court on whether or not they will stop Trump sentencing today. So lots going on. Also, it's Fuglsang Friday, so I'll be talking to John Fugelsang later in the show, a good friend of ours. He'll be hosting a live event in D.C. on January 18th. It's also going to be available to stream and we'll talk about that in a little bit. All right. We have a lot of news to get to today, so let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right, first up, this is a bombshell story from from Katherine FDers at ABC, who's really good at this kind of inside reporting. Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito spoke to President elect Donald Trump on the phone Tuesday to recommend one of his former law clerks for a job in the New Administration, this is ABC News has learned this Just gross. He's asking President Trump for a favor. William Levi, one of my former law clerks, asked me to take a call from President Elect Trump regarding his qualifications to serve in a government position. That's what Alito told ABC News Wednesday. I agreed to discuss this matter with President Elect Trump and he called me yesterday afternoon. So Alito saying Trump, Trump called him. The call occurred just hours before Trump's lawyers on Wednesday morning filed an emergency request with the justices, asking them to block a New York judge from moving forward with sentencing Trump on Friday, which is today in his criminal hush money case. So I think it was an hour and 15 minutes before Trump petitioned the Supreme Court. He was on the phone with Sam Alito, probably doing him a favor.
Dana Goldberg
Gross.
Allison Gill
Alito said that Trump and him didn't discuss the matter of sentencing. We didn't discuss it at all. He says, quote, we did not discuss the emergency application he filed today. And indeed I was not even aware at the time of our conversation that such an application would be filed. Alito said. We also did not discuss any other matter that is pending or might in the future come before the Supreme Court or any past Supreme Court decisions involving the president elect, which tells me they totally talked about all of the decisions involving Donald Trump. It's not unusual for a sitting justice to offer a job recommendation for a former clerk. But it is rare, court analysts said, for a justice to have such a conversation directly with a sitting president or president elect, especially one with an active stake in business pending before the court. Late last month, Trump waded into a momentous case over the future of the video sharing app TikTok, asking the justices to delay an impending ban on the extraordinary grounds that he, quote, alone possesses the consummate deal making expertise, the electorate mandate and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the government. On Wednesday, Trump asked the justices to immediately halt all criminal proceedings against him in New York, including Friday's sentencing, warning that failing to do so during a presidential transition would damage the presidency and disrupt national security and America's vital interests. The Supreme Court has asked for a response from prosecutors in New York by Thursday at 10. They turned it in. It's expected to weigh in on Trump's request by Friday morning. So we're expecting a decision anytime now. Levi is being considered for various legal jobs. This is Alito's clerk in the incoming administration, including general counsel to the Department of Defense. Levi, who clerked for Justice Alito, from 2011 to 2012, served in the first Trump administration as the chief of staff to then Attorney General Bill Barr. Alito has previously faced calls to recuse from cases related to January 6. Last year, he rejected Democrats calls for his recusal from those cases after flags flown at his personal residences sparked controversy. Chief Justice John Roberts subsequently declined an invitation by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee for a meeting to discuss the court's ethical practices in light of the flags involving Alito. That whole controversy, remember, he blamed his wife, Senator Dick Durbin and Senator White house, in a May 23 letter requesting Alo's recusal over the flags, wrote that Alito, quote, actively engaged in political activity, failed to avoid the appearance of impropriety and failed to act in a manner that promotes public confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary. He also created reasonable doubt about his impartiality and his ability to fairly discharge his duties in cases related to the 2020 presidential election and the January 6th attack on the Capitol. That's from the letter that the two senators wrote. Trump is due to be sentenced today after he was found guilty in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects. This is electoral interference. The president elect has asked the Supreme Court to consider whether he's entitled to a stay of the proceedings during his appeal, whether presidential immunity prevents the use of evidence related to official acts, and whether the president elect is entitled to the same immunity as a sitting president. So we'll see.
Dana Goldberg
Yeah, we will indeed. Thanks, Alison. This one's from Marshall Cohen at cnn. The disgraced former FBI informant who falsely accused President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden of taking a $10 million bribe from Ukraine was sentenced Wednesday to six years in federal prison. That' to court records. The ex informant, Alexander Smirnoff, who is a dual US Israeli citizen, has been in jail since his arrest last February. The sentencing in Los Angeles wraps up one of the final remnants of Special Counsel David Weiss's investigation into Hunter Biden and related matters. The only order of business that appears to be unsettled is Weiss's final report, which per federal regulations, will be submitted to the Attorney General, who can then release it to the public. Smirnoff's bombshell indictment and the subsequent public repudiation of his fake bribery claims helped derail the Republican impeachment push against Joe Biden. Prosecutors hit Smirnoff with an additional tax charges in November and with a trial looming, he pleaded guilty last month, causing the creation of a false FBI report as well as three counts of tax evasion. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to ask the judge for no more than six years in prison and Smirnoff's team agreed to ask for for no less than four years. Smirnoff has also pledged to pay about $675,000 in restitution to the IRS to make up for his tax evasion. In court filings, prosecutors argued in favor of a six year prison sentence, calling Smirnoff, quote, a liar and tax cheat who betrayed the United States. Prosecutors said his baseless corruption allegations against the Bidens were, quote, among the most serious kinds of election interference that one can imagine. Because they roiled both the 2020 and the 2024 election cycles, Smirnoff's lawyers requested a four year prison term. As I stated, the Justice Department secretly probed Smirnoff's allegations in 2020, but nothing came from it three years later. During the run up to the 2024 campaign, congressional Republicans brought national attention to Smirnoff's unproven allegations and touted his record as an FBI informant. Their claims quickly went viral in the West Wing media ecosystem. Amid that GOP scrutiny, Weiss's team re interviewed Smirnoff in 2023 to vet his allegations as they also investigated Hunter Biden. But Weiss concluded Smirnoff was lying and quote, should be prosecuted himself for repeatedly deceiving the FBI. This is all in the prosecutor's filings.
Allison Gill
And while I'm very happy about this, again, this is another fall guy for the frame job for that Bill Barr worked with, you know, Rudy Giuliani and shit on, on Hunter Biden. That's my two cents. But anyway, I'm glad. Six years. Bye bye. Also from Marshall Cohen at cnn. A New York appeals court ruled Thursday that the Fox Corporation must face Smartmatic's mammoth defamation lawsuit over the airing of 2020 election lies on Fox News dealing a blow to the Rupert Murdoch controlled media giant Smartmatic Voting technology company that Fox News guests and hosts falsely accused of rigging the 2020 election sued both Fox News and its parent company Fox Corp. In 2021. As part of the lawsuit, Smartmatic alleged that Rupert Murdoch and his eldest son, Fox Corp. CEO Lachlan Murdoch directed the cable network to embrace a, quote, disinformation campaign to win back its audience after Joe Biden won the election. The latest ruling represents a key victory for Smartmatic's efforts to go after the right wing media outlet over its promotion of debunked claims that the election was stolen from Trump. In its ruling Thursday, the unanimous New York appeals court cited in part similar legal findings from the Delaware judge who oversaw a related case brought by Dominion Voting Systems over Fox's airing of 2020 election lies. As we know, Fox paid more than $787 million to settle that lawsuit in 2023 in the largest publicly known defamation settlement in U.S. history. Here, consistent with the Dominion decisions, we find that the allegations in the first amended complaint relating to Fox Corporation directing the other defendants to undertake a disinformation campaign sufficiently allege Fox Corporation's direct liability for the challenged defamatory statements. That's what the New York appellate ruling said. The lawsuit is still in the discovery phase but could head to trial later this year unless there's an out of court settlement like they did with Dominion, which is common in media defamation cases. A lawyer for smartmatic, Eric Connolly, hailed the ruling in a statement saying the New York Supreme Court rebuffed Fox Corporation's latest attempt to escape responsibility for the defamation campaign it orchestrated against Smartmatic following the 2020 election. Fox Corporation attempted and failed to have this case dismissed and it must now answer for its actions at trial. The decision comes after Fox Corp. Was dealt another consequential legal setback. And last month a Delaware judge ruled that major Fox shareholders, New York City's pension funds and the state of Oregon can move forward with their lawsuit alleging that the company's board of directors failed to protect investors and shareholders by allowing Fox News to spread lies about the 2020 election, which led to defamation lawsuits. Citing evidence from the Dominion case, the judge said the lawsuit, quote, sufficiently pleads that Murdoch faces a substantial likelihood of liability for consciously causing or willfully allowing Fox News to broadcast defamatory content. So lots of lawsuits against Fox Corp. And I hope they continue to bleed money.
Dana Goldberg
I agree. Thanks so much, Allison. This one's from Olivia Diaz at the ap. Virginia Democrats preserved their state House majority on Tuesday. This is a big deal in the first test of voters energy since President elect Donald Trump's win in November. Tuesday's races were the first official elections in Virginia since November's presidential contest. Democrats now have a very narrow 21 to 19 edge in the state Senate and a 51 to 49 lead in the House of Delegates, preserving their majorities in both chambers during Republican governor Glenn Youngkin's final year in office. The results could limit Youngkin's conservative agenda for the state, requiring the governor to gain bipartisan support for his legislative vision. Democrats win also give the party a small boost days before Trump is set to take office after a decisive victory. I don't agree with that. After a victory that included sweeping the swing states and leaving many liberals. Well, I can agree with this. Feeling demoralized, quote Today voters in Loudoun county once again rejected Republican extremism by electing Conan Srini Basen and JJ Singh Democratic Party of Virginia Chair Susan Swecker. That's what she said in a statement. Their victories ensure that maintain our majority in the General assembly so we can continue passing legislation that benefits all Virginians while rejecting harmful policies in Central and I hope I'm saying this right. Goochland County Republican Luther Cyphers defeated Democratic Jack Tramell in the race to succeed U.S. rep. John McGuire. Now McGuire clinched Virginia's 5th congressional district after narrow defeating former U.S. rep. Bob Good by less than a percentage point in a bitter primary which led to recount last August. In the temp district, conservatives put their weight behind ciphers to succeed McGuire following a lengthy multi ballot primary among Republican voters last month. Cyphers, a Prince Edward county resident, president of a Virginia based kayaking business, said that he never envisioned himself running for office but wanted to bring a different perspective to the legislature, particularly regarding housing and economy. Tramel probably on that one. Tramell, who unsuccessfully ran for the 7th U.S. house District in 2014, hoped to flip the Republican stronghold which supported Trump by more than 25 points in November, according to nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Tramell said he partly decided to run for office because he believed his community should have a competitive electoral process. So seriously, congratulations to the Democrats for holding both state houses in Virginia. It's a big deal.
Allison Gill
Yes, absolutely. Congratulations Democrats in Virginia. And Dana, breaking news. Congratulations to the Manhattan District Attorney and to all Americans everywhere where they live. The Supreme Court has denied Donald Trump's bid to stop his sentencing today.
Dana Goldberg
Wow.
Allison Gill
Donald Trump will be sentenced. Roberts and Barrett, Chief Justice John Roberts, Amy Coney Barrett have joined the liberal justices to deny his bid to stop his sentencing.
Dana Goldberg
So holy shit.
Allison Gill
Wow.
Dana Goldberg
I'm shocked.
Allison Gill
Like I'm. I can't believe it. I can't believe it. All right everybody. With that good news in mind, we're going to talk to John Fugelsang after the break and then discuss listener submitted good news. But first, real quick before we take a break, it's time to get into some good trouble. Hey everybody, today's good trouble is simple. Click the link in the show notes to sign a petition asking President Biden to pardon Reality Winner. Yes, there are other folks that need pardons and we will cover those in other Good Trouble segments. But today we're focusing on the Reality Winner petition. It was sent to me by Reality Winner's mom, who has appeared on our show before and asked me to share it with you. So that is your Good Trouble mission should you choose to accept it. All right, like I said, we'll be right back with John Fugelsang followed by listener submitted Good news. Stick around. We'll be right back.
John Fugelsang
We'll be right back.
Allison Gill
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John Fugelsang
Hi, Alison. I am so excited for all the prices to get lower and the housing to be solved in a Ukraine peace deal by what, like the 21st, right? So good times. Hi.
Allison Gill
Oh, yeah, it's just, it's less than two weeks away.
John Fugelsang
Oh, my God.
Allison Gill
All our problems will be solved.
John Fugelsang
$2 a gallon gas. I was assured repeatedly about this. I am so excited. Lower cost by 50%. I've kept track of everything.
Allison Gill
First of all, how are you? I know you have a place in la.
John Fugelsang
Yeah, I'm okay. I was in LA for much of the last year and the area near me was evacuated, but. But not me. But I'm actually here in New York where we had a white Christmas and 50 degrees the same week. More proof that climate change is a hoax, right?
Allison Gill
Yeah, exactly. But by the way, everyone, if you're new to the Daily Beans and you're new to Fugal Sign Fridays, that was sarcasm.
John Fugelsang
I'm so sorry. Yes.
Allison Gill
You're get a bunch of. You're about to get an earful of. Of a nuance dripping with.
John Fugelsang
Oh, that's me. Oscar Wilde said, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. And I was like, sure it is, Oscar. Sure it is.
Allison Gill
That's the only way to respond. Yeah.
John Fugelsang
It's so good to see you. How are you doing?
Allison Gill
You know, I'm okay. I'm worried about all my friends and, and fram up in. Up in Los Angeles county and it's terrible Ventura and stuff. But, you know, because I've got a bunch of friends in Studio City and Altadena and in the hills and, you know, and Palisades and Malibu and so it's very sad and very devastating and the images and video that's coming out.
John Fugelsang
It's incredible.
Allison Gill
It's apocalyptic. The bulldozers moving cars off Sunset gridlock in Hollywood. Like, it's, it's. It's terrifying and heartbreaking that so many people are losing, you know, everything.
John Fugelsang
Everything. And it's so awful. You'd think that some folks would have a really hard time politicizing it, but they find a way. And what's even more heartbreaking, I'm sure you've talked about this, is how State Farm went ahead last summer and decided to cancel tons and tons and tons of policies in the zip codes that are most affected. They scrapped 1,626 of 2,300 policies in the Pacific Palisade's zip code last summer. 69.4%. So a lot of these folks have money, a lot of them don't. But for many of them, they just had their policies canceled last summer. And a lot of folks hadn't gotten around to getting new insurance yet. So when we say they lost everything, they really have lost everything. And it's worth pointing out that this has happened because insurance companies like the US Military know that climate change is real.
Allison Gill
Well, that was going to be my point, right? We have all these Republican politicians and billionaires pretending that climate change doesn't exist because they want to gut regulations with the help of their oligarch buddies on the Supreme Court so that they can. So that they can, you know, run roughshod over the. Over the American people. So these Republicans pretend climate change isn't real, but then the Republicans that own the insurance companies, the ones that donate to Republican politicians that keep saying that this shit, it isn't real, are the ones who know it's real and are canceling the policies.
John Fugelsang
Exactly right. They know it. They know it.
Allison Gill
One of the most obvious ways of talking out of both sides of their fucking billionaire mouths is to be like, hey, climate change isn't real. Oh, by the way, we're taking away your fire insurance because we know it's totally real.
John Fugelsang
The three most honest entities on climate change in America right now are scientists, the US Military, and insurance companies. And it. I believe the man's name is Donald Trump, who owns a golf course in Scotland. And when they were actually petitioning to build a sea wall on the golf course for the permit, they cited climate change as the reason. So they will admit the reality of the science when it suits their commercial needs, when it suits their electoral needs, they'll call it a hoax. Because, hey, these climate change deniers are not going to Be around to hear their great, great grandchildren curse their names.
Allison Gill
Matt, when I was in the military for 10 minutes back in the 90s station in Florida, they were taking steps to shore up the fact that Florida that, you know, sea level was rising because of climate change. We were talking about shoring up the base at Norfolk because of rising sea levels back in the 90s.
John Fugelsang
That's right. My dad was teaching in Norfolk in the 90s. Yeah, I mean, you know, taking it seriously back then, but you know, this is to be expected. And 11 months ago. Right. Remember at the beginning of 2024, we were watching LA get a year's worth of rain in a week and have life threatening mudslides and floods and now it's the worst fire in history 11 months later. We need to get used to these kind of extremes of weather in our planet and extreme climate might be the next expression we have to use to try to get the message through the people.
Allison Gill
Yeah. In January, no less, we're used to these fires happening at the end of summer when all the brush is dried up up. It's still, you know, it's terrifying. And I mean how, how many alarm bells do you have to sound for how long do you have to sound them for, for people to start picking up on it?
John Fugelsang
But we're a nation that's really fond of hitting the snooze alarm or avoiding our wake up calls.
Allison Gill
Yeah. And there's so many uninformed people. And you know, we can talk about how the media has had a hand in that corporate media, at least, you know, the ones that are funded and owned by people who own insurance companies and Republicans.
John Fugelsang
Yeah. So good times everybody.
Allison Gill
You know, it's like, well, it's us. It used to just be us against them, now it's us against them and the corporations and like it's just, we're.
John Fugelsang
Getting way too negative. We have to remind everybody the good news that eggs are going to be cheap.
Allison Gill
Oh, right.
John Fugelsang
In just about 12 days. And, and, and Greenland can't wait. All the indigenous people of Greenland can't wait to wear MAGA hats. And, and, and Panama wants to be owned by us. So there's, there's so much to look forward to that we were promised throughout a campaign.
Allison Gill
Well, by the way, new reports coming out about the fact that many people were hired by Donald Trump and Trump Jr. And.
John Fugelsang
That's right.
Allison Gill
To appear like they enjoyed his visit to Greenland.
John Fugelsang
Yes. Well, they have a lot of experience paying certain people to pretend they find them attractive, so.
Allison Gill
They sure do. Yeah. Of course they do. Remember, remember the union shop? That wasn't a union shop. They paid $20,000 to stage. Yeah, super fun. Good times.
John Fugelsang
I was talking about strippers and call girls, but I'll go with the union too. Absolutely.
Allison Gill
Well, you know, let's, you know, we touched on the media there a second ago. This was the, the week of the anniversary of January 6th. And you know, Harry Dunn and I have been talking about the whitewashing of what happened on January 6th and how, you know, the, the new regime is desperately trying to memory hole everything that happened that day. We could see pardons. And by the way, the, you know, the people who are in jail right now for what happened on January 6th aren't the trespassers, they aren't the misdemeanor guy. They're the people who attacked police officers, violently injuring 148 police officers that day. Capitol Police officers, Metropolitan PD, et cetera. So, you know, we now we're kind of facing this moment where it appears, at least from what happened on November 5, that the disinformation and misinformation is winning. So where do we stand? What do you think we need to do at this point?
John Fugelsang
Well, first off, let's just be thankful that Joker is emptying the Arkham Asylum in the Gotham prison because the citizens were tired of woke Batman. So that's a win. But you know, this was the end of our 245 year long tradition of a peaceful transition of power. And the media is not going to talk about the fact that it was done in service of a lie. Ashley Babbitt is dead in service of a lie. Those cops were beaten savagely for a lie. This was the forces of white supremacy and Christian nationalism and just brutally stupid thuggery. Renewing their triad marriage vows and beating police for a lie was their baptism. Throwing out the will of the voters was their creed and spreading the lie is their sacrament. This was Trump's violent goal, to take the country with strength. Rudy, trial by combat, all this, this soft, mediocre, unmanly, draft dodging, aristocrat, weakling with too much makeup. And it was terrorism. Our media can't even use that term yet. Four years on. Terrorism, according to the dictionary, is violence or the threat of violence primarily against a civilian population to bring about policy change. This was a domestic terrorism attack and Trump faced zero consequences. And we all know this. But moving forward, I'm with you. I need to hear the police not just talk about the lie that he really lost the election. What about the lie about The. The police escort, that the cops were letting them all in. What about the lie that Trump offered 10,000 National Guard troops to Pelosi, who had the power to turn that down? What about the lie that the FBI had a hand in this and that they were there? What about the. The lie that they're all innocent rioters, all the innocent people who are in jail? You know, I. I want to start hearing reporters. Ask these Republican politicians, give me the name of one of these people that you think is in jail. Unjustly. Give me the name of one. Because right now it's, oh, they're all hostages. Give us the name of one, Marge.
Allison Gill
Pick one.
John Fugelsang
And let's look into the case and what the jury heard and why you think that person's innocent. Again, the press is letting these people get away with it.
Allison Gill
Yeah, it's. It's very frustrating. I would like to see the press also ask Jim Jordan and Jim Comer about their star witness in the Biden impeachment.
John Fugelsang
Wouldn't it? That'd be nice. Yeah.
Allison Gill
Hearings, Quote, unquote, hearings. Who was just sentenced to six years in prison for making the whole story up, Every single bit of evidence, all of it lies. That. That Jim Jordan and Comer were harping on forever spending our tax dollars doing investigations into was a lie. How did they. When did they know that. That they had been lied to? Because I think from the very beginning that. That they made it up. And who told. Who paid this guy $600,000 to lie to the FBI?
John Fugelsang
Exactly. Exactly. I mean, the questions that I'm waiting. Hey, what about John Fetterman's bff, dude, Rokash Patel? I'm so glad these guys found each other in such a scary world. I want to hear someone ask Cash Patel in his confirmation hearings about his November 2022 episode of his podcast where he said the FBI was planning January 6th for a year. I mean, I mean, this. Allison, this little comes out and says the FBI was planning January our terrorism attack, which they're. They're in jail. They're innocent. They did nothing wrong, but the FBI made them do something wrong and was planning it for a year. And let me run the FBI. Like, I really want to hear media or at least Congress people ask about these things.
Allison Gill
Yeah. Or show him a video of his testimony in the Colorado Section 3 of the 14th Amendment case where he testified that Donald Trump never ordered to send 10,000 National Guard. Show him that little bit of testimony and say, is this your testimony? This is what you said under oath. And here's what you said in public. Can you square this circle for us? Just anything like that, I think, could be pretty powerful.
John Fugelsang
I mean, is anybody ever going to ask anybody who built the gallows? Like. Like, okay, we're never going to know who the pipe bomber was, but they. They built a gallows with a noose right in the middle of D.C. in the Open, in the daylight. Did anyone notice who built this? Like, who paid for it? Who paid for the wood? And who carried all that wood right to the center to build a gallows? We haven't. We haven't heard it asked.
Allison Gill
No. No, we haven't. And I'm not sure we're going to get those answers because as. As you and I both know, was riddled with Trump holdovers that just didn't want to do shit. They didn't want to subpoena the Willard. They didn't want to do the search warrant on Mar A Lago. They didn't want to subpoena Scott Perry. They didn't want to execute a search warrant on Clark. They didn't want to go into the locked closet in Mar A Lago, So they just decided not to. They testified to Congress. Oh, gosh, we wanted to catch the pipe bomber, but somehow all of the geolocation data was corrupt. That was Cufari, who, you know, Jamie Raskin has said needs to be fired.
John Fugelsang
That's it.
Allison Gill
For lying to Congress. We've got. I mean, it's never ending, what went.
John Fugelsang
On in the US and you know what? 2006 is not the time to impeach Bush and Cheney for lulling us into war in Iraq. And really, Iran Contra was at that big a deal. Let it go. And listen, if we punish these confederates for their treason, they're just gonna resent us for it. So why don't we let them have Jim Crow? What's the worst that could happen? Happen?
Allison Gill
Yeah, they're just going to do it back to us.
John Fugelsang
We have a black belt in letting the bad guys get away with it in this country. I mean, that's. That's what it is. That's oligarchy. That's what we're watching right now. That's why I'm so glad we're going to use our military to violently take over Panama and Greenland, because that's what the voters voted for.
Allison Gill
Oh, of course. Well, you know, because that comes with cheaper eggs. But if we, you know, if we talk about. At first, I was like, well, at least we'll get the Jack Smith Report, and then dun, dun, dun, Judge Cannon comes in and says, no injunction. You can't release of it, even the stuff that's not in my jurisdiction. So now, because she has put an order on the docket, we have to go to the 11th Circuit. Everything's briefed there. For some reason, Donald Trump thought it necessary to file an amicus brief. But now my worry is that the 11th Circuit will be like you, Cannon. That is the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Go ahead and release your report. Merrick Garland. And we learned that Merrick Garland had intended to release it all along, which is good to know, because I, I was worried that he was going to be too trepidatious to release that motherfucker.
John Fugelsang
Wait, Merrick Garland, the Sid Vicious of jurisdiction? Merrick Garland was going to be trepid.
Allison Gill
You know how I feel about this. But I was worried. I was worried.
John Fugelsang
Oh, folks, he. Alison Gill is broke. You've heard it. She's broken. It's happened. Finally.
Allison Gill
But I was wrong. He. He had intended to release it all along, but now, because it's in the 11th Circuit, every single circuit court of appeals in this country has a Supreme Court justice that sits atop it and gets to decide by themselves, without referring it to the Supreme Court, whether or not they will grant an emergency stay, an emergency administrative stay, so they can think about it a little bit longer. And guess who the Supreme Court justice is that sits atop the 11th Circuit. It is the husband of an insurrectionist, Mr. Clarence Thomas. It will be in his. The one who put in the immunity opinion that he didn't think Jack Smith was appointed or funded appropriately and that Judge Cannon should take a look into it. And that gave her the permission that she needed to dismiss the whole case. He's the one who gets to decide, the one man who gets to decide whether or not we get to see any bit, any part of the January 6th Jack Smith report. So that doesn't bring me any solace. So once again, we have. Even if you can hate Merrick Garland, you could say it was too slow. But he had a trial. He had two trials on the calendar earlier this year. And Supreme Court came in, stepped in and said, nope, nope, Trump is a king. Presidents are kings. So that got all. All shot to those trials were canceled. Now we have. Well, at least we're going to get the report. And we have yet, yet again, the Supreme Court funded by oligarchs, corrupted by insurrectionists.
John Fugelsang
Yeah. So let's. Let me, Let me ask you about.
Allison Gill
That could stop this report.
John Fugelsang
So, so, so I have many. I Have many things here. First off, I live in America, so most of us don't know this bit about Clarence Thomas, but we can tell you all about the finalization of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's divorce. I can tell you so much about Blake Lively and just Doney that I never wanted to learn about. But our media makes sure I, I, I know about the celebrity gossip, so, so that's, that's how they keep us from being civic in this country. Now, now I have this thing I do where I go on my show and I scream a lot about the law and pretend I know what I'm talking about. And then the next day, I come to you and fact check myself to see what I got wrong the night before. This is really, it's really professional, this thing that I do, Dr. Gibb. And I've been doing it for quite a while. I shoot my mouth up and say whatever I want, and then I come talk to you the next day and I, I, I try to see if any of what I said was realistic. So what I understand from this whole episode with Supreme Leader Aileen Cannon, I'm sorry, perpetual Supreme Court auditioner and Supreme Leader, who I, I believe Merrick Garland reports into her. I believe that's how it works. Now, Garland is going to publish the Jack Smith Report about the insurrection case, which we've talked about for a long time, the most important criminal case in the history of this country that will never see trial. But when it comes to, of course, the classified documents, it seems like Garland's way of dealing with this amoral stooge is her attempt to block all reports to ever be made public, is he'll release one, and then, and again, that's more important, more evidence, more testimony about January 6th. And he's going to ignore Cannon because it appears she has what they call no goddamn jurisdiction over that. That and, and is like a crazy lady who's just desperately auditioning for the Supreme Court. But when it comes to the classified documents case, here's what I, I have to ask you about because I've already pontificated about this. So she's trying to force him not to release this report about Donald Trump stealing these documents and lying about it and violating a court order and lying to his own lawyers. And it would land you or me or anyone else in jail for a very long time. So her order forbidding the Attorney General from publishing report that I understand federal regulations say he has to publish if it's in the public interest. So my first question is Donald Trump must be amazingly innocent because that's because they're fighting so hard to keep the report from coming out. Right. He's so innocent, they're doing everything they can to keep the American public from ever hearing the details. Secondly, and this is where it gets kind of dodgy, I need your guidance, Dr. Gill. Couldn't Joe Biden just release this as part of his official presidential duties since anything he does is legal?
Allison Gill
Yeah. Let's talk about this. First of all, it wasn't Judge Cannon's blocking of the report that made Merrick Garland say, okay, I won't release the documents part of it. He was always going to not release the documents part of it, because at some point, the Department of Justice decided that they wanted to keep the appeal going at the 11th Circuit to determine whether or not Jack Smith was appointed appropriately. In order to do that, they took Donald Trump off of it, left his co defendants, Nauta and de Oliveira on it. I thought they were going to drop the entire case so that they could release the full report. But legally speaking, this was actually a cogent argument by Nauta and de Oliveira. They said, look, if the 11th Circuit overturns Judge Cannon's dismissal, we're back being indicted. You can't release the report on us if we're still under, if we could be under indictment in the future, because you'll prejudice the whole jury. You'll say a bunch of stuff, release it to the public, and it'll, it's, it'll definitely prejudice us. And they're right on that. That's why I was very confused as to why the Department of Justice or Jack Smith decided to keep that little part of that case open because it meant that that report wasn't going to be released. But the January 6th case. Yeah. Should totally be released. Let's talk about.
John Fugelsang
So, so hang on. I mean, like, is there any scenario where, because, I mean, Dick Durbin's going to get to read the documents report, you know, redacted. Redacted. Sure. But is there any scenario, you see, where this could just be released to the public and we could finally get all the evidence they've gathered after following this case for, I believe it's almost three years.
Allison Gill
If they drop the case against. If they drop the appeal against Nauta and de Oliveira, and won't that happen.
John Fugelsang
As soon as there's a new doj?
Allison Gill
Right. And that's the big Trump conundrum.
John Fugelsang
And that's why it could be released now, either by Biden doing it with his new special powers Or, Or Garland can do it. Gosh darn it. Joe can give Garland a pardon.
Allison Gill
No, the. The documents report cannot be released unless and until Nauta and de Oliveira are have the case. To say.
John Fugelsang
I like the way I said it on my show better than your factual version, but go on, please.
Allison Gill
But regarding what Joe Biden can and can't do, absolutely he can order Merrick Garland to release the report. As we know, the Supreme Court earlier this year said that we couldn't. That Jack Smith could no longer have Jeffrey Clark, DOJ employee in his list of co conspirators. Nor could he use any. Nor could Jack Smith use any of the Jeff Clark evidence. Because when a President orders the Department of Justice to do something that is absolutely immune. Boom. So Joe Biden could order Merrick Garland to release at least the January 6th report. I still probably don't see them releasing the classified documents report.
John Fugelsang
But if they don't, we'll never see it. Right. If it's not released by January 20, the public will never see it.
Allison Gill
Not necessarily the case. Because Jack Smith wants that to go to Congress like you said.
John Fugelsang
Right.
Allison Gill
And Merrick Garland could make certain announcements that he accepts the recommendations which automatically make it available to release by foia. So somebody could sue. It's how we got the unredacted Mueller report. Buzzfeed filed a FOIA lawsu.
John Fugelsang
But, but, but if, if, if Joe Biden himself published both volumes for both of Smith's cases today, it would be in the public interest and both would be legal.
Allison Gill
If Biden did it, it would be. Again, it would violate the constitutional rights of Nauta and de Oliveira. Of course they're still on a thing which I don't see.
John Fugelsang
Joe Biden, and I'm watching out for now to now, seems like a hell of a guy.
Allison Gill
Yeah, but that leaves a conundrum for Donald Trump because if he dismisses the case or pardons Nauta and de Oeira Era, then he is free to release that second volume of the report. Joyce Vance brought that up and so would Congress be. So, and knowing that Congress has it in their hands, at least two Democrats, Dick Durbin and Jerry Nadler, then would he want to drop the case against those two fellows knowing that these Democrats could release the report? But as far as what Joe Biden could do, I even sent him a letter. I said, hey, Joe, I know it's against its antithesis to everything that you know, because for a bazillion years it has been the norm that you do not tell the Department of Justice what to do.
John Fugelsang
Right.
Allison Gill
There's always been a huge wall between the executive and the Department of Justice so that they can have their independence. Because if we are act like we uphold the rule of law, that's the best way to do it.
John Fugelsang
I just say malarkey when I talk to him as a short cut through all of that.
Allison Gill
I say, I know it's against your, your soul to do that. However, we now have. It is no longer illegal for you to do that. It is no longer abnormal for you to do that. We have a new norm now since the Supreme Court granted immunity and gave their blessing for the President to talk to the Department of Justice over and over and over again and order them to do things, order them to prosecute, order them to send letters to Georgia saying order them to do this. Or, you know, so remember that time when everybody got mad about Clinton talking to Loretta lynch on the tarmac? That's not, that's okay now.
John Fugelsang
No, no, no, it's not for Democrats. Still not for Democrats. Get it right.
Allison Gill
Of course, of course. And that's going to be the man that's going to be the talking point. Oh, he's weaponizing the Department of Justice.
John Fugelsang
Donald Trump was just on the phone with Alito this week about a job.
Allison Gill
Reference an hour before they petitioned the Supreme Court to block his sentencing tomorrow. Today. I mean, unreal know, I know, but I'm trying to convince President Biden that it is now okay for you to order the Department of Justice to do something.
John Fugelsang
I'll tell him, Let me tell him that. I'll tell, I'll, I'll pass it on.
Allison Gill
He's going to get the message. Because now, because as of January 7, all the emails and, and phone numbers are at the White House to leave messages for the President are gone. They're done. They're over.
John Fugelsang
He owes me favors. I'll, I'll talk to him.
Allison Gill
Okay, cool. Yeah, you let him know. But that's, that's my, I'm like, joe, it's cool now. I know it doesn't feel like it, but it is. So.
John Fugelsang
Do you ever feel like you're just so ready for this, this toxic taint period in between election and inauguration Day to just be over and just inaugurate the guy already so we can all just be on the same page and stop this never ending, finger pointing, blame shifting, circular firing squad? I, I just, I, I have to believe that once he is sworn in and we are faced with the absurd, grotesque, ignorant awfulness that it's going to wake A lot of us out of submission and people who have said, I'll never watch the news again. Well, how about this will be a great time for people to be more focused on alternative independent media and be more involved than ever, because I don't think apathy is going to win the day under Trump.
Allison Gill
It'll be nice to have everybody back on the same side and angry at the Supreme Court and the oligarchs.
John Fugelsang
And Trump once again promised, he promised that the Ukraine situation would be resolved by the end of the day on the 21st. $2 a gallon of gas, no more taxes on overtime. He's already said it's going to be too hard to lower prices. He walked back his promise to lower energy costs by 50% by the end of his first year. Instead, he's talking about renaming the Gulf of Mexico. There are already Magas who are beginning to realize they've been suckered by whatever this version of robber barons we have are. And it's going to be a really. Look, I wouldn't want to be the guy who has to defend Donald Trump and Elon Musk for the next four years.
Allison Gill
I don't think you have too much.
John Fugelsang
To worry about, but I wouldn't want that job, man. I mean, like, as awful as it's all going to be, boy, we get to have the, we get to contain our smug for the next four years. Four years. I call the we told you show and it's just going to be us biting our tongue, not saying that all day long. Long.
Allison Gill
Yeah, I agree. Well, all right, my friend, it was really great to talk to you. I know we went a little long today. So thanks to the listeners for hanging in there.
John Fugelsang
Thank you guys so much.
Allison Gill
If you want to listen to John Fugal saying more, you can actually hear him a lot. It's weeknights, 9pm Eastern, 6 Pacific. Tell me everything on Sirius XM progress channel 127 and of course, the John Fang show podcast. My friend, it's been great to talk to you today.
John Fugelsang
Great to see you. And we have one more sexy liberal Show Saturday, the 18th in D.C. it's going to be a pay per view and our guests include everybody from Harry Dunn to George Conway to Olivia Troy to Jojo from Jurors and lots more joining us on stage at the Warner. So thank you, Dr. Gill. We'll see you next time.
Allison Gill
We'll see you next time, everybody. Stick around. We'll be right back with the good news, everybody. Welcome back. It's time for the good news, everyone.
John Fugelsang
Then Good news everyone.
Allison Gill
And if you have good news that tops the fact that Donald Trump will be sentenced today and will be forever known as the convicted felon, send it to us by going to DailyBeansPod.com and click on contact. Even if it's just your feelings about this, I think it's very important to uphold jury verdicts in this country, especially in what we're about to face for the next four years. But if you have any corrections, confessions, good news stories, shout outs, whether it's to a loved one, a kid, a parent, yourself, or a small business in your area that could use some help or maybe your small business, tell us what you're making and what you're creating. We have tons of amazing entrepreneurs that listen to this show and of course shout outs to government programs that have helped you or a loved one. We want, we love to celebrate our institutions and our programs that we've that you know are hard fought programs that we have in place, whether it's the Affordable Care Act, SNAP witness, Head Start, Section 8, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, anything like that, you can send it to us. Plus student debt relief stories. And all you have to do to submit is submit your pod pet tax. You have to pay your pod pet tax, which is just really give us a photo of your pet, which is pretty simple. And if you don't have a pet, give us an adoptable pet in your area. We'll see if we can find him a home. We love to help get get Forever homes for adopted pets. Oh, and you know, any animal photo will do if you don't have either of those things. And of course, if all else fails, send in your baby photos because we love those too. Yes, please, all the baby photos. You should just really do that. Even if you don't have anything to say, just send in your baby photos.
Dana Goldberg
I'd be fine with it.
Allison Gill
Totally. Again, that's dailybeanspot.com click on contact. First up from Kim B. She her greetings badassiest queens of beans. I love it. That's a great superlative first. Thank you AG&DG and the ever growing Leguminati patch for giving us a smidge of sanity, a hill of hope and a shit ton of contextual cussing. All of which keep me grounded, informed and laughing through the endless Trumpster dumps of we are and will undoubtedly continue to be subjected to for the foreseeable future. Excellent sentence. A presumptive correction. One of the submissions to yesterday's good news was sent in by a woman named Valerie, you and Dana seemed unsure of her handle, and I think I might know what it's meant to be. Trump averse. Trump averse. Valerie not.
Dana Goldberg
We're like Trump averse, Trump averse.
Allison Gill
Trump avers.
Dana Goldberg
Trump averse.
Allison Gill
Trump averse. Valerie.
Dana Goldberg
As in she's like those two little monsters on with Electric Company radio.
Allison Gill
Yeah. Or the two that bring the word together. Yeah, as in she is averse to all things Yam shark. I mean, Trump. Just a guess on my part. Yam Shart. I love it. For my pod pet tax, I offered Bodhi our pandemic pup. No official DNA on him, just the info from the dog rescue organization. But I think this might be another one you two will be able to put in the yeah. Column. I'm rooting for you both. You got this. And the cherry on top. My beautiful granddaughter, Margaret Alice, street name Mags. Bodhi, we are told. Oh, they're giving me the answers. Okay, I already looked. Golden, golden retriever, Australian shepherd mix, and now AKA Golden Oz hole. Thanks to the listener who coined Oz Hole and made me laugh so hard that inspired my son to become a new listener.
Dana Goldberg
Look at this baby.
Allison Gill
The baby's face is cute and the puppy is adorable.
Dana Goldberg
Margaret Alice, street name Mags. What up, Mags?
Allison Gill
Yeah, I can see why, Mags, you know what I mean?
Dana Goldberg
That makes me so happy.
Allison Gill
Oh, thank you.
Dana Goldberg
All right. Thank you for that. This one's from Patty. Pronoun she and her. My good news is that I'm paying the pod pet tax for someone who forgot to. In other words, I needed an excuse to share an adoptable dog in hopes of finding her a good home. My wonderful friend Dixie has been fostering Ladybug, a five year old pit bull mix. Dixie says she that she is an absolute love bug and she does well with other kids, but she would prefer to be the only dog in the home. I would love to help find Ladybug a new home, so please check her. If you're in the San Francisco Bay area and looking for a sweet companion, you can find her at Rocket Dog Rescue. And we'll have a link to that in the show notes. And oh my God, this dog is cute as shit.
Allison Gill
You guys. If you adopt this dog, you are going to have an Instagram star forever. Look at this baby face. And by the way, fantastic. Love the name Rocket Dog Rescue. That's so great. So thank you for that submission, Patti. Next up, Big sb Hi, AG and dg. I've been a longtime listener for a few years. I had to take a break after the election to ground myself and refocus. I came back this week and what a delightful surprise it was to learn of the new bird watching feature. Here is a photo of me and my oldest outside an antique mall in Southern Illinois in 2021. It always makes me laugh and has gotten me removed from several antique mall review groups on Facebook. Another proud parent moment was when the same child gave the bird to Trump Tower in Chicago and thoroughly shocked the hell out of our Uber driver. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of that one. Thank you both for all that you do and for continuing to be here for those of us slowly finding our way back to you. To quote the Green Mile I dreamed you were wandering in the dark and so was I. We found each other. We found each other in the dark. All my love and light to all in this community.
Dana Goldberg
Oh man, Green Mile is one of my favorite movies. If y'all haven't seen it, it is good. I also read the book. Yeah, it is good. And this is a great bird watching picture.
Allison Gill
I love that it's gotten you kicked out of antique mall review groups on Facebook.
Dana Goldberg
Oh my God. Seriously? All right, I'm gonna give a shot. This one's from Marcus. Pronouns he, himself, him hello and Good morning Beans Queens first good news. My college friend from Arizona invited my wife and I to a small party in Arizona. We had tons of fun driving from Las Vegas and his cat Tequila chose my chest as her resting spot. Overnight, I took a photo to submit as my pod pit tax. Listening to the podcast yesterday morning, I realized I've never submitted a bird watching photo and I live in Las Vegas Valley. I see the Trump Tower every time I'm on the I15. I was assigned to go to a job site at Resorts World and saw that it had a perfect line of sight to flip the bird at the Trump Tower. Additionally, with the new segment of Good Trouble, I wanted to turn in my homework and share my screenshot of my confirmation email to the Attorney General requesting the release of the report. Thank you so much for making my morning filled with information, swearing and laughter. And yes, here is that return say it has been submitted and received.
Allison Gill
Nice.
Dana Goldberg
Nice bird watching pic and a beautiful kitty.
Allison Gill
Look at the face and you're right. That is a good bird watching line of sight to Trump Tower in Vegas. Well done. Thank you for that sir. And thanks for sending that email in to the Attorney General. All right, next up, Brian pronouns he and him hi Alison, Dana and the Daily Beans crew as we watch Los Angeles Burn and a Russian asset move into the White House. I'm reminded of a book called called the Deluge I read last year and would highly recommend. As a longtime climate activist, sustainability advocate and democratic socialist, I'm increasingly concerned about the near future. The way that things are trending domestically and internationally has us all concerned and anxious, and rightfully so. Our justice system has proven to be bought and paid for by the rich and powerful. Even the mighty Jack Smith and Robert Mueller were no match for dark money and dirty tricks employed by Putin, Trump and other right wing ideologues around the world. So well put Brian. The good news is that all is not lost, but we have a lot of work to do. A song called November to Remember from Bamboo has brought me inspiration recently. Check it out. The bottom line, as Bamboo says, is that we need to get off of the couch, lace up our shoes and get to building face to face, one to one. We can each have a role by engaging with like minded people and building our numbers and power through organizing. We must also have hard conversations with Trump supporters in the coming months, taking opportunities when they come to call out the hypocris, denounce the craziness, and hopefully rescue some good people from their own worst instincts. As we soberly stare down the barrel of authoritarianism, ecological overshoot and possible societal collapse, we must stay focused on strengthening our communities when and where we can. Our San Diego team is producing a new podcast and YouTube channel about bicycle mobility, sustainability, advocacy, preparedness and progressive politics called the Alley of Death. Thanks for all that you do. Fearlessly reporting the truth with context and humor in trying times. Brian Our podpat tax is Otis who AG met when he was a puppy on a bike ride. That was a great day. We went to Thorne Street. Oh this is so cute. Listened to some storytelling. I had a couple of microbrews there brewed by Thorne Street Brewery and I got to meet this amazing pup and the amazing Brian. So thank you for your advocacy, thanks for what you're doing, thanks for your organization organizing. I appreciate you and I appreciate all of you for sending in all of your good news. Even if it's just something little like sending a two minute letter to the Attorney General or flipping off a Trump property and putting it out in the universe. I just, I have to say every little bit helps and you guys are amazing. So thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm double checking to make sure that I'm not incorrect on the fact that Trump is going to be sentenced today.
Dana Goldberg
I just, I saw a news a news alert that The Supreme Court rejected it, so I feel like it might be real.
Allison Gill
This is so fucking cool, you guys. I mean, obviously he's not going to go to jail. He's not going to pay the price that he ultimately is supposed to pay. But right now it's again, we got to microdose, hope we got to take to tiny WS where we can. So.
Dana Goldberg
Absolutely.
Allison Gill
I appreciate you letting. Letting me be happy about that today. And Dana, please, anything you need, let us know. I have posted, and I know you have posted on all my social media, a lot of resources that people in Los Angeles can. Can take advantage of and use animal shelters that are taking animals. So feel free to check my social media for those options. It's just so devastating, so sad. And you know, I live in Southern California. I've lived here for 30 years. I spent many years in Los Angeles. And there's just so many places and people that I know that are being displaced by these fires and including you, my friend. So much, my all my love, thank you so much.
Dana Goldberg
And everyone out there, those are my final thoughts. If you're anywhere near these fires, please be safe. As I said before, have a bag packed. It is just especially this Kenneth fire. It's moving so fast. I just don't want you to get stuck without the things that you could at least need. Make sure you've got your passport, birth certificate, Social Security card. If you can have your papers, the important ones with you and. And just be safe. Just be smart. Be safe.
Allison Gill
Please. Please. Yeah. Thank you so much, Dana, everybody. We'll be back in your ears tomorrow. Until then. No, it's Friday. We won't be back in your ears tomorrow. We'll be back in your ears on Monday. I. I'm sorry, I lose track of time ever since the election, but there will be an episode of the Jack podcast going over everything that's going on with the release of the report on Sunday. And Dana and I will be back in your ears Monday. Until then, please take care of yourselves, take care of each other, take care of the plan planet, take care of your mental health, and take care of your family. I've been AG and I've been dg and them's the beans. The Daily Beans is written and executive produced by Allison Gill with additional research and reporting by Dana Goldberg. Sound design and editing is by Desiree McFarlane with art and web design by Joel Reeder with Moxie Design Studios. Music for the Daily Beans is written and performed by they Might Be Giants, and the show is a proud member of the MSW Media Network, a collection of creator owned podcasts dedicated to news, politics and giants justice. For more information Please visit msw media.com msw media.
The Daily Beans: "Be Ready, Be Safe" Episode Summary
Release Date: January 10, 2025
Hosts: Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg
Produced by MSW Media
A. Rudy Giuliani’s Contempt Hearing
The episode opens with Allison Gill informing listeners about Rudy Giuliani’s impending in-person appearance before Judge Beryl Howell in a contempt hearing. Initially attempting to avoid the court by claiming health issues, Giuliani ultimately agreed to appear personally after Judge Howell required him to sign a sworn declaration under penalty of perjury affirming his inability to travel or engage in other activities for the past 30 days. Gill notes, “[04:00] Dana Goldberg: Yeah,” highlighting Giuliani’s compliance.
B. Donald Trump’s Sentencing and Supreme Court Intervention
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Donald Trump’s scheduled sentencing today related to his contempt charges. Allison updates listeners that the Supreme Court has denied Trump’s bid to halt his sentencing, ensuring that the sentencing proceeds as planned. She passionately declares, “[18:29] Dana Goldberg: Wow.” The hosts emphasize the unanimous decision by Chief Justices John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett to uphold the sentencing despite appeals from Trump.
C. Justice Sam Alito’s Phone Call with Trump
Allison Gill reveals a noteworthy interaction between Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito and Donald Trump. Alito had a phone conversation with Trump recommending a former law clerk, William Levi, for a position in Trump’s incoming administration. This call occurred just hours before Trump’s emergency petition to the Supreme Court regarding his sentencing. Gill states, “[06:17] Dana Goldberg: Gross,” reflecting their disapproval of the Justice’s involvement with the President Elect. Alito maintains that their discussion did not touch upon Trump’s sentencing or any related legal matters, though this proximity raises ethical concerns among court analysts.
A. Jim Jordan’s Star Witness Sentenced
Dana Goldberg reports on the sentencing of Jim Jordan's key witness in the Biden impeachment effort. Alexander Smirnoff, a former FBI informant who falsely accused Joe Biden and his son of taking a $10 million bribe from Ukraine, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for creating fraudulent FBI reports and tax evasion. Gill sarcastically remarks, “[12:24] Allison Gill: And while I'm very happy about this...,” emphasizing the political implications of Smirnoff's conviction as it undermines Republican impeachment narratives against Biden.
B. Fox Corporation Faces Smartmatic's Defamation Lawsuit
The New York appeals court ruling that obligates Fox Corporation to stand trial in Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit marks a pivotal moment in media accountability. Allison Gill explains, “[12:24] Allison Gill: ...which is common in media defamation cases,” drawing parallels to Fox’s previous $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. The ruling signifies a substantial victory for Smartmatic in challenging Fox’s dissemination of election fraud misinformation.
Virginia Democrats Maintain Control
Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg celebrate the recent electoral outcomes in Virginia, where Democrats retained their majorities in both the State Senate (21-19) and the House of Delegates (51-49). This victory comes as the first electoral test following Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential race. Susan Swecker, Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, expressed, “[18:12] Dana Goldberg: ...how they are preserving their majorities...,” underscoring the implications for Governor Glenn Youngkin’s conservative agenda and the broader political landscape as Trump prepares to take office.
Dana Goldberg shares a harrowing personal account of narrowly escaping a devastating wildfire near Thousand Oaks. At [01:20], Dana describes the last-minute evacuation prompted by rapidly advancing flames, emphasizing the importance of preparedness and vigilance. She urges listeners to download the Watch Duty app for real-time updates on evacuation zones and fire proximity, stating, “[01:20] Dana Goldberg: ...download Watch Duty because it's giving you live updates...”
Echoing Dana’s experience, Allison Gill highlights President Biden and Vice President Harris’s announcement that the federal government will fully fund fire response efforts for the next six months. This comprehensive support includes shelters, first responders' paychecks, and critical infrastructure. Gill credits the administration for ensuring sustained funding amidst ongoing and emerging wildfire threats.
The hosts tease an upcoming interview with John Fugelsang, a comedian and activist, who discusses climate change, media accountability, and political strategies. Fugelsang’s segment delves into the politicization of climate disasters and the role of misinformation, reflecting the podcast’s progressive stance on social justice and political integrity.
In the "Good Trouble" segment, Allison Gill urges listeners to sign a petition advocating for President Biden to pardon Reality Winner, a former NSA contractor convicted for leaking classified information. She emphasizes the show’s commitment to supporting individuals who have been unjustly treated by the legal system, encouraging community engagement and activism.
The episode transitions to listener-submitted stories, highlighting positive community actions and personal achievements:
Allison Gill expresses heartfelt gratitude, “[53:46] Allison Gill: You guys. If you adopt this dog, you are going to have an Instagram star forever,” reinforcing the podcast’s inclusive and supportive community ethos.
Allison Gill wraps up the episode by reiterating the importance of staying informed, supporting one another, and engaging in civic duties. She provides a final update on Donald Trump’s sentencing, confirming that the Supreme Court’s denial stands, and expresses optimism for continued justice and community resilience. Dana Goldberg offers a heartfelt reminder to stay safe amid ongoing wildfire threats, “And everyone out there, those are my final thoughts. If you're anywhere near these fires, please be safe. As I said before, have a bag packed. It is just especially this Kenneth fire. It's moving so fast.”
In this episode, The Daily Beans intricately navigates through a series of high-profile legal battles, political shifts, and personal accounts of resilience amidst natural disasters. Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg provide comprehensive coverage with a progressive lens, interspersed with moments of humor and community engagement. The episode underscores the podcast’s dedication to informing and empowering its audience through nuanced discussions and actionable insights.