For-Profit Dehumanization

Summary

The Daily Beans: "For-Profit Dehumanization" – February 17, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Beans, hosted by Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg, delves into the intersection of governmental opacity, systemic injustice, and the ongoing struggle for human rights and dignity. The hosts tackle headline news including law enforcement withholding evidence in high-profile shootings, federal attempts to erase historical truths, the disturbing conditions within private immigration detention centers run for profit, and a landmark push for unionization by Nevada sex workers. As always, Gill and Goldberg infuse progressive analysis with wry humor and calls to action.

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Key Topics & Insights

1. FBI Withholding Evidence in Police Shootings

• [04:53 - 07:38]
• Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) reports that the FBI has formally refused to share evidence in the killing of Alex Preddy, echoing similar obstructions in other cases.
• The FBI physically blocked BCA agents from collecting evidence at the scene.
• Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty plans to escalate by sending written demands for evidence, as legal process requires documented efforts before seeking a court order.
• Quote:
  “The FBI's refusal to cooperate is concerning and unprecedented.” – Allison Gill [05:04]
• Background: A congressional report accuses the Trump administration of lying to cover up prior misconduct.

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2. Judicial Ruling: Restoration of Slavery Exhibit at Washington’s Philadelphia Home

• [07:38 - 11:09]
• Judge Cynthia Roof (a G.W. Bush appointee) orders a slavery-related exhibit be restored after the Trump administration removed it, likening the erasure to Orwell's 1984.
• Trump’s executive order sought to “uplift” national monuments, banning portrayals of inherent American flaws, prompting Roof’s rebuke.
• Quote:
  “An agency cannot arbitrarily decide what is true based on its own whims or whims of the new leadership.” – Judge Roof (via Dana Goldberg) [09:06]
• Emphasis on the legal obligation to consult with the city before altering national historic sites, upholding historical transparency.

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3. Department of Justice Letter on Epstein Files Redactions

• [11:16 - 13:09]
• DOJ sends a letter to Congress with a general description of redacted Epstein files and a list of all notable people mentioned—regardless of connection.
• Notable Moment:
  Discussion of random names, including celebrities like Kurt Cobain and Jon Stewart, being dragged into the file by virtue of tangential mentions, illustrating a “ridiculous” approach to transparency.
• Quote:
  “I’ve seen FOIA requests that have more details than what the DOJ provided.” – Allison Gill [12:19]
• The hosts preview a deeper dive into the letter on their Beans Talk spinoff.

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4. Horrific Conditions in For-Profit Immigrant Detention Centers (CoreCivic)

• [13:09 - 20:56]
• Outbreaks of measles at CoreCivic-run facilities in Arizona and Texas, highlighting poor healthcare and unsanitary conditions.
• Detainees and lawyers share accounts of neglect: delayed care, lack of meds, children denied treatment unless seriously ill, and staff referring to detainees as “bodies.”
• Quote:
  “The cruelty is the point. They don’t see these people as humans.” – Dana Goldberg [15:31]
• Case studies: 18-month-old with critical illness, diabetic patient deaths, lawsuits from whistleblower staff.
• CoreCivic boasts about holding 23% of ICE detainees; their revenue from ICE has doubled as conditions worsen.
• Quote:
  “They just don’t have the infrastructure for this. And they know it and they don’t care.” – Allison Gill [15:27]
• Calls attention to the dehumanization inherent in the for-profit detention business model.

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5. Nevada Sex Workers Launch Historic Unionization Drive

• [21:05 - 25:18]
• Workers at Sherry’s Ranch in Pahrump, NV, push to form the United Brothel Workers, aiming for the first unionized legal brothel workforce in the U.S.
• Motivated by exploitative contracts (e.g., loss of control over likeness, wage policies), they demand fair treatment and protections.
• Quote:
  “We want the same things any other workers want. We want a safe and respectful workplace.” – ‘Jupiter Jetson,’ Sherry’s Ranch [21:18]
• They seek recognition as employees (not just contractors), which would grant full labor rights.
• Connection to similar labor wins (Star Garden dancers, Lusty Lady).

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6. Black History Month Feature: Katherine Johnson

• [03:17 - 04:52]
• Celebration of NASA “human computer” Katherine Johnson’s contributions to space flight, launched by Allison Gill’s personal admiration.
• Quote:
  “She was always a hero of mine… got me into mathematics.” – Allison Gill [03:31]
• Nod to “Hidden Figures” film and Johnson’s Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the DOJ's Epstein letter:
  “Fucking dicks.” – Allison Gill [12:43]

• On CoreCivic’s medical neglect:
  “People with injuries often wait days or weeks for X-rays. Diabetes patients lack regular access to insulin.” – Dana Goldberg [14:02]

• Testimony on dehumanization:
  “It’s hard to think you’re going to make it out alive when they’re already referring to you as a ‘body.’” – Recapped congressional testimony [15:58]

• On Trump history order:
  “Restoring truth and sanity to American history. Go fuck yourself.” – Dana Goldberg (editorial aside) [09:23]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| MM:SS | Topic | |-------|--------------------------------------| | 01:40 | Episode headlines (“Hot Notes”) | | 04:53 | FBI withholding evidence (MN shootings) | | 07:38 | Federal judge: Restore slavery exhibit | | 11:16 | DOJ letter on Epstein file redactions | | 13:09 | CoreCivic detention camps abuse | | 21:05 | Nevada sex workers’ unionization effort | | 03:17 | Black History Month: Katherine Johnson |

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Tone & Style

• Progressive, snarky, compassionate, and action-oriented
• Balances serious investigative reporting with biting wit and calls for activism

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Additional Segments

Good News & Good Trouble ([29:58])

• Celebrations of community resistance to ICE detention centers (e.g., warehouse owners refusing sales in Texas and Utah)
• Shout-outs to supportive faith communities, local activism, and pet photos

Listener Engagement

• Encouragement for listeners to send in good news, activism, pet stories, and shout-outs

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Conclusion

This episode spotlights the insidious effects of for-profit policy—from detention centers to labor rights—while lauding historical figures and present-day activism. By naming and dissecting dehumanization, governmental opacity, and racist erasure, Gill and Goldberg model not just awareness but tangible, local steps for resistance and solidarity.

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For full details, memorable moments, and ways to get involved, listen to the full episode of The Daily Beans: "For-Profit Dehumanization."

Transcript

[Martin Sheen]

You can always count on Sunday to be the best day of the week. You can sleep in, go off your diet, spend the day in your pajamas and go on, have that second croissant. You know what else you can count on every Sunday? The Martin Sheen Podcast. Join me, your host, Martin Sheen, for beautifully crafted 20 minute programs filled with never before heard stories of my life, along with personal reflections and poetry that inspires. And season two beginning begins Sunday, February 1st. The Martin Sheen Podcast is the perfect Sunday relaxing companion. A chance to put your feet up, take a deep breath and enjoy some stress free listening time from the comfort of your favorite easy chair and that second croissant that stays between us. There's no judgment here, so make my podcast your weekly moment of calm as we explore faith, hope, love and and what it means to be human. And rest assured, this journey is ever unfolding as I invite you to see what's next with me, Martin Sheen. So let's keep Sunday the best day of the week together and thank you for listening.

[Allison Gill]

MSW Media.

[Dana Goldberg]

News.

[Allison Gill]

We're swearing daily beans.

[Brian Caram]

Jelly beans.

[Allison Gill]

Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Today, Minnesota says the FBI has formally refused to share evidence in the Alex Preddy murder. The Department of Justice has sent a letter to Congress attempting to justify their redactions and withholdings of Epstein files. A federal judge has ordered the restoration of a Philadelphia slavery exhibit. Sick detainees describe horrible conditions at concentration camps operated by Core Civic. And Nevada sex workers are pushing for an historic fight to unionize. I'm Allison Gill.

[Dana Goldberg]

And I'm Dana Goldberg.

[Allison Gill]

Hello, my friend. Happy Tuesday.

[Dana Goldberg]

Happy Tuesday to you, my friend. How you doing?

[Allison Gill]

I'm okay. I feel like I'm losing my voice. I don't know if I'm using it.

[Dana Goldberg]

Too much or how could that possibly be the case?

[Allison Gill]

I think it's just maybe tired. Like it's like 15 shows. Allison, come on. A week. Let's stop, please. I think it's just angry. So, you know, I hope everybody kind of bears with me. I sort of have. It's like a Kathleen Turner deep voice today. But, you know, I'm okay. I'm getting rest and next week I'm going on vacation.

[Dana Goldberg]

I'll be flying solo the whole week, everyone. So strap in. We're doing this.

[Allison Gill]

Strap. Strap in. Right?

[Dana Goldberg]

Strap in and strap on. We're doing this. Let's go.

[Allison Gill]

There you go. Thank you, my friend, for covering for me. I was gonna. You know, normally I work on vacations, but this time I was told to put down the shows, step away from the microphone and calm down for a week and just don't do anything. So I'm kind of looking forward to that. So thank you, my friend, for covering for me.

[Dana Goldberg]

Of course.

[Allison Gill]

Today for Black History Month, I want to highlight one of my favorite people ever. Her name is Criola Catherine Johnson. She's an American human computer whose calculations of orbital mechanics at NASA were critical to the success of the first and subsequent US Crewed space flight. So I absolutely love her so much. She was always a hero of mine. It got me into mathematics.

[Dana Goldberg]

Her work is incredible. Johnson's work actually includes calculating trajectories, launch windows, the emergency return paths for Project Mercury space flights, including those for astronauts Alan Shepard, that is the first American in space, and of course, John Glenn, the first American in orbit. There's a difference there. And rendezvous paths for Apollo lunar module and command module on flights to the moon.

[Allison Gill]

Incredible.

[Dana Goldberg]

Her calculations were also essential to the beginning of the space shuttle program. And she worked on plans for a human mission to Mars. So I have a feeling everything that SpaceX is doing can probably be traced back to a black woman. Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. That's why I don't like the privatization of space.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, no kidding.

[Allison Gill]

Especially to that asshole. But if you want to learn more about Johnson's work, you can watch the incredible movie Hidden Figures.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes, indeed.

[Allison Gill]

Came out pretty recently. She's just like, I was a mathlete because of her. Like, I had so much respect for her. And I did all that like a paper whenever I got a chance to do a paper on, you know, pick your favorite hero or whatever. I always did. I was Katherine Johnson. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Obama in 2018. To your death.

[Dana Goldberg]

Amazing. Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

All right, everybody, it is time for the news. Let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right, everybody. First up from cbs. Minnesota's top investigative agency said Monday the federal government has formally refused to hand over evidence and information in the killing of Alex Preddy. The Bureau of Criminal apprehension, that's the BCA in Minnesota, said that the FBI's refusal to cooperate is concerning and unprecedented. The FBI has also withheld evidence in the killing of Renee Good and the shooting of a Venezuelan man last month. The BCA said it has reiterated requests for evidence and information in all three shootings. Quote, our agency has committed to the FBI and the Department of Justice that should its stance change, we remain willing to share information that we've obtained with the agency and would welcome a joint investigation. That's what BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said, we will continue to pursue all legal avenues to gain access to relevant information and evidence.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Now.

[Allison Gill]

Federal agents shot and killed Preddy in south Minneapolis on January 24th. Federal investigators physically prevented BCA agents from gathering evidence at the scene. And the BCA successfully requested a restraining order to prevent the Department of Homeland Security from destroying evidence. Days later, though, as we talked about here on the beans, a federal judge lifted that order, saying the concerns over evidence tampering were undeveloped. On Sunday, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty told WCCO she plans to send a written demand for EV in Preddy's killing to the US Department of Justice and Homeland Security. She previously sent a similar letter in regard to goods killing and is investigating the shooting of the Venezuelan national as well. And I'm like, at first I was like, why are you just writing letters? You kind of have to do that to establish a pattern, right? That's where you have to start if you want to go to court. Because the court will say, well, what have you done to try to get these things before I force them?

[Dana Goldberg]

That makes sense.

[Allison Gill]

And you have to show them letter. I wrote all these letters and then they okay, well now I if they aren't responding to your letters. So it's kind of like, you know, adhering to due process the other way now. Earlier this month, Pretty's family called for the FBI and BCA to investigate his killing jointly. Quote, justice and accountability requires a thorough and impartial investigation to establish the facts. A truly joint state and federal investigation would be a welcome development, the family said. A report released by the Democratic members of the U.S. house Committee on Oversight and Government Reform earlier this month accused the Trump administration of lying to cover up misconduct in the killings of Good and Pretty. So we'll see how this goes. But I'm assuming, Dana, there will be a letter writing campaign like is happening now, and then it will possibly turn into a request from a court.

[Dana Goldberg]

I imagine you are correct, AG all right, this next story is from Politico. A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore slavery related exhibits at the national park site on the foundation of former President George Washington's home in Philadelphia. In a withering opinion Monday, Judge Cynthia roof invoked George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, saying the administration had attacked the concept of truth itself as it sought to raise details of America's legacy of slavery. She said the removal of the exhibits in January papered over Washington's ownership of slaves and the special measures he took to avoid those enslaved persons gaining their liberty while he lived in Philadelphia from 1790 to 1797. And I quote, the government here likewise asserts truth is no longer self evident, but rather the property of the elected chief magistrate and his appointees and delegates. This is the George W. Bush appointee, by the way, continue to say, and why? Solely because, as defendants state, it has the power. They're doing it just because they can. And went on to say an agency cannot arbitrarily decide what is true based on its own whims or whims of the new leadership. This is from the judge, Roof declared in her 40 page ruling issued as the nation celebrated Washington's birthday. A preliminary injunction the judge issued requires the Trump administration to reinstall the removed exhibits, which also marked the escape of one of Washington's slaves, one a judge, and her subsequent life in New Hampshire. Roof said Judge's story was an essential component of the site's selection under a 1998 law meant to commemorate stops along the Underground Railroad's network to freedom. Spokesperson for the Park Service and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Roof said the only basis the Park Service provided for its action was an executive order that Trump signed last March entitled, and I quote, restoring truth and sanity to American History. Go fuck yourself. That was my addition. Obviously that is just so.

[Allison Gill]

It's so Orwellian. I'm glad that this judge quoted Orwell.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know Trump's order called for public monuments to be uplifting. Uplifting. He also took aim at displays that depict the US as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive or otherwise irredeemably flawed, which after everything I've learned over my lifetime, we definitely are. Such exhibits foster a sense of national shame. That's what Trump complained. Justice Department lawyers argued that the federal government has the right to express its views on such subjects. But the judge said unilateral changes that the Trump administration made as an independent national historical park violated federal law and longstanding agreements required consent of the city and federal government. Those laws and agreements, dating to 1948, were intended to preserve significant structures associated with the Revolutionary War and the nation's founding. And another quote from the story to end on this one restoration of the president's house does not infringe upon federal government's free speech. Nor is the government prevented from conveying whatever message it wants to send by wiping away the history of the greatest founding father's management of persons he held in bondage. This is from Roof went on to say, the government can convey a different message without restraint Elsewhere, if it so pleases, but it cannot do so to the president's house until it follows the law and consults with the city.

[Allison Gill]

Good. Good for her. Yeah. What'd you say? G.W.

[Dana Goldberg]

Bush appointee, indeed.

[Allison Gill]

All right, thanks. Judge Roof. Next up from Reuters, U.S. department of justice sent a letter to lawmakers regarding its redactions in the files pertaining to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. And this is from Politico, but reported in Reuters. Politico reported that on Saturday. The letter, required by law, includes a general description of the types of redactions and a list of notable people mentioned in the files, which is just like, have you seen this list? It's just like anybody who's mentioned anywhere in the file, like, if somebody sends a news story and it happens to have, like, a clipping of some, like, Nirvana was playing one night. So Kurt Cobain, they put it. They're like, he's on the list.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yep. Jon Stewart was in there because someone said that he should audio narrate one of the biographical stories of one of these people. Like, literally, they said Jon Stewart should do it. He was like, what the.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, yeah. And even though Mueller, she wrote, is mentioned in a lawsuit that was released in the Epstein files, I'm not on this list. I just want to let everybody know.

[Dana Goldberg]

There you have it.

[Allison Gill]

I thought I would be considered a politically exposed person, but I guess not. Anyway, this letter is ridiculous. I've seen FOIA requests that have more details than what the DOJ provided. But the letter also includes that list of people, even if they had no interactions with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, but were mentioned in sources like press clippings. The letter sent to the leaders of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees does not state what context a name appears. It just lists the name. Fucking dicks. We're going to go over that letter in more detail on today's episode of Beans Talk. And also, just so everybody knows, we dropped the audio version of Beans Talk into the daily Beans feed. So that's why you got that on Monday, just to kind of let you know that it has its own feed. So you can go and listen to it if you want. But maybe, I don't know if you guys want us to keep dropping it into this feed or you want to go get it in its own feed, but it's out there.

[Dana Goldberg]

All right, this is from the Times. Cases of measles, everybody. It's a highly contagious virus that spreads in close quarters, cropped up in two centers of unauthorized immigrants in Arizona and Texas last month. The centers are almost a thousand miles apart, by the way, yet they have one thing in common. They're operated by Core Civic, the publicly traded detention, publicly detraded detention center. That's disgusting. The company has secured contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars since President Trump took office last year. But it has a checkered track record of providing medical care to the people in its facilities. In recent years, it's been accused of falsifying records to disguise unsafe conditions, failing to provide life saving medications, and being slow to take critically ill people to the hospital. This is according to court records, government audits, sworn declarations, and interviews with lawyers and people who were actually detained there. Corecivic disputes those accusations and says it provides quality medical care. At Central Arizona Florence Correctional center in Florence and at the Dilley Immigration Processing center in Texas. Health officials said this week that the spread of measles was limited and appears to have stopped. But aside from the outbreaks, more than a dozen detainees and immigration lawyers in both states detailed unsanitary conditions and lax care. They described hours long waits to see a nurse, only to be turned away until that they were not sick enough to receive care. People with injuries often wait days or weeks to receive X rays. Diabetes patients lack regular access to insulin. And people hoping to see outside specialists, such as cancer doctors or dentists, are frequently just denied. Many of the detainees and their lawyers had accounted for this. Those lucky enough to see a doctor and get prescription drugs sometimes wait days or weeks before the medication arrives. Illnesses spread rapidly throughout the facilities, the detainees and their lawyers said, accelerated by sleeping quarters that are often cramped and communal bathrooms that are often filthy. Two families and one immigration lawyer said in interviews that when several children fell ill with stomach ailments at dilly core civics, medical staff refused to treat them unless they had already vomited at least eight times.

[Allison Gill]

Eight times.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

They just don't have the infrastructure for this. And they know it and they don't care. You know what I mean?

[Dana Goldberg]

No, they do, of course. Absolutely. The cruelty is the point. They don't see these people as humans.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, they don't. And the story continues. And we heard that through that testimony of Aaliyah in Congress where she said, you know, the woman who had a traumatic brain injury and was dragged out of her car, she testified before Congress.

[Dana Goldberg]

Which was an incredible testimony.

[Allison Gill]

And she said they called them bodies.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yep. You remember, we already got a body in this room, we got a body in that room.

[Allison Gill]

We're bringing him in seven, eight bodies at a time. And she says it's hard to think you're going to make it out alive when they're already referring to you as a body. Yeah. And I, I thought just how dehumanizing that is. That is, that is because they have been ordered to call them that to dehumanize them. Yeah. All right. The story goes on from the Times here. Last month, an 18 month old at Dilley was taken to a regional children's hospital with dangerously low blood oxygen levels after her parents had begged for weeks for someone at the facility to address her illness, the parents said in an emergency petition for her Release. Now, a 35 year old woman released last week said medical staff initially refused to see her after she began hemorrhaging profusely, soaking through six sanitary pads in an hour. She was ultimately eventually taken to a hospital. And last summer, a 32 year old man died at the Florence center after being detained at the facility for about three weeks. The man had been detained even though he was seriously ill with diabetes and had recently been hospitalized with dangerously high blood sugar. They're not getting their insulin to them now. Founded as the Corrections Corporation of America in 1983, CoreCivic was one of the first for profit prison companies in the country. In 2016, it changed its name as it pivoted away from prisons. On Thursday, Corecivic executives told investors that 23% of Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees are in facilities run by their company. They're bragging about this.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

And. And that ICE is the company's largest customer. A nurse at another Corecivic facility in San Diego has raised similar claims. In February 2024, the nurse sued Corecivic for wrongful termination. And in her lawsuit, she claimed she had faced retaliation after raising alarm bells about medical care. She accused the company of operating with skeletal staffing, sometimes just two nurses. For 1500 detainees. That's insane. That is. That led one man to develop a dangerous infection and another to go into multiple organ failure while she was there. The lawsuit was settled confidentially. Now, Mr. Owen, the spokesman for Corecivic, denied that the nurse was fired because she raised concerns about medical care. Now, family members and local Democratic state representatives have raised questions about the death in August of Lorenzo Antonio Batraz Vargas. That's a 32 year old man. He died in Corecevik's Florence facility. Mr. Vargas had multiple health problems, including diabetes, elevated blood sugar and a foot wound, and he contracted Covid while he was in the detention center. According to an initial ICE summary of his death, Vargas was found unresponsive and was later pronounced dead. The summary details how medical staff would check Mr. Vargas blood sugar levels on multiple occasions, like they would frequently check his blood sugar until he got Covid. They isolated him. Then it appears the blood sugar checks stopped.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, wow.

[Allison Gill]

So they're saying he died of COVID I think he probably died of his diabetes and not having insulin.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, I would assume you're correct.

[Allison Gill]

Now, at Dilley, which is about 70 miles south of San Antonio, immigration lawyers have logged more than a thousand complaints of poor medical care since the facility was reopened by Trump last April. One mother and father from Russia who'd been at Dilly since October sat in a sworn declaration in court and in an interview that when they arrived, their 11 year old daughter had an earache. But medical staff did a cursory examination and dismissed them. They returned repeatedly as their daughter developed a fever of 104, only to be told her problems were caused by allergies. Now, she was eventually given eardrops and antibiotics, but she lost some of her hearing and was still in pain. And her family noticed pus coming out of her ear. As of last week, her hearing still has not fully returned. Now, the mother, whose name is Oksana, said the patients at Dilly who need medicine often wait long lines and they do that outside in the evening. One worker mocked the children, children crying in line, she said. Oksana and other detainees spoke on the condition that their last names be withheld because they're afraid of retaliation. In other cases, families reported the staff downplayed their concerns, too, until they became medical emergencies. In January, an 18 month old named Amalia developed a fever that lasted nearly 19 days. She lost two pounds. She spent several days in the hospital and was diagnosed with COVID pneumonia and other infections. Anastasia, the 35 year old mother who was hemorrhaging so much, said she was eventually taken to a hospital after pleading with the staff and they demanded proof so she had to show them her bloody sanitary napkins.

[Dana Goldberg]

It's insane.

[Allison Gill]

She was prescribed medication that took weeks to arrive and the bleeding continued. Late last week, she and her family were released after spending more than 120 days at Dilley. Days later, CoreCivic reported its fourth quarter earnings. Revenue from ICE more than doubled and the company's chief executive boasted that 2026 was shaping up to be another year of strong growth.

[Dana Goldberg]

Thank you so much, Alison. Not a great story, but we are going to continue to report on stuff like this. This one is from the Associated Press. Nevada is the only state.

[Allison Gill]

This is a great Story. You've got a great story here.

[Dana Goldberg]

Okay. Nevada is the only state where people can legally purchase sex. That's my first line. I don't know where Allison is going with this, but she says this is a good. And now sex workers at one of the state's oldest brothels are fighting to become the nation's first to be unionized. This is a fantastic story. And I quote, we want the same things that any other workers want. We want a safe and respectful workplace. And this is one of the workers at Sherry's Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, said, who goes by the stage name Jupiter Jetson, and asked that her legal name not be used for fear of harassment. Now, prostitution is legal at licensed brothels in 10 of Nevada's rural counties. That doesn't include Clark county, home to Las Vegas, though Sherry's Ranch is about an hour's drive away. The majority of the brothel's 74 sex workers submitted a petition to unionize with the National Label Relations Board last week under the name United Brothel Workers, represented by the Communication Workers of America. Now, Judson said that the drive was spurred by a new independent contractor agreement issued in December that would give the brothel power to use the women's likeness without permission, even if they no longer work there. Oh, and I quote, this is how you end up the face of a Japanese lubricant company without ever having signed a document. This is how you end up finding yourself on a website offering AI companionship without ever seeing a penny. Good for them.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Now, sex work and the employment rights of those who do it remain a largely taboo topic worldwide. Prostitution's only legal in a handful of countries, including Germany. And organizing efforts vary. In Spain, where prostitution is unregulated, the government approved a union for sex workers in 2018, but a court quickly outlawed it, saying it made the exploitation of prostitutes legal. And I quote, all workers are guaranteed certain human decencies and dignities and the right to organize as one of them. This is from Mark Ellis, state president, the Nevada Communication Workers of America. The process could go back and forth for weeks, but the brothel could choose to recognize the Communication Workers of America as the sex workers representatives and begin negotiating a new contract immediately. This is according to union attorneys. Sex workers are typically classified as independent contractors. This is from Barb Brentz, and she's an expert in Nevada sex industry and retired professor at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. Independent contractors do not get as many legal protections as employees, but they usually get more freedoms. The success of their unionization could come down to a debate between whether they are considered independent contractors or employees. The independent contractor status is fundamental to the workers autonomy. This is a lemur. But the women argue that they are treated as employees. They have set schedules, they can't work from home, and they are required to charge a minimum of $1,000 per hour to their clients. Is what Ella said. Shares ranch gets 50% of what they earn. And I quote, in our dream scenario, we would like to be recognized as employees because we would like the full rights and bargaining power that employees have. This is from Jetson. With many of the women making their own online content, they want their intellectual property protected. They also said they want to negotiate over their dress code. They were recently told they can only wear denim shorts, not pants, and that they'd like to see a fairer wage contract. Wilder said she's also like to negotiate for health insurance, which they are not provided. Other workers in the sex industry have seen success. In Los Angeles, dancers at the topless bar Star Garden became only unionized group of strippers. In the US The Lusty Lady San Francisco strip club was pioneering when its work unionized in 1997. It is closed, however, at this date. Brent said the Sherry Ranch courtesan's efforts is significant in a stigmatized industry in which its workers historically lay low and stay quiet. And I quote, it's pretty amazing and heartening to see so many sex workers standing up for their rights.

[Allison Gill]

That is really awesome. Thank you for that.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, it is.

[Allison Gill]

I hope they get it. I think they should. I think the communications workers would represent them well. And I don't, you know, is there even anybody left at the National Labor Relations Board?

[Dana Goldberg]

I got no idea.

[Allison Gill]

Oh, we're in such a dystopia right now.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know.

[Allison Gill]

I'm proud of these. These folks getting unionizing. Good for them. That's amazing. All right, everybody. We have good news that we have to get to, but we have to take a quick break. Stick around. We'll be right back after these messages. We'll be right back. If you live with cats like I do, you know, the constant search for a litter that controls odor without creating new problems. With so many brands out there, it is surprising how few really deliver. Boxy Cat does though. And it makes the litter box sit feel manageable. Boxy Cat, we have an offer. Enjoy. 30 off with code Daily Beans at boxycat.com DailyBeans now. I used to think a litter box smell is just part of having cats. You just have to deal with it. But then I realized I was doing way too much to compensate. I had air fresheners everywhere. My windows were cracked all the time. Litter box was hidden in a shameful like a shameful secret in a piece of furniture. It's genuinely funny how many of us try to disguise it like a that decorative cabinet thing is going to outsmart the cat odor from from coming inside. Now what would make me switch brands is simple. If I'm still smelling it, and if I'm having to dump the entire box constantly just to keep it tolerable, then I'm out. That's why Boxy Cat stands out to me. The pro in Boxy Cat Pro stands for probiotics, which helps stop the bacteria that cause odors. It keeps the box continuously odor free, essentially forever, as long as you scoop. It also clumps incredibly well. So scooping is easier. It's less messy. And instead of emptying everything and starting over all the time, all you do is scoop and top off. It saves time, it saves litter. It makes the whole routine feel manageable instead of gross. So if you're tired of switching litters and looking for the one, get boxy at Boxy Cat. B O X I e c a t dot com it is the last litter you'll switch to. Enjoy 30 off with code daily [e-mail] DailyBeans that's B-O-X I e c a t dot com DailyBeans all right, you know how one slightly wrong bra can ruin an otherwise perfect outfit? But Honeylove is built for that problem. It is a female founded brand designed by women who actually wear the pieces. So the fit and comfort are intentional, not theoretical and everything moves with you. I tried Honeylove after being fed up with the bras that look fine for 10 minutes and then spend the day sliding and needing constant adjusting. I was surprised for how comfortable it felt while still being very supportive. It stayed put. The silhouette is beautiful, it worked under everything and honestly made getting dressed easier. So now you'll understand why we want to thank Honeylove for sponsoring our show. Use our exclusive link to save 20 off [e-mail] DailyBeans Now HoneyLove just launched their new crossover contour bra which keeps their wireless crossover design but adds built in slightly molded foam pads for extra support. Very smooth contoured shape. It's just really, really beautiful. I also love that their bras are supportive and wire free using bonding technology that lifts without the underwire. I don't know how they do it, but they did. And if shapewear is more your thing, Honey Love uses targeted compression to enhance your curves instead of squeezing the life out of you. It is designed to work with your body, not against it. It's designed by women who know. And it's exactly what I want from anything I'm wearing all day. So treat yourself to the most advanced bras and shapewear on the market. Use our exclusive link to save 20 off [e-mail] DailyBeans that's honeylove.com DailyBeans after you check out, they'll ask where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell we sent you Experience the new standard in comfort and support with Honey Love.

[Frances Collier]

Hi, I'm Frances Collier. And I'm Angela V. Shelton. And we're Frangela. You know what you need in your life? The Final Word podcast. Yes, you do.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's right.

[Frances Collier]

It is the final word on all things political and pop cultural. Where we make real news, real funny. Where we inspire you so you can hashtag resist, subscribe and get a new episode of the Final Word podcast each week. It's the news we think you need to hear.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's right.

[Frances Collier]

We think you need to hear it.

[Allison Gill]

Okay. Yeah.

[Frances Collier]

It's what we say.

[Dana Goldberg]

So.

[Frances Collier]

That's right. And because all we do is give. Every Thursday you can listen to our hysterical podcast Idiot of the week. We round up the stupid. Because you know what? Somebody has to.

[Allison Gill]

Okay. All we do is give everybody welcome back. It's time for the good news. Who likes good news?

[Dana Goldberg]

Everyone.

[Allison Gill]

Then good news everyone. Good news. And if you have any good news or good trouble suggestions. And your good news could be small, it could be big, it could be from yesterday, it could be from 20 years ago. It could be a fun story you like to share when you're hanging out with your friends. Anything that'll bring a smile to our face. You can send us a shout out to a loved one, your spouse, yourself. We love a self shout out. You can shout out a small business in your area that could use a boost or a non profit you want us to know about or a government program that's helped you or a loved one. We would love to hear about that as well. And all you got to do to get your submission right on the air is pay your pod pet tariff, which means attach a photo of your pet. And if you want we can try to guess the breeds in your shelter pup or cat or turtle or horse or cow. Or what's the model of your axolotl? I still love that. And if you don't have that, you can send an adoptable pet in your area. And if you don't have that, just grab a random photo of an animal on the Internet. We're also still a bird watching photos, so if you're flipping the bird to a Trump property, we would love to see those. Or if you've got a picture of a bird that also works, send it all to us dailybeanspod.com click on contact and again, a reminder here from our producers. Beans Talk has its own audio feed, so if YouTube's not your thing, you can listen to Beans Talk wherever you get your pods. Just search for Beans Talk. All right, first up is our good trouble. Today. Your good trouble comes from Cameron Stevenson at Below the Belt quote it says Below the Beltway way is in parentheses. Courier has independently verified the locations of 23 mass detention campsites that have been surveyed by the U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement. Of those locations, leases for five have been secured, while opposition from local communities has killed or stalled deals at five others. In an apparent attempt to avoid a public outcry and scrutiny, ICE has sought to secure these leases in private, ignoring potential health and safety violations and catching local elected officials off guard. In an effort to provide transparency to this process, we've published a searchable map showing each proposed site, its current status, and the level of public response. All 23 locations can be found here. We'll have a link in the show notes, so find out if there is a proposed ICE warehouse near you or someone you know and make noise about it. Go to your neighbor's city council. Post on social media. Organize to oppose it. Organize to oppose the people funding it. Organized to oppose companies contracting with it. We've seen public pressure work and we can't let up on this. So that's your good trouble.

[Dana Goldberg]

All right. I love it. Okay, this one's from an anonymous person. No pronouns given. Dear Beans Queens, I've daydreamed about writing in, but never done so. Until about 30 minutes ago I checked my email to see a news alert. Yes, I am an older millennial that the owners of the warehouse in Dallas county being considered for an ICE detention center refused to sell. Yes, while the company is Cali based, the uproar that drew attention to the Hutchins area site is homegrown. We Texans get a bad rap for a lot of things, but there are so many great people on the ground fighting tirelessly to protect others. As proof, I submit my good trouble of being part of North Haven United Methodists in Dall, Texas. We are a sister church to Oak Lawn umc, the one that painted the pride flag on their stairs, and have been loud, proud, and pushing the social justice envelope since 1963, when Pastor William A. Holmes delivered the sermon. One thing worse than this, blaming the city's toxic climate of hate for the president's death. The sermon brought international attention and death threats, forcing the pastor and his family into hiding. One of our pastors recently quoted John Fugal saying, separation of church and hate, making it almost jump out of my seat with glee. If anyone needs a safe place to land in North Dallas that accepts everyone exactly as they are, come check us out. As payment, please accept my POD pet tags. The first one is our beige poodle noodle, Bella, masquerading as a terrier mix. The second is of our Help me out with that.

[Allison Gill]

Perseus. With Perseus.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, cute. A gray seal Point Siamese Maine coon mix. And Bella's unwilling best friend and Persephone. Persephone.

[Allison Gill]

Persephone.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, my God. Dana. Persephone. Okay, everything's fine, everybody. Persephone. Which I. Okay, I hope you got a good laugh out of that, Persephone.

[Allison Gill]

I don't see the problem now. It's like, that was great. Tell them about it was Peanut, right? But it was just the letter P and N U T. And I for some reason had Egypt in my mind. And I was saying, is your dog named Penut? What is that silent? And you're like Allison, that says Peanut.

[Dana Goldberg]

Okay. Persephone, a ragamuffin with fur that mats. When you look at it, it.

[Allison Gill]

Oh, God.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, my God. So sweet. This whole brood.

[Allison Gill]

Oh, look at the sweet babies.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, Persephone is beautiful. Anonymous Just so you know, and I've announced it before, but I'll be performing in Dallas on Mother's Day at the Dallas Comedy Club. So if there's anyone in the Dallas area or in driving distance that wants to finish up Mother's Day with me and some laughter, you can get tickets on my website, of course, @danagoldberg.com but I cannot wait to get to Dallas.

[Allison Gill]

I love Dallas. I really do.

[Dana Goldberg]

One of my favorite. It's one of my favorite Texas cities, for sure.

[Allison Gill]

Oaklawn. And it's just wonderful. All right, next up, from Tarquin Fin, Timlin Bin Win, Bim Limb, Bus Stop, Fatang, Fatang. Ole. Biscuit barrel. Pronouns he and him, ag and dg. Since you've gotten close to recognizing my nom de plume, I thought I'd clarify. Tarquin Fin, Tim etc does indeed come from Monty Python, but not the Holy Grail. On their TV show, they did an election night special with candidates from the Sensible party who dressed in suits and had names like John Smith versus versus Candidates from the Silly party dressed as clowns and oddballs with names like the handle I'm using. Here's a link to the full sketch. Tarquin shows up about the second minute. It was a cute commentary on how each party sees themselves as sensible and the other party is silly. Plus there's lots of frenetic energy and crazy parody of the chaos of an exciting election night. A slice of life from late 60s in England. But I think it's funny. Funny that things haven't changed much since then. Just thought this would give you a smile and know the origin of the very silly name. It's funny that I knew I recognized it as Monty Python, but I got the application wrong.

[Dana Goldberg]

Totally.

[Allison Gill]

Take care and stay silly. By the way, I felt I should offer Chewie's pal Steampunk Han Solo as Pod Pet Tax to complete the set.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh my God, this is so good.

[Allison Gill]

We had Steampunk Chewy yesterday. I love it. I love it so much. Thank you, Tarquin Fintim, etc. Appreciate it.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh my God, this is so good. I love this. These Steampunks are fun. All right, this is from Amy Pronouns, she and her dear beans queens. Just to let you know that Epstein files are upending stuff over here in Europe as well. I'm including a Google translated photo of a headline from Volksgrant, my Dutch newspaper of choice. Yay for getting this stuff dealt with all around the world. And the headline in translation says, french authorities assemble team to comb Epstein files for French suspects. Everyone else cares about this. And obviously we're going to have notes and links in the show. Notes here. I know.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. This stuff is getting dealt with all around the world except the United States.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, exactly.

[Allison Gill]

All right, next up, can someone from another country please arrest him?

[Dana Goldberg]

I know.

[Allison Gill]

Can you put out a red notice on him? Can. I don't know if they do that. I don't think we follow the International Criminal Court because we didn't sign the treaty. The Rome Treaty. Damn it. All right, right. Anyway, maybe one day it will happen. It's supposed to be March to May, right? When it happens. That's what that one doctor got.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's what. Yep. Everyone there was a lot of people said the 17th, which would be tomorrow, so I don't know. People keep pushing the date.

[Brian Caram]

We'll see.

[Allison Gill]

Huh. That would be. I think. I think the Ides of March would be poetic. Next up from Anonymous Pronoun she and her hi Beanie Babies. I have some very good news. Recently, ICE wanted to buy an empty warehouse in northern Utah. The owner of said warehouse responded with no sale. To me, that's a huge win for the residents of Utah. Another piece of news that makes my heart happy is that there will be a no Kings protest at Sandy, Utah, as well as one in Salt Lake City, and I'm hopeful the large number of residents will attend. We will be loud, proud, and peaceful. For my Podpet tariff, I'm enclosing an ad for a product that melts ice. I may use it as a poster for the protest. Thanks, Allison and Dana for your constant vigilance and good humor. That no Kings rally, by the way, is March 28th. Yes. And here it is. Is de icing salt. Wear protective clothing. And there is, by the way, a group. We, we went over this. We're going to go over this on tomorrow's episode of cleanup on L45 with Harry. There's a, there's a, a thing called Project Salt Box in Maryland. I'm sure many of you saw the interview with them on Rachel Maddow this last Monday, but they're doing amazing things like Canary and the coal mine stuff, looking at public records, and they noticed that 42,000 ready to eat meals were being shipped to Maryland. And then they kind of track those down and find out that it's ICE and that they're trying to open a facility in a warehouse. So they're doing really, really cool work alongside of, of these flight trackers that we see online. I share a lot of the flight tracking stuff, too. We get a lot of information from that kind of resistance, that sort of underground resistance. So congrats on that. And I, I look forward to seeing a picture of your sign. Anonymous when you go to no King.

[Dana Goldberg]

Absolutely. All right, this is Kelly Pronoun. She and her hey Beans Queens baby boomer Kelly, right here, writing to tell you about my best friend of 55 years who probably saved my life by turning me on to the Daily Beans. Way to go, best friend. Thank you for wading into the muck every day and giving us ways to fight back with good trouble. Kathy's an artist with an amazing social conscience. I'm including a postcard with six of the 100 older women she has painted, painted, wishing her a Happy birthday on February 17th. Happy birthday, Kelly's bestie for Podpet tax. I'm including a photo of Finnegan, who hung himself out to dry. Finnegan looks like a poodle.

[Allison Gill]

Looks like a little poodle. Adorable. Yes, absolutely adorable. And happy birthday, Kathy. Let's see what's under there. Cavapoo. What's that? What's a cav? What's the cavity?

[Dana Goldberg]

I don't know. Bubbly kava.

[Allison Gill]

It's the store. It's the bag that Tom Homan had $50,000 in.

[Dana Goldberg]

Is it?

[Allison Gill]

I know that. It was a kava bag.

[Dana Goldberg]

The dog's way cuter than Tom Holman.

[Allison Gill]

Look at these beautiful paintings of these beautiful ladies.

[Dana Goldberg]

Love it. Love it.

[Allison Gill]

Fantastic, Kelly. Thank you. Next up, Michael. Pronouns he, him, hi, ag, and dg. First thing I do in the morning, even before I get out of bed, is to line up my podcast queue. And daily beans is at the top of the list. Your combination of insightful news with cursing and compassion eases me into the daily onslaught of atrocities, oddities, and hypocrisy spewing from the current regime. My good news story starts back in 2016, when I was helping to organize the first North County San Diego Women's March. Back in those days, we often fretted about how difficult it is to organize in North County San Diego due to the conservative majority here, plus competition with the sun and the surf. Yeah, that's very true.

[Dana Goldberg]

True.

[Allison Gill]

We were anticipating maybe a few hundred folks would show up. As it turns out, 10,000 people showed up. Last month, one of my fellow organizers, who I hadn't heard from in quite a while, called me with an idea. She asked if I'd be interested in putting together a mock impeachment of Donald Trump. I don't think I hesitated for even a second and the title came to my mind instantly. The people powered impeachment A mock Trial. Three days later, we had a first draft for a one hour mock impeachment trial while we invited some folks to a table reading. And now, three weeks later, we're on draft four. Have a full cast. And we'll be presenting a fully staged reading this Saturday.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, my God. This is amazing.

[Allison Gill]

February 21st at the Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Vista. We're hoping this will be fun and ruckus. An evening of solidarity, power, and hope to invigorate us for the fight ahead. The website ppimpeachment.com for my pod pet tax. Here's a picture of our adorable new blank. Calypso. Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. Is that a multipoo? Okay.

[Dana Goldberg]

It's so cute.

[Allison Gill]

We got her to fill the empty Nest. After our son, his wife and two grandchildren moved out of our house in June. She's filled our hearts and our lives. She's everything we could hope for and a new furry family member. One day, she may even earn her keep by getting the rodents away. Way also included a protest poster that's been evolving over several no Kings rallies and other protests. Oh, look at this. Is this our American dream? Wow, that's a great poster. I love that it evolves and keeps changing.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yep.

[Allison Gill]

All right, let's see what this dog is. Just a little terrier mix.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, it's cute baby.

[Allison Gill]

Adorable.

[Dana Goldberg]

Cute, cute baby. I know.

[Allison Gill]

Oh, the next one.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know. Anonymous pronouns not given. Hello, my most excellent bean genies. I have a shout out to a small business in Olney, Maryland, a suburb of D.C. easy little plants. And we're going to have a link in the show. Notes. It has axolotls. It's a wonderful little place where you can take a workshop on axolotl care. Make your own tiny terrarium to take home. Even has baby axolotls you can adopt as pets. I'm including photos of the mama and the papa. Papa. One of the kids human, not Axolotl in the workshop said that this was her best day ever. Maybe I can convince the owner to install a pond out back for capybaras.

[Allison Gill]

Dude, if they. You would not be able to keep me away from the place if they had capybaras. Look at the axolotls.

[Dana Goldberg]

I feel like this picture of the axolotl, like it's floof. Is ear floof. I know that's not what it is. It is what makes it it cute. I'm not sure axolotl would be as cute without their ear floof.

[Allison Gill]

Without their little floofies. Yeah, I think you're without their boa.

[Dana Goldberg]

Without their neck boa.

[Allison Gill]

Their boa, their feathers, darling.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, look at the one at the bottom. Yeah, with the ear floof. I know it's not really ear floof, so please don't write in a correction going, no, axolotls don't have ear flu.

[Allison Gill]

No, it is. It's ear flower floof. I, I, I've declared it's ear floof.

[Dana Goldberg]

Thank you. I declare.

[Allison Gill]

I do. I do declare. Dear gentle reader, it is ear floof. Next up, from Anastasia Pronouns, she and her dear Allison and Dana. Just a note to say thank you to both of you as well as those who work behind the scenes to make the show happen. It is quite a team effort. As I sit in the early pre dawn hour, savoring my first cup of tea. I start my day with what feels like old friends. Thanks for helping me make this shit show of news a bit more palatable. For my pod pet tariff, I'm sending an adoptable pet quote. You must tame me, said the fox to the little prince. Then I will be for you unique in all the world. And I will be for you unique in all the world. Meet Rusty, our four year old. Ready to tame the wildest heart. 85 pounds of pure doggy joy. Who loves to cuddle. House trained, kennel trained, leash trained. Ready to train. His adoring, eyes on his forever family. Gets along with other dogs, but would be happy to be a solo companion since he has so much love to share. Well behaved, non destructive, doesn't bark, cute as a button. Breeds are redacted and we'll get to that in a second. So if you're in the Reno Tahoe area and you're looking for a new trail partner, this may fit the bill. Contact the Nevada Humane Society. Look at this baby.

[Dana Goldberg]

I'm thinking pity boxer pity something mastiff maybe.

[Allison Gill]

Big beefy baby. Let's see what we've got. Terrier and pit bull. All right.

[Dana Goldberg]

Right.

[Allison Gill]

Okay, good. If you say so. God loves a terrier. This looks like just a cool. Like he's cute. You know what I mean? Just like.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

All American dog. Like I'm a dog. Like this is.

[Dana Goldberg]

I'm a dog. He's sweetie.

[Allison Gill]

He's really dog. He's a dog. It's great. I love him. Thank you everybody for your good news and I hope you guys catch up. Clean up on aisle 45. Tomorrow, Harry is announcing some news about his campaign and we will give you an update on the pillow man. Dana, have you heard that he spent half of his campaign donations to buy copies of his own book?

[Dana Goldberg]

Stop it. That does not surprise me at all, though.

[Allison Gill]

From Crack Addict to CEO, it's his memoir. He bought $187,000 worth of his own book.

[Dana Goldberg]

Of course he does.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, we're going to cover that on. On cleanup on aisle 45 as well tomorrow. So. Anything you want to share before we get out of here, my friend?

[Dana Goldberg]

No, not today. All right.

[Allison Gill]

We'll be back tomorrow for the taint of the week. Until then, please take care of yourselves, take care of each other, take care of the planet, take care of your mental health, and take care of your family. I've been ag.

[Dana Goldberg]

I've been dg.

[Allison Gill]

And them's the beans.

[Narrator/Announcer]

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, MD, 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 justice. For more information Please visit msw media.com MSW Media.

[Brian Caram]

I'm Brian Caram and I've spent decades covering politics. Now I'm taking you behind the scenes, one interview at a time. Join us as each week Brian confronts the issues that matter, posing the questions you wish you could ask. No filter, no agenda, just the truth. We're not here for sound bites. We're here for substance. Join me, Brian Caram every week as we cut through the noise and get straight to it. This is Just Ask the Question for Curiosity will lead us to the facts. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast platform and remember, when you want answers, all you have to do is just ask the question.