The Daily Beans – Episode Summary: "Moist Girthy Chungus" Release Date: January 14, 2025 Hosted by Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg

1. Judicial Decisions Impacting National Reports

Judge Cannon Denies Blocking of Jack Smith's Final Report

Allison Gill opens the episode by discussing a significant legal development: Judge Cannon has denied the motion filed by Walt Nauta and De Oliveira to block the release of Volume One of Jack Smith's final report on the January 6th events. According to Allison, the injunction that was preventing the report's release "expires at midnight Monday night," suggesting that the report may become publicly available imminently unless the Supreme Court intervenes (00:00).

Dana Goldberg adds, "Cannon, Judge Cannon actually denied Walt Nouda and de Oliveira's bid to block volume one of the Jack Smith Report," highlighting the administration’s ongoing challenges in managing the release of sensitive information (01:16). Allison further notes the potential for the report to be available by the time listeners tune into the podcast and teases coverage of the report on their upcoming "Jack Podcast" episode (01:28).

2. Federal Workforce and Administrative Processes

Biden Administration's Struggles with Nominee Paperwork

The hosts express frustration over administrative inefficiencies within the Biden administration, specifically regarding the paperwork for cabinet nominees. Allison remarks, "Leave it to this administration to screw up something as simple as paperwork for nominees to the Cabinet," indicating systemic issues (01:20).

Dana concurs, noting her surprise that the paperwork is even progressing given the administration's track record: "Not surprised one bit. Actually, I'm surprised the paperwork's even getting done." She hints at ongoing issues that will be elaborated on in future episodes (01:32).

3. Economic Updates and President Biden's Job Growth

Robust Job Creation in December

Dana shares positive economic news, stating, "The economy created a massive 256,000 jobs in December. Only 155,000 were expected," emphasizing that the actual job growth significantly surpassed expectations (02:58). She highlights President Biden's unprecedented achievement of creating jobs consistently every month of his presidency and surpassing the total job creation figures of previous presidents, including Trump, Obama, and George W. Bush.

Allison reinforces this by pointing out the cumulative job growth under Biden's administration: "And we're at 16.1 million jobs for Biden's one term. So Trump lost jobs," underscoring the administration's economic successes (03:31).

4. Media Shifts and New Publications

Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen Launch "The Contrarian"

A major media development is discussed as Allison and Dana dive into the resignation of Jen Rubin from The Washington Post and Norm Eisen from CNN. Dana explains, "Jennifer Rubin... and Norm Eisen quits CNN and together they've launched a new publication called the Contrarian," which aims to provide a pro-democracy perspective (06:04).

Allison elaborates on Rubin's reasons for leaving the Post, citing disagreements over editorial direction influenced by billionaire owner Jeff Bezos and the administration's "Trumpian era" policies: "Corporate and billionaire owners of major media outlets have betrayed their audience's loyalty and sabotage journalism's sacred mission," Rubin wrote in her farewell column (07:32). The new publication attracts notable contributors like Ruth Bengya, Andy Borowitz, and Katie Fang, aiming to challenge perceived media biases and uphold democratic values (07:51).

5. Electoral Integrity and Legal Challenges

North Carolina Court Denies Republican Motion to Nullify Votes

Allison brings attention to a significant legal battle in North Carolina. A lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee and other Republican entities aims to void 60,000 votes from the November 2024 election, alleging non-compliance with voter ID requirements. Dana provides a detailed overview of the case, explaining that the plaintiffs argue the "board's decision to count those 60,000 challenged votes violates North Carolina law and the state constitution" (09:49).

Allison updates listeners on the latest court decisions: "Judge Cannon denied the Republican plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction," after the case has been moved through various courts, including an appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (09:49). The denial signifies the court's stance against the Republicans' attempt to discard the votes, maintaining the integrity of the November election results in North Carolina.

6. Tech Giants and Political Maneuvering

Mark Zuckerberg's Secret Meeting with Donald Trump and Meta's Policy Shift

Allison cites Edith Olmstead from The New Republic regarding Mark Zuckerberg’s secretive meeting with Donald Trump prior to announcing major policy changes at Meta. She quotes Michael McConnell, a Stanford law professor on Meta’s oversight board, who expressed surprise over the lack of consultation with the board: "This actually came as a surprise to us. We didn't know that they were going to be revising that standard," (04:04).

Dana further reports, "Senator Mark Wayne Mullen... said Zuckerberg had begun speaking regularly with the president elect," suggesting possible political influences on Meta’s content moderation policies (06:04). The changes include removing content filters for certain types of harmful language, raising concerns about the platform’s commitment to protecting vulnerable groups.

7. Confirmation Hearings Under Scrutiny

Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard Face Paperwork Issues in Confirmations

The hosts discuss complications surrounding the confirmation hearings of Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard. Dana points out inconsistencies in the FBI background checks for Pete Hegseth: "They got the background check and they're like. But they didn't even interview a bunch of people. And this looks incomplete. So that's weird," (02:58).

Similarly, Tulsi Gabbard's hearings are delayed due to missing ethics reports and government documents, leading Allison to suggest the hearings may be postponed: "They might have to move it to next week because you have to wait a week after you get that stuff," (02:58). This delay raises questions about the thoroughness and transparency of the confirmation process.

8. Good News and Community Engagement

Listener Submissions Highlight Positive Stories

After covering the heavy news topics, Allison and Dana transition to their "Good News" segment, encouraging listeners to share positive experiences and stories. Listener submissions range from personal achievements, such as receiving student loan forgiveness, to heartwarming pet stories. For instance, a listener named Robin shares her excitement about hiring Aaron Hutton to assist with a car purchase, describing the process as "fantastic" and stress-free (21:51).

Another listener, Mia, expresses gratitude for the podcast during challenging times and shares adorable stories about rescuing kittens: "Captain Fanny Labouche... Pura Belliata... Lux the great tabby... and Henry Bec," emphasizing the community's supportive nature (22:32).

Conclusion

Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg wrap up the episode by reaffirming their commitment to delivering insightful and progressive news with a touch of snark. They remind listeners to engage with them by submitting good news stories and participating in upcoming events, such as the patron happy hour (16:33). The hosts encourage proactive civic engagement, particularly urging listeners to contact Senator Dick Durbin regarding the release of Volume Two of the Jack Smith Report, which may have significant implications for FBI Director nominee Kash Patel (16:53).

Notable Quotes:

• "Since day one of my administration, I promise to ensure higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity." – President Joe Biden on student loan forgiveness (15:08)
• "Corporate and billionaire owners of major media outlets have betrayed their audience's loyalty and sabotage journalism's sacred mission." – Jen Rubin on launching "The Contrarian" (07:32)

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