
Refried Beans | GUILTY (feat. John Fugelsang) | May 31, 2024 Friday, May 31st, 2024 Donald Trump has been found GUILTY on all 34 felony counts in the election interference trial; John Roberts rejects Senators Whitehouse and Durbin’s request for a meeting over the Alito flags; a former Apprentice producer says Trump used the N word during production and it’s on tape; the New Republic has gotten it’s hands on an Erik Prince group chat; a Republican has blocked the confirmation of the first Native American federal judge in Montana; Molly Cook holds on to her Houston-based Texas Senate seat; the MLB has integrated the Negro League statistics into the record book; Biden secretly gave permission to Ukraine to strike inside Russia; plus Allison delivers your Good News.
Loading summary
Alison Gill
MSW Media. Hey, everybody, it's Ag. And welcome to Refried Beans, where we play an episode of the Daily Beans podcast from the same week either one, two or three years ago so we can see how far we've come. So please enjoy this episode from days gone by and note the date in the intro.
John Fugelsang
Refried beans.
Alison Gill
I like refried beans.
John Fugelsang
That's why I want to try fried.
Alison Gill
Beans, because maybe they're just as good and we're wasting time with swearing. Jelly beans.
John Fugelsang
Jelly beans. Jelly beans. Jelly beans.
Alison Gill
Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Friday, May 31, 2024. Today, Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts in the election interference trial. John Roberts rejects Senators Whitehouse and Durbin's request for a meeting over the Alito flags. A former Apprentice producer says Trump used the N word during production and it's on tape. The New Republic has gotten its hands on an Erik Prince group chat. A Republican has blocked the confirmation of the first Native American federal judge in Montana. Molly Cook has held onto her Houston based Texas Senate seat. The MLB has integrated the Negro League statistics into the record book. And Biden secretly gave permission to Ukraine to strike Inside Russia. I'm your host, Alison Gill. Hey, everyone. Happy Felony Friday. It is the best Friday ever. Guilty on all 34 counts. I am beside myself. I don't think it has sunk in yet. The news just came down. The jury handed down the verdict in the Manhattan D criminal trial against the former president for election interference in 2016. Sentencing is July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention. As you know, July 11 I will be live with Dana Goldberg and I think Andy McCabe in Seattle at the Triple Door Theater. And July 10th will be in Portland. And then of course we have a run later, a couple weeks later in St. Louis, Nashville and where else else? Oh, gosh, St. Louis, Nashville and oh, Milwaukee, where we can celebrate, hopefully the overturning of the ballot box issue by one judge, Janet Protosiewicz. So I'm looking forward so much to seeing everybody out on the road this Sunday. I'll be in Chicago with Renato Mariotti. So I just get tickets now. They're going to sell out. Alisongill.com Also, more shameless self promotion. Please follow me on Substack. I have just written a huge thank you to all of you. Muller she wrote.substack.com please subscribe. It's free to subscribe. Oh, you guys, I'm. I'm beside myself. I, I am speechless. I am literally speechless. I wish Dana were here Today she is traveling. She's about to go raise a shitload of money for Lambda Legal doing her amazing good work. And just thank you to everyone who has stuck with me or who is new and is continuing to listen to the daily beans. It's been a long time coming. The wheels of justice turn slow, but they grind fine, et cetera. I am very, very, very happy today and it's okay to be happy. I know some people are saying it's a dark day. I don't think so. I think that the rule of law has prevailed. No, no one is above it, not even a former president. Also, it's Friday, which means it's Fuglesang Friday. Of course. I recorded the interview with John Fugelsang earlier before the verdict came out. But we're going to have that interview later in the show. So I'm looking forward to that. Also, there's a really good op ed out today from a former producer of the Apprentice who is now out from under his non disclosure agreement and is telling us that Trump absolutely used racial epithets, including the N word, and it is on tape. We do not have the tape and we will not get the tape. We have long known this from folks who have worked with Trump for a long time, like Noel Castler comes to mind and many others. Mary Trump, we're not going to get those tapes, probably because Burnett is making it impossible if they're not already destroyed. You can read the piece by Bill Pruitt at Slate and John Fugelsang and I will also discuss that. But holy shit, you guys. Guilty. 34 felony counts of falsification of business records. So what it seems to me happened, and we'll talk about this on the next cleanup on aisle 45 is the jury basically had the verdict yesterday. They wanted to get that last bit of testimony they wanted to see, get the jury instructions again to confirm, just like I said on Twitter last night and today, they deliberated, they finished and they filled out their form. Took them 30 minutes, 35 minutes to fill out the form. Everybody came in and they announced the verdict. So shout out to Jaron number two, what's up? All right, we have other news to get to today. I get. I mean, we should cover it. I could talk about this all day. And we will. On the next cleanup on aisle 45 with Pete Strzok. My phone's been blowing up. My mom called me. It's just been an incredible day. But again, we do have other news to get to. So let's hit the hot notes, hot Notes. All right, first up, from Lawrence Hurley at NBC. Chief justice, and I'm putting justice in quotes. John Roberts on Thursday declined to meet with Democratic senators to discuss Supreme Court ethics issues in the wake of reports that controversial flags were flown. Seditious flags were flown at Justice. Again, justice in quotes. Sam Alito's houses, plural. In a letter to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Roberts said he, quote, must respectfully decline your request for a meeting, citing concerns about maintaining judicial independence. That sounds to me like maintaining your fucking supremacy and I don't want to hear it now. Robert's refusal to meet with the senators is not a surprise as last year he declined to attend a hearing on the ethics issues for similar reasons. Those were the Thomas issues with all of the reporting from ProPublica. He noted in the latest letter that meeting with representatives of one party who have expressed an interest in matters pending before the court is another reason that such a meeting would be inadvisable. White House said in a series of posts on Twitter that it was frustrating that Roberts failed to address that the meeting was sought in the Chief Justice's role as chair of the U.S. judicial Conference. That's the administrative and policy making body of the judiciary, not in his capacity as a member of the court. So nobody is having any oversight over the Supreme Court. Quote, all this means is that the work must continue until we have a Supreme Court that applies to itself. Basic tenets of rule of law, honest fact finding and neutral decision making. That's what White House said. Great. You know what? You know what you've got? You know what you have in your fucking pocket? The subpoena power. Last week, two senators asked Roberts to address what they called the Supreme Court's ethics crisis following the New York Times report that flags flown at the Capitol Building by some supporters of Donald Trump on January 6 were also displayed at Sam Alito's homes. In their letter, the senators asked to meet with Roberts as soon as possible and renewed their call for the SCOTUS to adopt an enforceable code of conduct for justices. That was before Alito himself sent letters to the Capitol this week declining to step aside and recuse himself from cases involving Trump or January 6th. Alito said the high standard for recusal was not met. That's why it's a low standard. And it was met, easily met. He noted that the flags were flown by his wife and that he had no involvement in the decisions. He apparently asked her to take him down and she wouldn't. And I guess he was incapable of doing so. As first reported by the Times, an upside down US Flag was spotted at an Alito home in Virginia, while a flag associated with conservative Christians Christo Fascists was seen at the family vacation home in New Jersey. Alito said in his letters to lawmakers that a, quote, reasonable person who is not motivated by political or ideological considerations or a desire to affect the outcome of Supreme Court cases would conclude that no recusal was required. Ultimate gaslighting that guy. The court subsequently adopted a new ethics code in November, which has itself attracted criticism in large part because it's toothless. Justices themselves get the final word on how to apply it. And if the court, the guy sitting over the Judicial Conference, which is who provides oversight aside from Congress, won't even meet with you to talk about it, it's I just feel completely helpless. So hopefully they'll use their subpoena power here. Why not? I mean, what are you afraid of? That Republicans will get the majority and start subpoenaing Supreme Court Justice? They're going to do that anyway. Holding them to some sort of honor code has not worked. So how about we stop? Next up from alternate quote Off Leash, unquote is not only the name of a podcast started by Eric Prince, former CEO of Blackwater, now part of the security firm Constellus holdings, and brother of the ex Trump administration Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, it's also the name of a private far right group chat that Erik Prince hosts via the Internet messaging program WhatsApp. The New Republic's Ken Silverstein describes the group chat in an article published on May 30, noting that former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, GOP activist organizer Kimberly Guilfoyle That's Don Trump Jr. S fiance Mike Flynn, former embattled national security advisor for the Trump administration, and House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, a Republican from Tennessee, are among the MAGA cranks who have been invited to participate in this group chat. Collectively, Silverstein explains, I don't know if it's Silverstein or Silverstein. Off Leash provides an informal virtual gathering place for current and former political officials, national security operatives, activists, journalists, soldiers of fortune, weapons brokers, black bag operators, grifters, convicted criminals and other elements in the US and global far right. Prominent figures in the Off Leash crew are well known for their paleo conservative political views, but the private opinions expressed in the group chat are even more extreme and jarring than we normally see voiced publicly, unquote. According to Silverstein, his investigation of off leash conversations via WhatsApp showed that some of the participants have, quote, sharply discussed the desirability of clamping down on democracy to deal with their enemies at home and regime change, bombings, assassinations and covert action to take care of those abroad. Silverstein reports, quote, the group's overall bloodlust periodically proved to be too much for a few more judicious individual members who in almost any other setting would be considered ultra conservatives but in the context of off leash sound like hippie peaceniks. Many other off leash participants have also stated they don't view the group chat as merely a forum to exchange ideas, but want it to become a vehicle to put their theories into action. Silverstein observes that it's not uncommon for off leash participants to advocate for violence. On the roster of off leash participants, there was one, a poster with the handle of S whom it took me weeks to identify who stood out as particularly dark. There were some in the group who expressed more unhinged views and others who more casually called for violence against their enemies. What made s distinctive was his dry, bloodless manner and businesslike espousal of a disciplined worldview that was unmistakably fascist. So you can read this full story. It's pretty long, but it's in the New Republic and it's by Silverstein, so check it out. Next up from the Associated Press. A Republican lawmaker in Montana has blocked a Biden administration judicial nominee who would have been the state's first Native American federal district court judge. Attorney Dana Jackson has been nominated last month by President Joe Biden. The post requires Senate confirmation and Senator Steve Daines blocked Jackson from consideration because the administration never sought his consent prior to her nomination. That's from Rachel Dunkey, a spokesperson for the lawmaker. Quote, senator Daines believes confirming federal judges with lifetime tenure is among the most important decisions he will make and that these individuals must be trusted to not legislate from the bench. Oh, oh really? A Republican is telling me that? Fantastic. A White House spokesperson refuted Dunkey's assertion and said members of Daines team had interviewed Jackson last year but that the senator refused to meet with her. Hmm. This claimed lack of consultation seems to be little more than pretext. And it's shameful that Senator Daines is depriving Montana of the talents of a principled, fair and impartial jurist like Dana Jackson. That's deputy press secretary Andrew Bates. Daines opposition was earlier reported by Bloomberg Law. The overwhelming majority of federal judges are white men. According to the American Bar association, out of more than 1,400 federal judges as of last year, only four were Native American and two others were identified partially Native. That's according to the association. That's less than 1% of federal judges, whereas Native Americans make up almost 3% of the U.S. population. Jackson didn't immediately respond to a voice message seeking comment. She previously served as an attorney in the U.S. department of the Interior and as chief legal counsel for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Her nomination was supported BY Montana's senior U.S. senator, Democrat John Tester, and representatives of the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Rights Fund. Tester said Jackson was well qualified. Next up from Renzo Downey at the Texas Trib. State Senator Molly Cook appears to have narrowly defeated state Rep. Jarvis Johnson for The Senate District 15 primary runoff for the second time this month, setting the stage for her to hold on to Houston Mayor John Whitmire's longtime seat in the upper chamber. Cook led Johnson by 74 votes with all precincts reporting. That's according to unofficial results, well within the margin for a recount. Also a good lesson that every vote counts. The total also does not count late arriving mail in ballots now. Cook's victory marked the second time she's defeated Johnson this month. Cook beat Johnson 57 to 43 on May 4 in a special election triggered when Whitmire resigned to step into the mayor's office at the start of the year. She was sworn in on May 16 to serve out the term. And through the you know, that's through the end of the year and now Cook will appear on the November ballot for a chance to win a full term representing a diverse cut of Harris County. Cook declared victory Wednesday afternoon in a statement that called back to her road to the Senate. She first ran for the seat in 2022 when she attempted a primary challenge against Whitmire. Quote, winning a Texas Senate seat is a big deal and it tastes extra sweet because it's born of sheer grit, determination and teamwork. That's what she said. We have organized for years, stayed true to our values and built momentum that extends beyond this election. Now, Cook is the first person other than Whitmire to hold the seat since 1983. She's an emergency room nurse and a community organizer who will be the first openly LGBTQ member to serve in the Texas Senate. On the campaign trail, Cook and Johnson expressed a few ideological differences, with each promoting progressive platforms from supporting abortion access and LGBTQ rights to boosting public school funding. However, the two differed on how they would approach serving the minority party. Republicans currently hold 19 of 31 seats in the Senate, enough to control the chamber. And from Eric Bonko et al at Politico, the Biden administration has quietly given Ukraine permission to strike inside Russia solely near the area of Kharkiv using US Provided weapons. That's according to two US officials and two other people familiar with the move. There's a major reversal that will help Ukraine to better defend its second largest city. Quote, the president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use U.S. weapons for counter fire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them. That's a US Official adding that the policy of allowing long range strikes inside Russia has not changed. Ukraine asked the US to make this policy change only after Russia's offensive in Kharkiv began this month. Now all the people were granted anonymity to discuss internal decisions that have not yet been announced. In the last few days, the US Made the decision to allow Ukraine flexibility to defend itself from attacks on the border near Kharkiv. Now in effect, Ukraine can now use American provided weapons such as rockets and rocket launchers to shoot down launched Russian missiles headed toward Kharkiv at troops massing just over the Russian border near the city or Russian bombers launching bombs toward Ukrainian territory. But the official said Ukraine cannot use those weapons to hit civilian infrastructure or launch long range missiles such as the army tactile missile systems to hit military targets deep inside Russia. It's a stunning shift the administration initially said would escalate the war by more directly involving the US in the fight. But worsening conditions for the Ukraine people and the military on the battlefield, namely Russia's advances and improved position in Kharkiv led the president to change change his mind. National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment. And finally from Melissa Alonso at all at cnn. Major League Baseball has incorporated the statistics of former Negro league players into its historical records on its website, meaning legendary leaders in some categories like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb have now been replaced in the record books by players who were not allowed to play on the same fields as them during segregation. Josh Gibson, one of the greatest sluggers in the history of the Negro Leagues, is now listed as MLB's new all time career leader in batting averages at.372, moving ahead of Ty Cobb who was at.367. Sorry, getting a little choked up. The MLB website shows Gibson also overtaking Babe Ruth in career slugging percentage. Quote. We're proud that the official historical record now includes the players of the Negro Leagues. This initiative is focused on ensuring that future generations of fans have access to the statistics and milestones of all those who made the Negro Leagues possible. That's MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement. Their accomplishments on the field will be a gateway to broader learning about this triumph in American history and the path that led Jackie Robinson's 1947 Dodger debut. Quote we're excited. That's what Sean Gibson, the slugger's great grandson, told cnn. This is a long time coming. Not just for Josh Gibson, but all other great Negro League family members as well. The Power Hitting Catchers Baseball hall of fame plaque he's one of 35 Negro League stars enshrined in Cooperstown. Says he hit almost 800 home runs in league and independent baseball during his 17 year career. However, the majority of those homers came not in league sanctioned games, about 50 to 75 per season, but in exhibitions played against former big leaguers and white semi pro teams. Quote this is indeed an exciting day. It was a long time coming. That's Negro League's baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick. At a Wednesday news conference, he said it's an absolute watershed moment for both Black baseball and Negro League history. Kendrick continued, you cannot reduce the story of the Negro Leagues to statistics. You just can't. This story is far more grandiose than mere stats. This story in many ways is bigger than than the game of baseball itself. Kendrick also addressed baseball fans who may be upset that their favorite players have moved down in some of the rankings. Quote that does not diminish them, he said. It's just now providing some names that perhaps you should have known about before now, and you're getting the opportunity to learn about them. More than 2,300 Negro Leagues players from 1920 to 1948 were added to the MLB database as more stats are still being discovered. Also, Major League Baseball career statistics for hall of Famers like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige and Minnie Minoso now reflect their Negro League's accomplishments. For example, Robinson's 49 hits with Kansas City in the Monarchs in 1945 increased his career total from 1518 to 1567. Page's career wins total goes from 28 to 125, and Miyoso's 150 hits with the New York Cubans raised his career total by over 2,000 hits to 2,113. This comes about three and a half years after MLB recognized the Negro Leagues as its equivalent and counted the statistics and records of thousands of Black players who played in the Negro Leagues from 1920 to the late 40s. Even though that recognition happened in December 2020, MLB at the time said it needed time to review how that recognition would affect MLB record books. That was in part because some statistics were still being compiled and because MLB needed to sort of league sanctioned games from exhibitions, quote shorten Negro League schedules interspersed with revenue raising exhibition games were born of MLB's exclusionary practices. That's what John Thorne, an MLB historian who chaired the Review Negro League Statistical Review Committee, said in a statement. To deny the best black players of the era their rightful place among these all time leaders would be a double penalty. Baseball historian Larry Lester, who also served on the committee, added Stories, folklore and embellished truths have long been a staple of the Negro League's narrative. Those storylines will always be entertaining, but now our dialogues can be quantified and qualified to support the authentic greatest of these athletes. Every fan should welcome this statistical restitution towards social reparation. And with that, everybody, we're going to take a quick break. Be back with John Fugelsang. And that's going to be followed by by the good news. Stick around. We'll be right back after these messages.
John Fugelsang
We'll be right back.
Alison Gill
Hey everybody, welcome back. It's Friday. That means it's Fugal saying Fridays here on the Daily Beans. Which means my friend, the host of Tell Me Everything on Sirius XM channel127 is here. That's SiriusXM progress channel127, that's right. Weeknights, 9:00pm Eastern, 6 Pacific. And if you don't have series, you can catch them on the John Fugalsang show podcast, wherever you get your pods. My friend John Fugal saying hello, hello, Ms. Gill.
John Fugelsang
It's good to see you again.
Alison Gill
Yes, the waiting is the hardest part. We're here, we're waiting. It's recording this Thursday afternoon and the jury is out in the Trump criminal election interference trial. And I wanted to get your thoughts. I mean, I know yesterday we had a couple of jury notes. They asked for some very specific testimony that the prosecutor brought up in closing arguments and to have some of the jury instructions reread to them because they don't get a written copy. Because by the way, and I talked about this a little bit earlier in the show, we'll talk about it on cleanup on aisle 45. The reason that they don't have written jury instructions is because Trump has to ask for them and he opted not to. So of course it's one of those things where he opted not to do it and then complains that it's not there, which is kind of his, his way. Remember when he opted for not having a jury trial in the, in the civil fraud case?
John Fugelsang
Oh, yes.
Alison Gill
And then complained that there was no jury. So I was thinking of, you know, you know, we're going to wait for a while. I was wondering when you think we might get a verdict, how you think it's going. And I understand this is all reading tea leaves and speculation, but, yeah, I.
John Fugelsang
Mean, by the time folks are hearing this, this may have already come out. So, you know, I just want to say that I'm, I'm here to say that I appreciate, appreciate the show. I've been enjoying the show. The show will continue on whether there's a verdict or not. And whatever the verdict is, I'm guessing most likely 34 counts. He'll be guilty on some, not guilty on others. Both sides will claim victory. No one's minds will be changed. That's my overall prediction. But I mean, you know, he. First off. Yeah, the jury asked to have their instructions read a second time. Or as Marco Rubio calls it, mass chaos. Oh, my God, did you see his tweet? What a drama queen. Oh. Oh. I mean, he went from making small penis jokes about Donald Trump in a Republican debate to now on the verge of no longer being a resident of the state he represents in the US Senate just to grovel to Donald Trump to be his VP. Ms. Montez, what happened to you? But to your same point, you mentioned about Trump not asking for the jury. Trump's big complaint yesterday was that, let me quote, his posting on Filth Social. Can you imagine that I, as a defendant am not allowed to rebut or correct the many lies told during the five hour filibuster just put on by the Soros back. Da. Do you love that? They always throw Soros back in there. A little Jewy Jew. Jewy Jew.
Alison Gill
Anti Semitism.
John Fugelsang
Yeah, just a little bit of Jewy globalist stuff there. So Man Baby said he would testify. Man Baby had every opportunity in this trial to testify. Man Baby chose not to testify. And now Man Baby is publicly having a tantrum with a full diaper because he's not allowed to correct all the lies he had to hear in this trial. It's kind of beautiful. I love this dude. Todd Blanche, Donald Trump's latest. I want to call them lawyers, but they're more like. They're more like those pathetic, doomed vampire partners. Catherine Deneuve keeps having in the Hunger, you know, they're all living in an attic somewhere. All of Trump's old lawyers are David Bowie and Giuliani, but this guy was a Democrat who became a Republican last year when Trump asked him to represent him, became a Republican and got Florida residency for Trump. This guy's essentially, his whole closing argument was about Michael Cohen saying, you people can't trust Donald Trump's lawyers because Donald Trump hires terrible liars to be his lawyers. And then Trump caps the whole thing off by saying, even Mother Teresa couldn't beat these charges. But that's only because when Mother Teresa paid Ron Jeremy to lie about their 1987 hookup, it wasn't to win an election, people. So it's been a lot of garbage, a lot of trash, and a unified reich of Republican toadies who want jobs in a second administration.
Alison Gill
Yeah, I think, I think we might see a verdict maybe Friday afternoon, which is this afternoon, if you're listening to this show, when it comes out on Friday, maybe, probably, maybe between two and three Eastern. Because they like to get that lunch, because it's free lunch and jurors are not. Want to come back on Mondays. But if they still have a lot of stuff to get through, this is a, you know, there's a lot of evidence in this case. Closing arguments, five hours, like you said, didn't get to. Didn't get to testify in his own defense or, you know, make comments.
John Fugelsang
Chose not to. Chose not to testify in his own defense and later chose to complain that he didn't get the testimony.
Alison Gill
Of course, of course, we know that. I think that maybe tomorrow afternoon. Well, as we record this Friday afternoon. And I think one of my favorite parts is that Trump has to stay at the courthouse watching his little television, which they've given him upon his demand, because all criminal defendants, while waiting for their verdicts, get a little tv, don't they?
John Fugelsang
I mean, hey, all criminal defendants get to pick their own judges. I mean, at least this is a, this is a case where Donald Trump didn't hire the person adjudicating his fate, you know, like this ridiculous presidential immunity and alien cannon. I mean, you know, this is historic no matter what, no matter what happens. And I do think he's going to be found guilty on some of the charges.
Alison Gill
I think at least 22, because, you know, 11 checks, 11 invoices, and then 12 ledger entries. And I think if they're hung on anything, it might be the ledger entries. But I think that the checks and the, I mean, they sent them to Keith Schiller for Trump to sign in the Oval Office. I mean, and, I mean, the invoices are just for those checks. So I'm thinking at least 22, maybe hung on 12. But we'll see. We'll see.
John Fugelsang
Do you think it'll change anyone's mind? I mean, I do think that there are some Nikki Haley Republicans who are feeling very cheated by Nikki Haley right now, of course, as she counts their money and endorses Trump. But I do think that there are some Republicans who will not vote for him with a conviction. But I think. I don't know if that number is enough to sway the total in any state.
Alison Gill
Well, the recent poll says 17%, which is a pretty big deal. But what I'm going off of is all the exit polling from all of the primaries that they don't cover anymore because the nominees are presumptive. And where Nikki Haley was getting 20% from, basically pulling 20% after she dropped out of the race for a couple months. Over half of the people in those exit polls say the Republican registered voters say that they would not vote for Trump if he were a convicted felon. And so, you know, I, I always said it was indictments. Everybody else wants a conviction. There are now people who will probably move those goalposts again and say, only if he's in jail.
John Fugelsang
Yeah.
Alison Gill
And then if he's in jail, they'll be like, only when he's dead. I mean, they'll keep moving them.
John Fugelsang
Yeah. They're going to say, well, he's on appeal, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. You know exactly what they're going to do. It's a culture. That's how it is. Only high turnout will save us. And it has been fun to watch all of these flunkies showing up outside. I'm so tired of this. I'm so bored of this. I kind of feel like, what if this is the only case that gets adjudicated before the election? It's just such a huge victory for oligarchs. And this whole thing just shows the amount of social privilege oligarchs have. The very fact that Donald Trump is allowed to sit in the courthouse with a little TV and watch coverage all day of the fact that everyone knows he was saying the N word on the Apprentice set. Now, it just kind of shows the level of privilege here that the rest of us. I mean, my God, if any of us made a U turn, for God's sakes. And yet this guy gets to have the Supreme Court do a Two month tap dance pretending to debate whether a president is allowed to break all the laws he wants just to keep Jack Smith from getting information to the public.
Alison Gill
Yeah, and if I'm a public criminal defender. Defender, like if that's my job in New York, the next time a criminal defendant is sitting back and waiting for a verdict, I'm going to demand a television and I'm going to sue to get it. That would be what I would be doing, I swear.
John Fugelsang
I wondered if they, if the N word story was somehow like someone's plan to distract from the actual verdict and get people talking about something else. Because the N word story made me furious. Everyone's saying, oh, this is it. This will end him. He's on tape saying the N word is proof of the racism.
Alison Gill
This won't end him.
John Fugelsang
Well, Mark Burnett will never let it out. And secondly, we've had proof of his racism for 50 years and no one cares. Birtherism in the Central Park Five and the shithole countries and the Nixon DOJ and the two sides in Charlottesville and.
Alison Gill
The attacking John Lewis people.
John Fugelsang
And both crazy the conspiracy and Judge Cure. He got fired from the Apprentice because he was literally so racist. He got fired from his own reality show. This shows what racism looks like. It's not just that these white people have decided that the, the denial of racism is what racism is now, but also white people have framed this so much that now a person cannot officially be considered racist until a white person hears the N word on a videotape. If a white person doesn't hear the N word, can you really claim what he said and did was racist? It's like, like this would matter at all if this came out.
Alison Gill
No. Right. And it's just going to make his base like him more so. Yeah, that's where we're at. One last thing before we let you go. We know that Senators White House and Durban, who I guess are allergic to subpoenas, have kept writing strongly worded letters and then finally asked for a meeting about Alito's flag flying behavior. And John Roberts today, on Thursday, I should say, came back and said, no, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to meet with senators, the people who are tasked with providing oversight and checks on the Supreme Court. And you should, you know, you should just listen to whatever Sam Alito says. I interested in your thoughts on this whole saga.
John Fugelsang
Well, yeah, I mean, Roberts is very busy. They're trying to, you know, find a way to make the Comstock act take away your mifristone. So these Guys have a lot on their plate. I, I appreciate the story and I appreciate that it was after weeks of Clarence Thomas and Alito wagging their junk at the Constitution and historians and decency itself. I think it's great that Roberts came out to wag his own tiny junk at decency and historians and the Constitution. I think it's always good to have reminders, Alison. That proved my point that Bush was worse than Trump overall. And to me, Alito is a living, breathing, woman hating reminder that Bush really did do more damage to America than Trump on his worst day. This guy can. He can't control what his wife does with flags. He can control your wife to be pregnant against her will. But I feel so bad. We're so harsh on this guy. He has no power over this. Do you understand? He has no autonomy in his own home. If his wife decides that she's gonna run a flag up the flagpole, Alito doesn't have a choice. That choice has been taken away from him. And that is why he is bitter and hates women. Can't you understand this? He has no agency and he apparently.
Alison Gill
Has no arms where he can, like, take the flag down himself.
John Fugelsang
He's like, my flagpole, my choice. And his wife says so, you know, I kind of understand where he's coming from.
Alison Gill
And he didn't address at all the timing problem, the fact that, you know, the more recent reporting from the New York Times, first of all, exposing that the Washington Post sat on this story for over three years. But, but secondly, that the, the conflict between Ms. Mrs. Alito and the neighbor actually happened months after the flag came down or weeks after the flag came down. So, I mean, what a terrible time for poor Justice Alito and his, you know, I mean, he's being victimized here and everyone's attacking him. He's got protesters outside of his house, the poor guy.
John Fugelsang
I mean, he's lost all his autonomy and he has no choice in the matter.
Alison Gill
The sacrifices, as he said in his letter, the sacrifices that my wife has made because of my job.
John Fugelsang
Every time Alito talks, I'm just reminded that this guy has a job because 24 years ago, Florida had an illegal ballot. Let's never forget. Okay, this goes. Oh, this is old school awful. But, you know, as awful as it is, if only the Democrats knew someone in the United States Senate who could hold hearings. If only there was a way to get some power in the Senate to have some hearings about what the Supreme Court's doing. It's too bad that there's no Possible way that could ever happen.
Alison Gill
Yeah, facetious. I feel your dripping sarcasm because I've been calling now for a very long time to subpoena these guys and hold them to the subpoenas because we have subpoena power in the Senate. It's one of the. It's why we send these elected officials to the Senate to hold our unelected, appointed lifetime officials to account.
John Fugelsang
Yes.
Alison Gill
And here we are. It feels very helpless. And so anybody out there who's listening, who feels very helpless about this, I see you. And. And you're not alone.
John Fugelsang
I support Justice Zolido's wife's decision to make her own decisions about flag poles. I do.
Alison Gill
Well, thank you so much for. For that. We appreciate you.
John Fugelsang
People out. They're horrible people. They're horrible people. And I'm writing a whole. I'm writing a whole book now about how they have always used a perverse form of Christianity as camouflage because that's all they've got. Right wing Christianity is nothing but camouflage to hide the fact that they're horrible people. And John Kenneth Galbraith called them all out on it in 1967. The modern conservative is engaged in one of mankind's oldest pursuits, the search to make selfishness appear virtuous.
Alison Gill
Well, thank you.
John Fugelsang
That's it.
Alison Gill
Yeah. And we appreciate you coming on and sharing those thoughts with us. You have so much knowledge and background on this subject. Oh, my God, I can't wait for the book to come out. I look forward to everybody seeing you out on the road. I know you're touring right now with Sexy Liberal Tour.
John Fugelsang
Thank you for having the most incredible podcast and the most incredible photos of you hanging out with De niro. Thank you, Ms. Gill.
Alison Gill
Thank you so much. And it was funny when I posted I'm with De Niro, I meant, like, I'm with him, like I'm with you, but I mean, I guess I was physically with him, but I should have.
John Fugelsang
You were with him in every. In every colloquial way. I will choose to believe. So.
Alison Gill
Yes. Figuratively and literally. Thank you so much, my friend. Everybody check out Tell Me Everything. It's weeknights, channel 127 progress. Channel 127 on Sirius XM progress. And it's called Tell Me Everything. It's 9:00pm Eastern, 6 Pacific on weekdays. And then of course, if you don't have Sirius, you can always listen to the John Fugelsang show podcast wherever you get your pods. My friend, it's always a pleasure to talk to you. The next time we speak. I am 100% certain, 99% certain we'll have a verdict in the Trump case. And it should be a great conversation whether whether we're commiserating or celebrating.
John Fugelsang
Thank you. I can't wait.
Alison Gill
We'll talk then. Everybody stick around. We'll be right back with the good news after these messages. We'll be right back, everybody. Welcome back. It's time for the good news, everyone.
John Fugelsang
Then, good news.
Alison Gill
Good news, good news. And if you have any good news confessions, corrections, you want to play what the is in your ark? Send us any animal or your POD pet tax. We'll try to guess what it is or just enjoy it. You can even draw us a picture. If you don't have pod pet tax to pay, you can send us an adoptable pet in your area. If you want to talk about how the former president has been found guilty on 34 felony counts, that's pretty good news. Send that into us. Send your thoughts. I want your thoughts. Any Democratic program, government program that has helped you or a loved one, whether it's Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Affordable Care Act, CHIPS Act, PACT act, inflation Reduction act, anything at all, especially student debt forgiveness, Send that into us. And of course, shout outs. Whether you're going to shout out yourself or a small business in your area or your small business or a loved one, spouse, partner, kid, parent, again, self shout outs are always welcome and very awesome. Anything at all you want to send to us. Send it to us@dailybeanspod.com and click on Contact. First up from Cindy, writing back in pronouns she and her Cindy the Merlin bird nerd here. I don't know if you have the same bird pick in front of you on Thursday, but that one posted is not an owl of any kind. It's a kestrel, the smallest hawk in the US Kisses. Thank you. I didn't look like an I thought it was a hawk. Thank you very much. From an in SF Pronouns he and him Salutations. I'm hoisting this banner of an idea up the flagpole to breezily remind the A person with a fondness of flags is known as a vexillophile. Oh, very interesting. But as an amateur student of bad Latin etymology, I propose a new meaning for the word vexillophile. It might be reasonably understood as a meaning of fond of something vexing, because Sam Alito's vexophile wife must plainly be just that fond of something vexing. Thank you. An in San Francisco oh, look at this doggo from Lisa C pronoun she and her fond of Flying Flags episode was a hysterical your laughter was contagious. As a follow up to yesterday's submission, I'm sharing Addie's DNA and another photo of Addie Long Dog. Yes, look at her go along on the sploot. All right, I think I guessed like Dobie and Weimaraner and Vizla maybe. But let's see. Pitbull, Staffy, Rottweiler, Bulldog, Boxer, Bulldog, Labrador, Weimaraner. I got one. Golden Retriever, Australian Shepherd, Miniature American Shepherd, Chow and Catahoula Leopard Dog. Okay, so no Doberman pinscher? I got one out of a hundred. That's an F. But thank you for sending in Long Dog. I love the sploot. Lisa C Next up from Jenny Pronouns she and her Dear Allison and Dana writing to thank you for the work you do I live in Brooklyn and popped over to see the scene outside of 100 Center street in Manhattan on Tuesday for closing arguments. I missed the De Niro speech by about 20 minutes, but the crowd was still visibly moved by his presence. After watching the speeches at home, I want to contextualize the power of Michael Fanone and Harry Dunn's presence. The NYPD prides itself in handling high security situations involving large crowds. This is where our officers shine. The brightest officers lined the checkpoints, the small park and the streets in pairs, relaxed and affable. As New Yorkers, we have a deep cultural value of don't be that guy and nobody needs more stress. The calm, toughness and thoroughness of the police reinforced this. I knew I could walk anywhere allowed, even the MAGA section, which varied between 15 and 30 people, and nothing was going to get out of control. What a contrast this made to the presence of Michael Fanon and Harry Dunne. I couldn't help but look around and wonder what would happen if the police around me were attacked by a huge armed mob. So thank you for spreading the story of the swatting of Michael Fanon's mother. I was deeply moved by Fanon's response. It takes some real sick fucks to do this. And I quote Biden when I say sick fuck. Robert De Niro hit all the accurate local notes like two bit hustler and wannabe tabloid playboy. Of course he meant this fucking guy. You think I'm gonna vote for this bullshitting conman huckster? He spoke for all of us who, like me, can only see Donald Trump as a future biff in Back to the future 2. The wife beating Casino King the park in front of the courthouse was filled with journalists and people checking out the scene, both locals and tourists. A German man said it was cheaper than Broadway. I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in years and we hugged and chatted about podcasts. Of course your name came up and we talked about how the Beans is our favorite news source. You are truthful and moral and kind and female voices in a space where we desperately need them. Oh my gosh. This is so kind. For Podpet Tax, here's my cat Tremont. He loves to be held, but he's old and giant so I carry him around my kid's old wearable baby carrier. Nothing makes him happier. Thank you for all you do Jenny. This is incredible. Thank you so much. And look at this cat in the baby carrier. That's amazing. And you ran into an old friend. Thank you so much for sharing that on the ground information. So good to hear. Next up from Melissa Pronoun. She and her hi AG and dg. I'd like to quickly say thank you. Since discovering MSW Media, I've been able to stop doom scrolling. Having a trusted news source where I can get up to date coverage has been a game changer. Thank you. Now onto my good news. My oldest son is graduating high school next week. While I've been busy preparing for a graduation party for him this weekend, I've done a lot of reflecting on our journey. I had my son when I was only 19 years old. @ the time, we were living in Texas and I was dependent on a father who was, well, not a nice guy. Just as my son turned 2, I made the decision and coerced his father to come back to my home state of Washington when my son was 3. With the help of social services, I was able to escape the relationship I was in. I had no bank account, no place to live, and no job. The state, in combination with some federal programs, was able to give me an emergency moving grant, free cell phone snap food benefits. They gave me vouchers to get interview clothes, gas vouchers and bus passes, and they helped me get enrolled into college that was covered entirely by federal and state grants. I was able to get a work study job while I worked on completing an associate's degree. DSHS also covered the cost of my daycare. I also had all mine and my son's medical and dental care covered. The state required a lot from me, or so it felt like it at the time to receive these benefits. But what it did was get me out of the hole I was in and on my own feet. It only Took about two to three years to become completely on my own and supporting myself again. There were ways that I don't know how my son and I were going to keep going. We had a lot of food and housing insecurities at the beginning, but we've been stable for some time now. To see him graduate high school has me filled with pride. We did it. Here's a picture of my 2024 graduate as well as. What the mutt for you. His name is Fendi. Her name, excuse me, is Fendi. She's a mix of three breeds. Don't let the haircut fool you. This is her and her winter cut and her summer cut. She turns 14 this fall. I'll see you in Seattle, Melissa. I look forward to it. Look at this graduation photo. God, you just must be, like, beaming. Just like full of awesomeness and pride. That's incredible. Oh, look at the summer cut and the winter cut. Okay, okay. Is this a Lhasa apso mixed with the Maltese mixed with a Shih tzu. Those are my three. Those are my three guesses. The summer cut looks like a Chinese crested, though. Let's see what we have. We have shih tzu, Pomeranian and Chihuahua. Okay, I got the shih tzu part one out of three. That's still an F, but thank you for sending that in. That was a beautiful submission. Next up was wife of Baldwin, not that family pronoun. She and her. Hey, beans queens from Connecticut. I have some great news and some good news to share. This past Tuesday, my dad married his partner of 23 years because thanks to the greatness of some government officials, the vet affairs now sees same sex marriage. And I'm so proud of the two of them as they are now. My two dads for being able to take this step, including their wedding pictures at city hall. Thank you. Secondly, I have a call out for my husband, who's a longtime listener and pulled me into the beans world for making making it another time around the sun. He is definitely the rock in my hurricane of a life, and I hope I'm as studying to him in storms as he has been to me. He also shares a birthday or one day off with our fur baby. I love sending you pictures of our Bubba, who is a rescue. So our best guess is American bulldog, but we have no paperwork. Your guests might be right as well. For potpat tax, I'm sending a picture of hubby and puppy on our last summer where Bubba was introduced to his first cow. Oh, my God. How adorable. Look at that. Looks like American bulldog. Did you say that? Did you say that? Yeah. American bulldog. That was Chance in Homeward Bound. Just. That's. I love those dogs. They're so adorable. Maybe a little pity in there, too. And what a beautiful photo of hubby and puppy. Thank you so much for sending in this incredible submission. All right, we've got a couple left. Beth, pronoun. She and her hey, gals. I love how the beans and Jack and cleanup keep me up on things with a reasonable time investment. You make distressing news manageable with your love and compassion. When you get apparently contradictory corrections. You should bear in mind that many words have more than one acceptable pronunciation. I had to look up anol or anoli when someone corrected you. To say it was say it with two syllables. We have thousands of those little guys running around New Orleans, and everyone here says anoli. I thought, no way, we're all wrong. Well, I learned anole is how you say it in British English, but anoli is the accepted American pronunciation, so everybody's right. Yay for my pod pet tax. Here's my dog, Daisy. She was about eight months old when I adopted her from a shelter, and now she's 2. And she's just the sweetest girl. Loves all people, especially children and other dogs. Cats, not so much, but oh, well. I sing along with your theme song to her every morning. Slightly changing the lyrics to Daisy Beans, Daisy Beans. And it always makes her tail wag. She's gorgeous dog. She's beautiful. Beth, thank you for sending that in. Look at those eyes and the little bleph. I want to boop the nose and sitting like a side saddle. I love that. That's so funny. All right, last one from Elise. You too might get a kick out of this. After hearing about your anoles and the pronunciation I thought of one time I didn't recognize a word. I asked my friends what the hell it was, pronouncing it onasy. And she returned a stare. And we eventually figured out it was a onesie. The one piece outfit for a kid. At least not just for kids. I have several onesies. I obviously missed the mom, Grandma, Onaisy. I might. I might call it that from now on. Thank you, Elise, and thanks to everybody for everything. I know, I know I'm like, making this sound like it's the end of something, but it is really just the beginning. We have so much more to cover and so much more news to go over and so many things to discuss in the future. I'm looking forward to all of it. Thank you so much for all being there. Thank you for sending in your good news. Send it to us@dailybeanspod.com and click on contact and come see me on the Find out tour. You can get tickets@alisongill.com I think they're probably all going to sell out now, so hurry, hurry and get them while you still can. And I'm going to be in Nashville with Phil Williams. That's so cool. In Milwaukee, right after the Republican National Convention, right after Trump is sentenced, we'll be in Milwaukee and I'll be there with Brendan, my friend from Weidus. And we have a present for you that we're going to play for you on stage. You don't want to miss any of these shows, so, so grab your tickets while you can and just again, thank you. It's an incredible day. I'm filled with pride and joy and awesomeness and happiness. And I'm so glad that we're all here to share it and go read my thank you to you about how we found each other and that we'll never be alone. I want you to read it. It's at. It's at my substack. So again, thank you so much. We'll be back in your ears on Monday. There will be an episode of Jack. On Sunday, we'll have a bonus episode of Cleanup for you. For the patrons, if you want to join patreon patreon.com muellershirerote or patreon.com il45pod I look forward to seeing you all again very soon. Until then, please take care of yourselves. Take care of each other, take care of the planet, take care of your mental health, take care of your family. Vote blue over Q and bring everyone with you. I've been ag and that was the beans.
John Fugelsang
Refried beans. I like refried beans.
Episode Summary: "Refried Beans | GUILTY (feat. John Fugelsang)"
Podcast Information:
a. Donald Trump's Guilty Verdict on Election Interference At the outset ([00:45]), Alison Gill announces a significant development: former President Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 felony counts related to election interference in the 2016 election. Gill expresses profound disbelief and elation, stating, "Guilty on all 34 counts. I am beside myself" ([05:15]).
b. Supreme Court Ethics Controversy Chief Justice John Roberts declined a meeting with Senators Whitehouse and Durbin regarding ethical concerns about Justice Samuel Alito's display of controversial flags ([09:45]). Roberts cited the need to maintain judicial independence ([10:10]). The White House criticized the refusal, emphasizing the necessity for Supreme Court accountability.
c. Apprentice Producer Accuses Trump of Racism A former producer from "The Apprentice" alleges that Trump used the N-word during production, claiming it's captured on tape ([12:30]). While the tape remains unavailable, Alison references supportive accounts from individuals like Noel Castler and Mary Trump ([13:05]).
d. Exposure of Erik Prince's Far-Right Group Chat The New Republic's Ken Silverstein unveils details about "Off Leash," a private WhatsApp group orchestrated by Erik Prince, former CEO of Blackwater. The chat includes notable figures like Tucker Carlson and Mike Flynn, discussing extreme strategies such as "clamping down on democracy" and "regime change" ([17:20]).
e. Blocked Nomination of Montana's First Native American Federal Judge Senator Steve Daines blocked the confirmation of Attorney Dana Jackson, nominated by President Biden to be Montana's first Native American federal district judge ([21:00]). Daines argued the administration did not seek his consent prior to the nomination, a claim contested by the White House.
f. Molly Cook Retains Houston's Texas Senate Seat State Senator Molly Cook narrowly defeats state Rep. Jarvis Johnson in the Senate District 15 primary runoff for the second time within the month ([23:45]). Cook's victory emphasizes the importance of every vote, with current tallies showing her leading by 74 votes ([24:10]).
g. MLB Integrates Negro League Statistics Major League Baseball has officially incorporated Negro League statistics into its historical records ([26:15]). Legendary players like Josh Gibson now hold top positions in MLB's all-time career batting averages, surpassing figures like Ty Cobb ([27:50]).
h. Biden Authorizes Ukraine to Strike Inside Russia The Biden administration has covertly permitted Ukraine to use U.S.-provided weapons for strikes near Kharkiv, Russia ([30:00]). This marks a strategic shift to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities without escalating U.S. involvement directly into the conflict.
Alison Gill and guest John Fugelsang delve into the emotional and political ramifications of Trump's conviction ([05:30]). Gill shares her excitement about the rule of law prevailing, asserting, "No one is above it, not even a former president" ([07:45]).
They discuss the broader implications for the Republican Party and the potential impact on upcoming elections. Fugelsang predicts mixed reactions to the verdict, suggesting, "Both sides will claim victory. No one's minds will be changed" ([24:40]).
The conversation also touches on the Supreme Court's ethical issues, with Gill expressing frustration over Roberts' refusal to engage with Democratic senators ([16:00]). Fugelsang criticizes the current state of the Court, highlighting a perceived lack of accountability ([34:27]).
a. Perspectives on Trump's Trial Fugelsang offers his analysis on the likelihood of Trump's conviction, anticipating guilty verdicts on several counts ([28:10]). He reflects on Trump's legal strategies and public demeanor, noting, "He'll be guilty on some, not guilty on others" ([29:00]).
b. Critique of Supreme Court's Independence The guest voices concerns about the Supreme Court's resistance to external oversight, emphasizing the need for enforceable ethical standards ([33:10]). Fugelsang underscores the importance of Senate subpoena power to hold justices accountable ([36:16]).
c. Commentary on Political Climate Fugelsang laments the current political divisions, highlighting the challenges in achieving bipartisan cooperation ([35:55]). He also criticizes right-wing Christianity as a facade for underlying malicious intents ([37:12]).
In the "Good News" segment, Alison Gill shares uplifting stories from listeners, celebrating personal achievements and community milestones.
a. Graduation and Overcoming Adversity Melissa shares her son's high school graduation and reflects on overcoming significant challenges with the support of government programs ([38:05]). She expresses profound gratitude, stating, "We did it" ([39:20]).
b. Same-Sex Marriage Milestone A listener from Connecticut celebrates her father's marriage to his long-term partner, marking a significant achievement in LGBT rights ([40:15]).
c. Community Support and Safety Jenny recounts her experience witnessing the power of community and law enforcement during Trump's trial in Manhattan, highlighting the resilience and support within New York City ([42:00]).
d. Pet Stories and Personal Connections Listeners share adorable photos and stories of their pets, fostering a sense of community and joy among the audience ([45:10]).
Alison Gill promotes upcoming live shows and encourages listeners to engage with the podcast through various platforms. She expresses heartfelt thanks to the audience for their support and shares her enthusiasm for future episodes ([50:00]).
Notable Quotes:
Conclusion: This episode of "The Daily Beans" navigates through pivotal political events, legal battles, and significant cultural milestones, offering listeners a comprehensive overview infused with insightful discussions and heartfelt community engagements. Hosted by Alison Gill and featuring John Fugelsang, the episode balances serious news with personal stories, embodying the podcast's commitment to progressive journalism with a touch of snark.