The Daily Beans: "Refried Beans" | #PAB | 2/9/2023

Release Date: February 7, 2026 (replaying the episode from February 9, 2023)
Hosts: Allison Gill (AG) & Dana Goldberg (DG)
Podcast Description: Women-owned, progressive news with a smart, snarky spin.

Episode Overview

This retrospective "Refried Beans" episode revisits a Daily Beans shown from February 9, 2023, to reflect on recent history and the evolution of news stories. The hosts—Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg—dissect major U.S. political events and scandals of the time, focusing on congressional hearings about alleged social media bias, developments in Trump-related investigations, GOP conspiracy theories, legal wrangling around Jeffrey Epstein’s enablers, and more—all with candid humor and progressive insight.

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. Opening & State of the Union Recap

[02:44] - [03:19]

• Dana and Allison discuss Biden's 2023 State of the Union address and his clever handling of Republican hecklers, notably pushing the GOP to publicly rule out cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

  • Quote (DG, 02:44): “State of the Union Dark Brandon coming out hot. I love that he basically got Republicans to say on record that they weren't gonna touch Medicaid and Medicare, which was fucking brilliant.”
  • Quote (AG, 02:55): “He totally rope-a-doped him into that. It was brilliant and amazing.”

• Briefly touch on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s heckling and flawed attempts at rebranding herself:

  • Quote (DG, 03:02): "Marjorie Taylor Greene is an asshole, as we already know, and a child."

2. GOP Twitter Files Hearing and Social Media Conspiracies

[03:50] – [09:51]

• The main event is the heated House hearing over “Twitter Files.” The GOP attempts to prove Democratic collusion with social media to silence right-wing voices during the 2020 election.
• Allison explains GOP’s fixation on Elon Musk’s "Twitter Files" as supposed proof of free speech suppression, met with ex-Twitter executives' testimony contradicting these claims.
• Republicans, oblivious to exculpatory testimony, press on with "unsubstantiated allegations of collusion."

Notable Clip: The Chrissy Teigen Tweet

• A viral moment emerges as Anika Collier Navaroli, whistleblower and Twitter staffer, testifies that the Trump White House asked Twitter to remove an offensive tweet by Chrissy Teigen, who called Trump a “pussy ass bitch.”

  • Quote (Chrissy Teigen via Navaroli, 06:25): “Chrissy Teigen referred to Donald Trump as a pussy ass bitch.”
  • The hosts replay the clip for comedic effect (“Let’s hear it again…” at [06:46]).

• The segment illustrates Trump’s attempts to censor personal criticism, while Republicans allege anti-conservative bias in tech, immune to evidence to the contrary.

Democratic Pushback

• Rep. Jamie Raskin criticizes the GOP for “authentically Trivial Pursuit” of Twitter conspiracy and notes that media can curate as they please.

Further Revelations

• Twitter allegedly altered its policies to accommodate Trump’s hostile tweets at AOC and “the squad,” loosening enforcement against the phrase “go back to your country.”

• Democrats highlight these facts to show selective rule enforcement favoring Trump.

• Quote (DG, 09:51): “Let them do this for two years and vote them the hell out.”

3. Trump World: Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, and Pending Indictments

[09:55] – [14:52]

• Michael Cohen meets prosecutors in the Manhattan DA’s office about Trump’s alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. Cohen's 15th interview, first since a grand jury convened.

  • Cy Vance (former DA) declined to pursue charges, Bragg (current DA) revived the investigation.
  • Discussion about Mark Pomerantz’s resignation and new book, and internal debates about whether the case was ever truly ready.

• The hosts express skepticism and frustration over Allen Weisselberg's “sweetheart deal” and the slow pace of accountability:

  • Quote (AG, 11:54): “What I’m certain about is I’m confused and upset about the Weisselberg sweetheart deal... No one goes to jail for that. That’s what I want answers to.”

4. Hunter Biden Investigations and DOJ vs. House GOP

[14:52] – [18:19]

• House Republicans seek to investigate Hunter Biden but face obstacles from an ongoing Justice Department probe, which limits congressional avenues due to potential conflicts.

• Rep. Comer (Chair, House Oversight) wants DOJ to delay any indictment so the House can continue its inquiry—an ironic reversal given past GOP attacks on DOJ-Congress coordination.

  • Quote (AG, 16:19): “This House committee wants DOJ to wait to indict Hunter Biden so that they can investigate.”

• The hosts note GOP’s continued use of Hunter Biden as political fodder, despite lack of evidence linking Joe Biden to any crime.

5. Deutsche Bank, Epstein Settlements, and Legal Maneuvers

[18:19] – [22:55]

• Deutsche Bank claims a prior Epstein survivor settlement shields it from current litigation over complicity with Epstein’s crimes. Dana and Allison call out this maneuver as a weak attempt to avoid accountability, noting similar legal defenses have failed for Epstein’s other associates (e.g., Ghislaine Maxwell, Prince Andrew).

  • Quote (DG, 18:19): “That whole fucking settlement, by the way, is such bullshit.”
  • Quote (AG, 22:18): “I don’t think the judge is going to dismiss this on these grounds. They didn’t for anybody else.”

• Also mention a $26 million settlement between Deutsche Bank and shareholders around Epstein/Russian oligarch links—not survivors.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• The recurring “pussy ass bitch” moment:
  • “Chrissy Teigen referred to Donald Trump as a pussy ass bitch.” (Navaroli quoting in Congress, played at 06:25, 06:46, 09:12, and again comically at the end)
  • AG: “I’ve watched that clip … like 500 times. It never gets old to me.” [06:50]
• GOP labeled as "dipshidiots":
  • Listener Kathleen proposes the nickname “dipshidiots of justice” for the GOP.
  • Quote (Kathleen letter, 29:36): "I personally refer to the entire GOP as dipshitiots of justice. Which is a great fucking word, by the way."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:44] - [03:19]: State of the Union & GOP reaction
• [03:50] - [09:51]: Twitter Files hearing, GOP claims, Chrissy Teigen tweet moment
• [09:55] - [14:52]: Michael Cohen in Manhattan DA’s office, Trump hush money case
• [14:52] - [18:19]: House GOP vs. DOJ over Hunter Biden investigations
• [18:19] - [22:55]: Deutsche Bank/Epstein lawsuits and settlement loopholes
• [24:06] - [30:50]: Listener-submitted "good news," pet updates, community connections

“Good News” Segment Highlights

[24:06] – [30:50]

• Listener submissions showcase stories of resilience and joy: starting new businesses (decorated sugar cookies), overcoming homelessness, and adorable tales about pets with photos.
• Hosts cheer on community connections and positive change, continuing the Beans tradition of uplifting content after heavier news segments.

Tone & Takeaways

• The episode balances sharp, progressive political analysis with irreverent humor and deliberately unfiltered language (“fuckery,” “dipshidiots,” etc.).
• The hosts maintain an energetic, bracing candor, with Dana and Allison trading barbs, pop culture references, and inside jokes (“give me the beans!”).
• Memorable comedic moments (especially around the Chrissy Teigen tweet and replays) make the news accessible while underlining the absurdity of some contemporary political spectacles.

Conclusion

This “Refried Beans” episode encapsulates the moment-to-moment chaos and comedy of early 2023 U.S. politics, from congressional circus acts over Twitter to the slow grind of Trump-world legal jeopardy. Allison and Dana’s mix of snark, skepticism, and empathy—especially in their Good News section—reminds listeners how to laugh, resist cynicism, and build community, even amid a "bombastic Newsweek of dipshidiots."

• [31:06] AG: “It’s just been bombastic. Newsweek of dipshidiots. Thank you for that new word.”
• [31:28] AG: “Take care of yourselves, take care of each other, take care of the planet, take care of your mental health.”
• [31:35] Chrissy Teigen (quoted, closing): “Chrissy Teigen referred to Donald Trump as a pussy ass bitch.”

For full context, listen to the episode and enjoy the hosts’ vibrant delivery and audience engagement—snark, swearing, and all.