Episode Overview

Title: Ep 263 | How Obama Weaponized His Deep State Against Hero Vets
Date: August 16, 2025
Host: Glenn Beck
Guest: Gina Keating (Investigative journalist, author)

Theme:
This episode explores the story told in Gina Keating's new book about "Raven 23"—a group of four Blackwater security contractors (veterans) convicted in connection with a deadly event in Nisour Square, Iraq, and how political forces within the Obama administration purportedly manipulated their case for foreign policy gain. The discussion uncovers the interplay of media narratives, political "deep state" actions, the erosion of journalistic independence, and the broader consequences for both veteran communities and the integrity of government and press.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction: Setting the Stage for Uncovering the Truth

• [03:08] Glenn introduces Gina Keating, emphasizing her journalistic courage in challenging her own political priors to uncover the truth about the Raven 23 case.
• Gina reflects on the personal cost and honor involved in telling this story:

  “This story changed me in a lot of ways... it takes a story like this to remind you what your job is.” (Gina Keating, 04:04)

2. What Happened to Raven 23?

• [04:29] Gina summarizes the Raven 23 incident:
  • Four Blackwater contractors responded to a bombing in Baghdad, were fired upon in Nisour Square, returned fire, and were later accused of a massacre, leading to multiple U.S. trials and life sentences.
  • The incident became a political firestorm—fueling negative media against private contractors.
• Glenn recalls how Blackwater was vilified compared to U.S. soldiers:

  “Everybody was eager to say, oh, Blackwater is so evil. …We were willing to throw Blackwater under the bus.” (Glenn Beck, 05:41)

• Gina admits sharing negative views about Blackwater initially, shaped by her opposition to the Iraq war.

3. The Legal Saga & Political Motives

• [07:02] Timeline of the legal process:
  • Incident under Bush. Surrendered/suspects questioned in 2008/09.
  • [07:38] Obama administration reinvigorates prosecution after original dismissal due to lack of evidence and alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
• Gina reveals the trials' political backdrop:

  “There were foreign policy objectives that were going to be served by bringing them back to court.” (08:35)

Foreign Policy and Political Sacrifice

• The Obama administration needed to satisfy Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the Iraqi public to sustain influence and stabilize the government, leading to renewed prosecutions as a diplomatic gesture.

  “These guys literally became the sacrificial lambs for the rest of our screw ups in Iraq.” (Gina Keating, 09:24)

• Critical Segment:

  • [10:22] The contractors are eventually convicted in 2014 after an extraordinary legal ordeal including multiple grand juries and trials.

4. Gina’s Personal Journey & Investigative Process

• [12:29] The accidental, almost “providential” way Gina learned about the case—her dog bringing in a newspaper article about a neighbor’s son.
• [14:37] Skeptical at first, she becomes moved by media bias and one-sided reporting, the absence of defense perspectives, and the caricatured portrayal of the accused men.

5. Confronting the Media Establishment & Peer Pressure

• [18:05] Gina recounts difficulty persuading journalistic peers to investigate:

  “None of them would touch it. …they thought, there’s gotta be some reason [the government] did this.” (19:29-19:43)

• Strong peer and career pressure in journalism to conform to the government narrative, particularly regarding controversial topics like the military or Blackwater.

  “People are telling me, don't touch this. You are going to ruin your career. Nobody wants to hear about this.” (20:26)

• [22:09] Publishers and agents refused her book proposal on moral or political grounds, not on journalistic merit.

6. Conservative Media, Persistence, and Trump's Intervention

• Eventually, Gina allies with Michael Flaherty of Walden Media, who connects her with conservative media and Fox News.
• Pete Hegseth becomes key in drawing President Trump’s attention, ultimately leading to a pardon campaign.

7. Journalism, Cynicism, and Loss of Mission

• Conversation laments the “team” mentality now pervasive in journalism schools and newsrooms.

• Gina observes:

  “It's almost like people don't understand what the outcome of this type of, you know, my team, your team interaction is. …The beauty of being a journalist is that you're kind of a no man.” (25:59)

• Both discuss the erosion of the watchdog role of the press and the consequences for ordinary Americans.

8. The Broader Pattern: Weaponization of Government

• Glenn asserts:

  “We are living now with a government…there’s no fear of the people anymore…If they do that to them, then that’s already demonstrating [they can do it] to anybody.” (29:50)

• Gina illustrates how other veteran and whistleblower cases have been exploited for government optics rather than justice.
• The Raven 23 prosecution as deflection during the Obama administration’s controversial drone campaign.

9. Smoking Gun: WikiLeaks Cables

• [32:20] Gina explains evidence drawn from diplomatic cables and internal emails:

  “Thanks to WikiLeaks, we know...Clinton, Biden, Holder pushed for convictions because of political pressure from a corrupt Iraqi government...” (Glenn Beck quoting Gina's book, 32:20)

• A direct link:

  “She [Clinton] immediately emailed [her lawyer] and said, how can we make this case come back?” (Gina Keating, 35:23)

  • Biden quickly guaranteed the Iraqis they would get justice.
• Decision of prosecution was set by foreign political needs, not evidence.

10. Systemic Accountability & the Failure to Punish

• Glenn asks:

  “How many of the people that were involved in putting these guys in jail…have gone to jail themselves, been fired, still in government?” (56:21)

• Gina responds:

  “They're all there. …Some of the prosecutors...left the DOJ, but they weren't prosecuted....The judge…is still hearing cases.” (56:21–57:31)

• Story of unaccountable power, enabled by lack of transparency.

11. Decline of Trust and Need for Local Solutions

• Discussion turns to reporting on real issues that matter to regular Americans: local health care, infrastructure, cost of living.
• Lack of attention from national politicians and parties to actual local problems.

  “If the Democrats would get off their butts and come down here and try to figure out how to solve these problems, nobody would be voting Republican. But they don't care about those issues.” (Gina Keating, 49:14)

12. Prospects for Change and the Press

• Both agree the public is souring on political games and media spin; people seek genuine solutions and trustworthy reporting.
• Gina expresses hope:

  “People are seeking out the truth. …Eventually…the people who are doing propaganda are recognized as such.” (44:26–46:49)

• Glenn and Gina lament their generation being sidelined by political gerontocracy and call for the next generation to step up.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “These guys literally became the sacrificial lambs for the rest of our screw ups in Iraq.”
  (Gina Keating, 09:24)

• “It's almost like people don't understand what the outcome of this type of, you know, my team, your team interaction is. …The beauty of being a journalist is that you're kind of a no man.”
  (Gina Keating, 25:59)

• “Thanks to WikiLeaks, we know that behind the scenes, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Attorney General Eric Holder pushed for convictions because of political pressure from a corrupt Iraqi government that they wanted to make appear legitimate.”
  (Glenn Beck quoting Gina Keating’s book, 32:20)

• “She [Clinton] immediately emailed him and said, how can we make this case come back?...The second most powerful man in the world is going on TV and saying essentially that you're guilty and you got away with it.”
  (Gina Keating, 35:23–35:24)

• "The peer pressure is immense not to divert from what your side is saying. ...It's almost violent anger when you do that."
  (Gina Keating, 40:04)

• “People don't matter to this system. It seems. It's easier.”
  (Glenn Beck, 39:58)

• “If they would come out to some of these areas… and just fix some of this stuff, these places would be little oases....But there is nobody who cares about that enough to fix it.”
  (Gina Keating, 54:39–55:07)

• On why a top agent wouldn't help: "I won't represent a book like that. I'm. Morally. Morally, I can't." – "Morally, what? What's the moral part? That they work for Blackwater or...you don't like Eric Prince because he's Christian or rich or what?"
  (Gina Keating, 22:09)

• Roger Ailes to Glenn Beck:

  “You know what your problem is? …You won't play the game.” (Glenn recalls, 53:10–53:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:08 — Glenn introduces Gina and her background.
• 04:29 — Gina narrates the full Raven 23 backstory.
• 07:38 — Legal process: case dismissal, political resurrection.
• 08:35 — The foreign policy motive emerges.
• 09:24 — Why Raven 23 were sacrificed for political optics.
• 10:22 — 2014 conviction details; Gina’s first involvement.
• 12:29–14:33 — The extraordinary coincidence drawing Gina to the case.
• 18:05 — On courage to question one's own “side.”
• 20:26 — Peer and career pressure in journalism.
• 22:09 — Publishing industry resistance.
• 29:50 — Weaponization of government for political ends.
• 32:20 — WikiLeaks evidence of White House intervention.
• 35:23 — Clinton and Biden act swiftly after original dismissal.
• 40:04 — Pressures against dissent in government and media.
• 44:26 — Hope for the resurgence of trustworthy media.
• 46:49 — Urging generational change in politics.
• 49:14 — Disconnect between local needs and party politics.
• 56:21 — Lack of accountability for those responsible in government.

Conclusion

This episode offers a compelling, deeply personal, and highly critical look at the intersection of politics, media, and justice—using the saga of Raven 23 as both a warning and a call to action. Through Gina Keating’s journey, the conversation spotlights not just the fate of four veterans caught in geopolitical machinations but also the dangers of press partisanship, eroding accountability, and a government more concerned with optics and power than individual rights. Both Glenn and Gina express hope that broader public disillusionment may finally force the change mainstream institutions have resisted.