Truth in the Barrel | Episode Summary

Episode: “Ballots, Borders, and Bad Information… | Unfiltered”

Hosts: Amy McGrath & Denver Riggleman
Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Amy McGrath and Denver Riggleman take a blunt, bipartisan dive into the escalating crisis surrounding U.S. elections, border policy, and the administration’s handling of misinformation and foreign affairs. With first-hand veteran and congressional perspectives, the duo unpacks the potential nationalization of elections, the growth of federal enforcement at polling places, controversial voter ID laws, immigration detention practices, and geopolitical instability — all while maintaining their signature unfiltered, bourbon-infused candor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflections from Abroad & U.S. Standing Overseas

• Denver shares powerful anecdotes from recent NATO veterans’ marches in Europe, highlighting continued goodwill toward the American public—despite skepticism about current leadership.
  • Quote:
    “I knew that my American brothers would still march with me.” — Danish NATO veteran (03:21)

2. The Push for Election Nationalization & The “SAVE Act”

• Amy critiques Trump’s proposal (voiced via podcast) for Republicans to “take over voting in 15 states”—hinting at a targeted play for swing states.
• Denver expresses alarm at the rhetoric, noting the implied dissolution of federalism:
  • Quote:
    “He didn’t say the federal government was going to take over elections. He said the Republicans... Isn’t that a bit of a red flag?” — Denver (04:56)

Constitutionality and Risks

• Amy references Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution, emphasizing that states control election procedures.
  • Quote:
    "The states control the times, manner, and election. So, you know, if you're trying to change that... that's unconstitutional." — Amy (06:47)
• Denver and Amy discuss Supreme Court interpretations and warn against executive orders/exploiting conspiracy theories to justify federal intervention in state elections.

Tabletop Exercises Become Reality

• Both share anxiety at seeing scenarios they war-gamed in 2024 (such as deploying military divisions to enforce polling security) coming to life.
  • Quote:
    “Goosebumps... when we see the Insurrection Act being talked about and the 82nd and 101st being deployed.” — Denver (08:21)
  • “Tabletop exercises that we did in the summer of 2024. Exactly.” — Amy (08:35)

The SAVE Act: Voter ID and Suppression

• Amy: Not against Voter ID if government provides IDs for free, but points out the act’s scope goes far beyond—disenfranchising women (name changes), people lacking documentation, military, truckers, people in remote areas, etc.

  • Quote:
    “If you don’t [pay for voter IDs], then it’s just a poll tax, right?” — Amy (09:05)
  • “You’re disenfranchising millions of Americans who are deployed and their families and their spouses. How about truck drivers? How about airline pilots?” — Amy (09:38)

• Denver: Warns about “insanity in charge” with election deniers being placed in positions of election oversight (10:56).

3. Disinformation & Conspiracy Pillars

• Denver notes two pillars being used: foreign interference and illegal immigrants voting, likening current hysteria to past moral panics:
  • Quote:
    “The scary... you know, it's almost like a legal immigrant panic. Almost like the satanic panic.” — Denver (15:31)
• Best way to steal elections is not foreign hacking, but disenfranchisement through “process,” e.g., eliminating mail-in voting or changing postmark rules (11:51).

4. ICE, Detention Facilities & Human Rights

• Amy and Denver discuss the expansion of immigrant detention: over 70,000 detained, 222 facilities (up 100 from last year), 3,800 children detained, many over 20 days — in violation of a standing court order (17:10).

• Denver:

  • “It’s hard not to think about 70,000 people being detained... and not to think the right word isn’t war crimes, but there’s certainly something here that’s... so awful.” (18:27)

• Amy recalls visits to detention centers; conditions were poor but now involve children. Highlights mental, physical impacts on kids and the profit motive (private prisons) perpetuating the system (20:30).

• Denver:

  • “I’ve never seen an administration so anti-child in my life. Whether it’s taking away health care, whether it’s imprisoning children in these camps, or whether it’s protecting child rapists with the Epstein files. It seems like everything that this administration... does is anti-child.” (22:00)

• Both agree: media’s fear of Trump, industry layoffs, and headlines chasing clicks are minimizing public outrage ("it should break through... but it's not." — Amy, 24:53).

5. Cuba, Venezuela, and Foreign Policy Chaos

• Analysis of the ripple effects of Venezuela’s regime change and planned pressure on Cuba’s regime. Amy warns: collapse of Cuba risks mass migration, border and terrorism threats, with the administration’s priorities seen as self-serving:

  • Quote:
    “It’s a ripple effect... what are you talking about with Russia and China and Cuba?... We’re not taking into account any type of human suffering... it was just about profit taking for his donors. That’s all it was.” — Denver (28:06)

• Amy:

  • “We don’t have a great track record of failed states being good for the world. And this one is right next to our borders... when you have failed states, you have mass migration and mass humanitarian issues.” (29:54)

• Both mock the lack of strategy; Trump tries to export regime changes or reward donors, then fails to actually transition power to democratic opposition (32:35).

6. Incompetence and Weaponization of Government

• Tangents include closing airspace over El Paso (was it a DHS mishap or, as rumor had it, a UFO scare?), shooting balloons mistaken for drones, and dangerous new tech in untrained hands:

  • Quote:
    “It’s like the real trained military is seeing weapons that are really high tech and dangerous handed to kids that don’t know what they’re doing. I mean, that’s where we’re at right now.” — Amy (37:25)

• Denver’s refrain:

  • “Stupidity is terminal… sometimes it’s terminal to other people who aren’t stupid. And that’s what we’re seeing.” (26:00, 40:26, 40:34)

7. Corruption and Governance

• U.S. drops to #29 on the global corruption index; both expect it to get worse given current tech oligarchy, regulatory abandonment, direct government profiteering.
  • Quote:
    “It is an oligarchy full of nutters with a lot of tech.” — Denver (41:03)
  • “Uruguay is less corrupt than we are.” — Amy (42:44)

8. Partisanship, Petty Governance, and Inappropriate Conduct

• Trump bars certain Democratic governors from National Governors Association, resulting in cancellation (43:06).
• Hosts call out Trump’s racist social media posts about the Obamas, hypocrisy of “family values” Republicans, and the normalization of behavior unfit for any leader—let alone the president.
  • Quote:
    “If my kid posted something like this, I would take his phone away... And we have the President of the United States doing this.” — Amy (45:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Notable Moment or Quote | |-----------|---------|------------------------| | 03:21 | Denmark NATO veteran (via Denver) | "I knew that my American brothers would still march with me." | | 04:56 | Denver | “He didn’t say the federal government was going to take over elections. He said the Republicans... Isn’t that a bit of a red flag?” | | 06:47 | Amy | “The states control the times, manner, and election... that’s unconstitutional.” | | 08:21 | Denver | “Goosebumps... Insurrection Act... 82nd and 101st [Airborne] deployed.” | | 11:51 | Denver | “The best way to steal an election is through process. It’s through disenfranchising people.” | | 15:31 | Denver | “It’s almost like a legal immigrant panic. Almost like the satanic panic.” | | 18:27 | Denver | “There’s certainly something here that’s so... awful.” | | 22:00 | Denver | “I’ve never seen an administration so anti-child in my life.” | | 28:06 | Denver | “… it was just about profit taking for his donors. That’s all it was.” | | 29:54 | Amy | “We don’t have a great track record of failed states being good for the world.” | | 37:25 | Amy | “It’s like the real trained military is seeing weapons... handed to kids that don’t know what they’re doing.” | | 40:26, 40:34 | Denver | “Stupidity is terminal.” | | 41:03 | Denver | “It is an oligarchy full of nutters with a lot of tech.” | | 45:16 | Amy | “If my kid posted something like this, I would take his phone away…” |

Quick Takes (47:00—51:00)

• Whiskey/Bourbon Corner: Amy gives a shoutout to Dark Arts Whiskey House in Lexington, bottles her own straight rye sherry-finished whiskey (46:04).
• Olympics Segment:
  • Denver supports U.S. luge athletes, noting the family connection.
  • Both voice pride in U.S. Olympians standing up for themselves, discuss medal counts, and reminisce on how the Winter Olympics have evolved (47:16–50:57).

Final Thoughts

• Tone & Delivery: The episode is unsparing, irreverent, and deeply patriotic—mixing bitter alarm at the present with humor and resolve.
• Key Message: Across all topics—from election integrity to foreign policy—the recurring theme is the danger of incompetence, the perils of extreme partisanship, and the urgent need for accountability and vigilance in defending American constitutional democracy.

For Listeners

If you’re looking for unvarnished analysis from different wings of American politics (and a couple of whiskey recommendations), this is a timely, bracing episode that connects the dots between headlines, law, and lived experience.