What A Day

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is facing calls from fellow Democrats to resign, as he faces federal bribery charges – the second time he’s been prosecuted for alleged corruption in the past 10 years. Menendez is accused of accepting cash, gold, and other gifts to secretly help Egypt’s government. It’s been a cliffhanger weekend for Hollywood, as the Writers Guild of America announced late Sunday evening that a tentative deal has been reached with the major studios to end the ongoing writers strike. And in headlines: a Colorado judge issued an order barring “threats or intimidation” over a lawsuit to keep Donald Trump off the state’s primary ballot, the Labor Department is investigating two major food companies over the use of child labor, and a NASA spacecraft delivered a long-awaited asteroid sample back to Earth. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington D.C. on Thursday to meet with President Biden and Senate leaders. Zelensky is trying to secure additional funding from the U.S. to help in the fight against Russian forces. But some Republican lawmakers are reluctant to continue financial support for Ukraine. Billionaire right-wing media mogul Rupert Murdoch is stepping down as chairman of News Corp. and Fox. His son, Lachlan, will come in to lead both companies. Murdoch’s exit caps a controversial, decades-long career that ultimately gave rise to the far-right discourse we see today. And in headlines: House Republicans once again failed to advance legislation on federal spending as the government shutdown deadline looms, India announced it has suspended visa services for Canadians, and free COVID tests by mail are coming back. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.covidtests.govhttps://tinyurl.com/7wd776bzCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Attorney General Merrick Garland testified before the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. During the nearly six-hour hearing, pushed back against claims that the Justice Department is unfairly protecting President Biden and his son Hunter, who has been under investigation since 2018. The trial of two police officers accused in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain began in Colorado. A total of five first responders have been charged in connection with the 23-year old’s death, who died days after being put in a chokehold by officers and injected with ketamine by paramedics. And in headlines: the Biden administration will grant temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the U.S., Ohio's Supreme Court ruled that the term “unborn child” can remain on an upcoming ballot referendum on abortion, and Lahaina’s 150-year old banyan tree that was scorched by the deadly Maui wildfires sprouted new leaves. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the U.N. General Assembly yesterday, framing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine as a “genocide.” He’s also hoping to shore up support in Washington this week, amid skepticism from Republicans over whether to send Ukraine another $24 billion in aid. A New York City daycare owner and one of her relatives face federal charges after four children in her care fell ill – and one died – after they were exposed to fentanyl. Prosecutors say a kilogram of the drug was kept on top of kids’ play mats. And in headlines: House Republicans failed to advance their own defense spending bill, Azerbaijan launched a military operation in a contested Armenian enclave; plus, WAD associate producer Raven Yamamoto breaks down the latest controversy involving Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Five Americans detained in Iran for years are on their way back home as part of a rare agreement between the United States and Iran. In exchange, the U.S. released a group of Iranian prisoners, and restored Tehran’s access to some $6 billion dollars in oil revenues. Illinois became the first state in the nation to fully eliminate cash bail on Monday. The new law is a major win in the fight against criminalizing poverty, and includes other provisions that are expected to improve the way criminal courts operate. And in headlines: Hunter Biden sued the IRS for releasing his tax records, Canada expelled a top Indian diplomat over ‘credible allegations’ that India’s government was behind the killing of a Canadian Sikh activist, and talks between the Writers Guild of America and major Hollywood studios will start back up this week. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcasthttps://www.historicallyblackphrases.com/https://tinyurl.com/7wd776bzCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

The United Auto Workers Union is on strike at all three of Detroit’s major automakers — General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. This is the first time in history it’s done that. Nearly 13,000 workers walked off the job at three auto plants across the country on Friday to fight for better wages and benefits as negotiations for a new labor contract continue. And in headlines: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted of all the impeachment charges against him, tens of thousands of protesters marched in Manhattan to call on world leaders to end the usage of fossil fuels, and Drew Barrymore reversed the decision to bring back her talk show amid the Hollywood writers’ strike. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

September 16th marks the one year anniversary since the death of Mahsa Amini and the start of a women-led revolution in Iran. The 22-year-old died in custody at the hands of the so-called morality police after allegedly violating the regime’s dress code. And within days, Iranians filled the streets in outrage. We’re joined by Iranian-American journalist Suzanne Kianpour to talk about how Iran has changed one year later. And in headlines: Hunter Biden was charged on three criminal counts in federal court, a Georgia judge ruled that Donald Trump and 16 others will be tried separately from two co-defendants heading to trial next month, and Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin announced that it’ll resume providing abortion services starting on Monday. Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/2hlqjaebhttps://www.kianpourworld.com/

Members of the United Auto Workers union are in the final countdown to reach a labor agreement with Detroit automakers. If agreements aren’t reached by 11:59pm ET Thursday night, then autoworkers will implement targeted strikes at plants run by General Motors, Ford Motor and Stellantis. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un met up at a summit on Wednesday in Eastern Russia. After the meeting, Kim Jong Un vowed full support for Russia’s invasion and Putin offered North Korea technological help, saying that there are “possibilities” for military cooperation between the two countries. And in headlines: a federal judge in Texas ruled once again that DACA is illegal, Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney announced that he will not seek reelection in 2024, and visual effects workers at Marvel Studios unanimously voted to unionize. Show Notes: https://www.thecut.com/article/jenna-lyons-rhony-profile.htmlhttps://crooked.com/podcast/secretary-of-state-antony-blinken/ https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

The government’s antitrust trial against Google kicked off yesterday as lawyers for the Department of Justice gave opening statements in their case. They argued that Google illegally created a monopoly with its titular search engine to squash competitors like Yahoo and Bing. We’re joined by Sara Morrison, senior tech reporter at Vox, to break down the case, why it matters and what comes next. And in headlines: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ordered a formal impeachment inquiry into President Biden, a federal grand jury indicted the five former Memphis police officers involved in the beating death of Tyre Nichols and the CDC recommended that everyone six months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/yqq4vgyjhttps://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/giving/appeals/libya-floods-emergency-appeal/https://help.rescue.org/donate/urgent-crisis-flood-libya https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

The 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack was yesterday, and officials around the country memorialized the nearly 3,000 people who were killed. Roughly 40 percent of the victims remain unidentified, but officials recently used DNA testing to discover the identities of two more of those killed in the attack. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's impeachment trial continued into its fifth day Monday, when his former chief of staff testified that Paxton had an affair with a woman named Laura Olson. Paxton is only the third public official in Texas to be impeached, and if convicted he will be basically fired. A verdict could come down as soon as this week. And in headlines: the FDA greenlit a new round of COVID-19 vaccines, thousands are feared dead in Libya after Storm Daniel hit the country, and strippers at Portland’s Magic Tavern Club voted to unionize. Show Notes: https://rep.club/products/historically-blackhttps://tinyurl.com/yv9nnrdt https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

A destructive 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco late Friday night and left 2,000 people dead and thousands injured. It’s the strongest to hit the country in over a century and rescue and recovery efforts have since been slow and tough. It's looking more and more likely that auto workers will go on strike starting this Friday. That’s unless United Auto Workers and the big three U.S. carmakers reach a deal by Thursday night. And in headlines: the Lahaina fire is officially 100% contained one month after it began, a court ruled that the White House overstepped the First Amendment and coerced social media platforms, and 19-year-old Coco Gauff came out on top to win the U.S. Open. Show Notes: How to Help Quake Victims in Morocco https://tinyurl.com/yomslaqohttps://tinyurl.com/yqcl3kx9https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/morocco-earthquake-relief-fund/What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Crooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

In a new report, Hawai'i’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism estimates that because of the Maui fire damages, the state’s economy will lose about $1.9 billion through 2024. So while state tourism officials initially urged tourists to stay away from Maui, they’ve now started to encourage tourists to come back to other parts of Maui and other Hawaiian islands to boost the local economy. But that tourism comes with a price. Today, the Florida Supreme Court will hear a case that could overturn 34 years of legal precedent regarding the right to abortion access. If successful, the state — which now provides the most abortion access in the Southeast — could quickly become a very different place for those seeking the medical procedure. And in headlines: Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that federal laws prohibiting abortion are unconstitutional violations of women’s rights, New York City Mayor Eric Adams called on government officials to provide more support for the city’s migrant crisis, and the South Florida city of Lake Worth Beach has become the state’s first LGBTQ+ sanctuary city. Show notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It's only been five weeks since Justice Janet Protasiewicz was sworn in to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but state Republicans are hell-bent on getting her kicked off the court before she even hears her first case. In their latest effort, Republicans in the state are floating the idea of impeaching Protasiewicz for statements she made about legislative maps. The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that it will ban drilling in 13 million acres of wilderness in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Plus, the administration said that it will also cancel the drilling leases that were issued under former President Donald Trump. And in headlines: a federal judge ordered Texas to remove its floating barrier in the Rio Grande and banned it from building a new one, Spanish soccer player Jenni Hermoso formally accused Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales of sexual assault, and Air Canada kicked two passengers off of a flight for refusing to sit in vomit-stained seats. Show Notes: https://www.defendjustice.com/https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

Interest on federal student loans has officially resumed, and payments are set to restart on October 1st. On Tuesday, however, a group of Senate Republicans introduced legislation to block President Biden’s Saving on Valuable Education Plan — or SAVE Plan — from going into effect, despite how it could help millions of people struggling to pay off their debt. For more, we’re joined by Braxton Brewington from the Debt Collective, a progressive organization fighting for full student debt cancellation. And in headlines: a court struck down Alabama’s Republican-drawn congressional map again, the impeachment trial of Texas’s Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton started yesterday, and a pair of construction workers severely damaged a part of the Great Wall in northern China. Show Notes:

COVID cases and hospitalizations are on the rise in the U.S., and experts are closely monitoring a new variant nicknamed “Pirola.” Plus, there might be a new, updated vaccine as early as next week. We’re joined by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, host of Crooked’s America Dissected, to talk about the latest uptick and what to expect in the coming months. Show notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Two more leaders of the Proud Boys were sentenced yesterday for their roles in the January 6th insurrection. Joe Biggs was sentenced to 17 years in prison while Zachary Rehl was sentenced to 15 years. Plus, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday in the Georgia criminal case where he’s accused of racketeering in his efforts to upend the 2020 presidential election results in the state. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas officially disclosed yesterday that Republican megadonor Harlan Crow footed the bill for his private jet trips in 2022 to both attend a speech in Texas and to vacation at Crow’s home in the Adirondacks. With this disclosure, he also included a statement defending his travel with Crow. And in headlines: at least 74 people died and more than 50 were injured after a fire broke out in Johannesburg, South Africa, federal student loans will once again start accruing interest, and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is coming to a movie theater near you this October. Show notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffee Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast yesterday morning and wreaked havoc in its wake. So far, it has left at least two people dead and caused major flooding and destruction. A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that Rudy Giuliani is liable in a defamation lawsuit brought by two Georgia election workers. They say their lives were upended after being targeted by Giuliani and Donald Trump after the 2020 election. And in headlines: Narcan will soon be available over the counter in the U.S., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze in front of reporters, and flight attendants at American Airlines voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

The Biden administration on Tuesday shared the first ten prescription drugs that it has chosen for price negotiations through Medicare. The Biden administration will try to lower Medicare prices for the drugs by negotiating with their respective manufacturers to ease the burden of their otherwise exorbitant costs. Former employees at Twitter – a.k.a. X – have filed thousands of arbitration complaints against the company in an effort to get the severance pay that they were promised. To date, more than 2,200 cases are backed up in the JAMS arbitration system, and the fees X is on the hook for could amount to about $3.5 million. And in headlines: the Biden Administration weakened regulations protecting millions of acres of wetlands, Republican lawmakers in Tennessee voted to temporarily censure Representative Justin Jones, and Boston officially dropped gendered language from marriage certificates. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday

March 4, 2024 will be the first day for Donald Trump’s federal criminal trial in which he is charged with attempting to subvert the 2020 presidential election results on January 6th. That trial date means it comes one day before the Super Tuesday primary. Tropical Storm Idalia is headed towards the U.S. and is expected to become a "major hurricane" by the time it hits Florida as early as tonight. Experts have warned residents to prepare for very severe weather, including a potentially deadly surge. And in headlines: Former L.A. City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to 42 months in prison, the visual effects crew at Walt Disney Studios got one step closer to unionizing, and Dylan Mulvaney took home the trophy for Breakout Creator at the 2023 Streamy Awards. Plus, listeners share how they or their loved ones have been impacted by anti-trans or anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country. WAD producer Raven Yamamoto joins us to share those stories and more. Show Notes:

A white gunman shot and killed three Black people in a racist attack at a Dollar General store on Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida. The attack is the latest incidence of racist gun violence perpetrated by a young, white gunman in the United States, and it is being investigated as a hate crime. Georgia Republicans have expedited the passing of a new state law that would allow the legislature to remove local prosecutors — particularly Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who recently indicted Donald Trump. This is the GOP’s latest attempt to remove prosecutorial power from DAs across the country. And in headlines: Russian officials finally confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash outside of Moscow, at least seven people were shot and killed just outside of Haiti’s capital, and members of the United Auto Workers union overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike. Show Notes: https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastcrooked.com/coffeehttps://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/crooked.com/whataday