The Oath and The Office

Can Trump use the Postal Service to control how Americans vote by mail? And when does a campaign promise cross the line into an attempted bribe? Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman joins Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang to discuss the Supreme Court’s order keeping Trump’s Postal Service restrictions on mail voting blocked ahead of the midterms. She also provides an update on her organization’s challenge to Trump’s slush fund and discusses her new book, Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times. Before the interview, Corey and John break down the news:The Postal Ruling: What the Supreme Court’s decision means for voters this November.Pardons & Bribes: Trump’s promise of $5,000 checks if Republicans keep Congress and the big business of pardon lobbying. Does calling the pardon power “plenary” excuse corrupt use?AI & Autocracy: Mike Johnson’s hands-off approach to AI safety, and what Hungary’s fight against corruption can teach us about defeating authoritarianism.Timestamps:7:18 – The $5,000 Dividend14:32 – Trump is Selling Pardons23:52 – The Call to Slow AI Progress32:37 – An AFD Victory in Germany: What Does This Mean for Us?40:14 – The Courts Kept Trump’s Mail-In Ballot Interference At Bay (With Skye Perryman)51:11 – Democracy Forward’s Suit Against Trump’s Slush Fund & A Peek Into Skye’s New BookSupport our sponsor today at https://FFRF.us/officeSkye Perryman’s book: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears to have secured the committee votes needed to advance his nomination. He cleared the path by agreeing to rescind Donald Trump’s controversial $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and narrow sweeping IRS audit protections for Trump and his family.But does the deal truly kill the fund—or merely clear a political hurdle while leaving the door open for its return? Corey and John argue that walking back these dangerous policies does not erase Blanche’s complicity in advancing them, nor does it prove him fit to lead the Justice Department.They also break down a consequential week for executive power and the nation’s democratic guardrails:Elections: Trump’s escalating attempt to expand federal control over mail voting.Press Freedom: Withdrawn Justice Department subpoenas that sought testimony and phone records from New York Times journalists.Media Pressure: The FCC’s continuing pressure campaign against ABC.Surveillance: Allegations that the Secret Service illegally tracked James Comey and his wife.Intelligence: The Senate’s party-line confirmation of Jay Clayton to lead the intelligence community.The checks on executive power are being tested in real time. Some are holding. Others may prove temporary.Timestamps:1:20 – Todd Blanche Confirmation Proceedings18:03 – Trump Cheating in the Midterms28:03 – Federal Agencies Aren’t Sticking to Their Purpose28:56 – Jawboning and Media Censorship47:39 – Why Everyone Should See “The Odyssey”51:08 – Trump is a Threat to Democracy; the Courts Can Help54:26 – Trump is Suffering in the Polls

Threatening the broadcast licenses of news networks is a direct assault on the free press. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang tear down Trump’s extraordinary primetime speech and explain why standard media fact-checking is no longer enough to protect democracy. They also break down Todd Blanche’s attorney general confirmation hearing and a judge’s condemnation of Trump’s IRS self-dealing.Then, Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman joins Corey to expose the administration’s hidden $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund. Blanche told senators the fund was dead, but Perryman explains why the receipts say otherwise—and why this controversy could derail his confirmation.What we cover in this episode:• Media Extortion: The legal reality behind threats to network broadcast licenses.• The $1.8 Billion Loophole: Why the admin's secret fund might still be alive.• IRS Self-Dealing: A federal judge’s blistering condemnation of administrative overreach.• ICE Misconduct: Why state prosecutors must step in when the feds refuse to act.Timestamps:1:54 – Trump’s Election Interference Speech16:53 – Todd Blanche Confirmation Proceedings22:05 – Federal Judge on the Trump–IRS Agreement31:51 – FBI to Stop Investigating Confrontations Involving ICE38:48 – Interview with Skye Perryman