A federal grand Judy says sorry, Donnie when it comes to prosecuting Letitia James. Ben riffs. And Maya returns! To talk about her epic profile of Cook County Judge Timothy Evans, one of the most important local politicians in recent history. He went from Machine alderman to Mayor Washington’s floor leader to one of the reasons Richard M Daley got elected mayor to Chief Judge and the unlikely criminal justice “reformer,” if such a word can ever be used in relation to Cook County. Maya is a writer for Injustice Watch. For years, she and Ben were colleagues at the Reader and co-hosts of First Tuesday.

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Michael Madigan goes Blago—pleading with Trump for mercy. Ben riffs. Monroe considers the case of Mamdani. When should Dems defer to Trump? Should Mayor Johnson be more like Mamdani? And what to make about Trump’s hate of Somalia? A few words about Brian Glenn, MTG’s boyfriend, who’s torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool.

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Trump ends the War on Drugs for those who kiss his ass. Ben riffs. Matt Ginsberg-Jaeckle takes us from A to Z on recent US policy toward Honduras. Starting with the coup of 2009 and continuing to Trump’s commutation of Juan Orlando Hernandez’s sentence for drug trafficking. It’s a sickening spectacle. Matt is an interpreter and human rights activist.

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MAGA weighs in on bombing boats and killing people in the Caribbean. Ben riffs. Sarah Bingaman—Western Illinois’s voice of the people—returns to describe the challenge of building a Democratic base in rural Illinois. You have to listen to people. Don’t be needlessly argumentative. You’d be surprised by what you have in common. And for goodness sakes, don’t assume you will lose—you can win! Sarah is a political activist in Lee County.

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A NYT headline about Obamacare is a joke even for NYT. Ben riffs. David Faris defends the voters, sorta. As he covers Trump’s gas guzzling energy policy, Trump’s get rid of healthcare policy. Also, a few words about Hegseth, Fox News and what’s it gonna take to win an election. David is a political science professor at Roosevelt University and a columnist for The Nation. His views are his own.

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Oh, What a Week: Blame it on Byron

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Want Boss Donnie to do whatever you want him to do? It’s easy. Just call him—Your excellency. Ben riffs. Laurie Glenn does not hold back—extended riffs on this age of hate and madness and the need to stand strong. Hear that, Dems? On a personal note—her 30-year fight against cancer. There is no courage without fear. And all power to Jewish girls with long, curly hair. Laurie is a political activist and strategist and CEO of Thinkinc.

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The “reformers” tag team with the Bright One to keep TIF money out of our schools. Ben riffs. Mueze Bawany delivers his takes on Mayors Mamdani and Johnson. Why Trump likes one but not the other. Hint…it’s cause one is a “model minority” and the other is not. Trump’s anti-Blackness. A close-out riff on the Bears, including a bold prediction for Sunday’s Packers game. Mueze is an activist, high school teacher, football coach and proud union man. As in the CTU.

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