"This Is A Captured Institution" - An Interview with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

<p>Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joins us to talk dark money, judicial nominations, and whether the Democrats have any hope of getting things done without filibuster reform.</p><p>Follow Peter (@The_Law_Boy), Rhiannon (@AywaRhiannon) and Michael (@_FleerUltra) on Twitter.</p><p>ERRATUM: </p><p>At 17:10 Senator Whitehouse refers to <a href="https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/73%20Roberts%20Five%205-4%20Cases%20.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a study of 78 Roberts court era decisions</a>. He incorrectly states that 72 of the cases advance Republican and/or corporate interests. The number is 73 cases, or 92 percent.</p><p>FURTHER READING:</p><p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/leonard-leo-federalists-society-courts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"A Conservative Activist's Behind-the-Scenes Campaign to Remake the Nation's Courts" - <em>Washington Post</em></a></p><p><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/inside-the-koch-backed-effort-to-block-the-largest-election-reform-bill-in-half-a-century" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"Inside the Koch-Backed Effort to Block the Largest Election-Reform Bill in Half a Century" - <em>The New Yorker</em></a></p><p><a href="https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/sep/11/sheldon-whitehouse/its-true-millions-dark-money-has-been-spent-tilt-c/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">"One unnamed donor gave $17 million to the Leo-affiliated Judicial Crisis Network to block the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland and to support Gorsuch; then a donor — perhaps the same one — gave another $17 million to prop up Kavanaugh."</a></p><p>Learn more about how you can help get the Judiciary Act passed at <a href="https://demandjustice.org/podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://demandjustice.org/podcast</a>.</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.co