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Breaking Battlegrounds

Breaking Battlegrounds

303 episodes — Page 5 of 7

Mike Pompeo on Protecting America on the World Stage

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by former Secretary of State and former CIA Director Mike Pompeo. Later in the show, Brian Domitrovic calls in to talk about Biden's inflation. - Michael R. Pompeo served as the 70th Secretary of State of the United States, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and was elected to four terms in Congress representing the Fourth District of Kansas. He is a distinguished fellow at Hudson Institute, where he focuses on promoting U.S. national security, technological leadership and global engagement.Mike graduated first in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986. He served as a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, leading troops patrolling the Iron Curtain, rising to the rank of Captain. Mike left the military in 1991 and then graduated from Harvard Law School, having served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review.Up next was almost a decade leading two manufacturing businesses in South Central Kansas – first in the aerospace industry and then making energy drilling and production equipment. These two companies made real stuff and provided high – quality jobs for hundreds of hard-working Kansans.In 2010, Mike watched government grow too big and decided to run for Congress. He won and was re-elected three more times to represent South Central Kansas – the heartland of America. Despite being an outsider and fairly junior, Mike played important roles on the House Benghazi and House Intelligence Committees, working to keep our soldiers and diplomats safe and America more secure.Becoming America's most senior spy, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was Mike's next chance to champion American values. He improved collection and operations and made sure that American leaders had the best information in the world to make decisions that impacted the lives of every American and the generations behind us.President Donald Trump saw that good work and decided to make Mike America's 70th Secretary of State. As our nation's most senior diplomat in the Trump Administration and President Trump's chief negotiator, Mike helped to craft U.S. foreign policy based on our nation's founding ideals that put America First. America became a massive energy exporter and a force for good in the Middle East with real peace cemented in the Abraham Accords. Mike placed special emphasis on renewing alliances with key allies, including India, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. He also led a return to America's founding principles and a focus on every human life being worthy and the protection of the unborn. The largest human rights gatherings ever held at the State Department occurred under his leadership.Mike's time at the State Department marked the end of naïve engagement with the Chinese Communist Party, pulling back the curtain shielding the egregious acts of the CCP that threaten American jobs and freedoms. He focused efforts on calling out and punishing perpetrators of attacks on basic human dignity in places like Cuba and Venezuela, North Korea, Iran, Nigeria, China and elsewhere. Mike also led a team that executed America's largest ever global repatriation effort in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.Married to Susan, Mike and his wife have one son, Nick. The Pompeos dedicated many volunteer hours to their home church — including teaching 5th grade Sunday School and Mike's time as a church Deacon. The Pompeos also volunteered on numerous educational, fine arts and local government programs and projects. Nick's Dad also went undefeated as a coach of his son's 3 on 3 team in summer league. Mike and Susan's two retrievers, Sherman and Mercer, each named after important American generals, are patriots too! - Brian Domitrovic is the Richard S. Strong Scholar at the Laffer Center in Nashville. He is the author or editor of six books including the standard history of supply-side economics, "Econoclasts" (2009). His forthcoming book, "Taxes Have Consequences," co-authored with Art Laffer and Jeanne Sinquefield, recounts how the income tax's top rate has determined the fate of the American economy since it was first adopted in 1913. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 8, 20221h 13m

Pardis Mahdavi on Iran's Morality Police

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Pardis Mahdavi, an Iranian-American scholar who recently published an incredible op-ed in the Washington Post, "When Iran's 'morality police' came for me." Later in the show, Matt Beienburg of the Goldwater Institute joins us with an update on Arizona's ESA program. - Pardis Mahdavi is the dean of the social sciences division in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University, and a professor in ASU's School of Social Transformation. Mahdavi's approach to higher education has been informed by her personal journey as an Iranian-American woman growing up in the U.S., as well as her training as an anthropologist where she learned to be reflexive about complex power dynamics. She has focused her academic career on diversity, inclusion, human trafficking, migration, sexuality, human rights, feminism and public health.Prior to joining ASU, she was the acting dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. Before coming to Denver, she was at Pomona College from 2006 to 2017, where she most recently served as professor and chair of anthropology, director of the Pacific Basin Institute at Pomona College, as well as dean of women.She has published five single authored books and one edited volume in addition to numerous journal and news articles. She has been a fellow at the Social Sciences Research Council, the American Council on Learned Societies, Google Ideas and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She has consulted for a wide array of organizations including the U.S. government, Google Inc. and the United Nations. - Matt Beienburg is the Director of Education Policy at the Goldwater Institute. He also serves as director of the institute's Van Sittert Center for Constitutional Advocacy. Published in local and national outlets, Matt's work focuses on promoting educational freedom, parental rights, and greater civic appreciation of America's founding principles. Prior to joining Goldwater, Matt served as a senior analyst at the Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC), where he regularly drafted fiscal estimates and briefed members of the state legislature on major policy initiatives in K-12 and higher education. Matt previously worked in human capital consulting for Mercer, where his projects included surveying teacher engagement and analyzing the competitiveness of staff salaries at low-income area charter schools in Los Angeles. He has also worked in Washington, D.C. with Imagine Schools and the Center for Education Reform. A native of Arizona, Matt earned a bachelor's in economics from Claremont McKenna College, where he graduated summa cum laude, and a master's in public affairs from Princeton. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 1, 20221h 13m

Dr. Aaron Friedberg on China

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Dr. Aaron Friedberg, a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and an expert on China. Later in the show, Kerry Picket of the Washington Times calls in to discuss some of the week's biggest headlines. - Aaron L. Friedberg is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on China and US-China relations, great-power competition, and US foreign and defense policy. Concurrently, he is a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, where he is codirector of the Center for International Security Studies.Dr. Friedberg serves on the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. In addition, he is a counselor of the National Bureau of Asian Research, nonresident senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and president and founding board member of the Alexander Hamilton Society. From 2003 to 2005, Dr. Friedberg served as deputy assistant for national security affairs in the Office of the Vice President of the United States. After leaving government, he was appointed to the Defense Policy Board and the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Democracy Promotion.Dr. Friedberg is the author, coauthor, or editor of several books, monographs, and book chapters. His books include Getting China Wrong (Polity Books, June 2022); Beyond Air-Sea Battle: The Debate over US Military Strategy in Asia(Routledge, 2014); A Contest for Supremacy: China, America, and the Struggle for Mastery in Asia (W. W. Norton & Company, 2011); In the Shadow of the Garrison State: America's Anti-Statism and Its Cold War Grand Strategy(Princeton University Press, 2000); and The Weary Titan: Britain and the Experience of Relative Decline, 1895–1905(Princeton University Press, 1988).Dr. Friedberg has been widely published in policy journals, academic publications, and the popular press, including in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Commentary, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, War on the Rocks, the American Political Science Review, Asia Policy, China Economic Quarterly International, Daedalus, Harvard International Review, and Washington Quarterly.Dr. Friedberg has a PhD and AB in government from Harvard University. - Kerry Picket is a senior congressional reporter for The Washington Times and fill-in radio host at SiriusXM Patriot 125. She previously covered the hill at other DC-based outlets including the Daily Caller and the Washington Examiner. Before that, she produced news for Robin Quivers of The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM, wrote entertainment news for MTV Radio, and worked as a production assistant at MTV.com. She appears frequently as a guest commentator on cable news programs and syndicated radio shows. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 24, 20221h 13m

Tim Ballard on Rescuing OUR Children

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by the founders of two incredible organizations. First, Tim Ballard calls into the show with a look at how Operation Underground Railroad is rescuing children from the horrors of sex trafficking. Later, Marcee and Lance Foster of REACH Humanity join us to share how they are helping Ukrainian refugees. - Timothy Ballard is the Founder and President of Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.). He is also CEO of The Nazarene Fund which seeks to save oppressed religious and ethnic minorities in the Middle East. Ballard spent over a decade working as a Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security where he was assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and deployed as an undercover operative for the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team. He has worked every type of case imaginable in the fight to dismantle child trafficking rings. Ballard has worked undercover in the United States and in multiple foreign countries to infiltrate child trafficking organizations. In this effort, he has successfully dismantled dozens of these organizations and rescued countless children from slavery and exploitation. He is an expert at managing Internet investigations, particularly those dealing with file-share networks where pedophiles and traffickers go to trade child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He has trained hundreds of law enforcement officers and has testified before the United States Congress on best practices to liberate children from sex slavery. In 2013, Ballard and a team of former government operatives left their careers to go about the work of saving children as a private foundation, Operation Underground Railroad. After serving a church mission to Chile, Ballard graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Spanish and Political Science from Brigham Young University. He went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude with an MA in International Politics from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He resides in California with his wife and children. - Lance and Marcee Foster have always had a passion for Humanitarian work. For years; they have taken their family to the far corners of the world serving. They have long had the dream of starting a non profit to provide humanitarian aid to those most in need. While REACH Humanity has been in the works for years; the timing has been right to start it now. The goal of REACH Humanity is to raise funds and awareness and then travel right into the heart of the crisis; those parts of the world that have been ravaged by war, natural disasters, political unrest or extreme poverty. We want to lift and serve where the need is acute and the impact immediate. Following an overwhelming feeling to travel to Poland to help with the Ukrainian refugees; the Foster family realized with absolutely clarity that the need is overwhelming. Women and children are fleeing with the clothes on their backs to a place that really isn't equipped to handle them. Generous donations have poured in from friends, family and strangers. But the need remains vast. Now; REACH Ukraine has become the first project of REACH Humanity. While we are learning and adapting our mission in real time. The impact that we have had through generous online donations and an amazing army of boots on the ground volunteers has been overwhelming. We hope to continue our efforts as we build out our infrastructure and fundraising ability past our own community. The structure is being put in place to create a lasting organization that will be able to impact those in need for years to come. Please join us on this journey. We have been able to serve many but there are SO many more in need of help. Our help. - Connect with us: Website: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 17, 20221h 13m

Austin Knudsen on the Fentanyl Crisis and Increasing Energy Costs

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Austin Knudsen, Republican Attorney General for Montana. Later in the show, Michael McKenna of the Washington Times calls into the show. - Austin Knudsen grew up just outside of Culbertson, in the northeast corner of Montana, where his family has farmed and ranched for five generations. Austin grew up participating in 4-H, raising steers to show at the fair, and Future Farmers of America (FFA) throughout high school. In fact, Austin met his wife, Christie, while they both served as FFA State Officers during their freshman year at Montana State University-Bozeman. Austin put himself through college in Bozeman working jobs at the local butcher shop and a hardware store, and returning each summer to work on the family farm and ranch, growing wheat and sugar beets, and raising angus cattle. Austin and Christie were married shortly after graduation and moved to Missoula where Austin earned his law degree from the University of Montana. After law school, Austin and Christie moved their young family back to the farm and ranch where Austin worked at a law firm in Plentywood before opening his own practice in Culbertson. As a private attorney, Austin represented just about every kind of legal case imaginable, including estate planning, probate, civil litigation, land use, oil and gas, and real estate transactions. In 2010, Austin defeated a two-term incumbent and was elected to serve as the Representative for House District 34. While serving in Helena, Austin quickly noticed the extent of the disconnect between Helena bureaucrats and the political insiders and the rest of the people across Montana, so he pursued leadership roles in his caucus and was elected Speaker Pro Tempore during his second session. During his third and fourth sessions in 2015 and 2017, Austin was elected by all 100 members of the House of Representatives to lead them as Speaker of the House. Austin was one of the youngest people to serve as Speaker in Montana history — and in the nation. Austin was also the only two-term Speaker since term limits were imposed. The Knudsen family lived just about as far from Helena as any other legislator, so during the sessions Austin and Christie and their three kids — Leah, Connor, and Reagan — would move as a family to Helena. As a Legislator and Speaker, Austin worked to ensure his constituents had a voice, and that taxpayers were getting the most out of the hard-earned money they send to the state. In addition to his maximum four legislative sessions, Austin presided over a 2017 Special Session in which he led a united Republican caucus to defeat multiple tax increase attempts by the Governor. Back in Culbertson as a private attorney, Austin was astounded by the lack of prosecutions coming out of the County Attorney's office, and the illegal drugs and related crime that was devastating his community. Following a drive-by shooting outside of their kids' school, Austin and Christie knew they had to do more to make their community safe, and in 2018 Austin was elected Roosevelt County Attorney. As a county prosecutor, Austin worked hand-in-hand with the full range of law enforcement personnel, including on the Fort Peck Reservation, to ramp up prosecutions and put violent offenders behind bars. In 2020, Austin ran for Montana Attorney General because the illegal drug pandemic and resulting violence are a statewide problem. In fact, violent crime has increased more than 30% in just over a decade. As Attorney General, Austin has made combating the drug pandemic and supporting law enforcement a main focus — ensuring that Montana is a safe place to live and raise a family. - Michael McKenna, a columnist for The Washington Times, is the president of MWR Strategies. He was most recently a deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Legislative Affairs at the White House. He can be reached at [email protected]. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 10, 20221h 13m

Congressman Andy Biggs on Immigration and Border Security

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Congressman Andy Biggs, Republican from Arizona's 5th Congressional District. - Andy Biggs was first elected to serve the people of Arizona's Fifth District in 2016. He currently serves on the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. From 2019 through 2021, he served as Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. He is currently co-chair of the Border Security Caucus, Vice Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus, and a co-founder of the bipartisan War Powers Caucus. Prior to his election to Congress, Andy served in the Arizona State House of Representatives for eight years, and in the Arizona State Senate for six years. In 2012, Andy was elected Senate President. Andy received his B.A. in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University, his J.D. from University of Arizona, and his M.A. in Political Science from Arizona State University. An Arizona native, Andy and his wife, Cindy, have lived in Gilbert for 35 years. They have six children and are the grandparents of eight grandchildren. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 3, 20221h 13m

Dennis Prager on COVID, Education, and Radio Success

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined in studio by best selling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Dennis Prager. - Dennis Prager is a best-selling author, columnist and nationally syndicated radio talk show host based in Los Angeles and heard on 150 stations across the country. A Fellow at Columbia University's School of International Affairs, where he did graduate work at the Middle East and Russian Institutes, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the U.S. Delegation to the Vienna Review Conference on the Helsinki Accords, and by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council. He holds an honorary doctorate of law from Pepperdine University. A highly sought-after speaker and frequent cable news show guest, Dennis has lectured all over the world. His New York Times best-selling books include Think a Second Time, Happiness is a Serious Problem and Still the Best Hope: Why American Values Must Triumph. His newest book is The Ten Commandments: Still the Best Moral Code. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 27, 20221h 13m

Matthew Continetti on the Evolution of the Right

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Matthew Continetti, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of the new book The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism. Later in the show, we check in with Tom Horne, Republican candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. - Matthew Continetti is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where his work is focused on American political thought and history, with a particular focus on the development of the Republican Party and the American conservative movement in the 20th century. A prominent journalist, analyst, author, and intellectual historian of the right, Mr. Continetti was the founding editor and the editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon. Previously, he was opinion editor at The Weekly Standard. Mr. Continetti is also a contributing editor at National Review and a columnist for Commentary Magazine. He has been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among other outlets. He also appears frequently on Fox News Channel's "Special Report" with Bret Baier and MSNBC's "Meet the Press Daily" with Chuck Todd. Mr. Continetti is the author of two books: "The Persecution of Sarah Palin: How the Elite Media Tried to Bring Down a Rising Star" (Sentinel, 2009) and "The K Street Gang: The Rise and Fall of the Republican Machine" (Doubleday, 2006). He has a BA in history from Columbia University. - Tom Horne is a candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. Mr. Horne has served both his community and our state impressively in several elected offices: Paradise Valley School Board member and president; Legislator where he was chair of the academic accountability committee; Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction; and, Arizona Attorney General. As Superintendent, he is most famous for enforcing the English immersion mandate for mostly Spanish-speaking children and getting rid of La Raza studies in Tucson schools. As Attorney General, he earned acclaim for winning lawsuits for Arizona that he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 20, 20221h 13m

Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez on Florida's Incredible Success

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Florida's Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez to learn more about the many incredible successes she and Governor Ron DeSantis have had in Florida. Later in the show, David Drucker of the Washington Examiner joins us to break down the week's biggest headlines and offer his insight into upcoming elections nationwide. - Jeanette M. Nuñez was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She was elected as Florida's First Hispanic Female Lieutenant Governor of Florida in 2018. She previously served as a State Representative of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018 and was named Speaker Pro Tempore from 2016 to 2018. In November 2016, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez was named Speaker Pro Tempore of the Florida House of Representatives. She served as the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and served on the Rules and Policy Committee. She was appointed Chair of the Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness. In the past, she chaired the Health Quality Subcommittee, Government Operations and Technology Appropriations Subcommittee, and Higher Education and Workforce Subcommittee. She began her healthcare career working at Jackson Health System in 2004 as the State Director for Government Relations and handled all aspects of the organization's state affairs. In 2006, she was promoted to Vice President of Government Relations and was responsible for overseeing the advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal level. In addition to her duties, she served on numerous boards and healthcare organizations, including the National Association of Public Hospitals Fellowship Program. In 2010, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez joined Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) as their Vice President of Community Affairs for both Kendall Regional Medical Center and Aventura Hospital and Medical Center. She oversaw their community outreach for 3 and half years and was responsible for a number of marketing and business development initiatives. In late 2013, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez began her own consulting firm, OnPoint Strategies. She has been working with Jackson Health System, providing them with strategic advice on service line and business development. She has also been tasked to work with the Managed Care Department and Population Health. Over the years, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez has demonstrated her ongoing commitment to the South Florida community through her active involvement in various local organizations and professional groups. She has been involved with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Miami, WHEN, and Women in Government. In 2007, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez was named Hispanic Woman of Distinction. From 2007 – 2015, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez served on the Board of Kristi House, an organization dedicated to children who are victims of sexual abuse. Additionally, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez served as a member of the Statewide Council of Human Trafficking. The 15-member Council, chaired by State Attorney General Pam Bondi, was created to support victims of human trafficking by enhancing the available care options. Recently, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez was appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board which sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as The Nation's Report Card. She was also appointed to the Constitution Revision Commission which examined the Florida Constitution, identified issues, performed research and possible recommendations to amend the Florida Constitution. Lieutenant Governor Nuñez is a proud graduate of Florida International University (FIU) and a lifetime member of the FIU Alumni Association. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Political Science, her Master of Public Administration from FIU, and a Six Sigma Certificate from the University of Miami. Lieutenant Governor Nuñez has served in the past as an adjunct professor at Florida International University. She is also a graduate from Leadership Miami. Lieutenant Governor Nuñez attends Christ Fellowship West Kendall Campus. Lieutenant Governor Nuñez is married to her husband of 23 years, Adrian Nuñez, and together they are the proud parents of three children – Megan age 20; Justin, age 17; and Jason, age 12. - David M. Drucker is a senior correspondent for the Washington Examiner, where he focuses on Congress, campaigns, and national political trends. Prior to joining the Washington Examiner, he was a reporter for Roll Call, a newspaper in Washington, D.C. Before joining Roll Call, Drucker covered California politics, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, from the Sacramento bureau of the Los Angeles Daily News. Drucker graduated from UCLA with a BA in history, and spent eight years managing a family-run manufacturing business in Southern California, giving him a unique perspective on how what happens inside the Beltway affects the rest of the country. Drucker is a Vanity Fair contributing writer and reg

Aug 13, 20221h 13m

David Catanese on Liz Cheney, the Midterms, and What It All Means for Trump

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by David Catanese, a Washington-based political reporter and the author of the blog Too Close to Call. Later in the show, Dan McLaughlin calls in to remember his uncle, legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, who sadly passed away this week. - David Catanese is a national political correspondent for McClatchy in Washington. He's covered campaigns for more than a decade, previously working at U.S. News & World Report and Politico. Prior to that he was a television reporter for NBC affiliates in Missouri and North Dakota. - Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute. He was formerly an attorney practicing securities and commercial litigation in New York City, a contributing editor of RedState, columnist at the Federalist and the New Ledger, a baseball blogger at BaseballCrank.com, BostonSportsGuy.com, the Providence Journal Online, and a contributor to the Command Post. His writings on politics, baseball, and law have appeared in numerous other newspapers, magazines, websites, and legal journals. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 6, 20221h 13m

Breaking Battlegrounds Primary Election Night Coverage - Hour 3

As five states held primary elections on August 2, 2022, Chuck and Sam break down the latest results and bring us expert analysis you won't hear anywhere else. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 3, 20221h 13m

Breaking Battlegrounds Primary Election Night Coverage - Hour 2

As five states held primary elections on August 2, 2022, Chuck and Sam break down the latest results and bring us expert analysis you won't hear anywhere else. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 3, 20221h 13m

Breaking Battlegrounds Primary Election Night Coverage - Hour 1 featuring Matt Lewis

As five states held primary elections on August 2, 2022, Chuck and Sam are joined by Matt Lewis of the Daily Beast as they break down the latest results and bring us expert analysis you won't hear anywhere else. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 3, 20221h 13m

George Khalaf and Mike Noble on Arizona Primary Predictions

With just a few days left before Arizona's primary election, we are joined this week by two of Arizona's top pollsters, George Khalaf and Mike Noble, for their final predictions and analysis of the election so far. Later in the show, Chuck and Sam talk with Mark Finchem, a member of the Arizona Legislature and current candidate for Secretary of State. - George Khalaf serves as President of Data Orbital and Managing Partner of The Resolute Group. For the last decade he has leveraged his political instincts, data expertise and strategic relationships to advance conservative clients and causes throughout Arizona and a growing number of states. He believes conservative policies create thriving communities and wants to arm conservative candidates and organizations with the best data, messaging, and strategy.With a strong grassroots and data background, George has worked at the local, state and national levels. Under George's leadership, Data Orbital is a top ranked survey research and data visualization firm that is known for its accuracy and transparency. Data Orbital was the most accurate firm that polled Arizona political races and is top rated by FiveThirtyEight. Data Orbital's survey research has been featured in top news outlets and publications such as The Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, NBC News, Fox News, Fox Business, The Arizona Republic, LA Times and others.As managing partner of The Resolute Group, he led the effort to keep the Arizona legislature conservative, playing in the most contentious districts and races across the state. He advises conservative candidates and organizations across the country on strategy. The firm is building a reputation for taking on and leaning into the toughest fights. They aim to shape the landscape, not merely exist in it.George's engagement is driven by his personal faith and his Lebanese heritage. He knows firsthand the price of freedom and the importance of protecting our core values and Constitutional rights. In addition to his domestic political work, George is engaged in efforts to advance democracy and prosperity in Lebanon and lift up the Lebanese people both in the United States and in Lebanon.George graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor's in Political Science. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, George currently lives in Phoenix, AZ. When he is not tracking local and national political developments and advising clients, George enjoys traveling with his family and spending time with his two boys. - Mike Noble is the Chief of Research & Managing Partner of OH Predictive Insights (OHPI), a sister company of Arizona's largest advertising agency, OH Partners. Noble is a thought leader on public opinion tracking and analysis and is known for being a trailblazer in the rapidly changing fields of predictive insights and market research.Mike found a passion for politics while working for an Arizona Congressman before starting OHPI, the premier non-partisan Arizona polling and consulting firm. Since then, Mike has become one of the top pollsters in the West, working with clients throughout Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.Mike's approach involves getting in the trenches with his clients, striving to fully understand their businesses and goals with the result of providing accurate, unbiased, and actionable information. He is known for his presentations, public and private speaking engagements, and interviews where he interprets the meaning of the data. Providing this insight has led to interviews with The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Politico, The Hill, The Guardian, TIME magazine, Huffington Post, LA Times, BBC World News, and other respected television and radio outlets.Mike graduated from Arizona State University and is married to Rebecca Noble with whom he has one-year-old twin boys, Tommy and Teddy. - Mark Finchem is a candidate for Arizona Secretary of State. Living outside of Kalamazoo, Mark worked as a farmer and rancher in a small rural community. When he retired, Mark moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he worked in leadership roles in both small business and a multi-million dollar software company. In the private sector he earned a Six Sigma Certification in process excellence. Integrity we can trust. Hon. Finchem was originally elected to serve in the 2015 Legislature, Mark is now in his 4th and final term. Arizona has term limits, and Representatives are allowed 4 consecutive terms.- Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 30, 20221h 13m

Greg Lukianoff on Protecting Free Speech Culture

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Greg Lukianoff, president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Later in the show, Mike Mazza joins the show to talk about China's aggression towards Taiwan. - Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is the author of Unlearning Liberty: Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate, Freedom From Speech, and FIRE's Guide to Free Speech on Campus. Most recently, he co-authored The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure with Jonathan Haidt. This New York Times best-seller expands on their September 2015 Atlantic cover story of the same name. Greg is also an Executive Producer of Can We Take a Joke? (2015), a feature-length documentary that explores the collision between comedy, censorship, and outrage culture, both on and off campus, and of Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story (2020), an award-winning feature-length film about the life and career of former ACLU Executive Director Ira Glasser. Greg has been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, and numerous other publications. He frequently appears on TV shows and radio programs, including the CBS Evening News, The Today Show, and NPR's Morning Edition. In 2008, he became the first-ever recipient of the Playboy Foundation's Freedom of Expression Award, and he has testified before both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives about free speech issues on America's college campuses. - Michael Mazza is a nonresident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI), and the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF). He analyzes U.S. defense policy in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese military modernization, cross-Taiwan Strait relations, Korean Peninsula security, and U.S. interests in Southeast Asia. Mazza writes regularly for the Global Taiwan Brief, GTI's biweekly publication, and he has contributed to numerous AEI studies on American grand strategy in Asia, U.S. defense strategy in the Asia-Pacific, and Taiwanese defense strategy. His published work includes pieces in The Wall Street Journal Asia, Los Angeles Times, and Foreign Affairs. Mazza has an MA in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced and International Studies and a BA in history from Cornell University. He has lived in China where he attended the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 23, 20221h 13m

Burgess Owens, Jackie Toledo, and Mark DeLuzio on Fighting Wokeness in Congress

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam have an all-star guest line up. First, Congressman Burgess Owens calls us from the Republican cloakroom as he prepares for a vote on the Democrats' controversial abortion bill. Later in the show, we are joined by Jackie Toledo, current Republican member of Florida's House of Representatives and candidate for Congress. Through it all, we are joined in studio by Mark DeLuzio, Republican candidate for Congress in Arizona's Second Congressional District. - Mark DeLuzio was the first in his family to earn a college degree. After college, Mark was successful in the corporate world, advising senior executives on strategy and tactics in a multitude of diverse industries. For the past 20 years, Mark has been a successful entrepreneur as the founder of a global management consulting company and has received international acclaim as a leader in his field. Mark has been married to his college sweetheart, Diane, for 41 years. They have two sons, Scott and Steven, who joined the military after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Steve was killed in action in Afghanistan while his brother Scott was fighting just miles away. Like their two sons, Mark and his wife continue to give back to America by dedicating themselves to various military charities. Mark has also helped countless Veterans to start successful businesses. When elected, Mark will be the first Gold Star Father to serve in the US Congress. Mark and Diane have three beautiful grandchildren who are the joy of their lives. - Burgess Owens is the Congressman from Utah's Fourth Congressional District. Born in the segregated South, he saw people of all backgrounds come together to work tirelessly against adversity. As a young man, Burgess was one of the first four black athletes recruited to play football at the University of Miami and the third black student there to receive a scholarship. He was the 13th pick in the first round of the 1973 NFL draft and joined the New York Jets, later playing safety for ten seasons in the NFL for the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders, winning the Superbowl with the 1980 Raiders' team. After retiring from the NFL, Burgess worked in the corporate sales world and eventually moved the Owens family to beautiful Utah. Before being elected to Congress, he started Second Chance 4 Youth, a non-profit dedicated to helping troubled and incarcerated youth. Burgess now serves as a member of the House Education and Labor Committee and House Judiciary Committee. Burgess believes in dreaming big and follows the four guiding principles of faith, family, free markets, and education. - Representative Jackie Toledo is a Member of the Florida House of Representatives in the 60th District which includes Town 'n Country, South Tampa, and a stretch of the coast in Southern Hillsborough County to Ruskin. She's a single mother of five with an adopted son and serving. She's also an engineer by trade… not a lawyer. She was born in Lima, Peru. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 16, 20221h 13m

Andy Gould and Stephen Richer on Arizona's Primary Election

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam re joined by Andy Gould, former Arizona Supreme Court Justice and current candidate for Attorney General. Later in the show, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer stops by the studio to give us an update on this year's primary election. - Andy's path to public service began with his parents. Growing up, the Gould family never had a lot of material success, but they were rich in far greater ways. Andy's parents were good, hard-working people of great faith who stressed the importance of integrity, honesty and humility – values that inspired him to pursue a career in law. As a prosecutor in Yuma, Andy tried every type of criminal case imaginable, including the prosecution of criminal organizations located in Mexico. In 2001, Andy was appointed by the Governor to fill a vacant seat on the Yuma County Superior Court, where he served in that capacity for eleven years. In 2006, while serving on the Superior Court bench, he was appointed as the Presiding Judge for Yuma County. In 2012, Andy was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals until he was given the honor of being appointed as Justice to the Arizona Supreme Court in 2016. Arizona needs an Attorney General who will be ready on day one to go to court and fight for their rights, and Andy Gould is the right person for the job. Andy understands the legal challenges facing Arizona because he has spent more than 30 years addressing and presiding over the most complex civil and criminal cases in the State. To show his commitment, Andy has stepped down from the Arizona Supreme Court – a decision that not many before him have made. But to quote Thomas Paine, "these are the times that try men's souls." Arizona needs leaders who are willing to sacrifice something for its people, and Andy Gould has proven he will do just that. - Stephen took office as the 30th Maricopa County Recorder on January 4, 2021. As Maricopa County Recorder, Stephen oversees a staff of approximately 165 full time employees who record over 1 million public documents annually, maintain the county's voter registration database of 2.6 million voters (second largest voting jurisdiction in the United States), and, together with the County Supervisors, administer elections for 62% of Arizona's voters. Prior to taking office, Stephen worked as a transactional lawyer, first at a large international law firm headquartered in Washington, DC, and later at a southwest law firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Stephen has also accrued significant business experience, having started or managed several businesses. The race for the Recorder's Office was Stephen's first foray into elected politics. He won the August 2020 Republican primary by the largest margin of any countywide race, and he defeated the incumbent Democrat in November 3, 2020 general election in a year when Maricopa County chose the Democrat candidates in the presidential and U.S. Senate races by significant margins. Stephen holds a B.A. from Tulane University and a M.A. and J.D. from The University of Chicago. Stephen lives in South Phoenix with his wife, Lindsay, whom he met at The University of Chicago Law School. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 9, 202252 min

Breaking Battlegrounds Independence Day

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Martin DiCaro of The Washington Times and Adam Coleman, founder of Wrong Speak Publishing for a freedom-themed Fourth of July weekend special. - Martin Di Caro brings 25 years of broadcast journalism experience to the Washington Times. He has won numerous prestigious awards throughout his career in major media markets across the country. Before coming to the Times, Martin was a news anchor at Bloomberg Radio's Washington bureau. From 2012 to 2017, he covered transportation at NPR member station WAMU 88.5 in Washington, where his work on the yearslong Metrorail crisis earned Martin his second Edward R. Murrow award, which included hosting the radio station's first podcast, Metropocalypse. Martin worked as a reporter for AP Radio in New York and Washington for eight years starting in 2008. He lives in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of D.C. and his interests include reading history and following his beloved New York Jets. - Adam B. Coleman is the Author of "Black Victim To Black Victor", Op-Ed Writer, Public Speaker, Host of "A Good Faith Space" Twitter Spaces show, and the Founder of Wrong Speak Publishing. Adam was born in Detroit but raised in a variety of states throughout America. He writes openly about his struggles with fatherlessness, homelessness, and masculinity. He is always questioning the world around him, even if they are uncomfortable questions to ask. He strongly believes that we should all have the ability to speak freely and is now advocating for people who feel voiceless to be heard. He is attempting to help change the narrative and the way we discuss cultural narratives by being honest, humble, and resolute. His articles have been published in The New York Post, Newsweek, The Post Millennial, The Federalist, Unherd, ScoonTV, Free Black Thought & Human Defense Initiative. He has also appeared on Newsmax, The Hill's "Rising" and "Fox & Friends" on FOX News. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 2, 20221h 3m

Bill Scher on Abortion and Polarization

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we have a packed show! First, we are joined by Robert Knight, a weekly columnist for The Washington Times and senior fellow of the American Civil Rights Union. Later in the program, freelance writer and podcaster Bill Scher returns to the show. Finally, we talk with Andrew Mack, founder and CEO of the agtech startup Agromovil. - Robert Knight is a former Los Angeles Times news editor and writer and was a Media Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He is a regular weekly columnist for The Washington Times, American Family News (afn.net), DailySurge.com and others. He has been published by the Wall Street Journal, National Review, the Christian Post, AmericanThinker.com, DailyCaller.com and many others. He has appeared on nearly all major radio and TV news and talk programs. Robert was a journalist for 15 years, including seven at the Los Angeles Times. He has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Political Science from American University. Mr. Knight, who is a writer for the Timothy Plan and a Senior Fellow for STAND (Staying True to America's National Destiny), has held senior positions at the American Civil Rights Union, the Family Research Council, the Culture & Family Institute at Concerned Women for America, the Heritage Foundation, Coral Ridge Ministries, and the Media Research Center. He wrote and directed the documentary videos "The Children of Table 34," about sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, and "Hidden Truth: What You Deserve to Know about Abortion." His first book, "The Age of Consent," was a Main Selection of the Conservative Book Club. He has co-authored three books and written 10, including "Liberty on the Brink: How the Left Plans to Steal Your Vote" (D. James Kennedy Ministries, 2020) and "The Coming Communist Wave: What Happens If the Left Captures All Three Branches of Government" (D. James Kennedy Ministries, 2020). - Bill Scher is a freelance writer and podcaster exploring politics and history through the lens of pragmatism. He is a Contributing Editor to Politico Magazine and a Contributor to Real Clear Politics. He is the host of the history podcast "When America Worked: True Tales of America's Pragmatist Heroes," as well as co-host of "The DMZ" online show and podcast with conservative writer Matt Lewis produced by Bloggingheads.tv. In 2006, he authored the book "Wait, Don't Move To Canada: A Stay-and-Fight Strategy To Win Back America," which later became an answer on "Jeopardy!" You can follow his political commentary on YouTube and Twitter, and support his work through Patreon. - Andrew Mack is the founder and CEO of Agromovil, an agtech startup that connects farmers with markets and provides enterprises with analytics about production – to plan, manage risk, and track their impact. Through software tools that create visibility and insights at scale, Agromovil is helping unlock trapped value across the $1T small agriculture industry around the world. Mack has also served as Principal of AMGlobal Consulting, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that helps companies and NGOs do more business – and better business – in Emerging Markets. Leveraging partnerships, smart Corporate Social Responsibility, technology and new approaches like microfranchising, Mack works to unlock the tremendous entrepreneurial energy in the Global South to achieve lasting social and economic outcomes. A former World Bank project manager and banker with experience in more than 80 countries, Mack is internationally-recognized for his work on economic development issues and technology policy in Africa, Latin America and other underserved regions. Mack has worked with clients including Fortune 100 corporations like Chevron, Oracle, and Motorola, as well as the World Bank, the UN, African Union, OAS, USAID, and international NGOs, and is a frequent speaker at conferences and on radio and television in emerging markets. He has also advised the international Internet body ICANN, leading initiatives aimed at promoting developing country participation in Internet governance and increasing access for underserved communities. Mr. Mack holds a Bachelor of Arts Magna Cum Laude from Amherst College and a Masters in International Relations/International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He speaks and works in Spanish, French and Portuguese. An avid soccer player and fan, Andrew loves support his hometown team DC United. He is also an enthusiastic (if not always skillful) percussionist and blues harmonica player. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jun 25, 20221h 13m

David Schweikert on Rising Inflation and Economic Turmoil

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Sam and Chuck are joined by United States Congressman David Schweikert, a Republican from Arizona. Later in the show, Matt Becker of PrideStaff calls in with a look at how inflation is affecting small businesses throughout the country. - David Schweikert is serving his fifth term in the United States Congress. He holds a seat on the Ways and Means Committee, having previously served on the Financial Services Committee. He also sits on the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, Co-Chairs the Valley Fever Task force with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and is the Republican Co-Chair of both the Blockchain Caucus, the Tunisia Caucus and the Caucus on Access to Capital and Credit. Among his legislative accomplishments, David was instrumental in authoring and passing the JOBS ACT into law. The bill was signed by the President in April 2012. David currently serves on the Social Security and Oversight Subcommittees on Ways and Means. Having previously served as Chairman of the EPA Oversight Subcommittee on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee; David championed key reforms such as the Secret Science Reform Act, which has passed the House of Representatives. A national leader on tribal policy, David draws on a unique background working with Arizona's tribal communities on important priorities. He is always eager to take on a technical challenge. As a strong advocate for efficiencies in the 21st Century economy, David collaborates with entrepreneurs and innovators in Arizona and around the world on ways to increase trade and drive economic growth. David is the co-chair of the Blockchain Caucus, and has championed technological innovations as the solution to the problems of over-burdensome government regulations. - Prior to starting PrideStaff, Matt was the Chief Operating Officer for the 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee for the Republican National Convention where he managed the day-to-day operations of the Host Committee. Matt moved to Florida in 2006 and spent five years working as a private banker in southern Pinellas County for Regions Bank. Earlier in his career, Matt served in the Administration of President George W. Bush at the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and finished his service as the Deputy Chief of Staff and White House Liaison. In this role, he had program management responsibilities and led the recruitment and interviewing of all political appointments to the SBA. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jun 18, 202252 min

Dawn Grove on the Border, Election Integrity, and Rising Crime

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined in studio by Dawn Grove, a Republican candidate for Attorney General in Arizona. Dawn Grove is a third-generation Arizonan, manufacturing executive, attorney, wife, and mother. She loves God, family, country, Arizona and helping people solve problems. Her grandfather began making PING golf clubs in his garage, and her family has been passionately making custom-engineered golf equipment in Phoenix since the early 1960s, now providing jobs to more than 800 Arizonans and making PING a top global brand. She is not a politician, does not receive a government paycheck, and has never before run for public office. In her teen years, Dawn determined to attend law school to help advocate for people, find solutions to their problems, and stand up for unborn children. She later received a full academic scholarship to attend Pepperdine University School of Law where she studied Constitutional law under Justice Scalia, further underscoring the need to uphold the Constitution as it was written and guard against the overreach of unaccountable federal agencies. While studying law, Dawn worked her first job for the National Right to Life Committee, and she remains committed to protecting the preborn. Following law school, she spent many years representing manufacturers in complex civil litigation before returning to work 23 years ago for her privately-owned, Arizona-based, family business, serving as Vice President and Corporate Counsel for Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, parent company of PING. She comes from a family of real-world problem solvers. Dawn is no stranger to the assembly line and knows from first-hand experience what it takes to create and maintain manufacturing jobs in Arizona. She believes that Arizona thrives when we are able to make what Arizonans need here, and produce world-class products for export around the globe. Her passion for Arizona and manufacturing led the Arizona Manufacturers Council to choose her as their board chair, where she was an unwavering advocate for limited government, the end to out-of-control government debt, and growth for Arizonans in high-paying, meaningful manufacturing jobs. More recently, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry chose Dawn as their board chair, where she shepherded the organization through the process of selecting a new CEO who would stay focused on the business and manufacturing community's needs, rather than pushing a left-wing social agenda. Dawn loves her family and believes in the importance of and strength of family. She and her husband Rawleigh have been married for nearly 27 years, have raised three children while living in their Phoenix home, and have remained active in many nonprofits, giving back to the community. Dawn is a dedicated conservative running for Attorney General of Arizona because she sees that our state and our country are at a perilous moment. We need leaders who will defend Arizona against the Biden-Harris administration's overreach into our families, faith, freedom and free enterprise, stand for the rule of law, defend our border, and help grow Arizona's economy through less government and more liberty for Arizonans. She wants to protect and safeguard you, your freedoms, voting rights, and right to live, work, worship, raise and defend your family as you decide, while thriving in safe communities. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jun 11, 202252 min

Matt Salmon on Proven Records for a Strong Future

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck sits down with former Congressman Matt Salmon who is currently running to be Arizona's next governor. Later in the show, Albert Eisenberg of Real Clear Politics calls in with a look at how Harvard stifles diversity of thought on campus. - Raised in Tempe, Matt attended public schools, graduated from Arizona State University, and later earned a master's degree from Brigham Young University. After completing his education, he worked as an executive with a major telecommunications firm in Arizona. Matt's career in public service began in 1990 when he defeated an incumbent member of the Arizona Senate in the Republican primary. Four years later, he was elected to represent Arizona's First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his time in Congress, Matt was named a "Defender of Liberty" and earned the "Taxpayer Hero" award from Citizens Against Government Waste. Among Matt's many legislative accomplishments was the sponsoring and passing of "Aimee's Law," a measure that gave "no second chances" for rapists, molesters, and murderers. After honoring his term limit pledge and leaving Congress in 2001, Matt went back to the private sector where he experienced firsthand the obstacles many Arizonans face when trying to grow a small business. As he watched the size of our government and our national debt explode and our individual freedoms shrink, he decided to return to public service. With support from conservative leaders across the country, Salmon was twice elected to represent Arizona's Fifth Congressional District. Matt was a leader in the fight to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a system that offers more affordable options to patients and puts them in charge of their healthcare – not government bureaucrats. He also served as chairman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, a committee of particular importance to border states like Arizona, where he worked to help secure the release of U.S. Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi after he was imprisoned in Mexico. - Albert Eisenberg is a millennial political consultant based in Philadelphia and Charleston, SC. He is a MaverickPAC Future 40 awardee and co-founder of the non-profit media outlet Broad + Liberty. Since beginning to build his own business at the age of 24, Albert has served on campaigns and advised causes from local to national, including running communications for statewide campaigns in multiple states, serving as senior advisor to the Woodson Center and its 1776 Unites campaign, building an urban GOP in his home city of Philadelphia, and creating unique bridges between the LGBT community and Republican candidates in a score of states and swing Congressional Districts. Albert's writing has appeared in Fox News, RealClearPolitics, National Review, The Washington Examiner, and the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he was the youngest op-ed columnist (and only conservative!) before being defenestrated for wrong-think. Albert cares about diversifying the American Right, combatting media bias & opening the "Overton Window" of allowable public discourse. In his spare time he is a cat dad and recently completed a full gut renovation of a rowhome in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jun 4, 202243 min

Elijah Norton on Putting Congress to Work for You

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Elijah Norton, Republican candidate for Congress in Arizona's 1st Congressional District. Later in the show, Dan McLaughlin of the National Review returns to the show to break down the biggest headlines of the week. - Elijah Norton was born and raised in the Midwest to parents who taught him the importance of working hard and contributing to society. His family has a long history of American patriotism and achieving their own slices of the American dream. He grew up listening to stories from family members about his great-great-great grandfather Elijah Hise Norton, for whom he was named after, who served in Congress during the American Civil War and was a driving force against Missouri's succession from the Union. Elijah fell in love with America and her rich history growing up, and he is deeply concerned about the direction America is headed. If elected to Congress, Elijah plans to take after his great-great-great grandfather by protecting and conserving America, and our shared sacred freedom. Elijah took the invaluable lessons he learned from his hard-working parents and put them to the test while attending the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Political Science. At 21, while in college, Elijah saw a need in society and used $1,000 he had saved up to start his own business. Ten years later, that same small start-up now employs over 100 people and is a leader in the finance and insurance industry. His business is now operating throughout the United States, Canada, Chile, and Europe. In 2015, Norton expanded his business and moved it to the Phoenix area, where he now calls Scottsdale his home. Elijah believes we need more people, like his great-great-great grandfather, who leave their livelihoods behind and go to Washington, D.C. to fight for what is best for America—not themselves. We all know Washington, D.C. is broken. The way we fix it is by electing people who have accomplished something in their lives first, and then decide to run for public office—not by electing career politicians. Elijah Norton is no stranger to fixing problems, and that's exactly why he is running to represent the northeast valley in Congress. The problems we face together as a nation are immense, but, with the right leadership, Elijah believes we can fix them. The citizens of Arizona deserve better than a Representative mired in ethics violations more committed to self-preservation than doing the people's business. Elijah believes lower taxes, a balanced budget, and limited government means more freedom for the American people. He will fight to keep the bright light of America shining throughout the world and will fight to bring much needed change to Washington, D.C. - Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute. He was formerly an attorney practicing securities and commercial litigation in New York City, a contributing editor of RedState, columnist at the Federalist and the New Ledger, a baseball blogger at BaseballCrank.com, BostonSportsGuy.com, the Providence Journal Online, and a contributor to the Command Post. His writings on politics, baseball, and law have appeared in numerous other newspapers, magazines, websites, and legal journals. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

May 28, 202253 min

Dean Heller on Gas Prices, Inflation, and Education

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Dean Heller, former United States Senator and current candidate for governor in Nevada. Later in the program, Pete Hutchison of Landmark Legal calls into the program with an inside look at the Supreme Court. -Dean grew up in Carson City, Nevada, with five brothers and sisters. He began working in his father's auto shop in middle school, and there he learned the importance of hard work, discipline, and commitment – Western values that continue to guide him today. Those values helped Dean accomplish his dream of graduating from the University of Southern California, in 1985, and he was later recognized with the Distinguished USC Alumni Award in 2012. His time at the USC Marshall School of Business prepared him to work as a broker on the Pacific Stock Exchange and then as an institutional equities trader. Dean then served as a banking Municipal Finance Representative before he started his long political career. Dean was sworn into the United States Senate on May 9, 2011. Prior to his service in the Senate, Dean was the Representative for Nevada's Second Congressional District and also served as Nevada's Secretary of State and in the Nevada State Assembly representing Carson City. During his time in the Senate, Dean served on the Finance Committee, Banking Committee, Veterans' Affairs Committee, and Commerce Committee. Dean's service on these committees allowed him to address the housing crisis, stand up for the more than 20 million veterans that have served our country, ensure that our transportation needs were met, and write tax policy that allowed for economic growth and opportunity for all Americans. - Richard P. "Pete" Hutchison has dedicated nearly 30 years serving the Conservative movement with Landmark Legal Foundation. Pete has been in the trenches for some of the most important public policy issues of the last quarter century: school choice; judicial taxation; labor union political coercion; EPA, IRS, and other federal agency overreach and abuses; voter integrity; and in numerous U.S. Supreme Court cases dealing with significant constitutional issues. Pete served as Landmark's general counsel for 20 years and most recently has also acted as the Foundation's executive vice president. Pete is proud to succeed his longtime friend and Landmark colleague Mark Levin as Landmark's president. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

May 21, 202259 min

Kari Lake on Putting Truth over Politics

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined in studio by Kari Lake, Republican candidate for Arizona governor. Later in the show, Bryan Stern of Project Dynamo joins us with the incredible story of how his team successfully rescued an American and his family from Russian captivity in Ukraine. - Kari Lake, the former anchor for Fox 10 News in Phoenix, became a symbol of truth in journalism when she walked away from the mainstream media despite being number one in the ratings for more than two decades. Now she's running for Governor of Arizona on a platform of common sense conservatism dedicated to individual liberties, low taxes, limited regulation, and protecting Arizona's great Western heritage. Kari Lake continues to be a voice for the silent majority suffering at the hands of cancel culture, critical race theory, and the devastating effects progressive policies are piling up on America's formerly great cities. - Project DYNAMO is a 501(c)(3) donor-funded non-profit organization headquartered in Tampa, Florida and was established by several U.S. servicemembers during the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan in 2021. Recognizing that the U.S. government was unlikely to conduct operations on the ground in Ukraine, Project DYNAMO forward-deployed team members in January of 2022 to begin planning for rescue operations in the event of a Russian invasion. Project DYNAMO remains operational in Ukraine and Afghanistan today. Anyone in need of evacuation is urged to register at projectdynamo.org, and register for the U.S. State Department's STEP program. Project Dynamo is entirely funded through donations. Those interested in donating or learning more about Project DYNAMO can do so by visiting www.projectdynamo.org. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

May 14, 202257 min

Chris Campbell Remembering Senator Orrin Hatch

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Chris Campbell, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions and David Keene, Editor at Large at the Washington Times. The Honorable Christopher E Campbell is the Chief Strategist at Kroll, based in the New York office. As a Fellow of the Kroll Institute, he is a frequent guest commentator on national news programs on matters involving the economy. Prior to Kroll, Chris was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions from 2017 to 2018. In that role, he was responsible for coordinating the Department's efforts regarding financial institutions legislation and regulation, legislation affecting federal agencies that regulate or insure financial institutions and securities markets legislation and regulation. Specific policy and program areas of oversight included government-sponsored enterprises, critical infrastructure protection (cyber security) and compliance policy, the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), small business, community development and affordable housing policy. Chris was the Treasury board representative on the boards of the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) and the Financial Industry's Critical Infrastructure Group. He regularly met with the heads of the 15 federal financial regulators. Additionally, he oversaw the Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Financial Institutions Policy and Small Business, Community Development and Affordable Housing, and Cyber Security, in addition to a staff of 200. Prior to his role at the Treasury department, Chris was the majority staff director to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. He designed, managed and coordinated the U.S. Senate Republican agenda in the areas of international and domestic taxation, international trade, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the U.S. National Debt, and oversight of three presidential cabinet secretaries. He was named by Roll Call Newspaper as one of the 50 most influential staffers on Capitol Hill, seven years running. Previously, he served as legislative director to Senator Orrin G. Hatch, where he coordinated and managed the senator's legislative activities. Immediately prior to rejoining Senator Hatch's staff, Chris owned a business consulting firm that specialized in business strategy for clients from all-sized companies across the country, and from a variety of industries. Chris is a director of Intrado, Coinstar, WeConnect Health Management, tZERO, and a board advisor at Cross River Bank. Additionally, he is a Professor of Practice at his alma matter, Thunderbird School of Global Management. He also serves as a strategic advisor and consultant to several large national and international organizations. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Business Management and a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. David A. Keene is Editor at Large at The Washington Times, the nation's largest conservative newspaper. His book Shall Not Be Infringed: The New Assaults on Your Second Amendment will be followed by a book on the modern conservative movement in America in 2018. While serving as President of the National Rifle Association (NRA), Keene, along with NRA's Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, led the "All-In" Campaign to elect Second Amendment supporters to federal and state office in 2012 and worked tirelessly to keep the U.S. from adopting further gun control legislation in 2013. NRA membership grew from four to five plus million members during his two traditional one-year terms. Keene remains on the NRA board and chairs the Publications Policy Committee, the International Affairs Subcommittee, and the National School Shield program. From 1982 to 2011, Keene served as the elected Chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU), the nation's oldest and largest grassroots conservative advocacy group. ACU is the major organizer of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference or CPAC, which Keene grew from 200 to 11,000 conservative activists. CPAC meets in Washington, DC, each winter to hear conservative leaders and to network with fellow conservatives from around the country and the world. Keene remains on the boards of The Center for the National Interest, The Constitution Project, The Montana Policy Institute, and has served as National Chairman of Young Americans for Freedom, among others. He has been a John F. Kennedy Fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Policy, a First Amendment Fellow at Vanderbilt University's Freedom Forum, and a member of the Board of Visitors at Duke University's Public Policy School. After earning his law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1970, Keene served as a Special Assistant to Vice President Spiro Agnew during the Nixon Administration, Executive Assistant to New York Senator Jim Buckle

May 7, 202257 min

Corey DeAngelis on School Choice and Christopher Bedford on Free Speech Online

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Corey DeAngelis, a leading advocate for school choice, and Christopher Bedford, an expert on free speech and journalism in the digital age. Corey DeAngelis is the national director of research at the American Federation for Children, the executive director at Educational Freedom Institute, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, and a senior fellow at Reason Foundation. He was named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work on education policy and received the Buckley Award from America's Future in 2020. DeAngelis's research primarily focuses on the effects of school choice programs on nonacademic outcomes such as criminal activity, character skills, mental health, and political participation. He has authored or coauthored over 40 journal articles, book chapters, and reports on education policy, and he is the coeditor of School Choice Myths: Setting the Record Straight on Education Freedom. Christopher Bedford is a senior editor at The Federalist, a founding partner of RightForge, vice chairman of Young Americans for Freedom, a board member at The Daily Caller News Foundation and National Journalism Center, and the author of "The Art of the Donald." His work has been featured in The American Mind, National Review, the New York Post and the Daily Caller, where he led the Daily Caller News Foundation and spent eight years. A frequent guest on Fox News and Fox Business, he was raised in Massachusetts and lives across the river from D.C. Follow him on Twitter. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Apr 30, 202248 min

Hans Mahncke on the Durham Probe

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Rod Dorilás, a Republican running for Congress in Florida's 21st Congressional District. Later in the show, Hans Mahncke of the Epoch Times calls in to give us the latest on the Durham probe. Finally, Kory Langhofer gives us an inside look at the Democrats' attempts to disqualify Republicans from running for re-election. -Rod Dorilás is the first-generation son of two immigrants from Haiti. His father immigrated to Florida to pick crops, and eventually his parents went on to own a small business. From a young age, his parents instilled in him the importance of hard work, integrity, and service. At age 17, Rod enlisted in the United States Navy, serving for six years as a Petty Officer Second Class and Assistant Engagement Control Officer onboard the USS The Sullivans, stationed in Jacksonville. There, he was responsible for planning and executing the deployment of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles on the Ballistic Missile Defense destroyer. Upon completion of his military service, Rod attended law school at Syracuse University with the help of the G.I. Bill. After graduating, he served in President Trump's Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce. While serving our great nation, Rod fought tirelessly to ensure that American families and businesses weren't taken advantage of by China. Rod is a true public servant and is dedicated to serving his country and community. He wants to ensure that every American, through hard work and perseverance, can achieve the American Dream. Rod is running for Congress in South Florida to continue Trump's America First Agenda and defend our country from the Radical Left. - Hans Mahncke holds LL.B. (Southampton), LL.M. (Amsterdam) and Ph.D. magna cum laude (Zurich) degrees in law. Hans has taught law at tertiary institutions across the globe since 2001. He specializes in core common law subjects, such as contract and tort, as well as in international economic law. Hans is the author of numerous books and his research has been published in renowned journals, including the Leiden Journal of International Law and Legal Issues of Economic Integration. Hans also serves as in-house counsel at a global investment advisory firm. He is now the host of Truth Over News on Epoch TV. - Kory Langhofer has extensive experience in political law, constitutional law, and government enforcement proceedings. He regularly serves as a legal expert in print, radio, and television news reports. Noteworthy experience includes the following: * Counsel for Donald J. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and transition team * General counsel for Ms. Carly Fiorina's 2016 presidential campaign * Litigation counsel for Gov. Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign. * Lead counsel for the Arizona State Senate's investigation and trial of a sitting Arizona State Senator, resulting in the Senator's resignation. * Lead prosecutor in multiple federal criminal trials, each resulting in guilty verdicts. * Lead plaintiff's counsel in multiple successful election contests in federal court. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Apr 23, 202259 min

The Fentanyl Crisis, Shanghai Lockdowns, and Russia's War in Ukraine

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by a fantastic lineup of guests. First, Anna Giaritelli of the Washington Examiner brings us the story of the US fentanyl crisis. Later in the show, Lingling Wei of the Wall Street Journal breaks down Shanghai's Omicron lockdowns. Finally, Professor Michael Kimmage of the Catholic University of America gives us an expert look at the Russia's war in Ukraine. - Anna Giaritelli is the homeland security reporter for the Washington Examiner, covering the department, U.S. border, and policies related to cybersecurity, immigration, and transportation. She joined in 2015 after reporting for CQ Roll Call and Cox Media Group, as well as a communications role at an immigration policy organization. Giaritelli has broken stories on leadership turnover within Border Patrol, corruption and infighting within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the effects of Trump administration policies on migrants. She is a commentator on national radio and TV outlets, including C-SPAN, Fox News, Sky News, and Sirius XM. Her work has appeared in RealClearInvestigations, Yahoo! News, the Oregonian, and Equine Journal. She earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Asbury University. - Lingling Wei is the chief China correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and co-author of "Superpower Showdown." She covers China's political economy, focusing on the intersection of business and politics. Born and raised in China, she has a M.A. in journalism from N.Y.U., got her start covering U.S. real estate, and has won many awards for her China coverage. In 2021, she's among a team of reporters and editors whose work was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Follow her on Twitter: @Lingling_Wei - Michael Kimmage is a professor of history and department chair at the Catholic University of America. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund. From 2014 to 2017, he served on the Secretary's Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio. He publishes widely on international affairs, U.S.-Russian relations and American diplomatic history. His latest book, The Abandonment of the West: The History of an Idea in American Foreign Policy, was published by Basic Books in April 2020. He is the chair of the Kennan Institute Advisory Council. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Apr 16, 202248 min

Jeremy Hunt on Reconnecting and Bridging the Political Divide

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Sam and Chuck are joined by Jeremy Hunt, a Republican running for Congress in Georgia's hotly contested second congressional district. At a young age, Georgia native Jeremy Hunt learned what it meant to serve. His parents, both evangelical ministers, live their lives for others. Jeremy's childhood home was never empty: those in need were always invited for a warm meal and a place to stay during tough times. And Jeremy accompanied his parents as they visited sick church members in hospitals. He learned that being a Christian meant more than attending church services, it meant selfless service. By the time he entered high school, Jeremy knew his life's calling: selfless service to God and country. He answered the call by graduating from West Point and spending five years as an active-duty Army intelligence officer. Upon his return from a deployment to Ukraine, Jeremy embarked on a new mission as he became a husband and then a father. Jeremy's concern for the future of our country grew even more once he and his wife were blessed with a little girl. He resolved to never surrender his daughter's future to self-entitled elites who want to redefine what it means to be American. With the rising threat of China and Iran from afar, and the spread of woke-ism from within, Jeremy is stepping up to help turn the nation around. After publishing a series of op-eds on Fox News.com, the New York Post, the Washington Post and making over forty regular TV appearances on Fox News, Jeremy is an outspoken champion for conservative values. He also served as a Visiting Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, and has positioned himself as a leader in the next generation of conservatives. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Apr 9, 2022

Brad Harrison on a Ukrainian Refugee's Plight

In this special episode of Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Brad Harrison, whose wife had to flee her home country of Ukraine when war broke out, only to be stopped by US Customs and Immigration, despite promises from US officials that Ukrainian refugees would be granted asylum. Now Brad, an American citizen, is fighting to make sure his wife is safe. For the first nights of the Russian bombardment of the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv 41-year old Ghanna (Anna) Harrison would make sure the ear-pods of her 10-year old Sofiya were in tight and the iPad was charged so as to drown out the thudding of the missiles and bombs beginning to fall around them. Anna would then get on the phone with her Air Force veteran husband of 10 years Brad Harrison and talk through the night about how she and Sofiya would soon be joining him in America at the home he was going to build for them in his hometown of Spanish Fork, Utah. Only 10 days before the war Brad left Ukraine to prepare the way for his family to come to the United States never believing the Russians would savage his wife's city and nation as they have. On the morning of 26th of February Anna sensed a pause in the bombings and began the 800 mile escape across Kharkiv and the backroads of central Ukraine heading west until reaching the boarder of Romania. Now the first week of April 2022 after flying with her American passport carrying Sofiya and meeting Brad in Tijuana based on the promise of American President Joe Biden who spread his arms and said if 100,000 Ukrainian refugees could make it to America's borders they would, "Be welcomed with open arms." Armed with paperwork and letters, and emails from the senate offices of Senators Mike Lee, John Harmer, and Utah State Senator Mike McKell, encouraging ICE and CBP (Customs and Border Protection) grant Anna asylum by Humane Parole; the Harrisons drove to the border crossing at San Ysidro as a family unit of three. "They wouldn't even look at any of the documents," Brad said. "They made Anna get out of the car and Sofiya and I stay in. She came back crying saying she'd been detained, and they'd taken her phone away and were allowing her one change of clothes. That's the last we saw of her; them leading her away." That was Thursday, March 31st and Harrison, Sofiya and his immigration attorney have attempted contact every single day only to be denied. And as of today both CBP and ICE have suddenly denied Anna is in their systems… nowhere to be found. "She escaped the Russians only to be captured by the Americans," Brad said. "She escaped the Russian gulag, and now she's in an American one – we think." Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Apr 5, 202222 min

Mark Krikorian on the Looming Crisis of Title 42

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Mark Krikorian is the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. Later in the show, Alex Swoyer of the Washington Times returns to the show. Mark Krikorian is the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. Mark is a nationally recognized expert on immigration issues and has served as Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) since 1995. The Center, an independent, non-partisan research organization in Washington, D.C., examines and critiques the impact of immigration on the United States. He frequently testifies before Congress and has published articles in numerous outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Commentary. He is a contributor at National Review Online, and has appeared on 60 Minutes, Nightline, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, CNN, and NPR, among other television and radio programs. Mr. Krikorian addresses a variety of audiences on a multitude of immigration topics. In addition, Mr. Krikorian is the author of the books The New Case against Immigration, Both Legal and Illegal and How Obama is Transforming America through Immigration. Originally from Texas, Alex Swoyer left the Lone Star State to attend the Missouri School of Journalism where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism with an emphasis in broadcast. She has experience covering stories in the mid-Missouri, Houston and southwest Florida areas where she worked at local affiliate TV stations and received a First Place Mark of Excellence Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. After graduating from law school in Florida, she decided to leave the courtroom and return to the newsroom as a legal affairs reporter for The Washington Times. She can be reached by email at [email protected]. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Apr 2, 202251 min

Michael Lieb on Solving the Housing Crisis

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Austin Smith, a Republican running for State Legislature in Arizona and Michael Lieb, the co-founder of Home Arizona. Austin Smith is a proud 5th-Generation Arizonan. Growing up in LD-29, he became a National FFA Award recipient and an All-State award-winning football player at Millennium High School. Working in the agricultural industry on ranches and farms across Arizona, he saw firsthand how devastating an out-of-control government can be to water, business, and freedom. This led him to become involved with grassroots activism as early as the 2014 Midterms. Beginning in 2016, Austin joined a young team of Conservative Activists led by Charlie Kirk and helped convince Charlie to move Turning Point USA's headquarters from Chicago to Phoenix. Turning Point would go on to create over 200 Arizona jobs thanks in large part to Austin's insistence that the heart of the Youth Movement for Freedom & Free Markets be based in America's next great Battleground State. After four years working directly under Charlie Kirk—one of America's foremost conservative fighters—Austin helped him to run Students For Trump, a 501(c)4 project of Turning Point Action. In his capacity there as National Field Director, Austin organized a state-of-the-art effort, creating college chapters on over 300 campuses, amassing over 750,000 doors knocked—effectively reaching millions of voters with President Trump's America First message. Following the 2020 election, while actively engaged in the grassroots effort to Audit the Vote in Maricopa County, Austin completed a robust offensive to recruit 1,000 Precinct Committeemen in Arizona, fighting every day to take back our state from the grips of tyrannical Democrat rule both here at home and in Washington DC. An avid outdoorsman, amateur golfer, and active member of his church community, Austin spends what free time he has with his mom Sabrina, dad Rick, and brother Troy enjoying the natural beauty of the state his family has called Home since 1908. Deemed the "King of Infill" by the Arizona Republic for over two decades Michael Lieb has been a key player in the residential and commercial development of thousands of acres located in urban and rural areas throughout Metropolitan Phoenix. In Urban areas such as Downtown and Central Phoenix and Downtown Tempe, Lieb has dedicated himself to working to attract national and international developers to achieve the vision set forth by both these cities and their downtown community of new urban scale housing and mixed-use commercial development. His involvement in various real estate projects which include residential, retail and commercial have made him an instrument force in the success of the newly created downtown core of Phoenix known as Copper Square and made him a true pioneer in the effort to revitalize downtown and Central Phoenix into a valuable urban center. Lieb has the ability, experience, and relationships necessary to work closely with top phoenix public officials and senior staff members in the downtown Phoenix areas. Professionally Michael A. Lieb, Ltd is well known and highly respected for his real estate expertise throughout the local real estate market. This professional recognition has enabled him to establish relationships with the top real estate executives and decision makers of many local and national real estate development companies. For nearly two decades Michael A. Lieb, Ltd has been among the Valley's leading real estate/land acquisition professionals. Lieb has been a catalyst for redevelopment by promoting and creating infill development throughout the valley including Downtown Phoenix area. Lieb's knowledge and efforts of the urban residential and commercial real estate market alone make him as asset to the continued success of Phoenix and have resulted in over 30,000 new housing units constructed throughout the metro Phoenix and Downtown Copper Square. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Mar 26, 20221h 0m

Senator Mike Lee on Inflation, the Supreme Court, and the Housing Crisis

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Matt Gress, a Republican running for the Arizona State House in Legislative District 4. Elected in 2010 as Utah's 16th Senator, Mike Lee has spent his career defending the fundamental liberties of all Americans and advocating for America's founding constitutional principles. Senator Lee serves as the Ranking Republican on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, and on the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. In addition, Senator Lee continues to lead Republicans on the Joint Economic Committee as the Ranking Member, after spending the last two Congresses as Vice Chairman and Chairman, respectively. He also serves on the Senate Commerce Committee and the Senate's Special Committee on Aging. Lee graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Political Science, and served as BYU's Student Body President in his senior year. He graduated from BYU's Law School in 1997 and went on to serve as law clerk to Judge Dee Benson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, and then with future Supreme Court Justice Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Matt Gress is an Arizona conservative, running to represent us in the State House. Matt believes in common sense principles like small government, balanced budgets and individual liberty. From 2017 to 2021, Matt served as a Governing Board Member in the Madison Elementary School District. Where he fought to keep schools open during COVID-19, supported increased school choice and advocated for parents and taxpayers to have a seat at the table in curriculum, hiring decisions and budgeting, including expensive procurement contracts. Matt has served as a faculty associate at Arizona State University and as a budget analyst at the Arizona State Capitol, learning exactly where our tax dollars go. Currently, he serves as the state's top budget chief in the Arizona Governor's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Mar 19, 20221h 2m

Tom Horne and Luke Rosiak on the Shocking State of Public Education

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam turn their attention to our public school system and the mess that progressives have made of it. First, they are joined by Tom Horne, former Superintendent of Public Instruction for Arizona who is currently running for that office again. Later in the program, Luke Rosiak of the Daily Wire joins the show to talk about the startling discoveries he made while researching his new book, Race to the Bottom, including the Loudoun County school rape that made headlines during the Virginia election last year. Tom Horne, a candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction. Mr. Horne has served both his community and our state impressively in several elected offices: Paradise Valley School Board member and president; Legislator where he was chair of the academic accountability committee; Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction; and, Arizona Attorney General. As Superintendent, he is most famous for enforcing the English immersion mandate for mostly Spanish-speaking children and getting rid of La Raza studies in Tucson schools. As Attorney General, he earned acclaim for winning lawsuits for Arizona that he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Luke Rosiak is an investigative reporter for the Daily Wire and the author of a new book released this week Race to the Bottom. In Race to the Bottom, Luke uncovers the problems in K-12 schools and the shocking reason why American education is failing. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Mar 12, 202250 min

Tiffany Shedd on the Ugly Truth at the Southern Border

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam sit down with Tiffany Shedd, a Republican running for Attorney General in Arizona, to get an honest look at how an unsecured border has created a humanitarian crisis. Later in the show, Chuck and Sam talk to Justin Clements, spokesman for Project Dynamo, a non-profit organization that is working to evacuate Americans from Ukraine.Tiffany Shedd grew up in Pinal County and worked her way through college and law school at the University of Arizona. She's worked as a bilingual kindergarten teacher, farmer, and natural resource attorney, and owns several small businesses, in addition to being a homeschool mom and an SCTP and 4-H certified pistol and shotgun coach. Living on a major trafficking route in Pinal County, Tiffany has experienced first-hand the consequences of the failure to secure our border and relies on the 2nd Amendment to protect herself and her family. Tiffany's personal experiences with the consequences of an unsecured border, and as an attorney, business owner, and mother are why she is firmly committed to conservative principles and dedicated to making sure Arizona stays great for future generations. Tiffany and her husband Rodney, a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, are the fourth generation to farm their land in Pinal County and are proud parents of three children. Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Mar 5, 202251 min

Breaking Battlegrounds: Statement on Ukraine

Since we recorded our show a little early this week, we wanted to put out a brief update with our thoughts on the situation in Ukraine and extend our prayers and support of the Ukrainian people. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 28, 20226 min

Jason Chaffetz on Russia, Biden, and the Durham Probe

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by former Congressman and Fox News contributor, Jason Chaffetz and National Review senior writer, Charles C.W. Cooke.Jason Chaffetz is a contributor for the Fox News Channel and author of two New York Times best-sellers, Power Grab: The Liberal Scheme to Undermine Trump, the GOP, and Our Republic and The Deep State: How an Army of Bureaucrats Protected Barack Obama and Is Working to Destroy the Trump Agenda. Chaffetz was elected to Congress in 2008 and served until 2017. He was selected by his peers to be Chairman of the powerful Oversight & Government Reform Committee, where he led investigations into the United States Secret Service, the Department of Education I.T. vulnerabilities, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data breach, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Benghazi terrorist attack, Fast & Furious and the IRS scandal. Prior to Congress, he was Chief of Staff to the Governor of Utah. A former placekicker on the Brigham Young University Football Team, he earned his BA in Communications in 1989 and then joined the local business community for 16 years before entering the public sector. Charles Cooke is a senior writer for National Review and the former editor of National Review Online. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford, at which he studied modern history and politics. His work has focused especially on Anglo-American history, British liberty, free speech, the Second Amendment, and American exceptionalism. He is the co-host of the Mad Dogs and Englishmen podcast, and is a regular guest on HBO's (Real Time with Bill Maher). He has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. Connect with us: Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 26, 202243 min

Broken Potholes Is Now Breaking Battlegrounds

Broken Potholes is now Breaking Battlegrounds! We're excited for this change as we continue to grow and expand our show with new content and new markets. Connect with us: Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 25, 20226 min

A Broken Potholes Battleground

With Chuck out of the studio this week, Sam is joined by his good friend and Balsz School Board Member Christina Eichelkraut. Christina is a self-described policy wonk who is quite a bit more liberal than a typical Broken Potholes guest and she doesn't shy away from a good debate. Christina has lived in the Balsz School District since she moved to Arizona from Nevada in 2010.In 2014 she moved to the Orangedale Neighborhood and became head of the Neighborhood Association as part of her efforts to get sidewalks on Virginia Avenue (an effort still ongoing -- contact her for details.) She was appointed to the Camelback East Village Planning Committee in 2019 after pointing out to the City Council her area -- south of Thomas -- had zero representation on the advisory board. Christina has lived in Arizona for the past 12 years and has been a Cubs fan her entire life. Her passion for public education and thriving school districts stems from her experience as a community print journalist in Nevada and Arizona. During the Great Recession, she covered urban and rural school districts and saw firsthand how communities suffer when public schools shutter due to lack of enrollment and funding. These experiences led her to become an active civic participant in the Balsz School District. She has canvassed for overrides, ranted at the podium during school board meetings and is a tireless advocate for District initiatives. Christins always makes it a point to listen to and learn from district teachers, parents and staff – who are, after all, also her neighbors. In 2014, Christina fully transitioned from print journalism into digital communications consulting for many Valley small- and medium businesses and nonprofit organizations.Currently, she is a marketing project manager for a Valley firm specializing in small business marketing. Latching on to any excuse to bake bread or pastries, Christina has a tendency to ask for petition signatures with Tupperware in hand. She reads well past her bedtime and is happiest when clacking on her keyboard.Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 19, 20221h 0m

Dr. Warren Farrell on The Boy Crisis

This week on Broken Potholes, Chuck and Sam are joined by Dr. Warren Farrell. Dr. Farrell is the author of The Boy Crisis, a comprehensive blueprint for what parents, teachers, and policymakers can do to help our sons become happier, healthier men, and fathers and leaders worthy of our respect.Dr. Warren Farrell has been chosen by The Financial Times as one of the world's top 100 thought leaders. His books are published in over 50 countries, and in 19 languages. They include The New York Times best-seller, Why Men Are the Way They Are, plus the international best-seller, The Myth of Male Power. His most recent is The Boy Crisis (2018, co-authored with John Gray). The Boy Crisis was chosen as a finalist for the Foreword Indies award (the independent publishers' award). Dr. Farrell has been a pioneer in both the women's movement (elected three times to the Board of N.O.W. in NYC) and the men's movement (called by GQ Magazine "The Martin Luther King of the men's movement"). He conducts couples' communication workshops nationwide. He has appeared on over 1000 TV shows and been interviewed by Oprah, Barbara Walters, Peter Jennings, Katie Couric, Larry King, Tucker Carlson, Regis Philbin and Charlie Rose. He has frequently written for and been featured in The New York Times and publications worldwide. Dr. Farrell has two daughters, lives with his wife in Mill Valley, California, and virtually at www.warrenfarrell.com.Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 12, 202254 min

Podcast Exclusive: Alex Mashinsky on the Future of Digital Currency

In this exclusive, podcast-only episode of Broken Potholes, Chuck and Sam talk with tech entrepreneur Alex Mashinsky to talk about the future of blockchain technology and digital currencies. Alex Mashinsky was born into communism, reared under socialism, and is currently thriving under capitalism. He is a prominent entrepreneur who has founded several companies over the years, including Celsius Network, GroundLink, Transit Wireless, Elematics and Arbinet. Alex disrupted several industries but he is most known as the inventor of VOIP which today enables over 1B people worldwide to use free voice over the internet for free. His new startup Celsius Network, is disrupting the banks, it is a community-based Proof-of-Stake blockchain protocol allowing members to borrow dollars against their crypto assets and to earn interest when they deposit (and lend) their crypto out. he wants 7.5B people to go From VOIP to MOIP (Money over IP). Alex's success as an entrepreneur stems from his acute ability to identify future trends, assemble world-class teams and raise enough money to fund his projects. Two of his companies, Arbinet and Transit Wireless achieved a monopolistic hold in their respective industries and pioneered new business models and groundbreaking technologies. Alex has a long history with high tech, evidenced by his powerful intellectual property portfolio. He has authored over 50 patents that cover aspects of VOIP, Smart Grid, Ad exchanges, Groupon, Twitter, Skype, App Store, Netflix streaming concept and many other top performing web companies. He is one of the leading evangelists of web-based exchanges. Due to his extensive experience as a prolific inventor and a business strategist, Alex has been a featured speaker at over 250 international conferences. He has also made numerous TV appearances on business networks and talk shows. He has received numerous awards, notably the prestigious Albert Einstein Technology Medal in 2000, the Technology Foresight Award for Innovation (presented in Geneva at Telecom '99) and Crain's Top Entrepreneur Award in 2010. He has also been nominated for E&Y's Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2002 and 2011. He recently was named "Top 100 In Crypto" by CoinTelegraph. After years of entrepreneurship, Alex subsequently gravitated towards investing in startups, founding his early stage venture capital firm, Governing Dynamics. Over the years, Alex has raised over $1 billion in venture and private equity funds to help position his startups as leaders in their fields. Arbinet's fundraising efforts were even documented in an HBS case study in 2001. Currently based in New York, Alex serves as a Managing Partner of Governing Dynamics. The firm has invested in Cryptocurencies and ICO's as well as startups focused on AI/ML, biotech and cybersecurity. Alex has invested in over 60 startups over the years, recording many successes and an equal number of failures. As a prominent figure in the New York entrepreneurial scene, he has previously been a member of the YPO's NYC chamber. He believes that "the secret to success is finding something to do in which your skills can exceed your ambitions." - Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 7, 202235 min

Ben Leuschner on Police Morale and Congressman Byron Donalds on Dysfunction in Washington

This week on Broken Potholes, Chuck and Sam are joined by two fantastic guest. Ben Leuschner, president of the Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association joins us first in the studio to talk about how the current political climate is affect our police officers and what that means for your safety. Later in the show, Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida calls in with an inside look at the political dysfunction and partisanship in DC. - Ben Leuschner has been with the Phoenix Police Department for almost 28 years, over 20 of those as a supervisor. He worked in nearly every precinct, as well as in investigations. He has been a member of the Phoenix Police Sergeants and Lieutenants Association Executive Board since 2013 and in that time he has seen the damage that can be caused by an ineffective union and a lack of competent representation. He has been a PPSLA representative for almost 9 years and, now that he has been elected President, he is committed to providing outstanding representation to PPSLA members and ensuring that PPSLA is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs to its members. - Congressman Byron Donalds grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and he is also the proud son of a hardworking and loving single mother. His mother dedicated her time instilling in him that greatness requires sacrifice, which drives him as a devoted family man and United States Congressman. Byron is a graduate of Florida State University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in finance and marketing. Byron's career led him to Southwest Florida, where he worked in the banking, finance, and insurance industries. Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2016, Byron represented Hendry County and east Collier County in the State Capitol. During his tenure in the Florida House, Byron served as the PreK-12 Quality Subcommittee Chair during the 2018-2019 Legislative Session and served as the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee's Chairman 2019-2020 Legislative Session. While serving in the Florida House, primarily focused on elder affairs, criminal justice reform, and ensuring that each child has access to a world-class education. Byron is committed to serving and giving back to the community that gave him so much. He has served Southwest Florida in many ways, including previously serving on the Board of Trustees for Florida Southwestern State College after being appointed by then-Governor Rick Scott. Byron continues to volunteer in his church as a youth leader and a mentor. He also enjoys volunteering as a coach in youth football and basketball leagues. Congressman Byron Donalds lives in Naples, Florida, with his wife, Erika, and their three sons: Damon, Darin, and Mason. Byron has spent his entire adult life serving others, whether it be through volunteering, business, or leadership. He is committed to representing Florida's 19th Congressional District's conservative values in Washington DC to ensure a stronger Florida and a stronger nation. - Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 5, 202255 min

Sam in the City: Chief Equity Officer is the New Hot Job Title

Phoenix is making Juneteenth an official city holiday and fear of nuclear power continues to hinder environmental policies that otherwise might work. Plus, woke progressives at all levels of government are clamoring to hire Chief Equity Officers to funnel more and more cash to liberal organizations. Find out what that means for you in this episode of Sam in the City. - Articles from this episode: The Wrong Solutions - Andrew I. Fillat and Henry I. Miller https://www.city-journal.org/the-wrong-solutions-climate-change Equity Warriors - Steven Malanga https://www.city-journal.org/equity-movement-local-government Los Angeles Is Building a Future Where Water Won't Run Out - Brian Eckhouse and Laura Bliss https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-01-31/los-angeles-plans-a-future-where-water-always-flows?srnd=citylab White House Taps Anti-Racist Consultant as New Czar on Homelessness - Kriston Capps https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-31/biden-white-house-appoints-czar-to-tackle-homelessness?srnd=citylab - Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Feb 3, 202211 min

David Harsanyi on the Partisan Divide

This week on Broken Potholes, Chuck and Sam are joined by David Harsanyi, author of Eurotrash: Why Americans Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent, and Melissa Williams, a former Colorado law enforcement officer who recently made headlines when her OnlyFans account was discovered. Melissa Williams is a former lieutenant in the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office. After 28 years as a law enforcement officer, Melissa was offered a $30,000 severance package to leave the force after her OnlyFans account was discovered by coworkers and a female officer in a nearby department filed a complaint. David Harsanyi is a senior writer at National Review, a nationally syndicated columnist, and author of five books. He is a contributor to the New York Post, and his work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Reason, USA Today, and numerous other publications, and has appeared on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News and dozens of radio talk shows across the country. Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 29, 202253 min

Sam in the City: What Does It Mean When the Department of Justice Investigates Your Local Police?

Today on Sam in the City: Eric Adams announces new measures to tackle the rising crime in New York City while San Francisco continues to enable drug addiction in their city. Later in the show, Sam breaks down the Justice Department's investigations into local police departments and how these investigations lead to increased crime in cities across the country. - Articles from this episode: San Francisco's Village of Pain - Erica Sandberg https://www.city-journal.org/san-franciscos-illegal-drug-consumption-site Under the Shed Downtown - Connor Harris https://www.city-journal.org/why-do-new-york-sidewalk-sheds-exist - Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 26, 202217 min

Introducing Sam in the City - A Broken Potholes Special

Introducing a new Broken Potholes special: Sam in the City. In this new series, Sam will tackle the issues plaguing cities around the country. From trains to critical race theory, this episode is packed with some of worst policies that are infecting all of our greatest cities. - Articles from this episode: St. Louis Streetcar May Get New Life as U.S. Threatens to Claw Back Grants - Joe Barrett https://www.wsj.com/articles/st-louis-streetcar-may-get-new-life-as-u-s-threatens-to-claw-back-grants-11642248003 A Culture of Corruption - Stephen J. K. Walters https://www.city-journal.org/marilyn-mosby-baltimores-corrupt-states-attorney Soft on Crime - Rafael A. Mangual https://www.city-journal.org/biden-soft-on-crime Woke Capital - Christopher Rufo https://www.city-journal.org/christopher-rufo-on-woke-capital - Connect with us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 24, 202233 min

Paul Boardman on DeCoupling from China

This week on Broken Potholes, Chuck and Sam have a packed schedule with three fantastic guests: Paul Boardman, Chairman of the DeCouple China PAC, followed by Washington Times reporters Haris Alic and Jeff Murdock. Paul Boardman began his career in 1983 as advance staff for President Ronald Reagan and as a fundraiser for Sen. G Richard Lugar (IN) at the National Republican Senatorial Committee in Washington, DC. Paul Boardman was a 'Contract with America' signer and the Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in the West Lost Angeles California 29th district opposing Congressman Waxman. Boardman is a Made in USA, Buy USA advocate. Currently Chairman of DeCouple China PAC from 2001 to present. Paul has led IG, Inc., a for-profit, Federal government and commercial market procurement consulting firm. Haris Alic is a reporter for The Washington Times covering Congress and energy issues. Before joining the paper, Alic worked at Breitbart News where he was the lead political reporter covering President Joe Biden and the 2020 campaign. Originally from New York, he got his start in journalism as a staff writer at the Washington Free Beacon. Jeff Mordock is the White House reporter for The Washington Times and previously the Justice Department reporter for The Washington Times. A native of Newtown, Pennsylvania, he previously worked for Gannett and has won awards from both the Delaware Press Association and the Maryland Delaware D.C. Press Association. He is a graduate of George Washington University. CONNECT WITH US Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 22, 20221h 2m

Dr. Everett Piper on Wokeism in Schools and Brandon Darby on the Border Crisis

This week on Broken Potholes, Chuck and Sam are joined by best-selling author Dr. Everett Piper for a discussion on how wokeism has affected our culture, especially our schools. Later in the show, Brandon Darby joins the program for a deep look at the reality of our border crisis. Dr. Everett Piper is the author of the national best-seller, Not a Daycare: The Devastating Consequences of Abandoning Truth. He has served as president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University for 17 years, during which time he led his school from relative obscurity to a position of national recognition and influence. He currently serves as a contributing columnist for The Washington Times. Dr. Piper is also the 2016 recipient of the Jeane Kirkpatrick Award for Academic Freedom. Brandon Darby is the Director of Breitbart's Border and Cartel Chronicles projects, where he reports on the crisis on both sides of our southern border. He is also the co-founder of the Common Ground Collective, which began as a relief organization in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. CONNECT WITH US Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 15, 20221h 1m

Patrick Leddin and Kelly Sadler on Leadership in Business and Politics

This week on Broken Potholes, Chuck and Sam are joined by Patrick Leddin, author of the Five-Week Leadership Challenge, and Kelly Sadler, commentary editor for the Washington Times. Patrick Leddin served as a U.S. Army airborne, infantry, ranger-qualified officer; worked as a Project Manager at KPMG Consulting; and co-started and ran a Inc. 5000 recognized consulting firm. His speaking engagements and consulting work have allowed him to partner with clients and present to countless audiences in the United States, Canada, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Great Britain, Aruba, Iceland, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Guam, and many other countries around the world. In addition to his work at Leddin Group, Patrick is an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University where he teaches Negotiation and Leading Business in Times of Crisis.Kelly Sadler is the Commentary Editor and a columnist for The Washington Times. Often seen as a Newsmax contributor, Ms. Sadler started out as a beat reporter at Bloomberg News, and later covered politics and commentary during the 2016 presidential election at the Washington Times. Ms. Sadler is a Trump Administration alum, serving as a Special Assistant to the President, where she coordinated surrogate coverage and talking points. She most recently served as the communication director for America First Action. CONNECT WITH US Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrokenPotholes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brokenpotholes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brokenpotholes/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/broken-potholes Show notes: www.brokenpotholes.vote Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 12, 202258 min