Burn the Boats

Medal of Honor Recipient and conservative radio host David Bellavia talks about the recent shift in the Republican party, what makes a qualified candidate, and the differences between Democrats and Republicans. Staff Sergeant David Bellavia served in the Army and deployed to Iraq in 2004. During the Second Battle of Fallujah, Bellavia cleared a house filled with five insurgents in order to save his squad. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at a White House ceremony in 2019. In Bellavia’s new book, Remember the Ramrods, he reflects back on the events that earned him the Medal of Honor. After returning home, David ran to represent New York’s 27th district in the House of Representatives. Currently, he hosts the David Bellavia Show, a conservative call-in radio program. During the interview, David had this to say about partisan politics: “I give a person who disagrees with me politically more time than someone agrees with me because I'm bored with that. And I don't want to discover why liberals are wrong, I want to learn what it is that separates us. And for the life of me, I don't find any fundamental difference outside of personality and hubris and pride where people don't want to admit when they're wrong.” You can find David on Twitter @ssgBELLAVIA, and listen to the David Bellavia Show here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flipsyde member Jinho ‘Piper’ Ferreira talks about how his experiences as a police officer, rapper, and artist have influenced him. Piper was born and raised in Oakland, California. During his childhood in the 80’s and 90’s, Oakland was rife with crime, and police/community relations were at an all-time low. In 2002, Piper’s childhood friend Jihad Akbar was killed by police. This inspired him to create Flipsyde, a successful Hip-Hop group that toured worldwide in the early 2000’s. Their song Someday was chosen by NBC as the theme of the 2006 Winter Olympics. In 2009, Oscar Grant was killed by an Oakland police officer. The story resonated with Piper, and he decided the only way he could make an impact was if he was the one making the life or death decisions. During the interview, Piper had this to say about the difference between his reaction to the death of Jihad, and the death of Grant: “I didn't have any control over the cop that pulled the trigger. I initially put that pain into my music and ended up touring the world with my band. I tried what I could, according to the rules that I had known growing up and according to my values, until it became apparent that I needed to try something else.” Piper became an Alameda County Deputy Sheriff, and served in law enforcement for eight years. During that time, he helped create the Deputy Sheriff’s Activities League, which addresses policing problems by focusing on social equity and community-led economic empowerment. In 2014, he wrote a one man play titled Cops and Robbers that “highlights the frequently fraught relationship between police officers, the communities they serve, and the media.” It received critical acclaim. Check out the website for Marcus Books, which is mentioned in the episode, here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Astronaut Garrett Reisman discusses how the Ukraine Russia War, Elon Musk, and global warming are impacting space exploration. During the interview, Garrett talks about the development of conspiracy theories, from doubting the moon landing to doubting elections: “I could laugh at the guys in the tinfoil hats that said we didn't go to the Moon. But now that it's corrupting our society and amplified by social media, it's a clear danger to our democracy. And now any kind of conspiracy theorist, I just find it, really, no longer remotely a laughing matter.” Garrett is a former NASA astronaut who has been to space twice. After leaving NASA in 2011, Garrett joined SpaceX, where he served as the director of Space Operations. He's currently a senior advisor at the company and a professor of astronautical engineering at USC. To learn more about Garrett, visit his website, garrettreisman.com, and make sure to check out his podcast, Two Funny Astronauts. You can also find him on Twitter at @astro_g_dogg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Gerson was a presidential speechwriter for George W. Bush, and is now a powerful voice of dissent in the Republican establishment. Michael talks to Ken about what led him down this path of dissent, about the role of faith in motivating his decision to speak out, and about where he thinks our country is headed. Michael is a syndicated op-ed columnist for the Washington Post and host of “In Principle” on PBS. He is the author of “Heroic Conservatism” and co-author of “City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era” and you can find him on Twitter at @MJGerson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Representative Denver Riggleman discusses the January 6th committee, his experiences as a Republican during the Trump Administration, and his new book, The Breach. Denver Riggleman served in the Air Force for 15 years. Most of that time was spent as an intelligence officer and NSA advisor. From 2019 to 2021, Riggleman represented Virginia’s 5th Congressional District in the House of Representatives as a republican, but received extreme backlash from the far right for things like officiating a same-sex marriage, and joining the climate change caucus. These experiences pushed him away from the party, and he now no longer considers himself a republican. Denver discusses this period of his life in the interview: “I think Ken, really the same sex wedding was the beginning of opening my eyes to a bigger world of what was going on in the conspiracy world. And then that's when I really got involved and became the first Republican to go against QAnon and the first that Republican to do the QAnon resolution. And then nobody really gave a hell, I was completely alone until January 6th. I tried to tell people violence was coming, but there were a lot of people doing that. People just did listen. But Ken, it just got to the point that I just couldn't stand living in a facts challenged political party anymore.” To hear about all of this and more, check out Denver’s book, The Breach. You can learn more about him by visiting denverleeriggleman.com. Denver is on Twitter at @RepRiggleman, and on instagram at @DenverRiggleman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anne Nelson talks about the November Midterm Elections, right-wing domestic extremism, and the direction of the Republican Party. Anne is an award-winning war correspondent and author. Her newest book, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, details the influence of the Council for National Policy, a powerful right-wing political coalition. In the interview, Anne talks about how the people who helped organize and execute the January 6th insurrection intended it to be much more subdued: “I don't think they meant for the invasion to be that violent. I don't think they meant for people to get killed. I think that it's quite possible that these aligned forces who are connected to QAnon and some of the Pentecostal, more fringe churches and the militias, came into the event and perhaps took it over. I would bet good money that the Council for National Policy did not want Mike Pence to be hung, for example. He's now a dues-paying member, so that wouldn't make sense. But the problem is that once you align yourself and agitate a mob, you don't always control it.” To hear more from Anne, listen to her previous interview on Burn the Boats. Also, make sure to check out her website, anne-nelson.com, and follow her on Twitter at @anelsona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Senator Al Franken discusses the radicalization of the Republican party and the threats facing American Democracy. During the interview, Al had this to say about his Republican colleagues: “I stay in touch with some of my former Republican colleagues and I will give them crap. I'll text them and I send them Christmas cards. And I ask them about their families and I know them and we joke and stuff like that. I got along pretty well with my colleagues, I thought. I will just chide them and basically say, 'Why can't you just come out and say that Biden won the election?' And they'll be, blah blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It ultimately comes down to, 'I'd lose my primary.' That's what it comes down to. I finally get them to say that. And these guys, I understand. They want to be senators and they want to stay in power and they want to be senators.” Al Franken got his start as a stand up comedian, and was a writer on Saturday Night Live for 15 seasons in between 1975 and 1995. He won five Emmys during his time on the show, and also won two Grammys for his comedy and spoken word albums. Later in his career, Al noticed that conservative narratives dominated radio airwaves, so he created The Al Franken Show in an attempt to even the playing field. Al said this about creating the show: “I’m doing this because I want to use my energies to get Bush unelected.” The show aired on Air America Radio from 2004-2007. In 2007, Al announced he was running for the senate seat in Minnesota. He won the general election by only 312 votes. He served as senator from 2009 to 2018. Now, Al hosts the Al Franken Podcast, and is currently on tour. He is also the author of nine books, four of which were #1 New York Times Best Sellers. You can find them all here. You can find Al on Twitter at @AlFranken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley talks about her Ohio gubernatorial campaign. Nan Whaley was first elected to the Dayton City Commission in 2005, and was one of the youngest women ever chosen for the seat. In 2014, she became the Mayor of Dayton, and held that position until earlier this year when she decided to run for governor. Nan is facing incumbent Mike DeWine this November, and abortion has become a key issue in the race. During the interview, she said this about the upcoming election: “Look, I think Ohio is definitely at a crossroads this election cycle. It has a choice to be a place where we can be inclusive, and we can protect freedoms, and women can grow and thrive in this state. Or it's going to be a place where women will run away from. If Mike DeWine is elected, that's what's going to happen. We're going to see even more population loss in the state, and it is going to be the doing of the sitting governor.” To learn more about Nan, or support her campaign, visit nanwhaley.com. You can also follow her on Twitter at @nanwhaley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Hershovitz talks about his new book, Nasty, Brutish, and Short, in which he discusses philosophy with his children. Scott Hershovtiz is a professor of law and philosophy at the University of Michigan and former law clerk to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Scott’s new book, Nasty, Brutish, and Short, is a “romp through contemporary philosophy” led by his two young sons as they discuss ancient arguments, and ask their own questions. During the interview, Scott describes a conversation he had with his son, and how that influenced his book: “My son, when he was four years old, he went to the Jewish Community Center preschool, so he would learn about God and he'd learn about various aspects of Jewish religion. He had a lot of questions, and he would frequently ask if God was real. One night I was cooking dinner and he said, ‘Is God real?’ And I said, ‘Well, what do you think, buddy?’ He said, ‘I think that for real God is pretend and for pretend, God is real.’ I was just stunned by that. It was such a complicated thought. I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘I think that God isn't real, but when we pretend, he is.’” You can find Scott on Twitter at @shershovitz. To learn more about Scott and his work, visit scotthershovitz.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kris, a combat vet, explains how he studies and disrupts fascism and white supremacism in the U.S. – Kris Goldsmith is an Iraq combat vet who studies disinformation and far right movements. He's the founder of Task Force Butler, an organization of veterans that aims to disrupt online extremist activity and radicalization, and encourage those who have fallen victim to its disinformation to leave that path of destruction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Belew describes the growth, strategies, and consequences of the White Power movement in America. – Dr. Kathleen Belew, a professor at Northwestern University and author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America. You can find Kathleen on Twitter at @Kathleen_Belew, and learn more about her at kathleenbelew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2019, Alex provided testimony that led to Donald Trump’s first impeachment, and foreshadowed Russia’s devastating invasion of Ukraine. In this episode, he discusses his decision to blow the whistle, the authoritarianism of the Trump White House, and the stakes of the war in Ukraine. – Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman is an army vet and former director for European affairs for the National Security Council. In October of 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman was subpoenaed by Congress as part of the impeachment proceeding against President Trump. His testimony revealed that the president threatened to withhold vital assistance to Ukraine until that country's leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to investigate Joe Biden. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Ryan discusses his successful special election campaign, and the nationwide surge in support Democrats have seen in response to the Dobbs decision. – Pat is a West Point grad and army vet who just won a hotly contested special election in New York's 19th congressional district. He’ll be up for reelection in November. To learn more about Pat, and to support his November campaign, visit patryanforcongress.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @PatRyanUC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Kander discusses his new Memoir, Invisible Storm – Jason Kander served as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, and as Secretary of State for Missouri, before his Senate campaign in 2016 catapulted him onto the national stage. In his new memoir, Invisible Storm, Jason talks about how he decided to step away from an extremely promising political career to focus on his mental health. Jason is now the President of National Expansion at the Veterans Community Project, an organization that provides housing and mental health resources to vets that need it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Esosa Osa is the Deputy Director of Fair Fight Action, an organization founded by Stacy Abrams that advocates for election reform. Longtime listeners will remember that Esosa guest hosted an interview a few years ago. You can listen to it here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2013, Jim Obergefell and his boyfriend John, who was suffering from a terminal disease, were married on the tarmac in a medical jet at an airport in Maryland. When they returned home to Ohio, they learned that marriage would not be legally recognized. This led Jim to become the lead plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, a 2015 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples. In the wake of Dobbs. v. Jackson, which removed the constitutional right to abortion, Chief Justice Tomas has said that the court “should reconsider” Obergefell v. Hodges. Now, Jim is running for the Ohio State House. To learn more about Jim, visit his website, obergefellforohio.com. You can also find Jim on both Instagram and Twitter at @JimObergefell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jimmy Soni is an author and journalist who was named among Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30 in media. His new book, The Founders, takes a look at how PayPal was a launching pad for some of the world's most impactful tech entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, went on to create SpaceX, Youtube, Yelp, and many other influential companies. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram @jimmyasoni Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Pfeiffer served as Communications Director and Senior Advisor in the Obama Administration, and now co-hosts Pod Save America, a podcast that helps listeners make a difference. His new book, Battling The Big Lie, describes how we nearly lost our democracy in 2020, and how the fight to preserve it continues. You can find Dan on Twitter at @danpfeiffer, and on Instagram at @pfeiffer3342 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Gergen served in senior roles for four Presidents: Nixon, Ford, H.W. Bush, and Clinton. He’s since become an award winning journalist, author, and Harvard Professor. His new book, Hearts Touched with Fire, discusses how we must pass the torch to the younger generations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lecia Michelle is an author and anti-racist educator. Her new book, The White Allies Handbook, provides readers with the tools to get off the sidelines and onto the frontlines of the fight against racism. The White Allies Handbook is currently available for pre-order, and will be released on July 26th. You can find Lecia on Twitter @LeciaMichelle11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Pierson is an activist and organizer who has trained thousands of canvassing volunteers. He also co-hosts the podcast How We Win, where he interviews fellow activists, politicians, and insiders about what is happening on the front lines. You can find Steve on Instagram and Twitter @BluesBoySteve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heather (we aren’t using her last name) is a mother of two living in Alabama, a state that recently passed an anti-trans bill, SB184, that makes it a felony for her to seek the medical care her son needs. Heather discusses her family’s journey, her son, the recent wave of transphobia, and the repercussions of this bill. Please consider donating to Heather’s gofundme, which will allow her to relocate her family to a state where her son will be safe. They are very close to reaching their goal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sebastian Junger is an award-winning author, journalist, and filmmaker. His newest book, Freedom, discusses the innate conflict between the need for community and the desire for independence. Sebastian is also the founder of Vets Town Hall, an organization that gives veterans a platform to share their stories. You can follow him on Twitter @SebastianJunger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amed Khan is an activist, philanthropist and humanitarian who worked with the International Rescue Committee after the Rwandan genocide. He's evacuated refugees from Afghanistan and helped them resettle safely, and he's now focused on Ukraine, helping to lead evacuation efforts there and deliver medical supplies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Currently, more than 76,000 Afghan refugees who have immigrated to the U.S. have been granted temporary, two-year humanitarian parole status. Shawn VanDiver and his coalition #AfghanEvac, with support from the White House, are urging Congress to pass the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which among other things, would provide these refugees with a path to a green card and permanent residency. If this does not pass in the coming days, Shawn believes that many Afghans will lose their temporary status. They would then have nowhere left to go. Right now, the biggest obstacles facing the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act are Rep. Jim Jordan, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. You can call Jim Jordan at 202.225.2676, and Chuck Grassley at 202.224.4374 to urge them to support our Afghan allies. For more information, please visit AfghanEvac.org. You can also follow Shawn on Twitter @ShawnJVanDiver Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Weinstein is a Professor of Economics at the University of Akron who studies the quality of life in suburban America. She is also the co-host of the podcast, The Suburban Women Problem. You can find her on twitter at @ProfWeinstein Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Pepper is an author and the former Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. In his new book, Laboratories of Autocracy, David argues that the greatest threat to American Democracy is not the alt-right, January 6th, or even Donald Trump, but rather, the corrupt politicians in state houses across the country. You can find David on Twitter @DavidPepper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode consists of two interviews. First we’re joined by Anna, a Ukrainian student who was supposed to be finishing her senior year of high school. On the first day of the invasion, her city was targeted, and she fled to Poland. She was helped by our second guest, Nico Marseillan, a volunteer aid worker who has been assisting refugees at the border. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olga Lautman is a researcher and analyst who has been monitoring Russian and Ukrainian internal politics for years. She’s a Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, and the co-host of the Kremlin File, a podcast that details the rise of Putin and the spread of authoritarianism across the globe, including the Trump White House. You can Olga on Twitter @OlgaNYC1211, and make sure to check out her podcast, Kremile File. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Chasteen is a former CIA officer on the covert action staff. While at the agency, David conducted overseas operations, guided human intelligence collection, evaluated foreign threats to computer systems, and provided analysis on cyber issues to the president. David was also a consultant for the Amazon Prime series, Jack Ryan, starring John Krasinski, and the show is heavily influenced by David's experiences. You can find David on Twitter @DavidChasteen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Marche is an author and columnist whose work has appeared in Esquire, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and elsewhere. His new book, “The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future,” details ways in which a civil war could realistically break out in this country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we interviewed Nikolay, who’s a volunteer soldier in Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces. Shortly after the war began, his family was able to flee to the U.S., but despite having no military experience, Nikolay decided he had to stay and fight for his country. Please visit our website for a transcript of this interview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ward Carroll spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an F-14 Radar Intercept Officer, retired at the rank of commander, and went on to serve as the editor of Military.com. He now hosts a popular YouTube channel on military aviation. To hear more from Ward, visit his YouTube channel, or follow him on Twitter @wardcarroll Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shannon Watts is the founder of Moms Demand Action, a grassroots organization that advocates for and passes common sense gun laws. We’ve invited her back on the show to check in on the status of gun safety efforts and to learn what they might mean for candidates in the 2022 midterms. Visit MomsDemandAction.org and Everytown.org to learn more about Shannon and gun safety efforts. You can find these organizations on all social media platforms. You can also follow Shannon on Twitter at @ShannonRWatts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Barkhoff is a former Navy SEAL with multiple combat deployments, and an expert in urban warfare. In this interview, he discusses what the Russian invasion force is likely to face. This episode is a part of a series of special, unedited episodes that are separate from our normal content. As the invasion of Ukraine unfolds, we’ll be releasing these to provide you with timely insights from the experts. If you want to help, two of the most efficient organizations doing front-line work are Spirit of America and Team Rubicon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oliya Scootercaster is a Ukrainian Video Journalist who has lived and reported around the globe, but recently returned to her hometown of Kyiv to document the ongoing conflict with Russia. We interviewed her right before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 23rd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billy Ray is an award-winning film producer, director, and writer whose credits include The Comey Rule, Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games, and a project in development titled J6, about the assault on the US Capitol. In his free time, he works with Democratic candidates to improve their messaging and communication, specifically as they relate to independents and disillusioned republicans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Remillard is an Army Vet running for congress as a Democrat in North Carolina’s 13th congressional district. His campaign focuses on education, healthcare, and sustainability, and defeating Madison Cawthorn. For more information about his campaign, visit joshremillard.com Find Josh on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Kate Starbird is an Associate Professor at the University of Washington, where she co-founded the Center for an Informed Public, which is dedicated to resisting strategic misinformation, promoting an informed society, and strengthening democratic discourse. Her academic research focuses on how people use social media platforms during crises such as natural disasters, mass shootings, and lately, antidemocratic insurgencies. You can follow Dr. Starbird on Twitter at @katestarbird Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, to mark the one year anniversary of the January 6th Insurrection, we are re-airing the story of someone who was in the Capitol during the attack. Rep. Crow served as a House impeachment manager during Trump’s first impeachment trial in early 2020. In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, he has been hailed by his colleagues in Congress as “one of the heroes of that day,” for his actions guiding fellow members to safety. Learn more about Jason’s legislative priorities at crow.house.gov and find him on Twitter at @RepJasonCrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the one year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, we’re sharing clips from six Burn the Boats interviews that delve into the causes and consequences of the attack. Here are the guests featured in this Bonus episode, with links to their full interviews: Anne Nelson, an award-winning war correspondent and author. Congressman Jason Crow, who was in the House Gallery during the attack Christian Picciolini, a former leader in the American white power movement who now works in extremism prevention Kris Goldsmith, an Army combat veteran who is currently the CEO of an intelligence firm that specializes in the disrupting domestic extremism campaigns Dr. Kathleen Belew, the nation’s foremost expert on the involvement of military veterans in the white power movement Fred Wellman, the former Executive Director of the Lincoln Project, a PAC founded by former and present Republicans with the goal of defeating “Trumpism.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lucas Kunce is a Marine Corps veteran running to fill Missouri's vacant Senate seat in 2022. Lucas served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and eventually went on to become an international negotiations officer at the Pentagon. He's now running a campaign that focuses on taking power out of the hands of corporate monopolies and putting it back in the hands of working people. To learn more about his campaign, visit lucaskunce.com You can also find him on Twitter at @LucasKunceMO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heidi Heitkamp is a former Senator who represented North Dakota from 2013 to 2019. She was one of the only Democrats in the Senate representing a state that voted overwhelmingly for President Trump. Now, she helps lead the One Country Project, an organization dedicated to reopening dialogue with rural communities and advancing opportunities for rural Americans. You can find Heidi on Twitter at @HeidiHeitkamp For more information about One Country Project, visit their website, Onecountryproject.com, or follow them on Twitter at @_OneCountry_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fred Wellman is the former Executive Director of the Lincoln Project. He is a Westpoint and Harvard graduate, and served in the Army as an aviator and public affairs officer for 22 years. The Lincoln Project is a political action committee that was founded in 2019 by former and present Republicans, with the goal of preventing the re-election of Donal Trump and defeating ‘Trumpism.’ You can find Fred on Twitter at @FPWellman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tyler Merritt is an Activist, Author, Actor, and public speaker. His video monologue, “Before You Call the Cops,” garnered national attention after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and has been viewed tens of millions of times. In his new book, I Take My Coffee Black, Tyler talks about his experiences as a black man in America, as well as privilege, religion, multiculturalism, and even musical theater. Follow Tyler on Twitter at @TTMProject, and on instagram at @thetylermerrittproject. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kareem Crayton is an attorney, law professor, and academic whose work explores the effects of state-sanctioned racial discrimination on campaigns, elections, and governance. He served as the Executive Director of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and is the founder and Managing Partner of Crimcard Consulting, which is now advising the Virginia Redistricting Commission. You can learn more about Kareem and his work at kereemcratyon.com You can also follow him on Twitter at @KareemCrayton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Harnisch was the Deputy Coordinator for Countering Violent Extremism at the State Department during the Trump Administration. Among other various national security roles, he also was the Director for Transnational Threats and the Director for Afghanistan at the National Security Council. Chris also is a part of the Army reserves. He served for 14 months in Kabul, Afghanistan, and worked for an intelligence task force that focused on corruption, organized crime, and insurgency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shontel Brown is the Chairwoman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic party, and was both the first woman, and the first African American elected to the position. She recently won a heated primary in Ohio’s 11th congressional district, which gained national attention and has been seen as an indicator for the direction of the Democratic Party. Find Shontel on Twitter at @ShontelMBrown Learn more about her House campaign at shontelbrown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2018, Miles Taylor anonymously authored a New York Times op-ed titled “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration”. At the time, Miles worked in a senior role in the Department of Homeland security. Eventually, after Trump asked him and other officials to break the law, Miles quit. He decided to author a book, again anonymously, titled A Warning, which described in detail the morally gray, and sometimes blatantly illegal orders that came from the President. In the lead up to the 2020 election, Miles felt it was important to reveal himself as the anonymous author of both the op-ed, and the book. Now, he’s created the Renew America Movement, an organization dedicated to giving a voice to the ‘rational’ republicans who won’t subscribe to the right-wing extremism of Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy McGrath talks about her new book, Honor Bound: An American Story of Dreams and Service, which details her groundbreaking time in the military, her tough political campaigns, and the challenges we face as a country. Follow Amy on Twitter at @AmyMcGrathKY Check out her interview from last year here For more details about her time in the Marine Corps, listen to her interview on our other podcast, Warriors In Their Own Words, out next Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices