The Back Room with Andy Ostroy

Gretchen Carlson is an internationally recognized advocate for women’s rights, whose bold actions against Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes helped pave the way for the global #MeToo movement. A former CBS News and Fox News journalist, author, TED talk alum, and champion for workplace equality, she was named one of Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World”. Gretchen is the co-founder of the non-profit Lift Our Voices which works to end silencing mechanisms in the workplace that keep toxic issues secret. She is also a frequent contributor to CNN and MSNBC, a Fast Company contributor and the author of the New York Times bestsellers “Be Fierce” and “Getting Real.” Her story of harassment and retaliation at Fox News has garnered international attention, including the Showtime mini-series “The Loudest Voice” and movie “Bombshell.” Her signature achievement is the passage of the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act” in March 2022, one of the biggest labor law changes in the last 100 years. Gretchen joins me to help unpack the latest developments in the Epstein case, from Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie's review of the unredacted files to Ghislaine Maxwell's testimony before the House Oversight Committee and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Tim Heaphy is a former federal prosecutor and founding partner of the new law firm Heaphy Smith Harbach & Windom. He has extensive experience in complex investigations, white-collar litigation, crisis management and compliance counseling developed in public service, in-house, and private law firm practice. His clients include corporations across a wide array of industries, universities, and public entities facing federal investigations, investigative challenges, and business and reputational crises. He was also the chief investigative counsel for the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol. He is regularly called upon by major media outlets to provide insight and analysis on significant legal issues. David Harbach most recently served as an Assistant Special Counsel in the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith. His 21 years of service as a prosecutor include tours in the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of Virginia, the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, Texas, and as an international war crimes prosecutor in The Hague. He also served a one-year detail as Special Counsel in the office of FBI Director James Comey, from 2014 to 2015. He has tried dozens of cases to juries in courts across the country and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Tim and David discuss their new law firm with Jack Smith; Trump, Bondi, and the weaponizing of the Justice Department; the concern over interference in the midterm elections; SCOTUS , the lower courts and the judicial system serving as the critical check on the administration; and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD is a vice provost and professor at the University of Pennsylvania. A bioethicist, health policy expert, and oncologist, he was one of the architects of the Affordable Care Act. He is a regular guest on CNN and MSNBC and frequently contributes to the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Atlantic. His new book is “Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life”. He’s also an author whose new book is “Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life”. Dr. Emanuel and I discuss his terrific new book and the state of healthcare in America today. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Dave Aronberg served three terms as the elected State Attorney for Palm Beach County from 2012 to 2024. He is also a former Assistant Attorney General, White House Fellow and Florida State Senator, where he was elected in 2002. In 2010, he returned to the Florida Attorney General’s Office as a Special Prosecutor for Prescription Drug Trafficking. He frequently appears on cable television as a legal commentator. And he is the managing partner of Dave Aronberg Law, P.A., and a strategic partner with Capital City Consulting in West Palm Beach. Dave and I discuss Trump's DOJ weaponization and AG Pam Bondi's utter lack of independence; Don Lemon's arrest; the Epstein Cover-Up; and more Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Mary Trump is an American psychologist and author. Her first book, Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man which sold nearly one million copies on its first day of publication, is considered a serious game-changer in the 2020 U.S. presidential elections that Donald Trump lost decisively to Joe Biden. She is the author of two other New York Times bestsellers, The Reckoning, (2021), and a memoir, Who Could Ever Love You (2024). Mary holds a PhD in clinical psychology and a Master’s degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. She writes The Good in Us, a best-selling newsletter on Substack, and is the founder of Mary Trump Media and the Mary Trump Media YouTube channel. Mary and I discuss her Uncle Donald's rapidly declining mental and physical condition. And as always, Mary and I share more than a few good laughs! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Anthony Scaramucci is the founder and managing partner of global investment firm SkyBridge, and founder and chairman of SALT, a global thought leadership forum and venture studio. He's a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a board member of the Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation....and the author of five books, including last year’s From Wall Street to the White House and Back and his new book The Little Book of Bitcoin: What You Need to Know that Wall Street Has Already Figured Out…which will be released February 11th. He also hosts the Open Book podcast and along with Katty Kay he co-hosts The Rest is Politics: US podcast. And he’s of course well-known for the 11 rollercoaster days he served in the first Trump WH as Communications Director, after having served on Trump's Finance Committee and then on his Presidential Transition Team. Anthony shares his keen insights into, and concerns over, Donald Trump's chaos and corruption and the impact it's having at home and abroad. And, he makes a prediction for Trump's nominee for new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Special Episode: My 7-minute WTF rant on the new Alex Pretti video and the Georgia FBI raid Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Michelle Goldberg is an author and award-winning NY Times opinion columnist. Her first book, “Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism,” was a finalist for the Helen Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism. After that, she wrote “The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power and the Future of the World,” a book about global battles over gender and reproductive rights. And then in a departure from politics she then wrote “The Goddess Pose,” a book about wellness culture and the long Western fascination with Eastern spirituality. She is a contributor at MSNOW, and her work has appeared in publications including The New Yorker, The New Republic, The Nation and many others. Michelle and I discuss Trump, Noem, Homan, Bovino, DHS and the Minneapolis murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti; the Democrats' Texas US Senate primary showdown between Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and State House Rep. James Talarico; and why the right is so damn furious with liberal white 'wine moms'. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Frank Bruni has been a prominent journalist for more than three decades, including more than twenty-five years at The New York Times, in roles as diverse as op-ed columnist, White House correspondent, Rome bureau chief, and chief restaurant critic. He is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, including his latest, The Age of Grievance. In July 2021, he became a full professor at Duke University, teaching in the school of public policy. He currently writes his popular weekly newsletter for the Times and produces additional essays as one of the newspaper’s Contributing Opinion Writers. Frank and I discuss the chaos in Minneapolis, the Melania documentary, Trump's nasty middle finger and twisted psyche, and what chicanery he may attempt between now and the midterms Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Elected in 2022 and re-elected in 2024, Congressman Chris Deluzio represents Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, where he serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He is an Iraq War veteran, voting rights attorney, and union organizer. The Congressman and I discuss the Jack Smith hearing, Trump and Davos, DOJ weaponization, the midterms and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Special Episode: My 8-Minute WTF Rant on Trump at Davos Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Angie Craig is the Congresswoman for Minnesota's Second Congressional District and is running for the state’s junior Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Tina Smith. In 2018, she flipped a district held by a Republican that a Democrat had only held twice since the 40s…committing herself to taking on the Trump administration’s policies that are hurting working folks in our country. In the Senate, her focus will be on lowering costs, keeping communities safe and fixing a broken Washington. If elected to the Senate, Angie would make history as the first gay U.S. Senator from Minnesota and first lesbian mother elected to the Senate. The Congresswoman and I discuss her Senate campaign, Renee Good's death and the DOJ's cover-up, the "sons of bitches" ICE "goons", Trump's chaos, "chickenshit" Republicans, flipping the House and Senate, and more. Don't miss this frank conversation about the war on democracy and the rule of law and what Democrats and voters must do to fight and win. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Geoffrey Corn is the George R. Killam Jr. Chair of Criminal Law and Director of the Center for Military law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law. He’s a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who served as both an intelligence officer and a military attorney who culminated his career as the Army’s senior law of war advisor. He’s co-authored several books including The Law of Armed Conflict: An Operational Perspective; U.S. Military Operations: Law, Policy, and Practice; and National Security Law and the Constitution. What is a JAG, why are they so important, how have they been marginalized in Trump 2.0, and why is that so dangerous? Is Trump violating international law with his threats to invade Greenland? Are the boat attacks off Venezuela legal? Would a strike on Iran be legally justified? What is the strategic impact on our allies of Trump's military adventurism, and can they ever trust us again? Will Trump invoke the Insurrection Act to squelch the Minneapolis protests? What additional powers would that give him, what is the legality of that, and how would the courts respond? What should Congress be doing to rein him in? Geoffrey addresses these critical questions and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Miles Taylor is a national security expert, NYT bestselling author, and co-founder of defiance.org. He previously served as chief of staff at the US Department of Homeland Security, where he published a bombshell “Anonymous” essay in The New York Times, blowing the whistle on presidential misconduct. He later published the #1 national bestseller A Warning, revealed himself to be the author, and launched a campaign of ex-officials to oppose Donald Trump’s reelection. He’s worked as an advisor in the George W. Bush administration, on Capitol Hill, as a CNN contributor, and is the co-founder of a DC-based charter school and multiple democracy-reform groups. He is also the author of The New York Times best-selling book Blowback. Miles and I discuss the Renee Good murder and ICE's out-of-control behavior; the chaos on American streets created by Trump, Miller and Noem; DOJ's weaponization; Trump's Insurrection Act threat; his foreign expansionism and militarism, and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Julie Roginsky is the co-founder of the Mayday Media Network on YouTube and the author of the Salty Politics newsletter on Substack. She has nearly three decades of public and private sector experience as an adviser on strategic communications, political strategy and public relations…working on behalf of corporate and political clients which include Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, non-profits and dozens of politicians. She is also the co-founder of Lift Our Voices, a national non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the American workplace by banning forced arbitration clauses and non-disclosure agreements for toxic workplace issues. And she is a former contributor at Fox News Channel, where she was a frequent co-host of Outnumbered and The Five. Prior to that, she was a contributor at CNBC, the financial news network. Julie and I discuss Trump's 24/7 chaos and lawlessness and it's emotional toll on America, Congressional Republicans' continuing fealty, and how and when it all ends. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Frank Figliuzzi was the assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, where he served 25 years as a special agent and directed all espionage investigations across the government. He held senior FBI leadership positions in major American cities and was appointed the FBI’s Chief Inspector by then Director Robert Mueller to oversee sensitive internal inquiries, shooting reviews, and performance audits. Following his FBI career, Frank became a corporate security executive for a Fortune 10 company and led global Investigations, Insider Threat, Workplace Violence Prevention, and Special Event security for 200,000 employees in 180 countries. He is the author of “The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau’s Code of Excellence and “Long Haul: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers” Frank's unique, invaluable expertise makes for a highly compelling discussion and analysis of the Minneapolis shooting death by ICE of 37-year-old wife and mother Renee Good; the administration's gaslighting the reality of this tragedy; and what must happen going forward to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jonathan Capehart is a co-host of the morning edition of The Weekend on MS NOW. From 2020 until 2025 he was anchor of The Saturday Show and The Sunday Show on MSNBC. He is also an analyst on The PBS News Hour. He is a former Associate Editor at the Washington Post, where he was an opinion writer for nearly two decades.He was also deputy editorial page editor of the New York Daily News and served on its editorial board. His editorial campaign in 1999 to save the Apollo Theater earned the board the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. His new memoir, “Yet Here I Am: Lessons from A Black Man’s Search for Home,”, is a NY Times bestseller. Jonathan and I discuss the deadly ICE shooting in Minneapolis; Trump, Venezuela and Maduro; and his recent interview with Michelle Obama. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

As Chief Executive Officer of Brown Harris Stevens, she oversees more than 2,300 agents across New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Florida. Since 2018, she has led the firm’s growth into one of the most successful privately held real estate companies in the country, with the highest average sales price per agent nationwide. Before entering real estate, Bess served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Maryland and as a Legal Aid attorney in New York City. She serves on the Boards of the Real Estate Board of New York and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and received REBNY’s Kenneth R. Gerrety Humanitarian Award in 2021. Bess recaps the 2025 real estate trends, shares her outlook for '26, and discusses interest rates and the 'Mamdani Effect' on the NYC market. We also discuss our mutual concern over the alarming rise in global antisemitic rhetoric and violence. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Elie Honig is CNN’s Senior Legal Analyst. He previously worked for 14 years as a federal and state prosecutor. He is also the national bestselling author of two books, “Hatchet Man: How Bill Barr Broke the Prosecutor’s Code and Corrupted the Justice Department” and “Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away With It”. He writes a weekly column for New York magazine and for Cafe.com, and he hosts two podcasts for Vox Media. He teaches at Rutgers University and is special counsel to New Jersey law firm Lowenstein Sandler. His latest book is, When You Come at the King: Inside DOJ’s Pursuit of the President, From Nixon to Trump, will be published September 16th. Elie revisits the most important judicial rulings of 2025 and those to come in '26 Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

My 9-minute rant on Venezuela and Maduro. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Joe Walsh is a former Republican Congressman from Illinois elected to Congress in the TEA Party wave of 2010. Following his service in Congress, Joe became one of the most popular syndicated conservative talk radio hosts in the country. In August of 2019 he became a candidate for President of the United States, waging a Republican primary challenge against Donald Trump. He is the author of F*CK SILENCE: Calling Trump Out for the Cultish, Moronic, Authoritarian Con Man He Is. He's currently the Director of The Social Contract and the host of “The Social Contract With Joe Walsh,” podcast. He can also be seen regularly on CNN, MSNBC and News Nation. Joe and I compare our lists of The Top 15 Horrible Things Trump's Said and Done in 2025. Given Trump's exhaustive 'flood the zone' strategy, it's become impossible to remember from one week to the next all of his vile, offensive, dangerous words and actions. And voters need to remember. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

John Fugelsang has been murdered on CSI and picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church. He’s a Drama League–nominated actor, comedian, and broadcaster who’s hosted many TV shows and podcasts, including the acclaimed Tell Me Everything series on SiriusXM Progress. He’s gotten George Harrison to give his final performance on VH1, debated Jerry Falwell and David Duke, and made many appearances on MSNBC, FOX News, and CNN. His epic PBS road trip film on the American Dream, Dream On was named Best Documentary at the New York Independent Film Festival. John joins me for a truly thought-provoking, eye-opening, humorous conversation about Christian nationalism, religious hypocrisy, and his terrific new book Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Pete Souza was the Chief Official White House Photographer for the entire tenure of the presidency of Barack Obama. He is the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers Obama: An Intimate Portrait and Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents. A photojournalist since the late 1970s, Souza was also an official White House photographer during the Reagan administration, a freelance photographer for Life and National Geographic, and the Washington-based natural national photographer for the Chicago Tribune. A documentary about his work at the White House, The Way I See It, was nominated for an Emmy, and its Premier was the highest rated non-news, non-live program in MSNBC history. He is a professor emeritus at Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication. In 2021, Souza was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame. Pete has brilliantly captured on film so many incredible moments in modern presidential history. But he also has a great way with words, and joins me for an insightful chat about Donald Trump's unconscionable architectural and design assault on The White House, the defiling of The Kennedy Center, and his utter disdain for protocol, the rule of law, and history. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Eli Sharabi is a former hostage who survived 491 days in Hamas captivity following his abduction from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023. He became a global advocate for the remaining hostages, meeting with world leaders, speaking at the United Nations, and sharing his story with audiences around the world. His memoir, Hostage, is the first published account by a released Israeli hostage, became an instant New York Times and UK’s Sunday Times bestseller. Eli discusses his book and shares his harrowing story of being taken hostage, his treatment during captivity, the murder of his family, and his inspiring journey through loss and grief. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Rep. Seth Magaziner proudly serves Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District. He serves on the Natural Resources Committee and the Committee on Homeland Security, for which he is Ranking Member on the Subcommittee for Counterterrorism, Intelligence and Law Enforcement. The Congressman joins me for an insightful discussion of the Brown University shooting and the gun violence epidemic in America; Trump's draconian Immigration policies; Homeland Security and the fate of Secretary Kristi Noem; the latest developments with the Epstein Files; and CBS's 60 Minutes debacle Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Joyce Vance is the former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, an office she held during the Obama administration. She resigned on the eve of Donald Trump’s first inauguration at the end of twenty-five years of service as a career federal prosecutor. She’s a Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Law at the University of Alabama School of Law. She’s also a legal analyst for NBC and MSNBC, the author of the popular Civil Discourse Substack, and the cohost of two podcasts: #SistersInLaw and Cafe’s Insider. Her latest book is Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy. Joyce discusses her terrific new book as well as the latest developments with the Epstein files; Bondi's corrupted Justice Department; Venezuela, the boat bombings and the 'double-tap strike; and Trump's vile attack on Rob Reiner. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Congressman James Walkinshaw represents Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. He serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and its Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, focusing on protecting the nonpartisan civil service, supporting fair pay for federal employees, and holding the Administration accountable. He also serves on the House Homeland Security Committee and both its Subcommittees on Homeland Border Security & Enforcement… and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Protection. The Congressman joins me for an insightful conversation about the latest developments in the Epstein scandal; embattled DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's controversies; Marjorie Taylor Greene and Trump's MAGA problems; Rob Reiner; and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jessica Dimmock is an award-winning director with 2 Emmy nominations, 1 Emmy award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, Cinema Eye Honors and IDA nominations. She directed documentary series and films Flint Town, Captive Audience, The Texas Killing Fields, The Weekly, and Home… and the feature documentary The Pearl. And she’s with us today to discuss her new documentary THOUGHTS & PRAYERS: HOW TO SURVIVE AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IN AMERICA, which can be seen on HBO MAX Jessica and I discuss her terrific new film, co-directed with her husband Zackary Canepari, which focuses on the gun-violence epidemic in America and how it's led to lockdown and active-shooter drills in schools; whether these realistic and terrifying drills cause more harm than good with our children; and the $3-billion preparedness products industry. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Margaret Donovan is a Visiting Clinical Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School and an attorney with Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC. She is a former Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. She also served six years in the United States Army and was a Captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps…more commonly knows as JAGS. Margaret walks us through the critical role of JAGS and shares her thoughts on the administration's controversial drug-boat bombings and Venezuelan war threats, embattled Sec Def Pete Hegseth, and the overall crisis at the Pentagon under his leadership. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jim Acosta hosts The Jim Acosta Show” on Substack, YouTube and Apple Podcasts. He is an award-winning broadcast journalist, with 25 years of experience in network television news, at CNN and CBS News. Perhaps best-known for his time as the Chief White House Correspondent for CNN, he has covered six straight presidential elections at the network level. He’s also as an anchor and reporter covering some of the biggest news stories of the last 30 years, including Hurricane Katrina, the Iraq War and the aftermath of 9/11. In 2019, Jim’s New York Times bestselling book, “The Enemy of the People: A Dangerous Time to Tell the Truth in America” was published. That same year his work was recognized by the New York Press Club with its “Truth to Power” Award. Jim's back with us to discuss Trump, Hegseth, Epstein and so much more! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Ken Burns has been making documentary films for almost fifty years. Since the Academy Award nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, he has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including The Civil War; Baseball; Jazz; The War; The National Parks: America’s Best Idea; Prohibition; The Roosevelts: An Intimate History; The Vietnam War; Country Music; The U.S. and the Holocaust; The American Buffalo; and Leonardo da Vinci. Future film projects include Emancipation to Exodus, and LBJ & the Great Society, among others. Ken’s films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including seventeen Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards and two Oscar nominations. In September of 2008, at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards, Ken was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In November of 2022, Ken was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. And we’re thrilled to have Ken with us to discuss his latest masterpiece, The American Revolution. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Adelita Grijalva is a lifelong public servant and advocate from Tucson, Arizona, with a career dedicated to equity, education, and community empowerment. She has served on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board and the Pima County Board of Supervisors, where she became the first Latina Chair and championed affordable housing, early childhood education, and environmental protection. In 2025, Adelita made history as the first Chicana elected to represent Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, and was forced to wait nearly two months to be sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The Congresswoman discusses her delayed swearing-in, being pepper-sprayed last Friday by ICE, Trump's economic and healthcare crises, the Epstein and Hegseth scandals, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and the flailing Republican Party. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History at New York University. She writes about fascism, authoritarianism, and propaganda. She is the recipient of Guggenheim and other fellowships; an advisor to Protect Democracy; an MSNBC opinion columnist and television commentator; and publishes Lucid, a newsletter on threats to democracy. Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, looks at how illiberal leaders use propaganda, corruption, violence, and machismo - and how they can be defeated. Has Donald Trump been weakened by recent elections, scandals, and his own chaos and incompetence? Is he less of a threat to democracy today than he was in January? What might he do next as his approval continues to plummet and his desperation increases? How effective has the resistance movement been? And how concerned should we be about Pete Hegseth and Trump's grip on the military? Ruth shares her thoughts on these questions and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

James E. Clyburn represents South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he previously served as Majority Whip. A more than 30-year Congressional veteran, he has been an influential and effective legislative leader and an unwavering voice for civil rights. Born in Sumter, South Carolina, during the Jim Crow era, he has been awarded the NAACP’s highest honor – the Spingarn Medal, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation’s Liberty and Justice for All Award, the Harry S. Truman Foundation’s Good Neighbor Award, and holds honorary degrees from 40 colleges and universities. In 2024, he was bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. And he’s here to discuss his terrific new book The First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation. The Congressman discusses his terrific new book as well as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's SIgnalGate and 'Double-Tap' Scandals. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Pam Hemphill is a 72-year-old former Trump supporter known as the “MAGA Granny”. She was imprisoned over her role on January 6th, refused a pardon, and has spent the last several years working to debunk the stolen 2020 election Big Lie and the lies about the Capitol riot. She is a cancer survivor, a retired Substance Abuse Counselor, and a recovering alcoholic, 46 years sober. So is Donald Trump personally involved in the Epstein conspiracy and cover up? Is the MAGA fever breaking? Why has Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned? Pam shares her thoughts on these questions and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Nicholas Thompson is the CEO of The Atlantic, an American magazine founded in 1857, which earned the top honor for magazines, General Excellence, at the National Magazine Awards in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Before joining The Atlantic, he was the editor in chief of Wired and an editor at The New Yorker. He has long been a competitive runner; in 2021, he set the American record for men 45+ in the 50K race. In 2025, he became the top-ranked runner in the world in his age group for the 50-mile run. His new book is “The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports”. Nick joins me for a truly enjoyable, insightful chat about his terrific new book and the many invaluable life lessons it offers. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Michael Steele is the co-host of MS NOW’s “The Weeknight” and host of ‘The Michael Steele Podcast.’ Prior to joining MS NOW as a political analyst, he was elected Lt. Governor of Maryland in 2003. Following his time as Lt. Governor, he served as Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2009 to 2011. Steele was the first African-American to hold either office. He has appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, Real Time with Bill Maher, and The Daily Show and is also the author of two books, “Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda” and “The Recovering Politician’s Twelve Step Program to Survive Crisis”. It's always fun and insightful when Michael's in The Back Room! This time he's back for a chat about the good, the bad and the ugly with Trump, the GOP and Democrats...including the election, the latest polls, Marjorie Taylor Greene and the MAGA fissure, and whether we've hit at an inflection point. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

S.E. Cupp is a nationally syndicated columnist, author, podcaster and TV commentator. She hosts Off the Cupp, a podcast which focuses on mental health, and which features interviews with celebrities and newsmakers. She is a columnist at the New York Daily News and has also been published in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, Washington Post and many other publications. She is currently a political commentator at CNN. She regularly interviews authors for CSPAN's BookTV, and is a regular guest on The View, Real Time w/Bill Maher, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Watch What Happens Live and others. SE has also consulted on Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom and AppleTV's The Morning Show, and has made cameos on House of Cards and SNL. As an author SE has written two books, Losing Our Religion: The Liberal Media's Attack on Christianity, and co-authored Why You're Wrong About the RIght. She is on the Advisory Board of Cornell University's Institute of Politics and Global Affairs and INARA.org, and is a No Kid Hungry ambassador. S.E.'s back in The Back Room to discuss Trump, the election, the shutdown, MAGA, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Megyn Kelly, Mamdani, the midterms and more! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jess Michaels is a 3x Founder, TEDx speaker, Advocate, and 1991 Jeffrey Epstein survivor who has lived with PTSD for 30+ years. She is founder and CEO of 3Joannes Inc and the #withyoutoo Social Safety App, which guides users to "know what to do when someone says #metoo”. Jess is back with us to share her thoughts on this week's emotional roller-coaster involving the monumental passage of the Epstein bill and the uncertain road ahead for getting the full files released by the Justice Department as mandated by the new law. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jonathan Freedland is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Save the World and he’s a weekly columnist for the Guardian and previously the Guardian’s Washington correspondent. He hosts the Guardian's Politics Weekly America podcast, presents BBC Radio 4's The Long View and co-hosts the Unholy podcast,. He is also the author of several thrillers under the pseudonym Sam Bourne and is a past winner of the Orwell Prize for Journalism. His new book is The Traitors Circle: The True Story of a Secret Resistance Network in Nazi Germany—and the Spy Who Betrayed Them” Jonathan and I discuss his incredible new book as well as British politics and Nigel Farage's Reform UK party, and the populist parallels to Donald Trump's MAGA movement. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

For forty years, Ron Reagan has been a television and radio correspondent, host and political commentator with ABC, MSNBC and Air America among others. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller My Father at 100. Join us for this fun, insightful chat about the Epstein shitstorm, the blue wave election, the shutdown, the East Wing demolition, and Trump's meltdown over the Ontario tariff ad featuring his dad. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Tara Palmeri is the host of The Tara Palmeri Show and author of The Red Letter newsletter. She has spent more than 15 years covering national politics and foreign affairs, previously working as a White House Correspondent for ABC News and chief national correspondent for Politico. She has hosted multiple podcasts, including Broken: Jeffrey Epstein and Power: The Maxwells, and previously hosted Somebody’s Gotta Win for The Ringer while writing a political column for Puck. What are the Epstein emails telling us? Is the Epstein scandal too big to fail? Will it eventually bring down the Trump presidency? Tara addresses these questions and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Michael Cohen is the former personal attorney for Donald Trump and served for years as an executive in the Trump Organization. He is host of the YouTube channel The Michael Cohen Show, host of the Mea Culpa With Michael Cohen podcast and co-host of Political Beatdown with Michael Cohen and Ben Meiselas podcast. He’s also a 2x NYT best-selling author. His latest book is “Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the US Department of Justice Against His Critics. You can also find him on Substack @TheRealMichaelCohen, where he writes the newsletter Truth and Consequences. Michael's back to discuss the latest Epstein developments, the Democrats' shutdown shitshow, the recent blue wave election, and, if he's planning to run for Congress in New York's 12th District! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Jonathan Karl is the chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. He’s covered every major beat in Washington, D.C., including the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and the State Department. He’s reported from the White House under four presidents and fourteen press secretaries, and is a former president of the White House Correspondents' Association. He is the author of the NY Times instant bestsellers Front Row at the Trump Show, Betrayal, and Tired of Winning. And he’s in THE BACK ROOM to discuss his new book, "Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America". Jonathan and I discuss the recent election, the shutdown and his terrific new book. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Co-founder and Board Member of The Lincoln Project, Rick Wilson is a renowned political strategist, infamous award-winning ad-maker and podcast host, writer, speaker, and political commentator on MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NPR, Real Time with Bill Maher, and various American and international news national outlets. A 30-year veteran of national Republican politics, Rick got his start in the 1988 Presidential campaign of George Herbert Walker Bush and has produced groundbreaking and award-winning political advertising, strategic counsel to winning political candidates, SuperPACS, state parties, the national campaign committees, and corporate, association, and government clients across the nation and around the world. Rick has authored two New York Times bestsellers – Everything Trump Touches Dies and Running Against The Devil – A Plot To Save America from Trump And Democrats From Themselves – and often writes for The Washington Post, Politico, Rolling Stone, The Hill, The Bulwark, and the London Spectator. Rick brings his inimitable wit and wisdom back to The Back Room for a post-election wrap up! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Paul Begala is a CNN political commentator, consultant and NY Times best-selling author... his most recent book was the election-year hit You’re Fired: The Perfect Guide to Beating Donald Trump. He’s also been a columnist for Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and was one of the founding contributing editors of his late friend JFK Jr’s magazine George. But perhaps most notably…he helped engineer Bill Clinton's winning presidential campaign in 1992 with his partner, James Carville. He later served as Counselor to the President, serving as one of President Clinton's closest aides, and coordinating policy, politics, and communications. In the 2012 campaign, Paul was a senior adviser for the pro-Obama Super PAC, making him one of the few people to play a critical role in electing two different presidents. Paul's back in The Back Room to unpack Election Day's blue tidal wave! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Amy McGrath is a political and national security analyst, a former fighter pilot and U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran, founder of Democratic Majority Action PAC, Democratic nominee for the U.S. House and Senate from Kentucky and the author of "Honor Bound: An American Story of Dreams and Service." She, along with co-host Denver Riggleman, recently launched the brand new podcast, “Truth in the Barrel,” about politics and national security. And, she once again has launched a U.S. Senate campaign for Kentucky’s open seat Amy discusses her Senate campaign, Trump's exploitation of the military, National Guard troop deployment, nuclear testing, the shutdown and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Kate Shaw is a Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she teaches and writes about the presidency, the law of democracy, the Supreme Court, and reproductive rights and justice. Her scholarly writing has appeared, among other places, in the Harvard Law Review, the Columbia Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, and the Northwestern University Law Review, and her popular writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Atlantic. She co-hosts the Supreme Court podcast Strict Scrutiny and is a Contributing Opinion Writer with the New York Times. Kate helps unpack the legal developments involving National Guard troop deployment; Trump's weaponization of the Justice Department; the James Comey, Tish James and John Bolton indictments; the government shutdown and funding of SNAP benefits; and more. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

A graduate of the USC School of Cinema and Television, Andrew Durham has worked under such directors as David Lynch, Christopher Guest, Wes Craven, and Oliver Stone. He began his collaborative relationship with Sofia Coppola when he produced her first short film, LICK THE STAR, and Coppola’s television series, HI-OCTANE, for the Comedy Central Network. He went on to work for MTV Networks as Producer for Projects in Development, and later for Fox Television Studios where he served as Vice President of Production. He left television to pursue his passion for photography. He’s shot for such publications as Vanity Fair, The New York Times, French Vogue, and Elle, and advertising campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Dior. And he's in THE BACK ROOM to discuss his terrific feature film directorial debut, FAIRYLAND, which is currently in select theaters nationwide and on VOD in November. Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel

Aidan Walker is a writer, creator, and internet culture researcher. He has covered memes and tech for the BBC, The Daily Beast, and other outlets. He posts on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram as @aidanetcetera and writes the Substack newsletter How To Do Things With Memes. What are memes, where do they come from, what's their impact today as a communications tool, and what lies ahead for this powerful medium? Aidan answers these questions and more...and also discusses his recent epic appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at [email protected] Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel