It's Complicated - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Facilitating Lies: What Should Trump Administration Lawyers Do When They’re Asked to do Something Unconstitutional or Immoral? (with Erica Newland) Feb 27, 2019

Show notes

In this special episode, Renato interviews Erica Newland, who quit the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel because she believed that by aiding unconstitutional and dishonest policies, she was assisting the Trump Administration by legitimizing lies. Erica is now a counsel for the nonprofit group Protect Democracy.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

End of the Mueller Investigation: What Will We Learn and What Will It Mean for Trump? (with Asha Rangappa) Feb 23, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss recent reports that the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller will end soon and that Attorney General William Barr will release a summary of Mueller’s report but not the full report. They are joined by former FBI counterintelligence agent and CNN Legal Analyst Asha Rangappa.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

State of Chaos: What Comes Next for Mueller and for Trump’s “Emergency”? (with Barb McQuade and William Banks) Feb 16, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss numerous new legal developments, including the confirmation of Bill Barr as Attorney General, comments by Senator Richard Burr about evidence of “collusion” allegedly not found by his investigation, and the “national emergency” declared by Trump. They are joined by Barb McQuade, former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan and a MSNBC Legal Analyst, and Syracuse Law Professor William C. Banks.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

State of Lies: How Should the Press Cover Trump’s Lies and Misleading Statements? (with Daniel Dale) Feb 08, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss Trump’s frequent false and misleading statements and how the media’s coverage of Trump’s lies could contribute to the distortion of public debate caused by his false statements. They are joined by Daniel Dale, the Washington Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star and a frequent fact checker of Trump’s speeches.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

Suspension of the INF Treaty: Did Trump put Russia’s interests Ahead of Our Own? (with Sam Vinograd) Feb 04, 2019

Show notes

Renato discussed the Trump Administration’s decision to suspend the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia, and whether the Trump Administration’s foreign policy has put Russian interests ahead of our own. He was joined by Samantha Vinograd, a CNN National Security Analyst who was a former National Security Council official and held numerous foreign policy roles in the Obama and Bush Administrations.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

Roger Stone Indicted: What Does This Mean for Mueller, Trump, and Congress? (with Mike Quigley and Barb McQuade) Jan 26, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss the recent indictment of Trump associate Roger Stone, who was indicted for lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstructing the investigation of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. They are joined by Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), a member of that committee, and Barb McQuade, the former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan and a MSNBC Legal Analyst.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

Mueller Corrects the Record: What Does This Mean and What Happens Next? (with Neal Katyal) Jan 21, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss the recent Buzzfeed News report that indicated there was substantial evidence that Trump directed Cohen to lie to Congress as well as the public statement by Mueller that the article is inaccurate and calls for Congress to investigate this and other matters. They are joined by former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

FBI Counterintelligence Investigation of Trump: Was Trump working for Russia? (with Asha Rangappa and John Sipher) Jan 14, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss the recent news that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation to determine if Trump was compromised by Russia and whether he was working for Russia to advance their interests ahead of our own. They are joined by former FBI counterintelligence agent Asha Rangappa and former CIA officer John Sipher, who ran the CIA’s Russia’s operations.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

State of Emergency: As the “Wall” Fight Looms, Has the Mueller Investigation Moved to its Final Stage? (with William Banks and Mimi Rocah) Jan 10, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss the president’s “emergency” powers, including the limits of those powers, how they can be challenged, and how they should be reformed, with Syracuse Law Professor William C. Banks. They also speak at length with MSNBC Legal Analyst Mimi Rocah about many recent developments in the Mueller investigation, including the revelation that former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort provided private polling data to a Russian intelligence operative.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5

The New Democratic House: How can Gerrymandering and Campaign Finance be reformed, and what will House Democrats do? (with Paul Smith and Ro Khanna) Jan 05, 2019

Show notes

Renato and Patti discuss gerrymandering, which dilutes the power of voters to choose representatives, as well as campaign finance reform with Paul Smith, who has represents citizens in important gerrymandering and campaign finance reform cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. They also speak with Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) about the legislation introduced by House Democrats to combat gerrymandering and reform campaign finance, as well as the agenda for House Democrats in the year ahead.

Subscribe on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Its.Complicated/

Follow Asha on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshaRangappa_

Asha's Substack: https://asharangappa.substack.com/

Follow Renato on Twitter: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti

Follow Asha on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asha.rangappa/

Follow Renato on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renato.mariotti/
Follow Renato on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@renato.mariotti

Opening Theme and Bumper music provided by eitanepsteinmusic / Pond5