The Capitol Forum

Latest Episodes:

The End of a Fair Price (Second Request) Oct 23, 2026

Show notes

Corporations have figured out how to squeeze more out of every purchase, and new technology is making it easier than ever.

In this episode of Second Request, Teddy sits down with Lindsay Owens, president and CEO of the Groundwork Collaborative, to talk about her new book, Gouged: The End of a Fair Price and What That Means for Your Wallet.

Fake Polls, Real Consequences (TCF Investigates) Oct 22, 2026

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A polling outlet that fooled news organizations and campaigns just admitted it was making up its numbers.

In this episode of TCF Investigates, Paul McLeod and Teddy Downey talk with pollster G. Elliott Morris, whose team uncovered the fraud. They also dig into what the real polls are saying two weeks out from the midterms.

Black Eyes for BlackRock (Private Credit Crisis) Oct 20, 2026

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Your retirement savings might be buying a ballpark.

Today on Private Credit Crisis, Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Barry James Dyke, president of Castle Asset Management and author of “Black Eyes for BlackRock.” They discuss how annuity money ends up tied to sports teams and AI data centers, and why some of the biggest annuity sellers have almost no cushion if things go wrong.

How Streaming is Upending the NFL (Second Request) Oct 16, 2026

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Editor's Note: This is a re-broadcast of a previous episode.

In 1961, Congress granted the NFL an antitrust exemption allowing the league to collectively negotiate broadcasting rights, revolutionizing sports broadcasting in America. Now, streaming companies like Amazon argue the law doesn't cover them, and that NFL teams can't collectively bargain with them for broadcasting rights.

Today on Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey speaks with Katie Van Dyck, Senior Legal Fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project, to discuss her recent article, "How an Obscure Law Lets Sports Leagues Rob Fans Blind."

The Affordability Election Comes for Your Phone (TCF Investigates) Oct 15, 2026

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Electronics prices are soaring, and the handful of memory chip makers that control the market say the artificial intelligence boom is eating up their supply. A new lawsuit alleges they’re acting like a cartel. It’s a midterm problem for Republicans, who are already facing blowback on prices.

In this episode of the TCF Investigates midterm election series, Arjun Singh sits down with reporter Sacha Sloan and Executive Editor Teddy Downey to discuss allegations of cartel behavior in the memory chip sector. Then Arjun and Paul McLeod talk with Democratic pollster Celinda Lake about how prices and affordability are shaping the midterm campaigns.

Shadow Insurance (Private Credit Crisis) Oct 13, 2026

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Regulators fixed the problem shadow insurance was invented to solve a decade ago. Insurers kept doing it anyway.

Today on Private Credit Crisis, Executive Editor Teddy Downey talks with Daniel Schwarcz, a University of Minnesota law professor who first wrote about "shadow insurance" in 2015. They get into how the practice started as a workaround regulators signed off on, why it kept growing after the rules were fixed, how private equity-backed insurers took it offshore to Bermuda, and Schwarcz's simple fix: stop letting US insurers reinsure with their own affiliates.

John Deere’s Crumbs for Farmers (Second Request) Oct 09, 2026

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John Deere has agreed to pay $99 million to settle a class action over farmers’ right to repair their own equipment. But after lawyers and administrators take their cut, farmers could be left with a small slice of the pie.

In this episode of Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey sits down with Willie Cade, CEO of Graceful Solutions, to break down the settlement, dealer consolidation, and who should own farm equipment data.

Who’s to Blame for High Gas Prices? (TCF Investigates) Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Americans are furious about President Donald Trump’s role in driving up gas prices. With the midterm elections just weeks away, even Republican voters are souring on Trump over the cost of everything.

In the first episode of our election series, TCF Investigates host Arjun Singh and senior correspondent Paul McLeod sit down with Capitol Forum reporter Max Berengaut to learn how refinery consolidation is pushing fuel costs even higher. Then they talk with pollster G. Elliott Morris to understand what’s driving voters.

Bad Grades (Private Credit Crisis) Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

The ratings agencies already failed investors in 2008. Are they about to do it again?

Today on Private Credit Crisis, Executive Editor Teddy Downey talks with Rod Dubitsky, who rated subprime bonds at Moody's before the financial crisis. They discuss whether the high ratings on private equity-owned life insurers can be trusted, and what investors and regulators might be missing.

Can Anything Save the House GOP? (Second Request) Oct 02, 2026

Show notes

With a month until the midterms, the polls have Democrats favored to take the House and voters angry about high prices, especially at the pump.

In this episode of Second Request, Executive Editor Teddy Downey, senior podcast producer Arjun Singh and reporter Paul McLeod sit down with G. Elliott Morris, a data journalist and pollster who writes the Substack Strength in Numbers. They dig into where the House and Senate races stand, how gas prices and the war in Iran are dragging down President Trump, and how to tell good polling from noise.

Read Elliott's Substack here: https://www.gelliottmorris.com/