Stay ConnectedPolitical power: Who wants it? Who wields it? And why? Through compelling conversations with power players, newsmakers, and experts, The X-Ray answers these questions, providing listeners with insightful analysis of the biggest issues facing our democracy at home and abroad.
The X-Ray is brought to you by Issue One, producers of the Swamp Stories podcast.
Copyright: © 2021 Issue One 349910
In episode 28 of Swamp Stories, Weston chats with former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) about what it was like being a member of Congress, how she would fix our broken political system, and the RV trip that she took across America alone after the 2016 election to better understand the rise of Donald Trump.
This is the fourth episode in our periodic series of longform conversations between host Weston Wamp and leaders in the political reform movement.
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To learn more about How Do We Fix It?, another show in the Democracy Group podcast network, visit: https://www.democracygroup.org/shows/how-do-we-fix-it
The Federal Election Commision (FEC) has long been plagued by gridlock and dysfunction — known for its inaction and ideological and partisan divides. In episode 27, Weston chats with the current chair and two former FEC commissioners to explore how the agency got to this place, and what can be done to help make the nation’s campaign finance watchdog more functional and effective.
Guests:
To learn more about Let's Find Common Ground, another show in the Democracy Group podcast network, visit: https://www.democracygroup.org/shows/lets-find-common-ground
This is the third episode in a periodic series of conversations between Swamp Stories host Weston Wamp and leaders in the political reform movement.
In this episode, former Rep. Reid Ribble (R-WI) joins Weston to chat about the need for political reform, the problems Ribble sees with his own party’s narrative on elections, and the prospects for bipartisan compromise in the current Congress.
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To learn more about Our Body Politic, another show in the Democracy Group podcast network, visit: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1533069868
We're following up on the last episode of Swamp Stories by taking a deeper dive into the world of "dark money" and examining a once rare strategy that's used to funnel this unaccountable cash through 501(c)(4)s and into the hands of super PACs — all while keeping the identities of the original donors in the shadows.
With the help of his guests, Weston shines a light on how this strategy works and explores legislative steps that Congress could take to make dark money less secretive.
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To learn more about Politics in Question, another show in the Democracy Group podcast network, visit: https://www.politicsinquestion.com/
More than $1 billion worth of unaccountable "dark money" flowed into the 2020 election at the federal level. This secretive spending by groups with anonymous donors has a corrosive influence on American politics and leaves voters and candidates in the dark about who is attempting to influence their votes and the outcome of an election.
As Congress considers campaign finance and other political reforms, Weston chats with two experts about how this undisclosed cash is thriving and why both political parties should join together to promote greater transparency in campaign spending.
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To learn more about Democracy in Danger, another show in the Democracy Group podcast network, visit: https://medialab.virginia.edu/democracyindanger
The 2020 election was called "the most secure election in American history" by the federal government's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Against the backdrop of a worldwide pandemic, running the election was no small task. Across the country, state and local election officials worked tirelessly to administer safe, free, and fair elections.
In episode 23, Weston chats with three of these officials about how they helped make the 2020 election successful despite the numerous challenges they faced.
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President Trump and his supporters ran a months-long campaign to attack the 2020 presidential election and undermine the democratic process. One of the most notable attacks was launched on the results in Pennsylvania by the man once known as "America's mayor" — Rudy Giuliani. Dispatched by the Trump campaign, Giuliani led the charge with baseless claims of voter fraud and attacks on mail-in voting.
In episode 22, Weston unpacks what occurred in Pennsylvania to shine a light on how disinformation was used to raise doubts about the integrity of the state's election.
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In 2020 politics, Georgia was ground zero. It came to be a swing state in the defeat of the incumbent president, and it flipped the Senate with the defeat of two Republican senators.
And lots happened in between Election Day in November and the Senate runoffs in January that shook Georgia and the U.S. Senate.
In episode 21, Weston tells the inside story of how Georgia exposed the lie about election fraud, and reveals how Republicans lost those two Senate seats in Georgia — in part because they couldn't stop attacking our elections.
COVID-19 has changed many aspects of everyday life, including the way many Americans are voting. Because of this, people have increasingly begun to wonder about delayed election results, or contested outcomes, or even the possibility that a candidate may not concede. But in the middle of all this, a group of well-respected Americans has come together to defend the integrity of our elections, ensure that every American's vote is counted this November, and instill confidence that we can hold a safe, secure, and successful election this year — just like we did through both world wars and another pandemic. Listen to Weston speak with two of them in this episode.
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This year, many Americans are worried that the 2020 elections will be contested, chaotic, and drawn out, leading to comparisons with the infamous 2000 Bush vs. Gore election that was ultimately decided by the Supreme Court.
Weston sat down with Leonard Downie Jr., Executive Editor of the Washington Post during the 2000 election, to unpack what happened in 2000, what if any parallels there are to this year's election, and how politics and journalism has changed since 2000.
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