1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Hey, guys, thanks for listening to Breaking Points with Crystal 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: and Sager. We're going to be totally upfront with you. 3 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: We took a big risk going independent to make this work. 4 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 1: We need your support to beat the corporate media CNN, Fox, MSNBC. 5 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: They are ripping this country apart. They are making millions 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: of dollars doing it. To help support our mission of 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: making all of us hate each other, less hate the 8 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: corrupt ruling class more support the show. 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Joining us now 18 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: is part of our ongoing partnership with the Daily Poster. 19 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: We have David Serota, founder of Daily Poster what's your 20 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: full title? Title? Editor? The founder and editor there. We 21 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: go okay, founder editor of The Daily Poster, also has 22 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 1: a podcast project coming out also, By the way, happen 23 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: to co produce and co write a film, No Big 24 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: Deal that has went Leo Dicacaprio in it. But today, David, 25 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: we wanted to talk to you about a really important 26 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: piece of reporting that you and your team there, Andrew 27 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: Praz and Walker Bragman put out this week. If we 28 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: can throw that tear sheet up on the screen, headline 29 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 1: says Congress may let opioid billionaires get legal immunity. Legislation 30 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: to hold the Sacklers accountable stalls as the Chamber of 31 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: Commerce begins lobbying on the bill. People who watch the 32 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: show probably know the Sacklers are behind Purdue Pharma. They 33 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 1: were the major villains behind the entire opioid crisis, pushing 34 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: oxy on people who really didn't need oxy, lying about 35 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: when they knew how addictive it was, and just have 36 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: been incredibly bad actors here. So there's an effort to 37 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: actually hold them accountable. They've been pushing to make sure Okay, well, 38 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: we might come to this settlement and this agreement, but 39 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: we have to make sure we're not liable for anything ever. Again, 40 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: and not just us, but all the people around us. 41 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: This very large list of people and entities that they 42 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: want immunity for. Bring us up to speed on what 43 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: you found here, David. So that's exactly right. What they 44 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: want to do is use something called a non debtor release, 45 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,239 Speaker 1: which is a technical term that in some courts in bankruptcy, 46 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: the courts will extend essentially legal immunity to other parties 47 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: that are not the company itself. So in this case, 48 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: Purdue Pharma is the Sackler owned corporation that went into 49 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: a bankruptcy court. And by the way, these companies can 50 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: essentially venue shop, They can look for what they believe 51 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: are the best courts that will give them the best deal. 52 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: So Purdue goes into a court that is notoriously willing 53 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: to give corporate folks immunity. It goes into that court, 54 00:02:55,720 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: the company does and says we are declaring bankruptcy. And 55 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: in the process, the Sacklers have said we will pay 56 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: out claims a couple billion dollars worth of claims in 57 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: exchange for the court saying that other governmental entities can 58 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: now or in the future may not hold us accountable. 59 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: So you've got a bunch of attorney generals, for instance, 60 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: in individual states who want to sue and go after 61 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:31,399 Speaker 1: the Sacklers for damages in their states. And essentially, because 62 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: of the existing law in this court, the court is 63 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: allowed to say to state attorneys generals, for instance, you 64 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: are no longer allowed to hold the sacklers accountable. And 65 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: so what the bill in Congress was designed to do 66 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: was to say, no, no no, no, no no, no, you can't 67 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: have non debtor releases. Courts cannot just grant legal immunity 68 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: to all sorts of parties in these bankruptcy courts. In 69 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: other words, courts cannot just use the bankruptcy process to 70 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: shield corporate executives and the like from legal accountability and 71 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: legal liability. But here's the issue. That bill, which had 72 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: been moving forward, has now stalled in Congress precisely at 73 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:18,119 Speaker 1: the moment that one of the most powerful corporate lobby 74 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: groups in the country has started lobbying on the build. 75 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: The US Chamber of Commerce has started lobbying on the bill. Now, 76 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: you might ask, what is the Chamber Commerce? What do 77 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: they care about this in particular? Right, Well, you can 78 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: understand the implications of this. If companies in general are 79 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: not allowed to get these releases. It doesn't just affect 80 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: the sacklers. It wouldn't just affect the opioid situation. It 81 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: could hold tons and tons of corporate executives accountable when 82 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 1: they try to use the bankruptcy courts to shield themselves. 83 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,359 Speaker 1: So the Chamber of Commerce has an interest in this 84 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: kind of legislation. One thing I should say, it's not 85 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: clear in the lobbying records which side the Chamber is 86 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: lobbying on, but they would not respond to our request 87 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 1: for comment on that, And so I think you can 88 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 1: put two and two together. That is an incredible part 89 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: of this, which is that the Chamber of Commerce element, 90 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: which is that they have and I guess explain why 91 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: would other big business have interest in getting some of 92 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: this non debtor release not sorry, renewed through Congress and 93 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: not targeted under the guise of the sacklers. What interest 94 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: did they have? Because if you're a corporate executive at 95 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: another company and you do all sorts of you pull 96 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: all sorts of shenanigans, and then your company is bankrupted, 97 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: you want to have the ability to go into bankruptcy 98 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 1: court and say and have the court say State attorneys 99 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: General's local law enforcement officials cannot go after you. You 100 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: want that power, you want the courts to be able 101 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: to give you that shield. This legislation would say courts 102 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: cannot give you that shield. So there is a wider 103 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: corporate interest in this, But of course the question is 104 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: what's the public interest? Right? I mean, we're country where 105 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: we hear in our politics all the time law and 106 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: order and hold folks accountable. Not passing this bill essentially 107 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 1: is Congress saying we're not going to take action to 108 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 1: make sure that wrongdoers are held accountable. And of course 109 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: that goes with a series of things that we've seen 110 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: in this country. I mean, we've talked about before the 111 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:22,719 Speaker 1: reporting that we've done on nursing homes and how in 112 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 1: the state of New York, New York and other states 113 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 1: granted essentially legal immunity to the owners of nursing homes 114 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: during the pandemic. There's a whole trend of corporate powers 115 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: that be in politics trying to get shields so that 116 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: the legal system cannot hold the powerful accountable. And so 117 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: where are we in terms of the potential settlement with 118 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: the Sacklers, Because I know we had covered here how 119 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: one of them in court hearings, said Hey, I might 120 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 1: blow this whole thing up if you don't agree to 121 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: having this massive immunity for myself or my family, for 122 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: all the people who were involved potentially. So where are 123 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: we in terms of them being granted that immunity and 124 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: ultimately the settlement being finalized. I mean, by the way, 125 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: think about how insane it is that the Sacklers, the 126 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: billionaire family, seems to be the one calling the shots, right, 127 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: not law enforcement. Oh, we're gonna blow up the deal. 128 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: It's like you guys were the ones who helped create 129 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: the opioid epidemic and you're calling the shots. It's kind 130 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: of an incredible commentary. Where we are? Is this the 131 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: settlement that was proposed would compel the Sackler family to 132 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: hand over a couple of billion dollars. This is part 133 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: of the bankruptcy proceedings. Of course, it should be noted 134 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: that they get to remain a multi billion dollar family. 135 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: I've seen one calculation say that they will essentially earn 136 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: back on interest and investment the amount of money that 137 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: they're being compelled in this current settlement to hand over. 138 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: But in that settlement, you've seen the state of Connecticut. 139 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: Its Attorney general object and you've seen the Biden administration 140 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 1: say that it may appeal the settlement. The settlement is 141 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: now essentially under review at a higher court level. It 142 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: remains to be seen whether those appeals work. Congress has 143 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: a chance that it could still technically intervene, but as 144 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: we've discussed, the bill that would be a kind of 145 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: intervention in this remain stalled. And finally, David on the 146 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: Chamber in general. They've been in the news a lot 147 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: lately because they've had a long standing position of basically 148 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: exclusively backing Republicans. They've broken with that recently. That has 149 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: very much up said the Republican Caucus. But what does 150 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: that do, if anything, in terms of their power in Washington. 151 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: What does it say about the Democratic Party that the 152 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: Chamber of Commerce now feels like maybe they have some 153 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: good allies over there. I think it says it's not 154 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,599 Speaker 1: very good what it says about the Democratic Party. I 155 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: mean you've seen, as an example, I flagged this on 156 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: Twitter yesterday, the Chamber of Commerce has on its website 157 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 1: it is boasting that it has funneled money to Kirsten 158 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: Cinema and Joe Manchin, that is literally on the Chamber 159 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 1: of Commerce's website. So what it says is that the 160 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: Chamber of Commerce sees an opportunity to continue dominating Washington 161 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:25,439 Speaker 1: and fronting for a corporate agenda. It sees an opportunity 162 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: inside the Democratic Party. I don't want to say that 163 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: there's a full shift here. I mean, the Chamber of 164 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: Commerce is still very much wired in to the Republican Party, 165 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: but clearly it is also wired into the Democratic Party. 166 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: And so what we see is the dynamics in Congress 167 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 1: now are you have most of the Republican Party and 168 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,719 Speaker 1: a decent chunk of the Democratic Party that often fronts 169 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,920 Speaker 1: for corporate interests, and you have a smaller crew of 170 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 1: progressive Democrats and one or two on any given issue, 171 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:03,439 Speaker 1: a couple, maybe a handful of Republicans on specific issues. 172 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: On the Saclo Act, for instance, there are some Republicans 173 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: who say they support that bill. But basically, when we 174 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: look at the two parties, it's easy that other there's 175 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: Republicans and there's Democrats. It's actually no when it comes 176 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,199 Speaker 1: to corporate matters, it's usually most of the Republican Party 177 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: and a decent chunk of the Democratic Party. And then 178 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: a much smaller crew of folks in Congress who are 179 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: willing to challenge that agenda, and the Chamber of Commerce 180 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:30,400 Speaker 1: kind of exemplifies that big ties into the Republican Party 181 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: and now growing ties into the Democratic Party. David, I 182 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 1: know I say it a million times, but following your 183 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: reporting really helps people understand what's actually happening in Washington, 184 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 1: not just the theater, not the silly reasons that cable 185 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: news makes up as to why Kirsten Cinema and Joe 186 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: Manchin are doing things, but you help to understand how 187 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: things actually work, who are the key players involved that 188 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: you may not have even heard of, and how it 189 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: can be that you know, people who are truly villains 190 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: like the Sacklers, can end up with their fortunes intact 191 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: and with members of Congress ultimately siding with them. So 192 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: thank you for that reporting. We're again very excited to 193 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: be partnered with you guys, and I know our audience 194 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: has been really excited to hear more of what you 195 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: guys are up to over there. Absolutely, we support you 196 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,559 Speaker 1: one hundred percent. Thank you, really rouch, David, appreciate it, 197 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 1: thank you, thanks to both of you. Really appreciate it 198 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 1: all real glead. Sure a lot more for you guys tomorrow. Hey, 199 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: So remember how we told you how awesome premium membership was. Well, 200 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: here we are again to remind you that becoming a 201 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: premium member means you don't have to listen to our 202 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 1: constant please for you to subscribe. So what are you 203 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: waiting for? Become a premium member today by going to 204 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:44,839 Speaker 1: Breakingpoints dot com, which you can click on in the 205 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 1: show notes. I wanted to bring you what is truly 206 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: one of the most disgusting stories I think we have 207 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: ever covered about how some shameless operators in New York 208 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: City are making millions off of the homelessness crisis. There, 209 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 1: let's throw this report the New York Times up on 210 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: the screen. Housing boss earns a million dollars to run 211 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: shelters despite a troubled past. The subhead there says some 212 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 1: executives at nonprofit groups that operate New York City homeless 213 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: shelters are benefiting from the plight of the people that 214 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,200 Speaker 1: they serve. And I just want to read you the 215 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: opening couple of paragraphs here. So soon after Jack Brown 216 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 1: the Third quit his job at a private prison company, 217 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,200 Speaker 1: his former employer accused him of fraud. A few years later, 218 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: after mister Brown started a nonprofit to run halfway houses, 219 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: a federal audit found it had failed to deliver key services. 220 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: The New York State Comptroller concluded another review that he 221 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: had shown a disturbing pattern of ethical violations, but none 222 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: of that history seemed to bother officials in New York City. 223 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: Since twenty seventeen, as homelessness has risen to record levels, 224 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: the city has awarded more than three hundred and fifty 225 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: two million dollars to a nonprofit run by mister Brown 226 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: to operate shelters. That money is meant to help homeless people, 227 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: of course, but it has benefited mister Brown to It 228 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,200 Speaker 1: has channeled contracts worth at least thirty two million dollars 229 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: into four profit companies tied to mister Brown, allowing him 230 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: to earn more than a million dollars a year, money 231 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:17,239 Speaker 1: that is supposed to go to help the most vulnerable 232 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: people in the entire city, and he is making millions. 233 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: And by the way, the investigation goes on to show 234 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,359 Speaker 1: that he is not alone in these sort of exorbitant salaries. 235 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:32,839 Speaker 1: Part of the way that he does this is, as 236 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 1: they sort of indicate there in the beginning, not only 237 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:37,959 Speaker 1: does he run the shelters, in some cases he owns 238 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 1: the building that he runs to them. He runs the 239 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:44,479 Speaker 1: company that provides the food, that provides the janitorial services. 240 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: So he is running all aspects of all of the country, 241 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: the companies that relate to these shelters. And you know 242 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 1: what's hager, It would be absolutely abhorrent even if he 243 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: was doing a good job at these things. But the 244 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 1: residents who are living in these shelters say that they're filthy, 245 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:07,319 Speaker 1: that there's rats, that there's vermin, that there's violent fights 246 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 1: in the hallway, that they are an utter and complete disgrace. 247 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: While this man and by the way, some of his 248 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: family members and on the deal as well, making millions 249 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: of dollars skimming money from the people who needed the 250 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: absolute most. What a complete and utter disgrace. No, And actually, 251 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 1: if you read even more into it, you can see 252 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: that he uses the nonprofit to funnel money to all 253 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 1: sorts of different places. So one example is he has 254 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: a firm which he already has a substantial stake in 255 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: that then gets over three million dollars in rent from 256 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: the nonprofit, and so then he can draw for profit 257 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: salary from the firm that's getting the rent, and he's 258 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: the director of the nonprofit itself. It's the same thing. 259 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: He's got a for profit companies that all provide key services. 260 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: So other examples, though, is he's also stat his family 261 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: members not only on the boards here, but on the 262 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: boards of all of these for profit entities which are 263 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 1: then making and raking in all of this money, which 264 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: is all provided by the city. Now, previously, he was 265 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: a top executive at a private prison contractor, which is 266 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: kind of amazing. And actually that same one was had 267 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: a bribery scandal in Albany, and it was even fined 268 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:29,120 Speaker 1: three hundred thousand dollars. As you already pointed out, we 269 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 1: already know that the services themselves that they're receiving in 270 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: the shelter are not even good. So what he's doing 271 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: is he's skimming millions of dollars not just for himself 272 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: but everybody else off of the top and creating this 273 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: whole nonprofit industrial complex New York City. Because housing is 274 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: right there has to funnel the money to somebody, and 275 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: they can't do it natively. So he's the one who 276 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 1: takes the money, presents the board, their obligation, they can 277 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: do a box check making millions of dollars here on 278 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: the side. It's just a total and complete scam. And 279 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: it's look, it's actually basically, if you want to look 280 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: into homelessness, grift like this is where a lot of 281 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: it live. Oh absolutely, La Austin, A lot of cities 282 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: are doing the exact jesting. I just cannot imagine being 283 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: able to sleep at night. I'm bilking millions million dollars 284 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: the people who are the most vulnerable. And as you 285 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 1: described it, it's like the nonprofit that he's the head 286 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: of is like the center of the wheel, and then 287 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:29,479 Speaker 1: all the spokes around it are these for profit enterprises 288 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: that can get contracts from the nonprofit and that enables 289 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: him and his family members to earn private sector salaries 290 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: exactly for supposedly helping the homeless. And again, these shelters 291 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: are atrocious in terms of the quality of life provided 292 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: to the residents there. But this is not an isolated problem. 293 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: Let me read you another paragraph from this report. This year, 294 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: the city has directed two point six billion dollars to 295 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 1: nonprofits to operate homeless shelters. Officials already know they have 296 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 1: a problem with some of them, nine the sixty two 297 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: groups that run shelters are on an internal city watchless 298 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: for issues that include conflicts of interest and other financial problems. 299 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: That's according to records reviewed by The Times. All of 300 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 1: those groups, even the ones that have been flagged like 301 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: these are this is a big problem. They've got conflicts 302 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 1: of interest, they've got other financial impropriety. They're still getting 303 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: city funding. No, so you have billions out there and 304 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 1: these shameless, shady operators who are just looking to cash 305 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: in are able to take advantage because the city's in 306 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,160 Speaker 1: kind of a desperate situation that you've got a big 307 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: problem on their hands. They have trouble finding operators that 308 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,880 Speaker 1: are actually good and not just shamelessly trying to build 309 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: millions off the top, and so they completely fail to 310 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: hold these folks to account because ultimately, you know, they 311 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: don't want to deal with this issue. They just want 312 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 1: it all to go away. No exactly, And the more 313 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 1: you look into it, it's all part of the broader system. 314 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: And we should underscore once again that like the people 315 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: at these shelters are the ones that are being screwed 316 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: because not only are they homeless, but the guards apparently 317 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:04,239 Speaker 1: sleep during fights and undercooked food has been giving this 318 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 1: the residence stomach problems. So not only are the most 319 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 1: vulnerable people who the money is supposed to be being 320 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: spent to actually being screwed over. This dude is making 321 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 1: a million dollars a year on the top on top 322 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: of money funneling to his financial to his family members. 323 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: So as you said, I don't know how, you guys, 324 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: how that man sleeps at night. But it ain't just him. 325 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: There's a lot of other men who are implicated in 326 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,440 Speaker 1: this as well. Yeah, that is exactly right. And right 327 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,640 Speaker 1: now it says about seventy seven thousand people are homeless 328 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: living in New York City. That number expected to grow 329 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: as pandemic eviction protections are lifted and you see even 330 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:45,439 Speaker 1: more people fall into despair and unable to find housing. 331 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: And what is an insanely expensive city where rents you know, 332 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: first housing prize of skyrocket and now rents are skyrocketing 333 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: as well. So this is a terrible situation and Eric 334 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: Adams is going to have a lot on his plate 335 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: to try to deal with it. Good luck, all right, 336 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:03,199 Speaker 1: all right, guys, thanks for watching. We're gonna have more 337 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: content for you later. Wow. You guys must really like 338 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: listening to our voices. Well, I know this is annoying, 339 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 1: instead of making you listen to a Viagra commercial when 340 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: you're done. Check out the other podcast I do with 341 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 1: Marshall Kasloff called The Realignment. We talk a lot about 342 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: the deeper issues that are changing, realigning in American society. 343 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 1: You always need more crystalin Zag in your daily lives. 344 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 1: Take care guys. You guys might recall we cover that 345 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: New York Times op ed and with Chris Cuomo over 346 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 1: at CNN was basically caught dead to rights having grabbed 347 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: his boss's as back in two thousand and five in 348 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:38,760 Speaker 1: front of her husband and then emailing her an apology. Now, 349 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: the woman who came forward, her name was Shelley Ross. 350 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 1: She says she did so not because she necessarily wants 351 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: to see him punished, but because of his hypocrisy over 352 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: not covering the sexual harassment allegations against his brother, actually 353 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: actively helping to cover up some of those harassment allegations, 354 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 1: the fact that he stands up on his TV show 355 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: and says like he's a big advocate of women and 356 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 1: all of this, and she said, no, like you're not. 357 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: I know what you did to me. You need to 358 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: be held to account. Now, you would think Crystal, a 359 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 1: high profile op ed in the New York Times with 360 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: the email where he straight up says he was sorry, 361 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: would be enough in order to facilitate an apology from 362 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 1: Chris Cuomo on the air, or the CNN brass to 363 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:24,479 Speaker 1: say a word, or Brian Stelter, who covers the media 364 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 1: and all of this stuff over there. But apparently she 365 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: hasn't heard a damn word. Here's what she had to 366 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: say in a recent interview with Megan Kelly. But this 367 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 1: is a pattern, and I really do wonder about the 368 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: women inside of CNN and whether they feel safe working 369 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:43,919 Speaker 1: around this guy and the other guys. I also feel 370 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: badly for Brian Stelter, who has been totally compromised. He 371 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 1: is the chief media critic, He has a great resume, 372 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 1: He really is a good reporter. And he said nothing 373 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 1: about it. And Brian Stelter knows me, he knows the 374 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 1: position of authority I held at you know, multiple networks. 375 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: He's interviewed me. He's actually done like he wrote a 376 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: New York Times feature about me when I took over 377 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:32,679 Speaker 1: the CBS Early Show and I wrote an editorial that 378 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:39,040 Speaker 1: was published in the New York Times that literally went viral. 379 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: I've seen it picked up as far away as the 380 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 1: type pay times. It was trending on Twitter, you know, 381 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: Twitter burn up and these are all things that our 382 00:21:55,840 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 1: Brian Stelter's beat. Did he not report this at all? No? 383 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: And he came under fire for not reporting on it. 384 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: But that where Brian Stelter is compromised is I read 385 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 1: over the weekend when when the House Bill, you know, 386 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 1: was going into the wee hours of the morning, and 387 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: Brian Stelter did a column how CNN and MSNBC were 388 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: live with the coverage for you know, in Congress as 389 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: a you know, one o'clock in the morning, midnight, and 390 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: you know even as early as eleven o'clock. He wrote 391 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: that that Fox News was had programming on tape. Well, 392 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: I think that Brian Stelter lost his his maral authority 393 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:00,880 Speaker 1: to quote on what other networks cover, choose to cover 394 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: and don't cover. Show me the live people, show me 395 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: a single lie in what she just said. She's completely right, 396 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: I mean they report on Fox not covering this. Well, 397 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: look your star anchor, and as low as his ratings are, 398 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: he is still the star there. It's all you know, 399 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 1: within a perspective. Chris Cuomo was outright caught cues. There's 400 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 1: no ambiguity here. He said he was sorry, he acknowledged 401 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: his conduct in the email. She was his boss. She 402 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: puts it out there in the New York Times. He 403 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: doesn't say one word, And like she said, Brian knows 404 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 1: who she is. He's covered her before. They've literally spoken 405 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:44,959 Speaker 1: and nothing. So these people they're all hypocrites, all of 406 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,159 Speaker 1: them for the way that they cover this. It's not 407 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 1: like Fox, who has its own problems, you know exactly. 408 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, you know it is funny, don't get me wrong. 409 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: But yeah, maybe look inside the house too, in terms 410 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:01,360 Speaker 1: of what's happening there. Yeah. Look, New York media scene 411 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: is a very small town, I guarantee you. Shelley Ross 412 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,120 Speaker 1: is a high level TV producer. She is well known 413 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: and not just by Brian Stelter, but by all of 414 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: the high level executives at SEENN. Like, this is not 415 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: some crank. This is a credible person who brought the 416 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 1: receipts in a New York Times editorial that got tons 417 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 1: of attention and traction. And you don't hear anything from 418 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: these people. It just shows you they feel they are 419 00:24:29,880 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 1: so above any kind of accountability. They act with total 420 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: impunity that you don't even have to respond. You don't 421 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: have to issue an apology, you don't have to say anything. 422 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: CNN just continues to go as if nothing And then 423 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:44,960 Speaker 1: Brian Stelter, I mean, the reason she's calling him on. 424 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: He's supposed to be the one who has the sometimes 425 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 1: difficult job of even holding your own media organization to account, 426 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: talking about their coverage, talking about any conflicts of interest. Boy, 427 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 1: that ship sailed a long time ago. Remember the apology 428 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: tour he did on behalf of CNN, CNN p R 429 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: on whose show was a The Colbert or something like that. Yeah, 430 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:11,159 Speaker 1: and he goes yeah. It talks about how well this 431 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 1: was a very difficult I don't think anyone knew how 432 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: to handle this situation is very unique, very unusual. I 433 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: think they handled the situation like what It's a classic 434 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: example of conflict of interest. This is as old as 435 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:26,400 Speaker 1: the profession of journalism, and the way that you all 436 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: handled it was atrocious. So to hold yourself out of 437 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: some like neutral, I'm just going to call balls and 438 00:25:31,359 --> 00:25:34,400 Speaker 1: strikes and be tough on my own guys, it's absurd. 439 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 1: I like the way she does it, though she does 440 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: it in very like bless his heart kind of a way. 441 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: You know, she's at the beginning, She's just like, I 442 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: feel really bad for him, and I think he can 443 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 1: be a very good reporter. I know him. He even 444 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: covered me, filled me when I took over a CBS 445 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 1: Early show or whatever it was that she said. Yeah, 446 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:57,919 Speaker 1: So I kind of like the way that she that 447 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,120 Speaker 1: she handled him there. But it just shows you they 448 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,639 Speaker 1: just they care about the bottom line. They're not principal. 449 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 1: There's no you know, all of their pretending to care 450 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: so much about me too, and sexual harassment and whatever. 451 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: It's all well and good until it has to do 452 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:18,120 Speaker 1: with any anything that's actually uncomfortable, anyone who actually benefits 453 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: your profit margins directly. There, you go exactly right. All right, guys, 454 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: thanks for watching. We'll have more for you later. One 455 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: more thing, I promise. Just wanted to make sure you 456 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:30,959 Speaker 1: knew about my podcast with Kyle Kolinski. It's called Crystal, 457 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: Kyle and Friends, where we do long form interviews with 458 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: people like Noam Chomsky, Cornell West, and Glenn Greenwalt. You 459 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,440 Speaker 1: can listen on any podcast platform, or you can subscribe 460 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:42,720 Speaker 1: over on substack to get the video a day early. 461 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 1: We're gonna stop bugging you now enjoy so big story 462 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: in the Wall Street Journal. Not but because of necessarily 463 00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:52,680 Speaker 1: the amount of media coverage that it got. The big 464 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:58,120 Speaker 1: in terms of potential impact and implications that caught both 465 00:26:58,119 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: of our eyes. Let's throw this tear sheet up there 466 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,959 Speaker 1: on the screen. The headline is the Colorado River is 467 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 1: in crisis. The Walton family that's the Walmart error. Heirrors 468 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: are pushing a solution. Walmart Airs have spent heavily to 469 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:15,960 Speaker 1: promote their view that water markets so effectively privatizing water 470 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: are the best way to deal with a dwindling supply. 471 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: Let me just read you the first couple of paragraphs 472 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: here so you can figure out what we're talking about. 473 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 1: The first ever official shortage on the Colorado River has 474 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,640 Speaker 1: intensified a debate over how to provide water for forty 475 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 1: million people across the Southwest and irrigate fields of thirsty 476 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: crops like wheat, cotton, and alfalfa. Few voices outside government 477 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 1: are more influential than that of the Walton family billionaire 478 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: airs to the Walmart ink fortune who have long advocated 479 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: water markets as a key part of solving the region's woes. 480 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,359 Speaker 1: Some environmental groups say the Waltons drying out other non 481 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: market approaches. A Wall Street Journal analysis shows that a 482 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: charitable foundation controlled by the Waltons, the Walton Family Foundation, 483 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: has given about two two hundred million dollars over the 484 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,479 Speaker 1: past decade to a variety of advocacy groups, universities, and 485 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: media outlets involved in the river. No other donor comes 486 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: close to. Federal officials once affiliated with the foundation have 487 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: been named to key Biden administration posts overseeing the river. So, look, 488 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: i have gone down a rabbit hole on the Colorado 489 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 1: River at water rights in general. And I'm going to 490 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 1: curtail a little bit of because I could. I could 491 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 1: go on for a long time about this, but effectively, 492 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: there's been a compact that has controlled water rights in 493 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: along the Colorado River for about one hundred years. And 494 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 1: the problem is a couple of things. Now. First of all, 495 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: when they first came up with the numbers to allocate 496 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: water amongst farmers and cities, and there's a number of 497 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: indigenous tribes who rely on the river as well. When 498 00:28:56,120 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: they first did this, they happened to calculate the water 499 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: flow during one of the rainiest seasons in history. So 500 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 1: they over allocated the water. They gave out too many 501 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:10,320 Speaker 1: rights to the people in various interests in the region, 502 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 1: and this was a compact that was you know, this 503 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: was a complicated agreement that actually has served us pretty 504 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: well for that hundred years or so. So the problem 505 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: now is not only did they overallocate it to start with, 506 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:24,280 Speaker 1: but because of climate change and because of drought, the 507 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 1: flow in the Colorado River has been reduced by about 508 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 1: twenty percent just over the past decade. So now that 509 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: over allocation is starting to become a big, big issue. 510 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: You have a lot of groups that are competing for 511 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,640 Speaker 1: this water. And one thing that you should understand about 512 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 1: the Colorado River is this water is central to basically 513 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 1: having us been able to develop the West in the 514 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: first place. And you have a lot of people who 515 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: not only depend for their livelihood, but for their entire 516 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: way of life on this river. You think about farmers, 517 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 1: you think about ranchers, you think about the native tribal 518 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 1: nations that have are dependent on this river, and then 519 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: you also think about these large and growing cities that 520 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: are very thirsty that also need this water. So it's 521 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: a very complicated issue, and I don't want to, like, 522 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: I don't want to oversimplify this. The people who are 523 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: advocating for a market approach effectively say, look, let's just 524 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 1: turn this into a commodity. Let's sell off the water 525 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: to the highest bidder. It will get more expensive. That's 526 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: acknowledged by all involved. That means that people will have 527 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: more of an incentive to conserve. So ultimately this will 528 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 1: be good. Who does that advantage. While it advantages the cities, 529 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 1: it advantages whoever's got money. There's already these like private 530 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: investors and hedge fund fund groups bedding and speculating that 531 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 1: water is going to become this extraordinarily valuable commodity, so 532 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 1: they're jumping in and buying up land and trying to 533 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 1: get their hands on water rights right now as we speak. 534 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,600 Speaker 1: So obviously it manages the people who have the money 535 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,920 Speaker 1: to pay. Again, that's disproportionate, like cities and rich people 536 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 1: and investors, and it very much disadvantages some of the 537 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 1: traditional beneficiaries, people like the farmers and ranchers, people like 538 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:21,600 Speaker 1: the tribal nations that depend on this. So that's who 539 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 1: the Waltons. The Waltons have thrown in with that solution 540 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: and zooming out. Okay, if you don't care at all 541 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 1: about the water rights and stuff. It very much connects 542 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 1: to something we've been talking about on this show that 543 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 1: a non gear dartist has talked about, which is how 544 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: dangerous and destructive it is when billionaires throw their money 545 00:31:38,680 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 1: around on a particular cause becomes it becomes incredibly, incredibly distortive. 546 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: That's the problem. And if you read deeper in the report, 547 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 1: it says quote potentially magnifying the family influence. A pair 548 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 1: of officials once affiliated with the foundation have now been 549 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 1: named to positions within the Biden administration, which hold considerable 550 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:01,640 Speaker 1: sway over the river. The true Heo, sworn into her 551 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:05,360 Speaker 1: position in June, was the project director for the Walton 552 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: funded Colorado River Sustainability Campaign. Her current position oversees the 553 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 1: Bureau of Reclamation, the largest wholesale of water in the 554 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: United States under the Interior Department. Classic revolving door. Classic. 555 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,640 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure we already know what she believes. Classic. 556 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 1: When she leaves, I wonder where she would want to 557 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: go work, you know, I wonder where you know well, 558 00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 1: and when you're floating this much money to all the 559 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 1: nonprofits and every university is and everybody who's involved in 560 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: this question, Well, then it becomes very hard to dissent. Right, 561 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:43,200 Speaker 1: if you want to get your grant, if you want 562 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 1: to be able to do your research, whatever your work 563 00:32:45,320 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: ultimately is, then you kind of you got to play 564 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 1: ball with the Waltons. You can't you certainly can't be 565 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 1: against privatizing the Colorado River because they're going to pull 566 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 1: your funding and then you're going to be hosed. And 567 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: they have examples here of where they've done exactly that, 568 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: people who've had their fund people who have had their 569 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: funding pulled, and the walt And say, well, they're no 570 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,480 Speaker 1: longer in alignment with what we're looking for here. Look, 571 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: another example is Bill Gates and public health, Okay, exact, 572 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 1: and it can be that people actually genuinely have good intentions. 573 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter. When you have that much money in 574 00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: one sector, it becomes incredibly distortive, and any non market 575 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: potential solutions and update to this compact, which was non 576 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: market based that has served pretty well for a long time, 577 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: those things become more and more out of reach. The 578 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: money drives towards a consensus that ultimately here, I mean 579 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 1: there's just zero doubt about it is going to benefit 580 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 1: private investors, it's going to benefit hedge funds, it's going 581 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 1: to benefit the wealthy and make sure, yeah, they've got 582 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 1: whoever's will want to pay the highest price is going 583 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: to have access to this water. And there's also you know, 584 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,120 Speaker 1: there's something really to be said here to a deeper 585 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 1: story about our values and what matters and what counts. 586 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 1: I've been reading this book of the Colorado River as 587 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 1: part of why I've been interested in this subject. And 588 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:08,680 Speaker 1: some of these ranchers, I mean, this has been their 589 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: family going back generations and generations more than one hundred years. 590 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:18,040 Speaker 1: So if a market might look at this and just say, hey, look, 591 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:20,840 Speaker 1: you use a lot of water to irrigate your fields. 592 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,800 Speaker 1: This water could be put to a higher market value 593 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: use in the cities or within an almond farmer instead 594 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:33,320 Speaker 1: of a cattle rancher or whatever it is, there's zero 595 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: account taken for. Yeah, but this is everything for me. 596 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:39,439 Speaker 1: This is my whole life, this is my family's whole life. 597 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: This is what we've been doing, this is all we 598 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:43,439 Speaker 1: know to do, Like, this is what we want to do, 599 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:45,960 Speaker 1: and this water is something we thought we could depend 600 00:34:45,960 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: on have forever. Now, the flip side of that is, look, 601 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,200 Speaker 1: if private investors are going to come in and pay 602 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:52,479 Speaker 1: millions and millions of dollars for these ranches to buy 603 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 1: up the water rights, maybe you've got farmers and ranchers 604 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:57,319 Speaker 1: who say, you know what, at that price, sure, I'm 605 00:34:57,320 --> 00:34:59,959 Speaker 1: good and I'm happy about this. Yeah, it's a bad 606 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,839 Speaker 1: that situation no matter how you slice it. When you've 607 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:09,760 Speaker 1: got Walmart money two hundred million dollars, that's really driving 608 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:14,320 Speaker 1: this debate rather than the interest of the competing stakeholders, 609 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: the environmental pressures and what actually is going to work 610 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,240 Speaker 1: for everybody involved in the region. Yeah, look, the West 611 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:23,759 Speaker 1: is part of America. We actually have a duty to 612 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: preserve it, both in national interest but also just because 613 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: that's who we are. And if this was something that 614 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: the ranchers were independently being able to punch it the 615 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 1: same way as to Walton's fine, Okay, okay, let's debate. 616 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,760 Speaker 1: But something tells me they don't have the same amount 617 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,279 Speaker 1: of representation. We've covered meat packing, how they've screwed over 618 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:44,680 Speaker 1: our ranchers. I would say, hey, even if almonds fetch 619 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:46,920 Speaker 1: a higher price. I don't know. Maybe we should have 620 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:49,239 Speaker 1: our own meat in a country that eats mostly meat. 621 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:53,760 Speaker 1: Maybe I'm crazy. These are all things which we should 622 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:57,080 Speaker 1: have a debate without the influence of these people. And 623 00:35:57,120 --> 00:35:59,239 Speaker 1: something tells me that they're just not doing it out 624 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 1: of the bottom of their heart. And they want to 625 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: grow water markets why. I mean, look, they're implicitly funding 626 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,319 Speaker 1: something in order to create an entire new market. I 627 00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:14,400 Speaker 1: remember en Ron, I remember California deregulation and what happens 628 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: with commodity trading. I'm not saying it isn't always bad, 629 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:19,440 Speaker 1: but if you do it wrong and with the right 630 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 1: interest involved, people make billions of dollars and the people 631 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: who actually need this stuff get screwed. So I'm very 632 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:28,440 Speaker 1: cautious whenever it comes to this. At the very least, 633 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:32,720 Speaker 1: a private water market of the type that they envision 634 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,359 Speaker 1: certainly would guarantee that people who are as wealthy as 635 00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: the Waltons are always going to have access to water 636 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:39,120 Speaker 1: not going to be a problem for them. It wouldn't 637 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 1: be a bad thing. They can sell it to Bill 638 00:36:40,680 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 1: Gates's land. Yeah, all right, guys, thanks for watching. We'll 639 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 1: have more for you later. Some very exciting news for 640 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:51,239 Speaker 1: our premium subscribers and for everybody else out there. From 641 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:54,280 Speaker 1: day one, everybody said, I love listening to you guys 642 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,400 Speaker 1: as a podcast. Why can't I use my Spotify app? 643 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: And trust me, it's been a big question. Well today 644 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,839 Speaker 1: hey you can. So for all of our premium subscribers 645 00:37:02,840 --> 00:37:05,359 Speaker 1: out there, you just have to go in your Supercast 646 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 1: member dashboard. If you don't have that email customer service, 647 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:11,319 Speaker 1: we'll get it taken care of really quickly. You can 648 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:13,480 Speaker 1: log in, there's a link right there you can say, 649 00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 1: open up on your Spotify app, and then you are 650 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:17,719 Speaker 1: good to go. You no longer have to listen on 651 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:20,440 Speaker 1: Apple or whatever. So we are officially on both the 652 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:23,200 Speaker 1: big platforms. And for everybody else out there, I know 653 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 1: that there were a lot of people who said, hey, 654 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 1: we really want to listen to you on Spotify. Two. 655 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:30,000 Speaker 1: Is there any way that we can make our premium 656 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 1: feed show up there? Well, now the answer is yes. 657 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:34,759 Speaker 1: So what are you waiting for? Link is down there 658 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 1: in the description. If you don't know what I'm talking about, Well, 659 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 1: one of the things that we offer our premium members 660 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:42,239 Speaker 1: is that you get to listen to the full show 661 00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,960 Speaker 1: both one hour earlier than everybody else, and you get 662 00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:49,000 Speaker 1: to listen to it completely uncut, no ad breaks, none 663 00:37:49,040 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: of that stuff. So I think it's a pretty good deal. 664 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 1: But the most important thing is remember guys, we need 665 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 1: your support. It's the only way our pay our bills 666 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:59,440 Speaker 1: around here. We can't rely on YouTube monetization when they 667 00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:02,480 Speaker 1: de monitor all the time, so this is really the 668 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: only way we can support the show. We can make 669 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:06,839 Speaker 1: sure that you guys get the content that you want, 670 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:08,959 Speaker 1: and in exchange, we try to give her as much 671 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:12,520 Speaker 1: you know, benefits as we can. Extra interviews a month 672 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:16,320 Speaker 1: in our early amas, all of that, but really subsc 673 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 1: and for Yang interview before anybody else. We do expended 674 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:21,960 Speaker 1: interviews all the time that go onto the premium subscribers. 675 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:23,719 Speaker 1: But yeah, this is something we've been working on for 676 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 1: a while, second months. There's a lot of big things 677 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: happening behind the scenes. This was number one on the list. 678 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:31,920 Speaker 1: I heard your concerns. That's what we're trying to do. Yeah, 679 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 1: so it's worth just so to lay on again. The 680 00:38:35,360 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 1: model here is listen. If you can't afford it, watch 681 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:42,720 Speaker 1: on YouTube. You can go to any of the podcast apps, 682 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:46,880 Speaker 1: including Spotify and the whole show is there, minus the 683 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:49,399 Speaker 1: only thing you don't get. You get ad breaks, which is, yeah, 684 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:51,880 Speaker 1: I know, kind of annoying, but whatever. We live with that, 685 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:55,799 Speaker 1: the discussion after our monologues. That's the only thing that's 686 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:58,840 Speaker 1: that's missing there. So if you can't afford it, just 687 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:03,399 Speaker 1: do that, guys big. But with the premium subscribers and 688 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:07,799 Speaker 1: the supercast technology, which is actually really cool. And by 689 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:10,480 Speaker 1: the way, the guys there have been behind us. They 690 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:13,520 Speaker 1: believed in us from the beginning, extraordinarily helpful when we 691 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:16,120 Speaker 1: were having launch day issues, they were there with us. 692 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:18,279 Speaker 1: They're helping us handle all of these types of things, 693 00:39:18,360 --> 00:39:22,719 Speaker 1: so shout out to them. But with the premium subscription, 694 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:27,520 Speaker 1: you get the full thing with no ads, including our 695 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 1: conversations and all of that in a private RSS feed 696 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:35,560 Speaker 1: that you can listen to now on any of the 697 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:39,400 Speaker 1: major platforms. Previously was any of them except for Spotify, 698 00:39:39,560 --> 00:39:44,320 Speaker 1: which which was amazing because I get it. So now 699 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,000 Speaker 1: there's no longer that caveat. You can listen on any 700 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:50,200 Speaker 1: of the platforms. It's a big step forward for us. 701 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 1: We're really excited about. Thanks to Spotify for working with 702 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:56,200 Speaker 1: us to make that happen. But uh, you know we 703 00:39:56,320 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 1: keep trying to improve things bit by bit here and 704 00:39:59,640 --> 00:40:01,960 Speaker 1: continue to think about ways that we can make this 705 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:04,879 Speaker 1: the best possible experience for you, guys, because we love you, guys, 706 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:07,200 Speaker 1: we believe in you, We love you. We are so 707 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:12,239 Speaker 1: grateful you give us hope in this country. Truly, you 708 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:14,080 Speaker 1: make us believe that it's all going to be okay 709 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:17,040 Speaker 1: in the end. So anyway, excited to bring this little 710 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:18,960 Speaker 1: piece of good news to you. Guys. We love you 711 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:21,479 Speaker 1: so much, and we'll have more for you later. Stay tuned, 712 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:23,719 Speaker 1: We've got some even more bigger announcements. It's coming soon, 713 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:26,520 Speaker 1: all right, We'll see you guys soon. Thanks for listening 714 00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:28,439 Speaker 1: to the show, guys, we really appreciate it. To help 715 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:30,520 Speaker 1: other people find the show, go ahead and leave us 716 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:33,560 Speaker 1: a five star rating on Apple Podcasts or wherever you 717 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:36,839 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. Really helps other people find the show 718 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:40,680 Speaker 1: as always special. Thank you to Supercast for powering our 719 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:43,239 Speaker 1: premium membership. If you want to find out more, go 720 00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:45,240 Speaker 1: to Crystalansager dot com