#TBT #1510 Avoiding Accountability: How the powerful in the US have almost always been allowed to skate by (Throwback)

Original Air Date: 8–31-2022

Direct Download

Transcript

Today, as the news of Trump's various trials continues to drop out, we take a look back at this episode covering the long and illustrious history of powerful people avoiding prosecution in the United States.

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content)

Join our Discord community!


SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Welcome to the golden age of white collar crime (with Michael Hobbes) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 3-10-20

Why is right now the easiest time in modern history for the wealthy to get away with whatever they want? HuffPost reporter and fellow Seattleite Michael Hobbes join Zach in the studio for a deep dive into his most recent article about white-collar crime.

Ch. 2: Flint Residents Outraged as Charges Dropped in Fatal Water Scandal That Poisoned Majority-Black City - Democracy Now - Air Date 5-30-22

Eight years after the deadly Flint water crisis began, the state’s Supreme Court has thrown out charges against former Governor Rick Snyder and eight other former officials for their complicity in the public health emergency.

Ch. 3: Obama Requests Immunity for War Criminal George W. Bush - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 8-22-13

Obama's DOJ has requested that George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Paul Wolfowitz be granted immunity in a case that is alleging that they violated international law with the Iraq War...

Ch. 4: Obama on Investigating Bush Crimes: "Need to Look Forward" - This Week - Air Date 1-11-09

Barack Obama on This Week, January 11, 2009

Ch. 5: How George H.W. Bush's Pardons for Iran-Contra Conspirators Set the Stage for Trump's Impunity - Democracy Now - Air Date 12-4-18

In 1992, when Bush Sr. was president, he pardoned several Iran-Contra defendants, including Caspar Weinberger, Robert McFarlane, and Elliott Abrams. We speak with Greg Grandin, prize-winning author, and professor of Latin American history at New York Univ.

Ch. 6: Pardon Me - Reveal - Air Date 7-6-19

Presidential pardons grab the headlines each time Donald Trump grants clemency to a controversial person. We tell the untold story of a pardon system that is completely broken and a pardon attorney’s office that is being ignored by the White House.

Ch. 7: Bryan Stevenson on the racial terrorism of lynching - Cape Up - Air Date 4-24-18

Bryan Stevenson wants us to confront our country’s racial terrorism and then say, ‘Never again’

Ch. 8: Justice Department Weighs Whether Or Not To Prosecute Trump - MSNBC - Air Date 8-29-22

New York Times Justice Department Reporter Katie Benner and former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman discuss how the inquiry into Trump’s handling of classified documents poses an unparalleled test for DOJ


MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 9: Restoring the Brotherhood of Union: Confederate Pardon and Amnesty Records, 1865-1877 - US National Archives - Air Date 5-21-15

"Restoring the Brotherhood of Union: Confederate Pardon and Amnesty Records, 1865-1877" Archives specialist John Deeben provides a brief legislative history of amnesty activity during and after the Civil War.

Ch. 10: The power of presidential pardons - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 12-25-20

Pardons are among the most powerful tools a president has. While pardons can be politically motivated, drawing criticism, they can also change lives.


FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 11: Final comments on the nature of pardons, accountability and hurt feelings


MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

SHOW IMAGE: 

Description: The word “Accountability” is in all caps in white, cracked marblized text above a long rectangle of a computer “loading” bar. The white lines in the loading bar are being drawn in by a hand holding a marker and only fill the bar half-way. Two caution symbols fill in the rest of the bar.

Credit: “Handwriting Text Accountability Loading. Concept meaning Forecasting the future event” by Jernej Furman, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Enlarged, addition of yellow and black caution symbols and “sleeve” to the arm of the hand.

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere!

Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at [email protected]


Showing 1 reaction

  • Jay Tomlinson
    published this page in Episodes 2023-11-03 00:29:03 -0400
Sign up for activism updates