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The Minnesota fraud schemes.
Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of people with defrauding Minnesota social programs since 2020, and recent reporting has highlighted the links between the fraud schemes and the Somali-American community. In November, a report authored by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher Rufo and published in City Journal — a periodical funded by the conservative think tank The Manhattan Institute — highlighted the fraud’s concentration among the state’s Somali community and claimed the funds were partially directed to the Somali-based terrorist group Al-Shabaab. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the agency would be opening an investigation into Gov. Tim Walz’s (D) oversight of the programs beset by alleged fraud; the House Oversight Committee opened its own probe into the programs on Tuesday.
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In October, we hosted a live event at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. The evening provided us with another opportunity to meet and mingle with Tangle readers and featured a round table discussion on issues relevant to California. Executive Editor Isaac Saul hosted a discussion with Alex Thompson, Ana Kasparian, and our own Editor-at-Large Kmele Foster on immigration, gerrymandering, the 2028 presidential election, and more.
Today, we’re releasing the video of that full discussion. You can watch it on our YouTube channel here!
You can read today's podcast here, our “Under the Radar” story here and today’s “Have a nice day” story here.
You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.
Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.
This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.
Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
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Senior Editor Will Kaback interviews the extremely well traveled Chris Arnade about his perspectives of the world and politics.
49:12|Senior Editor Will Kaback interviews one of the worlds most traveled persons Chris Arnade of Chris Arnade Walks the World. His insights and perspectives of the world, politics, immigration, and class are especially unique and we dive deeper into all of it in this interview.For more information on Chris Arnade and his travels visit the link below:https://walkingtheworld.substack.com/Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by: Will Kaback and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
Ari Weitzman interviews Laurie Styron from Charity Watch
38:30|Tangle Managing Editor Ari Weitzman chats with Laurie Styron, the executive director of CharityWatch.org, about the validity of different charities, what to look out for before you denote money to any charities, the good and the bad, and what charities should we keep an eye out for. This is a very important discussion to check out especially before you make your end of year donations. For more information on Charity Watch go to: https://www.charitywatch.org/Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by Ari Weitzman and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
Will Kaback interviews lead author Simon Bazelon about his Deciding to Win report and where politics are headed.
36:27|Senior Editor Will Kaback interviews Simon Bazelon about the state of our current politics and where it is headed, the kinds of issues that will resonate most with voters, and the kind of policy platforms that are going to be winning for political candidates moving forward. For more information on the Deciding to Win report that Simon Bazelon was the lead author on go to https://decidingtowin.org/Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by: Will Kaback and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
The Christmas Day strikes in Nigeria.
33:56|On Thursday, December 25, President Donald Trump announced that the United States Africa Command conducted strikes on Islamic State (IS, or ISIS) targets in the state of Sokoto in northwestern Nigeria. According to a military official, a U.S. Navy ship in the Gulf of Guinea fired over a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles, hitting insurgents in two IS camps. The strikes were conducted with the consent of the Nigerian government, and no civilian casualties have been reported.Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast here, our “Under the Radar” story here and today’s “Have a nice day” story here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of the strikes in Nigeria? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Will Kaback and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
Bari Weiss pulls '60 Minutes' piece.
31:07|On Sunday, December 21, CBS announced that it was pulling a scheduled 60 Minutes segment on the Venezuelan men deported to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador in March. CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss decided to delay the segment hours before it was set to air on the long-running television show, saying that it needed additional reporting. 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who reported the segment, criticized Weiss’s decision to “spike” the story as political in a widely reported memo to her colleagues. Shortly thereafter, the streaming app for a Canadian CBS affiliate ran a version of the segment that was shared online in the U.S., sparking debate about Weiss’s justification for the move and broader editorial changes at CBS News. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast here, our “Under the Radar” story here and today’s “Have a nice day” story here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of Weiss’s decision? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
Some closing thoughts on the year.
08:03|Dear listeners,First and foremost, a programming note: The Tangle team will be off Wednesday through Friday, but we’ll be back in your inbox on Sunday and for a few days next week before the new year. I hope you all have a merry Christmas and happy holidays, and you get to enjoy some time off from the news (we’ll update you on everything you missed when we’re back, so feel free to take a break).Second, as we head into this period of winter vacation, I wanted to thank you all for an incredible year. We’re still a bit short of our end-of-year subscription goal (so if you haven’t yet, please go subscribe or gift a subscription!), but on the whole, it’s been another fantastic year for Tangle. A few brief highlights, if you’ll indulge me:Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!Need a last-minute gift?The holiday season is here, which is a good time to remind you: You can give the gift of Tangle to friends and family! There are two great options: Gift a Tangle subscription. Whether it’s an earnest present to a friend or family member who would love our work, or a passive-aggressive gift for your favorite relative who doesn’t share your politics, a Tangle subscription is a great way to find some common ground and keep your loved ones informed. It takes thirty seconds! Hit the merch shop. We have hoodies, shirts, mugs, stickers, hats, and even onesies for the little ones. Snag something fresh with our new logo or grab a vintage Tangle brain on any garment you’d like. You will want to hop on these quickly to make sure they arrive before the holidays!Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
The latest Epstein files.
29:43|On Friday, the Justice Department (DOJ) released a trove of files related to the government’s investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including photographs, handwritten notes on his stationery, and evidence seized at his properties. The latest release is the most substantive disclosure of documents related to Epstein yet; however, lawmakers from both parties immediately raised concerns about significant redactions and omissions from this batch. Over the weekend, the DOJ releasedadditional documents and removed others from the government website. Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!Need a last-minute gift?The holiday season is here, which is a good time to remind you: You can give the gift of Tangle to friends and family! There are two great options: Gift a Tangle subscription. Whether it’s an earnest present to a friend or family member who would love our work, or a passive-aggressive gift for your favorite relative who doesn’t share your politics, a Tangle subscription is a great way to find some common ground and keep your loved ones informed. It takes thirty seconds! Hit the merch shop. We have hoodies, shirts, mugs, stickers, hats, and even onesies for the little ones. Snag something fresh with our new logo or grab a vintage Tangle brain on any garment you’d like. You will want to hop on these quickly to make sure they arrive before the holidays!You can read today's podcast here, our “Under the Radar” story here and today’s “Have a nice day” story here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: Do you think DOJ will release files that incriminate any of Epstein’s associates? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
PREVIEW - The Friday Edition: 19 more predictions about the future.
05:01|So, today, I’m going to run it back and see how I do. As I did in 2021, I’m going to accompany each prediction with a one- to two-sentence explanation and a “confidence rating” (or “CR”), so you can see how strongly I hold the belief. The scale is 1 to 10, with 10 being maximum confidence and 1 being lowest confidence. However, I’m not including any prediction that I don’t think has a higher than 50% chance of coming true (otherwise I’d just be throwing darts randomly at the wall). So the 1–10 rating is more like a 51% to 100% rating than 0 to 100.I’d love to hear what you think, or hear predictions of your own. Need a last-minute gift?The holiday season is here, which is a good time to remind you: You can give the gift of Tangle to friends and family! There are two great options: Gift a Tangle subscription. Whether it’s an earnest present to a friend or family member who would love our work, or a passive-aggressive gift for your favorite relative who doesn’t share your politics, a Tangle subscription is a great way to find some common ground and keep your loved ones informed. It takes thirty seconds! Hit the merch shop. We have hoodies, shirts, mugs, stickers, hats, and even onesies for the little ones. Snag something fresh with our new logo or grab a vintage Tangle brain on any garment you’d like. You will want to hop on these quickly to make sure they arrive before the holidays!Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.
Suspension of the Rules. - Kmele interviews Charles C.W. Cooke and then joins Isaac and Ari to talk about Susie Wiles and Rob Reiner.
01:49:36|On todays show Isaac, Ari and Kmele talk about Trump's very insensitive tweet about Rob Reiner, the Susie Wiles piece and more. Kmele then jumps into an interview with National Review's Senior Writer Charles C.W. Cooke. The guys then give some very questionable law advice in todays The Airing of Grievances section. Need a last-minute gift?The holiday season is here, which is a good time to remind you: You can give the gift of Tangle to friends and family! There are two great options: Gift a Tangle subscription. Whether it’s an earnest present to a friend or family member who would love our work, or a passive-aggressive gift for your favorite relative who doesn’t share your politics, a Tangle subscription is a great way to find some common ground and keep your loved ones informed. It takes thirty seconds! Hit the merch shop. We have hoodies, shirts, mugs, stickers, hats, and even onesies for the little ones. Snag something fresh with our new logo or grab a vintage Tangle brain on any garment you’d like. You will want to hop on these quickly to make sure they arrive before the holidays!Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was hosted by: Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Jon Lall.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead.