What Next | Daily News and Analysis

Adam Schiff was elected to Congress as part of the blowback against House Republicans after the Clinton impeachment saga in the late 1990s. Now he’s at the forefront of another spectacular political scandal enveloping Washington. Schiff, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, has been a leading critic of the Trump administration. But that doesn’t mean he’s losing his cool now that the impeachment inquiry is officially underway. Schiff remains composed, pragmatic, and understated—which might be the best tactic for squaring off against the president.Guest: Todd Purdum, staff writer at the Atlantic.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the late spring and early summer of 2019 there were these stories. Stories that ran in the New York Times and BuzzFeed News about Rudy Giuliani and his backchannel campaign to get Ukraine’s help securing Donald Trump’s re-election. Though not easy reads these articles are undoubtedly the first draft of what Washington can’t stop talking about now, the Ukraine Scandal. So, what made the whistleblower’s version of the story stick?Guest: Eric Umansky, Deputy Managing Editor at ProPublica and Editor of the Trump, Inc. podcast.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A growing contingent of Amazon employees has been pushing the company to be a leader in the fight against climate change. Recently, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos promised to reduce carbon emissions and add thousands of electric trucks to the company’s fleet. Activist employees hope that’s just a beginning. Guest: Louise Matsakis, staff writer for Wired.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt, and Mara Silvers.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a week that saw the talks of impeachment boil over into Congressional action, a former Republican Senator says Speaker Nancy Pelosi was right to hold off on an impeachment inquiry until now. Once a reliable critic of the Trump administration, Jeff Flake joins Mary Harris to discuss a week that could change the presidency, how he’s reflecting on the Kavanaugh hearings one year later, and why there’s no room for him in today’s Republican party.This conversation was recorded live at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, TX.Guest: Former Senator of Arizona, Jeff FlakeSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Thursday morning, the House Intelligence Committee publicly released a whistleblower complaint providing evidence of President Trump’s alleged abuse of presidential power. The complaint came just before the Acting Director of National Intelligence was due to testify before the committee. Slate's Dahlia Lithwick and Jeremy Stahl take stock of the rapid changes in Washington since House Democrats announced their impeachment inquiry.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Parents in Howard County, Maryland, are pushing back against a school redistricting plan that would address overcrowding and a lack of diversity. Opponents say the changes will disrupt communities and strap kids with longer commutes. They say it’s not fair for their families and their kids. How are educators supposed to make the case that something that upsets individuals is better for the public good?Guest: Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK International Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Shannon Palus talks to Roxanne Leitao, a UK-based designer researching ways to make the smart home gear safer for victims of domestic abuse. They’ll discuss the ways that smart thermostats can be used to gaslight victims, the security measures that can help everyone in a home have agency, and the reason why smart home tech that’s hard to understand is all the more dangerous. They also touch on her other research in designing gig economy platforms that reduce the potential for bias against workers.  Podcast production by Justin D. Wright. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an official impeachment inquiry into President Trump on Tuesday evening. After a year of Democratic leadership holding off, what makes this time different for Speaker Pelosi? And what happens now?Guests: Dahlia Lithwick, covers the courts and the law for Slate. Jim Newell, political reporter for Slate.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last week, Time Magazine released photos of a 29-year-old Justin Trudeau in blackface. In the days following, the Canadian Prime Minister admitted to two more instances of using blackface. The Canadian election is a month away. How will Trudeau’s latest scandal effect it?Guest: Jesse Brown, host of Canadaland podcast.Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, Danielle Hewitt and Mara SilversSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.