We tried and (mostly) succeeded in our first live recording with a live in-person audience! The audio isn’t perfect, but we thank you for your patience!
Former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock joined us for some headlines before we dove into this week’s topic: A Montana effort to make the effects of the Citizens United decision a moot point—with hopes the effort will spread to other states. That’s where Jeff Mangan and the Transparent Election Initiative (aka the Montana Plan) comes in. We broke it all down with Mangan, including the legal hurdles still facing the initiative, what opponents are saying, and how to get an effort like this started in other states.
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1:23:57
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1:23:57
Houston, We Have a Problem
It’s hard to predict when news will break, but today’s episode is quite timely. We invited Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) to join us on Grounded after being one of the subjects of a video that prompted the President of the United States to amplify posts calling for six members of Congress to be hanged. We talked about the video, if he expected this response from the White House, and if he thinks he’s being investigated or surveilled. That’s when the Dept. of War announced it’s investigating Kelly for alleged misconduct. In addition to the video, we discuss the potential Ukraine peace plan being floated by the Trump administration, the economy, and his favorite space movie. Don’t worry—we also asked about his astronaut Labubu.
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1:03:13
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1:03:13
Pardon Our Mess
Former DOJ pardon attorney Liz Oyer joins Grounded to discuss a whole lot of chaos happening inside her former office. Hours before our interview, Congress moved to force the DOJ to release its Epstein files, raising major questions about what comes next. Oyer breaks down the complications ahead. With nearly 2,000 pardons already granted in Trump’s second term, Oyer talks to us about why the pardon process looks wholly different in a Trump 2.0 term and the negative impacts on the American people. Plus, a chat with American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten about the latest moves to dismantle the Dept. of Education.
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59:39
As the Crow Flies
The last time Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) appeared on Grounded was Oct. 1, 2025—the very first day of what became the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. When an event with Crow and JT lined up in Arizona, we decided it was a good chance to check in on what was accomplished during the shutdown, the renewed focus on the Epstein files and his efforts to recruit Democratic candidates in flippable House districts. Plus, we bring Tiffany Muller of End Citizens United back into the fold to again discuss money in politics.
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28:37
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28:37
Every Day is Veterans Day
It’s not every day we’re live on Substack when a U.S. senator calls Jon Tester’s landline and agrees to be put on speaker phone. But that’s exactly what happened today when Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) called the farm.
On this Veterans Day, we also welcome Paul Rieckhoff, a veteran himself in addition to being the president of Righteous Media and founder of a group called Independent Veterans of America. He discusses what he calls a cultural war the Trump administration is waging on our government institutions, low morale at the VA and his frustration with both the Republican and Democratic parties. Plus, learn more about what he describes as the “patriotic purge,” and what Rieckhoff thinks is the most important group of people to push back on the president.
If you’re feeling confused or overwhelmed by the news coming out of Washington, D.C. right now, know this: you are not alone.
Each week, former U.S. Senator Jon Tester of Montana and veteran journalist Maritsa Georgiou are here to talk you through it.
Grounded is about more than just deciphering the headlines; It’s about hearing from changemakers, sharing insider insight, and leaving each episode with a roadmap forward.
Let’s stay grounded: In facts, in reason, and in community.
You can also find us on YouTube and Substack!
https://groundedpodcast.substack.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@GroundedPcast
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