A New Attorney General, Profiting Off Immigration Detention, Hollywood Merger
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How did Todd Blanche secure the Senate vote to become Attorney General?
Confirmations are flying in the Senate before an August recess. New heads for TSA and FEMA, dozens of ambassadors in government jobs.
And Todd Blanche gets just enough votes to become attorney general.
I'm Aisha Roscoe.
And I'm Scott Simon, and this is up first from NPR News. А капли републики вот фод лант, сайт, the justice department has become too politicized under president Trump.
Working with emigration and customs enforcement has been great business for private prison компаніes. They've made record profits this year.
Regal Cinemas and AMC say they want it to go through. The merger is still stuck in an antitrust lawsuit.
Stay with us, we have the news you need to start your weekend.
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This week on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, we talked to legendary Oscar and Emmy-winning icon, Sally Field, about her starring role in the 60s television series, The Flying Nun.
I was on a 50-foot crane, and they would fly me into the side of a building. And I'm like, I'm like like Spider-Man.
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Early into the morning, the US Senate under pressure from President Trump, voting and debating which of the President's priorities need to be addressed right now.
Early today, the Senate confirmed President Trump's nominee for US Attorney General, Todd Blanche, squeaked out of victory. And we are congressional correspondent, Claudia Grasalis, joins us now. Thanks so much for being with us. Good morning, Scott. This confirmation consumed the Senate for weeks. Why? Right. A week ago it wasn't even really clear he had the votes to win confirmation.
What were the key provisions and bipartisan support behind the Russia sanctions bill?
Much of the concerns came down to a conflict of interest. That's Blanche's role in installing Trump's demands. And that includes a controversial settlement this year under his administration. That was between Trump and the Internal Revenue Service that created a one point eight billion dollar fund that was on track to benefit Trump's allies. Now Blanche issued a written order rescinding that plan, but still that and more was part of the reasoning that Blanche lost key support from two Republicans at Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. They expressed concerns about the future of the agency with little restraint to Trump's demands. And with the Senate operating under tight margins, all eyes were then on a final swing vote that's Bill Cassidy from Louisiana.
He ultimately said he would vote for Blanche, helping him get over the finish line by that one vote. And what won Senator Cassidy's support? Well, he admitted he too had concerns over Blanche's role in things like that anti weaponization fund. Here's Cassidy on the Senate floor. Mr. Blanche is not perfect and he will tell you this. But the choice is not between perfection and mister Blanche. It is between mister Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump. So he argued Blanche would actually have more leverage to push against the President if he was confirmed to the role. Senate's now in an extended August recess, but had a long to do list to get there.
Uh before wrapping up their session early this morning, what else did they do? Well one big thing, they approved a Russia sanctions bill with broad bipartisan support and a vote of eighty seven to eleven. That's not a common occurrence in Congress these days. It was at least a year in the making. It was named for the late GOP Senator Lindsey Graham, who was really the architect on this legislation all the way up until his death last month.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How did Todd Blanche secure the Senate vote to become Attorney General?
0:02–2:18
2
What were the key provisions and bipartisan support behind the Russia sanctions bill?
2:18–4:38
3
Why are private‑prison firms reporting record profits from ICE detentions?
4:38–6:45
4
What new revenue streams are Geo Group and Core Civic developing beyond detention beds?
6:45–9:59
5
How are political ties and former officials linking the Trump administration to private‑prison companies?
9:59–12:19
6
Why are many Hollywood creators opposing the Paramount‑Warner merger?
12:19–15:04
7
What arguments do Regal and AMC executives make in favor of the mega‑merger?
15:04–16:06
8
What’s the next step for the Paramount‑Warner deal and its potential impact on the film industry?
16:06–16:32
Speakers
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