The BradCast w/ Brad Friedman Brad Friedman

On today's 'BradCast':  With assistance from House Democrats, GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson finally allowed passage of critical military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, and Taiwan that has been blocked by far-right Republicans. Donald Trump's first criminal trial got underway in New York City, focused on allegations that he unlawfully falsified business records and violated campaign finance laws in paying hush money to a porn star before the 2016 election. Veteran labor journalist and author STEVEN GREENHOUSE discusses the landslide vote by non-union autoworkers at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee to join the United Auto Workers union. Greenhouse explains why the historic vote succeeded where others have failed in the famously anti-union South, the UAW's ongoing organizing efforts to unionize other plants, the surge to restore labor rights in many sectors across the US, and much more.

Encore: original airdate 4-10-2024. On today's 'BradCast':  The real news is bad enough, but fake news sites masquerading as real news sites are proliferating across the country and spreading disinformation in advance of the critical 2024 election. Funded by shadowy rightwing billionaire activists, the number of fake 'pink slime' news sites now equals the number of legitimate local news sites. ALEX MAHADEVAN, Director of the non-profit Poynter Institute's MediaWise project, explains how and why these fake news sites are surging, the rightwing funders behind them, techniques to protect against misinformation and disinformation, and much more. Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg sentenced to five additional months in prison for committing perjury in Donald Trump's massive New York bank, tax, and insurance fraud trial. The Arizona Supreme Court's ruling reinstating an 1864 ban on all abortions in the state has Republicans in panic mode to manage the fallout, which may have a remarkable effect on turnout in the November election.

On today's 'BradCast':  Climate change is a key factor in persistent inflation by driving the skyrocketing costs of insurance premiums for homes and cars, according to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Loss and damage from human-caused climate change is already costing Americans dearly, and a new study warns it will cause $38 trillion in global economic damages every year, unless governments move faster to cut climate-warming fossil fuel pollution. Ohio Republicans threaten to block President Biden from the 2024 ballot over a scheduling issue. Nevada Supreme Court approves a measure guaranteeing reproductive rights for the November ballot. Jury selection for Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York is complete, but two were excused after reporters revealed personally identifying details. Non-union autoworkers in Tennessee may succeed at unionizing, despite unprecedented threats from southern Republican governors. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

On today's 'BradCast': The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in 'Fischer v. U.S.,' a challenge to the criminal statute used to charge and convict hundreds of January 6 insurrectionists, including Donald Trump. Legal journalist CHRIS GEIDNER of Law Dork News discusses the case, which questions whether some January 6th insurrectionists should have been charged with obstruction of an official government proceeding. Geidner explains how a ruling could pivot on the meaning of the word 'otherwise;' the rightwing justices' newly-discovered concerns about over-criminalization; potential impacts on January 6 cases and the Trump indictment; and upcoming oral arguments on Trump's ridiculous assertions of 'absolute immunity.' Also today: Republicans' revenge impeachment against DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas quickly failed in the US Senate. Arizona GOP lawmakers again blocked repeal of the state's 1864 abortion ban. Alabama's newly-drawn, fairer House maps generated a massive surge in voter turnout in a special election.

On today's 'BradCast':  The value of Trump Media, listed under Donald Trump's initials as DJT, has plummeted since its debut on the stock market, destroying the life savings of many brain-poisoned MAGA cult members who believed rightwing media hype and plowed all of their money into the fraudulent scheme. Trump demanded that presidents must receive 'absolute immunity' for any crimes committed while in office, except for President Joe Biden. Jury selection is moving quickly in Trump's criminal hush money-election interference trial in New York. House GOP lawmakers sent two baseless articles of impeachment against DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas to the US Senate, which are expected to be dispatched quickly. Far-right news outlet One America News has struck a confidential deal to settle the massive defamation lawsuit brought by voting system vendor Smartmatic over OAN's 2020 election lies. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report.'

On today's 'BradCast':  An historic day for the United States -- the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. President is now underway in a Manhattan courtroom. It's the first of four criminal trials seeking accountability for disgraced ex-President Donald Trump, the Republican Party's presumptive nominee for the 2024 election. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's 34 felony criminal counts allege that Trump unlawfully falsified business records to hide hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and violated federal campaign finance laws in service of cheating to win the 2016 election. Columnist HEATHER DIGBY PARTON of Salon and former attorney KEITH BARBER of Daily Kos delve into the legal, political and cultural significance of the historic first day of Trump's first criminal trial, the evidence in the case, and its potential ramifications for the critical 2024 election in November.