The Northwest Politicast

Jeff Pohjola
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola will explore the issues and politics of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most.

  1. Sep 27

    Republican Pushes to Impeach Hegseth

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could face an impeachment fight when Congress returns after the midterms — and the effort is being led by a Republican. Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie has introduced eight articles of impeachment, including allegations that Hegseth violated the Constitution and the War Powers Act through U.S. military action in Iran without congressional authorization. Jeff talks with The Hill’s Mike Lillis about the case against Hegseth, why Speaker Mike Johnson avoided a vote before Election Day and how the political dilemma could shift from Republicans to Democrats once the election is over. PLUS: President Donald Trump’s attempt to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House runs into a federal judge. ABC’s Stephen Portnoy explains why the court restored the organizations’ access, what the ruling says about due process and press freedom, and why comparisons to disputes between previous presidents and individual news organizations do not necessarily match what happened here. The temporary order restoring access was issued on due-process grounds. AND: Congress will return after the election with more than impeachment waiting for lawmakers. Government funding expires again, agricultural programs need attention and the outcome of the midterms could dramatically reshape who holds the leverage — and how much lawmakers are willing to accomplish before the next Congress takes office. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  2. Sep 19

    Construction and Destruction in Trump’s Washington

    President Trump wants to tear down one Washington landmark while building another. A federal judge has ordered the administration to give at least 30 days’ notice before demolishing or significantly changing the Kennedy Center, where Trump has threatened demolition amid a dispute over the building and its name. Meanwhile, his proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery faces its own legal and preservation challenges. Jeff talks with ABC News legal analyst Royal Oakes and correspondent Steven Portnoy about how much authority the president has, what Congress controls and where the courts could intervene. PLUS: The Puget Sound housing market is cooling, but is it really crashing? Movement Mortgage’s Chris Davies says national headlines are obscuring what is actually happening locally, where inventory is up and buyers are more cautious, but median prices remain relatively stable. Jeff looks at what that means for buyers and sellers navigating higher interest rates and a softer regional economy. AND: Washington remains one of the nation’s biggest collectors of cannabis taxes per resident, even as those collections continue to fall from their pandemic-era peak. Justin Nordhorn with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board explains whether Washingtonians are buying less marijuana or simply paying less for it, and whether the state’s 37% excise tax is pushing consumers toward the illicit market. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  3. Sep 12

    Washington’s Vote-by-Mail Fight Isn’t Over

    President Trump’s effort to impose new federal requirements on mail-in ballots is blocked again, but the fight may now be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Jeff talks with ABC’s Steven Portnoy about an appeals court ruling keeping the restrictions on hold, why judges say imposing them less than two months before the midterms could disenfranchise millions of voters, and what the changes would mean here in Washington state, where voting by mail is the norm. The episode also examines concerns raised by a Postal Service whistleblower about the system being built to carry out the new requirements. PLUS: President Trump is promising a $5,000 payment to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers breaks down a proposal that could cost roughly $1.3 trillion, the conflicting explanations for how it would be financed and why Republicans as well as Democrats are questioning whether the money or the votes to approve it actually exist. AND: Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the Northwest Politicast looks back through the experiences of people who witnessed and investigated them firsthand. Former FBI agent Brad Garrett recalls the uncertainty inside the Washington field office as the Pentagon burned and additional attacks were feared, while ABC’s Cheri Preston remembers watching the towers fall, covering families searching for loved ones and the health consequences that continue a quarter-century later. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  4. Sep 5

    Why Republicans Keep Losing in Washington

    With the midterms just two months away, Washington Republicans are facing the possibility of losing even more ground in Olympia. Jeff talks with Washington Observer editor Paul Queary about legislative races that could give Democrats as many as five additional House seats, why Republicans are struggling even in traditionally friendly parts of southwest Washington, and whether demographic changes, Donald Trump’s unpopularity and the party’s own strategy have fundamentally changed the state’s political map. PLUS: Initiative 645 would repeal Washington’s new millionaire’s tax, but the campaign may be testing whether the initiative process still works as a conservative check on a Democratic-controlled Legislature. Jeff and Paul look at the money behind both sides, the political consequences of recent tax votes and why Republicans may be spending too much time “owning the libs” instead of figuring out how to win. AND: The conflict with Iran is entering its seventh month, but Vice President JD Vance says he would not call it a war. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers explains how the Administration is describing the fighting, why Vance declined to offer a timeline for when it might end and what the latest U.S. strikes and extended troop deployments say about where the conflict is headed. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  5. Aug 28

    Vote-by-Mail Fight Escalates in Washington

    Washington’s vote-by-mail system is caught in a fast-moving legal fight over how much control the federal government can exercise over ballots moving through the U.S. mail. Jeff breaks down President Donald Trump’s new Postal Service requirements, the latest court rulings and what they could mean for Washington voters. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs argues the federal government is intruding on powers reserved to the states, while the Trump Administration says the changes are necessary to strengthen election security and make mailed ballots more auditable. For now, Washington’s existing vote-by-mail system remains unchanged as the case moves forward. PLUS: Alaska voters could see something unusual on their Senate ballots this fall: Dan Sullivan versus Dan Sullivan. ABC News Deputy Political Director Ben Siegel explains how a retired teacher sharing the incumbent Republican senator’s name made the general election, why Republicans tried unsuccessfully to remove him and how Alaska’s ranked-choice voting system could turn the curiosity into a race with national implications for control of the Senate. AND: President Trump is temporarily suspending tariffs on imported ground beef in an effort to bring prices down, drawing criticism from ranchers, farmers and Republican lawmakers who warn the move could hurt domestic producers. ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers also looks at the president’s escalating tariff threats against Canadian cars and auto parts and why there appears to be little sign of an off-ramp in the U.S.-Canada trade dispute. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  6. Aug 22

    Seattle Times Draws Viewpoint Scrutiny

    A longtime Seattle Times sports columnist has walked away from the newspaper after editors declined to publish his column about the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports. Matt Calkins says the decision was the culmination of years of clashes over columns that challenged prevailing views inside the newsroom. Jeff examines what Calkins says happened, the distinction between a columnist’s freedom to express an opinion and an editor’s authority to decide what gets published, and the central question the dispute leaves unanswered: Was this ordinary editorial judgment, or was the viewpoint itself the problem? PLUS: Renton is still wrestling with whether automated license plate readers belong on its streets. City Council member Carmen Rivera tells Northwest Newsradio’s Scott Carty that she sees value in the technology but does not believe the city currently has the safeguards or public trust necessary for Flock’s fixed cameras. The debate now centers on privacy, control of the data, law-enforcement access and whether a different system could give the city tighter control. AND: The national debt has crossed $40 trillion and is growing faster than expected. Northwest Newsradio’s Rich Johnson looks at why Washington keeps acknowledging the problem while making it harder to solve, how rising debt can eventually hit household finances and why the approaching debt ceiling will force Congress to confront the issue again. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  7. Aug 15

    Police Camera Backlash Reaches Renton

    Concerns over privacy and potential abuse are prompting communities across the country to rethink automated license plate readers, and Renton could be next. Jeff talks with ABC’s Jim Ryan about the backlash against Flock Safety cameras, allegations that officers have used the technology outside their professional duties, and new safeguards the company says will make searches more accountable. The debate now comes down to whether those changes are enough to restore public trust as Renton prepares to vote on whether to keep its Flock contract. PLUS: With the midterms about two and a half months away, President Donald Trump’s poll numbers are sinking. ABC News political analyst Steve Roberts explains why concerns over the economy, inflation and the war in Iran are beginning to test even some voters who previously backed Trump, while Democrats hold an advantage in the generic congressional ballot but face their own challenges with turnout, redistricting and candidate selection. AND: Amazon is confronting a new labor and regulatory challenge in New York City. Bloomberg’s Spencer Soper explains a proposal that would require Amazon to directly employ thousands of delivery workers now hired through subcontractors, why supporters think that could strengthen worker protections and union organizing, and how Amazon could respond if New York adopts the plan. The episode also looks at the effort to recall Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

  8. Aug 1

    Mayor Wilson’s Political Crisis Deepens

    The fatal shooting at the Bite of Seattle has left three people dead, four wounded, suspects still being sought, and Mayor Katie Wilson facing a deepening political crisis. Jeff talks with Northwest Newsradio anchor Scott Carty about the five-hour delay before officials briefed the public, breakdowns between the mayor’s office and Seattle police, the departure of Police Chief Barnes, and why city leaders and residents say they still do not have the answers they need. PLUS: The discovery of a ghost gun and an illegally modified automatic weapon at the shooting scene is renewing debate over gun laws and public safety. Former FBI special agent in charge Rich Frankel explains what makes a weapon a ghost gun, why it is harder to trace, and how investigators can still use ballistics and other forensic evidence to connect firearms to a crime. AND: Andre Sayles takes over as Seattle’s interim police chief as detectives continue searching for multiple suspects. Jeff looks at Sayles’ background, the latest on the investigation, and two difficult legal paths that could be used to remove a Seattle mayor from office. The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola explores the politics and issues of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most. Subscribe at nwnewsradio.com or on your favorite podcast app.

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Ratings & Reviews

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About

The Northwest Politicast with Jeff Pohjola: From this Washington to that one, Jeff Pohjola will explore the issues and politics of the week. Frequent guests and top analysts break down the news to get to the heart of what matters most.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Pohjola
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jeff Pohjola
  • Show Website
    The Northwest Politicast

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