Civic Outlaws

Samuel Trapp

Civic Outlaws is a weekly podcast about civil liberties, transparency, and the quiet ways power gets abused—rule by rule, policy by policy. We track real-world cases where agencies, regulators, and other unelected systems push past lawful authority, then we map out what the public can do next: documentation, public-records work, legal direction, and community-backed pressure. Episodes focus on active investigations and recurring problem areas like selective enforcement, surveillance expansion, HOA abuse, timeshare deception, and regulatory intimidation—especially where ordinary people feel boxed in and outgunned. Follow the investigations, updates, and ways to get involved at CivicOutlaws.com.

  1. 1d ago

    GOVERNMENT VS. GRANDMA

    When does feeding a neighbor become an illegal restaurant? Samuel Trapp interviews Goldwater Institute attorney Dave Roland about the government warning sent to Harrisburg grandmother Kathy Kite. The program also investigates Missouri’s conflicting treatment of electronic machines at commercial and charitable locations—and identifies the documents that still have not been produced. Kathy Kite opens her Harrisburg home and serves free breakfast to farmers, workers, parents, children and anyone else who stops by. She charges nothing. Then an anonymous caller complained. The Columbia–Boone County health department declared that Kite appeared to be operating a food establishment without a permit and warned of legal action. Goldwater Institute attorney Dave Roland joined Civic Outlaws to explain the complaint records, the government’s still-undefined distinction between “friends” and “the public,” and why Goldwater may take the case to court. We also examine Missouri’s two-tier enforcement problem: aggressive electronic-machine seizures at selected commercial locations while machines reportedly operate inside veterans, fraternal and charitable halls. The 2024 charitable e-raffle letter is real—but it is not proof of a current blanket authorization for Torch or any other manufacturer. One state. One law. Show us the rule, the evidence and equal enforcement. Listen to the complete Civic Outlaws episode: https://civicoutlaws.com/podcast Goldwater’s report: https://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/she-cooks-for-her-neighbors-the-government-says-its-an-illegal-restaurant/

About

Civic Outlaws is a weekly podcast about civil liberties, transparency, and the quiet ways power gets abused—rule by rule, policy by policy. We track real-world cases where agencies, regulators, and other unelected systems push past lawful authority, then we map out what the public can do next: documentation, public-records work, legal direction, and community-backed pressure. Episodes focus on active investigations and recurring problem areas like selective enforcement, surveillance expansion, HOA abuse, timeshare deception, and regulatory intimidation—especially where ordinary people feel boxed in and outgunned. Follow the investigations, updates, and ways to get involved at CivicOutlaws.com.