Adam Carolla Show Conspiracies and Coverups with Patrick Byrne + Mike Murphy Talks Chaos in California
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Oct 29, 2025 
Patrick Byrne, former CEO of Overstock.com and author of "Danger Close," shares his insights on intelligence operations and the orchestration of the Russia collusion narrative. He details his controversial claims regarding political elites and psychological operations aimed at societal control. Joining him is Mike Murphy, a veteran political consultant, who critiques California's governance and highlights voters' preference for competence over ideology. The duo's conversation dives into upcoming political dynamics and the desire for authenticity in leadership.
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Overstock’s Startup And Hidden Role
- Patrick Byrne founded Overstock in 1999 and used liquidation of bankrupt dot-coms to grow the business rapidly.
- He later revealed Overstock served partly as cover while he worked heavily with U.S. intelligence agencies for two decades.
Woke Shift Changed His Academic Focus
- Byrne shifted his graduate studies toward economics and political philosophy after encountering early 'woke' campus ideologies.
- He views modern woke movements as corrosive to foundational principles, not just benign left-leaning views.
Optics Over Outcomes Explains Bad Policy
- Byrne and Adam Carolla argue many elite progressives prioritize optics and moral signaling over effective outcomes.
- They claim this posture leads to harmful policies enacted from virtue-signaling rather than consequence analysis.
