The Current

The Trump Organization and its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, face felony charges for an alleged 15-year scheme of conspiracy and criminal tax fraud in the state of New York. "When you read through the indictment, through all 15 counts and the 24-page indictment and the stunning level of detail, it really presents a sweeping tax fraud case." Norman Eisen examines the severity of the charges against the Trump Organization, and evaluates former President Trump's risk for potential future indictment. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3ho5McE  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

The White House's goal for the Geneva meeting of Presidents Biden and Putin was not a reset, but to set guardrails for a more stable and predictable relationship. Angela Stent assesses the basic agreements that came out of Wednesday's summit, potential areas for future cooperation, and where U.S. and Russian priorities will continue to challenge the relationship. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3gC5n7j  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Attempts to build the the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada's oil sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast have been abandoned after more than a decade of opposition from environmentalists, dropping oil prices, and the Biden administration's drive to decarbonize the U.S. economy. Samantha Gross explains the implications of Keystone's cancelation for other pipeline projects, U.S. emissions, and the future of fossil fuel infrastructure.  Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3gqjD1n  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

A broad coalition is coming together to form a new government in Israel, which means Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as prime minister may be nearing its end. Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings, explains how this coalition was created and whether it will represent a major break from the Netanyahu era. Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. 

When it comes to an investigation of the January 6, 2021 insurrection and assault on the U.S. Capitol, it needs "something beyond what Congress can do itself." Molly Reynolds explains the limitations of current congressional committee investigations, the likelihood of the Senate approving an independent 1/6 commission, and the many challenges facing any attempt to build a cohesive narrative leading up to and encompassing the events of January 6. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3v60KqB  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Both Hamas and the Israeli government have dramatically escalated tensions that began as spontaneous grassroots protests over the eviction of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem to military violence with a high cost to civilians in both Israel and Gaza. Shibley Telhami weighs in on the confrontations spreading throughout Israel and the Palestinian territories, and whether the Biden administration will be able to effectively call for calm in the region. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2Qbg6eg  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

After jobs growth slowed in April, Stephanie Aaronson cautions that employment is going to be slow to return to pre-pandemic levels as employers and workers try to match their needs and pay expectations. She also addresses the relationship between unemployment benefits, wages, and slowing the spread of the coronavirus, and why there may continue to be lingering negative effects on women's labor force participation. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2R1W32o  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

John Hudak examines President Biden's first 100 days and his joint address to Congress, and how those reflect Biden's view of his presidency and the role of government in meeting the challenges of American life. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2RaLx8y  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

The sudden death of Chad’s President Idriss Déby after 30 years in power has created a governance vacuum that will likely lead to years of instability, says John Mukum Mbaku, unless the military hands power over to the National Assembly, as called for in Chad's constitution. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/3dIfoxW Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.

Will the guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin's murder of George Floyd be just a single blip of accountability in the longer history of police violence, or will it be a real inflection point to galvanize change? Rashawn Ray speaks to the significance of Chauvin's trial, the fractured state of police-community relations, and what the Department of Justice needs to ensure real accountability. Show notes and transcript: https://brook.gs/2P98Saa  Follow Brookings podcasts on Apple or Google podcasts, or on Spotify. Send feedback email to BCP@Brookings.edu, and follow us and tweet us at @policypodcasts on Twitter. The Current is part of the Brookings Podcast Network.