Category: Climate Change

Illustration of a taxpayer shining a flashlight into a ledger titled "State Taxpayer Accounts & Funding" while the state government attempts to keep the book closed. Text reads "Who's looking at the books? The fight for state accountability" featuring Jonathan Williams.
16-23 Digging Into and Exposing State Government Fraud & Waste

16-23 Digging Into and Exposing State Government Fraud & Waste

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Digging Into and Exposing State Government Fraud & Waste

Release Date: June 6, 2026

Duration: 47:55

Host: Mark Anderson

Guests: Jonathan Williams

About This Episode

Government agencies are supposed to protect taxpayer dollars, so why are some states resisting efforts to examine spending records, voter rolls, and public assistance programs? And what happens when government agencies don’t want anyone looking at the books? On this episode, Mark Anderson sits down with Jonathan Williams, president and chief economist of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), to examine fraud, waste, and accountability in government spending.

They discuss ALEC’s Government Efficiency Coalition, major fraud investigations, improper Medicaid payments, and why some states are resisting efforts to verify public records and benefit programs. The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence, audits, and greater transparency could help uncover billions in waste and protect taxpayer dollars.

Could the fraud already uncovered be only the beginning? And what would it take for states like Oregon to truly clean up their fiscal house?

Show Notes

  • 00:00 – Why complexity makes fraud easier to hide
  • 11:05 – ALEC’s Government Efficiency Coalition and its work with state lawmakers
  • 18:01 – How AI is being used to uncover waste and abuse
  • 25:11 – The Minnesota fraud scandals and lessons for other states
  • 32:56 – Why improper payments cost taxpayers billions
  • 40:53 – Practical reforms states can implement to improve transparency and accountability

Transcript

(Opener)

Mark:

If your intention is to commit fraud — there is an easy, simple way to do it: make things complicated. The more complicated something is, the easier it becomes to hide what’s actually happening — with a lot of moving parts, interrelated systems, and, the number one means: make it hard for people to look. Make it complicated to look.

Because if there is no fraud, they would welcome your scrutiny. Here’s the checkbook! Take a look. And if you find fraud for heaven’s sakes let us know! We have a sacred duty to protect taxpayer dollars.

But they don’t do that they make things complicated and say you can’t look.

Take for example our voting rolls. Right now there are multiple lawsuits where states are pushing back against the federal government which is asking states to provide basic information about who is on the voter rolls. That should be simple. How many people are in your state? How many people are citizens — and of those citizens how many are registered to vote? Because we have a sacred duty to protect our elections and to make sure that only citizens vote. And only vote once. And only vote in one state.

But states are pushing back because they don’t want to provide that simple, straightforward data. They act as if the federal government has no right to obtain it — no right to look. Imagine telling the IRS ohh you can’t look at our books — everything is fine. You’ll just have to trust us.

When you complicate It’s something that ought to be simple — like a database — it opens the door to fraud even if that is not your intention. Allegedly not your intention.

Because here’s how voter rolls ought to work. Simply. The federal government maintains a single database of every person living in the United States. The various columns would include their name, their SS #, whether someone is a citizen yes or no. The address where they live. And the state where that address is.

States can then access that database and append data to. This person with this Social Security number has this voter ID and they live at this address in our state — or they’re currently living overseas — serving in the military, and so on.

Problem solved. We know where everybody lives we know where everybody ought to be voting and if there are multiple instances of that person then guess what — there’s your problem. Simple.

Government, like businesses using shell companies, can further complicate things by hiding the end recipient of money by hiding it behind a shield of nonprofits. You, the taxpayer, can see money going in but you can’t see who a “non-profit” getting 100s of millions of taxpayer dollars then gives that money to.

And even if they opened their books just a little, it’s still complicated because they can say ohh that $1,000,000 we got from the taxpayers we spent that on office space and utilities — we didn’t spend $1,000,000 on activists. We used our own funds for that. sure

But. Where government is uniquely positioned to help people commit fraud is the bureaucracy within government.

Again, it’s complicated, Multiple agencies multiple departments all getting money comingling it and shoving money out the door. Add to that, the layer of inherent laziness by far too many people in government.

For example so much fraud could have been prevented if bureaucrats handing out cash had just asked questions. Like looking up business addresses on google maps.

But that would depend on people taking initiative. And from where I sit far too many people in government don’t bother to ask questions about where that money comes from or where it goes.

To talk about fraud I’d like to welcome back Jonathan Williams to the show…

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Additional Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Jonathan Williams’ organization is ALEC – the American legislative Exchange Council. Visit them at alec.org. &the ALEC Coalition
  • ALEC helped push states like Oregon to put their spending online. Oregon’s attempt at spending transparency can be found at Oregon.gov/transparency
  • Co-founder of ‘green’ bank gets 14 years for defrauding lenders, investors (Courthouse News Service, June 1, 2026)
  • State of Oregon Statewide Single Audit Report, March 2025 (PDF)
  • Oregon audit flags OHA and ODOT errors, including OHP Bridge eligibility problems (KATU, Apr 1, 2026) *“The audit also identified holes in the Highway Planning and Construction Program, administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation. Auditors said they could not gather enough evidence to verify compliance” with the law and federal regulations.
  • Audit: California Lost Track of $24 Billion Spent to Combat Homelessness (Breitbart, Apr 12, 2024)
  • “Illegal aliens & foreign fraudsters steal BILLIONS yearly from American taxpayers.” (White House via X, Jun 3, 2026)
  • The Joe Rogan interview with Elon Musk in February 2025 discussing social security as the fraud gateway (Joe Rogan Experience, Episode 2281)

 

A man in a rugged jacket stands in a desolate desert landscape at twilight, looking at a large heap of broken solar panel debris and dilapidated wind turbines. A prominent central sign on a concrete pylon base reads, "IPCC: RCP8.5 MODEL DECLARED IMPLAUSIBLE."
16-22 Did the IPCC Just Kill Its Worst-Case Climate Model?

16-22 Did the IPCC Just Kill Its Worst-Case Climate Model?

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Did the IPCC Just Kill Its Worst-Case Climate Model?

Release Date: May 30, 2026

Duration: 48:28

Host: Mark Anderson

Guests: Craig Rucker, president of CFACT, and Chuck Wiese, meteorologist


About This Episode

The IPCC quietly walks back its most alarming climate model, RCP8.5. Who holds billions in green mandates accountable? Plus: The looming toxic crisis of worn-out solar panels and wind turbines. And what Oregon — the first state with a recycling bottle bill — is not doing about all that “green” about to litter the state.

Show Notes

On Show 16-22, what if the foundational worst case model behind fifteen years of global climate policy was just declared implausible by the very institution that created it? For two decades the world spent trillions on mandates based on a nightmare scenario known as RCP8.5. Now that the IPCC is walking back its most alarming work, who is being held accountable?

First up we have Craig Rucker breaking down this massive scientific course correction and why a multi-billion dollar green transition moves forward without an apology. We look closely at the broken promises of government programs, from California missing its solar goals by hundreds of thousands of homes, to looming legal liabilities over toxic forever chemicals.

Then, meteorologist Chuck Wiese joins us to expose a massive environmental crisis looming on the back end of the green energy push. Millions of acres of solar panels and wind turbines are operating nationwide, but what happens when they wear out. We dive into the hidden reality of this waste, the legal loopholes, and what surprisingly Oregon is actually prepared to do about the looming aftermath. Listen to find out who will be left holding the bill, and what it means for the future of our farmland.

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If you enjoy our content, help others discover the show! Give us a like and subscribe or leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform—or drop a comment below. That really helps us get a bump up in the ol’ algorithms when platforms suggest shows to others.

Additional Show Notes & Research

Craig Rucker is president of CFACT — Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow. Find them and all their terrific work at cfact.org.

IPCC / Climate Science

California Green Energy / Solar

PFAS / Forever Chemicals

Wind Turbine Disposal

Solar Disposal / EPR Policy

Oregon Policy

 

Oregon economic outlook and election integrity Discover why Oregon ranks 40th in economic outlook. We discuss the 19th edition of Rich States, Poor States, potential energy price hikes, and the battle for Oregon’s election integrity.
16-18: They’re Hoping You Won’t Notice the Numbers

16-18: They’re Hoping You Won’t Notice the Numbers

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Show Summary

In this episode, we dive into the economic divide between “rich states” and “poor states” with Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist at ALEC. As Oregon falls to 40th in national economic outlook, we explore the data behind why tax-heavy, high-spending states are falling behind and the looming 300% natural gas price spike facing Oregonians. We also shift gears to election integrity with Dr. Douglas Frank and Judicial Watch to discuss the recent removal of 800,000 names from Oregon’s voter rolls. From the intent of our Founding Fathers to the transparency of our local ballots, this episode uncovers the numbers and policies shaping Oregon’s future.

Air Dates: May 2nd & 3rd, 2026 | Guests: Jonathan Williams & Dr Douglas Frank

About This Episode

On Show 16-18, is your state building wealth — or quietly destroying it? This week we sit down with Jonathan Williams, President and Chief Economist  of ALEC and co-author of the just-released 19th edition of Rich States, Poor States. Nineteen years of data. One consistent lesson: the states that tax less, spend smarter, and keep government accountable consistently outperform the rest — and the gap is widening.

Oregon economic outlook and election integrity Discover why Oregon ranks 40th in economic outlook. We discuss the 19th edition of Rich States, Poor States, potential energy price hikes, and the battle for Oregon’s election integrity.
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Oregon ranks 40th in Economic Outlook and shows how bleak our economic future is. Jonathan breaks down what that means, why it matters for your wallet right now, and what’s coming. Especially if Phase 2 of Oregon’s Climate Protection Program hits in 2028 — potentially spiking natural gas costs by 300%.

We also dig into what happens when state agencies become too disorganized to audit, what the labor market is actually signaling, and — on the eve of America’s 250th birthday — what the founders actually intended when they designed the relationship between states and the federal government.

This is the economic conversation Oregon needs to hear.

Dr. Frank is visiting every county in Oregon. Coming up May 4th through 6th: Portland, Salem, and Canby. Head to Secure Our Elections Now to find a Dr. Frank event near you.

Also this week, election integrity expert Dr. Douglas Frank joins us on Oregon’s elections integrity — who’s really controlling Oregon’s elections, and what’s the state of our rolls? Plus, Judicial Watch’s landmark settlement forced Oregon to address 800,000 names that shouldn’t have been on voter rolls. A step forward — but is it enough?

Tune in because what Oregonians don’t know about its own numbers is exactly what some are counting on.

Catch Live the Show or Podcast

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The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends—seven different times on seven different radio stations. The real ones, not internet-only “radio” stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to see a full list of times and stations.

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Need to listen again? Wish you could share it? We’ve got you covered. Mondays, after our network of radio stations have aired the show, catch the I Spy Radio podcast version is available on your favorite podcasting platform, or you can grab it right here with the built-in player. See the full list of podcast options.

Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Jonathan Williams is the president and chief economist organization at American Legislative Exchange Council. Find out more at ALEC.org.
      • Encourage your representatives to join ALEC! There are state and city memberships. Help elected officials understand economic problems and the real solutions available to get out of them. Send them this link: https://alec.org/membership/.
      • And you too can join as a private-sector member!
      • Follow Jonathan on Twitter at @TaxEconomist.
  • Head to Rich States, Poor States to see how your state is doing — .

Dr. Frank Election Integrity Events

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16-12 Same Enemy — Two Fronts?

16-12 Same Enemy — Two Fronts?

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War on Prosperity. Same Enemy, Two Fronts?

Release Date: March 21st & 22nd, 2026

Duration: 47:55

Host: Mark Anderson

Guests: Jen Hamaker, president of ONRI, and Craig Rucker, president of CFACT


About This Episode

Show 16-12 exposes the growing “war on success” narrative, examining new policies aimed at unlocking America’s natural resources—from revitalizing Oregon’s timber industry to restarting California offshore oil production. Featuring Jennifer Hamaker and Craig Rucker, the episode explores the “maximum productivity” model, U.S. energy independence, and how domestic oil production now exceeds consumption, reshaping economic and geopolitical strategy. It also dives into the shift from climate-focused policies to a rising “plastics agenda,” revealing the broader impact on energy prices, supply chains, and American prosperity.

Show Notes

  • 00:00 – Host opener. Jen updates us on the status of Trump’s executive orders on timber production after one year. Working? Or just more of the same old same old? How is the Left combating it? The reality of what the EOs actually do. Incredible illustration of just how much 1 billion board feet of wood actually is.
  • 08:42 – Oregon produces 13 billion board feet annually. But when Oregon chooses to let the wood rot or burn, just how much is lost? Another terrific illustration of just how much we lose when that happens — the Labor Day fires as just one example.
  • 15:50 – Sorry, tree huggers and uninformed Leftist “environmentalists.” There is WAY more wood than you think there is. Just how much we could be doing. The exciting news from the Bureau of Land Management — the revision to Oregon’s O & C forest lands. What this means for Oregon’s counties. Why is the Left the enemy of prosperity?
  • 24:46 – Craig Rucker joins us, we talk just how much oil the US is producing, how this changes the impact of Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Genuine energy Independence.
  • 31:27 – Oregon and California’s war on prosperity. Why and how Trump is beating them anyway. The impact if Democrats finally got on board with supporting America. Why it’s amazing Trump has been able to get anything going with the economy.
  • 38:49 – Green mandates. How things would be going if Trump hadn’t made the changes he did in his first time — and not getting credit for his current changes. The UN has given up on Climate Change. And what their next war is. Meaning, where now the cash cow?

Transcript

(Opener only) Way back in 2012 and again in 2013 and 2018, we interviewed Vicky Steiner, a North Dakota state representative, and the Executive Director for the North Dakota Association of Oil and Gas Producing Counties.

Seems like ancient history now but if you remember back in those days North Dakota was having a massive oil boom thanks in large part to fracking. They could not get enough workers in fast enough. Wages skyrocketed.

And that’s great to be suddenly making a lot of money but there’s the other side of that. They did not have the infrastructure. People were sleeping in tents or their trucks. And it gets cold in North Dakota. Esp in winter. Temporary housing was brought in. Water and plumbing and electric lines all needed to be run. Which meant another boom they needed electricians and plumbers. There was constant food shortages — and… whenever supply is short, prices on food and everything else shot up. Roads needed to be built or repaired — rural schools suddenly had twice as many students.

It was like squeezing 15 years of civilization into about one year.

So when we talk to Vicki she said something that has always stuck with me. She said, “I don’t understand Oregon. Here in ND we realize at some point these wells will go dry. You guys have trees and they grow back. Why aren’t you harvesting them? That’s an endless supply of money just sitting there. None of us can figure that out.”

Trust me, I said. We don’t get it either. But it’s the radical left. We’re largely handcuffed by environmentalists and the democrats and to a lesser degree republicans are scared of them.

Oregon is a tremendously blessed state when it comes to natural resources — we are the envy of other states. The problem is we are cursed with junked up junk science. That carbon dioxide is somehow “the enemy” (which goes against what most of us learned in second grade science — That plants depend on carbon dioxide). And the overriding junk science of “Climate Change” is costing us a massive amount of money — money that we could be earning.

But instead the idiots in charge — currently in charge — are far more interested in getting and spending other people’s money than doing anything to fix other people’s problems

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Additional Show Notes, Links Mentioned, Related Info

Our Guests’ Websites:

  • Jen Hamaker is president of Oregon Natural Resources, ONRI.us
  • Craig Rucker is co-founder and president of the Committee For a Constructive Tomorrow, CFACT.org

Links Mentioned

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Show 16-07 Endanger! Endanger, Will Robinson! Climate Change Backbone Yanked Out

Show 16-07 Endanger! Endanger, Will Robinson! Climate Change Backbone Yanked Out

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Endanger! Endanger, Will Robinson! Climate Scam Backbone Yanked Out

Release Date: February 14th & 15th, 2026

Duration: 47:55

Host: Mark Anderson

Guests: Craig Rucker, president of CFACT, and John Charles, president & CEO of Cascade Policy


About This Episode

This week, you’ll hear the massive news that the fossil media is hoping you’ll ignore. Because the Democrats and further Left have been making trillions off fake news and faked science. And the days of taxpayer-funded, compulsory tithes to the Democrats is coming to an end. The Obama-era EPA rule, the endangerment finding, has been the regulatory backbone of of not just Global Warming regulations but the legal means to fund environmental movement’s cash cow to fund Democrats’ political ideology and their broader operations.

Show Notes

  • 00:00 – Intro – the Endangerment Finding’s tentacles, Left’s coming cognitive dissonance, media distractions to ignore what just happened.
  • 02:43 – Craig Rucker, president of CFACT, on judges ruling energy is somehow not a national security issue. Idiotic push for windmills exemplify Endangerment Finding. Trillions wasted. Clean Air Act original intention and why Endangerment Finding never should have happened.
  • 10:33 – The biggest dominoes that will fall as a result of ending the Endangerment Finding. Will other countries mirror our deregulation—and what happens if they don’t. Why this deregulation really is the end, why it’s different, and why it is so unlikely to be reborn via Democrat lawsuits, acts of Congress, or the Supreme Court.
  • 18:19 – The proof Obama used faked and falsified “science” to create the Endangerment Finding in the first place. The cascading damage caused by its bogus science. The biggest and most dangerous domino to fall with the end of the Endangerment Finding. Speculating on the Left’s next boogeyman to scare people.
  • 25:14 – John Charles, president and CEO of Cascade Policy Institute, on one of their biggest free market wins. The  free market system compared to the Left’s socialism. The net zero madness—thanks to that Endangerment Finding—that will cost New England states 100s of billions to do nothing.
  • 33:39 – The impact of deregulating the federal Endangerment Finding on Oregon’s state-level regulations. Lawsuits and challenges to Governor Kotek’s Climate Protection Plan, since it doesn’t have a federal regulation to stand on. Implosion we’re seeing in other countries from net zero. It was all about imposing their political will. Not climate. Economic impact: How Oregon’s policies will drive out businesses and prevent new ones from coming. Is change on the way?
  • 39:57 – What is up with Oregon elected Democrats’ insane push for more tax and spending at all costs in an election year? And yet another new scam: how SB 1526 emulates the current Energy Trust of Oregon scam to hide more money from public scrutiny. Fraud in Oregon.

Transcript

(Opener) What if so much of what you currently believe turned out to be based on a lie? I don’t mean just “sort of based on the line,” I mean the entire foundation of what you believe. Just a lie. Last week we touched on that, talking about cognitive dissonance.

Because your psyche doesn’t like to be wrong, your brain sort of short circuits when it is confronted with new information that directly contradicts previously held beliefs—and throws up all sorts of defense mechanisms to stop you from believing the new information.

I mention this because there’s some big information that is happening that could radically change so much of the Left’s belief system. The Endangerment Finding has been the legal and regulatory backbone that the Left has used to push green energy climate change, net zero mandates and regulations, carbon credits, and so much else.

And, along the way, to steal trillions of dollars from US taxpayers. Which they then use to hire people—or at least, convince them—in the media to promote and defend climate change. And to attack anyone who dares question them. “Science denier” and all the rest.

Those stupid windmills that aren’t moving up in the [Columbia] gorge? Thank the endangerment finding. The push to windmills offshore in Oregon. That was based on the endangerment finding. Higher gas taxes because “oil is the enemy”? That’s thanks to the endangerment finding. Not cutting down trees—you know, which regrow — and the whole nonsense of carbon sequestration? Endangerment finding. Solar panels taking over what used to be farmland. Endangerment finding.

So you can kind of see here how this might be a bit of a danger to the Left’s mental well-being. And while this is being undone, the media continues its distraction, hoping that people won’t pay attention, hoping that people can be distracted long enough so that they don’t realize that the green gospel they’ve been hearing preached nonstop and forced to live under was all based on a lie.

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If you enjoy our content, help others discover the show! Give us a like and subscribe or leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform—or drop a comment below. That really helps us get a bump up in the ol’ algorithms when platforms suggest shows to others.

Show Notes, Research, Links Mentioned, and Related

  • Craig Rucker’s organization is CFACT (Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow). Visit them at CFACT.org.
    • The CFACT article mentioned was “Ending EPA’s ‘Endangerment Finding’ may be a fatal blow to regulatory climate overreach.”
      • “[The] 2009 Obama Administration climate rule has been the legal foundation for regulating the U.S. economy by placing restrictions on cars and electricity generation by bypassing Congress. The underlying basis for the Endangerment Finding is that CO2 and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and must be regulated under the Clean Air Act.”
  • John Charles is the president and CEO of Cascade Policy. Visit them at CascadePolicy.org. Get their newsletter!
    • The bill mentioned during the show is SB 1526. Read more about SB 1526 and the Democrats’ latest scheme to hide money in yet another slush fund.
  • Trump suffers major losses in his war on offshore wind (Politico, Jan 18, 2026)
    • “The administration’s arguments that offshore wind farms present a national security risk failed to convince judges in three separate courts.”
  • Trump Set to Repeal Obama-Era Climate Finding (Pro Trump News, Feb 10, 2026)
  • Will consumers pay for Oregon’s climate ambitions (OregonLive, Jan 18, 2025)
  • New England ratepayers may save up to $700 billion (Just the News, Jan 18, 2026)

Not mentioned but you might want to read…

 

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Show 16-04 Podcast – Why Republicans Winning Oregon Elections Just Got More Likely

Show 16-04 Podcast – Why Republicans Winning Oregon Elections Just Got More Likely

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Why Republicans Winning Oregon Elections Just Got More Likely

Release Date: January 24, 2026

Duration: 47:55

Host: Mark Anderson

Guests: Rep. Ed Diehl, candidate for Oregon governor, and Eric Lee, senior attorney on Judicial Watch’s election integrity team


About This Episode

Election integrity laws are about to change — for the good. The timing could not be better. Right when a Republican candidate with a proven ability to draw independents and Democrats decided to run for Oregon’s governor. And at a time Oregon Democrats are doing their best to sabotage their own chances by punishing Oregonian to cling to power. Even more, the federal lawsuits to restore trust in our elections haven’t even really gotten started.

Show Notes

  • 00:00 – Representative Ed Diehl announces his run for Oregon governor — what happened to change him from a no to a yes?
  • 09:18 – The highly successful No Gas Tax referendum drew support from all political parties. So how to convert support for that issue into support for him as a governor candidate for Oregon?
  • 16:31 – Oregon Democrats are committing political suicide more on how they are punishing Oregon businesses and the Oregonians who work at them.
  • 24:39 – Eric Lee, senior attorney on Judicial Watch’s election integrity team discusses last week’s SCOTUS ruling and how Bost v. Illinois was so huge for election integrity. Why the rules have now changed.
  • 31:45 – The avalanche of election integrity lawsuits about to come. Judicial Watch sued Oregon to clean up the voter rolls; Oregon surprised court watchers by suddenly announcing they would remove 800,000 inactive voters—about 20–25% of registered voters.
  • 39:09 – Did Oregon’s Secretary of State just blab a little too much and admit Oregon is at fault? That 800,00? That’s just the start. Discovery is underway right now. And did the Secretary of State also open the door to another Judicial Watch lawsuit by violating another federal law?

Transcript

(Opener) There’s a buzz phrase in government that you probably heard. Evidence based. And they use that buzz phrase because what they really want is for you not to question their policies.

Evidence based refers, allegedly, making government policy and spending decisions based on evidence — like data and research (which govt pays someone to do), and so-called “proven results” rather than on ideology, intuition, or anecdote.

Now just to easily disprove the notion of evidence based — when’s the last time democrats push through government policy that supported (or, more to the point, funded) any ideology on the right.

There is overwhelming evidence for conservative, pro-growth economic policies — like lowering taxes and cutting government spending is good for economies and good for people. Instead, Democrats want to raise taxes and increase government spending — the exact opposite of what the evidence shows.

Instead, it’s about things like climate change, which they plan to fix through carbon credits, which fund Democrats. Or Green energy (which isn’t green — and funds Democrats). Or funding the homeless-industrial complex of non-profits, which happen to be Democrats.

Well, the real evidence is in. And it’s fraud and its government incompetence. And we’d planned to talk an awful lot about fraud on today’s show and then, well… the best-laid plans of mice and men, or politicians and radio hosts, sometimes go awry.

Because the last time we talked to representative Ed Diehl back in December, we wanted to get him on our calendar to continue our discussion about fraud, and to get some insights into legislative days at the capital, and what devious schemes those Democrats are up to now. So we threw around some dates and settled on today—we’re talking Wednesday afternoon, January 21st—and we were all set to continue that discussion but then a little something came up.

And I don’t know how we don’t start off with this huge news, even though this show won’t air until the weekend after the big reveal. So, Ed welcome back, and for those who don’t already know by now go ahead and tell ‘em.

Download the Show

Don’t use podcast platforms? No problem! Download Show 16-04. That link will open in a new tab where you can listen right in your browser or download it if you prefer.

Additional Show Notes

For research, links mentioned during the show, additional commentary, etc., head to this page.

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16-04 Why Republicans Winning Oregon Elections Just Got More Likely

16-04 Why Republicans Winning Oregon Elections Just Got More Likely

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Show 16-04 Summary:  This week, it’s Oregon’s all important 2026 elections — and why things will change. We start with Representative Ed Diehl (HD17) to talk about his decision to run for Oregon’s governor. Can he win? Find out why we certainly think he will not only win the primary, he will win the general. But can he really win in a state known for its lack of election integrity? Including having what Judicial Watch called “the dirtiest voter rolls in the nation.” We talk with Judicial Watch’s senior attorney, Eric Lee, about their lawsuit — and why last week’s SCOTUS ruling opens the door to fundamentally changing elections. Including right here in Oregon.

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Air Dates: January 24th & 25th, 2026 | Guests: Ed Diehl & Eric Lee

This Week – Republicans Winning Oregon’s Elections

When we last talked to Ed Diehl at the end of December, we scheduled this week to continue our discussion on fraud in Oregon (hold our beer, Minnesota) and legislative days in Salem. But the night before our interview on Wednesday, news broke he was going to run for Oregon governor.

How do we not talk about that? We have been urging Ed to run for governor for at least a couple of years. We talk about his race, what changed his mind, and his competition—both Republican and Democrat. Plus, we do get a chance to talk about fraud, including what he will do about it as governor.

Plus, we talk about that all-important No Gas tax petition drive that will not only help Ed Diehl win Oregon’s 2026 governor’s race, but help sink Democrats. Democrats might not lose their majorities in the house or senate—although they just might find themselves in the minority after November—hey will definitely lose their super majorities in both chambers.

Want to find out more about Ed Diehl, candidate for Oregon governor? Head to Ed’s website. Remember: deep pocket donors wait to see how many smaller donors are sending in money. They need to see that interest. It’s their way of judging a candidate’s chances before committing bigger money.

Then we welcome back Eric Lee, senior attorney on Judicial Watch’s election integrity team, to discuss their lawsuit against Oregon to force them to clean up their voter rolls. And there was a major admission on Oregon’s part about its dirty rolls just last week. Whoops.

But before we get there, we get Eric’s take on last week’s SCOTUS ruling in Bost v. Illinois Board of Elections. On the surface, it was about whether a candidate had standing. But dig a little (which the leftstream media did its best not to do) and it is much. much bigger. How much bigger? Enough that it could fundamentally change elections. And people might just trust them again.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Mondays, after our network of radio stations have aired the show, I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite podcasting platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

The I Spy Radio Show Logo, 2025. © Copyright January 2025. All rights reserved.
2026: The Year of Popcorn | How Dems Will Destroy Themselves

2026: The Year of Popcorn | How Dems Will Destroy Themselves

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Show 16-02 Summary: In our first live show for 2026, we welcome back fan-favorite and long-time guest, Chuck Wiese. Chuck is a meteorologist, pilot, and fierce Global Warming debunker. And he’s a growing political activist. We take a brief look back at the biggest stories of 2026 but focus on what will be the biggest stories of 2026. And the biggest and best will be the Democrats destroying themselves. Repeatedly. Find out why “the pundits” and .Far Left strategists have it all wrong. Have plenty of popcorn on hand.

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The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations and anywhere via live streams. Check out when, where, and how to listen. Missed it? Podcast available Mondays.

Air Dates: January 10th & 11th, 2026 | Guest: Chuck Wiese

This Week – Look Back, Look Forward, and Look Out

There has been nothing boring about 2026’s opening days. From watching the Somali fraud that exploded in late 21025 just get bigger and bigger in 2026 to the awe-inspiring capture and arrest of Venezuela’s Nicholas Maduro, Americans are witnessing historical events unfold.

In our first live show for 2026, we welcome back fan-favorite and long-time guest, Chuck Wiese. We love talking to Chuck because of his analytical, scientifically trained  mind. But as someone who has recently taken a more active role in politics, his eyes have been opened. And it’s good to get that every-man perspective. Because “the pundits” are too often wrong because they rely solely on other “pundits.”

Going out of 2025, those media pundits were predicting no end of doom for Republicans in 2026’s midterms. But they are missing the key elements behind the stories, which explains why they are so likely to be wrong about what’s coming.

Tune in to find out what.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Trapped under a heavy object? Missed the show? Don’t worry—catch the podcast version. Mondays, after our network of radio stations have aired the show, I Spy Radio is now available on your favorite podcasting platform, or you can grab it right here. See the full list of podcast options.

The I Spy Radio Show Logo, 2025. © Copyright January 2025. All rights reserved.
15-51 Podcast: If the Fraud Happened There, It is Happening Here

15-51 Podcast: If the Fraud Happened There, It is Happening Here

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Show 15-51 Summary: USAID? The Social Security gateway fraud? All that fraud, waste, and abuse DOGE uncovered? That was bad. But more extensive fraud will be uncovered at the state levels. This week we bring back Rep. Ed Diehl to discuss this success of the No Gas Tax referendum movement. And what that success means for ODOT, an agency that oozes overspending and waste. And what it means for the Democrats who pushed this bill on Oregonians. ODOT is a prime example of a government agency abusing the taxpayer. We are seeing fraud, waste, and abuse exposed at every level of government. We drill down into the Somali fraud in Minnesota because there are patterns now emerging in other states where additional fraud is being uncovered. And those are very similar patterns to fraud that Ed is exposing at Oregon’s Health Authority.

 

 

The I Spy Radio Show Logo, 2025. © Copyright January 2025. All rights reserved.
15-51 If the Fraud Happened There, It is Happening Here

15-51 If the Fraud Happened There, It is Happening Here

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Show 15-51 Summary:  This week we bring back Rep. Ed Diehl to discuss the success of the No Gas Tax referendum movement. And what that success means for ODOT, an agency that oozes overspending and waste. And for the Democrats who pushed this bill on Oregonians. ODOT is a prime example of a government agency abusing the taxpayer. We are seeing fraud, waste, and abuse exposed at every level of government. But it turns out there’s a lot more fraud out there happening the more we look. We drill down into the Somali fraud in Minnesota because there are patterns now emerging in other states where additional fraud is being uncovered. And those are very similar patterns to fraud that Ed is looking into from Oregon’s Health Authority.

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I Spy Radio broadcast areas. Click for full-size.

The I Spy Radio Show airs weekends, seven times over the weekend, on seven different stations. Listen anywhere through the stations’ live streams! Check out when, where, and how to listen to the I Spy Radio Show. Podcast available Mondays after the show airs on our network of stations.

Air Dates: December 20th & 21st, 2025 | Guest: Rep. Ed Diehl

This Week – Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

Did it occur to anyone the reason why Oregon democrats shoved through the Gas Tax Bill is because throwing more money at ODOT makes it easier to cover up fraud, waste, and abuse? With big spending has come expansive, and expensive fraud. And we’ve only just started to see this exposed.

We welcome back Rep Ed Diehl to talk about the phenomenal success of the No Gas Tax signature gathering to put the referendum on the November election. They needed over 78,000 qualified signatures but have already turned in 193,000. Talk about room for margin of error.

Why not congratulate Oregon Freedom Coalition for their outstanding work? Head to OregonFreedom.com to drop them a Christmas gift to help them build on that success in 2026. Plus, as a registered 501(c)4 and PAC, Oregon residents get a $50 tax credit ($100 per couple) for political donations.

Somali Fraud Framework Here in Oregon?

We’ve said Oregon is the Wuhan Lab of Leftist policies. And that’s true.  They try out policies here, do some gain of function (trial and error, improve processes, persuasion points, marketing, funding, etc.,), and then export it to other states. Fraud happens that same way.

Someone schemes up something, they figure a way to make it work, then others in other states replicate it. And that’s what has happened with the Somali fraud. Which is being uncovered in other states.

It requires an expansive and overly generous social benefit program. Like welfare, Medicaid, food stamps, rental assistance, etc. And, in places like Oregon, they throw a whole bunch more of it under the umbrella of “health care.”

By having such massive amounts of money fly out the door, fraud becomes harder to find, despite there being more of it. It’s one thing to to find a single needle in a haystack. But a haystack the size of a barn can hide a lot more needles. Even worse: use illegal immigrants so anyone who looks can be labelled a “racist” to stop potential investigations in their tracks.

Don’t think that works? It did. In Minnesota, merely suggesting racism was enough to stall investigations. And now at least $1 billion was stolen from Minnesota. And some are saying it’s as high at $9 billion .

We talk with Ed about a fraud scandal through Oregon’s Health Authority. Which is so eager to create a football-field sized haystack they include things like Climate Change as “healthcare.” Literally anything can now be called healthcare.

But what to do about? Those are our questions too.

The I Spy Radio Show Podcast Version

Due to changes in Apple podcast, we now need to post the podcast separately. Listen to 15-51’s podcast here.

Show Notes: Research, Links Mentioned & Additional Info

  • Ed Diehl’s organization is Oregon Freedom Coalition. Head to OregonFreedom.com to learn more. And please donate to reward them for their success—and to grow it in 2026!

Somali Fraud

  • Not familiar with the Somali Fraud? Here’s a Minnesota Somali Fraud Summary via Perplexity AI (Perplexity, Retrieved December 17, 2025)
  • Could Minnesota officials have stopped Feeding our Future fraud sooner? (Star Tribune, October 28, 2022)
  • Many millions lost. Is the Walz administration taking fraud and waste seriously enough? (Star Tribune, July 12, 2024)
  • The Somali Fraud Story Busts Liberal Myths (City Journal, December 2, 2025)
  • Federal investigators warn Minnesota welfare fraud may have helped fund Al-Shabaab (Fox Baltimore, November 21, 2025)
  • How Fraud Swamped Minnesota’s Social Services System on Tim Walz’s Watch (NY Times, Nov. 29, 2025)
  • Government watchdog says evidence in Minnesota fraud cases ‘overwhelming’ (Fox Baltimore, December 4, 2025)
  • ‘It makes me want to knee someone in the groin,’ Senator says of $1B Somali fraud scheme (KOMO News, December 6, 2025)
  • Fear of being called ‘racist’ was key factor in Minnesota’s fraud scandal, expert reveals (Fox News, December 9, 2025)
  • Luxury cars and private villas: See how Minnesota fraudsters spent millions intended for hungry kids (CBS News, December 11, 2025)
  • Expert reveals key factor that led to massive Minnesota fraud scheme (Fox News, Dec 9, 2025)
  • ‘Schemes stacked upon schemes’: $1B public benefits fraud fuels scrutiny of Minnesota’s Somali community (Fox News, Dec 7, 2025)
    • In 2021, when the Minnesota Department of Education grew suspicious and tried to stop the flow of funds, Feeding Our Future sued, alleging racial discrimination. A judge ordered the state to restart reimbursements — a ruling prosecutors said enabled the scheme to escalate.
    • That case has now grown to 78 defendants

Oregon Fraud

  • Health Authority withheld plea for “scrutiny” of Uplifting Journey (Jeff Eager, Substack, Dec 14, 2025)
    • An Oregon Health Authority contracts manager emailed senior leaders in May about a “circuitous” bunch of businesses tied to $60M Arizona Medicaid fraud case
    • OHA paid Uplifting Journey $2.3 million in drug and alcohol treatment Medicaid reimbursements
    • State Rep. Ed Diehl triggered the investigation when he asked OHA whether Uplifting Journeys had ever received state or federal funding.
    • Diehl wanted to know after The Post Millennial reported police responded to 17 calls at the Lake Oswego house operated by Uplifting Journey and alleged gang ties

Related

  • Fraud at the highest levels — inside the White House: “Trump Administration Moves To Expose Autopen Presidency Records Biden Tried To Hide” (Trending Politics, Dec 17, 2025)