The Contrarian Pod

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Journalist Aaron Parnas

On the Tea with April Ryan, April sat down with Gov. Gavin Newsom from California and journalist Aaron Parnas. Gov. Newsom talked about how the economy is holding up after Trump’s choice to start a war with Iran, the rise of racism in politics and why ‘anti-woke is anti-black,’ and we even asked him if he was willing to spill a little tea on his plans for 2028. Aaron Parnas, as you might know, is a great journalist on TikTok and Substack, a real reporter’s reporter for the social media age. He talked about how he juggles parenthood and staying on the pulse of breaking news during this era of a 24/7 news cycle. The Tea with April Ryan is live, every Thursday, at 5pm Eastern at ContrarianNews.org [https://ContrarianNews.org] The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack [http://contrariannews.org]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.contrariannews.org/subscribe [https://www.contrariannews.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Andrew Weissmann Has a Plan to Save America

Andrew Weissman served as the lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel’s Office and was General Counsel for the FBI. His latest book, Liar’s Kingdom: How to Stop Trump’s Deceit and Save America, lays out the blueprint to save our democracy. In it, Andrew points out how America’s political institutions have been exploited by rampant lying and dishonest politicians since the 2020 election. But, there is a way we can fight back, and he talks about it in this episode with journalist Katie Phang. The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack [http://contrariannews.org]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.contrariannews.org/subscribe [https://www.contrariannews.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Road to Winning the Midterms, 2028, and Beyond

The Supreme Court’s Callais ruling has created an electoral and racist mess. Representative Shomari Figures from Alabama’s 2nd District and I looked at what’s at stake in his home state, where a racially gerrymandered map is back under consideration. Alabama is also confusing voters through a series of last-minute special sessions, primary date changes, and attempts to throw out already cast primary votes. All of this aims to strip Black people of their voting power and revoke fair representation for all. April Ryan got the chance to sit down with Alabama’s Representative in the 7th district, Terri Sewell [20:15], to look back on the legacy of the civil rights movement, and how we revitalize it. Racists in power have been waiting for this moment to send America back to the Jim Crow era. But, that doesn’t mean we have to let them. The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack [http://contrariannews.org]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.contrariannews.org/subscribe [https://www.contrariannews.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Why 'All Roads Lead to the South' with Rep. Figures and Rep. Sewell

The Supreme Court’s Callais ruling has created an electoral and racist mess. Representative Shomari Figures from Alabama’s 2nd District and I looked at what’s at stake in his home state, where a racially gerrymandered map is back under consideration. Alabama is also confusing voters through a series of last-minute special sessions, primary date changes, and attempts to throw out already cast primary votes. All of this aims to strip Black people of their voting power and revoke fair representation for all. April Ryan got the chance to sit down with Alabama’s Representative in the 7th district, Terri Sewell [20:15], to look back on the legacy of the civil rights movement, and how we revitalize it. Racists in power have been waiting for this moment to send America back to the Jim Crow era. But, that doesn’t mean we have to let them. The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack [http://contrariannews.org]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.contrariannews.org/subscribe [https://www.contrariannews.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

SCOTUS Has Dismantled the Voting Rights Act

This Saturday, people from all over the country will gather in Montgomery, Alabama to protest the Supreme Court’s decision in Callais v. Louisiana and the continued dismantling of the Voting Rights Act. LaTosha Brown is the Co-Founder of Black Voters Matter, and she spoke with Jen Rubin about how organizers and activists have come together to fight back in this historic moment, and why this decision is bigger than just redistricting in the 2026 Midterms. And, voting rights and election law expert Rick Hasen [20:25] looked at the fallout in elections in Louisiana and Virginia, and why the Supreme Court’s conflicting rulings on voting rights cases have created an electoral kerfuffle. The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring you the brightest voices in politics & culture and fight every day against the Trump chaos machine. Join us on Substack [http://contrariannews.org]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.contrariannews.org/subscribe [https://www.contrariannews.org/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]