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"Religious Liberty in Crisis: Exercising Your Faith in an Age of Uncertainty" is the provocative title of a new book by former U.S. Solicitor General Ken Starr.Starr joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to explain why he thinks religious liberty is in crisis and what the biggest threats posed to religious liberty are.He also explains why it’s important for every American to know his or her First Amendment rights to free exercise of religion and how the faithful can resist the encroachment of secularism.We also cover these stories:President Joe Biden says Americans should not buy gasoline in a panic, as the Colonial Pipeline returns to service after it was hacked by a criminal organization called DarkSide.At a press conference Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., criticizes Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., for comments he made minimizing the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to Biden, says people who have had COVID-19 vaccinations don’t need to wear a mask outside.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Texas is a border state, and Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how illegal immigration is affecting it."With my military background, 20 years in the Air Force, it's incumbent upon commanders to visit troops in the field," Pfluger told The Daily Signal."We've asked the commander in chief to visit the Border Patrol agents, because what stood out to me was, when you talk to these folks, they're trying to the best of their ability to do their job to secure our country, and they don't have the resources," the freshman Texas lawmaker said. "In fact, this administration is cutting resources, halting construction on the border wall, not giving the technology that they need."Pfluger also shares his take on the 178,622 illegal immigrants who were detained along the U.S.-Mexico border in April. That's the highest number of monthly apprehensions in at least two decades.He also discusses how demand for gasoline is skyrocketing after the Colonial Pipeline was hacked by a criminal organization called DarkSide.We also cover these stories:House Republicans oust Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming from her position as GOP Conference chairwoman, the third-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says that the United States is professing “ironclad support” for Israel as the Jewish state faces ongoing attacks from Hamas, a Palestinian militant group. The government is asking Americans not to hoard gasoline amid increased shortages on the East Coast stemming from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A small Missouri college is taking the Biden administration to court over a directive that allows biological men who "identify” as women to live in female-only dormitories.  The College of the Ozarks, a Christian school with just over 1,500 students, filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration in April after the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a directive requiring colleges and universities to open dorm rooms and other sex-specific spaces to individuals of the opposite sex.The directive came after President Joe Biden issued his “Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation.” “We're seeing an example that from our point of view is out of touch with reality,” Dr. Jerry Davis, president of the College of the Ozarks in Point Outlook, Missouri, said of the directive. He added that the order will “do irreparable harm to a school like this. And it seems to me that somebody is going to have to stand up and say what this really is … . It's an overreach [of government].” The College of the Ozarks is represented by the Christian legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom. Davis and Ryan Bangert, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney, join “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the lawsuit and the broader implications of the case. We also cover these stories: The Senate Rules Committee marks up the Democrat-backed voter legislation known as “The For the People Act.”Demand for gasoline skyrockets after a ransomware attack on Coastal Pipeline.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces that public colleges and universities will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for all students returning to campus. Enjoy the show!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Self-described cake artist Jack Phillips is again at the center of the debate over religious freedom, this time as the defendant in a state trial after being sued for declining to design and bake a cake celebrating a gender transition."Jack's been in the news for many years," as Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, told The Daily Signal, referring to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission's finding that Phillips, a Christian, discriminated against a gay couple when he declined on religious grounds to make a custom cake to celebrate the two men's marriage.Phillips, whose Masterpiece Cakeshop is in Lakewood, Colorado, took his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court."In 2018, the Supreme Court said that Colorado had engaged in religious hostility toward Jack. And so he won that case, 7 to 2," says Tedesco, today's guest on "The Daily Signal Podcast.""But then Colorado turned around right after that and considered another complaint against him, this time based on a gender transition cake that someone asked him to create. Eventually Colorado got the message and dismissed that complaint," Phillips' lawyer says, "but then the private citizen involved in filing that complaint filed a private lawsuit against Jack. And so that's why he's in court now."Listen to the full interview on “The Daily Signal Podcast” or read a lightly edited transcript below.We also cover these stories:The Biden administration reverses a Trump administration policy on health care and transgender individuals. The FBI announces that a criminal gang called DarkSide is behind an attack on the Colonial Pipeline network. Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a biological male, is on track to compete as a woman in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Brooke Rollins spent three years working for President Donald Trump in high-profile White House roles at the Office of American Innovation and the Domestic Policy Council. Now, she leads a new group of Trump administration alumni to defend the former president’s policy accomplishments and prepare for the future.The mission of the America First Policy Institute is to develop and promote policies that put the American people first. “AFPI is truly the defender of the American dream, but also the American people,” Rollins tells me on “The Daily Signal Podcast.”As president and CEO of the new organization, Rollins has assembled a team that includes former Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon, former National Economic Council chief Larry Kudlow, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and former National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe.“I think that no matter what we do as conservatives, we know our policies are righteous and we know that they work, and we know that they truly help those who need help the most,” Rollins says.Also on today's show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about a Texas teacher who was honored by her community in a special way during Teacher Appreciation Week.Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Georgia state Sen. John Albers says the media got a lot wrong in covering Georgia's election legislation."The media missed most of it," Albers told "The Daily Signal Podcast." "They had written up their talking points before the bill was even passed. In fact, even before the bill was created, they already had a narrative against the bill, even though when they looked at the bill and many of them made comments, they were false."Albers joins the podcast to discuss what Georgia's new election law is really about.We also cover these stories:Florida takes steps to further secure its elections. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. supports Ukraine as Russian troops continue to be deployed along the Russia-Ukraine border. The Texas state Senate passes a bill to allow those 21 or older to carry a handgun without a permit.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., recently returned from a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border. On his flight back, Clyde sat next to illegal immigrants."We are, the taxpayers are paying for this," Clyde says of illegal immigrants flying in the U.S."This is federal government funded activity. Not only that, they don't even have to abide by the TSA rules because they don't have any valid government issued ID. So, TSA is allowing them to fly with everyone else without government issued photo ID."Clyde joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about this experience, who is paying for transportation of illegal immigrants, what stood out to him most from his latest visit to the border, and more.We also cover these stories:Facebook’s independent oversight panel upholds Donald Trump's suspension from the social media platform for the time being. Conservatives criticize Facebook after the social media giant says it will maintain an indefinite ban keeping Trump off the platform. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., calls for the ousting of Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., from her position as chairman of the House Republican Conference. Scalise says Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., should take Cheney’s place as the House's No. 3 Republican.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Personnel with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and with Customs and Border Protection are being directed by the Biden administration to stop using the terms "illegal alien” and "assimilation.” Chad Wolf, a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation and former acting secretary of homeland security in President Donald Trump's administration, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss that and other aspects of the illegal immigration crisis at the southern border under President Joe Biden. We also cover these stories: The Food and Drug Administration is expected to allow 12- to 15-year-olds to get the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for the first time.House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., admits Tuesday that Republican members of the House lack confidence in the House Republican Conference chairwoman, Rep. Liz Cheney, amid an ongoing rift between the Wyoming congresswoman and former President Donald Trump.House Republicans are asking their Senate Republicans colleagues to vote against confirming David Chipman,  President Joe Biden’s choice to lead the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Critical race theory is making its way into institutions across America.Christopher Rufo, a visiting fellow for domestic policy studies at The Heritage Foundation, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how critical race theory is affecting what children learn in schools. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news outlet.)"Critical race theory is an academic discipline ... that holds that racism is the driving force in society, that in order to understand power relations, in order to understand institutions such as the law, education, the Constitution, [and] social relations, you have to understand that through the lens of race," Rufo, also a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, says.Rufo explains how critical race theory is affecting corporate America and what can be done about it.We also cover these stories:Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., says that those who contend the 2020 election was stolen are “poisoning our democratic system.”Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell signals that President Joe Biden’s $4.1 trillion "infrastructure" package will receive zero support from Senate Republicans.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill invalidating all remaining emergency COVID-19 orders across his state.Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you’re a conservative parent, you likely know that our schools are littered with leftist propaganda meant to penetrate the minds of our impressionable kids. While it’s sometimes done subconsciously by unsuspecting teachers, too often it’s part of the left’s agenda to turn students against traditional American values. We’re seeing the consequences throughout our culture today.Fortunately, those who believe in unbiased education and critical thinking have a place to turn for help. PragerU’s Resources for Educators and Parents, also known as PREP, is offering more than 10,000 subscribers an opportunity to counter the leftist agenda permeating our schools.Jill Simonian, director of outreach at PREP, recently spoke with The Daily Signal’s Virginia Allen about PragerU’s newest initiative. She joins me on today’s show to provide an update about the work she's doing and how you can join the effort.“If we do not teach our children how to think critically, so much of what America has been built on and the values of this country, they’re all going to disappear,” Simonian said. “And we're all going to look around and say, 'Well, what happened? What happened?'”Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Georgia state Rep. Barry Fleming lost his job over the state's recently passed election reform legislation.The Hancock County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 to ask Fleming to resign as county attorney "after pressure from citizens opposed to his work on proposed voting law changes," Georgia Public Broadcasting reported March 10.Critics of Georgia's new law say it hampers voting rights, but Fleming, R-Harlem, argues that it does just the opposite.“It makes it easier to vote in Georgia,” Fleming says, adding:In Georgia, we actually expanded the days to early vote. There's now or can be an extra 36 hours at least of early voting in Georgia. We made it very simple when it comes to absentee ballots. You still need no excuse to vote absentee in Georgia, and all you have to do is write down your driver's license number. ... So in Georgia we think going forward it will be easier to vote, but hopefully harder to cheat. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nikki Haley, previously U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and governor of South Carolina, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what conservatives realistically can try to accomplish during the next 18 months while faced with a liberal Democratic president and Congress.Haley—a Republican and founder of Stand for America, a 501(c)(4) advocacy group that promotes public policies it says strengthen America's economy, culture, and security—also discusses how conservatives can engage in the debate of issues such as race and election security, including voter ID."Don't assume that minorities can't do for themselves," Haley says of the latter. "We are perfectly capable of getting a photo ID. We're perfectly capable of picking the school of our choice. We are perfectly capable of understanding how to make the most of our opportunities if they are put in front of us."Plus: We share some of the highlights from President Joe Biden’s address to Congress. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., says his state is being overwhelmed by the crisis at the southern border."We're being overrun," Gosar tells The Daily Signal."I mean, I was down in Yuma a week and a half ago, and we saw 'coyotes' just bring children over and just give themselves up. One 'coyote,' in the evening, she brought in two young boys, [ages] 7 and 10, and five girls, 11 to 17," he says."None of them were related. They were being overwhelmed. And you saw the mayor of Gila County basically say they have 'no room at the inn.' They have run out of resources," the Arizona Republican adds.A "coyote" is a slang term for a person who smuggles illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border.Gosar also discusses Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey's recent announcement that he will deploy the National Guard to the border, as well as the political battle over an election audit in Maricopa County.We also cover these stories:The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases new guidelines on mask-wearing during the pandemic. John Kerry, President Joe Biden's special envoy for climate change, denies he disclosed secret information concerning Israeli military actions in Syria during a conversation with an Iranian official.Idaho lawmakers reject education programs that include critical race theory.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Election integrity legislation sponsored by Arizona state Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who represents eastern Maricopa County, failed Thursday after state Sen. Kelly Townsend, who represents portions of Maricopa and Pinal counties, a fellow Republican, changed her vote to no during the final reading.Ugenti-Rita joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the bill, how its defeat hurts Arizonans, and whether another vote will be held on the legislation.We also cover these stories:The Supreme Court will argue a Second Amendment case in the coming months.  Conservative justices on the Supreme Court are signaling their support towards two non-profits in their challenge against California legislation requiring them to disclose the identities of large donors, Reuters reported. The Supreme Court announced Monday that they have declined to hear arguments in a case between the states of Texas and California.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A group of former Trump administration officials have formed America First Legal to stop the Biden administration’s executive actions and counter the radical left’s plans to transform our country.Led by Stephen Miller, former White House senior adviser and director of speechwriting, America First Legal promises to turn the tables on the left, which used the court system to stymie some of President Donald Trump's key initiatives."The only difference between what happened to the Trump administration and what we are going to do is we're actually going to have the law and the Constitution on our side," says Matthew Whitaker, acting U.S. attorney general under Trump and one of those involved in the new organization.Whitaker joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about America First Legal’s plans and some of the biggest issues, including illegal immigration and Second Amendment rights, to emerge so far from the Biden administration.Also on today's show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about a father and daughter who created a YouTube channel to empower special needs children.Listen to the podcast below or read the lightly edited transcript. Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Four Democratic members of Congress have introduced legislation to expand the Supreme Court from nine justices to 13. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., on April 15 introduced the bill with Reps. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., and Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y. Markey supports the high court's expansion because, he said, the “United States Supreme Court is broken.”GianCarlo Canaparo, a legal fellow in the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation and co-host of the podcast SCOTUS 101, said that Markey and the other Democrats backing the bill are seeking to expand the court in order to advance a far-left agenda. Opponents of the move have dubbed it "court packing."Canaparo joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain the likelihood of the Supreme Court being expanded and whether or not the Constitution even allows for adding justices to the bench. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.)We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden announces a new, significantly higher U.S. goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.On a party-line vote, House Democrats pass legislation to make the District of Columbia the nation’s 51st state.Basketball star LeBron James deletes a controversial tweet after a Columbus, Ohio, police officer fatally shot 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant. Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Senate is expected to vote soon on a bill touted as targeting hate crimes against Asian Americans. The legislation, authored by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., has not received widespread conservative support. Why would Republicans not support a bill to address hate crimes? Because the bill's agenda extends far beyond its name, says Sarah Parshall Perry, a legal fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news organization.)Perry joins the “Problematic Women” podcast to discuss the progressive aims in the bill and the similarities between the so-called COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and Democrats' hotly contested Equality Act. Perry also discusses an important federal court victory for free speech on college campuses. We also cover these stories: The Department of Justice announces investigation into Minneapolis' policing practices. President Joe Biden encourages work places to offer paid time off for employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticizes House Democrats for failing to condemn Congresswoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., over her statements last week about the since-resolved trial of Derek Chauvin.Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murder.Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee against George Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, was convicted Tuesday of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.For three weeks, jury members listened to attorneys' arguments during the trial in Minneapolis. On Tuesday afternoon, the jury announced that it had found Chauvin guilty on all charges.If given the opportunity to represent Chauvin, “I would have done it very differently,” said John Hinderaker, president of the Golden Valley, Minnesota-based Center of the American Experiment and a graduate of Harvard Law School. He practiced law for more than 40 years. Hinderaker joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the arguments made during the trial. He also describes the atmosphere in Minneapolis as the city continues to brace for unrest. The interview with Hinderaker was recorded on Tuesday afternoon, ahead of the announcement of the jury’s verdict. We also cover these stories:The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing to discuss voting rights and Georgia’s new election law. President Joe Biden calls the Floyd family on Tuesday morning to talk with them about the trial of Chauvin.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declares a state of emergency for seven counties surrounding Minneapolis-St. Paul in preparation for expected violence and disorder following a verdict in the Chauvin case.Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday to discuss a purported “assault on the right to vote.” The hearing, dubbed “Jim Crow 2021: The Latest Assault on the Right to Vote,” comes as the far left continues to criticize Georgia's new election-integrity law.Stacey Abrams, the Democrat who lost the 2018 race for governor of Georgia and the founder of Fair Fight Action, and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., are scheduled to testify at the hearing. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow in the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain what to expect at Tuesday’s committee hearing. The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation. Von Spakovsky also unpacks the arguments for and against Georgia’s new election-integrity law, and explains why the bill should not be likened to Jim Crow laws. We also cover these stories: Lawyers deliver closing arguments in the final day of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin trial in the death of George Floyd.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs anti-rioting legislation into law.  The Biden administration orders Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to stop using the terms “illegal alien” and “assimilation.”Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

President Joe Biden waited longer to hold his first press conference than any other president in the past 100 year. After waiting 64 days, the media had a chance on March 25 to ask the president about his agenda.Tim Murtaugh, communications director for President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, was disappointed by what he saw. “I would give Biden probably about a 'C' on that press conference for truthfulness [and] for how long it took. And the press corps, I would say I would give a lower grade than that,” said Murtaugh, now a Heritage Foundation visiting fellow and Daily Signal contributor. The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation. Murtaugh joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the media’s coverage of Biden, the border crisis, Georgia’s new election-integrity law, and more.Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a "Good News Story" about a former Heritage Foundation intern who started a nonprofit organization to clean up communities in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Enjoy the show! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.