Breaking Battlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by friend of the show, Chris Wilson. Later in the program, Maya MacGuineas of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget calls in to talk about Bidenomics and our growing national debt. - Prior to starting WPA Intelligence in 2004, Chris Wilson was Global Director of Research for Weber Shandwick International, the world’s largest public relations firm at the time. In 2021 Chris was named Pollster of the Year by the American Association of Political Consultants for his work directing survey research and predictive analytics on the Glenn Youngkin for Governor of Virginia campaign. In 2019 he was named Technology Leader of the year by Campaigns & Elections magazine. In 2016, as the Director of Research, Analytics and Digital Strategy for the Cruz for President campaign, Chris is credited for playing a key role in Cruz’s triumph in Iowa and helping the Texas Senator finish with the most delegates earned by a 2nd place finisher since Ronald Reagan in 1976. Wilson and WPAi work with organizations like the Club for Growth, Freedom Works, Family Research Council, the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee providing data and polling. WPAi’s data management platform, Bonfire, has become the dominant desktop as a service tool for conservative candidates and organizations from US Senate down to school board. Bonfire has leveled the playing field with the progressive left when it comes to the important use of predictive analytics by those on the right. Perhaps most importantly, for six consecutive cycles, WPAi clients have outperformed the partisan average win ratio in both their primary and general election contests by double digits. An Oklahoma native, Chris is a graduate of University of Oklahoma and remains an avid Sooner fan. In the rare instances that Chris isn’t working, he enjoys watching OU and Cornell College, where his son Denver is the starting quarterback, football, spending time with his five children, reading, and racking up impressive amounts of frequent flyer miles. Chris is a regular political analyst on Fox News. - Maya MacGuineas is the president of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Her areas of expertise include budget, tax, and economic policy. As a leading budget expert and a political independent, she has worked closely with members of both parties and serves as a trusted resource on Capitol Hill. MacGuineas testifies regularly before Congress and has published broadly, including regularly in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, and numerous other outlets. She also appears regularly as a commentator on television. MacGuineas oversees a number of the Committee’s projects including the grassroots coalition Fix the Debt; the Committee’s Fiscal Institute; and FixUS, a project seeking to better understand the root causes of our nation’s growing divisions and deteriorating political system, and to work with others to bring attention to these issues and the need to fix them. Her most recent area of focus is on the future of the economy, technology, and capitalism. Previously, MacGuineas worked at the Brookings Institution and on Wall Street, and in the spring of 2009 she did a stint on The Washington Post editorial board, covering economic and fiscal policy. MacGuineas serves on a number of boards and is a native Washingtonian. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by friend of the show, Martin Di Caro of the Washington Times and host of the History as It Happens podcast. Later in the, Utah’s Congressman Blake Moore calls in to talk about his work on the House Ways and Means Committee. - Martin Di Caro brings 25 years of broadcast journalism experience to the Washington Times. He has won numerous prestigious awards throughout his career in major media markets across the country. Before coming to the Times, Martin was a news anchor at Bloomberg Radio’s Washington bureau. From 2012 to 2017, he covered transportation at NPR member station WAMU 88.5 in Washington, where his work on the yearslong Metrorail crisis earned Martin his second Edward R. Murrow award, which included hosting the radio station’s first podcast, Metropocalypse. Martin worked as a reporter for AP Radio in New York and Washington for eight years starting in 2008. He lives in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of D.C. and his interests include reading history and following his beloved New York Jets. He can be reached at mdicaro@washingtontimes.com. - A native of Ogden, Blake Moore is a proactive problem solver committed to representing each and every constituent of Utah’s First District. He is dedicated to reflecting Utah’s values in Congress and finding solutions to the challenges facing the district and the state. Advocating for inclusive, pro-growth, and aspirational principles, Blake is amplifying Northern Utah’s voice on a national level to ensure Utahns receive the service and representation they deserve. Blake currently serves as the first-ever Utah Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, where he sits on the Healthcare, Social Security, and Work and Welfare subcommittees. He also serves on the House Budget Committee to push for policies to reverse our national debt crisis and advocate for Utah’s defense community. Blake continues to represent Hill Air Force Base as co-chair of the Armed Forces and Depot caucuses. Before being elected to Congress, Blake worked for small businesses and in the foreign service, experiences that now guide his work on domestic and foreign policy. As a Principal at Cicero Group, Blake worked primarily in the social impact, marketing research, and strategy practice areas leading projects and serving clients throughout Utah and the nation. He has expertise in education, financial services, public policy, healthcare, transportation, supply chain, and waste industries, and this work informs his customer service and problem solver approach in Washington, D.C., as he identifies ways to help the federal government better work for Northern Utah. His passion for helping organizations manage the change process drives his ambition to overcome partisan gridlock, improve federal agencies, and smartly streamline the nation’s bureaucracy. Previously, Blake worked abroad in business development in the healthcare and financial services industries, which led him to understand the challenges that small businesses grapple with daily. Blake was also honored to serve in the Foreign Service for the U.S. Department of State, where he gained first-hand knowledge of America’s international threats. This experience taught him to take seriously the United States’ diplomatic apparatus, the readiness of the Armed Forces, and the nation’s commitment to strengthening partnerships and alliances across the globe. Blake joined Congress in 2021 and served on the Armed Services, Natural Resources, and Budget committees during his first term. On these committees, he advocated for Hill Air Force Base and Utah’s defense community, promoted domestic energy production, worked on addressing our debt and deficit crises, among several other efforts. Congressman Moore convened a Debt and Deficit Task Force in Ogden to create a framework of solutions with local leaders for how the federal government can grow the economy, save and strengthen vital programs, focus America’s spending, and fix Congress’s budgeting process. For these efforts, he was named a 2022 Fiscal Hero by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. He also successfully pushed for provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act packages for FY22 and FY23 that support Hill Air Force Base’s modernization efforts, Sentinel program, housing availability, and more. Blake was the most successful freshman Republican member in terms of legislation passed, with four bills signed into law by President Biden and several more passed through committee. His bills that became law are the Saline Lake Ecosystems in the Great Basin States Program Act, the Better Cybercrime Metrics Act, the National Medal of Honor Act, the Modernizing Access to our Public Land Act, and provisions in the Afghanistan Accountability Act. Blake is an active and valued team player within the House Republican Conference, chosen to serve as an Assistant Whip on the Republican Whip Team, the House Armed Services Committee conferee on the China legislation conference committee, and co-chair of the bipartisan Depot, Air Force, and Future caucuses. Blake obtained a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University. He graduated from the University of Utah after serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Seoul, South Korea, and signing a scholarship to play as the quarterback at Utah State University. In high school, he was awarded the Wendy’s National High School Heisman, an award honoring one male and one female senior for excellence in athletics, academics, and citizenship. He remembers fondly a conversation with a Heisman trustee after the ceremony. The trustee mentioned that it was Blake’s Eagle Scout and other service projects that set him apart. Blake recalls thinking at that moment, “I’m not special; that’s just the way kids are raised in Northern Utah!” Blake is married to Jane Boyer, his amazing, humorous, and very candid wife, who encourages him to take risks and pursue big things. Blake and Jane have four awesome and active boys who keep them on their toes- Max, George, Winston, and Franklin. Even with a congressional term under his belt, Blake’s most prized title is “Little League Coach.” - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck is out of the studio but Sam is joined by friend of the show, former Arizona State Legislator Michelle Ugenti-Rita. Sam and Michelle speak to Ann Atkinson who organized a Health, Wealth, and Happiness program at Arizona State University which featured prominent conservative speakers and was met with intense opposition from the left. Later in the show, Christina Eichelkraut returns to offer a unique perspective on the impact of artificial intelligence. - Ann Atkinson is the former Executive Director of the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development at Barrett, the Honors College. Ann is a Barrett alumna, entrepreneur, former public company executive, frequent public speaker, healthcare real estate expert, wife, mother, and triathlete. She has regularly volunteered for the Lewis Center, which has helped fulfill her passion to better prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of life. Ann earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from ASU, where she graduated from Barrett, the Honors College and with honors from the W.P. Carey School of Business. She was introduced to commercial real estate through her Barrett honors internship, which led to a distinguished 17-year career in healthcare real estate. She most recently founded and led a privately-held national healthcare real estate investment firm. Previously, she was an executive officer for a healthcare real estate investment trust listed on the New York Stock Exchange, where she led acquisitions and dispositions on behalf of the company. Formerly, she worked for Jerry Colangelo, David Eaton, and Mel Shultz of JDM Partners, specializing in commercial real estate investments. Ann started her career with a national commercial real estate brokerage firm, specializing in office and medical office investment sales. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Sam and Chuck are joined by friend of the show and former Fox News executive Ken LaCorte. Ken is also the host of the Elephants in Rooms podcast. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by friend of the show, Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota. Later in the program, we speak with Dr. James Bosbotinis, a UK-based specialist in defense and international affairs. - Dusty Johnson brings an energetic and optimistic style to Washington as South Dakota’s lone voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. A recognized leader in issues related to rural America, agriculture, and welfare reform, he serves on the Agriculture Committee and as Chairman of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee. As a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Dusty has been focused on finding solutions to the supply chain crisis through his Ocean Shipping Reform Act which passed the House in 2021. Appointed to the Select Committee on China, Dusty addresses the 360-degree threat posed by China, especially their ownership of American ag land and ag businesses and control over tech. Prior to being elected to Congress, he served as chief of staff to the Governor and as vice president of an engineering firm specializing in rural telecommunications. Dusty lives in Mitchell with his wife and three sons. - Dr James Bosbotinis is a specialist in defence and international affairs. He has particular expertise in the study of contemporary maritime strategy, assessing naval and air force developments, geopolitical analysis, and generating understanding of the connections between maritime strategy and national policy. Dr Bosbotinis has extensive experience encompassing academic and policy-relevant research and analysis for a range of customers, including UK government bodies. He has written widely on issues including the development of British maritime strategy, maritime airpower, Russian maritime doctrine, naval and wider military (including nuclear) modernisation, long-range strike technologies (including hypersonic weapons) and their impact on strategy, and China’s evolving strategy. He is the Book Reviews Editor of The Naval Review, and an Associate Member of the Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies, King’s College London.” - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined by Congressman Neal Dunn and Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, both Republicans from Florida. Later in the program, sports journalist Ron Futrell calls in with his take on the A’s proposed move to Las Vegas. - Dr. Neal Dunn grew up in an Army family and was stationed at over 20 places before college including in Vietnam during middle school. He was an Eagle Scout and National Merit Scholar before matriculating at Washington and Lee University. After medical school at George Washington, he joined the US Army as a surgeon completing his residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) and Surgical Fellowship at Duke University. He continued his surgical career in many stations around the world before settling in Bay County, Florida in 1990. It was during his service at WRAMC in Washington that he met and married his wife Leah, of over 30 years. Dr. Dunn was a surgeon in Panama City for 25 years and was the founding president of the Advanced Urology Institute, a 45-physician practice with over 400 employees. He also founded the Bay Regional Cancer Center and pursued a special interest in advanced Prostate Cancer. He sat on the Governor's Prostate Cancer Advisory Council and the Florida Blue Physician Advisory Board. Prior to being elected to Congress, Dr. Dunn served on the Board of Governors of the Florida Medical Association, and as President of his County Medical Society, Chief of Staff of Gulf Coast Hospital, and Director of the Bay Medical Center Sacred Heart Joint Venture. He was recognized as a Healthcare Hero by the Florida Department of Health for his chairmanship of Bay Cares, a medical charity headquartered in Panama City that provided about $30 million of completely free medical care annually to the working poor in Bay and 8 surrounding counties. Dr. Dunn was also the founding Chairman of Summit Bank, a rapidly growing 5-star community bank headquartered in Panama City. He was honored to be named to the Board of Directors of Space Florida which operates the space launch complexes and numerous research, assembly, and support facilities on Cape Canaveral. He also served as a Director of Enterprise Florida, the state's economic development agency. Dr. Dunn lives in Panama City, Florida with his wife Leah. In his free time, he enjoys quail hunting and spending time on the water. They are the proud parents of 3 sons (Alexander, Patrick, and David) and 3 grandchildren. - Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart is currently fulfilling his 11th term in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Florida’s 26th congressional district. Diaz-Balart is a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations, and he is the Chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) Subcommittee, in addition to serving on the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) and Defense Subcommittees. Diaz-Balart passionately serves his constituents, acting tirelessly in defense of individual rights and liberties, promoting economic prosperity, and supporting a robust national defense. He is well-known for his advocacy of human rights and democracy around the world, as well as for his staunch support of our global allies. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002, making him the Dean of the Florida Delegation and Deputy Whip in Congress. Prior to his time in Congress, Diaz-Balart served in the Florida State Legislature in both the House and Senate chambers. He chaired several committees, including the Combined Appropriations/Ways and Means/Finance and Tax Committee. Diaz-Balart was born on September 25, 1961, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Rafael and Hilda Diaz-Balart and is the youngest of four brothers (Rafael, Lincoln, and Jose). He studied Political Science at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Diaz-Balart currently resides in Miami, Florida, with his wife, Tia, and son, Cristian Rafael. - Ron Futrell is a longtime journalist who has worked at a number of local TV/radio stations throughout the western United States. He has covered sports in Las Vegas since 1984. Ron began his broadcasting career in the early ’80s in Salt Lake City at KSXX radio and KTVX TV. From there, he covered sports and news at KNDO TV in Yakima, WA. Ron has covered Stanley Cup Finals, Super Bowls, World Series, NBA Finals and NCAA Championships. He has reported on virtually every major sporting event in Las Vegas over the past three decades, including major boxing and MMA events, NASCAR races, the rise and fall of UNLV basketball, the careers of local athletes like Greg Maddux, Andre Agassi, Randall Cunningham and Mike Tyson, along with many others. Ron is also well known for covering local high school and club sports in Las Vegas. Ron is perhaps best known in Las Vegas for his work covering UNLV basketball throughout its glory days. As host of the Jerry Tarkanian TV show for 10 years, Ron was able to get the inside story on one of most remarkable teams in college basketball history. Ron is also a journalism professor at University of Nevada Las Vegas and was the first to teach Sports Broadcasting classes at UNLV. Ron says some of his greatest moments covering sports have been sitting ringside at the Hagler/Hearns fight in 1985 at Caesars Palace, watching the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels win the basketball National Championship in 1990 and witnessing the tremendous success of the inaugural season of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Utah State Treasurer, Marlo Oaks. Later in the show, we check in with former Arizona Congressional candidate Mark DeLuzio, a Gold Star father, for a look at the true meaning of Memorial Day. Finally, Jeff Taylor of the Salvation Army calls in to discuss the homelessness crisis and what can be done to solve it. - Treasurer Marlo Oaks spent 17 years overseeing multi-billion-dollar portfolios, first at Farmers Insurance Group in Los Angeles (15 years, $24 billion) and then at Intermountain Healthcare (2+ years, $7.5 billion) in Salt Lake City. He oversaw the Treasury function at Intermountain, along with all the community portfolios, including Primary Children’s Hospital Foundation. He has experience managing foundation, endowment, healthcare/hospital system, insurance, defined benefit (pension), defined contribution (401K), taxable, and tax-exempt portfolios, including manager searches, due diligence, risk management, asset allocation, investment strategy, investment policies and guidelines, and reporting to senior executives and boards of investment committees. During the 2008 – 2009 Financial Crisis, his portfolios’ performance were among the best in the country, outperforming the median corporate pension plan by 11.5% (funded status basis), representing $200 million in added portfolio value. The insurance pools were top performers among their peers, allowing the company to purchase AIG’s Direct Automobile Business, adding $4 billion to the portfolios, at the bottom of the market (March 2009). Treasurer Oaks began his career in Hong Kong on the derivatives desk at Standard Chartered Bank, a large British Bank with offices primarily in emerging markets. As a volunteer, Treasurer Oaks served on the foundation investment committee at Utah Valley University for nine years. He also co-founded two non-profit organizations, the Stella H. Oaks Foundation that provides hope to single mothers through scholarships, and FIRST Utah Robotics a series of four programs that inspire children K-12 to pursue STEM careers. He is a member of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society of Salt Lake City, the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association of San Francisco, and holds both designations in addition to a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Brigham Young University. He completed a Masters of Business Administration at UCLA Anderson School of Business. He and his wife are the parents of six children. - Mark DeLuzio was the first in his family to earn a college degree. After college, Mark was successful in the corporate world, advising senior executives on strategy and tactics in a multitude of diverse industries. For the past 20 years, Mark has been a successful entrepreneur as the founder of a global management consulting company and has received international acclaim as a leader in his field. Mark has been married to his college sweetheart, Diane, for 41 years. They have two sons, Scott and Steven, who joined the military after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Steve was killed in action in Afghanistan while his brother Scott was fighting just miles away. Like their two sons, Mark and his wife continue to give back to America by dedicating themselves to various military charities. Mark has also helped countless Veterans to start successful businesses. Mark and Diane have three beautiful grandchildren who are the joy of their lives. - After retiring from a very successful run on Wall Street in his late 20’s, Jeff had an escalating drug and alcohol addiction. By the age of 34 he was living on the streets of Phoenix and was arrested many times for homeless “survival” crimes that soon grew into non-violent drug motivated felonies. Finally, facing a longer-term prison sentence of 4 years, his sentencing judge diverted him to The Salvation Army Harbor Light Drug Treatment Program. Now Jeff serves as Chairman for Salvation Army of Arizona. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, friend of the show Congressman Drew Ferguson returns to bring us up to speed on the results of the Durham investigation. Later in the show, our friend and presidential candidate Larry Elder stops by to talk about his campaign. - Congressman Drew Ferguson is a proud native of West Point whose family roots in the West Georgia area are several generations deep. He attended the University of Georgia and gained early acceptance to the Medical College of Georgia. After graduating with a degree in dental medicine, he moved back to his hometown and established a successful family dental practice. In 2008, Congressman Ferguson was elected mayor of West Point and was at the forefront of attracting and keeping jobs in his community. By lowering taxes, eliminating government barriers and reforming education, he led a community in economic ruin back to life. Today, a wide range of new businesses and industries call West Point and the surrounding area home. Led by KIA Motors, automotive suppliers and related businesses, 16,000 new jobs have been created in the community. Congressman Ferguson came to Washington to apply the lessons he learned revitalizing West Point to creating policies that once again make America the most competitive place in the world to do business. Just as important as the creation of jobs, Congressman Ferguson wants to remove barriers to prosperity that prevent those in poverty from being able to move into the middle class. Congressman Ferguson believes these problems cannot simply be regulated away, but Congress should look for solutions that get government out of the way of American opportunity for innovation and growth. This is as much a moral issue as it is a practical matter. Congressman Ferguson currently serves on the Committee on Ways and Means and the House Budget Committee. On the House Ways and Means Committee, he serves as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security, and is a member of the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures – also referred to as the Subcommittee on Tax. He previously served as the Chief Deputy Whip for House Republicans from 2018 – 2022. Drew and his wife, Julie, reside in The Rock, Georgia, and together they have six children: Anderson Drew Ferguson V, Lucy, Mary Parks, Thad, Elizabeth, and Olivia. - Larry Elder—the Sage from South Central—is a nationally syndicated radio host and newspaper columnist, bestselling author, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and one of the best-known media figures in America today. His flagship daily radio program, “The Larry Elder Show,” is heard every weekday in all 50 states, on more than 300 stations. Elder’s unique style, personal background, and professional experience combine to inspire, inform, and persuade his listeners, readers, and viewers to embrace the timeless American principles of personal responsibility and public accountability. “The question is not which party has my back, but which party can get government off our backs—so that we might all realize our God-given capabilities,” says Elder. Elder was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles—and his family’s story represents every bit of the American Dream. His father was born in Athens, Georgia, served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, and moved to California and opened his own restaurant—Elder’s Snack Bar. Elder’s mother, originally from Huntsville, Alabama, was a clerical worker for the U.S. Department of War (now the U.S. Department of Defense) and raised three boys as a stay-at-home mom. Elder has a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University, and a J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law. - President Adams graduated from Layton High and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Utah in business finance. He currently resides in Layton, where he and his wife, Susan, raised their four children. Today they are the proud grandparents to 16 grandchildren. President Adams is a partner in the Adams Company, a Real Estate, Construction and Development Firm in Kaysville. During his time in real estate, he has been named Builder of the Year by the Northern Wasatch Home Builders Association. Before being elected to the Senate, President Adams served four and a half years in the Utah House of Representatives and nine years on the Layton City Council. He is the former Chairman of the Utah Transportation Commission and Chairs the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA). During his time representing the 7th District, President Adams passed legislation to address religious freedoms, affordable energy, clean air and transportation. In his words, he is “honored to represent the community where he grew up and raised a family” and enjoys working in his capacity as Senate President to benefit all of the great State of Utah. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined by three distinguished guests. First, we sit down with Senator Ted Cruz to discuss the recent political attacks on the Supreme Court and what conservatives can do about woke corporations. Later in the show, General Sami Sadat of Afghanistan calls in for a no holds barred conversation of the United States’ withdrawal from his country. Finally, friend of the show Chris Campbell returns with an update on the negotiations over raising the debt ceiling. - Ted Cruz grew up in Texas. His father, Rafael, fled Cuba after being tortured and imprisoned and came to Texas with just $100 sewn into his underwear. Rafael got a job washing dishes making 50 cents an hour and learned English. He worked hard and attended the University of Texas at Austin, earning a degree in mathematics. He later started a small business in the oil and gas industry. Today, Rafael is a pastor in Dallas. Ted’s mother, Eleanor, was born in Delaware to an Irish and Italian working-class family. She became the first in her family to go to college, graduating from Rice University with a degree in mathematics. She broke boundaries at Shell as one of the few women working as a computer programmer at the dawn of the computer age. Ted earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton and his law degree from Harvard Law School. After law school, Ted clerked for Chief Justice Rehnquist and then worked in private practice. In 1999, Ted joined George W. Bush’s campaign for president as a domestic policy advisor. The best thing about Ted’s experience on the Bush-Cheney campaign, by far, was meeting Heidi Nelson, who also worked on the policy team. Heidi and Ted married after the campaign. After working at the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission during the Bush administration, Ted moved back home to be the Solicitor General of Texas. As Solicitor General, Ted argued eight cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, and defended our freedom of speech, our right to keep and bear arms, and our religious liberty in courts across the nation. Following his service as Solicitor General, Ted returned to private practice, where he continued to litigate high stakes cases and argued his ninth case before the Supreme Court. Ted and Heidi also started their family, welcoming Caroline and Catherine. - General Sami Sadat was born 1986 in Afghanistan. After graduation from school in Kabul, he studied military information operations in NATO school in Germany, he also holds a BBA, he then studied advance command and staff college in UK defense Academy and was graduated with highest distinction and also has finished his MA in Strategic Management and Leadership from UK Charter Management institute.His work experience is mostly visible in security sector, he worked as Deputy Director for Strategic Communications and as Policy Advisor to the Minister of Interior in Afghanistan. Mr. Sadat is a founding member of Afghanistan Analysis and Awareness (A3) a Kabul based Think-tank. A3 is a strong lobby group focusing on Afghan-US and other Afghanistan friend countries to foster better strategic relations. - Prior to Kroll, Chris was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions from 2017 to 2018. In that role, he was responsible for coordinating the Department’s efforts regarding financial institutions legislation and regulation, legislation affecting federal agencies that regulate or insure financial institutions and securities markets legislation and regulation. Specific policy and program areas of oversight included government-sponsored enterprises, critical infrastructure protection (cyber security) and compliance policy, the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), small business, community development and affordable housing policy. Chris was the Treasury board representative on the boards of the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) and the Financial Industry's Critical Infrastructure Group. He regularly met with the heads of the 15 federal financial regulators. Additionally, he oversaw the Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Financial Institutions Policy and Small Business, Community Development and Affordable Housing, and Cyber Security, in addition to a staff of 200. Prior to his role at the Treasury department, Chris was the majority staff director to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. He designed, managed and coordinated the U.S. Senate Republican agenda in the areas of international and domestic taxation, international trade, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the U.S. National Debt, and oversight of three presidential cabinet secretaries. He was named by Roll Call Newspaper as one of the 50 most influential staffers on Capitol Hill, seven years running. Previously, he served as legislative director to Senator Orrin G. Hatch, where he coordinated and managed the senator’s legislative activities. Immediately prior to rejoining Senator Hatch’s staff, Chris owned a business consulting firm that specialized in business strategy for clients from all-sized companies across the country, and from a variety of industries. Chris is a director of Intrado, Coinstar, WeConnect Health Management, tZERO, and a board advisor at Cross River Bank. Additionally, he is a Professor of Practice at his alma matter, Thunderbird School of Global Management. He also serves as a strategic advisor and consultant to several large national and international organizations. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Business Management and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, friend of the show Mark Joseph Mongilutz returns to discuss the column he wrote for us recently, How to Prevent AI from Tricking Us in the 2024 Election. Later in the program, Jimmy Quinn of the eNational Review calls in to discuss the threat China poses to the US. - Mark Joseph Mongilutz is a writer, editor, author, and occasional book consultant. He is presently working as a full-time content manager for Haymaker, a finance-focused Substack newsletter, and has recently launched Opinions Impending (also on Substack), via which he will share his political/cultural writings on a semi-weekly basis. Mark is the author of Solemn Duty in the Old Guard (2018) and editor of Voices of the 9/11 Pentagon Recovery Effort: Essays from the U.S. Army’s Old Guard (2020). Originally from Western Washington, Mark now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. - Jimmy Quinn is the national security correspondent for National Review. He was previously a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism at National Review Institute. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined by Oklahoma’s Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell and Alabama’s Congressman Barry Moore. Later in the show, former Fox News executive, Ken LaCorte, calls in with his take on the Tucker Carlson firing. - Matt Pinnell was elected as the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma on November 6, 2018. Pinnell is President of the Oklahoma State Senate and serves on multiple constitutional boards and commissions. He is also Secretary of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage on Governor Kevin Stitt’s cabinet. Pinnell is the chief marketer of Oklahoma and spends much of his time promoting tourism, Oklahoma’s third largest industry. In partnership with the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, he launched the Oklahoma Fishing Trail, Oklahoma Road Trip, and the pandemic driven 'OK Here We Go' campaigns, which have generated more than $91 million in revenue since 2019. He also spearheaded renovation projects within Oklahoma State Parks, providing necessary updates to bathrooms, lodges, and campgrounds. The total impact of state parks on local economies recently topped $413 million. Pinnell is a recruiter for companies looking to move or expand to Oklahoma. Each year, he hosts the Lt. Governor’s Turkey Hunt, a two-week event that showcases Oklahoma to prospective out-of-state companies and site selection representatives. He launched a statewide rebrand in 2020, a campaign that has streamlined state agency processes and saved taxpayer dollars. As an entrepreneur himself, Pinnell champions small business growth. He serves on the Oklahoma Department of Commerce committee focused on small business growth, entrepreneurship, and workforce development. In 2022, he launched ‘A Look at Oklahoma CareerTech,’ a video interview series that showcases the education and employment opportunities the state’s CareerTech system provides. Matt has an advertising degree from Oral Roberts University. He lives in Tulsa with his wife of 20 years and their four children. - Born and raised on a family farm in Coffee County, Alabama, Barry Moore is a veteran, small business owner and former member of the Alabama State House. After high school, Barry joined the Alabama National Guard and Reserves, serving for six years. During that time he also pursued a degree in Agriculture Science at Auburn University, and joined the Auburn ROTC Army Ranger Challenge Team. Barry's first job out of college was in the animal pharmaceutical industry, but Barry returned to his home town of Enterprise to start Hopper-Moore Inc., an industrial waste hauling company, which has also been an Alabama general contractor for more than two decades. In 2010, Barry was recruited to run for the Alabama State House to represent District 91 and served for eight years, including as Chairman of the Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and Vice-Chair of the Small Business and Commerce Committee. Barry and his wife and business partner, Heather, are the proud parents of four children - Jeremy (married to Brittany), Kathleen (married to 1LT Jack Whitfield), Claudia and Jeb. They are active members of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Enterprise. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Congressman John Rutherford of Florida’s Fifth Congressional District and Vincent Vernuccio, a senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. - John Rutherford (FL-05) is serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He sits on the House Ethics Committee and House Appropriations Committee, where he serves on three subcommittees: Homeland Security, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. John has lived in Jacksonville, Florida since 1958, and attended Florida Junior College and Florida State University where he studied Criminology. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 171st Session and the National Executive Institute. He began his career in law enforcement in 1974 as a patrolman in the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, working his way up through the JSO where he eventually served as Director. In 2003, 2007, and 2011, John was elected Sheriff of Duval County. For three terms and twelve years, John ran a 3,200 employee office, and due to his effective leadership, homicide and overall violent crime in Jacksonville dropped to a 40-year low. Using a model of intelligence-led and community-based policing, John and his team of law enforcement professionals dramatically improved neighborhoods and prevented crime throughout the community. He also made the mental health component of the criminal justice system a priority, reducing the recidivism rates of the mentally ill and facilitating their treatment. John also served as Chair of the Legislative Committee for Florida Sheriff's Association, where he advocated before the legislature for policies that strengthened constitutional rights, supported our law enforcement, and enhanced public safety across the state. John has been happily married to his wonderful wife Pat for fifty years. They enjoy their two children, six grandchildren and great grandson, and they are also devoted members of Assumption Catholic Church in Jacksonville. - F. Vincent Vernuccio is a senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. He served as the Mackinac Center's director of labor policy between 2012 and 2017. Vernuccio is a graduate of the Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Mich. Under President George W. Bush he served as special assistant to the assistant secretary for administration and management in the Department of Labor. Vernuccio has published articles and op-eds in such newspapers and magazines as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, The Washington Times, National Review, Forbes and The American Spectator. He has been cited in several books, and he is a frequent contributor on national television and radio shows, such as "Your World" with Neil Cavuto and Varney and Company. Vernuccio is a sought-after voice on labor panels nationally and in Washington, D.C. and as a regular guest on Fox News channels. He has advised senators and congressmen on a multitude of labor-related issues. He testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and Labor Policy. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, former state senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita fills in for Chuck. She and Sam are joined by Dr. Greg Autry, a Clinical Professor of Space Leadership, Policy and Business in the Thunderbird School of Global Management and an Affiliate Professor with the Interplanetary Initiative at Arizona State University. Later in the show, Dan McLaughlin returns to give us an update on the Trump indictment. - Dr. Greg Autry is a Clinical Professor of Space Leadership, Policy and Business in the Thunderbird School of Global Management and an Affiliate Professor with the Interplanetary Initiative at Arizona State University. He also holds an appointment as Visiting Professor with the Institute for Security Science and Technology at Imperial College London. He has consulted on a series of AI and space tech videos for the University of Oxford. He previously taught technology entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California, strategy, macroeconomics at the University of California at Irvine, and space entrepreneurship in an International Space University program at the Florida Institute of Technology. Dr. Autry served on the 2016 NASA Agency Review Team and as the White House Liaison at NASA in 2017. He was nominated by the president to serve as Chief Financial Officer of NASA in 2020. Dr. Autry also served as Chair of the Safety Working Group on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) at the FAA. He is currently the Vice President for Space Development of the National Space Society. He has testified to the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and presented at the Canadian Parliament. His writings have been published in major news outlets including Foreign Policy, the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Washington Times, Wall Street Journal and Space News. Dr. Autry has appeared frequently in major media outlets including the BBC, CNN and NPR. He has published several business case studies set in the commercial space sector available at Harvard Business School Publishing. He is the author of The New Entrepreneurial Dynamic(Flatworld 2022) and Death by China (Pearson 2011). He serves on the editorial review boards of: The New Space Journal and The Journal Space Safety Engineering. Dr. Autry started his career as a software and network engineer and has founded and managed several businesses in the technology sector. Dr. Autry holds a BA from California Polytechnic University at Pomona and an MBA and PhD from the Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine. - Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute. He was formerly an attorney practicing securities and commercial litigation in New York City, a contributing editor of RedState, columnist at the Federalist and the New Ledger, a baseball blogger at BaseballCrank.com, BostonSportsGuy.com, the Providence Journal Online, and a contributor to the Command Post. His writings on politics, baseball, and law have appeared in numerous other newspapers, magazines, websites, and legal journals. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, our friend Dan McLaughlin joins us to talk about the Trump indictment. Later in the show, we are honored to be joined by Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi. - Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute. He was formerly an attorney practicing securities and commercial litigation in New York City, a contributing editor of RedState, columnist at the Federalist and the New Ledger, a baseball blogger at BaseballCrank.com, BostonSportsGuy.com, the Providence Journal Online, and a contributor to the Command Post. His writings on politics, baseball, and law have appeared in numerous other newspapers, magazines, websites, and legal journals. - Roger F. Wicker has represented Mississippi in the United States Senate since December 2007. During his time in the Senate, Wicker has championed pro-growth policies to create jobs, limit federal overreach, protect life, and maintain a strong national defense. Wicker is the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee for the 118th Congress. Wicker is also a senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, having served previously as the chairman and ranking member for the 116th and 117th Congresses, respectively. His other committee assignments include the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Rules and Administration Committee. Wicker is a ranking member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and Vice President of the OSCE’s Parliamentary Assembly. Wicker also serves as a member of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Congressional Board of Visitors. Wicker authored the “Securing the Homeland by Increasing our Power on the Seas (SHIPS) Act,” which made it the policy of the United States to achieve the Navy’s requirement for a 355-ship fleet. This legislation, which was designed to bolster national security and increase American shipbuilding capacity, was signed into law by President Trump as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. Senator Wicker has been a strong advocate for economic development initiatives to help keep Mississippians competitive in a global marketplace. He has been honored by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) for his work on pro-growth, pro-manufacturing policies in Congress. Senator Wicker has actively supported cancer survivorship programs and efforts to fight heart disease with the American Heart Association, diabetes, childhood obesity, and Alzheimer's. He has been recognized as a "champion" of polio eradication for his work to wipe out polio worldwide. Senator Wicker is the co-founder of the Senate Malaria and Neglected Tropical Disease Caucus and the co-chair of the Rare Disease Caucus. He has been instrumental in bringing more research funding to Mississippi universities for a wide range of health-related projects to fight disease and improve quality of life. Most notably, Wicker authored the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education (MD CARE) Act of 2001, which created NIH centers of excellence to coordinate and enhance muscular dystrophy research. The Wicker Project at Children's National Medical Center is a leader in muscular dystrophy research. Prior to his service in the Senate, Wicker was elected seven times, beginning in 1994, to represent Mississippi’s First Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Before being elected to Congress, he served in the state Senate on behalf of Lee and Pontotoc counties. Senator Wicker served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force and then joined the Air Force Reserve. He retired from the Reserve in 2004 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. A native of Pontotoc, Mississippi, the Senator is the son of the late Circuit Judge Fred Wicker and Mrs. Wordna Wicker. He was educated in the public schools of Pontotoc and received his B.A. and law degrees from the University of Mississippi. Wicker is a member of the First Baptist Church Tupelo, where he served as chairman of the deacons, taught Sunday School, and where he still sings in the choir. Senator Wicker is married to the former Gayle Long of Tupelo. They have three children: Margaret and son-in-law Manning McPhillips; Caroline and son-in-law Kirk Sims; and McDaniel Wicker and his wife Kellee; and eight grandchildren: Caroline, Henry, Maury Beth, and Virginia McPhillips; Evelyn and Joseph Sims; and Philippa and Julia Wicker. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined by friend of the show, Congressman David Schweikert of Arizona’s First Congressional District. Later in the show, we check in with Ilan Wurman, who is working on a critical lawsuit over “The Zone,” a homeless encampment in downtown Phoenix. - David Schweikert is serving his fifth term in the United States Congress. He holds a seat on the Ways and Means Committee, and serves as the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security. Prior to his service on the Ways and Means Committee, David served on the House Committee on Financial Services. David also sits on the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, Co-Chairs the Valley Fever Task force with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and is the Republican Co-Chair of both the Blockchain Caucus, theTunisia Caucus and the Caucus on Access to Capital and Credit. Among his legislative accomplishments, David was instrumental in authoring and passing the JOBS ACT into law.The bill was signed by the President in April 2012.Having previously served as Chairman of the EPA Oversight Subcommittee on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee; David championed key reforms such as the Secret Science Reform Act, which has passed the House of Representatives. A national leader on tribal policy, David draws on a unique background working with Arizona’s tribal communities on important priorities. He is always eager to take on a technical challenge. As a strong advocate for efficiencies in the 21stCentury economy, David collaborates with entrepreneurs and innovators in Arizona and around the world on ways to increase trade and drive economic growth. David is the co-chair of the Blockchain Caucus, and has championed technological innovations as the solution to the problems of over-burdensome government regulations. - Ilan Wurman is an associate professor at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, where he teaches administrative law and constitutional law. He writes primarily on the Fourteenth Amendment, administrative law, separation of powers, and constitutionalism. His academic writing has appeared or is forthcoming in the Yale Law Journal, the Stanford Law Review, the University of Chicago Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the Virginia Law Review, the Duke Law Journal, the Minnesota Law Review, and the Texas Law Review among other journals. He is also the author of A Debt Against the Living: An Introduction to Originalism (Cambridge 2017), and The Second Founding: An Introduction to the Fourteenth Amendment (Cambridge 2020). - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined by three distinguished guests: Congresswoman Carol Miller of West Virginia, Congressman Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, and former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions Chris Campbell. - Congresswoman Carol Miller represents West Virginia’s First Congressional District. Miller serves on the Committee on Ways and Means. Miller’s focus in Congress is creating jobs, diversifying the economy, innovating and improving infrastructure, protecting America’s borders, and supporting West Virginia’s energy industries like coal, oil, and gas. Prior to her election to Congress in 2018, Congresswoman Miller served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2006 to 2018 where she rose to become the first female Majority Whip. A mother of two and grandmother of seven, Carol Miller is married to her husband Matt, and lives in Huntington, where she owns and operates Swann Ridge Bison Farm and manages real estate. Miller was born in Columbus, Ohio and is the daughter of Congressman Samuel L. Devine and Betty Devine. - Josh Brecheen (pronounced Bra-keen) is a committed Christian, husband, father, and is a fourth generation rancher in Coal County, Oklahoma. Prior to his time in Congress, he owned and operated a small excavation and trucking business, Rawhide Dirtworks L.L.C. He served as an Oklahoma State Senator from 2010 to 2018, obtaining an overall voting record as the third most conservative senator among those with whom he served. He was the original author of measures that included capping state debt, banning dismemberment abortions, and a true repeal and replace of the common core educational standards—the nation’s first. From 2004 to 2010, Brecheen worked for U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. as a field representative, working directly with Oklahoma constituents and evaluating federal programs for waste and inefficiencies. Brecheen is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, where he earned a dual degree in agriculture. He served the Oklahoma FFA Association as State President in 1999 and later worked seasonally for the National FFA Organization as an ALD conference presenter. Until 2010, he brought inspirational messages into approximately 500 public schools, universities, and conferences through his motivational speaking business, Brecheen Keynotes and Seminars and also as a free service when employed by Tom Coburn. Brecheen grew up in the professional cutting horse industry and in his youth was a two-time national qualifier for the National Cutting Horse Association Eastern Championship show. After college, Brecheen started training cutting horse futurity prospects as a “non pro” and has been raising quality cow horses for over 20 years. As a member of Congress, he is focused on reining in our unsustainable debt and deficit spending, which he is convinced is undermining our national security. - The Honorable Christopher E Campbell is the Chief Strategist at Kroll, based in the New York office. As a Fellow of the Kroll Institute, he is a frequent guest commentator on national news programs on matters involving the economy. Prior to Kroll, Chris was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions from 2017 to 2018. In that role, he was responsible for coordinating the Department’s efforts regarding financial institutions legislation and regulation, legislation affecting federal agencies that regulate or insure financial institutions and securities markets legislation and regulation. Specific policy and program areas of oversight included government-sponsored enterprises, critical infrastructure protection (cyber security) and compliance policy, the Federal Insurance Office (FIO), small business, community development and affordable housing policy. Chris was the Treasury board representative on the boards of the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) and the Financial Industry's Critical Infrastructure Group. He regularly met with the heads of the 15 federal financial regulators. Additionally, he oversaw the Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Financial Institutions Policy and Small Business, Community Development and Affordable Housing, and Cyber Security, in addition to a staff of 200. Prior to his role at the Treasury department, Chris was the majority staff director to the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. He designed, managed and coordinated the U.S. Senate Republican agenda in the areas of international and domestic taxation, international trade, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the U.S. National Debt, and oversight of three presidential cabinet secretaries. He was named by Roll Call Newspaper as one of the 50 most influential staffers on Capitol Hill, seven years running. Previously, he served as legislative director to Senator Orrin G. Hatch, where he coordinated and managed the senator’s legislative activities. Immediately prior to rejoining Senator Hatch’s staff, Chris owned a business consulting firm that specialized in business strategy for clients from all-sized companies across the country, and from a variety of industries. Chris is a director of Intrado, Coinstar, WeConnect Health Management, tZERO, and a board advisor at Cross River Bank. Additionally, he is a Professor of Practice at his alma matter, Thunderbird School of Global Management. He also serves as a strategic advisor and consultant to several large national and international organizations. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Business Management and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Jason Willick, a columnist for the Washington Post. Later in the program, we are joined in studio by Mark Joseph Mongilutz, a writer for the Haymaker, for a discussion of the future of AI. - Jason Willick writes a regular Washington Post column on legal issues, political ideas and foreign affairs. Before coming to The Post in 2022, he was an editorial writer and assistant editorial features editor for the Wall Street Journal, and before that a staff writer and associate editor at the American Interest. - Mark Joseph Mongilutz is a writer, editor, author, and occasional book consultant. He is presently working as a full-time content manager for Haymaker, a finance-focused Substack newsletter, and has recently launched Opinions Impending (also on Substack), via which he will share his political/cultural writings on a semi-weekly basis. Mark is the author of Solemn Duty in the Old Guard (2018) and editor of Voices of the 9/11 Pentagon Recovery Effort: Essays from the U.S. Army’s Old Guard (2020). Originally from Western Washington, Mark now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Chris Buskirk, author of the new book America and the Art of the Possible: Restoring National Vitality in an Age of Decay. Later in the show, Jonathan Johnson, CEO of Overstock, returns to the show to talk about challenges and opportunities facing business leaders in 2023. - Chris is publisher of American Greatness. A contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, he has also written for the Washington Post, SpectatorWorld, USA Today, The Hill, The New Criterion, and other publications. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News, NPR’s “Morning Edition,” PBS Newshour, and “Hardball” and regularly appears on CNN. He is the author of the book, Trump vs. The Leviathan and, along with Seth Leibsohn, American Greatness: How Conservatism, Inc. Missed the 2016 Election & What the Establishment Needs to Learn. He was a Publius Fellow at the Claremont Institute and received a fellowship from the Earhart Foundation. Chris is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold businesses in financial services and digital marketing. He received his B.A. from Claremont-McKenna College. - Jonathan Johnson is the CEO of Overstock, a leading online home furnishings retailer. Since assuming this role in 2019, Johnson has positioned Overstock as more than just an e-commerce website - streamlining its widespread merchandising interests into a concentrated, focused strategy dedicated to providing dream homes for all. Johnson is a member of Overstock's board of directors and has been an integral part of the company's growth - from a start-up to publicly traded with over $3 billion in sales and nearly 2,000 employees. Overstock was recognized as one of the nation's top employers in 2021. Since joining Overstock in 2002, Johnson has held various positions within the company, including chairman of the board, executive vice chairman, president, and general counsel. He is also a member of the board of directors of The J.M. Smucker Co, a Fortune 500 and leading consumer packaged goods company. He was chosen for this position due, in part, to his innovative FORWARD plan, (Overstock's remote work structure following the COVID pandemic), and his vast supply chain, marketing, operations, general management, technology, finance, and corporate governance experience. From 2016-2021, Johnson served as president of Medici Ventures, a former Overstock subsidiary which invested in blockchain technology and fintech businesses including tZERO, Bitt, Medici Land Governance, GrainChain, PeerNova, and Voatz. While leading this portfolio of companies, Johnson spent countless hours educating the public and policy makers around the world about the potential of blockchain. In early 2021, Medici's assets were transferred to a venture fund overseen by Pelion Venture Partners. Prior to Overstock, Johnson worked for TenFold Corporation, practiced corporate law in Los Angeles with two international law firms and served as a judicial clerk at the Utah Supreme Court. Johnson received a bachelor's degree in Japanese from Brigham Young University, studied at Osaka University of Foreign Studies in Japan as a Ministry of Education Scholar, and received a law degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU. Johnson is based in Salt Lake City, UT, where he resides with his wife of 34 years. He has 5 sons, two granddaughters, and enjoys cycling, crossword puzzles, and reading poetry. He is active in many facets of the community. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are honored to be joined in studio by the Great Elderski - Larry Elder. Chuck and Sam ask Larry about his experience as a candidate for governor of California and whether or not he might be thinking about running for president. - Larry Elder—the Sage from South Central—is a nationally syndicated radio host and newspaper columnist, bestselling author, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and one of the best-known media figures in America today. His flagship daily radio program, “The Larry Elder Show,” is heard every weekday in all 50 states, on more than 300 stations. Elder’s unique style, personal background, and professional experience combine to inspire, inform, and persuade his listeners, readers, and viewers to embrace the timeless American principles of personal responsibility and public accountability. “The question is not which party has my back, but which party can get government off our backs—so that we might all realize our God-given capabilities,” says Elder. Elder was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles—and his family’s story represents every bit of the American Dream. His father was born in Athens, Georgia, served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, and moved to California and opened his own restaurant—Elder’s Snack Bar. Elder’s mother, originally from Huntsville, Alabama, was a clerical worker for the U.S. Department of War (now the U.S. Department of Defense) and raised three boys as a stay-at-home mom. Elder has a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University, and a J.D. from the University of Michigan School of Law. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Alexander Raikin, a freelance journalist investigating Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) program. Later in the show, Abraham Hamadeh calls in with an update on the legal fights over Arizona's election. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

Merry Christmas from Breaking Battlegrounds! This week, we are joined by bestselling author, Richard Paul Evans, whose novel The Noel Diary was recently adapted into a hit Netflix movie. - When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller,The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies ofThe Christmas Boxhave been printed. He has since written 41 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, and he is one the few authors in history to have hit both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists. He has dozens awards for his books including the 1998 American Mothers Book Award, two first place Storytelling World Awards, the German Leser Priz Gold award for romance, and the 2005 Romantic Times Best Women Novel of the Year Award. Evan’sMichael Veyyoung adult series is a #1 New York Times bestselling series and has won numerous awards. His books have been translated into more than 22 languages and several have been international best sellers. Seven of Evans’ books have been produced into major television productions starring such acclaimed actors as Maureen O’Hara, James Earl Jones, Richard Thomas, Ellen Burstyn, Naomi Watts, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Lloyd, and Rob Lowe. His first feature film is currently in production with director Charles Shyer and starring Justin Hartley. During the Spring of 1996, Evans’ founded The Christmas Box House International, an organization devoted to building shelters and providing services for abused and neglected children. Such shelters are operational in Moab, Vernal, Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah. To date, more than 125,000 children have been protected. In addition, his book,The Sunflower, was the motivating factor in the creation of The Sunflower Orphanage in Peru. Evans was awarded the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award and the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award. Evans is also the founder and CEO of BookWise, an international direct sales business. As an acclaimed speaker, Evans has shared the podium with such notable personalities as President George W. Bush, President George and Barbara Bush, former British Prime Minister John Major, Ron Howard, Elizabeth Dole, Deepak Chopra, Steve Allen, and Bob Hope. Evans has been featured onThe Today ShowandEntertainment Tonight, as well as inTime,Newsweek,People,The New York Times,Washington Post,Good Housekeeping,USA Today,TV Guide, Reader’s Digest,andFamily Circle. Evans lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children and two grandchildren. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by William Inboden, author of The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink, and Chris Stirewalt of the American Enterprise Institute. - William Inboden joined the LBJ School faculty after many years of working as a policymaker in Washington, DC, and directing a foreign policy think tank overseas. He is the William Powers, Jr. executive director of the Clements Center for National Security and a distinguished scholar at the Strauss Center for International Security and Law. He is also a National Intelligence Council associate and serves on the CIA's Historical Advisory Panel and State Department's Historical Advisory Committee. Dr. Inboden previously served as senior director for strategic planning on the National Security Council, worked on the State Department's Policy Planning Staff and served as a congressional staff member. His think-tank experience includes the American Enterprise Institute and running the London-based Legatum Institute. He is a Council on Foreign Relations life member and a contributing editor to Foreign Policy magazine, and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Foreign Affairs, The Weekly Standard and USA Today, and on NPR, CNN and BBC. His classes, "Ethics & International Relations" and "Presidential Decision-Making in National Security," have been selected in recent years as the Best Class in the LBJ School. His most recent book, on the Reagan administration's national security policies, is The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan in the White House and the World (2022). - Chris Stirewalt is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on American politics, voting trends, public opinion, and the media. He is concurrently a contributing editor and weekly columnist for The Dispatch. Before joining AEI, he was political editor of Fox News Channel, where he helped coordinate political coverage across the network and specialized in on-air analysis of polls and voting trends. Before joining Fox News Channel, Mr. Stirewalt served as political editor of the Washington Examiner, where he wrote a twice-weekly column and led political coverage for the newspaper. He also served as political editor of the Charleston Daily Mail and West Virginia Media. Mr. Stirewalt began his career at the Wheeling Intelligencer in West Virginia. A well-known political commentator, Mr. Stirewalt wrote about his personal experience of the 2020 election in the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of “Every Man a King: A Short, Colorful History of American Populists” (Twelve Books, 2018), in which he looks at American populism through the history of seven famous populists. Mr. Stirewalt is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, where he studied history. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by two incredible guests: former Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, and Congressman Don Bacon of Nebraska’s 2nd District. - Dr. Mark T. Esper became the 27thSecretary of Defense in July 2019 when he was confirmed in an overwhelming 90-8 vote by the U.S. Senate in rare bipartisan fashion. Esper went on to successfully lead the Defense Department through an unprecedented time in the nation’s history: from conflict with Iran, an ongoing military campaign in Afghanistan, and counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East; to open competition with China and Russia amidst a fundamental shift in the geo-strategic environment; and from the greatest civil unrest and political turmoil America has seen in decades, to a major recession and the spread of a global pandemic the world had not experienced in over 100 years, all while dealing with an unpredictable White House. As Defense Secretary, Esper was responsible for ensuring the United States’ national security, protecting the American people at home and abroad, and advancing the country’s interests globally. In this capacity, he led the largest and most complex organization in the world given its nearly three million service members and defense civilians, $740 billion annual budget, and trillions of dollars of weapons, equipment, and infrastructure located at 4,800 sites in over 160 countries. Esper’s broad scope of responsibilities ranged from organizing, manning, training, and equipping the joint force, to the research and development of future weapons, concepts, and equipment; and from defense trade, diplomacy, and cybersecurity, to healthcare, hospitals, housing, and schools. Dr. Esper made major strides in shaping and implementing the National Defense Strategy, which called for a return to preparing for high intensity conflict in a new era of great power competition principally against China and Russia. To this end, Esper established the Space Force and Space Command, proposed a dramatic change in the size and composition of the U.S. Navy, enhanced the resourcing and operations of Cyber Command, and led a major reform effort that reorganized the department and freed up billions of dollars for higher priorities. He worked hard to strengthen alliances and grow new partners, especially in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, and helped drive a major increase in the readiness and capability of NATO members, all while advancing new warfighting, operational, and readiness concepts in the U.S. military. Esper also oversaw the largest R&D budget in the department’s history, drove spending on cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, directed energy, advanced networking, robotics, and hypersonics, and launched the biggest initiative in decades to improve diversity and inclusion in the armed forces. Prior to becoming Defense Secretary, Dr. Esper served as the 23rd Secretary of the Army from November 2017 until June 2019. In this capacity, he was responsible for over 1.5 million active, Guard, and Reserve Soldiers and Army civilians, a budget of $180 billion annually, and all aspects of leading the world’s most capable ground combat force. During his tenure, Esper launched a renaissance in how the Service organized, manned, trained, and equipped the force as it shifted its focus back toward large-scale combat operations against great power competitors. Dr. Esper was a reformer who spearheaded an extensive review process dubbed “night court” that reduced organizational inefficiencies and eliminated scores of programs to free up funding for critical modernization initiatives. He also established a new U.S. Army Futures Command designed to improve the Army’s acquisition process and bolster its broader effort to field a modern force capable of fighting in all domains. Finally, he directed an overhaul of Army recruiting standards and processes, the lengthening and toughening of Infantry Basic Combat Training, and the development of a new Talent Management system for the service, all while advancing important initiatives for Army spouses and families. - Growing up and working on a farm in Illinois, Congressman Don Bacon learned first-hand how the value of hard work and commitment contributes to the success of a small business. He moved from the family farm to attend Northern Illinois University, from which he graduated with a Bachelors of Political Science in 1984, the same year he married Angie, the love of his life. They have three sons, one daughter, and six grandchildren. One year later, he began his military career by joining the U.S. Air Force and serving nearly 30 years, ultimately retiring as a Brigadier General. During his career in the Air Force, Congressman Bacon specialized in electronic warfare, intelligence andreconnaissance. His career highlights include two tours as a Wing Commander, at Ramstein Airbase in Germany and Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska; group command at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona; squadron command in Arizona, and expeditionary squadron command in Iraq. In total, Rep. Bacon served 16 assignments including four deployments in the Middle East to include Iraq in 2007 to 2008 during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Congressman Bacon’s military decorations include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, two Bronze Stars, two Legion of Merits, five Meritorious Service Medals, and the Aerial Achievement Medal. Additionally, he was selected as Europe’s top Air Force Wing Commander for his time at Ramstein Airbase, as well as recognized as a distinguished graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, Navigator-Electronic Warfare School, and Officer Intelligence School. Further, Congressman Bacon has earned two Masters Degrees, from the University of Phoenix in Arizona and the National War College in Washington D.C. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 2014, Congressman Bacon served as the military advisor to Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01), where he specialized in military affairs focusing on Offutt Air Force Base and the Nebraska National Guard. He also wasan Assistant Professor at Bellevue University where he taught Undergraduate Leadership along with American Vision and Values (The Kirkpatrick Signature Series), until his 2016 election to Congress, representing Nebraska’s Second Congressional District. Presently, Congressman Bacon serves on two committees within the House of Representatives: theHouse Armed Services Committee, and theHouse Agricultural Committee. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter:www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook:www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram:www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam are joined by Samuel Gregg, author of the new book, The Next American Economy. Later in the show, political consultant Brian Seitchik stops by the studio. - Samuel Gregg is Distinguished Fellow in Political Economy and Senior Research Faculty at the American Institute for Economic Research. He has a D.Phil. in moral philosophy and political economy from Oxford University, and an M.A. in political philosophy from the University of Melbourne. He has written and spoken extensively on questions of political economy, economic history, monetary theory and policy, and natural law theory. He is the author of sixteen books, including On Ordered Liberty (2003), The Commercial Society (2007), Wilhelm Röpke’s Political Economy (2010); Becoming Europe (2013); Reason, Faith, and the Struggle for Western Civilization (2019); The Essential Natural Law (2021); and The Next American Economy: Nation, State and Markets in an Uncertain World (2022). Two of his books have been short-listed for Conservative Book of the Year. Many of his books and over 400 articles and opinion pieces have been translated into a variety of languages. He is also a Contributor to Law and Liberty, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, an Affiliate Scholar at the Acton Institute, a Fellow of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. He also serves as a Visiting Scholar at the Heritage Foundation. He has published in journals such as the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy; Journal of Markets & Morality; Economic Affairs; Law and Investment Management; Journal des Economistes et des Etudes Humaines; Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy; Oxford Analytica; Communio; Journal of Scottish Philosophy; University Bookman; Foreign Affairs; and Policy. He is a regular writer of opinion-pieces which appear in publications such as the Wall Street Journal Europe; First Things; Investors Business Daily; Law and Liberty; Washington Times; Revue Conflits; American Banker; National Review; Public Discourse; American Spectator; El Mercurio; Australian Financial Review; Jerusalem Post; La Nacion: and Business Review Weekly. He has served as an editorial consultant for the Italian journal, La Societa, and American correspondent for the German newspaper Die Tagespost. He has also been cited in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Time Magazine, Christian Science Monitor, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, and the Holy See’s L’Osservatore Romano. In 2001, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Member of the Mont Pèlerin Society in 2004. In 2008, he was elected a member of the Philadelphia Society, and a member of the Royal Economic Society. In 2017, he was made a Fellow of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University. He served as President of the Philadelphia Society from 2019-2021. He is the General Editor of Lexington Books’ Studies in Ethics and Economics Series. He also sits on the Academic Advisory Boards of the Institute of Economic Affairs, London; Campion College, Sydney; the La Fundación Burke, Madrid; the Instituto Fe y Libertad, Guatemala; and as well as the editorial boards of the Journal of Markets and Morality and Revista Valores en la sociedad industrial. - Brian Seitchik is a national political strategist with a background in campaign management and strategy, paid media, earned media, social media development, qualitative and quantitative research, constructing campaign teams and fundraising. With practical experience across the country, Brian knows the true value of a political consultant is not just making a pretty commercial or telling a client what they want to hear; it is the ability to adjust the tone of the campaign at the right time in order to win. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds

This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, we are joined by Kevin Freeman, host of Economic War Room on Blaze TV and author of the new book, According to Plan: The Elites’ Secret Plan to Sabotage America. Later in the show, the Reverend Jarrett Maupin returns to talk about race in the United States. - Kevin Freeman is considered one of the world’s leading experts on the issues of Economic Warfare and Financial Terrorism. He has consulted for and briefed members of both the U.S. House and Senate, present and past CIA, DIA, FBI, SEC, Homeland Security, the Justice Department, as well as local and state law enforcement. His research has been presented in critical DoD studies on Economic Warfare, Iran, and Weapons of Mass Destruction presented to the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense, Intelligence. He has traveled extensively with research trips to Russia and China and throughout Europe and the Americas. He is also a Contributing Editor to Tactics and Preparedness magazine. Kevin is Co-Founder of the NSIC Institute; Deputy Speaker of the Cherokee Community of North Texas; a Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Policy; Trustee at Oklahoma Wesleyan University; and a member of the Advisory Board of First Liberty Institute. - The Reverend Jarrett Maupin has been a minister since he was 12 years old. At 19, he became one of the youngest people to hold elected office in the state of Arizona when he was elected to serve on the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board. Since then, he has become one of the most prominent community organizers and civil rights leaders in Phoenix. - Connect with us: www.breakingbattlegrounds.vote Twitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_Battle Facebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegrounds Instagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegrounds LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds