David Sirota: [00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome to Lever Time. David Sirota here with some exciting news and a first listen of a new project that we're working on here at The Lever. But first, a quick update. The Lever has seen incredible growth this past year and we're in the process of reshuffling our priorities and resources, which means we're going to be pausing new episodes of Lever Time to focus on its next its launch in summer 2022, Lever Time has brought you over a hundred episodes. Thanks in no small part to the fantastic work of the incredible producer, Frank Capello. continue to hear Frank on his great podcast, Movies vs. Capitalism, which I should mention was just nominated for a 2024 Ambie Award in the category of Best Entertainment Podcast.[00:01:00]
Congratulations to Frank and thank you, Frank. For all that you've done for the lever. Now, even as lever time takes a brief hiatus, stay tuned to this feed. We're cooking up something new and you won't want to miss it. so now here's a big reveal. I've been mulling over a project for years, delving into how corruption in American politics, not only worsened, but became institutionalized and normalized. I'm thrilled to give you a sneak peek with a trailer of what we're calling Masterplan, a podcast that unfolds like an epic historical documentary.
Our team of producers and reporters has been dissecting the 50 year plot to legalize corruption in America. We're planning a release of the whole series this summer. For our Lever Premium subscribers, you'll get first exclusive access to this series. you're not yet a premium member, But you don't want to miss out on this series. Follow the link in the description of this episode [00:02:00] to go subscribe to the master plan podcast feed, or simply search for master plan in your podcast app and hit subscribe. So without further delay, here's the trailer for master plan.
Season one corruption. Hope you enjoy it.
This podcast series includes graphic descriptions of corruption, bribery, and political graft that may be disturbing to some listeners. Discretion is advised. Judy, we are seeing a storm of campaign spending. Morgan, billionaires spending a record 880 million in the midterms. Spending projected to reach, get this.
Nearly 11 billion dollars. Imagine a world where big bags of dirty anonymous money buy elections, politicians, courts, and the laws that govern our entire society. You don't need to imagine it. It's our current reality. Despite growing dangers from climate change, tonight the U. S. Supreme Court curbing the government's power to fight it.
6 3 ruling, the Supreme Court [00:03:00] struck down a New York gut control law. The high court blocked President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. 50 years of illegally enshrined right to abortion in the United States has been brought to an end. I'm David Sirota. I'm a journalist and an author, and I've spent decades working in and covering American politics.
And through it all, I keep coming back to the same questions. How did our democracy get replaced by a kleptocracy? How did a handful of extremists and oligarchs buy our government, from Congress to the White House to the Supreme Court? After more than a year of investigation, the Lever's team of journalists has now found the answer.
We've unearthed never before reported documents and recordings showing that the takeover of our government was no accident. It was all part of a grand scheme, carefully mapped out and executed by specific individuals with a very specific strategy, and [00:04:00] lots and lots of cold, hard cash. This is MasterPlan.
This is a podcast about the 50 year plot to legalize corruption and buy American democracy. Something that never should have been for sale. When we launched this new series in 2024, we'll traverse an epic saga of scandals and scoundrels. We wondered why were they so interested in making secret contributions?
What were they trying to hide? We'll reveal how operatives, ideologues, and powerful business groups performed a hostile takeover of our courts. A coordinated legal strategy pushed by conservative [00:05:00] lawyers and backed by conservative judges that were put in place in part by the Federalist Society. We'll also show how those judges then delivered a jackpot for big money interests.
That decision has really opened the floodgates for corporate spending and corporate dominance of American elections. Presented by the investigative news outlet, The Lever, the Masterplan podcast resurrects the lost tradition of investigative reporting, doing the thing that journalism used to do all the time.
Show me the money. Show me the money. Show me the money! No, not that. Not that. We're going to follow the money to the pivotal 1970s, when America almost got corruption under control, but the master planners came up with a plan to hack the system. A famous document which called on the business community, corporations, and others to get involved in repealing the New Deal, crushing labor unions, fighting [00:06:00] Government programs that provided a floor under the poorest of our citizens.
And we'll follow that money trail from the 1970s all the way to today. We'll cross paths with people you already know well, people like Richard Nixon and Senator Mitch McConnell and Roger Ailes, the creator of Fox News. But we're also going to introduce you to All sorts of other people you've probably never heard of because they preferred to wield their power in the shadows.
An ultra secretive Chicago industrial mogul has quietly given 1. 6 billion dollars to the architect of the right wing takeover of the courts. And along the way, you'll meet the heroes who fought back against this master plan, delaying its implementation, and who are now fighting to try to dismantle it.
The American people deserve to know who's controlling their government. And exposing this plot is the first step in stopping it. If we don't understand how we got into this mess, we're never going to figure our way out of it. Subscribe to the [00:07:00] lever right now at lever news. com to get access to the entire master plan series.
When it launches in 2024, you'll also get access to all of the levers, exclusive reporting, podcasts, live events, and other perks. And you'll be supporting the investigative journalism we do here, the kind that holds power accountable.
The Lever Time Podcast is a production of the Lever and the Lever Podcast Network. It's hosted by me, David Sirota. Our producer is Frank Capello with help from Lever producer, Jared Jacang Mayor.