{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"The Left Hook - The Great Distraction","description":" The Left Hook&amp;nbsp;features Mark Bland and Jason Kull in a sharp, fast-moving political conversation centered on Donald Trump, corruption, and the chaos of the current news cycle. The episode opens with discussion of Trump\u2019s escalating behavior, fears about authoritarian overreach, the proposed $250 bill with Trump\u2019s face, and the federal law that would make that illegal.  Bland and Kull also talk about Trump\u2019s public image-building, comparing it to dictator-style propaganda and warning that the country is slipping deeper into a culture of spectacle and intimidation. A big part of the show focuses on what they call a slush-fund-style maneuver, which they argue is designed to help Trump and January 6 defendants while sidestepping normal legal limits.  From there, the episode expands into a rundown of major corruption stories, including a DOJ investigation involving a woman Trump allegedly raped, a White House contract tied to Don Jr.\u2019s firm, a Pentagon contract linked to Trump stock purchases, and foreign money moving through an account connected to Trump\u2019s \u201cBoard of Peace\u201d. The hosts also discuss the No Kings protests, immigration, right-wing media attacks on James Talarico, and the broader collapse of political norms in America ","author_name":"The Left Hook","author_url":"http:\/\/www.markbland.net","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/41526930\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/content\/202597675"}