May 14, 2026: Murdaugh's Conviction Overturned, CA Mayor Admits to Acting as Chinese Agent, Whistleblower Testifies About COVID Origins, Mamdani's Balanced Budget, and More.

Episode Format:

1. CIA Whistleblower Testifies Before Senate Committee Alleging Cover Up on COVID Origins (0:37)

2. FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary Resigns (7:16)

3. California Mayor Admits to Acting as Chinese Agent (12:18)

4. South Carolina Supreme Court Overturns Alex Murdaugh's Double Murder Conviction. Here's Why. (~19:38)

5. Quick Hitters (~26:04)

6. Rumor Has It: Are People Really Losing Their Deposits on the Trump T1 Smartphone? Did Mayor Mamdani Really Balance the NYC Budget? (~29:27)

7. Critical Thinking Segment (~32:59)

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CIA Whistleblower Testifies Before Senate Committee Alleging Cover Up on COVID Origins

https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/hearings/whistleblower-testimony-on-the-covid-coverup/

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/who-james-erdman-iii-cia-whistleblower-who-went-from-covid-mandate-fights-senate-spotlight

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rand-paul-brings-cia-whistleblower-senate-hearing-alleging-deep-state-covid-19-conspiracy

https://nypost.com/2026/05/13/us-news/cia-whistleblower-ided-as-james-erdman-iii-in-dramatic-reveal-at-rand-paul-covid-origins-hearing/

https://ground.news/article/cia-whistleblower-claims-fauci-meddled-in-covid-lab-leak-probe

FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary Out

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/dr-marty-makary-fda-commissioner-rcna344765

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/12/trump-fda-commissioner-marty-makary-out.html

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/12/makary-fda-resign-white-house-00916014

California Mayor Admits to Acting as Chinese Agent

https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/arcadia-mayor-federally-charged-acting-illegal-agent-peoples-republic-china

https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/eileen-wang-california-mayors-china-propaganda-machine/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/los-angeles-area-mayor-plead-guilty-acting-chinese-propaganda-agent-2026-05-12/

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/951

South Caroline Supreme Court Overturns Alex Murdaugh's Double Murder Conviction

https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/alex-murdaughs-new-trial-how-does-it-work/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/south-carolina-lawyers-murder-conviction-overturned-2026-05-13/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_Alex_Murdaugh

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/13/alex-murdaugh-murder-convictions-overturned

Quick Hitters

https://www.axios.com/2026/05/12/cpi-april-inflation-iran-trump 

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/29/jerome-powell-says-he-will-continue-to-serve-as-a-fed-governor-even-after-chairmanship-ends-.html

https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/trump-admin-hospice-moratorium/ 

https://ground.news/article/white-house-to-host-9-hour-prayer-festival-focused-on-christian-roots-of-us_31de07

https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/14/politics/michael-banks-border-patrol-resigns 

https://www.newsnationnow.com/business/spirit-airline-employees-sue-pay-benefits/ 

https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/senate-adopts-measure-to-suspend-senators-pay-during-future-shutdowns/

Rumor Has It

https://www.snopes.com/news/2026/05/12/trump-mobile-phone-deposits/

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-mobile-t1-phone-scandal-1795914

https://atlantablackstar.com/2026/05/10/maga-is-furious-after-email-confirms-500-trump-phones-were-a-scam-and-theyll-never-get-their-money-back/

https://www.reddit.com/r/news2/comments/1t8eazx/magas_are_fuming_after_email_confirms_they_will/

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/12/hochul-mamdani-nyc-budget-00916257

https://www.nyc.gov/assets/omb/downloads/pdf/exec26/sum5-26.pdf

https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/05/governor-hochul-and-mayor-mamdani-announce-additional-aid-and-st