On The Media

No discussion of money and politics is complete without a tip of the hat to Citizens United , the landmark Supreme Court ruling of 10 years ago that recognized corporations as people and their money as speech.  That ruling was followed a few years ago by the Hobby Lobby decision, giving business owners the right to flout federal law based on their religious beliefs. To many Americans, particularly on the left, both rulings were bizarre and ominous expansions of corporate rights. But, if you think this is the novel handiwork of a uniquely conservative Supreme Court, you haven't been paying attention to the past three or four hundred years of court cases and American history. Adam Winkler, professor of law at UCLA, is the author of . He told us in 2018 that the principle of corporate rights has been litigated forever and predates our very founding.   

Attorney General Bill Barr appeared to spar with Donald Trump in the latest chapter of the Roger Stone case. On this week’s On the Media, why the apparent interference in the Justice Department’s work should cause concern. Plus, Customs and Border Patrol builds a new bulwark against disclosure and transparency. And, a family migration story three decades in the making.  1. 2. Susan Hennessey [ 3. Ken Klippenstein [ 4. Jason DeParle [ Music from this week's show: In The Bath — Randy Newman The Artifact & Living — Michael Andrews String Quartet No. 5 — Philip Glass, performed by Kronos Quartet The Glass House - Marjanes's Inspiration — David Bergeaud Frail as a Breeze, Pt. 2 — Erik Friedlander The Thompson Fields — Maria Schneider   

Elbert Lester has lived his full 94 years in Quitman County, Mississippi, on land he and his family own. That’s exceptional for black people in this area, and some family members even say the land came to them through  “40 acres and a mule.” But that's pretty unlikely, so our WNYC colleague  Kai Wright , host of , went on a search for the truth and uncovered a  story about an old and fundamental question in American politics, one at the center of the current election: Who are the rightful owners of this country’s staggering wealth? - John Willis is author of   Forgotten Time - Eric Foner is author of  The Second Founding -   . You can navigate to each county to learn about documented lynchings there.

The sloppy roll-out of Iowa results prompted disinformation and confusion over the mechanics of the caucus system. This week, On the Media looks at the origins of the nomination process to explain how we got here. Plus, local reporters in New Hampshire examine the power struggle at the heart of the upcoming contest.  1. Galen Druke [ 2.   3.  Lauren Chooljian [ Music from this week's show:  Sacred Oracle by John Zorn Young at Heart by Brad Mehldau The Camping Store by Clive Carroll and John Renbourn Milestones by Bill Evan Trio

A lot was reported about Tuesday night's State of the Union address. President Trump's characteristic self-congratulation, the fact-checking of his error-filled speech, and Nancy Pelosi's sensational paper rip stunt. Tuesday night also solidified Rush Limbaugh's ascent to Republican royalty. By awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Trump inducted Limbaugh into a gilded class of American history, featuring Norman Rockwell, Maya Angelou, Thurgood Marshall, and Martin Luther King Jr. According to , a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, the award could be seen as the culmination of the GOP's transformation, precipitated by Limbaugh and solidified by Trump.