The Lars Larson Show Interviews

A federal appeals court says states can't give in-state tuition to illegal immigrants while charging higher rates to American citizens from other states. Should Oregon's similar policy be next? Hannah Davis is Investigations Manager at the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). She joins the show to discuss the Fifth Circuit's ruling striking down Texas' in-state tu...

A South Korean energy company wants to cover hundreds of acres of productive Willamette Valley farmland with solar panels. Is green energy worth sacrificing some of Oregon's best agricultural land? Troy Jones is a Harrisburg resident and member of Friends of Gap Road. He joins the show to discuss the proposed Muddy Creek Energy Park, concerns about converting farmland into a large-scale solar...

California has made it illegal for employers to require workers to attend meetings about politics or religion. Is the law protecting employees from coercion, or violating employers' First Amendment rights? Will Swaim is President of the California Policy Center. He joins the show to discuss the legal challenge to California's workplace speech law, the recent arguments before the Ninth Ci...

A new study claims Apple News and Google News ignored more than 100 stories about a Democratic Senate candidate's controversies until he became a political liability. Are news apps shaping public opinion by deciding which stories get seen? David Bozell is President of the Media Research Center. He joins the show to discuss the organization's analysis of Apple News and Google News, allega...

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan is facing calls to recuse herself from a major climate lawsuit after critics say she publicly endorsed legal theories central to the case. Should a justice hear a case after weighing in on the underlying issues? Carrie Severino is President of the Judicial Crisis Network and a former law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas. She joins the show to discuss the ethics co...

The sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham has set off a scramble for one of the country's most influential Senate seats. Who is best positioned to carry the Republican banner, and what does the race mean for the future of the GOP? Mark Lynch is a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from South Carolina who challenged Sen. Lindsey Graham in the 2026 GOP primary and has announced he will...

Billions of dollars in unclaimed U.S. savings bonds are sitting in federal accounts while millions of Americans may not even know the money belongs to them. Should the government keep holding it, or work to return it to its rightful owners? Vivek Malek is Missouri State Treasurer. He joins the show to discuss the effort by state treasurers to persuade the Treasury Department to release nearly $39...

For decades, fusion energy has been called the power source of the future. Now one American company says it has cleared a major regulatory hurdle and is moving closer to delivering commercial fusion power. Is the future finally here? David Kirtley is Founder and CEO of Helion Energy. He joins the show to discuss Helion becoming the first company to receive regulatory approval for a commercial fusi...

As more states expand legal marijuana, critics say the country is seeing rising addiction, mental health concerns, and a growing illegal market. Has legalization delivered on its promises, or created new problems? Kevin Sabet is President and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), a former White House drug policy advisor, and author of Smokescreen . He joins the show to discuss the long-term...

Global threats continue to grow as conflicts intensify around the world. Is the U.S. military prepared for the challenges ahead, or are critical readiness gaps emerging? Major General John King joins the show to discuss America's military readiness, evolving global threats, and what the United States must do to maintain its strategic advantage. Send us Fan Mail

A single federal judge can often halt a president's policies across the entire country with one ruling. Has that power gone too far, or is it an essential constitutional check on the executive branch? Zack Smith is a Senior Legal Fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation. He joins the show to discuss nationwide injunctions, recent Supreme C...

Many parents say America's classrooms spend more time criticizing the country's history than celebrating its founding principles. Should schools be doing more to teach patriotism? Anne Schlafly Cori is Chairman of Eagle Forum. She joins the show to discuss civics education, the role of patriotism in schools, and why she believes America's founding values should play a larger role in...

Some Portland homeowners have been hit with code enforcement fines exceeding $100,000 over short-term rental violations. Is the city enforcing the rules fairly, or punishing property owners beyond reason? Aaron Mesh is Managing Editor of Willamette Week . He joins the show to discuss Portland's aggressive enforcement of short-term rental rules, why some homeowners are facing six-figure penalt...

Cities continue to spend billions in public money on new sports stadiums, even as team values and ticket prices soar. Are taxpayers getting a fair return on those investments? Catherina Gioino is a News Editor at Fortune . She joins the show to discuss the growing use of public funding for professional sports stadiums, the economic arguments for and against subsidies, and whether taxpayers should...

Democratic leaders withdrew their support for Senate candidate Graham Platner only after new allegations became public. Should party leaders have acted much sooner? Leland Vittert is Chief Washington Anchor for NewsNation and host of On Balance with Leland Vittert . He joins the show to discuss the fallout from Graham Platner's Senate campaign, the response from Democratic leaders, and what t...

Oregon is expanding Medicaid spending on non-medical benefits while many patients still struggle to find a primary care doctor. Are state leaders focusing on the right priorities? Ed Diehl represents Oregon House District 17. He joins the show to discuss Oregon's Medicaid spending, the state's investment in non-medical benefits, and whether improving access to doctors should come before...

The Oregonian is apologizing for the decades-old "Jail Blazers" nickname after saying communities of color found the term offensive. Is this responsible journalism, or an unnecessary rewrite of history? Josh Marquis is a former Oregon District Attorney and former President of the Oregon District Attorneys Association. He joins the show to discuss The Oregonian's apology over the &qu...

The United States has launched a new wave of strikes on Iranian targets, raising fears that recent ceasefire efforts may be falling apart. Is the conflict escalating into a broader regional war? Janatan Sayeh is a Research Analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He joins the show to discuss the latest U.S. military strikes on Iran, Tehran's response, the future of the ceasefire,...

Washington now has a new income tax, but one member of Congress has declined to publicly say whether she supports it. Do voters deserve a clear answer before the next election? Carleen Johnson is a Washington State Government Reporter for The Center Square . She joins the show to discuss questions surrounding Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's position on Washington's new income tax, the pol...

Millions of taxpayer dollars meant for students have allegedly been lost to fraud, fake invoices, inflated enrollment, and kickback schemes. Is enough being done to protect education funding? John Hart is CEO of OpenTheBooks. He joins the show to discuss a new report uncovering roughly $225 million in alleged education fraud, the biggest cases across the country, and what reforms are needed to imp...

Movies and television often portray women effortlessly defeating much larger men in hand-to-hand combat. Has Hollywood created unrealistic expectations about the physical differences between men and women? Ali Holcomb is a Communications Advisor and National Security Fellow at Advancing American Freedom. She joins the show to discuss how entertainment portrays female action heroes, the biological...

A military recruit has died and hundreds of trainees have become sick following a flu outbreak at an Air Force training base. Did making flu vaccinations voluntary create an unnecessary risk to military readiness? Dr. Henry Miller is a physician, molecular biologist, and the founding director of the FDA's Office of Biotechnology. He joins the show to discuss the outbreak at Lackland Air Force...

Ukraine says it is gaining ground while Russia continues to suffer heavy losses. Is the momentum finally shifting, or is the reality more complicated than the headlines suggest? Steven Moore is founder of the Ukraine Freedom Project. He joins the show to discuss the latest developments on the battlefield, Russia's mounting casualties, continued Western support for Ukraine, and what the confli...

Visitors from around the world often praise the freedoms and opportunities found in the United States. So why do so many Americans seem less proud of their own country? Nicholas Giordano is a professor of Political Science, host of The P.A.S. Report Podcast , and a fellow with Campus Reform's Higher Education Fellowship. He joins the show to discuss changing attitudes toward American exceptio...

A New Jersey construction company says the state requires contractors on public projects to meet race- and sex-based hiring quotas. Is that equal opportunity, or unconstitutional discrimination? Michael Earle is President of Earle Asphalt Company. He joins the show to discuss his company's lawsuit challenging New Jersey's public contracting rules, race- and sex-based hiring requirements,...