The Lars Larson Show Interviews

Dr. John Lott, president of the Crime Prevention Research Center and author of More Guns, Less Crime, joins Lars to examine the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon. An armed citizen with a concealed-carry permit reportedly stopped the 16-year-old suspect, who killed three children and one adult. The tragedy has renewed questions about Oregon school districts that prohibit sta...

Institute for Justice attorney Mike Greenberg joins Lars to expose the dangers of excessive fines and civil asset forfeiture. An Alaska pilot could lose his $95,000 aircraft after a passenger allegedly brought beer into a dry village without his knowledge. Greenberg discusses the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case and other examples of government penalties that critics say are wildly dispro...

Former Oregon District Attorney Josh Marquis joins Lars to discuss the ethics investigation into State Rep. Lamar Wise over a $25,000 payment from Seeding Justice. Wise calls it an honest mistake, but Marquis questions whether Wise properly disclosed the money on his financial statement—and whether he reported it as income to the Oregon Department of Revenue. The investigation raises questions abo...

Conn Davis, CEO of Byrna Technologies, joins Lars to discuss rising prices and the economic pressure facing American households. The September inflation report cited in the show notes put annual inflation at 3.7%, while gasoline and diesel prices climbed sharply amid the Iran war. With wage growth trailing inflation, voters are weighing the economy ahead of the midterm elections. Send us Fan Mail

Matthew Bumala, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, joins Lars to discuss Republican turnout, the upcoming elections and what it will take for the party to win races across the board. Send us Fan Mail

Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation and author of The Plot to Change America and NextGen Marxism, joins Lars to discuss a proposal to remove race, ethnicity and sexual-preference questions from the U.S. Census. The conversation examines whether a more colorblind approach could reduce cultural divisions and how citizenship and residency should factor into congressional apporti...

Portland City Council Vice President Olivia Clark joins Lars to discuss Measure 267, a proposal to dedicate an estimated $16 million annually to a participatory budgeting program in which residents help choose how money is spent. Critics warn the new funding requirement could force cuts to public safety services as Portland faces ongoing budget pressures. Send us Fan Mail

Bob Barr, a former CIA analyst and member of Congress, joins Lars to discuss polling showing support for stricter gun laws has declined among likely voters. With the Supreme Court set to consider a case involving bans on AR-15-style rifles, the conversation examines the Second Amendment, public opinion and the future of firearm restrictions. Send us Fan Mail

Bridget Toomey, a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins Lars to discuss Iran-backed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, including a strike that damaged the headquarters of state-owned oil company Aramco. With attacks disrupting regional aviation and Saudi Arabia reportedly running low on missile interceptors, the question is whether the United States should join Saudi st...

Jonathan Dever, a former Ohio state representative, retired attorney, digital bank founder and author, joins Lars to discuss a proposal from congressional candidate Brian Poindexter to remove the Social Security payroll-tax income cap, allow earlier full benefits and increase payments. Dever argues that even the projected $17 trillion in additional revenue would not prevent the program from runnin...

Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research, joins Lars to discuss a challenge from 22 state financial officers to major credit-rating agencies over their use of environmental, social and governance criteria. The officials argue that climate-related ratings could hurt American companies and state investments while giving Chinese state-owned oil and gas firms favorable treatment. The debat...

Oregon gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan joins Lars to discuss Portland Public Schools’ proposal to close up to 14 schools amid declining enrollment and budget pressures. With some buildings reportedly only 25% occupied, the debate centers on whether districts should keep underused facilities open or redirect resources toward classrooms and students. Send us Fan Mail

Eric Eggers, vice president of research at the Government Accountability Institute, author of Fraud: How the Left Plans to Steal the Next Election and co-host of The Drill Down podcast, joins Lars to discuss Anthropic’s warning that AI models could soon replicate themselves across the internet. They examine concerns that rogue AI could build botnets, hijack internet-connected devices and resist at...

Erin Wilcox, a senior attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, joins Lars to discuss a lawsuit challenging Montgomery County Public Schools’ magnet-school admissions policies. The lawsuit alleges that criteria designed to rebalance racial representation disproportionately excluded high-scoring Asian American students. They examine the legal challenge and the broader debate over race, fairness and sch...

Greg Greubel, a senior attorney at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, joins Lars to discuss a New Jersey school board member who faced an ethics complaint after asking constituents on social media about a proposed school tax increase. The state dismissed the complaint after legal pressure from FIRE, raising questions about free speech, elected officials’ ability to communicate wi...

Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, former Federal Election Commission commissioner and former U.S. Justice Department attorney, joins Lars to discuss reports that Rep. Ilhan Omar’s staff requested a change to her birth year in public records after she was elected to Congress. They examine the questions surrounding the change and the allegations about her immigra...

Aaron Mesh, managing editor of Willamette Week, joins Lars to discuss three no-bid contracts totaling $456,000 awarded by Prosper Portland executive director Cornell Wesley to two college friends. They examine the agency’s refusal to disclose the scope of work for two contracts and questions about whether the deals received appropriate oversight. Send us Fan Mail

Carleen Johnson, a staff reporter for The Center Square, joins Lars to discuss the Washington State Supreme Court’s unanimous rejection of Seattle’s appeal in a public-records case brought by podcaster Brandi Kruse. They examine the city’s handling of records related to a key City Council vote and the legal consequences of delays that extended beyond an election. Send us Fan Mail

Kris Ullman, president of Eagle Forum, joins Lars to discuss the Camas High School girls’ cross-country team members who walked away from a race rather than compete against a male athlete who began the season on the boys’ team. They examine fairness in girls’ sports, Washington’s eligibility rules and Initiative 638, which would restrict participation in certain female-only interschool athletic co...

Kevin Dahlgren, an independent journalist who reports on homelessness and addiction through his Substack, Truth on the Streets, joins Lars to discuss what he calls the “Homeless Industrial Complex.” Drawing on decades in social services and interviews with thousands of homeless Americans, Dahlgren argues that organizations receiving public money should have to demonstrate measurable progress in re...

Kathleen “Kathy” Jones-McCann, an Oregon property owner and founder of Rural Oregon Property Advocates, joins Lars to discuss her lengthy fight with county officials over building restrictions in the McKenzie River corridor. She says it cost more than $500,000 and took over two years to secure a variance, raising questions about property rights, environmental regulations and the limits local gover...

John Gordon, host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Truth with John Gordon, joins Lars to discuss President Trump’s decision to remove Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece following allegations of improper conduct. They examine reports involving gifts, interactions with Greek officials and an alleged offer to use political influence in connection with a large credit card bill....

Marc Wheat, general counsel for Advancing American Freedom, joins Lars to discuss a Massachusetts case involving parents who lost custody of their teenage daughter after refusing to affirm her gender identity. They examine the legal fight over parental rights, religious liberty and a state’s authority to make decisions about a child’s gender-related treatment. Send us Fan Mail

Richard Lim, PragerU’s resident historian and author of Refusing a Crown, joins Lars to discuss George Washington’s refusal to become king and the founding principles behind America’s rejection of monarchy. With “No Kings” rallies planned across the country, they examine what the founders meant by rejecting kingship and how Washington’s legacy fits into today’s political debate. Send us Fan Mail

Bruce Spiva, senior vice president at the Campaign Legal Center, joins Lars to discuss the Trump administration’s investigation of major television networks over their decision to suspend a shared White House video feed. They examine the dispute between the White House and the networks, the administration’s antitrust concerns and the legal questions surrounding whether competing broadcasters can b...