The Lars Larson Show Interviews

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is outlining a plan to address homelessness and the drug crisis. Center Square reporter Carleen Johnson joins Lars to discuss whether cities should prioritize recovery and sobriety before providing housing. Send us Fan Mail

OpenTheBooks.com investigative journalist Jeremy Portnoy joins Lars to discuss a report on New York Medicaid home-care payments lacking electronic visit verification records. The report identifies $14.5 billion in payments that could not be verified, raising questions about oversight—not proof that the money was stolen. Send us Fan Mail

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Bauman joins Lars to discuss Oregon Ducks wide receiver Massiah Hampton’s arrest on traffic violations the day before a game. They consider the timing of the arrest and concerns raised about sports betting—without assuming any improper motive. Send us Fan Mail

Ballotpedia staff writer Nicole Fisher joins Lars to discuss the more than $1.2 billion raised by campaigns for and against statewide ballot measures. With major tax proposals on the ballot, the conversation examines the money and messaging behind the measures. Send us Fan Mail

Washington Senate Republican Leader John Braun joins Lars to discuss Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s response to the state’s new income tax and the effort to repeal it. The conversation looks at what the tax could mean for small businesses and pass-through entities. Send us Fan Mail

U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford joins Lars after federal authorities arrested 14 noncitizens with prior violent convictions who had been released from Oregon jails or prisons despite ICE detainers. The discussion focuses on county policies, court orders, and public safety. Send us Fan Mail

Foreign organizations tied to Qatar and China have funded programs in American public schools, including in Seattle. Brandy Shufutinsky, education and national security program director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins Lars to discuss foreign influence in K-12 education and whether schools should be required to disclose overseas funding. Send us Fan Mail

A polling firm accused of using fabricated data has raised new questions about the influence of political polls. Wayne Allyn Root, host of America’s Top Ten Countdown and America Speaks, joins Lars to discuss whether misleading polls and prediction-market odds can shape voters’ decisions—or even change election results. Send us Fan Mail

The Supreme Court will consider whether serving as a cook for a terrorist organization counts as providing material support. Zack Smith, senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, joins Lars to discuss the case and what it could mean for asylum seekers with ties to terrorist groups. Send us Fan Mail

Seattle and other Washington cities restrict certain comments on their social media pages, including insults and political statements. Aaron Terr, vice president of public advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, joins Lars to discuss whether local governments can decide which opinions residents are allowed to express. Send us Fan Mail

Actress and dialect coach Mary McDonald-Lewis joins Lars to remember the late Patrick Stewart and share stories from their time working together on Green Room in Portland. Send us Fan Mail

Oregon’s health authority says tattoo artists cannot use over-the-counter numbing creams or sprays under current law. Nikki Matias, founder of Rebel Skincare and a member of the Society of Permanent Cosmetics, joins Lars to discuss the impact on permanent makeup artists and whether lawmakers should step in. Send us Fan Mail

A Morning Consult survey found that 26% of Americans say social media influencers have affected their voting decisions. Romain Vakilitabar, founder of Pathos Labs, joins Lars to discuss how figures like Jake Paul and Hasan Piker are shaping political opinions—and what that means for traditional journalism. Send us Fan Mail

Washington’s new income tax applies to millionaires—but its inclusion of pension income has raised concerns that lawmakers could eventually expand it. Steve Gordon of Gordon Truck Centers and Matt McIlwain of Madrona join Lars to discuss the tax, Initiative 645, and whether Washington’s growing budget could push more employers and residents out of the state. Send us Fan Mail

Recent comments from television hosts have raised questions about whether political coverage is crossing the line into partisan attacks. Tim Graham, executive editor of NewsBusters and director of media analysis at the Media Research Center, joins Lars to discuss the media’s treatment of conservatives and whether the public can still trust its political coverage. Send us Fan Mail

Posts circulating online claim governments around the world are preparing citizens for a coming war by urging them to stockpile food and water. Alexander Muse, independent publisher of The Enterprise newsletter, joins Lars to explain where these warnings actually came from, how old many of the recommendations are, and whether routine emergency preparedness is being twisted into something more alar...

A New York Times report alleges Democratic operatives recruited a second candidate named Dan Sullivan in Alaska in an effort to confuse voters and siphon support from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. JoDee Neil, a Texas trial attorney and legal expert with more than 20 years of experience, joins Lars to discuss the allegations, the legal questions surrounding the so-called “ballot composition project...

U.S. officials reportedly identified a Chinese intelligence asset with close ties to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, raising questions about access to sensitive American technology. Kylie Jane Kremer, senior advisor at Human First, joins Lars to discuss the allegations, the security risks surrounding advanced AI chips, and whether America is doing enough to protect its technological advantage. Send us Fa...

The Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady, but economists expect another possible increase in December as inflation remains above the Fed’s target. Thomas Hoenig, distinguished senior fellow at the Mercatus Center and former vice chairman of the FDIC and president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, joins Lars to discuss the Fed’s next move and what higher rates could mea...

Oregon’s prison system is facing questions over its terminology for inmates and its handling of information about convicted criminals. Former district attorney Josh Marquis joins Lars to discuss the case of Benny Lee Chaffin, who murdered a 9-year-old girl in 1984, and how the case helped bring the death penalty back to Oregon. Send us Fan Mail

Tacoma voters are deciding whether landlords should be required to bargain with tenant unions when renters in a majority of a building’s units support one. Kevin Schilling, government affairs and advocacy director at the Rental Housing Association of Washington, joins Lars to explain how the proposal could affect property owners, rental costs, and the future of housing in Tacoma. Send us Fan Mail

A federal judge in California rejected the Justice Department’s request to set aside roughly 20,000 ballots from people the government identified as potentially noncitizens. Michael O’Neill, vice president of legal affairs at Landmark Legal Foundation, joins Lars to discuss the constitutional fight over election authority, voter eligibility checks, and whether ballots should be counted before citi...

A downtown Portland hotel that sold for more than $108 million in 2016 has now changed hands for just $6.8 million. Nick Shivers, real estate professional and supporter of the program, joins Lars to discuss the collapse in downtown property values, the struggling commercial real estate market, and what the numbers say about Portland’s recovery. Send us Fan Mail

A national tracking list compiled by Americans for Legal Immigration PAC now claims to document more than 182 cases of noncitizens voting in U.S. elections. William Gheen, president and spokesperson for ALIPAC, joins Lars to discuss the cases, concerns about election integrity, and whether federal officials are doing enough to investigate illegal voting. Send us Fan Mail

A federal judge dismissed charges against a noncitizen accused of voting in a federal election, ruling the law unconstitutional. Paul Jacob, chairman of Americans for Citizen Voting, joins Lars to discuss the constitutional fight over who sets voting rules and why supporters want a constitutional amendment explicitly limiting voting in federal elections to U.S. citizens. Send us Fan Mail