Ask a Pol politics

Who? Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) Ask a Pol asks: You’re calling for an end to birthright citizenship — do you think that’s possible? Key Nehls: “I don’t know if it’s possible. It’s the right thing to do,” Rep. Troy Nehls exclusively told Ask a Pol Politics. “We need to put a bed sheet over the Statue of Liberty for 10 years. Just pause all immigration. Moratorium.” Caught our ear: “The idea that women...

About Ask a Pol : We give listeners a front row seat to Congress. Transparency matters, so come inside the Capitol with us! Politicians disappoint. Ask a Pol keeps em honest.  Find us on social media: Substack X Spotify Apple Don’t miss our other Ask a Pol sites !   Ask a Pol politics . Ask a Pol crypto .  Ask a Pol drugs .  Ask a Pol ai .  Ask a Pol uaps .  Find Ask a Pol founder @MattLaslo on so...

Who? Secretary Markwayne Mullin — Department of Homeland Security Where? House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Key Mullin: “I’m not a soccer fan. I had never been to a soccer game before until LA and our opening day on the 12th of June. I loved it,” Secretary Markwayne Mullin testified at the Capitol this week. “It’s like becoming a NASCAR fan, watching it on TV isn’t as fun as being...

Rep. Ayanna Pressley: reparations “not a plea for charity” — “this is about reciprocity” Ep. — Rep. Ayanna Pressley (6-2026) Who? Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) — Member, AOC’s progressive “Squad” LISTEN: Laslo & Pressley Ask a Pol asks: As the US marks its 250th anniversary, where do things stand on reparations for Black Americans? Key Pressley: “This is not a plea for charity or benevolence. This i...

The nation’s TV Networks are blocking me from training a summer intern for the first time since 2012. And they still won’t credential my 7 veteran team members . I’ve now sent a personal letter to the Speaker, Minority Leader, Senate Leaders and each member of the Senate Rules Committee, begging them to intervene. My Bureau, The LCB , has provided clips, W-9s, proof of payments, etc. — yet nothing...

Who? Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) Ask a Pol asks: Why did Speaker Johnson pull the AUMF from the floor? Key Scholten: “We had the votes for it today, and I, you know, I’m not one to speculate, but I do believe that’s probably why he pulled it, because I think we could have gotten it done today, and that’s unfortunate,” Rep. Hillary Scholten exclusively told Ask a Pol Politics . “It’s a disservice...

Who? Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) — Vice Chair, Senate Intelligence Committee Ask a Pol asks: Is Anthropic’s new Mythos AI model on your radar? Has full Intelligence Committee had any classified briefing on it? Key Warner: “Preemption makes sense, but only if you’ve got strong guardrails,” Sen. Mark Warner exclusively tells Ask a Pol Politics . “But I mean, we don’t even have a federal law yet.” Find A...

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tells Ask a Pol Politics founder Matt Laslo that while she supports descheduling marijuana because it reduces harm, it still leaves untouched the deeper injustice of people whose lives were damaged by the war on drugs. Her argument is that legalization should not just enrich the same people who profited before while leaving criminalized communities behind. About Ask a...

Podcast Show Notes: Visit Ask a Pol ~ asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol ~ Let us know what to ask next! In our latest episode — Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) fires back at the premise that Republicans need to retool ahead of the midterms, telling Ask a Pol Politics the only thing needing a retool is the “legacy media” that “intentionally reports falsehoods.” He then touts GOP...

Visit Ask a Pol ~ asking your lawmakers your questions at your US Capitol ~ Let us know what to ask next! In this episode, House Judiciary Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin decries Trump’s alleged violations of the emoluments clause from the Capitol steps, telling Ask a Pol Politics that Trump has never sought Congress’s consent for the millions he collected in his first term — and that the number...

‘Knows he’s a joke’: Capitol Hill goes nuclear on Hegseth after mid-war ‘score-settling’ About Ask a Pol : We give listeners a front row seat to Congress. Transparency matters, so come inside the Capitol with us! Politicians disappoint. Ask a Pol keeps em honest.  Find us on social media: Substack X Spotify Apple Don’t miss our other Ask a Pol sites !   Ask a Pol politics . Ask a Pol crypto .  Ask...

Who? Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) — Ranking Member, House Oversight Committee Ask a Pol asks: Do you think there’s any chance Pam Bondi actually gets held in contempt? You’re trying to move those charges — but the DOJ is still run by her top deputy. Key Garcia: “We filed civil contempt charges because obviously her own DOJ is not going to probably go after her,” Rep. Robert Garcia exclusively told As...

Who? Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) Ask a Pol asks: What do you make of the first lady’s call to have public hearings with the Epstein survivors — and how do you broach that with GOP leaders? Key Luna: “I actually had been encouraging that,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna tells Ask a Pol Politics . But there are obstacles? “The Department of Justice gave plea deals to people that they knew were trafficking...

Who? Joe Rogan — Oval Office, White House Key Rogan: “We have a gigantic opiate problem in this country, obviously. In 2024, more than 80,000 people died of overdoses. It’s a horrible number. And there’s more than 5 million people that are addicted to opiates right now in this country,” Rogan said at the White House. “With one dose of ibogaine, more than 80% of people are free of that addiction. W...

Who? Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) Ask a Pol asks: Is there momentum behind this latest push to close Rikers Island? Key AOC: “I mean, we’ve been pushing to close Rikers for quite some time now,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez exclusively tells Ask a Pol Politics. About Ask a Pol : We give listeners a front row seat to Congress. Transparency matters, so come inside the Capitol with us! Polit...

Who? Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) — Obstetrician & gynecologist by trade* *one of four doctors in the US Senate Ask a Pol asks: Is TrumpRX working — and could a future Democrat expand it into socialized medicine? Key Marshall: “Indeed it is working and it’s not perfect. It doesn’t cover every drug, but people are seeing some significant savings, maybe 50, 70, 80 in some instances,” Sen. Roger Marsha...

Who? Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) — Vice Ranking Member, House Judiciary Committee Ask a Pol asks: Are Republicans hypocrites for hammering Democrats on socialism while the Trump administration takes equity stakes in private companies like Intel? Key Balint: “He’s using the words, you know, “socialism,” “communism,” “leftist” as rhetoric against us — and yet there are so many things happening in this...

Who? Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) — Chair, House Freedom Caucus Ask a Pol asks: Is the Trump administration taking a 10% stake in Intel and grabbing 15% of profits from chip manufacturers socialism from the right? Key Harris: “Generally, I’m not supportive,” Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Andy Harris exclusively tells Ask a Pol Politics of the Trump administration’s moves to take a stake in Intel. “But I do...

Who? Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) — Ranking Member, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Ask a Pol asks: What do you make of your Republican colleagues standing by Trump’s mental acuity and saying you should have done this commission for Biden? Key Raskin: “I’d say they are in a distinct minority in the country. Look, I am for the body called for by the 25th Amendment as a standing permanen...

Who? Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) — Member, AOC’s “Squad” Ask a Pol asks: Isn’t it curious how congressional Republicans are falling in line behind President Donald Trump even as he’s taking 10% of Intel, taking 15% of profits from American chip makers and rolling out TrumpRX, which many on the right hypocritically fear is dangerously close to “socialized” medicine? Key Pressley: “No, it’s not curi...

Who? Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) — US Senate Armed Services Committee Ask a Pol asks: What do you make of President Donald Trump publicly calling out America’s NATO allies — including threats to withhold Pentagon support in future conflicts — after European countries refused to send military support to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz? Key Kaine: “He’s been non-stop screwing around with NATO allies duri...

Who? Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) — Chair, House Judiciary Committee Ask a Pol asks: Despite Attorney General Pam Bondi attacking members of both parties who pressed her for answers on the Justice Department's bungling of the Epstein files' release, survivors at today's hearing say they still need a lot more from the government? Key Jordan: “Attorney General Bondi’s doing the best she can to comply with...

Who? Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) — Ranking Member, Appropriations Defense Subcommittee Ask a Pol asks: What do you make of NATO allies being reluctant to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump and Israel attacked Iran? Key Coons: “That the President keeps disrespecting our NATO ally this way leads to the unsurprising result. Then when he didn’t consult with them before launching...

Who? Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) — Vice-chair, Senate Intelligence Committee Ask a Pol asks: In President Donald Trump’s cabinet meeting this week, it seemed the administration was totally blindsided by Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz — were they? Key Warner: “No. If they had read any intelligence, it’s obvious they would close the Strait,” Senate Intel Vice-chair Mark Warner tells Ask a P...

Who? House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries What? War of words over funding the Department of Homeland Security What should we ask Congress next? Republicans beg to differ. Who? Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference Lisa McClain Ask a Pol AI Disclosure: Ask a Pol‘s playing around with as many new AI tools as we can, so this small, unfunded startup can compete in today’s new media landscape....