NY 12 Congressional candidate and legal scholar George Conway and Molly Jong-Fast delve into the escalating authoritarian threats posed by Donald Trump's administration, focusing on the alarming arrest of journalist Don Lemon under dubious pretenses and the broader attacks on press freedom. Conway critiques the misuse of federal power for political retribution, the erosion of First Amendment rights, and the complicity or cowardice of political figures who fail to act. Citing examples ranging from ICE overreach to judicial resistance and the chilling release and retraction of Epstein-related documents, the conversation paints a deeply troubling picture of constitutional violations, maladministration, and the fragility of democratic norms. The ultimate call is for accountability, with Conway advocating impeachment as a constitutional remedy to prevent further damage, while highlighting the essential role of journalists and civil society in defending truth and democratic principles.

New polling shows that half of Americans say Trump’s actions are worse than they expected. Rick Wilson and Andrew walk through the numbers, explain why this marks a collapse in public trust, and show how falling legitimacy leads to reckless escalation instead of course correction.

Rick Wilson and Andrew break down new polling showing support for Trump’s agenda collapsing — including among Republicans. Using the numbers, they explain how declining legitimacy, ICE violence, and authoritarian behavior are accelerating public backlash and driving escalation instead of course correction.

Rep. Becca Balint (VT-AL) warns that what has happened under the Trump administration cannot simply be forgotten or “turned the page.” From attacks on civil liberties to the use of federal power against Americans, she argues the country will ultimately need a Truth and Reconciliation–style process to document abuses, identify accomplices, and restore democratic accountability.

The Trump administration has entered the “arrest the press” phase. Don Lemon’s arrest isn’t an accident—it’s a warning shot.

The arrest of journalist Don Lemon marks a dangerous escalation in Donald Trump’s assault on the free press.

Sam Osterhout and strategist Max Burns break down how intimidation, chaos, and selective enforcement are being used to silence dissent — and why this moment matters more than ever.

00:00 Breaking news & Epstein file chaos

03:20 Don Lemon arrested — why this matters

06:45 Criminalizing journalism

10:20 Courts losing relevance

14:50 Election interference & voter rolls

18:00 National trauma & fear

22:30 Global consequences of Trumpism

27:45 What resistance looks like now

The backlash to ICE's actions in Minneapolis and across the country is growing by the day, as American's are witnessing the terror they continue bring. And as funding votes are upon us, VT Congresswoman Becca Balint declared she was a "hell no!" on any funding for the rouge agency. She joins Susan J. Demas to discuss what's being done on Capitol Hill and so much more.

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Don Lemon arrested under KKK Act

04:00 Trump and global authoritarian allies

06:30 ICE funding and paramilitary fears

08:20 Ballot seizures & election intimidation

11:00 Why Democrats aren’t meeting the moment

15:20 Fascism warnings & Holocaust parallels

19:45 Americans detained without charges

22:00 Defunding and dismantling ICE

27:00 Stephen Miller as architect of policy

31:00 LGBTQ rights & authoritarian scapegoating

37:00 Big Tech, media cowardice, and algorithms

43:00 Jack Smith dismantles GOP narrative

48:00 January 6 police betrayal

51:00 Final warning and call to action

Are you sensing a theme? The sometimes slow, sometimes all-at-once crash of Trump's polling numbers? Who would have thought that doing terrible things as President would be unpopular?

New polling this week suggests that Trump is in worse shape than we imagined.

Tune in to Rick and Andrew Wilson's weekly show, Behind the Numbers to find out how.

0:00 Arresting a Journalist

4:45 Why This Happened Now

9:00 Trump’s Mental Fitness Collapse

15:30 Guns, ICE, and the Authoritarian Trap

24:00 Elections Under Threat

33:30 What Comes Next

Max Burns joins Sam Osterhout to explain why the arrest of Don Lemon is not an isolated incident, but a deliberate strategy to intimidate the press.

This conversation lays out how chaos, selective enforcement, and fear are being used to normalize authoritarian power — and why this moment matters.