Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
A little over a week ago at a Kamala rally,
when two gentlemen yelled christ is King in Jesus's Lord,
Kamala told them they must be at the wrong place.
Then last Sunday and this Sunday she went to churches.
Very ironic move. And what was the accent she was
(00:21):
doing at the church yesterday? Very bizarre.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, it is a presidential campaign. A lot of bizarre
things happen. Indeed, Jimmy Sangenberger here with you as we
enter into the third hour of the situation with Michael
Brown obviously yours truly that guest speaker in for Michael,
and it has been a very fascinating time, to be sure,
(00:49):
from Trump going on with none other than Joe Rogan
for a three hour podcast conversation to Kamala Harris having
rallies and getting out there, and Trump of course having
a major rally at Madison Square Garden. We've got some
sound that we will play along the way. But let's
(01:10):
welcome our guest here as we enter in to the
eight o'clock hour. Rashini Rajkumar is a crisis strategist, c
suite advisor and licensed attorney. She has core clients that
include Fortune five hundred brands and their leaders. Rashini is
host of the Crisis Files weekly podcast, which has been
(01:31):
in a pitch stage as a TV pilot as well.
The Crisisfiles dot com is the website to go to
and Rashini. Raj Kumar joins me. Now, Good morning, Rashini,
welcome back, Good.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Morning, Jimmy. It is wonderful to be with you on
this very bright Monday, but also eight days from election
day kind of crazy to think about it is.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
The time is flying by too. It's amazing to think
how close we are. Let me just look sort of
big picture and then we'll zero in on some things.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
How do you.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Look at the current state of play from your vantage
point right now?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
So, if we're talking about the two presidential candidates, it
is definitely crunch time for them, and I would say
both sides have made some missteps. This is really the
moment that each should be honing in, like literally zeroing
in on their core strengths, on their key pieces. They
want the American public, the voters out there, to glom
(02:31):
onto and remember them when you're privately in that voting
booth or mailing in your ballot, whichever the case may be.
And I would say both candidates are not always doing
that because they will go off on different tangents. In
the case of Vice President Harris, sometimes it's kind of
a headline a week, what should we focus on this week?
And that's not really the way to go. With the
(02:53):
case of former President Donald Trump, he will have his
plan or so we here to talk about safety, to
talk about the border, to talk about the economy, and
then one little in he gives himself one little in
which turns into a lot where he kind of goes
off and calls bes pasn't here as various names. I
(03:14):
don't think that's the way to go either. So right
now they have to focus on their strengths and they
have to try to really appeal to those undecided voters
out there. And I have to tell you, Jimmy, I'm
one of them.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Fascinating Rashini. Let's take a listen to two different rally clips.
Here is a snippet of Trump last night at Madison
Square Garden, followed by Kamala Harris talking about a refrain
she's bringing about turn the page next Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
You have to stand up and you have.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
To tell Kamala Harris that you've done a terrible job.
That crooked Joe Biden has done a terrible job. You've
destroyed our country. We're not going to take it anymore.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Kamala, You're fired. Get out, You're fired.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Obviously channeling the days he was on The Apprentice.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
And here Kamala Harris and we.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
Understand, we have an opportunity before us to turn the
page on the fear and the divisiveness that have characterized
our politics for a decade. Because of Donald Trump, we
have the ability to turn the page on that same old,
(04:36):
tired playbook because we are exhausted with it.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Turn the page has been a funny refrain in my mind,
Rashea Rashkamar for the sitting vice president to be saying
about someone who hasn't been in office in almost four years,
But what do you make of it?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Yeah, I mean it really is.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
She's really been ignoring the fact that she's currently in office.
I mean, up until like election day and fast election day,
she could be doing things for the American people to
make our lives better. Also, I want to point out
vocal behavior from both of these candidates. Jimmy, you hear
her kind of screeching and screaming. It is not the
(05:16):
subtextual messages. I've come on your shows before and I've
said there are subtextual messages to everything we do and say,
kind of a message beyond the message. So when you
are screeching and in that higher pitch, especially as a female,
it's very hard for listeners to take you in and
the intentional message then does not really land. So I
(05:40):
would definitely recommend, and I'm coaching neither of these candidates,
I would recommend that they think about all of the
overt as well as those subtextual messages they're sending with
their words, with their vocal behavior, with their body language.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Something that I have found really interesting has been the
two candidates going in different sort of personal circumstances. Harris
went to a barber shop, a black owned barber shop.
She went for beers with Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan.
Quite frankly, both of those and many others that she's
(06:15):
been doing in those kinds of personalization attempts have been
falling flat to me, if not at times cringeworthy, Versus
something I found really interesting a couple of weeks ago,
Donald Trump went to McDonald's, and I found that to.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Be the way he handled it.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Obviously it was very staged, but a very personal, sort
of relatable approach for a politician to take that I
thought came across as somebody who was sort of having fun,
which I also got. I've actually listened to two hours
and ten minutes or so of his three hour interview
with Joe Rogan, and this just gives you a flavor
(06:53):
of Trump's sort of attitude on the Joe Rogan podcast.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Do me a favored Do you know Elon Muskis he
endorsed me the way he gave me the nicest endorsement too.
This the tough he said, the country's going to failed.
You should do the same thing, Joe, because you cannot
be voting for Kamala Kamala.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
You're not a Kamala person. I know you. I've watched you.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
I know him better than his you know what, without
speaking to you, I think I know you, maybe almost
as well as your wife. I have watched you for
so many years. You're not a Kamala person. You're a
kab person, but you're not a Comma person.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
And you can hear Rogan laughing there.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
I mean, that's the kind of thing I wish we
could get a lot more from Trump and that we
could get from these politicians Rashini, where you actually hear
them talking about things. Trump was talking about sports and
going back and forth with him, where you feel like
you were getting to know them as a person. It's
not something you often get.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Yeah, and both sides have gone on these various popular podcasts.
Those are exactly the moments, exactly the platforms to be personal.
Not bring your kind of party agenda ten points or
five point play or slogans or those kinds of things.
Speaker 8 (08:02):
Just be real.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And regardless of whether we're talking about presidential elections or
brands that we love, like chocolate or Coca Cola, whatever
it is, those brands know when they're putting together messaging,
they can't go one hundred eighty degrees off message. They
have to stay authentic or they're going to lose their
core base and they'll definitely not gain new followers. So
(08:26):
that is definitely what both of these candidates should know.
Especially Kamala Harris, I have not heard some of these
opportunities to be very real. I've heard her be less
than authentic. I mean It's really hard for me to
believe Kamala Harris even drinkspeer let alone sits down with
the Governor of Michigan.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
To have a beer.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
So I mean, if you're going to do something like that,
I mean pick a coffee shop. I mean, go somewhere
where people might actually find you. I mean I would
sit at a bar and have a martini with the
governor if I were her, because that's probably what she drinks.
So those are the kinds of things that you know,
eight k's to go. I don't know how much they
can course correct either side, but they really have to
(09:07):
let go of all the frill, all the fluff, and
they just have to be as authentic as possible.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Rashidi Raskumar, a guest host of The Crisis Files podcast.
I wonder if part of the reason that, at least
from my impression, and I've often criticized Trump, including on
a lot of the personality stuff, But my impression is
that maybe because of his background and entertainment, somebody who
has done commercials, who has done TV shows, you name it,
(09:33):
he's Ben and A, He's done it. In that respect,
he knows how to play to the camera and connect
with people in a way that Kamala Harris, who's been
a politician throughout her life, really does not seem to
be able to do. That could be the pivotal difference
here in the way in which Trump is able to
play off McDonald's or a long form interview.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
For three hours with Joe Rogan or.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Somebody like him in a way that Kamala Harris can't
quite match.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
You're exactly right. And I was reading a little bit
about that Rogan interview in the Wall Street Journal after
it happened, and they are talking with Harris's people. I
think they had gotten a yes, but maybe not a
yes to three hours. And here here's what it is.
You shouldn't have a lot of back and forth. Joe Rogan,
obviously so popular, are one of the most popular podcasts
(10:21):
maybe in the world. You just say yes, and you
make it work and you figure it out. I mean,
that's just media relations.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yes, by far, he is the biggest podcast on Spotify,
and gosh, I mean if I look at the interview now,
Donald Trump's interview with Joe Rogan is standing already at
just shy of thirty four million views.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
And this is something that came out on Friday.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Well, and let's just.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Think about that.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
That's like the combined population of my state, Minnesota, and
probably the three or four surrounding states. I mean, that
is what we are talking about here. That is free
money that has earned media. They did not pay to
go on that podcast. In fact, you don't need to
go on podcast.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Earned media, So earned media.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
That's what it is. It's the best kind and it
makes more sense than some of these attack ads. And
by the way, these attack ads have gotten so bad.
I mean, I'm sad the children are watching some of these.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Jimmy, you mentioned Minnesota where you are, your governor. Tim
Walls just so happens to be the Democratic nominee for
vice president. What can you tell us about Walls from
those of us or to those of us here in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Okay, well, I'll tell you some good things about him
in my experience with him. I don't know him personally.
We're not buddies or anything like that. He's never been
a client, but I did have him on my radio
show over the years when he was running for governor
way back. He's in his second term now, and then
probably at least once since he became governor but then
after the events of May twenty twenty in my state,
(11:56):
the racial kind of come to Jesus moments that that
originated here. I requested many times, and Governor Walls did
not come on my radio show that I had at
the time. So I will tell you that piece. I
will also tell you that he has been painted as
very much a moderate in the national media, or I
would say his campaign wants us to believe that he
(12:18):
is not a moderate. He's done some really wonderful things
for the state of Minnesota, some of which getting kids
school lunches. I think we can all be behind that.
But there are also a lot of things that many
would consider far left. And I say this as a
very non partisan, down the middle kind of a person,
very far left, and I would say that one of
I love Minnesota getting all the attention most of the time.
(12:41):
You want the good attention for good reasons. I would
say it's an honor when Saturday Night Live spoofed you. Correct,
most of us could consider that an hour an honor.
You like, Wow, your big time, But the way they
spoofed Governor Tim Walls was not at all just kind
of something where you're laughing with Tim Walls. You were
(13:02):
definitely laughing at Tim Walls in those sketches, and that
was not good for the state of Minnesota. That was
not good for Tim Walls. And I say this as
a messaging strategist. That's not good for the Harris Walls campaign.
So I can say that about what I have observed
and watched. I also feel like one of the disingenuous
(13:22):
things that he says when he has been talking about
Jadie Vance, the VP candidate on the other side, and
he mentions Yale and things like this, well, I would
say Jadie Vance has probably one of the worst sod
stories of a childhood, certainly worse than nine yours and
Tim Walls's Jimmy. So it's really unfair and I think
(13:44):
disingenuous and dishonest to sit there and try to paint
Jade Vance as someone that has the silver spoon in
his mouth. My goodness, he was not even really raised
by his drug addicted mother. His grandmother raised him. So
these are the kinds of things. I want these campaigns
and these individuals to be honest and transparent even when
(14:04):
they're criticizing the other side. And that's way iss a
losing battle for Trump to be criticizing Harris's intellect. I
don't think that's a good idea either. So I think
these all of them should grow up, act like adults,
and be fair and transparent with the American people, at least.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Rashini Trump, I guess, has a history where people have
known baked in since twenty fifteen that he will attack
somebody's intelligence or mock their intelligence. So I wonder if
that's sort of like something people have baked in or
if it still stings them.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
But I have to ask one thing about Tim Walls.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
What I have been struck by Rashinie Rais Kumar as well,
has been some of the narratives that the Biden, or
rather the Harris Walls campaign has put out regarding gun
rights and so forth. Where even had that video that
has just made the rounds all over social media of
Tim Walls having trouble getting his shotgun ready for hunting
(15:01):
I think geese or something like that, and he just
looks like he doesn't even know what he's doing. Do
you know, does he have a history of in campaigns
or anything like that hunting? Does he have a background
to your knowledge with guns?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I mean, my sense of Kim Walls, Governor Walls and
guns is just every year there's the annual. There's like
the fishing opener, But I'm not even I don't think
there's a governor's hunting opener. I mean, I don't remember
a lot of pictures with him in guns and like,
you know, hunting like the past time, the deer hunting,
(15:34):
which is very popular in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I do
remember plaid. Plaid was a big part of his inauguration party.
He and his lieutenant governor wore plaid and they recommended
people wear plaid to the People's Party. But I don't
remember a lot of kind of like I say, you've
got to be authentic, I don't remember that on the
(15:54):
campaign trail. I certainly wasn't asking him about gun rights
when I interviewed it on my show.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Sure, no, it's just curiosity. There are issuing. We got
about a minute and a half left. What do you
think we should be looking for in this home stretch
of the next eight days.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Well, we should definitely be planning to vote. So if
you aren't voting early, vote on election day. It's a
great time to be an American. We have so many freedoms,
and one of them is voting. If you're of voting
age and eligible to vote, get in their vote. We
should also be looking for honesty. We should also be
discerning who if one can't find is slamming the other,
(16:33):
are you checking the facts on the slamming. So make
sure you've got your facts straight before you decide who
you're voting for. But definitely vote on November fifth.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
And what about the visuals.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
What should they be presenting visually with those you'd like
to talk about them?
Speaker 4 (16:48):
You mentioned them before.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Subtextual messages, Yeah, and those optics.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
The calm is really needed when either of the presidential
candidates gets too bombastic. I don't like that. I'd really
love for Vice President Harris to drop her hands like
she's always using her hands, and it's to me, it's
saying you're keeping something from us. Just put your hands
at your side and give us the message and don't
(17:13):
repeat things over and over again. That's what I would
say to her. And for Trump, just calm it down
and bring it down a notch, buddy, because like you said,
he has an history with us from twenty fifteen. As
a politician. He doesn't need to prove that piece to
us anymore.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Rashini Raj Kumar. Check out our podcast, The Crisis Files.
How many episodes now well.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Number one nineteen. Jimmy dropped this morning.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
One hundred and nineteen out now the Crisis Files dot com.
It is a fascinating podcast. In fact, I have been
on it before. Rashini, Happy Halloween, Thanks so much for
joining us. As always, Thanks Jimmy. We're going to take
a break on the other side, more of your texts
and talkbacks. Three three one zero three the number for
(17:58):
the text put Mike or Michael in there, and we've
got more to talk about. Lots going on, so we continue.
Jimmy sangen Burger in for Michael Brown six point thirty
k how.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
And I said, just putting up a GoFundMe page. But
then again, I think the threshold would be so low
it would be embarrassing to Michael, just saying.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Everybody's coming up with ideas to not help Michael Brown
from his supposed jail time. That is that what the
undisclosed location really is is just jail.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
We don't talk about that. Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
I'm still learning. I'm still learning the ropes. Months in
I'm still learning the ropes of the show.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Jimmy's sang in.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Berger and for Michael Brown, the situation with Michael Brown
six point thirty k how Denver's talk station good to
be with you. Look, school districts have run a mock
in so many ways. We know all about it, from
keeping secrets from parents on issues like pronouns and social
(19:06):
transitioning in schools, to failures to improve the quality of education.
I'm going to talk about that in the next hour,
keeping kids stuck in a rut, to failures and breakdowns
in schools. Safety a lot Denver public schools and what
(19:26):
we have seen there, But what we've also seen quite
a bit also in Denver public schools.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Is some questionable activities.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Regarding executive sessions provisions in state law that allow, for
selected reasons, a government body like a school board, to
go into a private executive dissession for deliberations. Now, this
has been something quite striking from Denver p public schools
(20:00):
because you'll recall in March of twenty twenty three, there
was a very tragic shooting of two deans during a
so called routine pat down of a seventeen year old
student who's now since deceased died later that day took
his own life, named Austin Lyle. That tragically happened on
(20:22):
March twenty second of last year. The next day, the
school board went into an executive session that lasted.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
For hours and hours.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I think it was in the double digits if I
recall correctly, And they came out with a policy that
they had crafted behind closed doors, a temporary policy temporarily
bringing back school resource officers. Now it was the right
sort of outcome in that respect, bringing back law enforcement
to campuses because they'd been banned, even if it was temporary,
(20:57):
but their hand had been forced, and it was all
done behind closed doors. And they came out and voted
within like thirty five seconds.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I kid you, not.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Doctors.
Speaker 9 (21:12):
So at this point again we are open for debate
or additional commentary.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Soaring moments, opening for debate, additional comments and none. Seeing none,
I'm going to ask miss Atwood, would you please.
Speaker 9 (21:26):
Call me Director Anderson, Hi, director Balderman, Hi, director Esterman,
director giton I, director Lindsay, doctor Olsen, Hi, director Qualibum.
Speaker 10 (21:38):
Hi, thank you that the mission passes.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Like came out, they read this resolution, and then they
voted and that was literally less than thirty five seconds,
which you just heard.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
Extraordinary, And it.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Was far from the first and only time that the
Denver Public Schools Board of Education had gone behind closed
doors for an extent executive session that wasn't permitted, So
that one was illegal.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
The one we just heard. We know that because a
court ruled as such.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
And said you have to release the recording to the
media when media outlets sued, and you can only redact
certain pertinent things.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
But it was viewed as illegal, which it was.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Well, there was back in I think it was November
of twenty twenty two, another meeting executive session, which I
criticized at the time in a column for the Denver
Gazette months before the one. Everybody else said, you know,
this one's illegal. Well, it was so off the wall
(22:49):
in terms of even having a basis to go behind
closed doors that even one of the school board members
of the time, Scott Bolderman, said, you know what, I'm
going to vote no on this one.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And here's why I.
Speaker 10 (23:00):
Want to say that I have no idea what is
going to be discussing the executive sessions, so I feel
uncomfortable voting to support this, so I'll be voted.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Now, you're supposed to state very clear, specific reasons that
are allowed under the law, and there was a school
board member literally saying, I don't know why we're going
into executive session, so I'm going to vote no. Which
kudos just Scott Balderman at the time for doing that. Well,
Now there is a case before the Colorado Supreme Court,
(23:33):
this one involving.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Wood Then Parks school Board.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Now I think that they I concluded, based on several
factors and a judge's ruling previously, that this is one
example where it actually was acceptable. But the Supreme Court
is evaluating whether the Court of Appeals in twenty twenty
(24:00):
three incorrectly rejected awarding attorney's fees to a left wing activist,
a plaintiff by the name of Aaron O'Connell, who had
successfully challenged the conservative leaning, reform oriented majority Woodland Park
School Board, at least initially over a meeting notice violation
(24:22):
that the board had effectively cured at a subsequent meeting.
In other words, they violated public notification requirements for the
executive session and its purpose. In what would happen where
there is now a friend of the Court brief from
the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, which tends to be
(24:44):
right on these things. I will say that, and they
have a point here in terms of the case. But
they're also aligned with the Americans of a Liberties Union
of Colorado, the League of Women Voters of Colorado, the
National Freedom of Information Coalition, and the Parents Safety the
Advocacy Group which is holding Denver Public Schools feet to
the fire. Interesting that they are party to this lawsuit,
(25:07):
or at least to a brief Friend of the Court
brief AMIKAS brief throwing their support behind the plaintiff's argument
before the Colorado Supreme Court. And in their brief they wrote, quote,
transparency and citizen participation in government processes are among the
most fundamental principles of a democracy. Allowing retroactive validation of
(25:29):
public bodies prior unlawed decisions taken in violation of the
Colorado Open Meetings Law while eliminating penalties for such violations
eviscerates our sunshine laws.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
And they've got a really good point there.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I think some of the specifics may actually weigh in
favor of Woodland Park School Board, as the Appeals Court
and a lower district court had ruled, but you never
know what the Colorado Supreme Court will rule, and the
folks there certainly know their stuff. Steve Zandsberg represents most
(26:06):
of the media outlets in Denver oftentimes when issues happen
relating to, you know, school districts refusing to play ball
when it comes to Colorado Open Records Act requests or
what have you. So this is an important issue that
all too many school districts, far too many school districts
(26:28):
have attempted to play games with in terms of whether
that is making the price, the cost that you have
to pay for an open records request astronomical that you
might decide as a journalist, you know what, it's too expensive.
I can't do this, I can't afford this, I don't
(26:49):
have the budget for it. Or they might redact so much,
or say this is privileged, or any number of ways
to weasel their way around it.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
And that is a legitimate and very important concern.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
So just thought this was an interesting case, a lot
to it, and we'll see what happens moving ahead in
this one.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
And when it comes to school districts.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Another kinds of governmental bodies, city councils and so forth
what they do with these executive sessions moving into the future.
I'm Jimmy Sangenberger filling in for Michael Brown. Give us
text set three three one zero three, keep them come
and text Mike or Michael in there first. Keep it
(27:33):
right here as we continue the situation with Michael Brown.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Six point thirty K out.
Speaker 8 (27:37):
As soon as I tuned into your show and I
heard the music, I knew for a fact Michael was
not working today. Just saying, way to go Dragon.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, Jimmy Sangenberger in the house, which means Dragon's spin
in the blues and classic rock tunes. Nice to get
a little CCR right in there as well. I love
me some credence, so Dragon, keep up the good work. Yeah, Credence.
I love Leonard skinnerd The Outlaws Southern rock brand is
(28:15):
just one of my absolute favorite It's good to be
with you once again. Jimmy Sangenberger in for Michael Brown.
This is the situation. Six point thirty K How I
got a listener text that I think is important to
mention coming into the discussion because we were just talking
about some executive sessions from school boards. A school board
(28:37):
should never be allowed to go into any private session.
I get where you're coming from, but sometimes they have to,
such as if they're being informed about a private employee matter,
something's going on with a teacher or an administrator who
is not the superintendent, then it has to be behind
(28:59):
closed doors. That's a legal requirement because you can't be
publicly talking about a teacher or cast anything that could
cast dispersions on an employee.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
Similarly, if you have a legal.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Case before you, you can get legal advice behind closed doors.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
That's a legitimate reason.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
If something's going on with the superintendent, you're negotiating their contract.
The superintendent basically has the say, as the sole employee
of the board, as they say to either be behind
closed doors or to be public.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
It's by default behind closed doors.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
But if they say I want to have this hashed
out in public, as we have seen before in some
school board situations.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
Then it can be done. That's all to say.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
There are particular instances where you're legally required to go
behind closed doors in an executive session, and there are
other instances where you are allowed to but not required to.
The problem is when the school boards go way beyond
what they are supposed to be doing or.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Not supposed to be doing.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
When it comes to a closed or executive session, you
may end up with a circumstance where again, like this
case in Denver Public Schools a couple of years ago,
board members don't even know why the hell they're going
into a private session.
Speaker 10 (30:20):
I want to say that I have no idea what
is going to be discussed in the executive session, so
I feel uncomfortable voting to support this, So I'll be
voting down.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
That's Denver, Denver Public Schools for you. I want to
look at something else as well. So we have this
big story that broke last week about twelve ballots that
were intercepted in the mail.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Somebody filled them out, or multiple people we don't know.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Filled them out, drop them off at a post office
as opposed to or one of the post office locations
or something like that as opposed to a dropbox, and anyway,
needless to say, this was in Mason County. They ended
up going before signature verification process. Nine of the twelve
(31:15):
didn't make it through. They were caught in the signature
verification the other three. One judge allowed them to go
through and get counted. Now I want to be clear
about something that that was human error, that was actually
not a systemic issue. It was a judge who failed
(31:38):
to do what they were supposed to do properly.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
One individual judge doing something that.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Apparently has never happened before in eleven years of Colorado
doing this. That doesn't mean that it's not a problem,
because it is. And that's why clerks across the state,
not just county, but across the state are enhancing their
procedures to prevent future mistakes like that.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
And look, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
That you could just say, you know what, this happened,
so we got to throw out the whole system.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
No, that is that is a foolish way to go.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Or to conclude that this is a twenty five percent
error raid or fraud rate or something like that. You
can't extrapolate from this one instance and say, well, the
entire system doesn't work in that respect.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
There needs to be fixedes.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
In fact, we should have photo ID required in state
law for crying out loud and we should be advocating
for that and it should happen, and I know a
lot of county clerks would like.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
That to happen.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
But of course you have the likes of Jenna Griswold,
Secretary of State getting in the way of that. But look,
the system for the nine fraudulent ballots worked as it
was supposed to. The system isn't to blame for the
other three. It is a judge who didn't do what
they were supposed to do. Human error that is frequently
(33:09):
in Colorado system. What we normally see is the problem
human beings making mistakes, and that's where you get certain
things flaring up, including, by the way, a couple of
the things that were so called reported on in former
Mason County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, so called reports
(33:29):
where it was human error that caused particular problems that
were then used to say, oh my gosh, we're good
all this fraud.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
That's going on.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
But here's the thing, Jenna Griswold rushed to publicize the
information to play hero. She overstepped and divulged data before
all the facts were in and should be letting investigators
do their job. Her Griswold media moment that she loves
so much can wait until after the election. But alas
(34:00):
whenever Griswold is at the opportunity to lead, she's chosen
political gamesmanship ever since she took office in January of
twenty nineteen. There are examples after example after example. She
is the hype or partisan hap And between Jenna Griswold
and Jared Poulis on What's Happening in Aurora and with
(34:23):
Danielle Jurinsky, they snubbed local effected officials, betraying the public trust.
And they do not deserve their positions. By the way,
that's the subject of my column tomorrow in the Denver Gazette.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Watch for that. We'll be back another hour up ahead, Jimmy,
and for Michael
A little over a week ago at a Kamala rally,
when two gentlemen yelled christ is King in Jesus's Lord,
Kamala told them they must be at the wrong place.
Then last Sunday and this Sunday she went to churches.
Very ironic move. And what was the accent she was
(00:21):
doing at the church yesterday? Very bizarre.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, it is a presidential campaign. A lot of bizarre
things happen. Indeed, Jimmy Sangenberger here with you as we
enter into the third hour of the situation with Michael
Brown obviously yours truly that guest speaker in for Michael,
and it has been a very fascinating time, to be sure,
(00:49):
from Trump going on with none other than Joe Rogan
for a three hour podcast conversation to Kamala Harris having
rallies and getting out there, and Trump of course having
a major rally at Madison Square Garden. We've got some
sound that we will play along the way. But let's
(01:10):
welcome our guest here as we enter in to the
eight o'clock hour. Rashini Rajkumar is a crisis strategist, c
suite advisor and licensed attorney. She has core clients that
include Fortune five hundred brands and their leaders. Rashini is
host of the Crisis Files weekly podcast, which has been
(01:31):
in a pitch stage as a TV pilot as well.
The Crisisfiles dot com is the website to go to
and Rashini. Raj Kumar joins me. Now, Good morning, Rashini,
welcome back, Good.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Morning, Jimmy. It is wonderful to be with you on
this very bright Monday, but also eight days from election
day kind of crazy to think about it is.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
The time is flying by too. It's amazing to think
how close we are. Let me just look sort of
big picture and then we'll zero in on some things.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
How do you.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Look at the current state of play from your vantage
point right now?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
So, if we're talking about the two presidential candidates, it
is definitely crunch time for them, and I would say
both sides have made some missteps. This is really the
moment that each should be honing in, like literally zeroing
in on their core strengths, on their key pieces. They
want the American public, the voters out there, to glom
(02:31):
onto and remember them when you're privately in that voting
booth or mailing in your ballot, whichever the case may be.
And I would say both candidates are not always doing
that because they will go off on different tangents. In
the case of Vice President Harris, sometimes it's kind of
a headline a week, what should we focus on this week?
And that's not really the way to go. With the
(02:53):
case of former President Donald Trump, he will have his
plan or so we here to talk about safety, to
talk about the border, to talk about the economy, and
then one little in he gives himself one little in
which turns into a lot where he kind of goes
off and calls bes pasn't here as various names. I
(03:14):
don't think that's the way to go either. So right
now they have to focus on their strengths and they
have to try to really appeal to those undecided voters
out there. And I have to tell you, Jimmy, I'm
one of them.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Fascinating Rashini. Let's take a listen to two different rally clips.
Here is a snippet of Trump last night at Madison
Square Garden, followed by Kamala Harris talking about a refrain
she's bringing about turn the page next Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
You have to stand up and you have.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
To tell Kamala Harris that you've done a terrible job.
That crooked Joe Biden has done a terrible job. You've
destroyed our country. We're not going to take it anymore.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
Kamala, You're fired. Get out, You're fired.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Obviously channeling the days he was on The Apprentice.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
And here Kamala Harris and we.
Speaker 6 (04:15):
Understand, we have an opportunity before us to turn the
page on the fear and the divisiveness that have characterized
our politics for a decade. Because of Donald Trump, we
have the ability to turn the page on that same old,
(04:36):
tired playbook because we are exhausted with it.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Turn the page has been a funny refrain in my mind,
Rashea Rashkamar for the sitting vice president to be saying
about someone who hasn't been in office in almost four years,
But what do you make of it?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Yeah, I mean it really is.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
She's really been ignoring the fact that she's currently in office.
I mean, up until like election day and fast election day,
she could be doing things for the American people to
make our lives better. Also, I want to point out
vocal behavior from both of these candidates. Jimmy, you hear
her kind of screeching and screaming. It is not the
(05:16):
subtextual messages. I've come on your shows before and I've
said there are subtextual messages to everything we do and say,
kind of a message beyond the message. So when you
are screeching and in that higher pitch, especially as a female,
it's very hard for listeners to take you in and
the intentional message then does not really land. So I
(05:40):
would definitely recommend, and I'm coaching neither of these candidates,
I would recommend that they think about all of the
overt as well as those subtextual messages they're sending with
their words, with their vocal behavior, with their body language.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Something that I have found really interesting has been the
two candidates going in different sort of personal circumstances. Harris
went to a barber shop, a black owned barber shop.
She went for beers with Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan.
Quite frankly, both of those and many others that she's
(06:15):
been doing in those kinds of personalization attempts have been
falling flat to me, if not at times cringeworthy, Versus
something I found really interesting a couple of weeks ago,
Donald Trump went to McDonald's, and I found that to.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Be the way he handled it.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Obviously it was very staged, but a very personal, sort
of relatable approach for a politician to take that I
thought came across as somebody who was sort of having fun,
which I also got. I've actually listened to two hours
and ten minutes or so of his three hour interview
with Joe Rogan, and this just gives you a flavor
(06:53):
of Trump's sort of attitude on the Joe Rogan podcast.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Do me a favored Do you know Elon Muskis he
endorsed me the way he gave me the nicest endorsement too.
This the tough he said, the country's going to failed.
You should do the same thing, Joe, because you cannot
be voting for Kamala Kamala.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
You're not a Kamala person. I know you. I've watched you.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
I know him better than his you know what, without
speaking to you, I think I know you, maybe almost
as well as your wife. I have watched you for
so many years. You're not a Kamala person. You're a
kab person, but you're not a Comma person.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
And you can hear Rogan laughing there.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
I mean, that's the kind of thing I wish we
could get a lot more from Trump and that we
could get from these politicians Rashini, where you actually hear
them talking about things. Trump was talking about sports and
going back and forth with him, where you feel like
you were getting to know them as a person. It's
not something you often get.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Yeah, and both sides have gone on these various popular podcasts.
Those are exactly the moments, exactly the platforms to be personal.
Not bring your kind of party agenda ten points or
five point play or slogans or those kinds of things.
Speaker 8 (08:02):
Just be real.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
And regardless of whether we're talking about presidential elections or
brands that we love, like chocolate or Coca Cola, whatever
it is, those brands know when they're putting together messaging,
they can't go one hundred eighty degrees off message. They
have to stay authentic or they're going to lose their
core base and they'll definitely not gain new followers. So
(08:26):
that is definitely what both of these candidates should know.
Especially Kamala Harris, I have not heard some of these
opportunities to be very real. I've heard her be less
than authentic. I mean It's really hard for me to
believe Kamala Harris even drinkspeer let alone sits down with
the Governor of Michigan.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
To have a beer.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
So I mean, if you're going to do something like that,
I mean pick a coffee shop. I mean, go somewhere
where people might actually find you. I mean I would
sit at a bar and have a martini with the
governor if I were her, because that's probably what she drinks.
So those are the kinds of things that you know,
eight k's to go. I don't know how much they
can course correct either side, but they really have to
(09:07):
let go of all the frill, all the fluff, and
they just have to be as authentic as possible.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Rashidi Raskumar, a guest host of The Crisis Files podcast.
I wonder if part of the reason that, at least
from my impression, and I've often criticized Trump, including on
a lot of the personality stuff, But my impression is
that maybe because of his background and entertainment, somebody who
has done commercials, who has done TV shows, you name it,
(09:33):
he's Ben and A, He's done it. In that respect,
he knows how to play to the camera and connect
with people in a way that Kamala Harris, who's been
a politician throughout her life, really does not seem to
be able to do. That could be the pivotal difference
here in the way in which Trump is able to
play off McDonald's or a long form interview.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
For three hours with Joe Rogan or.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Somebody like him in a way that Kamala Harris can't
quite match.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
You're exactly right. And I was reading a little bit
about that Rogan interview in the Wall Street Journal after
it happened, and they are talking with Harris's people. I
think they had gotten a yes, but maybe not a
yes to three hours. And here here's what it is.
You shouldn't have a lot of back and forth. Joe Rogan,
obviously so popular, are one of the most popular podcasts
(10:21):
maybe in the world. You just say yes, and you
make it work and you figure it out. I mean,
that's just media relations.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Yes, by far, he is the biggest podcast on Spotify,
and gosh, I mean if I look at the interview now,
Donald Trump's interview with Joe Rogan is standing already at
just shy of thirty four million views.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
And this is something that came out on Friday.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Well, and let's just.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Think about that.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
That's like the combined population of my state, Minnesota, and
probably the three or four surrounding states. I mean, that
is what we are talking about here. That is free
money that has earned media. They did not pay to
go on that podcast. In fact, you don't need to
go on podcast.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Earned media, So earned media.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
That's what it is. It's the best kind and it
makes more sense than some of these attack ads. And
by the way, these attack ads have gotten so bad.
I mean, I'm sad the children are watching some of these.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Jimmy, you mentioned Minnesota where you are, your governor. Tim
Walls just so happens to be the Democratic nominee for
vice president. What can you tell us about Walls from
those of us or to those of us here in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Okay, well, I'll tell you some good things about him
in my experience with him. I don't know him personally.
We're not buddies or anything like that. He's never been
a client, but I did have him on my radio
show over the years when he was running for governor
way back. He's in his second term now, and then
probably at least once since he became governor but then
after the events of May twenty twenty in my state,
(11:56):
the racial kind of come to Jesus moments that that
originated here. I requested many times, and Governor Walls did
not come on my radio show that I had at
the time. So I will tell you that piece. I
will also tell you that he has been painted as
very much a moderate in the national media, or I
would say his campaign wants us to believe that he
(12:18):
is not a moderate. He's done some really wonderful things
for the state of Minnesota, some of which getting kids
school lunches. I think we can all be behind that.
But there are also a lot of things that many
would consider far left. And I say this as a
very non partisan, down the middle kind of a person,
very far left, and I would say that one of
I love Minnesota getting all the attention most of the time.
(12:41):
You want the good attention for good reasons. I would
say it's an honor when Saturday Night Live spoofed you. Correct,
most of us could consider that an hour an honor.
You like, Wow, your big time, But the way they
spoofed Governor Tim Walls was not at all just kind
of something where you're laughing with Tim Walls. You were
(13:02):
definitely laughing at Tim Walls in those sketches, and that
was not good for the state of Minnesota. That was
not good for Tim Walls. And I say this as
a messaging strategist. That's not good for the Harris Walls campaign.
So I can say that about what I have observed
and watched. I also feel like one of the disingenuous
(13:22):
things that he says when he has been talking about
Jadie Vance, the VP candidate on the other side, and
he mentions Yale and things like this, well, I would
say Jadie Vance has probably one of the worst sod
stories of a childhood, certainly worse than nine yours and
Tim Walls's Jimmy. So it's really unfair and I think
(13:44):
disingenuous and dishonest to sit there and try to paint
Jade Vance as someone that has the silver spoon in
his mouth. My goodness, he was not even really raised
by his drug addicted mother. His grandmother raised him. So
these are the kinds of things. I want these campaigns
and these individuals to be honest and transparent even when
(14:04):
they're criticizing the other side. And that's way iss a
losing battle for Trump to be criticizing Harris's intellect. I
don't think that's a good idea either. So I think
these all of them should grow up, act like adults,
and be fair and transparent with the American people, at least.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Rashini Trump, I guess, has a history where people have
known baked in since twenty fifteen that he will attack
somebody's intelligence or mock their intelligence. So I wonder if
that's sort of like something people have baked in or
if it still stings them.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
But I have to ask one thing about Tim Walls.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
What I have been struck by Rashinie Rais Kumar as well,
has been some of the narratives that the Biden, or
rather the Harris Walls campaign has put out regarding gun
rights and so forth. Where even had that video that
has just made the rounds all over social media of
Tim Walls having trouble getting his shotgun ready for hunting
(15:01):
I think geese or something like that, and he just
looks like he doesn't even know what he's doing. Do
you know, does he have a history of in campaigns
or anything like that hunting? Does he have a background
to your knowledge with guns?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
I mean, my sense of Kim Walls, Governor Walls and
guns is just every year there's the annual. There's like
the fishing opener, But I'm not even I don't think
there's a governor's hunting opener. I mean, I don't remember
a lot of pictures with him in guns and like,
you know, hunting like the past time, the deer hunting,
(15:34):
which is very popular in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I do
remember plaid. Plaid was a big part of his inauguration party.
He and his lieutenant governor wore plaid and they recommended
people wear plaid to the People's Party. But I don't
remember a lot of kind of like I say, you've
got to be authentic, I don't remember that on the
(15:54):
campaign trail. I certainly wasn't asking him about gun rights
when I interviewed it on my show.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Sure, no, it's just curiosity. There are issuing. We got
about a minute and a half left. What do you
think we should be looking for in this home stretch
of the next eight days.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Well, we should definitely be planning to vote. So if
you aren't voting early, vote on election day. It's a
great time to be an American. We have so many freedoms,
and one of them is voting. If you're of voting
age and eligible to vote, get in their vote. We
should also be looking for honesty. We should also be
discerning who if one can't find is slamming the other,
(16:33):
are you checking the facts on the slamming. So make
sure you've got your facts straight before you decide who
you're voting for. But definitely vote on November fifth.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
And what about the visuals.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
What should they be presenting visually with those you'd like
to talk about them?
Speaker 4 (16:48):
You mentioned them before.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Subtextual messages, Yeah, and those optics.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
The calm is really needed when either of the presidential
candidates gets too bombastic. I don't like that. I'd really
love for Vice President Harris to drop her hands like
she's always using her hands, and it's to me, it's
saying you're keeping something from us. Just put your hands
at your side and give us the message and don't
(17:13):
repeat things over and over again. That's what I would
say to her. And for Trump, just calm it down
and bring it down a notch, buddy, because like you said,
he has an history with us from twenty fifteen. As
a politician. He doesn't need to prove that piece to
us anymore.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Rashini Raj Kumar. Check out our podcast, The Crisis Files.
How many episodes now well.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Number one nineteen. Jimmy dropped this morning.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
One hundred and nineteen out now the Crisis Files dot com.
It is a fascinating podcast. In fact, I have been
on it before. Rashini, Happy Halloween, Thanks so much for
joining us. As always, Thanks Jimmy. We're going to take
a break on the other side, more of your texts
and talkbacks. Three three one zero three the number for
(17:58):
the text put Mike or Michael in there, and we've
got more to talk about. Lots going on, so we continue.
Jimmy sangen Burger in for Michael Brown six point thirty
k how.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
And I said, just putting up a GoFundMe page. But
then again, I think the threshold would be so low
it would be embarrassing to Michael, just saying.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Everybody's coming up with ideas to not help Michael Brown
from his supposed jail time. That is that what the
undisclosed location really is is just jail.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
We don't talk about that. Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
I'm still learning. I'm still learning the ropes. Months in
I'm still learning the ropes of the show.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Jimmy's sang in.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Berger and for Michael Brown, the situation with Michael Brown
six point thirty k how Denver's talk station good to
be with you. Look, school districts have run a mock
in so many ways. We know all about it, from
keeping secrets from parents on issues like pronouns and social
(19:06):
transitioning in schools, to failures to improve the quality of education.
I'm going to talk about that in the next hour,
keeping kids stuck in a rut, to failures and breakdowns
in schools. Safety a lot Denver public schools and what
(19:26):
we have seen there, But what we've also seen quite
a bit also in Denver public schools.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Is some questionable activities.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Regarding executive sessions provisions in state law that allow, for
selected reasons, a government body like a school board, to
go into a private executive dissession for deliberations. Now, this
has been something quite striking from Denver p public schools
(20:00):
because you'll recall in March of twenty twenty three, there
was a very tragic shooting of two deans during a
so called routine pat down of a seventeen year old
student who's now since deceased died later that day took
his own life, named Austin Lyle. That tragically happened on
(20:22):
March twenty second of last year. The next day, the
school board went into an executive session that lasted.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
For hours and hours.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
I think it was in the double digits if I
recall correctly, And they came out with a policy that
they had crafted behind closed doors, a temporary policy temporarily
bringing back school resource officers. Now it was the right
sort of outcome in that respect, bringing back law enforcement
to campuses because they'd been banned, even if it was temporary,
(20:57):
but their hand had been forced, and it was all
done behind closed doors. And they came out and voted
within like thirty five seconds.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
I kid you, not.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Doctors.
Speaker 9 (21:12):
So at this point again we are open for debate
or additional commentary.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Soaring moments, opening for debate, additional comments and none. Seeing none,
I'm going to ask miss Atwood, would you please.
Speaker 9 (21:26):
Call me Director Anderson, Hi, director Balderman, Hi, director Esterman,
director giton I, director Lindsay, doctor Olsen, Hi, director Qualibum.
Speaker 10 (21:38):
Hi, thank you that the mission passes.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Like came out, they read this resolution, and then they
voted and that was literally less than thirty five seconds,
which you just heard.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
Extraordinary, And it.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Was far from the first and only time that the
Denver Public Schools Board of Education had gone behind closed
doors for an extent executive session that wasn't permitted, So
that one was illegal.
Speaker 4 (22:06):
The one we just heard. We know that because a
court ruled as such.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
And said you have to release the recording to the
media when media outlets sued, and you can only redact
certain pertinent things.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
But it was viewed as illegal, which it was.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Well, there was back in I think it was November
of twenty twenty two, another meeting executive session, which I
criticized at the time in a column for the Denver
Gazette months before the one. Everybody else said, you know,
this one's illegal. Well, it was so off the wall
(22:49):
in terms of even having a basis to go behind
closed doors that even one of the school board members
of the time, Scott Bolderman, said, you know what, I'm
going to vote no on this one.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And here's why I.
Speaker 10 (23:00):
Want to say that I have no idea what is
going to be discussing the executive sessions, so I feel
uncomfortable voting to support this, so I'll be voted.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Now, you're supposed to state very clear, specific reasons that
are allowed under the law, and there was a school
board member literally saying, I don't know why we're going
into executive session, so I'm going to vote no. Which
kudos just Scott Balderman at the time for doing that. Well,
Now there is a case before the Colorado Supreme Court,
(23:33):
this one involving.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Wood Then Parks school Board.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Now I think that they I concluded, based on several
factors and a judge's ruling previously, that this is one
example where it actually was acceptable. But the Supreme Court
is evaluating whether the Court of Appeals in twenty twenty
(24:00):
three incorrectly rejected awarding attorney's fees to a left wing activist,
a plaintiff by the name of Aaron O'Connell, who had
successfully challenged the conservative leaning, reform oriented majority Woodland Park
School Board, at least initially over a meeting notice violation
(24:22):
that the board had effectively cured at a subsequent meeting.
In other words, they violated public notification requirements for the
executive session and its purpose. In what would happen where
there is now a friend of the Court brief from
the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, which tends to be
(24:44):
right on these things. I will say that, and they
have a point here in terms of the case. But
they're also aligned with the Americans of a Liberties Union
of Colorado, the League of Women Voters of Colorado, the
National Freedom of Information Coalition, and the Parents Safety the
Advocacy Group which is holding Denver Public Schools feet to
the fire. Interesting that they are party to this lawsuit,
(25:07):
or at least to a brief Friend of the Court
brief AMIKAS brief throwing their support behind the plaintiff's argument
before the Colorado Supreme Court. And in their brief they wrote, quote,
transparency and citizen participation in government processes are among the
most fundamental principles of a democracy. Allowing retroactive validation of
(25:29):
public bodies prior unlawed decisions taken in violation of the
Colorado Open Meetings Law while eliminating penalties for such violations
eviscerates our sunshine laws.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
And they've got a really good point there.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I think some of the specifics may actually weigh in
favor of Woodland Park School Board, as the Appeals Court
and a lower district court had ruled, but you never
know what the Colorado Supreme Court will rule, and the
folks there certainly know their stuff. Steve Zandsberg represents most
(26:06):
of the media outlets in Denver oftentimes when issues happen
relating to, you know, school districts refusing to play ball
when it comes to Colorado Open Records Act requests or
what have you. So this is an important issue that
all too many school districts, far too many school districts
(26:28):
have attempted to play games with in terms of whether
that is making the price, the cost that you have
to pay for an open records request astronomical that you
might decide as a journalist, you know what, it's too expensive.
I can't do this, I can't afford this, I don't
(26:49):
have the budget for it. Or they might redact so much,
or say this is privileged, or any number of ways
to weasel their way around it.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
And that is a legitimate and very important concern.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
So just thought this was an interesting case, a lot
to it, and we'll see what happens moving ahead in
this one.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
And when it comes to school districts.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Another kinds of governmental bodies, city councils and so forth
what they do with these executive sessions moving into the future.
I'm Jimmy Sangenberger filling in for Michael Brown. Give us
text set three three one zero three, keep them come
and text Mike or Michael in there first. Keep it
(27:33):
right here as we continue the situation with Michael Brown.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Six point thirty K out.
Speaker 8 (27:37):
As soon as I tuned into your show and I
heard the music, I knew for a fact Michael was
not working today. Just saying, way to go Dragon.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yeah, Jimmy Sangenberger in the house, which means Dragon's spin
in the blues and classic rock tunes. Nice to get
a little CCR right in there as well. I love
me some credence, so Dragon, keep up the good work. Yeah, Credence.
I love Leonard skinnerd The Outlaws Southern rock brand is
(28:15):
just one of my absolute favorite It's good to be
with you once again. Jimmy Sangenberger in for Michael Brown.
This is the situation. Six point thirty K How I
got a listener text that I think is important to
mention coming into the discussion because we were just talking
about some executive sessions from school boards. A school board
(28:37):
should never be allowed to go into any private session.
I get where you're coming from, but sometimes they have to,
such as if they're being informed about a private employee matter,
something's going on with a teacher or an administrator who
is not the superintendent, then it has to be behind
(28:59):
closed doors. That's a legal requirement because you can't be
publicly talking about a teacher or cast anything that could
cast dispersions on an employee.
Speaker 4 (29:12):
Similarly, if you have a legal.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Case before you, you can get legal advice behind closed doors.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
That's a legitimate reason.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
If something's going on with the superintendent, you're negotiating their contract.
The superintendent basically has the say, as the sole employee
of the board, as they say to either be behind
closed doors or to be public.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
It's by default behind closed doors.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
But if they say I want to have this hashed
out in public, as we have seen before in some
school board situations.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
Then it can be done. That's all to say.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
There are particular instances where you're legally required to go
behind closed doors in an executive session, and there are
other instances where you are allowed to but not required to.
The problem is when the school boards go way beyond
what they are supposed to be doing or.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Not supposed to be doing.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
When it comes to a closed or executive session, you
may end up with a circumstance where again, like this
case in Denver Public Schools a couple of years ago,
board members don't even know why the hell they're going
into a private session.
Speaker 10 (30:20):
I want to say that I have no idea what
is going to be discussed in the executive session, so
I feel uncomfortable voting to support this, So I'll be
voting down.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
That's Denver, Denver Public Schools for you. I want to
look at something else as well. So we have this
big story that broke last week about twelve ballots that
were intercepted in the mail.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Somebody filled them out, or multiple people we don't know.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Filled them out, drop them off at a post office
as opposed to or one of the post office locations
or something like that as opposed to a dropbox, and anyway,
needless to say, this was in Mason County. They ended
up going before signature verification process. Nine of the twelve
(31:15):
didn't make it through. They were caught in the signature
verification the other three. One judge allowed them to go
through and get counted. Now I want to be clear
about something that that was human error, that was actually
not a systemic issue. It was a judge who failed
(31:38):
to do what they were supposed to do properly.
Speaker 4 (31:41):
One individual judge doing something that.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
Apparently has never happened before in eleven years of Colorado
doing this. That doesn't mean that it's not a problem,
because it is. And that's why clerks across the state,
not just county, but across the state are enhancing their
procedures to prevent future mistakes like that.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
And look, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
That you could just say, you know what, this happened,
so we got to throw out the whole system.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
No, that is that is a foolish way to go.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Or to conclude that this is a twenty five percent
error raid or fraud rate or something like that. You
can't extrapolate from this one instance and say, well, the
entire system doesn't work in that respect.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
There needs to be fixedes.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
In fact, we should have photo ID required in state
law for crying out loud and we should be advocating
for that and it should happen, and I know a
lot of county clerks would like.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
That to happen.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
But of course you have the likes of Jenna Griswold,
Secretary of State getting in the way of that. But look,
the system for the nine fraudulent ballots worked as it
was supposed to. The system isn't to blame for the
other three. It is a judge who didn't do what
they were supposed to do. Human error that is frequently
(33:09):
in Colorado system. What we normally see is the problem
human beings making mistakes, and that's where you get certain
things flaring up, including, by the way, a couple of
the things that were so called reported on in former
Mason County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, so called reports
(33:29):
where it was human error that caused particular problems that
were then used to say, oh my gosh, we're good
all this fraud.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
That's going on.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
But here's the thing, Jenna Griswold rushed to publicize the
information to play hero. She overstepped and divulged data before
all the facts were in and should be letting investigators
do their job. Her Griswold media moment that she loves
so much can wait until after the election. But alas
(34:00):
whenever Griswold is at the opportunity to lead, she's chosen
political gamesmanship ever since she took office in January of
twenty nineteen. There are examples after example after example. She
is the hype or partisan hap And between Jenna Griswold
and Jared Poulis on What's Happening in Aurora and with
(34:23):
Danielle Jurinsky, they snubbed local effected officials, betraying the public trust.
And they do not deserve their positions. By the way,
that's the subject of my column tomorrow in the Denver Gazette.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Watch for that. We'll be back another hour up ahead, Jimmy,
and for Michael
Popular Podcasts
Math & Magic: Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing with Bob Pittman
How do the smartest marketers and business entrepreneurs cut through the noise? And how do they manage to do it again and again? It's a combination of math—the strategy and analytics—and magic, the creative spark. Join iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman as he analyzes the Math and Magic of marketing—sitting down with today's most gifted disruptors and compelling storytellers.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!