Driving It Home (Featured Interviews)

Patti is joined by Stephen E. Kravit, Milwaukee attorney and former federal prosecutor. He discussed the controversial arrest of Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan in Milwaukee. Dugan was handcuffed by six agents from ICE and DEA. The agents sought to arrest an immigrant who was not armed and could have been apprehended earlier. Dugan, who opened a side door for the man, was charged with obstructing justice and harboring a fugitive. ...

Patti Vasquez is joined by Denise Slipy, candidate for Minnesota State Senate District 6 in a special April 29 election. 

Slipy discussed her background and motivations for running. Originally from southern Indiana, she moved to Minnesota for better job opportunities and to escape economic oppression. She highlighted her commitment to community service and her frustration with the district's long-standing Republican rule....

Patti is joined by William He, 18-year-old founder and CEO of Dream for America, a national youth movement dedicated to identifying, educating and empowering students to promote liberal values. William founded Dream for America on July 4th, 2023, at just 16 years old, to counter right-wing groups like Turning Point USA. William highlighted the shift of young people to the right, citing a recent Yale poll showing 18- to 21-year...

Patti is joined by Nathan Taylor, executive director of advocacy and public engagement for Election Truth Alliance, a grassroots, nonpartisan organization dedicated to supporting election analysis, discussion, and peaceful action to highlight potential election manipulation, interference, and irregularities in election results. 

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (he...

Patti is joined by Paul Rice, founder/former CEO of Fair Trade USA and author of “Every Purchase Matters.” He explained that fair trade involves a rigorous certification process for farms and factories, ensuring they meet social, environmental, and labor standards. Companies like Walmart, Whole Foods, and Patagonia pay a premium to fair trade farmers. Rice told WCPT that sustainable product sales are "accelerating under...

Patti is joined by Dr. Robert Jury, associate professor at the Family Institute at Northwestern University, along with James Lenger of Theraplaying and Dr. Brian Cote, who is living with Parkinson’s Disease.

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

And find the "Driving It Home (Full Episodes)" podcast on Spotify, ...

Patti is joined by comedian John Fugelsang, who promoted this weekend's NOT The White House Correspondents' Dinner pay-per-view event. He also talked about the legacy of Pope Francis (who died that morning), highlighting the late pontiff's adherence to Jesus's teachings and opposition to the death penalty, abortion, and anti-LGBTQ+ positions. He criticized the American right wing's hypocrisy and their misuse of religious texts...

Patti is joined by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi, who discussed the importance of homeowners applying for the homeowners exemption, which can save them about $1,000 annually. He also highlighted exemptions for seniors, disabled veterans, and even World War II veterans, "not only if the people were still living, but the people who passed," Kaegi said. "It's also for the spouses of World War II veterans."  The deadline to sig...

Patti and guest co-host Terry Cosgrove are joined by Daniel Hornung, former deputy director of the National Economic Council. He discussed the economic impact of Trump tariffs, which he expects to incur annual price increases of $2,000 to $3,000 per family and potentially cause a recession. Hornung also criticized the Trump administration's government cost-cutting efforts being led by the so-called Department of Government Efficien...

Patti is joined in studio by Wendell Robinson, executive director of Restore Justice Illinois, who discussed his journey from Chicago's Lawndale community to serving more than 25 years of a juvenile conviction to becoming an advocate for juvenile justice reform. He highlighted the organization's mission to abolish juvenile life-without-parole sentences, which has been achieved in 26 states, including Illinois. Robinson also emphasi...

Patti is joined by Sarah Garza Resnick, CEO of Personal PAC.

Personal PAC has been active for over 36 years, endorsing candidates who "support safe, legal and accessible with no government interference," Resnick said. In 2023, over 37,000 people traveled to Illinois for essential reproductive health care. Resnick emphasized the importance of equitable access to these rights and highlighted the impact of recent elections, noting tha...

Patti is joined by Anita Pinduir, executive director of Way Back Inn, and Dave Wohl, executive director of the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling, who talk about the Are You Really Winning? Illinois gambling helpline (1-800-GAMBLER).

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

And find the "Driving It Home (Full Episodes)...

Patti talks to Warren Hawk Preis and Peter Sarelas (pictured) of Source Solar, a sponsor of "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez."  

Catch "Driving It Home with Patti Vasquez" weekdays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/driving-it-home).

And find the "Driving It Home (Full Episodes)" podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and Amazon.

See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Patti is joined by Josh Weil, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Florida's 6th District, who discussed his campaign's progress and challenges. He highlighted a significant increase in fundraising since Donald Trump's inauguration, with daily contributions not falling below $100,000 since January 20, and a million-dollar weekend following Trump's disastrous Oval Office meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He ...

Patti is joined by Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), who discussed the challenges of the current political climate and the importance of opposing the Trump administration's destructive actions.

"The first barrier of restraint there has been the courts," Quigley told WCPT, "and there have been some real victories. I think the real test is still to come, because we are in a constitutional crisis, but the crux of that will be when...

Patti is joined by Greg Palast, who discussed his investigative work on vote suppression, highlighting how "the Jim Crow operation in our voting system" helped Donald Trump win 3,565,000 votes in the 2024 election. He detailed how Trump front groups like True the Vote challenged hundreds of thousands of voters, primarily people of color, using false claims, emphasized the importance of re-registration drives, and urged voters ...

Former Illinois Congresswoman Marie Newman talks to Patti's guest co-hosts Elliott Serrano and Ken Mejia-Beal about her new memoir, A Life Made From Scratch: Lessons from a Controversial Congresswoman, Mompreneur, and Unstoppable Political Activist, set for a March 18th release.

Newman shared her experiences as a member of Congress and mother, including dealing with her son's severe bullying and her daughter's transition from male ...

Patti is joined by state Senator Diane Hesselbein, a Democrat who serves as minority leader of the Wisconsin Senate. 

Hesselbein talked about the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, which pits liberal-aligned Judge Susan Crawford against the conservative-aligned Brad Schimel, in an officially nonpartisan contest. The election is April 1st and will determine the ideological balance of the state's highest court; liberals have hel...