Civic Outlaws

In the October 9, 2026 edition of Civic Outlaws, Samuel Trapp examines the lawsuit filed by Isabella O’Brien’s family following the two-year-old’s death in Camden County, Missouri. The discussion separates allegations from documented discrepancies and identifies the evidence needed to evaluate competing accounts.

Samuel reviews disputed addresses and timing in the search-warrant documents, dates on temporary custo...

Why do electronic gaming devices appear to face different treatment depending on where they are placed? Samuel Trapp examines Missouri’s gray-gaming enforcement through public-records responses, local coordination emails, and the unresolved line between commercial devices and constitutionally authorized charitable raffles.

In this episode:

• Jefferson County’s 406-email production—and what it does and does not sh...

Samuel Trapp examines reports that previously disabled gaming devices are returning, the still-undisclosed Torch Electronics suspension agreement, public-record responses from Missouri counties, and the disputed treatment of commercial locations and charitable organizations.

Then: Flock Safety automatic license plate readers. The show reviews the September 23 Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing, questions about warrantless histo...

When does feeding a neighbor become an illegal restaurant? Samuel Trapp interviews Goldwater Institute attorney Dave Roland about the government warning sent to Harrisburg grandmother Kathy Kite. The program also investigates Missouri’s conflicting treatment of electronic machines at commercial and charitable locations—and identifies the documents that still have not been produced. Kathy Kite opens her Harrisburg home a...

Gallup reports that 89% of Americans now believe corruption is widespread in government—the highest level in the poll’s history.

On today’s Civic Outlaws, Samuel Trapp moves beyond the poll and looks at what public corruption and government overreach actually look like in practice. The show covers the federal allegations against Missouri House candidate Thomas Christopher Ross, Catherine Hanaway’s effort to ...

Samuel Trapp follows the nationwide revolt against Flock license-plate surveillance, from Missouri cancellations and Josh Hawley’s inquiry to officers accused of tracking romantic partners. He then examines former officer Marcellis Blackwell’s guilty plea, the death of foster teen Korbin Papadopoulos, IRS property-seizure failures, federal-law-enforcement abuse claims, Camden County accountability disputes, and a propos...

Civic Outlaws returns to Malad, Idaho, where homeowners are questioning a Local Improvement District that could leave some residents owing thousands of dollars for sidewalks, curbs and gutters. Samuel talks with Virginia and Mattie about federal transportation grants, public-records requests, notice requirements, special benefits, project accounting, and the unanswered question at the center of the dispute: exactly what are homeown...

Civic Outlaws examines what happens when government power outruns evidence, neutral procedure, public records, and meaningful review. Samuel Trapp connects Missouri licensing enforcement and MOLAG’s Cole County lawsuit with Flock camera surveillance, the effort to remove Ray County Prosecutor Camille Johnston, federal findings involving sexual abuse in California women’s prisons, correctional-officer convictions and gui...

On today’s Civic Outlaws, Samuel Trapp examines Missouri’s VLT enforcement fight through the lens of Sunshine Law requests, ATC delays, search warrant applications, and MOLAG’s compliance-and-communication initiative. The episode focuses on whether counties, sheriffs, and agencies have actual warrant-based evidence before threatening businesses over video lottery terminals and gray-market devices. Samuel also disc...

Civic Outlaws and MOLAG have launched a statewide examination of Missouri’s electronic-gaming enforcement system. Samuel Trapp explains approximately 700 communications sent to legislators, counties, cities, sheriffs and media organizations seeking written policies, warrant applications and records of coordination with the Attorney General, DPS and ATC.

Are local governments independently applying Missouri law—or follow...

Samuel Trapp sits down with Missouri State Senate District 6 candidate Ike Skelton for a wide-ranging discussion of government power, constitutional limits and political accountability. They examine Skelton’s Flock-camera prosecution, qualified immunity, surveillance databases, data centers, Senate transparency and local control. The conversation also turns to MOLAG’s lawsuit, Missouri’s anti-deference statute, Ca...

Samuel Trapp widens the Civic Outlaws lens beyond the MOLAG lawsuit to ask three basic questions: Who has the authority, what process is provided, and what evidence exists beyond a government press release? The program examines Missouri’s inconsistent treatment of gaming machines, Catherine Hanaway’s effort to remove the elected Ray County prosecutor, a $5.89 million police-shooting settlement in Independence, and a St....

Samuel Trapp examines MOLAG’s newly filed lawsuit challenging Missouri’s campaign against electronic amusement and gaming machines. He explains how liquor licenses are being used as leverage, questions whether search-warrant applications establish that particular machines are illegal, and challenges the unequal treatment of operators while Torch machines remain in place under a separate agreement. The program also expla...

Representative Jeff Vernetti joins Civic Outlaws to discuss Missouri’s VLT debate, the push for legislative clarity, and the impact of enforcement uncertainty on local businesses. Samuel Trapp examines ATC pressure, Catherine Hannaway’s “no gray area” theory, MOLAG’s pending lawsuit, and the difference between real illegal slot machines and disputed second-chance amusement devices. The episode also cov...

Today on Civic Outlaws, Samuel Trapp takes on Missouri’s gaming-machine crackdown, ATC pressure on liquor license holders, and Catherine Hannaway’s claim that there is “no gray area” for video lottery terminals. The episode examines threat letters, targeted enforcement, the Eagle Stop charges, and the danger of using legal uncertainty as a weapon against business owners before courts have clearly ruled. Samu...

Civic Outlaws – Question Authority. Demand Accountability. Defend Liberty.

Due to a technical glitch, the first few minutes of today's broadcast apparently exercised their constitutional right to remain silent. Unfortunately, that missing segment contained the setup for the entire discussion.

The show began by examining a simple question: Who should be making public policy in Missouri?

Samuel opens with concerns regarding the...

On today’s Civic Outlaws, Samuel Trapp examines Missouri’s final day of legislative session and the state’s continuing failure to resolve gaming-machine regulation. The episode targets ATC overreach, Catherine Hanaway’s gaming crackdown, liquor-license pressure, HB3154/SB1407 fingerprint authority, cannabis rescheduling complications, and the broader problem of agencies using uncertainty as power. Samuel als...

Civic Outlaws turns its attention to Missouri’s gaming-machine and liquor-license landscape, introducing MOLAG — the Missouri Licensing Advocacy Group — as a new organized response for operators, licensees, and business owners facing regulatory pressure. This episode explains why small businesses need coordination, information, advocacy, and protection before agencies define the battlefield for them. Civic Outlaws...

Today on Civic Outlaws, Samuel Trapp breaks down the controversial Flock camera surveillance system through the lens of the Schmidt v. Norfolk case now on appeal. From Supreme Court precedent in Carpenter to the broader implications of statewide ALPR networks, the discussion shifts to Missouri’s own Department of Public Safety funding programs and what they may be building behind the scenes. With real-world examples, includin...