Hello everybody, this is Michael Steele. Welcome to the Michael Steele podcast. So glad you could be a part of just this wonderful happening because that's what we do. We make it happen here with the podcast.

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So we've got a great conversation in line today.

Buddy Mine is doing some very impressive work as I like to say out on the streets. He is Renaldo Pearson, director of external affairs for represent us, the nation's largest grassroots anti corruption campaign, bringing together conservatives, independence, and progressives to pass anti corruption laws across the country.

But before joining forces with represent us, Renaldo led democracy spring from the protests. I guess with that fixed democracy first, was that what that was? Renaldo?

Yeah, yeah, it's a movement that we've continued even with represent us and absolutely.

And you guys got involved in creating legislation, HR one and I've done a number of things in putting together a couple of summits around the country. So you guys have been really involved in such a pleasure, man, to have you on the podcast today that sort of go through some of the, you know, some of the back stories that, you know, folks don't really sort of see how they play out and how they really impact.

And there's been a lot of stuff that we cover on the front line, like, you know, when the president does a tweet or, you know, something happens. But we don't really sort of get into why organizations like yours are important is sort of preserved the underpinnings of democracy. And never more was that.

I think a question that was brought up for a lot of folks, then this past week, where you had the president, insert himself into the Roger Stone conviction into that case when the president, you know, basically tweeted, oh, it's a shame that they're doing all this to Roger Stone and, you know, it's a rig system and, and then all of a sudden, literally 24 hours later, bar.

And basically goes in and up ends the sentencing recommendations of seven to nine years that, that his attorneys that put in and made a request to the judge for the basically say, we're throwing that out. We're going to come back with something and it looks like, oh, jeez, we want to, now we want a new trial.

What does that say to you? What alarm bells goes off for organizations like represent us in dealing with this idea of corruption?

Well, yeah, it's certainly, I mean, you said the words alarm bells that certainly rings them, particularly when you're told, I'm a millennial, when you're told and taught in school that there is supposed to be independent justice, right?

Right. And that no one's above the law. Yeah. So when you hear about things like this, you certainly start to think, well, that doesn't seem to be a independent or fair or just thing.

It certainly seems to be corrupt, particularly when you look at a definition of the word corruption, which it seems we've gotten away from.

Right.

And then, and then will you look at what the response has been, right? The bipartisan response has been from former attorneys,

from the Department of Justice, and Deputy Attorney General's appointed by Bush and others. I mean, over the number is now over 2000, right?

Right. Right. Who have written a letter again by partisan.

And that's been pretty impactful too. I mean, a lot of people have been, at least my sense around town has been there, they're a little bit stunned by that.

And I think the administration itself is a little bit stung. Apparently bar is. I mean, they have 2000 former attorneys, you know, speak out on this.

It's a big deal.

It's a big deal.

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