Rep. Madeleine Dean on POTUS Pardon Corruption
The Al Franken Podcast
The Al Franken Podcast
4.6 • 8.1K Ratings
🗓️ 29 March 2026
⏱️ 38 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Guest Host Norm Ornstein welcomes Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) to discuss legislation they're working on to curb the President's pardon power after the onslaught of blatantly corrupt pardons from the Trump administration. Rep. Dean was the former impeachment manager for Trump's second impeachment, so she also addresses how the blanket pardon of all January 6th insurrectionists especially grotesque.
We also discuss the latest on the "stolen documents" case and what Trump might have intended for them. Plus, people are making LOTS of money on insider trading around the Iran War.
Rep. Dean shares her thoughts on the ICE brutality her constituents in Pennsylvania and around the country are facing. And she shares her first hand account of the Dilley detention center, where ICE is mistreating detainees and neglecting children.
LEARN more about Rep. Madeleine Dean: https://dean.house.gov/biography
LISTEN to Norm's podcast "Words Matter" with fellow friend of the show David Rothkopf: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dsrs-words-matter/id1420216970
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, everybody. We've got a great one today, you know, for a change, because this one is guest-hosted by my friend and friend of the show, Norm Orncy. |
| 0:13.7 | You see, I'm taking a little break from the podcast. I've been doing this show for seven years and deserve it. |
| 0:21.0 | And, you know, nothing is happening. |
| 0:24.2 | Well, Norm can tell you more about that. |
| 0:27.4 | Now, you might remember Norm from his many appearances on the show, |
| 0:32.9 | maybe more than any other guests. |
| 0:34.6 | We really should keep track of this stuff. But in case you forgot, |
| 0:40.3 | I'll tell you why Norm is so great. We grew up in the same suburb of Minneapolis, St. Louis |
| 0:46.3 | Park, about a mile apart, but we didn't meet until the 1988 Democratic Convention in Atlanta |
| 0:52.2 | and became fast friends. At the time, Norm was a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, which is considered a conservative think tank. Norm was a moderate. He says the Republican Party moved to the right, but truth be told, Norm has also moved to the left. |
| 1:13.4 | Norm is one of the most respected scholars of Congress, but more than that, a great friend, |
| 1:20.2 | he officiated my daughter's wedding and the bris of my grandson. |
| 1:25.6 | Norm is one of my favorite folks |
| 1:27.5 | I have on the show, |
| 1:28.5 | and today, |
| 1:29.4 | Norm Ornestine hosts, |
| 1:30.7 | the Al Franken podcast. |
| 1:32.5 | I can guarantee that this is going to be a great one. |
| 1:36.1 | You know for a change. |
| 1:38.7 | So Norm, |
| 1:39.7 | take it away. |
| 1:48.1 | Music Take it away. Welcome everybody to the Al Franken podcast. |
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