Dennis Hastert, Pizzagate Skepticism, and Media Consolidation

• 59:42Tim was skeptical of Pizzagate because the story regurgitated incorrect talking points.
• 1:00:24Tim spent time investigating but couldn't corroborate the allegations he wanted to verify.
• 1:01:07His book argues that the FBI and Department of Justice cover up child trafficking and enable an endemic blackmail system in politics.
• 1:01:37Tim finds it difficult to have normal political conversations because most people don't know what he knows.
• 1:02:18The mainstream media can't touch these subjects because people in media are heavily compromised.
• 1:02:38Five titanic media conglomerates control all information today, and the government could break them up with antitrust legislation instantly.
• 1:02:51These conglomerates aren't particularly profitable, so ownership must be about shaping the narrative.
• 1:03:34Two federal law enforcement officers provided information for his Franklin scandal book after he spent two years cultivating their trust.
• 1:04:34William Colby, the former CIA director, died very suspiciously, and Tim explores whether he was a good actor who discovered this stuff and tried to stop it.

Franklin scandalWilliam ColbyTony PodestaJohn DeCampDenny HastertJane MayerJohn Kiriak