"Defund the Data": The Secret Amendment That Could Blind Fraud Investigators Forever

"Defund the Data": The Secret Amendment That Could Blind Fraud Investigators Forever

Author: Government Accountability Institute June 2, 2026 Duration: 27:20
They caught $200 billion in fraud — now Congress wants to take away the tools that found it. Peter Schweizer and Eric Eggers are joined by fraud investigator Andy McClanahan to expose a buried amendment that would ban federal agencies from buying the data they use to hunt criminal fraud networks. Critics call it the "digital defunding of the police." Plus: a $14B Russian Medicare bust, the IRS keeping your biometrics while fraud cops get cut off, and Washington State chaos — a ballot box that exploded, 360 blank ballots in a dumpster, and voter cards where 92% of names were Chinese. Take away the data, and investigators go back to a notepad and pencil. Here's who benefits. Subscribe at TheDrillDown.com

In The Drill Down with Peter Schweizer, investigative research meets candid conversation. Hosted by the cofounder and president of the Government Accountability Institute, this podcast goes beyond the headlines to examine the mechanics of power, corruption, and influence. Peter Schweizer brings a unique perspective shaped by his work as the author of detailed exposés like "Clinton Cash" and "Throw Them All Out," and his analysis has been cited everywhere from the "New York Times" to "60 Minutes." Here, he applies that same rigorous, document-driven approach to the stories shaping our world. Each episode is a deep dive, pulling apart complex political and financial webs to understand not just what happened, but how and why it happened. The discussions are grounded in the institutional research mission of the Government Accountability Institute, focusing on facts over rhetoric. You'll hear Schweizer break down current events, interview other experts and investigators, and connect present-day scandals to broader, systemic patterns. It’s a show for anyone who suspects there’s more to the story and wants a guide who knows how to follow the evidence. Tune in for a clear-eyed, often unsettling, but always substantive look at the forces that truly drive decisions in Washington and beyond. This isn't about partisan talking points; it's about the underlying structures and transactions, offering listeners a different lens through which to view the news.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Drill Down with Peter Schweizer
Podcast Episodes
The DNC Tried to Bury This Report — Here's Why [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:55
As America approaches its 250th birthday, the media insists we're hopelessly divided and on the brink of a second Civil War. Peter Schweizer and Eric Eggers ask the question nobody in Washington wants answered: is that a…
Schweizer: Gerrymandering is as old as the United States [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:20
With important mid-term elections coming in November, “the latest rage in politics is cracking and packing,” says Peter Schweizer. “Gerrymandering is in the news right now,” says co-host Eric Eggers on the most recent ep…
Schweizer: Spirit Air collapse a “classic Democrat problem" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:10
Whether it is interfering with airline mergers, off-shoring a state’s oil refineries to Asia, or placing bets on chip makers, the nine scariest words in English are, in President Ronald Reagan’s immortal phrase, “I’m fro…
Swalwell’s Sudden Political Death a Strategic Hit Job [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:13
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s sudden political death was no accident, but a strategic hit job by an unethical California Democratic Party and its media enablers. “Swalwell was pushed out for strategic purposes,” says investigativ…
Schweizer: “John Thune is Making a Huge Mistake [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:15
The Supreme Court looks ready to overturn a Mississippi law that allows absentee ballots to be collected as late as five days after the election. Meanwhile, Congress is struggling to consider a bill called the SAVE Act t…
Insider War Trading and “Killed to Order” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:30
Are there administration insiders profiting from knowing news about the war with Iran before the public does? Recent news stories from the world of “prediction markets” seem to indicate that may in fact be happening. Tha…