"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
Minnesota’s Fresh New Fraud Hell – Ballot Cheating? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:20
The story of welfare fraud in Minnesota keeps getting bigger. And no one in state government has worked harder and longer trying to sound the alarm about it than state Sen. Steve Drazkowski. He joins The Drill Down to di…
2025 Highlights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:40
2025 Highlights
Guardrails [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:10
Massive welfare fraud in Minnesota by Somali immigrants was not supposed to happen because of government “guardrails.” Political violence by an Afghan refugee was not supposed to happen because such people were vetted be…
Schweizer: They Want a Nation of Renters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:35
It’s harder than ever to buy a home, thanks to immigration, environmental regulations, and zoning restrictions. The word “crisis” gets used too often, but housing certainly qualifies. On the heels of an election won by D…
SNAP Judgments [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:37
During the government shutdown, Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins has been reviewing data from 29 states administering the food stamp program. Rollins’s review has found EBT cards that have been carrying balances of mo…