Schweizer: “Political violence will get worse” until we deal with cancerous rhetoric

Schweizer: “Political violence will get worse” until we deal with cancerous rhetoric

Author: Government Accountability Institute April 30, 2026 Duration: 29:55
The shots that rang through the ballroom at the Washington Hilton last week bounced off the same walls as when President Ronald Reagan was shot and nearly killed 45 years ago. But the reaction to the two events says how much our culture has degraded. In 1981, the Academy Awards were postponed for 24 hours. When emcee Johnny Carson opened the broadcast by wishing Reagan well in his recovery, there was thunderous applause from the Hollywood audience. All those years later, two days before the attempt, liberal talk show host Jimmy Kimmel made a joke about the First Lady having the “glow of an expectant widow,” which he later defended as a joke aimed at her age difference to the president. Some prominent Democratic influencers on Bluesky began peddling a theory that the whole incident was somehow “staged.”

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
Uncorrupting the FBI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:15
It’s a tale of three attacks. The murderous rampage through the French Quarter, the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas, and the fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. To a former FBI and Justi…
The Right Wing’s Outlaws – Captured as Art [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:45
Pictures make ideas real. And portraits make people real. Artist and photographer Dan Fleuette joins the Drill Down to describe how he creates art through personalities on the political right. A self-described “art schoo…
Trump Wins - Demographics Shift and Future Elections [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:59
The election was a week ago, and we know a lot. But we still don’t know the results of 17 congressional elections across the nation, half of them in California. On The Drill Down podcast, Peter Schweizer and Eric Eggers…
Election Lawyer Marc Elias is “Master of Political Dark Arts” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:15
He’s the man with the biggest influence over the last several elections that you’ve probably never heard of. His influence over how Americans vote, and how those votes are counted, has made him a Democratic “super-lawyer…