Bad Watchdog podcast

Bad Watchdog

In this award-winning investigative podcast, host Maren Machles explores how accountability failures in Washington D.C. impact the lives of people all over the country, and she showcases the investigators, experts, and activists who work to keep our government working for the people. In the second season, Maren and POGO’s investigative reporters take a look at the Department of Homeland Security. They trace how an agency established to protect the nation from security threats has doubled down on detaining migrants, sometimes in horrifying conditions, while failing to address the more immediate security threat caused by far-right extremism — even within the agency’s own ranks.  In the first season, Maren  focused on the department’s Office of Inspector General, revealing a shocking pattern of misconduct that resulted in a failure to investigate some of the most troubling events in recent history. In 2024, Bad Watchdog was a silver medalist at the New York Festivals Radio Awards and a nominee for the Ambie Awards' Best Politics or Opinion Podcast. For more, visit pogo.org/podcasts/bad-watchdogBad Watchdog is a member of the Airwave Media network and a part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

In this award-winning investigative podcast, host Maren Machles explores how accountability failures in Washington D.C. impact the lives of people all over the country, and she showcases the investigators, experts, and activists who work to keep our government working for the people. In the second season, Maren and POGO’s investigative reporters take a look at the Department of Homeland Security. They trace how an agency established to protect the nation from security threats has doubled down on detaining migrants, sometimes in horrifying conditions, while failing to address the more immediate security threat caused by far-right extremism — even within the agency’s own ranks.  In the first season, Maren  focused on the department’s Office of Inspector General, revealing a shocking pattern of misconduct that resulted in a failure to investigate some of the most troubling events in recent history. In 2024, Bad Watchdog was a silver medalist at the New York Festivals Radio Awards and a nominee for the Ambie Awards' Best Politics or Opinion Podcast. For more, visit pogo.org/podcasts/bad-watchdogBad Watchdog is a member of the Airwave Media network and a part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what’s broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

 

#17

Democracy Works: The immigration stories that aren't told

We want to share a show with you! Democracy Works comes from the McCourtney Institute for ... more

21 Nov 2024

42 MINS

42:22

21 Nov 2024


#16

The Real Threat (S2 E6)

For the past few episodes, Maren has explored the reality of immigration detention, uplift... more

18 Jul 2024

49 MINS

49:07

18 Jul 2024


#15

Behind the Curtain (S2 E5)

Content note: This episode discusses suicide and sexual violence. After a years-long legal... more

11 Jul 2024

44 MINS

44:00

11 Jul 2024


#14

The Battle (S2 E4)

The Department of Homeland Security is a very large, very powerful federal agency. It’s al... more

04 Jul 2024

37 MINS

37:25

04 Jul 2024


#13

The Three Reports (S2 E3)

This episode discusses suicide and recounts an incident in which a homophobic slur was use... more

27 Jun 2024

29 MINS

29:16

27 Jun 2024


#12

The Hole (S2 E2)

Host Maren Machles learns more about people’s experiences in ICE detention by talking with... more

20 Jun 2024

30 MINS

30:39

20 Jun 2024


#11

The Red Herring (S2 E1)

Established in the wake of September 11, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was ent... more

20 Jun 2024

40 MINS

40:00

20 Jun 2024


#10

Announcing Bad Watchdog Season 2

In the wake of 9/11, and in fear of another attack, members of Congress agreed to create a... more

06 Jun 2024

02 MINS

02:30

06 Jun 2024


#9

Obscured: County Jails, Mental Health & Accountability Barriers with Brett Sholtis

We want to share a new podcast with you! [Obscured] (https://pod.link/1707379300) tells st... more

29 Nov 2023

37 MINS

37:48

29 Nov 2023


#8

Cuffari Regularly Purges His Texts (Special Update)

Last week was the first time DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari testified in front of Co... more

15 Jun 2023

25 MINS

25:17

15 Jun 2023


#7

The Perfect Storm (S1 E6)

In the final episode of “Bad Watchdog,” Nick and Adam discover that Cuffari knew about eve... more

23 Feb 2023

32 MINS

32:08

23 Feb 2023


#6

Who is Joseph Cuffari? (S1 E5)

Cuffari’s mismanagement of Homeland Security’s watchdog office has Maren wondering how he ... more

16 Feb 2023

35 MINS

35:55

16 Feb 2023


#5

The Story of an Agency (S1 E4)

The Homeland Security watchdog tries to bury a report on sexual harassment and misconduct ... more

09 Feb 2023

36 MINS

36:49

09 Feb 2023


#4

Abuse of Power and People (S1 E3)

Nick and Adam discover that Cuffari’s office removed damaging findings from an official re... more

02 Feb 2023

28 MINS

28:41

02 Feb 2023


#3

The Tip of the Iceberg (S1 E2)

A troubling pattern of ignoring serious misconduct at the Department of Homeland Security ... more

26 Jan 2023

28 MINS

28:44

26 Jan 2023


#2

The Missing Text Messages (S1 E1)

How did a peaceful transfer of power devolve into the first breach of the U.S. Capitol in ... more

26 Jan 2023

27 MINS

27:33

26 Jan 2023


#1

Introducing: Bad Watchdog

Government watchdogs don’t normally make the evening news. But when Homeland Security Insp... more

16 Jan 2023

02 MINS

02:20

16 Jan 2023