Show Notes
Welcome back flies! This week we are buzzing back in with a special edition episode featuring California’s outgoing senator Laphonza Butler! Reporting from the Hart Building of the Senate Office, sit down with Will and Sarah as they dive into Butler’s expansive political journey- growing up in Mississippi, graduating from the HBCU Jackson University, and moving from Baltimore to California. Butler begins with her passion for the labor movement, motivated by ideals of the Civil Rights Movement and inspired by her own mother to fight for worker’s rights. Rebuilding the trust of California’s laborers, Butler eventually became President of the California SEIU State Council in 2013. With organization at the root of Butler’s success, she discusses her transition to working for Emily’s List, one of the nation’s largest political action committees dedicated to electing Democratic women candidates to office. Working in both the labor movement and political consulting, Butler discusses her approach to balancing grassroots perspectives with strategic national and state goals. Lastly, Butler offers some key insights into her experience working as a California Senator, offering strategic advice for Representative Adam Schiff as he prepares to fill her seat. Tune in to listen!
More from The Fly
In this episode of The Fly, Sarah and Chase bring together Mayor Aftab Pureval of Cincinnati, Mayor Arunan Arulampalam of Hartford, and Mayor Andrew Ginther of Columbus to discuss the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and the challenges of expanding affordable housing. Mayor Pureval has focused on zoning reform and developer incentives to increase housing supply, while Mayor Arulampalam has pursued streamlined permitting, the redevelopment of vacant lots and downtown buildings, expanded homeownership opportunities, and stronger tenant protections. Mayor Ginther has championed major voter-approved housing investments, zoning reform, and public-private and regional partnerships to expand affordable housing. Together, the mayors discuss housing supply, rising costs, renter protections, and the role of the private sector, exploring what cities can accomplish locally and what more they need from state and federal leaders.
In this episode of The Fly, David and Olivia sit down with Hudson Munoz, executive director of Guns Down America, to discuss how corporate accountability can help address gun violence. He explains the firearms industry’s influence, ways to bridge cultural divides around gun ownership, and why community interventions and safe-storage efforts matter—especially as firearm suicides rise.
Join Kennedy and Sarah as they sit down with the first GU Politics fellow of the semester: Sabrina Singh! Sabrina walks us through how an internship in Senator Barbara Boxer’s office during the 2009 recession unexpectedly launched a career at the center of American politics and national security. We get into what it’s really like to shape messaging in high-pressure environments, from Democratic campaigns to the Biden–Harris administration, to her time at the Pentagon at the start of the Ukraine war. Sabrina dives into the challenge of countering Russian disinformation in real time, and how misinformation can put U.S. institutions on the defensive and impact everything from battlefield morale to global perceptions of American power. Along the way, Sabrina reflects on lessons learned from crises like Afghanistan, the midterms, and other geopolitical flashpoints, including how to communicate clearly when the stakes couldn’t be higher. Tune in!!
In this episode, Chloe and Kennedy interview Alex within the RFK Campus Master Plan public comment period, regarding the stadium construction set to begin in 2027. The economic impact is groundbreaking: 2,000 permanent jobs, 14,000 construction jobs, new affordable housing, restaurants, parks, and public services that will cost the district and Commanders $3.8 billion. Alex talks about all things construction, parking, transportation, the future of the project, comparison to Nationals Park, effect on the district, bringing the Commanders back home, and the logistical side of the planning process.
The Fly sat down with John Leganski, former Deputy Chief of Staff and the youngest floor director in House history. His deep understanding of the policymaking process has launched Leganski's book to the bestseller list. Leganski is also the first Republican aide to serve on the floor team for each House leadership position, including the Majority Whip, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and Speaker. Tune in to hear Leganski share more of his knowledge on the Speaker Kevin McCarthy vote. He dives into the lead-up to the vote, the 15 rounds of voting, and how its aftermath will have significant implications for today's Congress. Tune in to Spotify to hear more of his predictions for this upcoming November.