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    "parsed_content": "Letters from an American Pay-To-Play6111171\u00d70:00Current time: 0:00 \/ Total time: -16:12-16:12Audio playback is not supported on your browser. Please upgrade.Pay-To-PlayHeather Cox Richardson3 hours ago611117ShareTranscriptSeptember 23, 2026When Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he fired the investigators in the anti-corruption group of the FBI who were investigating Sen. Susan Collins for engaging in a pay-to-play scheme, He largely stopped investigating public corruption, The Gilded Age was known for lawmakers rewarding business followers with government contracts and political office, The relationship between MAGA Republicans and the misuse of tax dollars is becoming more obvious, HHS Secretary Kennedy has taken funds from his department\u2019s Office of Minority Health to fund security for himself, Kennedy has accepted gifts and his wife has accepted consulting fees from allies, Tax dollars are being used to pay authoritarian governments for imprisoning immigrants from the US, The administration is reversing its previous emphasis on resettling refugees, focusing instead on expelling them, often to places where they will be tortured, and all with little oversight, In Texas, an ICE agent shot a Venezuelan food delivery driver who had a valid work permit, The ICE agent was a recent hire, among those hired when the workforce was doubled after billions of dollars were provided by Congress, The NSF, NOAA, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality are all running far behind in funding for the fiscal year, Trump\u2019s ballroom will cost taxpayers more than $300 million, in spite of his early promises, And the ballroom\u2019s design does not meet fire codes, a concern that Trump dismissed.To read this letter, click here:Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on SpotifyYou can also find Heather:YouTubeBlueskyInstagramFacebookThreadsTikTok611 Likes\u2219117 RestacksDiscussion about this episodeRestacksLetters from an American Heather Cox Richardson's narrated newsletter about the history behind today's politics.Heather Cox Richardson's narrated newsletter about the history behind today's politics.Listen onSubstack AppYouTubeRSS FeedEmail mobile setup linkAppears in episodeHeather Cox RichardsonRecent EpisodesDefiance22 hrs ago\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Heather Cox RichardsonA Direct AssaultSep 22\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Heather Cox RichardsonNATO 3.0Sep 21\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Heather Cox RichardsonBacon\u2019s RebellionSep 20\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Heather Cox RichardsonThe Media Begins to Turn Against TrumpSep 19\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Heather Cox RichardsonThe Supreme Law of the LandSep 18\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Heather Cox RichardsonTrump Isn\u2019t Taking the News WellSep 17\u00a0\u2022\u00a0Heather Cox Richardson",
    "published_at": "2026-09-24T20:20:42+00:00",
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    "ai_simplified_title": "Heather Cox Richardson Details Government Pay-to-Play Schemes 2026",
    "ai_excerpt": "This article details various instances of alleged 'pay-to-play' schemes and misuse of tax dollars within the government, including investigations into corruption, funding diversions, and questionable spending. It highlights concerns about the relationship between MAGA Republicans and the misuse of public funds.",
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