On this week’s episode of the RealClearInvestigations Podcast, RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney speak with RCI Senior Contributor Mark Hemingway about his article Portland, Oregon’s swift path from cultural phenomenon to urban crisis. In our round-up of the week’s best investigative reporting, Zane and Varney discuss articles that report on the latest batch of Epstein files, what energy policy in Pennsylvania tells us about climate change and the price of electricity and the massive layoffs at the Washington Post. 00:00 Introduction with RCI Editor J. Peder Zane and RCI Senior Reporter James Varney 02:58 The Epstein Files and Political Implications 04:19 Energy Politics in Pennsylvania 08:07 The Washington Post's Layoffs and Accountability Journalism 14:18 Interview with Mark Hemingway, The Liberal Legacy of Portland 17:09 Economic Dynamics and Urban Challenges 24:34 Crime and The Impact of Progressive Policies
YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/j5MoleO39Kw
Read the articles discussed in this episode:
Mark Hemingway article for RealClearInvestigations: Model City: Portland’s Journey From Symbol of Chic to Shabby | RealClearInvestigations
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/05/model_city_portlands_journey_from_symbol_of_chic_to_shabby_1162950.html
Washington Free Beacon: Democrat Stacey Plaskett Called Epstein Her Friend, Gave Disgraced Pedophile Exclusive Information About Her Legislative Work
https://freebeacon.com/democrats/democrat-stacey-plaskett-called-epstein-her-friend-gave-disgraced-pedophile-exclusive-information-about-her-legislative-work-text-messages/
RealClearInvestigations: Paradise Lost: Jeffrey Epstein’s Legacy Still Clouds the U.S. Virgin Islands
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2025/05/21/paradise_lost_jeffrey_epsteins_legacy_still_clouds_the_us_virgin_islands_1111523.html
RealClearInvestigations: Power On: What PA’s Battle Over Climate Change Can Teach the Nation
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2026/02/03/power_on_what_pas_battle_over_climate_change_can_teach_the_nation_1162501.html
Washington Post: Homeland Security Targeting Americans with Secretive Legal Weapon
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/homeland-security-is-targeting-americans-with-this-secretive-legal-weapon/ar-AA1VyFoP?ocid=BingNewsSerp