American Scandal

April 15, 1865. President Lincoln is dead and the country in turmoil. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton takes control, determined to bring the assassin to justice.Heavily researched, this historical political thriller is an audio drama that explores America’s darkest hours. The story is astonishing—and all of it is based on true events.

Subscribe today: http://wondery.fm/Do_No_HarmFrom Wondery, the makers of Dr. Death and Dirty John, and NBC News the team behind Dateline and The Thing About Pam - Do No Harm. Melissa Bright thinks she's living every parent's worst nightmare when her five-month-old baby tumbles from a lawn chair and hits his head on the driveway. But after she rushes him to the hospital, a new nightmare begins.The Brights are thrust into a medical and legal system so focused on protecting children from abuse, it has targeted innocent parents. With exclusive audio captured as the events unfolded, this harrowing six-episode series takes you inside the Brights' fight to hold their family together, against a system that can sometimes do more harm than good. Hosted by NBC News National Investigative Reporter Mike Hixenbaugh.

In 1979, disco was a dominant force in American music. It took the top spots in the Billboard charts, and sold countless records. But with its culturally diverse audience, disco faced a major backlash. And that would lead to a crisis one evening in July of 1979, when a promotional event at a baseball game turned into a riot. Vince Lawrence was at that game, and has since become a music producer and documentary filmmaker. He and Lindsay discuss the meaning of that infamous night, and how disco’s legacy is still with us today, in music and in culture.Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App hereSupport us by supporting our sponsors! SimpliSafe - Get 40% off SimpliSafe plus a free security camera today by visiting SIMPLISAFE.com/AS. Hurry! This deal expires on Friday.Trailer for Vince Lawrence's film "Legacy": https://twitter.com/i/status/1321898855546429440

A college dropout with no background in science turns himself into an expert on performance enhancing drugs. Soon he attracts some of the world’s best athletes—along with the attention of a determined federal agent.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Track star Marion Jones gets caught in the middle of an Olympic steroid scandal and turns to Victor Conte for help. In baseball, Barry Bonds is fed up watching other players beat records and garner fame. He teams up with a trainer who sets him on a path that will have unexpected results.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

A syringe with a mysterious substance sets off a race to save the Olympics from a doping scandal. Backstabbing, recriminations and a dedicated team of investigators threaten to destroy everything Victor Conte has created. And agent Novitzky plants an undercover agent to try to bring down Barry Bonds.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

The raid on BALCO succeeds beyond Agent Novitzky’s wildest dreams. He gets all the evidence he needs to prove that some of the top athletes in the world have cheated their way to records and medals. But Barry Bonds isn’t going down without a fight and neither is Marion Jones. And when confidential testimony gets leaked to the press, all hell breaks loose.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Victor Conte loses his battle when he’s sentenced to prison. Marion Jones’ carefully crafted defense threatens to collapse because of a bitter divorce. And agent Novitzky’s case hits some snags as Barry Bonds fights for his reputation. After investigating for eleven years at a cost of a hundred million dollars, can agent Novitzky claim victory? Or has Victor Conte won the war?Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Host Lindsay Graham talks with the journalists who broke the BALCO scandal and almost went to jail.   Mark Fainaru Wada and Lance Williams are the authors of “Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports.” Support us by supporting our sponsors!

In 2006 Eliot Spitzer is elected governor on a promise to tackle corruption in the most dysfunctional state capital in the country--Albany, NY. He is quickly challenged by one of the most powerful men in the state. Will the governor change Albany or will Albany change him?Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Troopergate explodes. Governor Spitzer finds himself embroiled in a scandal. Senator Bruno is investigated by the FBI.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Governor Cuomo tries to stamp out corruption with an independent commission who deals with interference from unexpected places. Attorney Preet Bharara lasers in on the committee’s findings.Support us by supporting our sponsors!

Preet Bharara investigates Sheldon Silver and Dean Skelos - the explosive trials and the aftermath.You can read more about the Sheldon Silver trial here, and read about the Dean Skelos trial here.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!

Host Lindsay Graham talks with Alex Gibney, director of “Client 9,” a documentary that examines the rise and fall of Eliot Spitzer.Support us by supporting out sponsors!

In July of 1985, the National Security Advisor to President Reagan, Robert “Bud” McFarlane puts a plan in motion that could change the course of history and turn the Reagan administration upside down. Support this show by supporting our sponsors!

Two of Reagan’s top priorities are in jeopardy: American hostages are still in the hands of terrorists in Iran, and the Contras are losing their fight against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. In early 1986, the two operations merge. In the middle of it all is Lieutenant Colonel Ollie North.Links to books:Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-up by: Lawrence E. WalshUnder Fire: An American Story by: Oliver L. NorthSpecial Trust by: Robert C. McFarlaneIran-Contra: Reagan's Scandal and the Unchecked Abuse of Presidential Power by: Malcolm ByrneSupport the show by supporting our sponsors!

When the story breaks that senior US government officials secretly traded arms for hostages, Congress and the American people demand answers. Chief of Staff Don Regan and Attorney General Ed Meese begin building a wall around the President. Links to books:Firewall: The Iran-Contra Conspiracy and Cover-up - Lawrence E. WalshUnder Fire: An American Story - Oliver L. NorthSpecial Trust - Robert C. McFarlaneIran-Contra: Reagan's Scandal and the Unchecked Abuse of Presidential Power - Malcolm ByrneSupport this show by supporting our sponsors!

Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh is called to D.C. to investigate Iran-Contra and bring those responsible to justice. But what he discovers will shake his political allegiances, and drive a wedge through the heart of the country.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!

Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh sets his sights on the White House and tries to answer the question everyone has been asking: Exactly how much did President Reagan know and when did he know it?Support this show by supporting our sponsors!

How does the Iran Contra investigation compare to the Russia investigation today? We go behind the scenes with Michael Bromwich, a lawyer who worked on the Iran Contra case. He tells us what it’s like to delve into the dealings of America’s most powerful players.Support this show by supporting our sponsors!