Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to the FBI

Coming up on today’s show: 

• The DNC’s Unity Reform Commission was formed in July 2016 at the Democratic National Convention to review the party’s nominating process. We look at commission’s ambitions with Jorge Neri, who was the Nevada state director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, and Nomiki Konst, who was a national surrogate for the Sanders campaign.

• The White House may force out Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The shake-up could add even more instability to the department, which is already in disarray. Daniel Benjamin, ambassador-at-large and coordinator for counterterrorism at the U.S. State Department, weighs in.

• As Puerto Ricans continue recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria, officials say the House tax bill would further hurt the island because it would apply a 20 percent excise tax on products and services for Puerto Rico. Cate Long, founder of Puerto Rico Clearing House, a research firm for bond holders, has the details. 

• Every Friday, Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday and The Takeaway, drops by to review the new releases hitting the box office. This week, Rafer reviews “The Shape of Water,” a monster film from director Guillermo del Toro that’s picking up awards buzz, and “The Disaster Artist,” a new movie directed by and starring James Franco, which tells the behind-the-scenes story of one of the worst films of all time, “The Room.”

• Kate Steinle was killed on July 1, 2015 by Jose Inez Garcia Zarate, an undocumented immigrant who had been deported five times. President Trump seized on the story during his campaign, using it as a case against sanctuary city policies. On Thursday, Garcia Zarate was acquitted of murder and manslaughter charges linked to Steinle’s death after a trial that lasted more than five weeks. Marisa Lagos, politics and government reporter for KQED in San Francisco, she’s been following the story for months and brings us the details. 

This episode is hosted by Todd Zwillich