The Heist

Welcome to the Heist: How did massive amounts of government money end up in the pockets of corporations and rich Americans during Trump’s presidency? We go inside the system to find out.  Episodes drop weekly starting September 17, 2020.

In 2017, rich Republican donors demanded a legislative victory, and this is how they got it. We meet one big donor from Dallas who goes on the record to explain how money and power work in Trump’s America. This is the behind-the-scenes story of how political pressure led to the 2017 tax bill, a huge giveaway to the wealthy.

Who is Steven Mnuchin? He somehow manages to fly under the radar, but as Treasury Secretary he has tremendous power. How did a man with no record of public service and the nickname “the “Foreclosure King” become the guy in charge of America’s money? The answer? This is how power works in Trump’s America.

Republicans say they hate debt. So why did they push for a tax bill that would add almost two trillion dollars to the country’s tab? Only one Republican senator broke ranks - until he didn’t. This episode tells the story of the flip-flops, backroom deals and magical thinking that led to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

What did companies do with their huge tax break? The Trump administration made grand promises about the 2017 tax law — that corporations would invest the windfall in their workers, boosting the entire economy. So, are we better off? We look at the case of American Airlines, which is now furloughing thousands of workers in the middle of the pandemic.

Our final episode of the season. The coronavirus has hit, and America is experiencing its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Congress and the Trump administration rush to roll out the Paycheck Protection Program. The PPP was supposed to help small businesses and their workers. But with the system rigged to favor the rich, things quickly go wrong.

Season 2 of our award-winning podcast The Heist is the story of an enduring American injustice and one woman's effort to address it in her hometown.

As ReShonda Young bought real estate and started a business in Waterloo, Iowa, she could see the impact of past and present discriminatory practices. But working at a small investment firm is what really opened her eyes to a big consequence: the wealth gap between white and Black residents. It’s an entrenched national problem. She wanted to help address it in her hometown. So she decided to start a Black-owned bank that would make that goal its mission. But how do you get the money to launch a bank when the wealth gap will fight you every step of the way? Text GAP to 737-727-4321 and dig into this episode with photos, video, graphics and more right to your phone. 

ReShonda builds a popcorn business with a too-small loan, learning something that leaves her reeling. She joins a lawsuit that will have national ripple effects.

It's a lot harder to find investors for a new bank than people willing to open accounts there. ReShonda discovers a group that might be interested in helping fund her Bank of Jabez.

How did the wealth gap become so huge? And what will it take to really fix it? As ReShonda digs into an aspect of the country's discriminatory history that intersects with her life in a deeply personal way, a key wealth-gap researcher tackles those questions.

ReShonda finds a potential home for her bank and a kindred spirit. And she faces new challenges.