Patrick M. Brenner, founder and president of the Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI), joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the SPPI's work to promote sound public policy.

Before launching SPPI, Patrick worked in public relations and marketing, then took charge of the donor engagement and government transparency litigation programs at the Rio Grande Foundation as the Vice President of Development. Patrick is also the author of numerous policy studies. He has appeared in newspapers and on radio and television throughout the nation, including MSN, Fox News, The Washington Times, National Review, and more.

Patrick helps instill American principles in his generation through his activism. Patrick lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with his three children.

Bill Himpler, president of the American Financial Services Association (AFSA) joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss AFSA’s mission, a macro look at the state of credit, mortgage borrowing, its relationship to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the regulatory environment, and what lies ahead re interest rates.

Himpler joined AFSA in 2004 and was elected president in October 2018. He previously headed the congressional relations office at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Prior to joining HUD, Himpler was director of legislative affairs for BGR Holding, LLC. He also worked Capitol Hil as tax counsel and legislative director for former U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.), and as a senior legislative assistant for Rep. Charles Canady (R-Fla.)

Himpler attended the University of Steubenville, received his master’s degree from Dominican House of Studies, and a law degree from The Catholic University of America.

Established in 1916, AFSA is a national trade association for the consumer credit industry in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AFSA represents a wide range of financial services companies, including consumer and commercial finance companies, auto finance companies, mortgage lenders, credit card issuers, and industry suppliers. The association advocates for its members at both the federal and state levels, focusing on legal, regulatory, and legislative issues related to consumer credit.

Joe Nixon, Litigaiton Counsel at the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), joined the American Legal Record Podcst to discuss PILF’s brief in the U.S. Supreme Court arguing against Colorado’s attempt to remove former President Donald Trump from the ballot.

Nixon has been with PILF since April 2023, and has been board certified in Civil Trial Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for over 30 years.

He ran his own law from from 2019 to 2020, and was a senior fellow for Law and Economic Studies at the Texas Public Policy Foundation from 2007 to 2022. Nixon was a parnter at Akerman LLP from 2005 to 2019.

Nixon represented the 133rd State House District in Texas from 1995 to 2007. He

He attended Texas A&M University and received his law degree from St. Mary’s University Law School.

Chris Dickerson, editor of the West Virginia Record, joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss the reduction in transparency and access to court records in West Virginia.

• Chris Dickerson's Experience and Concerns: Chris Dickerson, a seasoned journalist with 19 years of experience covering the West Virginia court system, discussed the significant reduction in online access to court records. From having access to 41 counties' records online in 2004, it has dwindled to just one in 2024, with an impending total loss of online access. This change severely impacts his ability to cover cases and the public's right to information.

• Statewide E-Filing System and Its Implications: The introduction of a statewide e-filing system, intended to centralize and streamline access to court records, paradoxically led to a decrease in public online access. As counties transitioned to this new system, their records became inaccessible online, limiting access to physical courthouse terminals.

• First Amendment Concerns and Public Access: Dickerson discussed the critical role of technology in ensuring transparency and access to court records, arguing that the current situation in West Virginia violates First Amendment rights and the public's ability to obtain information, which is fundamental to the judicial system's openness.

• Future Actions and Industry Impact: The podcast concludes with Dickerson's commitment to investigating and reporting on the accessibility of court records in West Virginia and beyond. He plans to compare access across states and engage with legal professionals, lawmakers, and other journalists to address these transparency issues, despite the challenges posed by the current lack of online access.

West Virginia’s proposed constitutional amendment to add U.S. citizenship as a voting requirement

Chris Dickerson, editor of the West Virginia Record, joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss voter security and the mail-in ballot process in West Virginia.

• Voter Security Concerns: Dickerson discussed the issues of voter security and voter fraud, particularly focusing on mail-in ballots and eligibility criteria for voting in the United States. He described the current requirements for voting and proposed resolution in West Virginia to further secure the voting process.

• West Virginia's Proposed Amendment: Chris Dickerson discussed a resolution introduced by State Senate President Craig Blair (R-Berkeley) aiming to amend the West Virginia state constitution to add U.S. citizenship as a requirement for voting. This amendment, if passed, would be decided by voters in the general election.

• National Trend on Voting Requirements: Dickerson described similar legislative efforts in Kentucky and Virginia aimed at tightening voting requirements, including proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration.

John O’Brien, editor of Legal Newsline, joined the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss a class action lawsuit led by New York attorney Spencer Sheehan against Ricola, alleging consumer deception. The lawsuit claims Ricola's marketing suggests their cough drops are made with Swiss Alpine herbs that provide benefits beyond the active ingredient, menthol, which is misleading.

Jonathan Bylick, editor of the Cook County Record, joins the American Legal Record Podcast to discuss his recent reports on the recent case of Cook County resident Marty Paris.

Paris was jailed over the Christmas holiday because he didn’t pay $300,000 to a Cook County Court and agree to be on electronic home monitoring as part of contentious divorce proceedings that have racked up a reported $1.6 million in legal bills for Paris.

For more information on this case, read, River Forest man nears month in jail over unpaid divorce legal bills – https://cookcountyrecord.com/stories/653483120-river-forest-man-nears-month-in-jail-over-unpaid-divorce-legal-bills