Major Garrett hosts The Takeout, leading with a sweeping federal gambling and sports-rigging investigation and a lineup of political and national-security developments.
Sports gambling, NBA indictments
Federal prosecutors arrested more than 30 people in a sprawling case that alleges two distinct gambling schemes: an insider sports-betting conspiracy and rigged underground poker games backed by La Cosa Nostra. Those charged include Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and former NBA player Damon Jones.
Officials describe tens of millions of dollars in fraud tied to illegal sports betting and high-tech cheating devices used in private poker games. Prosecutors allege shuffling machines, specialized contact lenses and under-table tech were used to identify and communicate strong hands in poker games that drew victims and “face cards” — well-known athletes — and were backed by mafia families. The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York said investigators found an “insider sports betting” scheme that exploited confidential team and player information.
The case highlights how legal sports betting’s rapid growth has exposed vulnerabilities. Since the 2018 PASPA repeal, Americans have bet hundreds of billions of dollars legally on sports; prop bets in particular increase incentives for insider information. NBA and league officials are studying the indictments and hope punishment will deter future misconduct. Defense attorneys predict many defendants will argue mistaken identity, cooperation or noncriminal behavior; the federal case likely will move slowly through multiple courthouses.
White House and federal deployments
President Biden’s administration reversed plans to deploy federal troops to San Francisco after local appeals and concern about escalation. The reversal came amid questions over where the executive branch draws lines on demolitions and White House construction projects: House Democrats pressed the administration for transparency about the East Wing demolition, and officials cited existing planning commission legal opinions that treated the work as demolition rather than new vertical construction.
Immigration raids, Illinois probe
Operation Midway Blitz in the Chicago area — part of federal immigration enforcement — has resulted in thousands of arrests and sparked protests. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the Illinois Accountability Commission to document alleged abuses by federal agents, including rough treatment of protesters and journalists and use of helicopters and unmarked vehicles. Pritzker told CBS News the state will collect videos, testimony and firsthand accounts to hold federal law enforcement accountable; federal officials say no CBP agents have been disciplined so far for use-of-force incidents.
Politics and local races
New York City politics featured an endorsement reversal of sorts: last night’s Knicks courtside appearance by former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams culminated in Adams endorsing Cuomo. The endorsement and the final mayoral debate also featured dramatic moments including an on-stage confrontation about past sexual-harassment allegations. Observers say insurgent candidates like Zohran Mamdani have reshaped messaging and voter engagement, and Democrats are watching whether tactics that highlight affordability and authenticity translate beyond local races.
Federal government shutdown effects
The continuing government shutdown is beginning to bite: thousands of federal employees — including as many as 13,000 air traffic controllers — are due to miss paychecks. Military members and many federal contractors continue working without pay. Senate measures to guarantee some pay failed to advance; political leaders remain at odds over an off-ramp, and the president’s travel schedule could lengthen the impasse. Former lawmakers and union officials warn the longer the budget fight continues, the greater the operational and safety strains.
Aviation and aviation safety
Air traffic controllers and pilots expressed growing concern about safety and reliability in aviation. Many controllers are seeking secondary income; some have taken on side gigs. Pilots’ unions warned of increased cancellations and delays tied to staffing shortages and maximum duty-time rules — and urged lawmakers to pass a clean continuing resolution to restore full pay for safety-sensitive roles. Pilots said prolonged shutdown-related pressure could force removals from flight duties if fatigue or stress affects personnel.
Legal and congressional questions
After a special election in Arizona, Democrat Adelita Grijalva has not been sworn into the House more than a month after winning her seat. The state has filed suit seeking to compel seating; the House, not in session and controlled by the Speaker’s schedule, has not moved to swear the member-elect. Legal experts say the situation is unprecedented in modern practice and raises questions about norms for seating duly elected representatives.
Other headlines in this episode
– Jack Smith’s attorneys seek an open congressional hearing to rebut claims they wiretapped Republican lawmakers and to discuss his special counsel work with protections against retaliation.
– The U.S. military continued strikes on suspected drug smuggling vessels in international waters; recent strikes and their aftermath have drawn debate over casualty counts and legal authority.
– Early voting is running high in several states ahead of fall gubernatorial races: Virginia already recorded large early participation; New Jersey has hundreds of thousands of mail ballots returned before in-person early voting begins; California ballot returns are tracking like a presidential-season pace where voters already have one measure on the ballot.
– The show also covered New York political dynamics — endorsements, debate tactics and the role of late-stage campaign revelations — and ongoing inquiries into federal construction oversight at the White House.
What to watch next
The Takeout tracks the fallout from the NBA and federal gambling indictments as courts proceed, keeps tabs on federal-worker pay and aviation safety during the shutdown, follows local and statewide elections fueled by early voting, and examines federal immigration operations and state probes into agent conduct. Follow developments in these fast-moving stories as the legal and political processes unfold.
