# EPISODE 500! Rep. James Walkinshaw on Epstein, Bondi, Iran, Hegseth, the Economy, Redistricting, and the Midterms Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395/episode-500-rep-james-walkinshaw-on-epstein-bondi-iran-hegseth-the-economy-redistricting-and-the-midterms Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395/episode-500-rep-james-walkinshaw-on-epstein-bondi-iran-hegseth-the-economy-redistricting-and-the-midterms.md Podcast: [The Back Room with Andy Ostroy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395) Published: 2026-05-04T11:38:56+00:00 Episode link: https://the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy.podcast.radiofreerhinecliff.org/episodes/episode-500-rep-james-walkinshaw-on-epstein-bondi-iran-hegseth-the-economy-redistricting-and-the-midterms Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.zencast.fm/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy/b2e48ed5-9732-4652-8aed-652413779d17.mp3?source=feed Processing state: processed JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395/episodes/episode-500-rep-james-walkinshaw-on-epstein-bondi-iran-hegseth-the-economy-redistricting-and-the-midterms Duration seconds: 1569 ## Resource Congressman James Walkinshaw represents Virginia’s 11th Congressional District. He serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and its Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, focusing on protecting the nonpartisan civil service, supporting fair pay for federal employees, and holding the Administration accountable. He also serves on the House Homeland Security Committee and both its Subcommittees on Homeland Border Security & Enforcement, and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Protection. The Congressman and I discuss the Epstein scandal and the upcoming May 29 Pam Bondi testimony before the House Oversight Committee; the economy, redistricting and the November midterms; and the Iran war, Sec Def Pete Hegseth, and his 'performance' last week before the House and Senate. But first, in celebration of The Back Room's 500th episode, there's a very special shout-out from our very first guest, Paul Rudd! Got somethin' to say?! Email us at BackroomAndy@gmail.com Leave us a message: 845-307-7446 Twitter: @AndyOstroy Produced by Andy Ostroy, Matty Rosenberg, and Jennifer Hammoud @ Radio Free Rhiniecliff Design by Cricket Lengyel ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395/episodes/episode-500-rep-james-walkinshaw-on-epstein-bondi-iran-hegseth-the-economy-redistricting-and-the-midterms/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-back-room-with-andy-ostroy-5638395/episode-500-rep-james-walkinshaw-on-epstein-bondi-iran-hegseth-the-economy-redistricting-and-the-midterms.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.