About the show
The Political Spotlight is a politically driven opinion, news, and entertainment program.
The Political Spotlight is your comprehensive guide to all things "political" at the local, state, and national levels. Our mission is to identify and eliminate corruption in government and politics while defending the United States Constitution. The message is clear: the old, corrupt way of doing business IS OVER! Our goal is to empower all citizens with the knowledge and motivation to stay informed and get involved.
The team includes Kristopher H. Bilbrey, Kate Thornburg, and Brandon Rudd.
Join the discussion and help change the world, one conversation at a time!
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
LIVE episodes of The Political Spotlight air on
YouTube, Rumble, X, and Facebook: Sunday - Thursday @ 9 p.m. (ET)
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePoliticalSpotlight . . .
Rumble Link: https://rumble.com/c/ThePoliticalSpotlight . . .
Audio-only episodes are available at the following Home Link: https://ThePoliticalSpotlight.fireside.fm . . .
They are also available on all podcast hosting sites (including, but not limited to): iTunes/Apple Podcasts -- Spotify -- Stitcher -- TuneIn -- RadioPublic -- iHeartRadio -- Amazon Music/Podcasts -- CastBox -- OverCast -- Castro -- Pocket Casts & many more...
No matter where or when you choose to watch or listen, please remember to SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT, and then "share the show with everyone you know!"
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Connect with The Political Spotlight team on social media:
Facebook 1: https://www.facebook.com/Bilbrey318
Facebook 2: https://www.facebook.com/PoliticalSpotlight318
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ThePoliticalSpotlight
Twitter: https://x.com/BilbreyLIVE
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Connect with The Political Spotlight team via email
@ [email protected] or [email protected]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT, & SHARE THE SHOW!
🚨 🚨 🚨
The Political Spotlight on social media
Episodes
-
#716 | Thursday, August 13, 2026 | The Political Spotlight
August 13th, 2026 | 2 hrs 6 mins
911 dispatch, aep, backup communications, communications failure, communications redundancy, contingency planning, delaware county commissioners, delaware county emergency management, delaware county ems, delaware county indiana, disaster response, east central indiana, emergency communications, emergency communications system, emergency dispatch, emergency management, emergency preparedness, emergency radio system, emergency services, fire communications, first responders, flood emergency, flooding, henry county indiana, historic flooding, infrastructure failure, local government, local politics, motorola communications tower, mpd, muncie, muncie city delaware county 911 dispatch center, muncie fire department, muncie indiana, muncie police department, muncie politics, police communications, priority 1 calls, public safety, public safety communications, public safety infrastructure, radio communications, radio failure, randolph county indiana, severe weather
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines the historic flooding emergency that struck East Central Indiana, particularly in southern Muncie and Delaware County, with impacts extending into Henry and Randolph counties. As first responders battled what has been reported as the area’s worst flooding in more than 113 years, Muncie and Delaware County’s public-safety communications system faced a crisis of its own. MPD radios reportedly experienced repeated outages; the primary Motorola communications tower near 18th Street and Sampson Avenue was found underwater; and the Fire and EMS paging system went down. Bilbrey examines reports indicating that no fully operational backup existed if the tower failed, forcing dispatchers and officers to rely on alternative communications while MPD responded primarily to Priority 1 calls. The episode examines what happened, the severity of the communications breakdown, and the questions officials must now address regarding the reliability, redundancy, and emergency preparedness of this critical public-safety system. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#715 | Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | The Political Spotlight
August 11th, 2026 | 1 hr 45 mins
arrest, conflict of interest, delaware county auditor, delaware county commissioners, delaware county ems, delaware county government, delaware county indiana, delaware county politics, delaware county prosecutor, delta high school girls golf boosters, due process, ed carroll, eric hoffman, felony charges, financial controls, fraud investigation, government accountability, government oversight, government transparency, indiana politics, indiana state police, internal controls, john coutinho, local government, local politics, meagan coutinho, mike ashley, official misconduct, payroll oversight, presumption of innocence, probable cause affidavit, public accountability, public corruption, shannon henry, sherry riggin, stephen brand, taxpayer accountability, theft investigation
In Episode 715 of The Political Spotlight, host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines the latest developments in the Delaware County EMS investigation involving former Office Manager Meagan R. Coutinho. Bilbrey traces the case from the first public reports in March 2026, through the Indiana State Police investigation and Coutinho’s June 3 arrest, to the August 11 filing of 10 felony charges by Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman. The charges include multiple counts of Theft and Fraud, along with Conflict of Interest and Official Misconduct, stemming from allegations involving unauthorized compensation and overtime, EMS-related funds, retirement benefits, a private cleaning company, and the Delta High School Girls Golf Boosters. Bilbrey also examines the potential penalties and raises broader questions about payroll oversight, internal controls, financial accountability, and whether John Coutinho or anyone else may have been involved. Meagan R. Coutinho is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#714 | Monday, August 10, 2026 | The Political Spotlight
August 10th, 2026 | 1 hr 49 mins
aes indiana, aes indiana rate case, andy zay, braun administration, chris garten, congressional redistricting, donald trump, executive authority, governor mike braun, indiana politics, indiana republican party, indiana senate, indiana senate district 23, indiana senate president pro tem, indiana senate republican caucus, indiana utility regulatory commission, iurc, iurc independence, iurc lawsuit, join the conversation, mid-cycle congressional redistricting, mike braun, paula copenhaver, political accountability, political influence, political loyalty, political power, primary election, recount, republican politics, republican primary, rodric bray, senate leadership, spencer deery, state government, three stories, trump endorsement, utility rates
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines three major Indiana political stories tied together by one question: who holds the power, and how far can they use it? Bilbrey breaks down former IURC member Andy Zay’s lawsuit against Gov. Mike Braun following Zay’s removal from the commission and allegations of improper pressure surrounding the AES Indiana rate case. He also examines the Indiana Senate District 23 Republican primary recount, where Paula Copenhaver overtook State Sen. Spencer Deery, and what the result may signal about loyalty, President Donald Trump’s influence, and the fallout from Indiana’s redistricting fight. Finally, Bilbrey looks at the coming battle to replace Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, including Sen. Chris Garten’s bid for leadership and what a change at the top could mean for the direction of the Senate Republican Caucus. Three stories. One larger fight over power, loyalty, executive authority, and the future of Indiana politics. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#713 | Sunday, August 09, 2026 | The Political Spotlight
August 9th, 2026 | 1 hr 43 mins
big brother, big brother is watching, citizen oversight, city of muncie, civic engagement, civil liberties, delaware county, flock cameras, flock safety, fourth amendment, freedom, government accountability, government surveillance, government transparency, indiana, individual liberty, local politics, mass surveillance, muncie, muncie city council, muncie police department, national politics, privacy rights, protect privacy, public accountability, public safety, state politics, stop surveillance, surveillance, usa
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey is hearing rumors that the Muncie Police Department has been meeting with various members of the Muncie City Council about FLOCK CAMERAS! At this time, the content and context of those meetings remain unknown. Questions have been asked, but answers have not yet been provided. This needs to be an ALL SKATE — ALL HANDS ON DECK. Citizens need to start asking questions, demanding answers, and finding out exactly what the City of Muncie may be planning regarding Flock cameras and expanded surveillance. Freedom-loving citizens of Muncie, Delaware County, and across Indiana need to pay attention and push back against the ongoing “BIG BROTHERING” of our communities. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#712 | Thursday, August 06, 2026 | The Political Spotlight
August 6th, 2026 | 2 hrs 36 secs
behind the scenes, city government, city of muncie, civic engagement, government accountability, government transparency, indiana politics, letter to the city council, local government, local politics, looking forward, moving forward, muncie city council, muncie indiana, muncie politics, new day, political commentary, public accountability, public affairs, tech gremlins, technical difficulties
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey continues battling the tech gremlins in this 712th episode of The Political Spotlight. Bilbrey also explains an email he sent to the Muncie City Council on Thursday, August 6, 2026. It's a new day, looking forward! Now to see if everyone else agrees! All of the above, plus a few other bits and bobs, round out what has been a hectic and chaotic week for Bilbrey and The Political Spotlight. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#711 | Wednesday, August 05, 2026 - (PART 2) | The Political Spotlight
August 5th, 2026 | 2 hrs 59 mins
city controller, city government, city of muncie, councilor jeff green, councilor jerry dishman, delaware county, fire station 5, government accountability, government transparency, indiana politics, local government, local politics, mckinley neighborhood, muncie city council, muncie fire department, muncie indiana, muncie politics, ordinance 13-26, ordinance 14-26, ordinance 15-26, ordinance 9-26, overlay district, part 1, part 2, public accountability, public comment, resolution 10-26, resolution 11-26, resolution 8-26
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey concludes his two-part analysis of the August 3, 2026, Muncie City Council meeting. In Part 2, Bilbrey examines the Council’s discussion, public input, and final vote on Ordinance 14-26, a measure intended to prevent current and future mayors from appointing members of their staff and other city employees to governmental boards and commissions. He also breaks down Resolutions 10-26 and 11-26, both connected to Ordinance 9-26 and the proposed construction of a new Station 5 for the Muncie City Fire Department, before reviewing the meeting’s Public Comments. This episode concludes Bilbrey’s full postmortem of the August 3 meeting, including the major votes, controversies, winners and losers, and what the decisions could mean for Muncie moving forward. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#710 | Tuesday, August 04, 2026 - (PART 1) | The Political Spotlight
August 4th, 2026 | 2 hrs 37 mins
city controller, city government, city of muncie, councilor jeff green, councilor jerry dishman, delaware county, fire station 5, government accountability, government transparency, indiana politics, local government, local politics, mckinley neighborhood, muncie city council, muncie fire department, muncie indiana, muncie politics, ordinance 13-26, ordinance 14-26, ordinance 15-26, ordinance 9-26, overlay district, part 1, part 2, public accountability, public comment, resolution 10-26, resolution 11-26, resolution 8-26
The dust has settled after the August 3, 2026, Muncie City Council meeting, and host Kristopher H. Bilbrey begins a two-part postmortem examining what happened, who won and lost, where the major issues now stand, and what comes next for Muncie. In Episode 710 — Part 1, Bilbrey breaks down the public hearing and final discussion on Ordinance 9-26, concerning the proposed construction of a new Muncie Fire Department Station 5; early meeting problems, including audio issues and Council President Jeff Green’s attempt to silence Bilbrey during public comment; Committee Reports; and the unusual mid-meeting public hearing on Resolution 8-26 regarding the Council’s investigation into the financial operations and internal controls of the City Controller’s Office. Bilbrey also examines Ordinance 15-26, the watered-down version of vetoed Ordinance 13-26 concerning the McKinley neighborhood overlay district, explaining why Ordinance 13-26 received no action, why Councilman Jerry Dishman withdrew Ordinance 15-26, and why both sides appear willing to work together—for now. This concludes Part 1 - Episode 710. Episode 711 — Part 2 will continue the analysis with Ordinance 14-26, Resolutions 10-26 and 11-26, and the Council’s Public Comments. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#709 | Sunday, August 02, 2026 | The Political Spotlight
August 2nd, 2026 | 1 hr 37 mins
city controller, city of muncie, delaware county, delaware county indiana, delaware county politics, fire station 5, government accountability, government transparency, indiana politics, local government, local politics, muncie city council, muncie politics, ordinance 13-26, ordinance 14-26, ordinance 15-26, resolution 8-26, veto override
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey previews a potentially consequential day in Muncie and Delaware County government on Monday, August 3, 2026. Ahead of the 6:45 p.m. Muncie City Council meeting, Bilbrey breaks down the Council’s investigation into the City Controller’s Office under Resolution 8-26; the proposed new Fire Station 5 project under Ordinance 9-26 and Resolutions 10-26 and 11-26; the possible veto override of Ordinance 13-26; Councilman Jerry Dishman’s Ordinance 15-26; and the controversial transparency measure, Ordinance 14-26, which concerns mayoral staff and city employees serving on boards and commissions. Bilbrey also looks ahead to the Delaware County Commissioners' meeting at 9:00 a.m. With an ongoing investigation, a possible veto override, major spending decisions, and significant questions about transparency and accountability, Monday could be one of the most important days in recent Muncie government history. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#708 | Onward to August 2026 - This Way to Fall & Other Topics! | The Political Spotlight
July 31st, 2026 | 1 hr 44 mins
accountability, august 2026, brad fisher, city of muncie, communication, community building, controller's office, councilor jerry dishman, councilor nora powell, councilor ro selvey, crash, fight off tech gremlins, hit by a suspect in a stolen vehicle, indiana state police, industry neighborhood, local politics, lynn police department, lynn town marshal, maci atkinson, mayor's administration, mayor's office, mckinley neighborhood association, mckinley overlay district controversy, muncie city council, muncie government, muncie indiana, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, muncie redevelopment commission director george-jeffrey howe, officer killed in the line of duty, ordinance 9-26, override veto, police chase, public meetings, randolph county, resolution 8-26, special friday night show, spike strips, transparency, upcoming muncie city council meeting, vehicle pursuit, veto, wayne scaife, winchester
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey attempts to fight off the "tech gremlins" in this "SPECIAL" 708th "FRIDAY NIGHT" episode of the show! Bilbrey uses this to explain what's going on with the show, since we've been off more than on lately. A SOLUTION IS IN THE WORKS!!! And if things are running smoothly, he will try to get through a bit of prep for the upcoming Muncie City Council meeting and beyond! #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#707 | July 29, 2026: We're Back, Ballin' Bigger Than Ever! Let's Roll! | The Political Spotlight
July 29th, 2026 | 2 hrs 3 mins
34-year-old woman, accountability, and subsequently left that facility, battery, brad fisher, breaking news, charged with theft, city of muncie, communication, community building, community service, controller's office, councilor jerry dishman, councilor nora powell, councilor ro selvey, crash, dismissed, false informing, hit by a suspect in a stolen vehicle, indiana state police, industry neighborhood, inpatient treatment facility, local politics, lynn police department, lynn town marshal, maci atkinson, mayor's administration, mayor's office, mckinley neighborhood association, mckinley overlay district controversy, multiple warrants, muncie city council, muncie government, muncie indiana, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, muncie redevelopment commission director george-jeffrey howe, officer killed in the line of duty, operating a vehicle with a schedule i or ii controlled substance, ordinance 9-26, override veto, pleaded guilty, police chase, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a narcotic drug, possession of marijuana, public meetings, randolph county, resisting law enforcement, resolution 8-26, sentenced to probation, spike strips, transparency, unlawful possession of a syringe, vehicle pursuit, veto, wayne scaife, winchester
We're back, ladies and gentlemen! It's time for the 707th episode of The Political Spotlight! Let's roll! There is so much going on in the City of Muncie, Indiana... and Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey has so much to say! Let's get into this! #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#706 | Muncie, Indiana: Meetings, Meetings, & More Meetings! | The Political Spotlight
July 23rd, 2026 | 2 hrs 48 mins
accountability, administration’s bond counsel, city attorneys, city of muncie, committee members, communication, controller's office, councilor jeff green, councilor jerry dishman, councilor sara gullion, highly anticipated public service subcommittee meeting, important concerns remain unresolved, local politics, makeup meeting, mayor's administration, mayor's conference, mayor's office, mayor's secretary shareen wagley, mckinley neighborhood association, mckinley overlay district controversy, muncie board of public works meeting, muncie city council, muncie fire department, muncie government, muncie indiana, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, muncie redevelopment commission director george-jeffrey howe, muncie sanitary district meeting, ordinance 9-26, proposed fire department project, public meetings, resolution 10-26 and 11-26, transparency
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines two days of Muncie public meetings, unresolved transparency concerns, notable absences, and the ongoing controversy over the McKinley Overlay District. From the Public Service Subcommittee to the Redevelopment Commission, Bilbrey asks whether city officials are providing the accountability citizens deserve. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#705 | Canceled for Lack of a Quorum or Lack of Leadership? | The Political Spotlight
July 21st, 2026 | 2 hrs 8 mins
audience feedback, cancellation of public board meetings, city of muncie, city of muncie government, continuing trend, housekeeping matters, lack of a quorum, lack of leadership, local politics, muncie city parks board meeting, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie parks department, muncie politics, the program's future
In this 705th episode of 'The Political Spotlight,' Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey examines a continuing trend in Muncie city government: the cancellation of public board meetings. For example, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, the Muncie City Parks Board meeting was canceled for a “lack of a quorum.” Bilbrey discusses the cancellation and shares additional information he recently uncovered about the Muncie Parks Department. Bilbrey then invites the audience to provide feedback on some housekeeping matters regarding the program's future. Join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#704 | Muncie's Financial Folly! & Del-Co Commissioners Mtg (07.20.26)! | The Political Spotlight
July 20th, 2026 | 2 hrs 21 mins
2nd amendment, city of muncie, commissioner shannon henry, commissioner sherry riggin, commissioner stephen brand, community update, delaware county, delaware county commissioners meeting, delaware county government, delaware county politics, ed vs fred, financial folly, george-jeffrey howe, local politics, long period of silence, muncie city council, muncie city government, muncie fire department, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, proposed fire station 5 project, public services committee, questions and answers, recaps, ridenour administration
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey highlights the "Financial Folly" by Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour in relation to the Mayor's most recent "community update" from Friday, July 17, 2026, which references the Muncie Fire Department's proposed plans for a new Fire Station 5. Then, Bilbrey recaps the Delaware County Commissioners meeting from Monday, July 20, 2026. There were key details from the meeting that citizens of Delaware County need to be aware of. Lastly, Bilbrey shares what he believes is the start of what will likely be a long period of silence from the Ridenour Administration, as he attempts to get answers to several important questions concerning the City of Muncie! #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#703 | The Week Ahead (July 19 - 25, 2026)! | The Political Spotlight
July 19th, 2026 | 1 hr 50 mins
city of muncie government, city of muncie mayor dan ridenour, delaware county commissioners, delaware county commissioners' meeting, delaware county fair 2026, delaware county government, delaware county politics, george-jeffrey howe, local politics, muncie city council (public services committee) meeting, muncie parks board meeting, muncie politics, questions
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey prepares for the week ahead (July 19 - 25, 2026)! From Delaware County's 2026 Fair Week, to the Delaware County Commissioners' meeting, and the Muncie Parks Board meeting, as well as the Muncie City Council (Public Services Committee) meeting, and all of the QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS for those at Muncie City Hall! It's going to be one of those weeks! Let's Roll! #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#702 | The Ridenour Administration Looks Ahead! Current Questions Remain! | The Political Spotlight
July 15th, 2026 | 2 hrs 11 mins
city of muncie, community update, delaware county commissioners, delaware county government, delaware county health department, deputy mayor, doc peterson, financial aspects of the muncie fire department's proposed station 5 project, former acting mayor george-jeffrey howe, health officer, howe controversy, howe's veto of ordinance 13-26, ken hudson, local politics, looking ahead, mckinley neighborhood, muncie board of works, muncie mayor dan ridenour, muncie politics, muncie redevelopment commission director, new member, ordinance 13-26, ridenour administration, ridenour's first day back as mayor, special emergency meeting, upcoming public services committee meeting
Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey follows up on Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour's first day back as Mayor! He's looking ahead, and the Administration is pushing the message that "all is well." However, Bilbrey just isn't buying it. In the 702nd episode of The Political Spotlight, Bilbrey covers key developments from the Muncie Board of Works meeting, including the latest appointment to the board. Next, Bilbrey reviews the Mayor's first community update, which includes additional commentary on the veto of Ordinance 13-26. Bilbrey offers further thoughts on the issue. From there, Bilbrey shares the latest updates on the upcoming Public Services Committee meeting. This is the second attempt to obtain answers to questions about the financial aspects of the Muncie Fire Department's proposed Station 5. Of course, questions still remain about the ongoing controversy surrounding George-Jeffrey Howe, his contracts, and his current titles and duties at the City of Muncie. #ThePoliticalSpotlight
-
#701 | Ridenour's Return & The Veto! | The Political Spotlight
July 14th, 2026 | 2 hrs 6 mins
"acting" mayor howe's veto of ordinance 13-26, 000 payment, 43-day medical leave, acting mayor george-jeffrey howe, affected property owners, attempt to halt any investigation, city of muncie indiana, court filings, howe's contractual procedural irregularities, local politics, mayor dan ridenour's return to city hall, mayor's temporary absence, mckinley neighborhood overlay district, muncie city council, muncie politics, neighborhood residents, other stakeholders, passed ordinance, political game play, questionable $66, unanimous bipartisan vote
Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour returns to City Hall after a 43-day medical absence, raising questions about the timing and whether growing controversy forced an earlier return. Host Kristopher H. Bilbrey reviews the court filings that end Ridenour’s absence and George-Jeffrey Howe’s role as Acting Mayor, examines what Howe’s duties may be going forward, and questions whether the return could affect scrutiny of Howe’s contracts and nearly $66,000 in payments. Bilbrey also breaks down Howe’s veto of Ordinance 13-26, which created the McKinley Neighborhood Overlay District despite unanimous City Council support and backing from residents and property owners. He explains why he views the veto as political game-playing and what stakeholders and Council members can do next. #ThePoliticalSpotlight