There is an abundance of high-quality podcasts out there. Few among us have time to listen even to just a fraction of them.

Still, one upcoming podcast series bears recommendation: Master Plan: The True Crime of Stolen Democracy, from The Lever. The Lever has unearthed never-before-reported documents proving this 50-year plot was a coordinated effort by wealthy individuals. Over the course of 10 episodes, the series follows the historic thread from Watergate in the ’70s through Citizens United and the current Supreme Court scandals. It’s a tale of infamous villains like President Richard Nixon and Fox News boss Roger Ailes, plus obscure operatives and oligarchs you’ve likely never heard of.

The deep rooted corruption Master Plan uncovers impacts practically every aspect of our daily lives. It has led to higher medical bills, rising energy prices, lower wages, and weaker consumer protections for millions of Americans. Ultimately, it’s the theft of democracy itself. As our oligarchs advance towards that goal, thwarting their next moves will depend on how well we anticipate them, which in turn will depend on how well we understand the success they’ve had to date.

Master Plan is a giant step in advancing that understanding. Key revelations from the show include:

• The Other Watergate: Memos and audio recordings outlining the Nixon administration’s plot to gut the first anti-corruption laws passed in a half century – and an interview with the key players who exposed illegal corporate campaign contributions that funded the break-in.

• The Secret Story Behind The Powell Memo: You may have heard of the Powell Memo, but Master Plan uncovers never-before-reported documents and audio recordings detailing the secret meetings of corporate executives and political icons such as Gerald Ford to actually implement that memo – and gut post-Watergate anti-corruption laws. These documents also detail how the Powell Memo inspired the creation of the legal advocacy organizations that secured court rulings killing anti-corruption laws. It also inspired the creation of the organization now spearheading Project 2025.

• The Government-Funded Ad Campaign For Deregulation: After attending a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce’s Powell Memo task force, the head of the Ad Council spearheaded an ad campaign funded by the Ford-led federal government and corporate giants like Procter & Gamble, Mobil Oil, Exxon and U.S. Steel. They followed the directives of the Powell Memo and touted free market capitalism. Soon after, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce funded a movie starring Jimmy Stewart to tout the same message and excoriate the government.

• Behind-The-Scenes At The Supreme Court: Memos detailing the behind-the-scenes machinations of justices aiming to give corporations the right to buy elections with unlimited spending. This culminated in the Citizens United ruling engineered by former corporate lobbyist Anthony Kennedy.

• FedSoc And The Citizens United Plot: Never-before-reported emails detailing how future Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh worked with Leonard Leo’s Federalist Society to pack the Supreme Court. An exclusive interview with the lawyer who spearheaded the Citizens United case then explains how master planners used that new court to secure a series of rulings chipping away at campaign finance laws.

Master Plan, launched on August 27. It is hosted by David Sirota, the founder of The Lever, former speechwriter for Bernie Sanders and Oscar-nominated co-writer of Don’t Look Up).