Part One: How Cigarettes Invented Everything

In part 2, Dennis Hastert lucks his way into becoming Speaker of the House and helps Congress redefine corruption for the 21st century. And then, after his retirement, it all comes crashing down.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Robert tells Miles Gray the tangled story of Dennis Hastert, the longest-serving Republican Speaker of the House, pioneer of congressional corruption, and pedophile. Sources: Prosecutors detail sex abuse allegations against Dennis Hastert | PBS News Weekend Dennis Hastert Dies at ...  Show more

There are over a billion smokers across the world, and over 7 trillion cigarettes are smoked every year.

In this episode, we'll look at the history of smoking, from the "discovery" of tobacco by Christopher Columbus to how tobacco compani ...

Today, the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes aren’t a secret. But since the mid-1900s, researchers have pointed out the harmful effects of these cancer sticks. How much of this did the tobacco companies know – and when? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas ...  Show more

In the 20th century, the mass production of cigarettes fueled a global addiction — but Big Tobacco had a problem. Cancer rates were skyrocketing, and smoking-related illnesses became the leading cause of preventable death in America. This is the story of how an industry in peril ...  Show more