1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,199 Speaker 1: Welcome to this Week on Capitol Hill, your insider's guide 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:07,119 Speaker 1: to the story shaping Washington and the world. I'm Tony Perkins. 3 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 1: More chaos in Minnesota. 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 2: Whether it's a public official, whether it's a law enforcement officer, 5 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 2: No one is above the law in this state or 6 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 2: in this country, and people will be held accountable. 7 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 3: This state is a mess right now. 8 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 2: We've seen the chaos and it's constant, and our men 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 2: and women in law enforcement deserve to be safe, and 10 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: that's what we're going to do in Minnesota. 11 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: I was Attorney General Pam Bondy on Fox News earlier 12 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 1: this week discussing the growing lawlessness in Minnesota. We'll get 13 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: more on that in just a moment from Real Clear 14 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: Politics White House correspondent Phil Wegman, and a collective sigh 15 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: of relief was heard in Davos, Switzerland this week when 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: President Trump said this. 17 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 4: I'm seeking immediate negotiations to once again discuss the acquisition 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 4: of Greenland by the United States, just as we have 19 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 4: a I had many other territories throughout our history, as 20 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 4: many of the European nations has. People thought I would 21 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 4: use force. I don't have to use force. I don't 22 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 4: want to use force. I won't use force. 23 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: Texas Congressman Keith Salve, a member of the House Foreign 24 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: Affairs Committee, will join us to discuss what's next regarding Greenland, 25 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: and we'll also get an inside look at a new 26 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: Congressional caucus that he launched to combat the spread of 27 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: Sharia law in America. Plus, Louisiana Solicitor General Ben Aganaga 28 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: will join us. He was before the Fifth Circuit Court 29 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: of Appeals this week arguing in defense of Louisiana's Ten 30 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: Commandments law and how Speaker Mike Johnson made history this week, 31 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: becoming the first US speaker to deliver a message before 32 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: the British Parliament. 33 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 5: As Churchill taught us, the strongest alliances are between kindred countries, 34 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 5: of kindred principles. What has always set us apart from 35 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 5: the rest of the rest of the world. Our commitments 36 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 5: to liberty, our pursuit of excellence, our desire to put 37 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 5: faith and family at the center of our lives. These 38 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 5: are things that distinguish their free world from regimes that 39 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 5: trample on the most basic principles of democracy and human dignity. 40 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: Speaker Mike Johnson joins us later all of that and 41 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: more coming up on this edition of This Week on 42 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: Capitol Hill. 43 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 6: Today's edition of This Week on Capitol Hill is brought 44 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 6: to you by Americans for Prosperity. 45 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: Well, it has been a busy week in Washington as 46 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: the House Judiciary Committee digs deeper into its investigation of 47 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: the fraudulent use of federal tax dollars in Minnesota. The 48 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 1: widening probe comes as federal prosecutors have issued grand jury 49 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: subpoenas to Minnesota officials, including Governor Tim Walls. The question 50 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 1: may no longer be how many federal programs have been 51 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 1: compromised by fraud and corruption in the state of Minnesota, 52 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: but the question might be whether there are any that haven't. 53 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: Joining me now to discuss it's this and more Real 54 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: Clear Politics. White House Correspondent Phil Wegman, Phil, welcome back 55 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: to this Week on Capitol Hill. 56 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. 57 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 1: All right, So let's answer that question. Are there any 58 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: programs left untouched by the corruption there in Minnesota? 59 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 7: It certainly seems that there's a long list of programs 60 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 7: that were fraudulent. We'll have to wait and see for 61 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 7: more of the evidence here, But if you're Governor Tim Wallas, 62 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 7: you're on the hot seat. 63 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 3: You have already said the buck stops with you. 64 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 7: And currently the question is how much fraud are we 65 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 7: actually talking about. Is it a single billion dollars or 66 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 7: is it as much as as ten billion. 67 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 3: We'll find out. 68 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 7: But I think that it's interesting that the Minnesota fraud 69 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 7: scandal is coming about a year after the launch of DOGE. 70 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 3: You had in the first. 71 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 7: Year of the second Trump administration. This really all hands 72 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 7: on deck effort to go line by line through the 73 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 7: federal government to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. And 74 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 7: they weren't necessarily successful in their overall ambitions. Elon Musk 75 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 7: didn't find the trillions of dollars in waste that he 76 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 7: wanted to cut. But it did change the conversation. It 77 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 7: did change the vibe, and it got the American people 78 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 7: more interested in this question of waste, and it gave 79 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 7: voice to that sneaking suspicion that they have that every 80 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 7: time the government's getting bigger, someone is getting richer. Now 81 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 7: in Minnesota, there's a much more approachable, much more contained 82 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 7: controversy here, and I think that Republicans clearly have an 83 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 7: appetite for this. Certainly the current administration does, and They're 84 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 7: going to be like a dog with a bone on this, 85 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:42,159 Speaker 7: They're not going to let it go. 86 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:44,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, Phil, I think what you just said that really 87 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: describes the first year of the Trump administration. Changing the 88 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: vibe certainly has changed the vibe in our nation and 89 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: the conversation. I mean, we had these recent subpoenas connected 90 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: to the corruption of these federal programs. But these subpoena 91 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: is issued to Minnesota officials, DOJ suggests a conspiracy to 92 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 1: obstruct federal immigration enforcement. What do we know about that 93 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: in its connection to the corruption. 94 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 7: Well, what we know is that states don't have the 95 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 7: luxury of setting immigration law. And you can ask former 96 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 7: Arizona Governor Jenny Brewer and former President Barack Obama about this. 97 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 7: All of this was litigated. It's the responsibility of the 98 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 7: federal government. The allegation from Attorney General Pam Bondi is 99 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 7: that Governor Walls, as well as the mayors of the 100 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 7: Twin Cities and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison have been 101 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 7: obstructing ice. 102 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 3: They have been in the way of that federal effort there. 103 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 7: And frankly, you just have to look at some of 104 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 7: the rhetoric of those democratic leaders in the state see 105 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 7: where they're coming from. They're not in a position where 106 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,239 Speaker 7: they want to cooperate with Ice. Instead, they want ICE 107 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 7: to leave. They want all of this to be done 108 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 7: and over with. I expect that the administration is going 109 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 7: to double down on this. They don't make much of 110 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 7: the protests from Mayor Fry and others. And just today 111 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 7: we're seeing Vice President Jade Vance fly to Minnesota. That 112 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 7: tells you everything that you need to know the administration. 113 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 3: They're not backing down. 114 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 7: They know that this is the first really big, high 115 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 7: profile test here. This is the biggest challenge, especially after 116 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 7: the death of Renee Good. The nation's attention is on Minnesota, 117 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 7: and for now, the White House does not seem willing 118 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 7: to back down. 119 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 1: Well, it certainly doesn't look like Minnesota has much of 120 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: a foundation to stand on. I mean, every stone that's 121 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: overturned appears to lead to something else that shows that 122 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:47,160 Speaker 1: the government has been compromised. 123 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 7: I mean, and can we just take a moment to 124 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 7: note that it was a single viral video from a 125 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 7: YouTube influencer that really captured the imagination of the entire 126 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 7: country over the holidays. 127 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 3: I might add also, when when most of us are 128 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 3: tuned out and focused on other things. 129 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 7: Instead, you had this citizen journalist who went and did 130 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 7: you know gum shoe reporting. Now, look, if he worked 131 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 7: for a major news network, he would have had an editor, 132 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 7: it would have been a much tighter product. He would 133 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 7: have sought out, you know, more than one source. But 134 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 7: Nick Shirley, with what he did and his investigation there 135 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 7: in Minneapolis, is he sort of explained the problem. He 136 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 7: captured the attention of the country in a way that 137 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 7: you know, some of the former investigations by you know, 138 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 7: outlets like The New York Times couldn't do. And now 139 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 7: you have everyday Americans saying, wait a minute. 140 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 3: Where did all of these billions of dollars go? 141 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 6: And you know. 142 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 7: Work services actually rendered for these government contracts. 143 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think absolutely. You see this exposure. But it's 144 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: kind of like walking you know, through the California unattended 145 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: forest with a flame thrower. I mean, it just ignites 146 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: and takes off. And I think this is what's happening 147 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: is there's been as you pointed out earlier, the DOGE 148 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: has been uncovering some of the stuff. There's been more 149 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: and more focus on this, so the people now believe 150 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: because when they see the evidence, they believe that this 151 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: corruption was possible because it's it's being exposed by the 152 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: Trump administration. I want to transition. We just have a 153 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: couple of minutes left, Phil, I want to transition to Davos, 154 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: Switzerland and the topic of Greenland, where the President announced 155 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: that We're not going to be taking Greenland by force. 156 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: It was almost as if you could hear a collective 157 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: sigh of relief coming from there. What do you make 158 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: of his comments there. 159 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 7: Well, the Danes they certainly can have that sigh of relief, 160 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 7: and the limited number of defense officials there, they can 161 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 7: rest a little bit easier. 162 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 3: The message from Donald Trump. 163 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 7: At Davos was that the United States has been a 164 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 7: great friend of Europe, a great end of NATO, that 165 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 7: they need control of Greenland to deter Chinese and Russian 166 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 7: aggression in the future, and that if you know, if 167 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 7: Denmark and the EU don't play ball, that's fine, but 168 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 7: the United States will remember their sort of recalcitrants. And 169 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 7: you know, I think that clearly what Trump was doing 170 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 7: is he wasn't just dangling the. 171 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 3: Threat of tariffs over their head. He was dangling the. 172 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 7: Threat of the United States you know, withdrawing from NATO 173 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 7: and de emphasizing that alliance, which is, you know, something 174 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 7: that the Europeans desperately need, and they would have a 175 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 7: more of a light to stand on if they themselves 176 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 7: had been more responsible for their own defense, not just 177 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 7: over the last couple of years, but over the last 178 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 7: couple of decades, right. 179 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: Well, and if they don't know their history, as he 180 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: kind of gave them a little reminder of it, just 181 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: as you pointed out, just have to look back on 182 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: what's been happening with Ukraine and what might have taken 183 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: place had the United Stage not been there to help 184 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: them stop the spread the advancement of Russia. 185 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 7: And very I mean, that's exactly you know, it was 186 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 7: right out of the speech where Trump said, you know, 187 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 7: we are separated by this big, beautiful ocean. Ukraine is 188 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,559 Speaker 7: not in our backyard, and yet it has been the 189 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 7: largest the United States really helping that nation stand up 190 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:23,319 Speaker 7: to Russian aggression. 191 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 3: Clearly, the takeaway that some. 192 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 7: Of these European leaders had to have in their minds 193 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 7: is like, this is a president who's willing to walk away. 194 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 7: This is a president who is willing to leave us 195 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 7: to our own devices. 196 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: Phil Wagman. Always great to see you, my friend. Have 197 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: a great weekend and we'll talk to you soon. 198 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 6: Thank you, sir. 199 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: All right, a lot to ponder as the President lays 200 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,719 Speaker 1: out the future of Greenland and its importance to not 201 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: just our security but to the worlds. All right, Congressman 202 00:10:53,040 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: Keith self joins us. Next, so don't go away. Welcome 203 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: back to this week on Capitol Hill. I'm Tony Perkins, 204 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: your host. Well, this week, the Annual World Economic Forum 205 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: took place in Davos, Switzerland. At the forum, President Trump 206 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: announced the framework for a deal for Greenland, which would 207 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,360 Speaker 1: not include the use of force. So what comes next? 208 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: Joining me now to discuss this, Congressman Keith self. He 209 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: serves on three House committees, including the House Committee on 210 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: Foreign Affairs. He represents one of the districts in Texas 211 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: Congressman's health. Welcome back to this week on Capitol Hill. 212 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, you bet TARNI great to be here. 213 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: So let me first get your thoughts on President Trump's 214 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: comments this week. It was almost like we had a 215 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: collective sigh of relief. He says, We're not going to 216 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,439 Speaker 1: use force to get Greenland. I think he says, we're 217 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: going to use negotiations to convince you it's good for everybody. 218 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 8: Well, this is the modus operandi of President Trump. He 219 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 8: throws things out, he tills the ground, he's planting roses, 220 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 8: and frankly, that's what he did. He threatened to force. 221 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 8: Everybody freaked out over it. And then he says, of 222 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 8: course we're going to negotiate, which was the goal all along, 223 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 8: to get them to the table, because that's the way 224 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 8: he does business, Tony. So, no, he wouldn't use force. 225 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,679 Speaker 8: We wouldn't have to use force. There's nobody there to 226 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 8: defend Greenland. So I mean, we could occupy it. But 227 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 8: why So he's done it right, and he says something 228 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 8: we don't know the terms yet, but he says it 229 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 8: will be long term, which suggests to me that we're 230 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 8: not going to own Greenland, we'll have control of it. 231 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:37,959 Speaker 1: So we have a treaty that goes back to the 232 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:41,079 Speaker 1: nineteen fifties that was amended in two thousand and four 233 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: that kind of limited the United States ability to do 234 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: what it needed to do. So I want to ask 235 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 1: you the question, why is it important now given global affairs, 236 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: given technology here in the year twenty twenty six. 237 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 8: Well, it's always been very important because of the global 238 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 8: the North route where missiles come from Russia and China 239 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 8: across the Pole to US. But now we have trade 240 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 8: routes going there. Now we have the minerals that we 241 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 8: need in Greenland. So you can talk about missile defense, 242 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 8: you can talk about trade routes, you can talk about 243 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 8: critical minerals in Greenland. 244 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: And one of his biggest. 245 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 8: Issues today is how do we supply critical minerals to 246 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 8: our defense industry and frankly, our entire industry. So there 247 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 8: are several issues that make Greenland a really strategic place 248 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 8: for US today. 249 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: And you see this working out to the benefit of 250 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: the United States and the rest of the free world. Absolutely, 251 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: and we are not We must do. 252 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 8: This because again we're the only nation that can defend 253 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 8: it adequately and make use of the resources. Look, Denmark 254 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 8: doesn't have the capability, which is pointed out very well. 255 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: So the connection with the Golden Dome. Is this going 256 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: to be a part of the missile defense system there 257 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: in Greenland? 258 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 8: Undoubtedly? Undoubtedly, because that's the glow, that's the northern route, 259 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 8: the Arctic route that the missiles will come. So You're 260 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 8: going to have to have an expansive rowe because it's 261 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 8: we say it's based on Iron Dome, but Iron Dome 262 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 8: is a very short range missile that Israel developed with US. 263 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 8: Golden Dome is going to have to be much higher, 264 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 8: much longer range, with a much wider reach. So that's 265 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 8: why Greenland is so important. 266 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: I want to switch gears. It's still related topic. It's 267 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: national security. You and Congressman Ship Roy have announced Sharia 268 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: Free America Caucus in Congress and members are joining quickly. 269 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: Tell us why you have launched this caucus, what's behind it, 270 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: and what do you hope to accomplish. Well, Tony, I'm 271 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: at ground zero now. 272 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 8: The Muslims have indicated, in fact, there are ads overseas 273 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 8: come to Dallas because we are flooding Dallas with mosques 274 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 8: with surreal law, and they intend to do dominate. 275 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: Culture wherever they go. 276 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 8: But when we talk to Senator Tuberville from Alabama, he 277 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 8: said the same things happening in northern Alabama. A Florida 278 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 8: congressman said the same things happening in Florida. This is 279 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 8: a nationwide reach. And I told my colleagues, if you 280 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 8: don't know about it now. Sharia is coming to your district. 281 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 8: So we already have thirty one members of the Caucus 282 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 8: here in just a couple of weeks, representing eighteen different states. 283 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: So this is spreading rapidly. I'm delighted with it. 284 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 8: We plan to have a press conference on February the 285 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 8: third and we will lay it out for the public then. 286 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 8: But it's growing fast, and we're delighted with the growth 287 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 8: because our colleagues and our citizens need to understand the 288 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 8: danger that Sharia represents. 289 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: Basically, they and we see. 290 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 8: It in country after country, the UK, France most recently, 291 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 8: they dominate culture once they get there. It's totally anathema 292 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 8: to our individual rights, our individual freedoms, our idea of 293 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 8: the individual. 294 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 1: They're all about submission. Well, in congressman self, the Constitution 295 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: requires Congress to ensure that the States have a republican 296 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: form of government. Tree a law is incompatible with. 297 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 8: That absolutely, and we're talking about a small r republican 298 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 8: form of government, which means it's self governing. So it's 299 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 8: a distinction that you bring out very well, Tony. The 300 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,880 Speaker 8: Constitution requires us to do this. Sharia is not a 301 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 8: self governing civilization or culture. They want to replace our 302 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 8: republican form of government with a form of tyranny. That's 303 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 8: what we're fighting against. 304 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: Could we not point to Minnesota as kind of a 305 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: micro of this macro discussion we're having, because we've seen 306 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: Samoya has moved in, There's a lot of Islamic activity 307 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: in Minnesota, and we're seeing this corruption even to the fact, 308 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: to the point that this week on Capitol Hill in 309 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: the Judiciary could be hearing pointing the fact that suitcases 310 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 1: filled with money, millions of dollars leaving the Minneapolis airport 311 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,200 Speaker 1: going to foreign countries in Middle East. 312 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 6: Some link to terrorism. 313 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 8: Absolutely, and this is just the tip of the iceberg, 314 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 8: because much of the money that we in our good 315 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 8: heartedness towards the world are altruistic motives, never made it 316 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 8: to the people it was supposed to help. People siphoned 317 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:34,919 Speaker 8: it off, there was grift, there was fraud, there was 318 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 8: waste and abuse. 319 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: This is just the tip of the iceberg. 320 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 8: That's what we found when the State Department did away 321 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 8: with USAID. Much of those millions of millions of dollars 322 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 8: never made it to the people. 323 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 1: Who were supposed to help. 324 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,239 Speaker 8: This is exactly what happened people intercepted it, they sent 325 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 8: it to organizations, in this case terrorist organizations. So the 326 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 8: American taxpayers have been sending money, unknown to the surreptitiously 327 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 8: to terrorist organizations. 328 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: So congressman self, if I read this correctly, two issues 329 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: really at the heart of this. Number One, immigration, which 330 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: this administration is dealing with, not just illegal immigration, but 331 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: making sure that those who immigrated to this country assimilate 332 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: as well and become a part. I mean, I think 333 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:25,120 Speaker 1: that's the core of your Sharia Free Caucus, is that 334 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: if you want to come to America, you got to 335 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,719 Speaker 1: want to be a part of it, not tear it apart. 336 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: And then secondly, I think it's these social programs that 337 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: have expanded rapidly, leading is to a place of almost 338 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: thirty eight trillion dollars in debt, has actually been, as 339 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: you pointed out, misused. Is it not time to rethink 340 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: that as well. 341 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 8: Absolutely, assimilate is the term that you hit on, Tony, 342 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 8: that people need to understand. Assimilation means you become an American, 343 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,880 Speaker 8: you believe that America is now your country. You don't say, 344 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 8: as a member of Congress has said, my allegiance belongs 345 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 8: to my original country. You will become an American. This 346 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 8: is your country. And yes, the social programs. Look, much 347 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 8: of what Congress does is not in the Constitution, unless 348 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 8: you think that the General Welfare Clause, which we debate 349 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 8: all the time, basically obviates it does away with the 350 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 8: rest of the US Constitution. We need to get back 351 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 8: to those core limited government missions that the Constitution delegates 352 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:32,920 Speaker 8: to the US Congress. 353 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 1: And to that Congress. McKeith self, I would say, amen, 354 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: and thanks for joining us this morning. Always great to 355 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: see you. Thank you, Tony. All right. Coming up next, 356 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: speaking of what's core to America, We're going to talk 357 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 1: about a case it was argued this week before the 358 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Louisiana and Texas their laws 359 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,520 Speaker 1: having the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. That's next. 360 00:19:54,600 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 1: Don't go away, Welcome back to this week on Capitol Hill. 361 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:09,679 Speaker 1: I'm your host, Tony Perkins. We turn out to a 362 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: major legal battle with nationwide implications for religious freedom and 363 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: historical context in our public schools. This week, the US 364 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals hurt oral arguments defending laws 365 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: in Louisiana and Texas that require the display of the 366 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 1: Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Now, this is not 367 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 1: the teaching of the Ten Commandments, it's simply posting them 368 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: because of their importance in American history. Now, this case, 369 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: many believe, will ultimately end up at the Supreme Court. 370 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: Joining me now is Louisiana Solicitor General Ben Aginagua, who 371 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: argued on behalf of the State of Louisiana before the 372 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 1: Fifth Circuit this week. So, listener, General, welcome to this 373 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: week on Capitol Hill. Thanks for joining us. 374 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 6: Well, thank you, Tony, it's gready to be here. 375 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 1: So you you were before the Fifth Circuit. I was 376 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:05,640 Speaker 1: there in the courtroom listening to the arguments. I thought 377 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: you did a tremendous job laying out the case for this. 378 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:14,720 Speaker 1: What was at the core of the opposition to these 379 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 1: Ten Commandments being placed in public school classrooms? 380 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 9: Sure well, I think the lead argument that we heard 381 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 9: from the other side was that simply posting the Ten Commandments, 382 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 9: and we can talk about, you know, the various ways 383 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 9: in which that could happen, but simply posting the Ten 384 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:35,760 Speaker 9: Commandments on public school classroom waltz would be unconstitutionally coercive 385 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 9: to students. I think the theme is that somehow that would, 386 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 9: you know, force students to change their religion or those 387 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,440 Speaker 9: who have no religion to adopt religion. And I think 388 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 9: what we heard from the argument was the judges struggling 389 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 9: with that theory, because that's not any theory of coercion 390 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 9: that the Supreme Court has ever endorsed. There are plenty 391 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 9: of school cases from the Supreme Court that talked about 392 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 9: coercion to participate in a religious exercise, but there's no 393 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 9: plausible argument that simply posting a passive display of the 394 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 9: Commandments on the wall somehow courses somebody to participate in 395 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,680 Speaker 9: a religious exercise. And so I think you heard a 396 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 9: lot of struggling about that, but that was the main 397 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 9: argument we heard from the other side. 398 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 1: I found it interesting that that was everything their oppositions 399 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: built on that one challenge, that this is coercion, and 400 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 1: that happened to be the subject of an amicus brief 401 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 1: that the Family Research Council filed in that case, explaining that, 402 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: you know, coersion, you know, requires you to engage in 403 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: some types of religious exercise with either you know, punitive 404 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 1: action taken against you if you don't do it, but 405 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:49,440 Speaker 1: this is a passive display and at the end of 406 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: the day, based upon the Full Court's questioning, it appears 407 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: that they really zeroed in on the opponent's challenge here 408 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:02,119 Speaker 1: and it looked like it was Swiss cheese by the 409 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 1: time they ended up right. 410 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:08,200 Speaker 9: And I think that's understandable because anybody who's followed Supreme 411 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 9: Court precedents in this space over the past couple of 412 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 9: years knows that the Supreme Court has told lower courts 413 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,679 Speaker 9: you've got to look at history, history and tradition to 414 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 9: understand what the establishment clause actually it prohibits. And what 415 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 9: it prohibits is what was familiar to the Founders, which 416 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 9: was true establishments of churches. So, for example, a government 417 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 9: that coerces somebody to attend a church, punishes those who 418 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 9: refuse to. 419 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 6: Attend a church, expressly funding a church. 420 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:38,360 Speaker 9: These are things that our framers and the founding generation 421 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 9: were well familiar with, and that that's the analysis that 422 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 9: drives the cases today, which is to say, whatever's challenging 423 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 9: this case, does it look like an establishment of a 424 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 9: church that the Framers were concerned with? And that I 425 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 9: think is the biggest obstacle that the opposition in this 426 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 9: case really ran into, is that they've got nothing as 427 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 9: a historical matter. That says simply posting a passive disc 428 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 9: of a religious symbol somehow amounts to establishing a church. 429 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: Your opposing counsel said that posting the Ten Commandments on 430 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: a public school classroom all turns it into a church. 431 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 1: He said that they're in the courtroom. That would mean 432 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,640 Speaker 1: that the US Supreme Court and other places that have 433 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: recognition of these found these these documents and their importance 434 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,679 Speaker 1: to the founding of this nation, they too should be 435 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:26,479 Speaker 1: declared churches. 436 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 6: That's exactly right. 437 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 9: And think about the House of Representatives chamber, which has 438 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 9: over twenty depictions of historical lawgivers, Moses chief among them. 439 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 9: Everyone in that uh in that chamber is oriented to 440 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 9: look at Moses. That Speaker of the House, when he's 441 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 9: on the dais is oriented to look at Moses. As 442 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 9: you're as you say. You know, our nation is covered 443 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 9: with religious symbols and acknowledgments of the fundamental role that 444 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 9: religion has played in our nation's history. The Supreme Court 445 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 9: has said, obviously that's the thing. And schools in in 446 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 9: our you know, in our position, the schools obviously have 447 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 9: good rights to say that we want to teach our 448 00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 9: students about this foundational document in our national history general. 449 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: We just have about thirty seconds left timing of a 450 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: decision by the Fifth Circuit, and will this ultimately end 451 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,880 Speaker 1: up before the Supreme Court in your opinion, so. 452 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 3: We don't have a strict timeline. 453 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 9: I think as a matter of practice that this Circuit 454 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 9: typically tries to get opinions out within about six to 455 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 9: eight months after an ar argument, So potentially we could 456 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 9: see a decision this summer, maybe early in the fall, 457 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 9: and then I do think that whatever side loses in 458 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,520 Speaker 9: this case will probably appeal to the Supreme Court. And 459 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 9: this is a very important case, not just for Louisiana 460 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 9: and Texas, for four states across the country. And you know, 461 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 9: at that time we'll see if the Supreme Court's interested. 462 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,119 Speaker 1: Ben, thanks so much for taking time to join us 463 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 1: in again, a great job today this week before the Court. 464 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: All right, stick with us. House Speaker Mike Johnson joins us. Next, 465 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 1: Welcome back to this week on Capitol Hill. I'm your host, 466 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: Tony Perkins. Well, this week, Mike Johnson became the first 467 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 1: setting Speaker of the House to address the British Parliament, 468 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,560 Speaker 1: marking the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of American Independence. 469 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 1: The speaker reflected on the shared heritage of self government, 470 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: political courage, and the enduring importance of faith and religious freedom. 471 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 5: As Churchill taught us, the strongest alliances are between kindred countries, 472 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 5: of kindred principles. What has always set us apart from 473 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 5: the rest of the world our commitments to liberty, our 474 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 5: pursuit of excellence, our desire to put faith. 475 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 6: And family at the center of our lives. 476 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,880 Speaker 5: These are things that distinguish their free world from regimes 477 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 5: that trample on the most basic principles of democracy and 478 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 5: human dignity. 479 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:55,920 Speaker 1: In his remarks, the speaker invoked the political courage of 480 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: Winston Churchill, and then turned to another towering British figure, 481 00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 1: Christian thinker and apologist G. K. Chesterton. 482 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 5: As Chesterton observed, America was founded on a creed that 483 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 5: was set forth, He said, with dogmatic and theological lucidity, 484 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 5: and the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, we 485 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:17,640 Speaker 5: hold these streets to be self evident, that all men 486 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:20,720 Speaker 5: are created equal and doubt by their creator, with certain 487 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 5: and alienable rights, that among these are the rights of life, liberty, 488 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 5: and the pursuit of happiness. That profound acknowledgment of obvious 489 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,919 Speaker 5: and undeniable truth shook the foundations of Western democracy and 490 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,160 Speaker 5: with it the course of human history. 491 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: Joining me now is the Speaker of the House. Mister Speaker, 492 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: welcome back to the US and welcome back to this 493 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: week on Capitol Hill. 494 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 6: Thanks Tony, so great to be with you. 495 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 1: Well, mister Speaker, it's been a big week for you 496 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: and for the country. Let's begin with your address to 497 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: the British Parliament. You pointed to Churchill as an example 498 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: of political courage and then to Chesterton as a voice 499 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: of during Christian truth. What were you hoping to accomplish 500 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: with that message. 501 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 6: Well, it's an important time, an important moment. Of course. 502 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:11,679 Speaker 5: We've embarked now on the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary 503 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:13,880 Speaker 5: of our great nation, the greatest nation in the history 504 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:17,200 Speaker 5: of the world. But we do have this common heritage 505 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,639 Speaker 5: and history with Great Britain, of course with the United Kingdom. 506 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:22,600 Speaker 6: And I was deeply honored to be. 507 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 5: The first Speaker to ever be given the opportunity to 508 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,360 Speaker 5: address Parliament, and I took it very seriously. I thought 509 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,199 Speaker 5: it was an important moment, and I talked about that 510 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:34,120 Speaker 5: common heritage the foundations that we share are Judeo Christian 511 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 5: history and. 512 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:37,399 Speaker 6: Of course the nation's birth certificate. 513 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 5: As Chesterstoon famously said, the only nation in the world 514 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 5: ever founded upon a creed was the US, and our 515 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 5: creed is almost like a religious statement of faith, because 516 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 5: we boldly proclaimed, our founders did that our rights do 517 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 5: not derive from government. 518 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 6: They come from God himself. 519 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 5: God is the originator and the one who gives us 520 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 5: those our rights, that we have the inalienable rights, and 521 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 5: thus we have a responsibility to Him and a stewardship 522 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 5: obligation over those rights. So I sort of unpacked that 523 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 5: with our friends in Great Britain. 524 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 6: I think this speech was well received and it was. 525 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 5: An important moment, especially to just kind of maintain the 526 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 5: unity and the partnership between these two nations. It's often 527 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 5: called a special relationship, and we really need that the 528 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 5: US does, and of course the UK does as. 529 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 1: Well, mister speaker. Earlier I spoke with Louisiana Solicitor General 530 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 1: about the Fifth Circuit arguments over the Ten Commandments in 531 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,800 Speaker 1: public school classrooms case. Now, you made a remark in 532 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: your addressed before the Parliament that directly connects to that debate. 533 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 5: Abraham Lincoln, of course wisely understood that the philosophy of 534 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 5: the schoolroom in one generation is the philosophy of government 535 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:45,920 Speaker 5: in the next. 536 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 1: History has proven Abraham Lincoln right, hasn't it. 537 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 5: It has, And that's a very important reminder for us 538 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 5: here and across the Pond, and in all freedom loving 539 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 5: nations around the world. We have to pass these principles 540 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 5: along to the next generation. And we all know that 541 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 5: in recent years and recent generations that really has not happened. Well, 542 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 5: in fact, we've had headwinds from educators and institutions that 543 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 5: are trying to teach the next generation that we have 544 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 5: this shared legacy of sin and imperialism and terrible events 545 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 5: of the past. Well, look, no republic, no country, no 546 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 5: no civilization is perfect. But Western civilization and the principles 547 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 5: that undergird it, the ideas of individual freedom and limited 548 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 5: government and the rule of law and human dignity, originate 549 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 5: from our faith, originate from the Bible, and they are 550 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 5: what we must carry forward. So having the Ten Commandments 551 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 5: in a classroom or talking about the foundation of principles 552 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 5: of the country makes us better educated Americans and makes 553 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 5: us better people. 554 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 6: And I think our friends and allies around the world 555 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 6: should do the same. 556 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: One more notable milestone, mister Speaker, this week, as the 557 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 1: books closed on twenty twenty five, you and your team 558 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,320 Speaker 1: raised a record two million dollars to support Republicans of 559 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 1: the upcoming midterm election. That's the most ever raised in 560 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 1: a single year by a House speaker. 561 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 5: Thanks Tony, thanks for noting that. I mean, it's a 562 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 5: great blessing and honor. It's humbling to have set the 563 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 5: record for fundraising. We put a lot of work into that. 564 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,240 Speaker 5: Don Quincy Adams said duty is ours results for God, 565 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:23,040 Speaker 5: so we're doing our duty. It's really actually a larger 566 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 5: number than that, because when you add in the Speaker's 567 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 5: indoor Super pac Congressional Leadership Fund, the total for twenty 568 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 5: twenty five was over two hundred and fifteen million dollars. 569 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 6: And it's kind of an amazing amount. 570 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 5: And it's just a testament to hard work, but to 571 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:39,040 Speaker 5: God's grace, and also I think a testament to the 572 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 5: fact that people recognize how important the next election is, 573 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 5: this election in the fall of this year, and how 574 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,479 Speaker 5: high the stakes are. We must continue what we've been 575 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 5: working on and continue to move forward I'll note also 576 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 5: another big milestone of this past week, we passed the 577 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:58,120 Speaker 5: House Appropriations bills through the House, the appropriations bills to 578 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 5: fund the federal government, twelve separate bills having been done 579 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 5: through the regular order process and pass through the House 580 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:03,720 Speaker 5: now is. 581 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 6: First time in many years that's happened. 582 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 5: We're rebuilding the muscle memory, as I like to say, 583 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 5: and it's a great advancement to returning power to the 584 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 5: people and being better stewards of taxpayer funds. So lots 585 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 5: of good news, lots going on, and lots to celebrate 586 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 5: as we starting this new year. 587 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: Mister speaking. One final question for you very quickly, what 588 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:26,600 Speaker 1: happened last week in Minnesota where protesters broke into a 589 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: church service, disrupting the church service, a clear violation of 590 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 1: federal law. What should be the outcome there for those 591 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: those who violated the law? 592 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, a great question. It was really sad development there. 593 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 5: What should happen, of course, is that we've got to 594 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 5: make sure that these people are brought to justice. 595 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 6: I was encouraged to see the. 596 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:51,480 Speaker 5: Federal Law Enforcement Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam 597 00:32:51,520 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 5: Bondi herself being directly involved in that, to send a 598 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 5: message to apprehend at least a handful of individuals who 599 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 5: apparently were leading that effort and to bring them to justice. Now, 600 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 5: there was a little hiccup in that, apparently a local 601 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 5: judge or magistrate refused to keep them or to have 602 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 5: the charges go forward. So I think there's a lot 603 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 5: of attention being paid to that and then look into it. 604 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 5: But it emphasizes, again, Tony, the importance of a couple 605 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 5: of things. Number One, you've got to have partnership between 606 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 5: the federal, state and local officials to uphold the law. 607 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 5: It's a really important principle, the rule of law in 608 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 5: our system, and it doesn't work if you have friction 609 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,480 Speaker 5: between those bodies. So we need local and state officials 610 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 5: to do their job. And number two, we've got to 611 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 5: protect our fundamental freedoms. We've talked a little bit about 612 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 5: that theme today. The free exercise of religion is the 613 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 5: first and most important, our first freedom, and we've got 614 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:41,479 Speaker 5: to make sure that people can do that. 615 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:44,520 Speaker 6: Well, God bless you, Tony. Thanks so much for having me. 616 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,760 Speaker 1: With you, Richard Speaker, always great to have you with us. 617 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 1: Have a great weekend well after the break. A few 618 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 1: final thoughts on the news of this week, so stay 619 00:33:53,320 --> 00:34:04,880 Speaker 1: tuned for this week on Capitol Hill. Thank you for 620 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,399 Speaker 1: making this Week on Capitol Hill part of your week. Well. 621 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 1: For those tracking the chaos in Minnesota, here's a detail 622 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: that might shed some light on the lawlessness of state 623 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:18,760 Speaker 1: officials like the attorney general. To qualify to be attorney 624 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:22,839 Speaker 1: general in Minnesota, you must one be a qualified voter, 625 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 1: two at least twenty one, and three be a resident 626 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 1: of the. 627 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:27,240 Speaker 6: State for at least thirty days. 628 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:31,720 Speaker 1: For those watching the Attorney General's response after protesters barged 629 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:34,880 Speaker 1: into a church last Sunday and disrupted a worship service, 630 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:38,879 Speaker 1: this probably doesn't surprise you, but in Minnesota, you don't 631 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 1: have to be an attorney or even know the law 632 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: to be the attorney General, the top law enforcement officer. 633 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 1: That helps explain why Keith Ellison got the job without 634 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:52,359 Speaker 1: a knowing the law or b being able to read it. 635 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:56,800 Speaker 1: On the podcast of disgraced former CNN host Don Lemon, 636 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,720 Speaker 1: who was a part of the Sunday disturbance inside Cities 637 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:04,280 Speaker 1: Church in Saint Paul, Ellison dismissed the federal investigation, along 638 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:07,400 Speaker 1: with calls for charges under the Face Act. That's the 639 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Here's what he said. 640 00:35:11,480 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: Face Act, by the way, is designed to protect the 641 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:20,279 Speaker 1: rights of people seeking their reproductive rights to be protected. 642 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 6: How they are stretching. 643 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 3: Either of these laws to apply to people who protested 644 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 3: in a church over the behavior or the puceived behavior 645 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,360 Speaker 3: of a religious leader is beyond me. 646 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,759 Speaker 1: Well it is beyond you, mister Ellison, So let me 647 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 1: help you out. Class is now in session. In the 648 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 1: late nineteen eighties and early nineteen nineties, pro life activists 649 00:35:43,600 --> 00:35:47,960 Speaker 1: blockaded abortion clinics and organized waves across the country. Now 650 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:51,080 Speaker 1: thousands of pro life pastors and activists were arrested in 651 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:56,879 Speaker 1: cities like Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New York City, Los Angeles, Wichita, Washington, DC, 652 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 1: and even bat Rouge, Louisiana for sitting in front of 653 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:05,160 Speaker 1: clinics on the outside to block the entrances. That campaign, 654 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 1: led largely by Operation Rescue, prompted Senator Ted Kennedy to 655 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:12,880 Speaker 1: introduce the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act in 656 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three, which Bill Clinton signed into law in 657 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:20,960 Speaker 1: May of nineteen ninety four, but to secure needed Republican support, 658 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,759 Speaker 1: the late Senator Orrin Hatch offered an amendment adding parallel 659 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,520 Speaker 1: protections for places of worship in the nineteen nineties. No 660 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 1: one thought much about that addition. Because protecting religious freedom 661 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: was like mom, baseball and apple pie, it enjoyed bipartisan support. 662 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:41,439 Speaker 1: Case in point. The same year the Face Act became law, 663 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 1: Bill Clinton also signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Hostility 664 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:50,239 Speaker 1: toward religion may have been simmering in institutions, but it 665 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: hadn't yet erupted into the open intimidation and disruption that 666 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:59,280 Speaker 1: we see today. Now we know the Biden administration used 667 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:03,280 Speaker 1: the Face Act aggressively against pro lifers, many of whom 668 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:06,799 Speaker 1: weren't even blocking entrances to clinics at all. Most were 669 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 1: simply praying on the outside. Now it is time to 670 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:15,040 Speaker 1: apply the law as written in its totality. The Trump 671 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:19,239 Speaker 1: administration should use the prescient provisions of the Face Act 672 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:23,560 Speaker 1: protecting places of worship to charge those who interfered with 673 00:37:23,600 --> 00:37:28,040 Speaker 1: parishioners at cities church as they exercised their First Amendment 674 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 1: rights to religious freedom. And by the way, if mister 675 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,840 Speaker 1: Ellison still can't follow the plain text of the law, 676 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 1: perhaps he should be served with a summons for aggravated ignorance, 677 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 1: and that my friends, has been this week on Capitol 678 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:45,120 Speaker 1: Hill