1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: And we continue at two oh six in the afternoon 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: on the John Phillips Show. Mister Randy wangs across the glass. John. 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: It is Friday, it is payday, so everyone needs to 4 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:16,920 Speaker 1: make like Cecily my oar cruise and money and go 5 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: buy lottery tickets. Please gamble responsibly. Well you could invest it. 6 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: There's always Elvis collectible plates and Star Trek's signature series mugs. 7 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: That's also gambling. Eight hundred two two two five two 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: two two is the telephone number one eight hundred two 9 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: two two five two two two. It is our pleasure 10 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: to welcome our next guest to the program. He is 11 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: the ABC News Legal analyst and the co host of 12 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: the Too Many Lawyers podcast, which you can download wherever 13 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: you download your favorite podcasts. Royal Oaks Welcome, Hey, thank you, 14 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: thanks for having me. Well, it's the day after Opening Day, 15 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: but I feel like we have to have Royal Oaks 16 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: at the start of the baseball season. 17 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 2: I'm telling you, when I was a kid, one of 18 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 2: the most enjoyable parts of any year was in March 19 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 2: when you'd hear Vin Scully's voice for the first time 20 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: in months doing a spring training game. It just make 21 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 2: you feel good, and you know, the Dodgers are obviously 22 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 2: doing well. I think John, you and I are hoping 23 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: maybe the Angels can turn it around a little bit. 24 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: Well, we started off with a win, so let's just 25 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: keep it going. How about that. 26 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 2: Yes, that's a good attitude. 27 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: All right, So many subjects to talk about today. Let's 28 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: start out with Eric Swalwell, who is a Democratic Member 29 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: of Congress representing the East Bay in the House of Representatives, 30 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: who is now a candidate for governor here in the 31 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: state of California. He hasn't been leading in recent polls, 32 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: but he's been finishing in the money in many of 33 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: the most recent surveys that have been published. Now. He 34 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: is a candidate who has experienced any number of ethical 35 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: problems in his past as a member of Congress. Most recently, 36 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: an expenditure has been called in the question where he 37 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: spent a substantial amount of money on a white collar 38 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:24,959 Speaker 1: criminal defense firm. When called out on that, his response was, well, 39 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: Donald Trump's in the White House, so I feel like 40 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to always be a target. But then there 41 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 1: was an article that came out recently that was clearly 42 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: placed by other Democrats complaining about Swalwell pushing a company 43 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: that he is an investor in on other members of 44 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: Congress listen to this. Congressman Eric Swalwell of California repeatedly 45 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: peddled the services of his politics focused startup company to 46 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: fellow lawmakers and Democratic staff, impossible violation of House ethics rules. 47 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: According to six Democratic political operatives who spoke to Notice 48 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: News on the condition of anonymity to protect their jobs, 49 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: Swallwell and a woman by the name of Yardina Wolfe, 50 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: who served as his congressional chief of staff until December, 51 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: sent Democratic lawmakers and staffers text messages and emails about 52 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: their company It's a company called find Raiser, and pitched 53 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,839 Speaker 1: a company during in person interactions as well. The Democratic 54 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 1: operatives said that Notice reviewed emailed communications and text messages 55 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: wolf sent to congressional staff quote he is relentless in 56 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: pushing find Raiser. A Democratic operative currently working with multiple 57 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: congressional campaigns told Notice, he's peddling the bleep out of 58 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: that thing. A Democratic consultant told Notice Swalwell had promoted 59 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: find Raiser aggressively to Democratic candidates and senior campaign officials, 60 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: adding the experience of being approached by Swalwell or a 61 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: staff has been surprisingly universal in some Democratic circles. Of course, 62 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: Swallwell and his cronies are profiting from this company and 63 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: the sales that they make to other Democratic members of 64 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: Congress and candidates. How big of a problem could this 65 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: be for him? Royle? Are you there, sir? 66 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 2: Yes, right here. Sorry. I think it's a huge problem politically, John, 67 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 2: but I'm not sure it necessarily will be a huge 68 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 2: problem legal. And by the way, I love that expression, 69 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: peddling the bleep out of that thing. I've never heard it, 70 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 2: but I'm going to start using it. So here's the deal. Congress. 71 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 2: People can have their own businesses, they can discuss them 72 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 2: with their colleagues. But here's the rule, John, they cannot 73 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 2: leverage their congressional status to promote personal businesses. And that's 74 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 2: the question. Is that what he's doing? Or was he 75 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 2: just kind of low key in the cloak room? Oh 76 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:04,679 Speaker 2: you know, I got this interesting thing. Happy to share 77 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 2: with you what I got? Bor Was it more like, 78 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 2: here's pressure. I'm a big dude, you're pretty new. If 79 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: you don't want to be primaried, my friend in Missouri, 80 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 2: you're going to go in on this find raiser startup. 81 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 2: It basically helps find donors for Democrat candidates. So we 82 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: don't know. I mean the House Ethics Committee. Of course, 83 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 2: John might be happy to open inquiries since at least 84 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 2: for the time being, every House committee is run by 85 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 2: a Republican. But because it's kind of a gray area, 86 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 2: I'm not going to go to Vegas and bet that 87 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 2: he's going to do hard time on this, although it 88 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: could develop badly, but I'll go back to my initial point, 89 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 2: which was it could really hurt him politically, and as 90 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 2: you reported, you know, we got close to ten Democrats 91 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 2: running around trying to be governor. The margins are really small. 92 00:05:54,440 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 2: And although Smallwell's strong national profile going after truck and 93 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 2: allegedly sleeping with a Chinese spy, and so I think 94 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 2: that's one of the reasons he's creeping up on the palls. 95 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 2: People have heard about this guy. A fairly small, maybe 96 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 2: low legal exposure, thing like this could actually knock him 97 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: down a rung or too, And as you've talked about extensively, 98 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 2: at this point, you can't go down a single rung 99 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 2: because you've got two Republicans. They're threatening to take the 100 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 2: only two spots. 101 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 1: In November what I think this triggers more than anything's 102 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: the ick factor. And I think that everyone has someone 103 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: like this in their social network, where, for example, a 104 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: friend of mine goes to a church where there is 105 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: someone who also attends this particular church whose day job 106 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: is being a flight attendant and an airline. Well, you 107 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: know what happens when you're trying to take a nap 108 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: on an airline or you're trying to sit there and 109 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: read your book. They come over the intercom and they 110 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 1: try to sell you the credit card. They are perfect 111 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: with their timing and trying to sell the credit card 112 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: the moment you fall asleep. But this guy who's a 113 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: flight attendant not only sells the credit card on the airplane, 114 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: but he brings the credit card slips to the church 115 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: and he pushes the credit card on the congregants at 116 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: his church. Now, I don't think there's anything illegal about that, 117 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: but it certainly makes you feel like you need to 118 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: take a bath. Once you go to church and someone's 119 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 1: trying to tell you how many miles you can get 120 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: by opening up this card and how many trips to 121 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: Hawaii are in it for you if you just go 122 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,560 Speaker 1: ahead and call the one eight hundred number, and I 123 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: kind of get the feeling that Eric Swallwell is that 124 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: guy in Congress where he has this side hustle. He's 125 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: clearly making money on it and he's just going to 126 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: take every opportunity he has. You're standing at the urinal 127 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: next to him, and he's telling you how great this 128 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: new venture capital company that he came up with is, 129 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: and he's pushing it on you when you're just trying 130 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: to empty your bladder. 131 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. There is an ick 132 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: factor there. And of course it starts with his relationship 133 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 2: with the Chinese lady. And you know, to be fair, 134 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 2: he hasn't been accused of the treason. You know, they're 135 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: not aligning him up because he slept with Tokyo Rose 136 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 2: or something like that, but the suspicion was there and 137 00:08:17,880 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 2: the tank is there, and that hurt him. So now 138 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: fast forward to this crisis and it kind of compares 139 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,119 Speaker 2: in my mind a little bit to the Katie Porter 140 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 2: situation where you know, everybody's seen the video where she's saying, 141 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: you know, get the bleep out of my shot, and 142 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 2: you know, the language, the anger level. I think that 143 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 2: really helped torpedo her sort of leadership position among Democrats 144 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 2: for governor. And this is the same kind of thing 145 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 2: where people can say, well, you know, this doesn't have 146 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:49,839 Speaker 2: to do with you know, crime and housing and the 147 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 2: war and Iran, but it's gotten my attention. I just, 148 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 2: you know, I just don't like this guy or what 149 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 2: he seems to be interested in. And for his own 150 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 2: party members fellow Democrats to say the guy just would 151 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 2: you know, he was all over us like white on milk. 152 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 2: You know, if you do see the House Ethics Committee 153 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 2: open an inquiry, could really be embarrassing for. 154 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: We're talking to Royal Oakes, co host of the Too 155 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: Many Lawyers podcasts, which you can download wherever you download 156 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: your favorite podcasts. Royle Let's shift gears here because a 157 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: Los Angeles Unified School District employee is now facing felony 158 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: charges of over twenty two million dollars in a kickback scheme. 159 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: That is the latest black eye for that scandal scarred district. 160 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: All of this reporting coming to us courtesy of the 161 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: California Post. They're reporting that former LAUSD technical project manager 162 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:47,199 Speaker 1: Hang Grace Peng is charged with two felony accounts for 163 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: money laundering and for having a financial interest in an 164 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 1: official contract over her alleged role in the scam. This 165 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: is not good news for a school district that already 166 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: has its super inten on leave right now because the 167 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: FEDS are looking into his financial portfolio. 168 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 2: Oh, this sounds like a really serious issue. Was like 169 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 2: a classic case of graft and corruption. Now, you know, 170 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 2: innocence presumption here. She hasn't been convicted of anything. But 171 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 2: when you look at the allegations. I don't know if 172 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 2: you're a can of this new show dt F Saint Louis, 173 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 2: it's to show you. You can't explain the title on radio. 174 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 2: But in that show, a detective says, I've got this 175 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:39,319 Speaker 2: lock solid case against this person. It's a Palomar case. 176 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 2: And his colleagues said, well it's a Palomar. Oh. That 177 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 2: was a case where it was so incredibly obvious that 178 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 2: the guy was guilty. You know, everything fell into place 179 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 2: to hear this. This Hong Grace Pang, she's former IT 180 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 2: project manager. She's alleged to have steered twenty two million 181 00:10:55,679 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 2: dollars in LAUSD contracts to this tech company run by 182 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 2: a guy named Galtham Sampath. And the allegation is that 183 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: the tech guy because he got the twenty two million 184 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: in contracts kicked three million back to paying. So this 185 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 2: is classic pay to play kickbacks disguised through a bunch 186 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 2: of layered transactions. And as you say, it's not like 187 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 2: the school district needs any more bad publicity. This is 188 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 2: just one more. And currently a tip from a colleague 189 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 2: alerted the cops to this, and the FBI is all 190 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 2: over it. She faces seven years in county jail if 191 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 2: she's convicted. 192 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:39,359 Speaker 1: Well, and what's wild about this? And it's not just LAUSD, 193 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: but Oakland Unified, San Francisco Unified. Other big city school 194 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: districts in California are in the middle of a financial 195 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: crisis because their enrollment is in free fall. They have 196 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:56,320 Speaker 1: labor problems with various work groups in their system. Certainly, 197 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: the state of California is broke, Our budget is upset 198 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: down right now. This is the worst possible time to 199 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: put your hand in the till. 200 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, and this is just such a bad look. It's 201 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 2: again the last thing they needed. Allegations of money laundering, 202 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 2: conflict of interest, and public contracting. The DA is looking 203 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 2: into this. The school district's Office of Inspector General is 204 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,839 Speaker 2: looking at it. I mean, bottom line is I mean, 205 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 2: you know the stories you've reported on over the years, 206 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 2: the Bell situation. You just scratch your head. How do 207 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 2: these people think that they can get away with it? 208 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 2: When politicians are under a microscope. You've got Freedom of 209 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 2: Information Act requests, You've got millions of people who have, 210 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 2: you know, maybe a little to do other than being 211 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 2: a little watchdog regarding politicians. So yeah, I guess the 212 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 2: human temptation is too great because if this is these 213 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 2: allegations are accepted by a judge of jury. I mean, 214 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 2: this is just as I say, classic pay to play scheme. 215 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 1: Well, and go back to Eric Swollwell for a second, 216 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,680 Speaker 1: who's running for governor. He on the campaign trail talks 217 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 1: about how we need revenue, revenue, revenue, And as a taxpayer, 218 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: I look at situations like this and what we saw 219 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 1: in the San Fernando Valley with those phony Bologne hospice 220 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: organizations and everything that we've learned from the corruption in Minnesota, 221 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: and I say to myself, how in the world could 222 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: you have the gall to come to taxpayers in a 223 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: state that is already a high tax state and say 224 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: we need more revenue, We need more taxes. We need 225 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 1: more money when you can't even get rid of the waste, fraud, 226 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: and abuse that exists right now, to the tune of 227 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: billions of dollars. 228 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I think what's happening is that when you 229 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 2: have a one party state, as we do in California, 230 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 2: in a one party city in Los Angeles, you know, 231 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 2: people make fun of the Trump side say, oh, you 232 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 2: know it's true. He said if I shot somebody on 233 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 2: Fifth Avenue, I wouldn't lose my phone. Follows well, the 234 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 2: conference is certainly true. In California, it pretty much doesn't 235 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 2: matter what Progressives and Democrats do in terms of illegality. 236 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 2: Their followers are going to say, you know, we don't 237 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 2: really care because I don't care how corrupt that guy is. 238 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 2: He keeps the firehose of public benefits going. He's dedicated 239 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 2: to redistribution or reparations or just dramatically changing the tax structure. 240 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: The goodies keep coming from the progressives, and I think 241 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:36,359 Speaker 2: they're followers don't really care much about whether it's illegality 242 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 2: because we want to see We don't want to see 243 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 2: any of this stuff stop. 244 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: We're speaking with the ABC News legal analyst Royal Oaks Royal. 245 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: The International Olympic Committee will ban transgendered athletes from competing 246 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: in women's events based on the results of a mandatory 247 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: genetic screening. The IOC announced the policy yesterday after a 248 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: year's long review. It'll take effect starting at the twenty 249 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: twenty eight Summer Games right here in Los Angeles. Quote. 250 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be 251 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: the difference between victory and defeat. This according to the 252 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: IOC President Christie Coventry in a video statement. She went 253 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: on to say, so it's absolutely clear that it would 254 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: not be fair for biological males to compete in the 255 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: female category end quote. I would imagine now that the 256 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: IOC has weighed in with a definitive decision on this, 257 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: you're going to see this decision trickle down to maybe 258 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: the collegiate level, the K through twelve level, and other 259 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: levels of sporting events. 260 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 261 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 2: I think you're right. It has to have a ripple 262 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: effect here, and it's a big development because, you know, 263 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 2: the International Olympic Committee for a while, they were pretty 264 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 2: flexible and they were concerned about the discrimination against transgender folks. 265 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 2: They thought these tests were we're too invasive and not 266 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 2: necessarily reliable, so for them to come out with sort 267 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 2: of a bright line test. Essentially, what they're saying now 268 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 2: with this new genetic test approach is, look, if you 269 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 2: were born a guy, you're never going to be able 270 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 2: to compete as a woman, no matter what kind of 271 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 2: hormones or surgery or whatever has happened. Now, there is 272 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 2: a little wiggle room here if you have a situation 273 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 2: every once in a while, if it's one or one 274 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 2: hundred or one in a thousand, somebody's born and the 275 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 2: wiring is a little different from most people and it's 276 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 2: actually a little hard to determine male versus female. Maybe 277 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: they have some surgery, maybe there's some choices made so 278 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 2: people can still make that argument. But for the vast 279 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: majority of people who are now women but started out 280 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 2: life as a guy, the Olympic Committee is saying not 281 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 2: on our watch, it's just not fair because, especially for 282 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 2: people who go through puberty and then start changing things 283 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 2: in terms of muscularture, at hormones and surgery, once you've 284 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 2: gone through puberty as a guy, you have an inherent 285 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,679 Speaker 2: lifelong advantage in terms of physicality and grappling and speed 286 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 2: and strength, and you know, it's just not fair for women, 287 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 2: and from age four or five, as little girls, a 288 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 2: dream of Olympic success. Boom, it's all smashed because some 289 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 2: sort of you know, middle of the pack, mediocre guy 290 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 2: walks in and gets the gold medal. 291 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 1: I would assume that there has to be some degree 292 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: of liability too, if you allow biological males to compete 293 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: with females in sporting events, particularly ones that are physical, 294 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: because people can get hurt if you put men with 295 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: women in boxing or in mma fighting, or in sports 296 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: that aren't even really thought of as being particularly physical. 297 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I know I grew up playing basketball, which 298 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:48,640 Speaker 1: if you hit someone or you put your hands on someone, 299 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: that's supposed to result in the whistle being blown and 300 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: a foul being called. But there's a lot of wrestling 301 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: that goes on underneath that basket, for rebounds in the 302 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: post and those sorts of things. People can get hurt 303 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 1: if you're dealing with someone who has tremendous advantages over 304 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: their opponent. 305 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 2: That's a really good point. I mean, you could end 306 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 2: up with a serious permanent injury with death, and I agree, 307 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,640 Speaker 2: you know, you could see lawsuits resulting from this because 308 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 2: and there was in connection with this story, I was 309 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 2: seen in the newspaper. They showed a picture of a 310 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 2: woman who used to be a guy who looked very 311 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 2: big and very strong, standing over a person who has 312 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 2: always been female in the boxing ring in the recent competition. 313 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:36,439 Speaker 2: And so yeah, it's it's definitely something that has a 314 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 2: lot of potential in terms of you know, harm, morality 315 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 2: and the political anglege. You know, as you know, John 316 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 2: is the gift that keeps on giving to Republicans because 317 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 2: most Americans are definitely on the non woke side of this. 318 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 2: I mean, some people say it was the key thing 319 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 2: in causing Kamala's defeat when she had to acknowledge deep 320 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 2: into her one hundred and seven day campaign. Oh yeah, 321 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 2: a couple of years ago, I did say that illegals 322 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 2: or in prison or guys we should pay for their 323 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 2: sex change operations. Oh okay, it lights out. She just 324 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 2: lost several million votes, right there. 325 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: Royal Oaks, ABC News legal analyst and co host of 326 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:17,160 Speaker 1: the Too Many Lawyers podcast, which you can download wherever 327 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,439 Speaker 1: you download your favorite podcasts. Royal, thanks so much for 328 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: stopping by and have a great weekend. 329 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 2: Thanks you too. 330 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,400 Speaker 1: Eight hundred two two two five two two two Easy 331 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: telephone number one eight hundred two two two five two 332 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: two two. It is our pleasure to welcome our next 333 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,959 Speaker 1: guest to the program. He is the host of the 334 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:42,120 Speaker 1: Gotham Oakland podcast and he's the founder of the recall 335 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: movement for former Oakland Mayor Shang Tao. Absolutely absolutely, Seneca Scott, Welcome, 336 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: Hey Tom, glad to be by. Well, thank you so 337 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 1: much for stopping by this afternoon. And I want to 338 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: start out by talking about something that I think will 339 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: cause people to pull their hair out. We know all 340 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: the problems in the city of Oakland. We know the 341 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 1: city has broke. We know that the deal to sell 342 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: the Colosseum is a deal that is falling apart in 343 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: real time for a variety of reasons that you and 344 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 1: I have discussed at nauseum. We know that crime is 345 00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: something that is not under control. We know that the 346 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: public corruption that is being uncovered is still that onion 347 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: still has more layers to go. And despite all of this, 348 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: the Oakland City Council is looking for a huge increase 349 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: in pay. They believe that they are underpaid and that 350 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,400 Speaker 1: they are due a raise. Your thoughts on that. 351 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 3: Well, I think they're totally de other layers, right, But 352 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 3: our Joseph Side Oxity Council is part time, so yes, 353 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 3: they do to the ways to attot better talent. So 354 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 3: the two Bottlems want to get paid one hundred five 355 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 3: thousand dollars a year, they should probably be doubling that 356 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 3: to the low two hundreds to be competitive so you 357 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 3: get better people running for office. So they was just cut 358 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 3: it by sixty or seventy thousand. But the fact that 359 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 3: they're not shows you how crudey they are. At the 360 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 3: same time, as a significant number of positions in the city, 361 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 3: I believe over ten percent, it's not more of the 362 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 3: city's positions are unfilled. So they pay themselves first and 363 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 3: worry about us later. And it's just just deeply disrespectful. 364 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 3: But you've seen this twice before. Remember Barbara Lee tried 365 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 3: to give her staff aways immediately and she had to 366 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 3: go back on that, and said Tyler tried to give 367 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:41,639 Speaker 3: her self aways immediately, and she was forced to go 368 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 3: back on that after public BackFlash. So every time progressives 369 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,200 Speaker 3: good in charge, they try to give themselves raises immediately 370 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 3: because it is just so awesome. 371 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: One of the things that happened during the recall of 372 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: the Shangtown movement, which you were the leading voice on, 373 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 1: is that it's not just good enough to replace her. 374 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: You have to replace her, but you have to replace 375 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 1: her with someone better. And you sounded the alarm that 376 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: Barbara Lee would not be that person. Now that Barbara 377 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 1: Lee has been in office for some time, how would 378 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: you rate her performance? 379 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 3: She sent power two point zero, Yester, she's want Barbara 380 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 3: Lee promised seven hundred officers. She gave that up right away. 381 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,679 Speaker 3: She promised a forensic audit because it's sounded fancy. She 382 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 3: doesn't even know what that is, but she gave that 383 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:29,919 Speaker 3: up right away. It's just been a continuation of the 384 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 3: same corruption she high the same people. It's basically an 385 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 3: extension of the plug and play progressive public sector union 386 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 3: cabal that's captured not on in Oakland, but Sacramento as well. 387 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: Is Shane tow still in the picture at all? Is 388 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: anyone talking to her? Do you ever hear her name? 389 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 3: No? No, nobody talked about her. They try to act 390 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 3: like she never existed. And the same people who supported 391 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 3: her and told us she was trustworthy still in power today, 392 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 3: and they just never talk about it, but they're still 393 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 3: try to just cutit other people for imagining every things. 394 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 3: But there's never been any public accountability for the people 395 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 3: who supported Shintau. That's how you know there's still a 396 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 3: very heavy measure of control by this progressive public sector 397 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 3: union cabal. And I say that whole title every time 398 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 3: because that's exactly what it is. This is a criminal 399 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 3: organization that break in a variety of laws and using 400 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 3: city government to enrich themselves and gain more power, use 401 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 3: our public funds to give back to people who then 402 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 3: help them base bill to stay in power, rent cycle 403 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 3: and repeat. 404 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:44,679 Speaker 1: It seems to me, and correct me if I'm wrong, 405 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: but it seems to me that Shane Tew ultimately was 406 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:54,239 Speaker 1: the figurehead of the coalition. She was the one who 407 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 1: was put at the top of the pyramid, but it 408 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 1: was the coalition that was running city government Inkland. And 409 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: when she became radioactive for her obvious incompetence and for 410 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: her ethical transgressions and all her other problems, the coalition 411 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: didn't get removed. The coalition stayed in power. They just 412 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: swapped out the figurehead from Shang Tau to Barbara Lee. 413 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:27,880 Speaker 1: So nothing really changed there really wasn't a course correction 414 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: that ever took place. Shang just proved to be one 415 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: hundred percent disposable. And I would imagine that if you're 416 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 1: Shang Tao, you don't see yourself as the figurehead of 417 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: the coalition who is entirely disposable, like a chair or 418 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: a desk or any other thing that you'd have in 419 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: your house that you'd replace when it gets old or 420 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:51,679 Speaker 1: when it's broken, or when you like something new that's better. 421 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: If you're Shang Tao, you have to have your your 422 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: ego just has to be totally deflated when they just 423 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: got rid of you, like it was a piece of 424 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: equipment or a piece of furniture. 425 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 3: I mean, I agree, but I don't think she had 426 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 3: much of a choice. But the real question is who's 427 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,159 Speaker 3: funding her lifestyle with no employment in paying for this 428 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 3: expensive lawyer? And is that way right bond just half 429 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,480 Speaker 3: a million dollars went towards Because we haven't answered that 430 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 3: question yet, there is anybody looked into while he's spent 431 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 3: her half a million dollars from his campaign on quote 432 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 3: unquote lawyers and for what? But anyway, back to Oakland, 433 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 3: you know, I think there's something I think is very important. 434 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 3: Oakland's has a new tax measure that the unions. So 435 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,479 Speaker 3: when you stay plug and play, who does run Oakland? 436 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 3: It's the purpose sector laboring unions and quote in the 437 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 3: cabal of the nonprofits like Ties Foundation, so Quin Delaney, 438 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,159 Speaker 3: the top donors to open progressive movement, who sits on 439 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 3: every board and remember that white border for what power 440 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 3: is donated tens of millions of dollars to Bay Area 441 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 3: of Progressive causes and progressive causes around the country set 442 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 3: or to Randitize Foundation. So you have that angle of 443 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 3: most of all the big money donors and the NGOs, 444 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 3: and then they sponsor a network of thousands of other nonprofits. 445 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 3: These thousands of nonprofits that they helped stand up in 446 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,119 Speaker 3: terms of city contracts once their people could elect it, 447 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 3: which is the recycling and ancestual corruption that we see. 448 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,359 Speaker 3: Also on the other end of the policy side, you 449 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 3: have Seiu ten two to one, for example, Seiu ten 450 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 3: two to one's policy director Zach Goldman with the King 451 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 3: Powers first hire for the policy director for the City 452 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:38,879 Speaker 3: of Oakland. So now you have the unions directly writing policy. 453 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 3: Do you to think about that right? Like why are 454 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:46,399 Speaker 3: the union's writing policy. Are they representing their workers or 455 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 3: are they government over them? 456 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:53,080 Speaker 1: You mentioned Rob Bonta, the Attorney general of the state 457 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 1: of California. There was a recent podcast interview that Gavin Newsom, 458 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 1: the governor California, sat down for in San Francisco, where 459 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 1: he was sitting and talking politics with Jonathan Martin of Politico, 460 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,480 Speaker 1: and he was being asked about the state of the 461 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: gubernatorial race where it is now entirely possible that two 462 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: Republicans could end up on the November ballot facing off 463 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: against one another and locking the Democrats off of the 464 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 1: general election platform. And Newsom was asked just exactly how 465 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 1: we got here, and his answer was interesting. The first 466 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: thing he said was, well, everyone expected Kamala Harris to 467 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: get in, and had she gotten in the race, she 468 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: would have cleared the field and the baby would have 469 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,679 Speaker 1: been put to bed very early on. She took forever 470 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: to make a decision and then decided against it. And 471 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 1: then everyone assumed that Alex Padilla, the US Senator for California, 472 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 1: would jump in the race and then he would clear 473 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 1: the field, and then that never happened. And then he said, 474 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: and then a lot of people thought that rob Bonta 475 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 1: would get in the race and something happened where he 476 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: decided that that probably wasn't a good idea, and then 477 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 1: Newsom just moved on very quickly without getting into the 478 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:14,199 Speaker 1: details of why rob Bonta never pulled the trigger and 479 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,680 Speaker 1: decided to run for governor. Do you believe that he 480 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: determined that he could not win the election or do 481 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: you think that it was problems going all the way 482 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: back to Oakland where he started out as a California 483 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: assemblyman and his connection with the Dong family and that 484 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 1: federal investigation. 485 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 3: Absolutely got to me. I think that this stilly is 486 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 3: not yet told, and I do believe that the big 487 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 3: fish at the actor is the Atney General himself, and 488 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 3: there's no way that his party would let him take 489 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 3: that sort of whips and then have that come out 490 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 3: right at the height of the election as an October 491 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 3: supply Hi was Sinhao saw that starts around that time 492 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 3: where new evidence will have to be presented. I think 493 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 3: that's definitely connects it to it. And then also again 494 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 3: it's getting costs that in five hundred thousand dollars though 495 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 3: just under a half a million dollars and making two 496 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 3: different excuses, and it's blatantly allons to the public. I mean, 497 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:17,959 Speaker 3: it's just frustrating and affiliating. There's no accountability for that. 498 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 3: This is the top law enforcement officially in the state 499 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 3: and it's just flippitly lies about something that silly who's 500 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 3: going to look into him is going to investigate himself. 501 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: It's so wild to me that when people, particularly outside 502 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: the state of California, when they think about California excess, 503 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: they think about San Francisco, when in reality, if you're 504 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 1: thinking about California excess, the city of Oakland is a 505 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 1: much better example than San Francisco or any of the 506 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: other big cities in the state. But for whatever reason, 507 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: the city of Oakland and all of the news that 508 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: comes out of there is largely ignored by the press 509 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: corps in Sacramento, certainly the National press Corps in Washington, 510 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 1: DC and New York. And it's almost as if if 511 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: something happens in Oakland, it never happened. And the fact 512 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:16,560 Speaker 1: that Rob Bonta came from Oakland politics and he is 513 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: this guy that they report on, I mean, they talk 514 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: about him all of the time as a potential candidate 515 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 1: for governor or suing the Trump administration or whatever it 516 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: is that he has going on in that office. But 517 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: it's almost as if the stories about all of the 518 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: issues going on in Oakland just never occurred, and it's 519 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 1: never even referenced whenever they write about him. It's so 520 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:38,520 Speaker 1: wild to me. 521 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 3: Well us because the legacy media for the most public relations, 522 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 3: for the public stacture laboring in Democratic progressive cabar. There's 523 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 3: a lot of money at state here. You know, there's 524 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,600 Speaker 3: a billions of dollars a budget, stay control, and the 525 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 3: most powerful economists in the world, and so you know 526 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 3: there's a high level games and a that does what 527 00:31:00,560 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 3: that's falls. That's why I have gotsam Oakland. Then come 528 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 3: walk dots of Oakland or who find out what's happening 529 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:07,480 Speaker 3: in Oakland? 530 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:12,240 Speaker 1: Baby gotta listen, all right, let's shift gears here and 531 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: talk about a problem right now that's going on in Oakland, 532 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: and that is dumping, where people are not taking their 533 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: trash and putting it in the right places. They're not 534 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: sending it to the dump, they're not paying the fees, 535 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: they're not doing all the things they're supposed to do. 536 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: What are they doing? They're just leaving it on the sidewalk. 537 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: They're just leaving it in the middle of the street, 538 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 1: and it's become such a problem that now the City 539 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: of Oakland is going to start using drones to try 540 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 1: to find out just exactly where everyone is leaving their 541 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 1: trash in public spaces, so the city knows where it is, 542 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: so if they ever get around to it, they can 543 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: go and they can clean it up and they can 544 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: put it in the proper place. Now, what's funny about 545 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: this is the city is making sure to publicize that 546 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,959 Speaker 1: the drones will not be used for law enforcement purposes, 547 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: Meaning if the drones catch you illegally dumping, they're not 548 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: going to send the black and white over to give 549 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: you a ticket for doing that, or to throw you 550 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: in the back seat of the car and take you 551 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 1: in if you've been doing it a number of times. 552 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: The drones are only for the purposes of finding the 553 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,000 Speaker 1: trash so they can clean it up and they can 554 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,040 Speaker 1: put it where it's supposed to go. What do you 555 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 1: make of all of that? 556 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 3: Who's getting the kickbacks? This epicens co op? Who's gotting 557 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 3: to kickback envelope from that? And this is just the dumbest, 558 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 3: most acidine thing. We know who's dumping. The majority of 559 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 3: it comes from contacts. Yeah, still legends who dumped, because 560 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:46,959 Speaker 3: it's just like, why not so my mattress where if 561 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 3: I want it? There's mattresses everywhere. That probably comes from legidents. 562 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,920 Speaker 3: And yes, there's some programs and things you could probably 563 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:55,200 Speaker 3: do to make that easier. But for the most part, 564 00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:58,040 Speaker 3: the shock and dumping, that's just seeing it's coming from 565 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 3: contractors who are dumping millions of dollars and dump fies 566 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 3: that they say collectively on Oakland per year. I can 567 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 3: tell you what they're going to dump. That definitely. I 568 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 3: can tell you to tell you. The Shah deputize myself 569 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 3: and three other people. Antel Troy, who was just on 570 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 3: the news the other day, deputized Vincent Wade Williams. The 571 00:33:17,320 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 3: third the director of Urban Compassion Project, whose nonprofit has 572 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 3: cleaned up more tons of facts than open public works 573 00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:28,160 Speaker 3: easily probably lacked them once or twice. We know exactly 574 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 3: where they're dumping, when they're dumping, and how they're dumping. 575 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:35,600 Speaker 3: Just put a fucking comp out there and catch them. Well, 576 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 3: it's not hard. This is this is weaponized and competence. 577 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 3: There's no way they're gonna convince me that Barber Lee 578 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 3: and all the people are artists cooking money they pay themselves. 579 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 3: Can't figure out how to stop the legal dumping that's 580 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 3: been happening in the same corner for the past six 581 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 3: or seven years. It's absolutely insane. There's no way. There's 582 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 3: no way. 583 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:57,560 Speaker 1: So you mentioned that everyone knows that it's a contractors. 584 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: Do you think it's contractors who would do doing work 585 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:02,920 Speaker 1: in Oakland or do you think it's contractors who are 586 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 1: doing work all over the place where they know in 587 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 1: Oakland they just don't care, So just go dump your 588 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: stuff in Oakland because you can get away with it. 589 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:14,759 Speaker 3: Both. So you have people who travel here with more 590 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 3: like pasmat stuff or things that may be really expensive, 591 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:19,759 Speaker 3: they maybe work your twip. Let's say I have a cost, 592 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 3: you know, two or three thousand dollars, that's work with 593 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 3: you four or five hours of eyes just to make 594 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:26,920 Speaker 3: that money for one day's work. Also, if you have 595 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 3: contractors in Oakland, we see them driving end in the 596 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 3: morning with empty trucks going to contractors jobs in Oakland, 597 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 3: filling up their trucks from demos, dropping them right off 598 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 3: of their streets before they go back home. 599 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:42,600 Speaker 1: Why is it that they don't want to arrest anyone, 600 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:45,800 Speaker 1: Because if you live in that neighborhood and they're dumping 601 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:49,160 Speaker 1: hazardous materials and your kids are playing on that street, 602 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: or elderly people are getting their exercise walking up and 603 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:55,880 Speaker 1: down those blocks, and they're being exposed to all kinds 604 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 1: of dangerous chemicals, they can get sick. This is not 605 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: just an ice, This is a public health crisis. 606 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 3: It is a public health prices. And notice the environmentalists 607 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,479 Speaker 3: never speak up. There's never been any coordinatord environmentalist movement 608 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:13,840 Speaker 3: to talk about the many frequent vehicle fires, or the 609 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:16,719 Speaker 3: thousands of oar these leaking sewers and oil right into 610 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 3: the bay et cet, etc. Or the needles, the shots, 611 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,360 Speaker 3: the fact that our public spaces and parts are accessible, 612 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,160 Speaker 3: many of them have been gated off completely. So that's 613 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 3: the solution, is to just gate off the whole part 614 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 3: so it doesn't turn into a homeless camp. Well it's 615 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:34,720 Speaker 3: absolutely insane, but I'll say this, Shah. You want the will, truth, 616 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:43,360 Speaker 3: the grip, the corruption. That's the consolation prize, that's the bonus. 617 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:48,840 Speaker 3: These people are terrorists. They are here to destroy American cities. 618 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 3: If you follow the money, it's very, very apparent. Barbara 619 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 3: Lee's chief of staff is Media Soka Chen. Miya Socca 620 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 3: Chen come from open society societies. I don't even have 621 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:04,000 Speaker 3: to go into that. If we don't know, they needed 622 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 3: to go and look it up. Miya Saka Chen was 623 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 3: also the chief of staff to Nikki fort Tornado Basque, 624 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 3: now a current Olimita County Board of Supervisor. Former City 625 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 3: of Oakland City councilwoman Nicky fourt Tonado Bass is the 626 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 3: person who introduced legislation in twenty twenty at the height 627 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 3: of the Greater Wokening to defund the police by fifty percent. 628 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 3: At the time, we had around eight hundred cops. Now 629 00:36:27,280 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 3: we have less than five hundred. There's nearly achieved that 630 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,800 Speaker 3: goal through a variety of death five thousand cut policies. 631 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 3: So they defunded the police and they lie about it. 632 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 3: Why is Mia saka Chin back at Barbeli chief of staff? Again, 633 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:44,960 Speaker 3: You've have to follow the money. What you're seeing here 634 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 3: is again and I have to talk about the labor 635 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 3: unions because that's a big part of what's going on. 636 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:55,280 Speaker 3: A movement, the progressive movement that once existed to advance 637 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:59,440 Speaker 3: economic power. Mobility of working people has been repurposed into 638 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 3: a basically low intensity conflicts war machine from globalists with 639 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:10,960 Speaker 3: the priorities of an elite, highly educated managerial class. And 640 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:14,839 Speaker 3: the language of solidarity remains, but this meaning has been 641 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 3: completely destroyed, and it's not a power for shared struggle 642 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:21,799 Speaker 3: more than it is the poetry of performative altruism. But 643 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 3: they're not here, John, They're not here in California for 644 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 3: the money that's the consolation prize. They're here to do 645 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:31,479 Speaker 3: the bidding of their masters. Where do these policies come from? 646 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:34,840 Speaker 3: The by lanes, the delaying in the schools and no algebra? 647 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:38,760 Speaker 3: Where did these policies come from? Defund the police, harm 648 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:43,560 Speaker 3: reduction housing First, these policies have sown demonsterble, destruction and 649 00:37:43,719 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 3: dozens of US cities, but yet they keep pairs of 650 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,799 Speaker 3: them and bringing them to other places where we know 651 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:53,320 Speaker 3: that these cities are going to be destroyed. They're terrorists. 652 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,359 Speaker 3: We need to take this more serious and get these 653 00:37:56,400 --> 00:38:00,799 Speaker 3: progressive and these union back candidates out. The pay post. 654 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:06,640 Speaker 1: Has Seneca Scott, host of Gotham Oakland. If you like 655 00:38:06,719 --> 00:38:08,799 Speaker 1: what you just heard right now, go check out the 656 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:12,719 Speaker 1: podcast Everything you want to know about Oakland is in 657 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:16,560 Speaker 1: that podcast. You'll know about it before anyone else. Check 658 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 1: out the podcast Gotham Oakland, Seneca Scott, thanks so much 659 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: for stopping by. Have a great weekend. 660 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:25,520 Speaker 3: Likewise, thanks for having me John. 661 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:27,280 Speaker 1: It's the John Phillips Show.