1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:00,840 Speaker 1: Welcome. 2 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 2: It is Verdict with Ted Cruz and the week in 3 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 2: Review Ben Ferguson with you. And these are the major 4 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 2: stories that you may have missed that we talked about 5 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 2: this week. First up, Donald Trump now responding to an 6 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 2: Iranian plot to take his own life and why do 7 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 2: we only find out about this after election day? We'll 8 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 2: dive into that in just a moment. Also, Kamala Harris 9 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 2: blew through a billion dollars with her campaign, and she 10 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 2: made a lot of people rich in the process. So 11 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: why is it that so many celebrities took major paychecks 12 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 2: from donors instead of quote doing the right thing to 13 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: support Kamala will break down the money and who got rich. Also, 14 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 2: the purpose of secret ballot for selecting the Senate majority leader, Well, 15 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 2: what actually happened behind the scenes? Center Cruse and I 16 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 2: break down exactly how that vote took place. It's the 17 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 2: Weekend Review and it starts right now. You hear this 18 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: plot and you sit there and you go, how on 19 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: earth has the Biden Hearris administration allowed Iran to get 20 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,959 Speaker 2: to this point where they can just easily go out 21 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 2: into the United States of America knock on people's doors 22 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: in America get away with this and not hold them 23 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: accountable for any of this while they're also attacking Israel. 24 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 2: And the question is number one, let's start with the 25 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 2: real political aspect of this. What is a Trump administration 26 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 2: response seed to be with this. I'm not saying because 27 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 2: they were targeting Trump. I'm saying the president of the 28 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: United States of America, regardless of who that person is, 29 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 2: should never allow Ran to feel this comfortable on American 30 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: soil to do this, much less plan to take out 31 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: our president or a former president of the United States 32 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 2: of America. 33 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 3: Well, election day was a fantastic day for America. It 34 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 3: was fantastic day for everyone who wants to see jobs, 35 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 3: who wants to see border security, who wants to see 36 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 3: national security enhanced. But it was a terrible, terrible day 37 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 3: for the Ayatola and the Iranian Malahs. Four years Joe 38 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 3: Biden and Kamala Harris, with a support of every Democrat 39 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 3: in Congress, they have funneled over one hundred billion dollars 40 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 3: to Iran. It's not just that Biden Harris allowed Iran 41 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 3: to do this, they paid for it. One hundred billion 42 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 3: dollars is a lot of money. I'm here to tell 43 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 3: you that is going to end. In January of next year. 44 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 3: The Trump administration is going to cut off the money. 45 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 3: That's going to be the beginning. And I expect serious 46 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 3: consequences for Iran repeatedly trying to murder President Trump. I 47 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 3: don't know what those consequences will be, but I guarantee 48 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 3: you the Iatolas are the Iotola and the Mullahs are deeply, 49 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 3: deeply worried and scared and the brazenness of this. And 50 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 3: look understand, the Justice Department knew about this. They deliberately 51 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 3: did not make it public until after election day. I 52 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 3: think they had a judgment, well, gosh, if people know 53 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 3: that Iran is like actively trying to murder Trump, if 54 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 3: they know the details of this, that's going to end 55 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 3: up benefiting Trump's let's just keep it quiet and well 56 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 3: Trump one. 57 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 2: So then it was cover your ables. Is that a 58 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 2: fair way of describing this? 59 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 4: You know? 60 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 5: Yes? 61 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 3: And no. I mean, look, they had to file the 62 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 3: complaint at some point, so they're prosecuting these folks, So 63 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 3: it was inevitable that it would be filed, because you 64 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 3: can't prosecute them without filing the indictment and bringing charges. 65 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:26,839 Speaker 3: The timing the fact that they did not say anything public. Look, 66 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: DOJ has long standing rules that you're not supposed to 67 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 3: do anything to interfere in an election. I would say 68 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 3: that that foiling an assassination attempt by a foreign government 69 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 3: is not DOJ doing something to interfere with an election. 70 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 3: It is instead DJ doing its job. And I think 71 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 3: the public has a right to know that. But and 72 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 3: so I think their decision to bury it and listen 73 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 3: under Joe Biden, this Biden Department of Justice, if there's 74 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 3: one thing they know how to do, it is leak. 75 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 3: Merrick Garland and his team, they leak like crazy when 76 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 3: the story. When the story suits them politically, they give 77 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 3: it to all their buddies in the press. This thing 78 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 3: stayed absolutely silent until after election day. They also kept 79 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 3: silent uh the the murder attempt of the US citizen 80 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 3: by Iran, because it also shows the incredible weakness of 81 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,919 Speaker 3: this administration, just how much they've had boldened Iran that 82 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 3: they feel that they can carry out attempted murder plots 83 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:28,040 Speaker 3: on US soil. It is a real demonstration of the 84 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 3: basic principle that that weakness invites hostility. In this case, 85 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 3: Iran was only emboldened by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris's weakness. 86 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, and Fox News when they reported on this, it 87 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 2: was very interesting to see how they report it. And 88 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 2: I want to play this people, and I want you 89 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 2: to think about why you didn't know this before Election day. 90 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 4: Listen, the Justice Department unsealing criminal charges in a thwarted 91 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 4: Iranian plot to kill President elect Donald Trump in the 92 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 4: lead up to this week's election. Welcome everybody. I'm deal cabudo. 93 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 4: There's still a lot we don't we know about this, 94 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 4: but David spun piecing together what we do, David. 95 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 6: Neil, we know it's just another threat coming from Iran 96 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 6: directed at President elect Donald Trump. The man that authorities 97 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 6: are looking for is a fifty one year old who 98 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,159 Speaker 6: is allegedly working with the Iranian regime on a plan 99 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 6: to kill Trump. 100 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 5: His name is Farhad Shakiri. 101 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,679 Speaker 6: Authorities believe he's in Iran right now as I speak 102 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 6: to you. According to a criminal complaint on Seal today, 103 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 6: Shakiri demanded large sums of money for working on this 104 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 6: plot to kill Trump over the past few months. At 105 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 6: stated in a complaint, Shakiri indicated to an Iran Iranian 106 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 6: government official that this would cost a huge amount of money. 107 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 6: In response, the Iranian officials said, we have already spent 108 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 6: a lot of money, so the money's not an issue. 109 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 6: In a statement from FBI Director Christopher Ray, he says 110 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 6: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated foreign terrorist organization, 111 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 6: has been conspiring with criminals and hitmen to target and 112 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 6: gun down Americans on US soil, and that simply won't 113 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,280 Speaker 6: be tolerated. Thanks to the hard work of the FBI, 114 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 6: their deadly schemes were disrupted. 115 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 2: By the way they said. And this is the part 116 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 2: I want to ask you. They said it was won't 117 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 2: be tolerated. I'm not sure I believe that based on 118 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 2: what we know now. It seems like we've been tolerating 119 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: Iran basically doing whatever the hell they want to do 120 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,279 Speaker 2: for quite some time in the world. 121 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: Well, that's right. And look, it's important to understand a 122 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 3: lot of the press when they talk about Donald Trump's 123 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 3: foreign policy, they mischaracterize it. There are a lot of 124 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 3: folks that characterized Trump as an isolationist. That's not remotely 125 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 3: the case. I mean, part of the reason Iran is 126 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 3: so angry is because remember Trump took out he killed 127 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 3: General Solomony. General Solomony was responsible for orchestrating the murder 128 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 3: of over six hundred American servicemen and women. He was 129 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 3: one of the leading terrorists in the world, and Iran's 130 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 3: the leading state sponsor of terrorism, and Donald Trump took 131 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 3: him out. Donald Trump also enforced the oil sections, pulled 132 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 3: out of the Iran deal, brought the Iranian economy to 133 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 3: its knees, cut off their money, had the regime ready 134 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 3: to topple. That is strength what Trump rightly did. And 135 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 3: by the way, on all of those steps, I was 136 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 3: urging Trump to proceed to vigorously defend us against Iran. 137 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 3: What Trump also did, though, is he did not get 138 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 3: us in foreign wars. It is amazing how the weakness 139 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 3: and appeasement of the left gets it exactly backwards. They're 140 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 3: eager to get us and mesh and foreign wars all 141 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 3: over the world, but they're not willing to be strong 142 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 3: against people who actually are trying to kill us. And 143 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 3: in this instance, there are going to be very very 144 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 3: real consequences for Iran. The first will be economic. Their 145 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: money is going to disappear, but there's going to be 146 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 3: consequences that are a lot more real world than just 147 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:45,840 Speaker 3: dollars and cents. 148 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: Finally center some breaking news. 149 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 2: I just want to get your quick thoughts on this 150 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 2: because it's an interesting story and it's really just a 151 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 2: sad story. I think it's a such a sad story 152 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 2: for the people that are hurting, who were needing the 153 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: help of their government. It has come out now that 154 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 2: a FEMA official ordered relief workers to deliberately and purposely 155 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 2: skip the houses of people that have been affected by 156 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 2: the hurricane that had Trump signs up. A whistle blower 157 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 2: came forward, so it's almost unbelievable to think that somebody 158 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 2: in the federal government would think that's okay. I'm actually, 159 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 2: by the way, not surprised, unfortunately, that there are people 160 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 2: in this Biden Harris government that would say, screw those 161 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 2: that are Trump supporters and don't give them government aid 162 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 2: even after a hurricane. 163 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: Yet this did happen. 164 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,439 Speaker 3: Yeah, this story, it's a story of an incredible abuse 165 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 3: of power and just a brazen partisanship that sadly it 166 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 3: typifies what has happened throughout the Biden Harris administration. I 167 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 3: want to give credit to the Daily Wire. The Daily 168 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 3: Wire broke this story. It also illustrates how so called 169 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 3: mainstream media, the corporate meet does not actually report on 170 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 3: real news. It took the Daily Wire to make this public. 171 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 3: It's also the Daily Wire that broke the stories in 172 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 3: Loudon County couple of years ago about the teenage girl 173 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 3: who was sexually assaulted in the bathroom by the boy 174 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,319 Speaker 3: wearing a skirt, because again, the corporate media wouldn't report 175 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 3: on it. 176 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 5: Well. 177 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 3: In this instance, the Daily Wire reported that that instructions 178 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 3: were given to FEMA workers that said, and they actually 179 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 3: have screenshots of the instructions that say, quote implement best practices. 180 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 3: No one goes anywhere alone, avoid homes advertising TRUMP, practice 181 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 3: de escalation and preventative measures. Communicate with and follow the rules. 182 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 3: Bring a towel with yourself in the field. Frequent breaks, 183 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 3: and drink water. Avoid high salt diets and coffee. Coconut 184 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 3: water is a fast way to replenish your electrolytes quickly. 185 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 3: So this is written instructions for emergency emergency workers who 186 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 3: are dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane a natural disaster, 187 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 3: and they are told in writing avoid homes advertising TRUMP. Now, Now, look, 188 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 3: this only happens when you absolutely normalize the weaponization of 189 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 3: government against the enemies of your regime. This is this 190 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 3: particular individual was caught, and this person's been fired. Now, 191 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 3: of course she's been fired, she should have been fired. 192 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 3: But the broader question was what kind of culture was 193 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 3: there that made you think you should explicitly say hey, 194 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 3: and and I mean these are this is providing put 195 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 3: it in right. 196 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 2: Comfortable enough to put it in writing. Yep, yeah, wonder 197 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 2: what else is in writing that that that is exactly right? 198 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 2: And you know, one of the employees who was one 199 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 2: of the whistleblowers said, quote, I know their short staff. 200 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 2: I thought we could go help and make a difference. 201 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 2: When we got there, we were told to discriminate against people. 202 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 2: It's almost unbelievable to think that somebody in the federal 203 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 2: government would think that's okay. The employee said that it 204 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 2: felt wrong to discriminate against Trump supporters when they were 205 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 2: at their most vulnerable. 206 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 5: Quote. 207 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 3: I volunteered to help disaster victims, not discriminate against them. 208 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 3: It didn't matter if people were black, white, Hispanic, for Trump, 209 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 3: for Harris. Everyone deserves the same amount of help. That 210 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 3: would be actually the government doing its job. But sadly, 211 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 3: too many in the Biden Harris administration. Too many on 212 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 3: the left that they have convinced themselves Trump is hitler. 213 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 3: Anyone who supports him as garbage, and therefore you can 214 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: do anything possible to go after them. It's a really 215 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 3: sad example of just how weaponized this administration's gotten. 216 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 2: I hope this inspires others if there are other stories 217 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 2: out there, other emails and things in writing like this 218 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 2: that will be brought forward. I am glad by the 219 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 2: way that the woman's been fired, But the question that 220 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 2: I have to ask after that is, well, were there 221 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 2: any laws broken? 222 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: And I hope they look at that as well well. 223 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 3: And Ben and Ben, let me let me say, if 224 00:11:58,080 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 3: you go into the story, there are photos from the 225 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:03,319 Speaker 3: cysts the federal relief workers used to track the homes 226 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 3: they visited, and it showed that they followed the written guidance. 227 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 3: Several addresses were marked as quote not able to access property, 228 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:18,439 Speaker 3: with listed explanations such as quote Trump sign, no entry 229 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 3: per leadership, quote per leadership, no stop Trump flag quote 230 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 3: Trump sign end quote Trump sign, no contact per leadership. 231 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: This was. 232 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 3: Yes, it was carried out by supervision that the name 233 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 3: of the individual is someone Marnie Washington is the one 234 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 3: who issued this order. Marnie Washington has been fired, but 235 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 3: this was an organization where this order was. 236 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 5: Par for the course. 237 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 2: Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, 238 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: you can go back and listen to the full podcast 239 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 2: from earlier this week. Now onto story number two, Senator. 240 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 2: One other story is Donald Trump is getting his cabinet 241 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 2: together and making appointments. That has not gotten a lot 242 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 2: of attention is the take out the trash everybody throwing 243 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 2: everybody under the bus in the Biden camp, the Harris camp. 244 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 2: We find out she blew through a billion dollars. She's 245 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 2: upside down in debt. They're begging for money with text 246 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 2: messages to liberals saying we need your help with accounting 247 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 2: of the votes and give money. Now, I wish I 248 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 2: was joking, but I'm not, and I don't know. Someone 249 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 2: said eighteen twenty million upside down. And then we found 250 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,600 Speaker 2: out where a lot of the donations actually went. The 251 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,839 Speaker 2: donations were going to celebrities. Oprah's had to come out 252 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 2: after there was a million dollar check given to her 253 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 2: Quote production company for production of a one day sit 254 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 2: down interview that we many people saw on TV with Oprah. 255 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 2: It doesn't cost a million dollars to produce that, but 256 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 2: that was the price tag. And then we found out 257 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 2: that there were a lot of celebrities that were being paid. 258 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: To act like they loved Kamala Harris. 259 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 2: And there are some Democratic donors that are livid right 260 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:13,679 Speaker 2: now over the price tag on this. 261 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 3: You know, there's a terrific article in the Spectator World 262 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 3: entitled Kamala Harris ran the Fry Festival of Campaigns and 263 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 3: it points out that Trump's campaign spent roughly four hundred 264 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 3: and eighty eight million dollars and Kamala spent more than 265 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 3: a billion, So she outspent Trump more than two to one. 266 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 3: And Kamala's campaign ended up twenty million dollars in debt. Well, 267 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 3: it turns out where did that money go. Well, one 268 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 3: of the things that went to is they paid many 269 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 3: of the quote unquote celebrities who supported her. We were 270 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 3: getting paid and getting paid significant sums. So for example, 271 00:14:55,400 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 3: remember the Call Me Daddy podcast? Yeah, well apparently the 272 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 3: campaign spent upwards of six figures to build a custom 273 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,239 Speaker 3: set for her appearance on the podcast, and the podcast 274 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 3: netted only eight hundred thousand downloads. Less than a million downloads. Look, Ben, 275 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 3: you and I we have roughly a million unique listeners. 276 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 3: If she wanted eight hundred thousand downloads, I'll tell you, 277 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 3: Kamala right now, even though you've lost Ben and I 278 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 3: will invite you on Verdict right now. We will welcome you. 279 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 3: We will not charge you to build a set, so 280 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 3: you can save all your money. And you paid Oprah 281 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 3: a million dollars for production costs, we will charge you 282 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 3: for production costs on Verdict. What do you think fifty bucks? 283 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 1: Sure? I think I took a fair price. Fifty bucks. 284 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 3: Fifty bucks will get you a very nice coffee cup 285 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 3: with some Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. That's what we'll spend 286 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 3: the fifty bucks on. And you can reach the same 287 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 3: number of people all right. By the way, she also 288 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 3: turned down Joe Rogan, so call me daddy. Got eight 289 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 3: hundred thousand dowarsad, How how many do you think Joe 290 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 3: Rogan's interview. 291 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: Of Donald Trump got a lot more than that? 292 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 5: Forty seven million? 293 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: Wow, that's a lot. That's a lot. 294 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 3: So there were also seven swing state concerts with expensive performers, 295 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 3: and it turns out every one of them they got 296 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 3: a price. It is the world's oldest profession and they 297 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 3: are charging for it. So who are the performers that 298 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 3: got paid millions of dollars? Katie Perry, Lady Gaga, John 299 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 3: bon Jovi, Ricky Martin. 300 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 2: Hold On, you're telling me none of these people were 301 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 2: like doing it for free because they were all in 302 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 2: for Kama. 303 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: They wanted to get paid. 304 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 3: Show me the money. They ended up spending more than 305 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 3: twenty million dollars on event production alone. Oprah, as you noted, 306 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 3: charged a million dollars and and they went so far 307 00:16:55,520 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 3: into debt that the campaign allegedly had to scrap Alanis Morisset. 308 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 3: They were planning to do a lon of Morris set 309 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 3: and they said, no, okay, we can't afford her anymore. 310 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 5: Nevermind. 311 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 3: I mean, it is truly stunning, and you've got to wonder, 312 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 3: Like I gotta say, I don't get paying millions of 313 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 3: dollars for celebrities to fake endorse someone she spent paid 314 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 3: money to. 315 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 5: What Beyonce? 316 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 1: Well, let's go over the big ones. 317 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 2: This is coming from Fox and I'm gonna play this 318 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 2: this audio. 319 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 1: Take a listen. 320 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 2: This is again from Fox, as they were going through 321 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 2: how much cash was spent. 322 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 7: I can't get over these numbers. Ten million dollars for 323 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 7: Beyonce to step up and back Kamala Harris publicly, five 324 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 7: million for Megan the Stallion, three million for Lizzo, one 325 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 7: point eight million for em and M is that. 326 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: Those numbers are unbelievable if you just look at them. 327 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 2: And I was like, hold on a second, and I 328 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 2: went back and watched that clip a couple of different times, 329 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 2: because you've got them. 330 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: Ten million for Beyonce. 331 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 2: If you're a donor and you wrote a big check Meghan, 332 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,240 Speaker 2: this Stallion, five million, Lizzo three million and one point 333 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 2: eight million, I called on, I just raised all this 334 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,400 Speaker 2: money for you, and this is how you spent it. 335 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 3: Look, I gotta say I've run a bunch of campaigns. 336 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 3: I ran my first campaign for Senate in twenty twelve. 337 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 3: I ran my next campaign for president in twenty sixteen. 338 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 3: We won twelve states all over the country. I ran 339 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 3: my next campaign for Senate again in twenty eighteen, and 340 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 3: I just finished running my most recent campaign for Senate 341 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 3: reelect a third term in twenty twenty four. I can 342 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 3: tell you, in the whole time, I've never paid any 343 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 3: one a million dollars for anything. I don't think we 344 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 3: paid any entertainers. I don't know of any entertainers we paid. 345 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 3: Maybe at some point we paid five or ten grand 346 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 3: for someone performing at some party. I'm not aware of it, 347 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 3: but I can tell you this. Look our stars, now, 348 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 3: to be clear, the stars we have at our events 349 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 3: are are international, supermodeled, global talents like Ben Ferguson. 350 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 5: And I gotta tell you. 351 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 2: Want that ten million dollar payday once in my career, 352 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 2: like oh yeah, beyondest, Yeah yeah, I'm all in for 353 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 2: the cause, but I just seed ten million to make 354 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 2: it happen. 355 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 5: Okay, Ben, To be clear, we don't pay you ten dollars. 356 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 1: No, that's. 357 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 5: Look, I'm a fiscal conservative, damn it. 358 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 3: If you want to be there and you believe in 359 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 3: saving the country, stand up and save the country. 360 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 5: And if not, get the hell out. 361 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 3: But like, what is it with these lefties who ironically 362 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 3: they want to put socialists in office, who make it 363 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 3: impossible for people to earn a living, and yet they're 364 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 3: such capitalists that they're like, show me the money to 365 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:48,160 Speaker 3: do it. I mean, there is an intense hypocrisy on this. 366 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 2: I believe this, and I'm not just saying this because 367 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 2: this moment in this headline, But I'm being dead serious. 368 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,400 Speaker 2: This could be a huge problem for Democratic cants moving 369 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 2: forward because when you see this type of abuse campaign 370 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 2: finance money from donors, those same donors, somebody's going to 371 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: be asking them for money and four years or less 372 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 2: than four years from now. 373 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 3: And I'm the next time Beto O'Rourke, Collin all Red 374 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 3: jumps on a stage with with Willie Nelson, Everyone's going 375 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 3: to ask how much you pay him? 376 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: Yeah? 377 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 2: How much of my money did that I gave you? 378 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 2: Did you just give him for that thirteen minutes of 379 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 2: him singing? 380 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 3: It's it's an question, and it undermines the entire credibility 381 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:34,200 Speaker 3: that I'm here because I love America so much and 382 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 3: you've got to vote for this candidate. 383 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 5: Look, I'll give you an example in the presidential race. 384 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 3: So one of the cooler people that I got to 385 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 3: meet and spend time with was Phil Robertson, you know 386 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 3: from Duck Dynasty. 387 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, and here was I mean massive back in 388 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 2: the day, like unbelievable star. 389 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 5: Huge star. 390 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 3: And so so he invited me to Monroe, Louisiana to 391 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 3: come stay at his place, and I went out duck 392 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 3: hunting with Phil, which, by the way, ranks among the 393 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 3: cool things I've ever gotten to do. And we went 394 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 3: to the duck blind. We're there at four in the morning. Look, 395 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 3: I like to hunt in Texas. I gotta be careful 396 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 3: about what I say because there's so many really serious 397 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 3: hunters that I can't overstate. I go hunting a couple 398 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 3: times a year. I enjoy it, but I'm not someone 399 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 3: who like lives and breathes it. Phil in that duck blind, 400 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 3: I have never seen a person who is a better 401 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 3: shot with a shotgun. He would drop birds at a 402 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 3: distance that I wouldn't pick up my gun. They were 403 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 3: too far away. I'm like, yeah, if the duck flies 404 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 3: over here, I'll shoot it, but I can't shoot it 405 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 3: way over there. And he would just boom, and then 406 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 3: the dogs would swim out and grab the duck and 407 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 3: bring it back. And Phil, I'll tell you So I 408 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,360 Speaker 3: went there and spent the day when hunting with him. 409 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 3: He recorded an ad for our campaign that we put out. 410 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 3: It remains one of my favorite ads we've ever done. 411 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 3: I'm all like wearing camo grease paint and I'm in 412 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:54,640 Speaker 3: the duck blind with Phil. 413 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 5: It was really cool. 414 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 3: But Phil, it was during the Iowa Caucuses and we asked, Phil, 415 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 3: will you come to Iowa and campaign with me? And Phil, 416 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 3: for something like forty years, had not missed a single 417 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 3: day of duck season. He'd been out there every single 418 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 3: day for four decades, and we'd invited him to come. 419 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 3: And that morning he went to the blind at four 420 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 3: in the morning and he's sitting there in the blind 421 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 3: and I guess you know, it weighed on his heart. 422 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 3: I can't do this today. I need to go fight 423 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 3: to save America. And Phil left the blind and he 424 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 3: went and hopped on a plane and he flew to 425 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,479 Speaker 3: Iowa and he did a big rally with me in Iowa. 426 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 3: And I told him then, I'm like, Phil, I am 427 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 3: beyond humboldt that you missed the first day of duck 428 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:49,719 Speaker 3: season in forty years to be here in campaign alongside me. Now, 429 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 3: I didn't write m a damn check to do that. 430 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 3: I just said, if you gave. 431 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:55,560 Speaker 2: Him beyond save money, you know you're like, oh, and 432 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 2: by the way, here's ten million dollars. 433 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 3: No. No, I just said, come help save America. And 434 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 3: it meant a lot like for him to miss it, 435 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 3: and that day we were literally touch and go. We 436 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 3: didn't know who's going to come, but it meant a 437 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 3: big deal when he came. If you're paying Beyonce ten 438 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 3: million dollars, I mean my good I mean goodness, who 439 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 3: would she not endorse for ten million dollars? 440 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 2: As before, If you want to hear the rest of 441 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 2: this conversation on this topic, you can go back and 442 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 2: dow the podcasts from earlier this week to hear the 443 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 2: entire thing. 444 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:31,680 Speaker 1: I want to get back to the big story number 445 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: three of the week you may have missed. 446 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 2: So what is that? What is the purpose of the 447 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:39,120 Speaker 2: secret ballot? Is that just so people can vote their 448 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,119 Speaker 2: conscience and there's not so much you know, hoophar? Is 449 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 2: it to keep it more efficient? What's the what's or 450 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 2: is it just traditions? What's behind that? 451 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:47,160 Speaker 5: Look? 452 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 3: Some of it is because you've got to work with 453 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 3: these people. Remember, the Senate's a small place. They're fifty 454 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 3: three of us, and and so you know, if you're 455 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 3: voting against the person who's your leader, that is a 456 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 3: small and awkward dynamic. So I would have liked the 457 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 3: ballot to be public. I would have absolutely supported making 458 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 3: it public. It's why I announced that I was voting 459 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 3: for Rick Scott, because I wanted to tell the voters. 460 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 3: But most of the senators don't, So I don't know. 461 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:20,439 Speaker 3: I know some of the centers, some of the senators 462 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 3: chose to say who they were voting for. But I'd 463 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 3: say at least half the senators I have no idea 464 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 3: how they voted. They didn't say, they haven't publicly said. 465 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 3: And there is a dynamic when you're dealing with a 466 00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 3: small enough group of people that you've got to after 467 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 3: the election, you've got to turn around and work not 468 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 3: just with whoever won, but whoever lost. 469 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 5: So I think that's some of the history. 470 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 3: It's always, to the best of my knowledge, it has 471 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 3: always been a secret ballot, and because of that dynamic, 472 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 3: and the other Senate leadership votes are secret ballot as well. 473 00:24:54,680 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 3: And look two years ago, in twenty twenty two, had 474 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 3: the first contested leadership ballot in sixteen years and two 475 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 3: years ago, Rick Scott challenged Mitch McConnell, and I was 476 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 3: the point of the spear. So the beginning of that 477 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 3: battle two years ago, the very first thing that happened 478 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:18,920 Speaker 3: as I stood up and I made a motion to 479 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 3: delay the election for a month, so we were voting 480 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:23,920 Speaker 3: two years. 481 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,960 Speaker 2: We did a great show on this it's all coming 482 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 2: back to me now that you can go back and 483 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 2: listen to, because I think, if I'm not mistaken, we 484 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 2: did it like it two in the morning after the 485 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 2: voting had taken place, and you'd come out and told 486 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 2: this story. I would encourage everybody if you want to 487 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 2: go back and listen to this episode. Like you said, 488 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 2: it's like two years ago, and it was a big 489 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 2: fight then, and like you said, you were the one 490 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:47,440 Speaker 2: leading that the tip of the spear on it. 491 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 3: Yep, and it was two years ago. It is always 492 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 3: the week after the election now. By the way, Republican 493 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 3: leadership does that because the people who vote are the 494 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 3: senators who will be the senators for the next two years. 495 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 3: So the brand new baby senators who were just elected 496 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 3: they vote. The senators who are retiring or leading the 497 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 3: Senate they don't vote. And part of the reason they 498 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 3: do that is because they want the brand new baby 499 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 3: senators not to know what they're doing, to be just 500 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 3: in their basement office, not to know where the men's 501 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,879 Speaker 3: room is, and they don't want newly elected senators to 502 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 3: rock the vote. It's designed. It's actually a pretty cynical thing. 503 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 3: It's designed not to not to challenge the status quo. 504 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 3: So two years ago I made a motion, Look, twenty 505 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 3: twenty two should have been a fantastic election for Republicans. 506 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 3: We should have won the Senate. We should have we 507 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 3: should have grown our majority in the House. It should 508 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 3: have been a fantastic election. And it was a lousy election. 509 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:49,639 Speaker 3: And I stood up and said, listen, we ought to 510 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 3: delay this this vote by a month, and we ought 511 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 3: to spend the month next month talking about why we 512 00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:59,159 Speaker 3: got our asses kicked, Like what's going wrong? And I 513 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 3: turned them at McConnell I said, listen, for the last 514 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,159 Speaker 3: two years, we had a handful of Republicans team up 515 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 3: with the Democrats to pass the Democrats' priorities. Now, maybe 516 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 3: that's a good idea. Someone here can make the argument 517 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:12,919 Speaker 3: why that's a good idea. I think it's dumb as hell. 518 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 3: But if you want to make the argument it's a 519 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:16,159 Speaker 3: good idea, we ought to talk about it. What I 520 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,679 Speaker 3: could tell you that is objectively true is the Democrats 521 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 3: never do that. Like when we had Trump was president, 522 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 3: we had a Republican Senate Republican House. There was not 523 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 3: a single bill we passed that consisted of all the 524 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 3: Republicans and a handful of Democrats joining us. They opposed everything, 525 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 3: and by the way, for the next two years, I 526 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 3: think they will as well. So I said, look, we 527 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 3: ought to debate. Whatever we did didn't work. We ought 528 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 3: to debated, and so I laid out. I gave a 529 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 3: forty five minute speech. I looked at Mitch McConnell and 530 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 3: I said, tell me, over the next two years, what 531 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 3: are you willing to fight over? I said, listen, you 532 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,400 Speaker 3: and I may disagree. There are a lot of things 533 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 3: I think we should fight over. They're not for you, 534 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 3: But is there anything? Is there one thing you're willing 535 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 3: to fight on over the next two years. By the way, 536 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 3: Mitch refused to answer that question. We ended up after 537 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 3: I made the motion to delay the vote. I ended 538 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 3: up getting sixteen votes for that motion. I needed twenty five, 539 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 3: so we had forty nine Republicans, so I needed twenty 540 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 3: five for a majority, So I fell nine votes short. 541 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 3: Those sixteen votes were the first votes ever cast against 542 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 3: Mitch McConnell, and that was very consequential after that, Rick Scott, 543 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 3: because I failed to delay the election. Rick Scott ran 544 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 3: against Mitch. I voted for Rick. I was quite vocal 545 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 3: about it, and Rick got ten votes, and so that's 546 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 3: what happened. I was one of those ten. By the way, 547 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 3: after the votes, Mitch McConnell exacted retribution on the senators 548 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 3: who opposed him. So, for example, the Commerce Committee, both 549 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 3: Rick Scott and Mike Lee used to be on the 550 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 3: Commerce Committee, and Mitch McConnell uses his authority as the 551 00:28:57,760 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 3: GOP leader to throw them both off the Commerce cat 552 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 3: Many Eric Schmidt from Missouri who also voted against Mitch. 553 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 3: Eric Schmidt wanted to be on Judiciary, and Mitch used 554 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 3: his authority to orchestrate blocking him from being on Judiciary. 555 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 3: So there was there was There were real punitive measures 556 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 3: that were implemented attacking the people that dared stand up 557 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 3: to McConnell. So this time around, Rick Scott did better 558 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 3: than he did two years ago. Two years ago he 559 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 3: got ten votes. This time he got thirteen votes, so 560 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 3: we picked up three more votes. I don't know who 561 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 3: those three more votes were. I was one of those thirteen, 562 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 3: as i'd been one of those ten, but Rick did 563 00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:43,960 Speaker 3: not prevail, and then ultimately Thune prevailed on the second ballot, 564 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 3: so Thune will be the majority leader going forward. 565 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,120 Speaker 2: So let's talk about Thune for just a second. What 566 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,680 Speaker 2: do people need to know about him that maybe they 567 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 2: don't know. 568 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, listen, I like Johonthune. I've worked with him. I've 569 00:29:57,960 --> 00:29:59,720 Speaker 3: worked with Thune, I've worked with Korn, and I've worked 570 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 3: with three. I mean, the Senate is a small place. 571 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 3: It's a collegial place. If you want to actually accomplish 572 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 3: every anything, you've got to deal with and and work 573 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 3: cooperatively with your colleagues. John Thune is from South Dakota. 574 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,680 Speaker 3: You know, he's a tall, good looking college athlete. He 575 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 3: was a college basketball player. 576 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 6: You know. 577 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 3: Thune and I, you know, used to he works out 578 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 3: every morning in the gym, and he's he's very fit. 579 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 3: I would work out at the same time he was, 580 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 3: and it was kind of embarrassing because he would lift 581 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 3: a lot more weight than I could lift, and he 582 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 3: would he would be like pumping iron. And it's sort 583 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 3: of humbling to watch Thune because he's just you know, 584 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:42,840 Speaker 3: he's a he's a man in his early sixties who's 585 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 3: in really good shape. Look, Thune, I was not surprised 586 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 3: Thune one, because he's very well liked by his colleagues. 587 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 3: Thune is affable, he's he's a good guy. He's just 588 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 3: he's not a jerk. He's not he's everyone likes him. 589 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 3: It's just I mentioned before, the Senate is a little 590 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:08,840 Speaker 3: bit like a junior high. You know, thun would win 591 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 3: the class president election. It's and a lot of it 592 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 3: is the kind of small, little personal dynamics that play 593 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 3: out on that. But as I said, I was not 594 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 3: surprised Thoon won. I will say a lot of the 595 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 3: Trump world was freaking out saying, oh, Thuon hates Donald 596 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 3: Trump and he's going to oppose everything Trump wants to do. 597 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 3: I think those concerns were overstated. Listen, John Thune is 598 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 3: majority leader in every senator is excited that we have 599 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 3: a Republican White House, Republican Senate, Republican House, and we 600 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 3: are really focused on delivering results and delivering on our 601 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 3: promises to the voters. And so I think Thune as 602 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 3: leader is going to focus on working very closely with 603 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 3: President Trump uh to to confirm his cabinet appointments to 604 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:01,720 Speaker 3: move forward. Now, it doesn't necessarily mean that the Senate 605 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 3: is going to be a rubber stamp for one hundred 606 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 3: percent of everything that comes from the White House. Uh. 607 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 3: And it's not the Senate's job to be a rubber 608 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 3: stamp for everything that comes from the White House. Under 609 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:15,480 Speaker 3: the Constitution, the Senate is supposed to have a role, 610 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 3: a role of on nominations, advice and consent, a role 611 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 3: of check and balance. But but I can tell you 612 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 3: that the sort of folks and I had multiple calls 613 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 3: from Trump's team very worried, Okay, is is Thun going 614 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 3: to fight us in everything we're doing? 615 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 5: And I was like, Okay, I no, I. 616 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 7: I So. 617 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 5: So today I had an hour long. 618 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 3: Meeting, UH with with Thune as the new majority leader 619 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 3: and with all the committee chairs, and the entire meeting 620 00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 3: was talking about, Okay, how are we going to move 621 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 3: forward with with with tax reform, with extending the Trump 622 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 3: tax cuts, with with with regulatory reform, with unleashing energy, 623 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 3: with securing the border. How are we going to move 624 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 3: the legislative agenda so we can deliver big, big wins 625 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 3: in in the next year. And that was that was 626 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 3: the focus from Thune and every committee chairman. So I 627 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 3: think I understand. Look I voted for Rick Scott because 628 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 3: I think Rick was offering the greatest change. But at 629 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:21,720 Speaker 3: the end of the day, to prevail, you've got to 630 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 3: be able to get a majority of the Republican Senators, 631 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 3: and Rick did not. 632 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 2: As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Sentner, 633 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:31,120 Speaker 2: Ted Cruz, Ben Ferguson with you don't forget to deal 634 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:33,400 Speaker 2: with my podcast and you can listen to my podcast 635 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 2: every other day you're not listening to Verdict or each 636 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 2: day when you. 637 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: Listen to Verdict. 638 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 2: Afterwards, I'd love to have you as a listener to 639 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 2: again the Ben Ferguson podcasts, and we will see you 640 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 2: back here on Monday morning.