1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Now from our nation's capital. This is Floomberg Sound On. 2 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,720 Speaker 1: We were able to determine that China has a high 3 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: altitude balloon program for intelligence collections. There is no again, 4 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: no indication of aliens or extra terrestrial activity with these 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: recent takedowns. Floomberg Sound On, Politics, Policy and perspective from 6 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: DC's top names. I can't say whether that's strange or not, 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: since we're sort of an uncharted territory here, no pun intendence. 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 1: I think it's about time that we started talking about 9 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: social macary and making it better. Schloomberg Sound On with 10 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Up in the sky, it's 11 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: a bird, it's a plane, it's well, we really really 12 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: don't know what it is. What any of the three 13 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: objects at the u S shot out of the sky 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: this weekend were, But lawmakers are looking for answers. And 15 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: in just a minute will be speaking with Congressman Dusty Johnson, 16 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: a member of the Congressional Task Force looking into China US. Later, 17 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: we're going to be chatting with Congressman Jim Jordan's the 18 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: man at the center of the Republicans investigations into the 19 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: Biden administration. I'm Emily Wilkins filling in today for Joe Matthew, 20 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: joining us now as Congressman Dusty Johnson. He is a 21 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: Republican from South Dakota. Congressman, thanks so much for taking 22 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: the time and being on with us today. Absolutely my pleasure. Well, Congressman, 23 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 1: you've been assigned to a couple of really, really interesting 24 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: roles this year. I want to start with the one, 25 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: and I think the formal title is that you are 26 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: a member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition 27 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Congressman, 28 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: have you guys come up with a with a snappy 29 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: nickname for that or some sort of acronym we we 30 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: can use for the China Task Force? Well, nothing cute, 31 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: but people are mostly calling it the Select Committee on China. 32 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: I think the reason the name is a mouthful is 33 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: because leadership in both parties wants to make it clear 34 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,559 Speaker 1: that it's not the Chinese people that is a source 35 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: of our concern. It's the Chinese Communist Party specifically. Absolutely, 36 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: And I know, of course that follows um an increase 37 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: in attacks on Asian Americans, and I know that leadership 38 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: for both parties has been very diligent about that, but 39 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: I want to get into exactly what the Select Committee 40 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 1: will be doing this year, and I'll begin to sort 41 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: of by of course, the news from this weekend that 42 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: after the balloon traveled, the surveillance balloon traveled across the 43 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: country and really raised a lot of concern. You've now 44 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: heard reports this weekend of the US having to shoot 45 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: down three objects in US and Canada airspace, And I'm wondering, 46 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: from your perspective, what are you looking to find out here? 47 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 1: What are kind of the big questions that need to 48 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: be answered at this point? Well, the two big ones 49 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: are what and who? Why? Would you would follow shortly thereafter, 50 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: but we still don't have a very good idea of 51 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: exactly what these objects are. Now. I got a classified 52 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: briefing last week about the Chinese balloon, so I can't 53 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: talk a lot about that, But most members of Congress 54 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: have not received a classified briefing on exactly what these 55 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 1: three more recent objects, not balloons, but objects were. Once 56 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: we figure out what in the world they are, we've 57 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 1: gotta figure out who's behind them. And I do think 58 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: their motivation matters. Are they trying to probe our defenses 59 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: and Is this the kind of traffic that's always been 60 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: there and we're just doing a better job of catching 61 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: it now, or is this a new and perhaps more 62 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: nefarious stage in the relationship between us and whoever sending them. 63 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: So this could potentially almost be a false alarm. I mean, 64 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: as far as that that these three objects aren't necessarily 65 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: like the the surveillance balloons that from the week before, 66 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: I think, unless we have reason to believe otherwise, we've 67 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: got to take the statements from the administration on their 68 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: face value. We have a representati from the Department of 69 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: Defense that said they are choosing to use the word 70 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: object rather than balloon for a reason. And but listen, 71 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: certainly the question you're raising is part of the reason 72 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: why I think lots of members of Congress are getting 73 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: increasingly frustrated that we haven't been briefed yet. How has 74 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: the Biden administration been at this point as far as 75 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: sharing information talking with lawmakers? I mean, obviously, you and 76 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: your colleagues in the House are all back home in 77 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: your districts this week, so it's not possible to get 78 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: you into one of those secure rooms for briefing. But 79 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: other than that, has the Biden administration been forthcoming with 80 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 1: the information that they can share. It has varied a 81 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 1: little bit, uh, topic to topic. I would tell you 82 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: that the briefings we have received on what's going on 83 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: in Ukraine, which have been there's been quite a number 84 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: of them, have been good and quite granular. Um. There 85 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: have been other briefings where I think more questions were 86 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: raised than answers. But I understand when you're briefing, you 87 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: know as many as five and thirty five members of 88 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: Congress in a day or two. Uh. I think if 89 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: you're the administration, you also need to be careful about 90 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: how you provide information and how much gets out there. 91 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 1: It is a classified setting, but it's not like you're 92 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: dealing with career professionals who have the same understanding of 93 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: how to handle that information. Obviously that this like committee 94 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: on China, it's going to encompass more than these objects 95 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: this past weekend. What else will you be focusing on 96 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 1: in the next two years on this particular committee, I 97 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 1: actually think the balloon balloons will be a very small 98 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: piece of it. Even if you were only going to 99 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: look at the way that the Chinese Communist Party surveills Americans. 100 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 1: The balloons would be a very small piece of it. 101 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: And so we're going to be looking at frankly technology, 102 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 1: we're gonna be looking at the economic relationship between the 103 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: Chinese Communist Party and our country. That is one thing, 104 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: by the way, Emily, that makes this more difficult than 105 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: whatever we did during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. 106 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 1: I mean, the Soviet Union was a one dimensional threat, 107 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: was a military threat. It was not. We did not 108 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: ever need to ask ourselves, how do we decouple in 109 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 1: an effective and targeted and smart way from the economy 110 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: of the Soviet Union. We simply didn't have those kinds 111 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 1: of connections. I have a particular interest though, in food. 112 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: I think food security is a national security, and I 113 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,239 Speaker 1: think to an alarming degree, we have allowed the Chinese 114 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: Communist Party to gain a lot of influence over the 115 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:34,919 Speaker 1: global food supply. That's problematic. The Chinese have made a 116 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 1: lot of these steps in a purposeful and deliberate way. 117 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: I think they know having control over food give them 118 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: a disproportionate amount of influence across the globe, probably in 119 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: the same way that Russia understands their energy supplies gives 120 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: them a disproportionate amount of influence across the globe. Interesting 121 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: interesting to know that. Of course, in addition to sitting 122 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: on the Select Committee, you are also a member of 123 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: the Agricultural Committee. But I want to ask you instead 124 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: of about food, because you're heading up a very interesting 125 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: subcommittee focused on commodity markets and digital assets. And as 126 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: part of sharing that subcommittee, you have a mission to 127 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: uh and I'm quoting directly off of off of y'all's website, 128 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: but bring robust oversight and retail consumer protections to digital 129 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: commodity markets. Can you talk a little bit more about 130 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: this subcommittee and about what you specifically want to do 131 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: in terms of legislation as well as oversight. Yeah. And 132 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: maybe first people might be wondering why is the Committee 133 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: on Agriculture have a role in cryptocurrency? Isn't this financial services? 134 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: And the reality is that the way that most people 135 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: buy and sell digital assets cryptocurrency looks and feels a 136 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,559 Speaker 1: lot more like how they would buy and sell goal 137 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: or how they would buy and sell agricultural commodities. It's 138 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: not that they're taking that they're purchasing a security. I mean, 139 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: buying an ounce of gold doesn't give you a stake 140 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: in any business you're purchasing something that's a holder of 141 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: value of commodity, and in that way, it's a Commodity 142 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: Future Trading Commission and not the Securities and Exchange Commission 143 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: that plays the regulatory oversight, particularly when you're talking about 144 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: exchanges or derivatives, swaps, futures. These are all things that 145 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: the Committee on Agriculture has overseen for a long time 146 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: and it is an area that we digital assets that 147 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: we need to I think as a country, step up 148 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: our game, and we need to be willing to do 149 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: it together, the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee 150 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 1: on Agriculture, the Securities and Exchange Commission, along with the 151 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: CFTC stepping up because clearly, in the aftermath of the 152 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: X the ft X debacle, anyone who thinks our regulatory 153 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: regime is just fine as it is is not paying attention. 154 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: And so what can be done then? I mean, are 155 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 1: you looking at crafting particular legislation to prevent something like 156 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: FTX to occurring? And how could such legislation work? Well, 157 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 1: I'll lot of the existing frameworks would work pretty well 158 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,199 Speaker 1: if we've just made sure that we if we applied 159 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: them also to the digital space, right, I mean, we 160 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: we know how to regulate exchanges to the derivatives swaps. 161 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: The one thing we don't have the same regulatory regime 162 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,040 Speaker 1: over is the spot market. So if you go out 163 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: and you just buy a hundred head of cattle, there's 164 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: not some big federal regulator that is overseeing that. And 165 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: that is in part because you have your colladdle right there. 166 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: You paid money, You or an agent of yours has 167 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: physical possession of the cattle. So it's a lot harder 168 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: to swindle people in that way. And the extent that 169 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: you need regulation in that space, it's really best done 170 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: by your state attorney general or your local prosecutor. The 171 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: digital assets space is very different, and I think that's 172 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: why a number of us are asking is there a 173 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: role to have some spot market regulation in place for 174 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: digital asset that we do not currently have for you know, 175 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,599 Speaker 1: precious medals or commodities. And will definitely be interested in 176 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: continuing to follow that as you guys start too. I 177 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: know committees have just gotten set up, so as you 178 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 1: continue forward with that um carcuss and you are also 179 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: the chair of the Main Street Caucus, you have built 180 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: that to me before as sort of the pragmatic conservatives 181 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: the folks who want to get stuff done. I believe 182 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,840 Speaker 1: you're also a member of the Bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus. 183 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,679 Speaker 1: Given that you have served these ties these two groups, 184 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: can you talk about what conversations are going on in 185 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: both of those areas in regards to the dubt limit. 186 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: Is there any clarity that is forming about how to 187 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: actually cut federal spending in a way that all of 188 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: the Republicans can support. Yeah, I think we're still relatively 189 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: early on as far as coming, you know, trying to 190 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 1: get all two twenty two Republicans on one page. But 191 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,839 Speaker 1: I'll tell you, at least among the pragmatic conservatives, the 192 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: seventy five members of the Main Street Caucus that I had, 193 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:07,439 Speaker 1: there is um unanimity among three issues. Number one, UM, 194 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: we can't just have a blind debt ceiling increase. We're 195 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: thirty two trillion dollars in debt, and the last eight 196 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 1: major fiscal controls that our country has been able to 197 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: put in place have come about because of debt ceiling negotiations. 198 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: We need to use this opportunity to have a national 199 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:30,959 Speaker 1: conversation about what are we doing with regard to spending. 200 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: Um So, Number one, no blind debt ceiling increase. But 201 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: number two, we do need some financial controls and we're 202 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: open to what that looks like. Some people will talk about, 203 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: you know, could we get non defense discretionary just back 204 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: to what it was before COVID. Some will say, could 205 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: we just get it back to f y twenty two. 206 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: That doesn't seem so direct Coney and could we get 207 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 1: non defense discretionary back to just what it was six 208 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: weeks ago? And I know there are a lot of 209 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: people out there who want to paint the Republicans to 210 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: some sort of terrible and direct only in uh, you know, 211 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: budget cutters. But the reality is we can do some 212 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:10,079 Speaker 1: really important things in financial responsibility without doing an it's 213 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,079 Speaker 1: going to wreck you know, systemic harm um. And the 214 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: number three, there's unanimity over the idea that we're not 215 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: going to touch benefits for people who are getting soul 216 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,719 Speaker 1: security or Medicare today or or who are going to 217 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: be receiving those benefits any time in the near future. 218 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 1: And I actually wanted to dig into that really quick. 219 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: I mean, I know that Republicans have said time and 220 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:33,319 Speaker 1: time and time and time again that you're not cutting Medicare, 221 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: you're not cutting Social Security. But these programs are facing 222 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: insolvency within the next decade plus, and so is this 223 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: a good time for Republicans and Democrats to maybe set 224 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: up a commission, set up a panel, set up something 225 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: where they can at least sit down and say, hey, 226 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: if we don't start moving toward a solution now, Americans 227 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: are going to eventually miss out on their full payments 228 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: from these programs. I think that's well said. And I mean, 229 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: what's so credibly disappointing and frankly irresponsible about Joe Biden 230 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: using is constitutional platform of the State of the Union 231 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: address to mock an attack and the Republicans and frankly 232 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: mislead Americans about what the overwhelming majority Republicans want to 233 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 1: do with regard these programs, which is protect them, which 234 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,319 Speaker 1: is to make the change is necessary to keep them solvent. 235 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: I mean, the president should want that to one of 236 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: these programs goes insolvent and the other, in choosing to 237 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 1: do nothing, guarantees insolvency. And so the idea that we can, 238 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: you know, take the prime time television and mock anyone 239 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: who's trying to have a conversation about, you know, reforms, 240 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 1: is really, really not helpful and productive. But there are 241 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: a number of things that we can do and we 242 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: don't need to touch benefits the people we're getting those 243 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: programs today. But I think we can have a longer 244 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:01,319 Speaker 1: term conversation about you know, how do we in an 245 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 1: actual wearial way, long term or young people, say, people 246 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: my age forty six years old and younger, what can 247 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: we do to make sure that they can they can 248 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: receive the benefits of those programs for sure? So maybe 249 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 1: start the discussions even though there's nothing specific. But Congressman 250 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: Dusty Johnson, thank you again so much for taking the 251 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: time for joining us today. Really appreciate your perspective on 252 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: so many different issues. I want to go ahead now 253 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: and bring in our panel for today, Bloomberg Politics contributor 254 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,480 Speaker 1: Genie Sheen Zano, Democratic analyst and professor of political science 255 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: at Iona University, and John Hart, Republican strategists and co 256 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: founder of C three Solutions. We only have a couple 257 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: of minutes, so Genie, I want to come to you 258 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: really quick here because I do want to dig into 259 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: a little bit of this debate on entitlement. I mean, 260 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 1: you've seen Biden out there, He's pointing out Rick Scott's 261 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 1: plan about sun setting federal programs like Social Security and Medicare. 262 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: House Republicans have proposed raising the retirement age, and yet 263 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: McCarthy has promised to not cut Social Security and Medicare. 264 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: What what is sort of the overall message right now 265 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: that most Americans are getting from the fact that you're 266 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: kind of seeing these plans that talk about cuts, but 267 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 1: then hearing Republicans say no cuts. You know, I think 268 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: there's going to be some sort of confusion out there 269 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: at this point. And and you know, the President has 270 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: mostly pointed to Rick Scott, but they've also lately been, 271 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: as you know, talking about Ron Johnson, talking about Mike Lee, 272 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: talking about Florida Governor Ron de Santis. They have been 273 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: pulling out quotes from people who have talked about addressing 274 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: this by cuts, um making it discretionary, those kinds of things. 275 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: So I think that that message, you know, is starting 276 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: to push through. And so Republicans have a task at 277 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: hand if they want to try to get on the 278 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: side with Mitch McConnell of saying that is off the table, 279 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: or or Kevin McCarthy for that matter. So I think 280 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: there is some confusion there following the State of the 281 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: Union and the push from the Democrats and the White 282 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: House quite frankly on this issue, and I think Republicans 283 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: are really going to have to address it. That said, 284 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: there's an important conversation to be had about these issues 285 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: as well as it concerns spending. And you definitely heard 286 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: Dusty Johnson there say that they would be open and 287 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: willing to that conversation. Of John I know you've got 288 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: some stuff to hagan on too. I will definitely make 289 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: sure to loop back when we come back. We're gonna 290 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: talk a little bit more about US China relations and 291 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: what this weekend means for them. This is Bloomberg. We 292 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 1: are back on sound on. I'm Emily Wilkins filling in 293 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: for Joe today. We want to bring back our panel 294 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Politics contributor Genie chian Zano, as well as John Hart, 295 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: Republican strategist and co founder of C three Solutions. We 296 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: just spoke with Congressman Dusty Johnson, covered a wide range 297 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: of topics and did ask him a little bit about 298 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: potential entitlement reform. Republicans and Democrats have said they do 299 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: not want to cut social Security or Medicare as part 300 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: of debt limit talks. But Congressman Johnson, and certainly he's 301 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: not the only one who says this, as said, he's 302 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: open to perhaps beginning some sort of panel or committee 303 00:17:06,280 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: to just begin discussions about how to keep Social Security 304 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:14,640 Speaker 1: and Medicare solvent past the end of this decade and beyond. 305 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: And John, I wanted to chat with you a little 306 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: bit about how these discussions might actually start. I mean, 307 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 1: we know that this is a problem. We know that 308 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: these programs in the future are going to become insolvent, 309 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: and we know that Congress will eventually need to move 310 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: on them. Could we see something like that happened with 311 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: the debt limit? Or is social Security and medicare just 312 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 1: too toxic of an issue at this at this time 313 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 1: to even begin the discussion. Well only look, I think 314 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:43,360 Speaker 1: we have to. And I think he did a good 315 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:47,280 Speaker 1: job of drawing out the the intellectual honesty that needs 316 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 1: to happen in this in this conversation. Uh, my former boss, 317 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: late Senator Tom Coban, was a part of the Simpson 318 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 1: Balls Commission back in and what Congress said then is 319 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 1: still true today. And the conclusion the commission was, if 320 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: we don't act. The demographic changes in the country are 321 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 1: going to bring programs like SO Security to their knees. 322 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: Joe Lieberman, whose outcor is running mate, you know, he 323 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: said at the time that that we can't uh save 324 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,360 Speaker 1: medicare as we know it. We can only save medicare 325 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: if we change it. So members know the reality that 326 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 1: the the the cruel and uncompassionate response here is to 327 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: do nothing and pretend that these problems will fix themselves. 328 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 1: So President Biden, I think made a major step backwards 329 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:34,639 Speaker 1: in the State of the Union. He pledged to be 330 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: a unity president, but used really divisive, you know, demogogical 331 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: language in his speech when he accused Republicant of wanting 332 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: to sunset and cuts SO Security, and he misconstrued you know, 333 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 1: you know, policy positions, and he was playing the political 334 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: game that that Democrats have played for decades and and 335 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,160 Speaker 1: that's gotten to us to a position where these programs 336 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,199 Speaker 1: are facing bankruptcy and the people that will suffer the 337 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,239 Speaker 1: most are were income Americans. So, you know, I do 338 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:07,199 Speaker 1: think there's there's a deep and broad biparson understanding of 339 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: the nature of the challenge. And I think what has 340 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 1: to happen is Republicans have to put forward their vision 341 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: of what fixes could be and call out Biden's denagoguery. 342 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: And then on the left you have that members who 343 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: like Joe Lieberman back in you know, not only ten 344 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: years ago, who are willing to say, look, we have 345 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,239 Speaker 1: to reform these programs if we want to save them. 346 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: They protect these benefits absolutely, and I mean it seems 347 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 1: like there is an acknowledgment of that on both sides. 348 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: It's just a matter of is that does that actually 349 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: become a part of the debt limit debate when all 350 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: is said and all is done. I think that's just 351 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: something where we're going to have to to wait for. 352 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: Definitely seems after talking with Congressman Johnson that there is 353 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,560 Speaker 1: some motivation for that to happen. I also want to 354 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about everything that we've seen, just 355 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: going back with the tensions in China. Obviously we still 356 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 1: don't know the full detail of the three objects that 357 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 1: were shot down over the weekend, where they came from, 358 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 1: exactly what they are um but I wanted to talk 359 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 1: a little bit just get into what we were hearing today, 360 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: uh from John Kirby, when it relates to what we 361 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:20,479 Speaker 1: know and where things stand with these objects. We were 362 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: able to determine that China has a high altitude balloon 363 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: program for intelligence collection that's connected to the People's Liberation Army. 364 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,120 Speaker 1: It was operating during the previous administration, but they did 365 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 1: not detect it. We detected it, we tracked it, and 366 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: we have been carefully studying it to learn as much 367 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: as we can. We know that these PRC surveillance balloons 368 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: have crossed over dozens of countries on multiple continents around 369 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: the world, including some of our closest allies and partners. 370 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: So that's some really interesting uh intel. They're from John 371 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: Carby speaking to reporters today. UM, Jennie, I want to 372 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 1: ask you a little bit about kind of what's next 373 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: steps are there here U S. Senators are set to 374 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: receive a briefing tomorrow on the objects that were shot 375 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: down over the weekend. What at this point could we 376 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: learn from such a hearing. You know, I'm not sure 377 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: what we're going to learn. I think that's the big question. 378 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: But what I would like to see happen is I 379 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,480 Speaker 1: would like the President to come out and speak to 380 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: this issue. There are risks associated with that. I understand that, 381 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 1: but The reality is, in the last three days, we 382 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: have seen for the first time fighter jets over US 383 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 1: Canadian territory shooting down objects out of the sky. We've 384 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: heard conflicting messages from the NSC, from the Pentagon to 385 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: a certain extent, even suggestions of UFOs. And with that 386 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: vacuum has become this ability of people, not surprisingly or 387 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: this you know, tendency to fill in those blanks. And 388 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: I think it is time for the President to come 389 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: out and you know, keeping in mind, he can't say 390 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: something has given national security, but to tell us what 391 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 1: is going on if this case that they have used 392 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: filters and other things to detect these in a way 393 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: that they we didn't before, but they were there. Tell 394 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: us that, or at least give us some assurance because 395 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: at this point the questions have amounted and we have 396 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: very little information. And I appreciate Kirby coming out today, 397 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:20,639 Speaker 1: but we have little information to understand why all of 398 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: a sudden, you have fighter jets over our territory shooting 399 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: things down, by the way, after we were told they 400 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: shouldn't be doing that over land and it could be 401 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 1: dangerous in terms of debris. Yeah, it certainly seems like 402 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,720 Speaker 1: this is not something that is going away at any 403 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,399 Speaker 1: time soon. John. We're also getting news that the U. S. 404 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:40,439 Speaker 1: Secretary of State Anthony B. Lincoln is considering a meeting 405 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 1: with his counterpart, top Chinese diplomat, Loong E at the 406 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: Munich Security Conference. What does that tell you about the U. S. 407 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 1: China relationship that these two diplomats are already talking about 408 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: meeting up even as all of these questions about these 409 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 1: objects are still lingering. Well, look, I think there's a 410 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: there's such probably lack of information right now, and I 411 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 1: think it's it's an encouraging sign that we're going to 412 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:07,479 Speaker 1: engage and hopefully get some answers out of the Chinese. Uh. 413 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: Hopefully Blinken will use that meeting to pressure China into 414 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 1: into revealing more detail and context about what happened with 415 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: the balloon, and perhaps that will send out on these 416 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: other incidents. But again the genius point, there's a lot 417 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: we don't know. I think President Biden has to measure 418 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:27,840 Speaker 1: very carefully, uh what we know and don't know, and 419 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: not overshare based on what we were discovering about this. 420 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: It's what's concerning is we could have countries, whether it's 421 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: China Russia, other other countries that have not really been 422 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: openly discussed probing our defenses and and not sending objects 423 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: to gather intelligence, but using those encounters to measure our response. Uh. 424 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 1: So I think we have to be careful and and 425 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 1: I'm concerned that the public debate about it is it 426 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: could be provoking Biden into overreacting and operating in a 427 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 1: political manner when he ought to focus on the National 428 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: Attorney implications about what's happening. Again, there's a there's a 429 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: lot we don't know, So I think we have to 430 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: be careful about expecting Biden to share uh perspectives on 431 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 1: things that he just doesn't have the information. Sure, and 432 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: I think that's really underscores the point that we don't 433 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: yet quite know what these objects are. There's still a 434 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 1: lot of questions about where they came from, what was involved. 435 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: Um certainly there seems to be a drive out there 436 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: to get more answers. But one of the other things 437 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,360 Speaker 1: that's really come out with this story is just kind 438 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: of how common it is for other nations to spy 439 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: on one another. That it's something the US does, that 440 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,160 Speaker 1: it's something that China does, and that the balloon last 441 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: week wasn't even the first one. That there were also 442 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:51,400 Speaker 1: ones during the Trump administration, and Genie, I'm wondering if 443 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: the sudden focus of the American public on this issue 444 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 1: is going to really sort of change some of those 445 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: dynamics when it comes to sort of how other countries 446 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: surveil each other. I mean, is this just some sort 447 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: of fluke where because a balloon got caught on on camera, 448 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,520 Speaker 1: we're having this discussion now, or could this actually have 449 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: some longer term implications? You know, I think it can 450 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 1: have longer term implications. We know that the intelligence community, 451 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:20,160 Speaker 1: the military has been tasked with looking at these aerial 452 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 1: phenomenon as they call them, and there was over two 453 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: hundred fifty that were found. There was a report to 454 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: Congress in January um two hundred fifty since March, half 455 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: of which have been identified, half of which are still 456 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,199 Speaker 1: not um. And so I do think this could have 457 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: longer term implications in a variety of perspectives. But I 458 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: also think it's critically important that the United States and 459 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: China continue to communicate. One of the really troubling aspects 460 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 1: of this balloon story was when we heard that there 461 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 1: was difficulty on the US part in terms of getting 462 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: into contact with their Chinese counterparts. Early stages of this, 463 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: and of course then the trip was called off. The 464 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: President assured us they won't have much of an impact 465 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: on relations um, you know, hurt and to see that 466 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,959 Speaker 1: Lincoln is going to meet with his counterpart, but that 467 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:09,439 Speaker 1: communication is critical because the balloon aside, there's an awful 468 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: lot on the plate for US China relations, from human 469 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: rights to caariffs, to climate change, to russiaup trime Wan. 470 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 1: The list goes on and on, and they are dramatic. 471 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: And so as we are now looking at this wider situation, 472 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 1: I mean, is there still a sense that the U. 473 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: S and China need to continue to work together on 474 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: certain things? I mean, what are we looking at going 475 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: back to this potential meeting between Secretary of State Li 476 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 1: Lincoln uh and his Chinese counterpart. What are we actually 477 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:40,960 Speaker 1: looking for, Like, does the does the whole balloon need 478 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 1: to be front and center, or is this something where 479 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 1: we're hoping to actually see about, say, progress on environmental 480 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: goals or the wider range of both concerns that the 481 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: US house with China as well as the areas where 482 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 1: they're trying to work together yeah, I would say I 483 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: think the administration has responsibility to tell the public and 484 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: truths about what they do know. For example, on the 485 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 1: environmental front, China is by far the world's largest admitter 486 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 1: of CEO two gases right now, and and run a 487 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: point in our political debate where we're both sides acknowledge 488 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,439 Speaker 1: that that CEO two has a role in in in 489 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 1: climate change, and to a large extent, the issue climate 490 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:23,880 Speaker 1: change is an issue about containing China's emissions. And if 491 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: we want to have an intellectually honest conversation about China 492 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: US relations, we have to the Biden administration has to 493 00:27:30,359 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: come clean with the American people and explain that CEO 494 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: two molecules don't ask for a visa when they cross borders. 495 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,400 Speaker 1: They you know, the emissions from China. They're putting new 496 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 1: pulp plants online all the time. They're they're crossing borders, 497 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: They're affecting the climate all over the world. And if 498 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:49,639 Speaker 1: we want to see one of the things that our 499 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 1: organizations put out is a study called free economies or 500 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 1: clean economies. If we want to see a cleaner plan 501 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: at cleaner environment, we need to be promoting economic freedom 502 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 1: both at home and a rat and China is one 503 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,679 Speaker 1: of those places how to auto embrace more economic freedom. 504 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: So one of the front burner issues you gotta use 505 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: is economic liberalization within China, UH and promoting those principles 506 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 1: of freedom and human rights within their own within their 507 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 1: own country. Well, Jennie John, we will be back with 508 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: you guys in just a minute, but right now I 509 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: wanted to welcome Congressman Jim Jordan's a Republican from Ohio, 510 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:31,640 Speaker 1: chair of the House Judiciary Committee. UH. Really really sort 511 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: of central to a lot of the investigations that are 512 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 1: going on in Congress right now. Congressman, thank you for 513 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 1: joining us today. That's good to be with you today. 514 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: Thank you. Well. I know that one of the big 515 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: news from today is that Speaker Kevin McCarthy is going 516 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: to be leading a delegation down to the southern border 517 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 1: this week. Obviously, your committee is very much looking into 518 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:53,000 Speaker 1: what's going on with the border, what's going on with 519 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: the Homeland Security Committee. I wanted to see one of 520 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: the things that you and a lot of your colleagues 521 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: have said that you are going to do is investigate 522 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: only in Security Secretary ale handro My Orcas, what is 523 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: your anticipated timeline for beginning the proceedings for having him 524 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: come in layout. Here what we can expect, Well, I 525 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 1: think there and I think there are three fundamental questions. 526 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 1: You know, first of all, how did it happen? How 527 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: did we get this chaos on the border, record numbers 528 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: coming month after month after month. The second question is 529 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: why does it matter? And the questions have fixed it. 530 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: So how did this happen? It's intentional, and that's why 531 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 1: I think there needs to be an investigation of Secretary 532 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: my Orcas, because they have to be doing this intentionally, 533 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: liberated in a premeditated fact. Because for the committee weeks ago, 534 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: and we really focused on that second question why it matters? 535 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: We had a dad who lost sent in a week, 536 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 1: the personal law enforcement officer who for eight twenty eight 537 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 1: years have been in law enforcement. And see now we 538 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: come to to property owners, to crime levels, to hospitals, cost, 539 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 1: the hospital school districts, all has of course, and Congressman, 540 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: as you begin to look into this, I know that 541 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: there have been some very high numbers of border crossings, 542 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: but last month US Border Patrol actually apprehended the lowest 543 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: number of migrants in two years, which comes after the 544 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 1: Biden administration opened up some new legal pathways to the 545 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,240 Speaker 1: US and expanded enforcement against those who try and cross 546 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 1: without authorization. Is this new development going to factor at 547 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: all into investigations? Well, well, we'll look at everything they've 548 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: done over over two years. But again, remember December of 549 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 1: last year I think was the highest month on record 550 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: for illegal crossing any year. We're talking five million people, 551 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: were talking about a hundred and some folks who are 552 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 1: on the terrorist watch list, and those are just ones 553 00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: that they've apprehended. Let alone that the people who get 554 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 1: get get across the border and and don't come to 555 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: a port of injury who aren't cost So that's that's 556 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: how serious it is. And never forget when we had 557 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: Secretary of Matworkis last year in front of the Judiciary Committee, 558 00:31:06,120 --> 00:31:08,080 Speaker 1: uh and the course of that that hearing, we asked 559 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: him a simple question. At the time, I think it 560 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:12,480 Speaker 1: was only thirty some. Now it's a hunter thirty some. 561 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 1: At the time it was only thirty some people. We said, 562 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: there are thirty some people who are on the terrorists 563 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: watch list who you've encountered on our southern border illegal 564 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: migrants coming in. I said, what is the status of 565 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 1: those individuals, Where are they at? Where are they detained? 566 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: And you may remember his answer he said, I don't know, 567 00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 1: and I'm and we were all fiber Gas were like, 568 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: you're the Secretary of Homeland Security and you don't know 569 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: the status of the people who have been apprehended on 570 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: you on the border, who were on the terrorist watch list. 571 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: That is that is frightening. So this, this again just 572 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: underscores how bad they've mismanaged this uh situation from the start, 573 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: which leads you to the, I think the logical conclusion 574 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 1: it's on purpose. It's intentional. They're deliberately doing this, and 575 00:31:57,200 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: when you're actually looking at this, I mean, I definitely 576 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: stand the investigation side of what you're doing. But we've 577 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: also have seen in the past that usually when it 578 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: comes to border, border, it's a lot of policies, it's 579 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 1: a lot of the laws that are past, it's a 580 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: lot of what we're doing with immigration, what we're doing 581 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 1: with the border. So is your committee going to be 582 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 1: trying to put forward any legislation that really addresses that 583 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 1: both sort of the twofold as far as how folks 584 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: can legally get into the country as well as border security. Yeah, 585 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: a great question. We're definitely gonna do that. We're gonna 586 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: have immigration enforcement legislation that we bring forward. It will 587 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: be on an asylum reform, it'll be uh you know, 588 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: e verified, it'll be an unaccompanied alien uh children. A 589 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: host of different issues that we're going to bring forward 590 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 1: in different pieces of legislation that we think will fix it. 591 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: But understand what happened on day one. On day one January, 592 00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 1: Joe Biden announced he said, we will stop building the wall. 593 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 1: We will no longer have them remain in Mexico. Policy 594 00:32:57,480 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 1: with the idea you had to stay in Mexico while 595 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: you're assigned them claim was evaluated and he said, we're no, 596 00:33:02,920 --> 00:33:05,160 Speaker 1: not going to build a wall, no more remained in Mexico, 597 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: and you will not need to be deported. Well, Chase 598 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 1: m no wonder people wanted to come. They know there's 599 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 1: no wall to get over, they won't have to wait 600 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: in Mexico, and when they get here, they're not gonna 601 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:15,640 Speaker 1: be sent home. In fact, they're gonna get to go 602 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,479 Speaker 1: wherever they want to in the United States. So, of 603 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:21,800 Speaker 1: course that just send a message to everyone to come 604 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:25,240 Speaker 1: to the country. And unfortunately, now what's happened is most 605 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: of our good border patrol agents. They're they're there now processors. 606 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:31,120 Speaker 1: They're not doing their real job because they've just been 607 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 1: all the time processing these people because Joe Biden sent 608 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 1: the message on day one, come to the United States. 609 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: You'll get in and we won't be deporting you. Okay, 610 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 1: I ask really quickly, because I know I want to 611 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 1: go onto a couple of your other investigations. But when 612 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,240 Speaker 1: would be the timeline as far as that bill actually 613 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: getting introduced. Well, we've wed many of these bills have 614 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: already been introduced. We we plan to pass this legislation 615 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:55,080 Speaker 1: within the next six weeks. We we don't look. We 616 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 1: think time is important here. Now. Whether whether Chuck Humor 617 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: will passes through the Senate, whether Joe Biden with with 618 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 1: sign an instruction or could get it through the Senate, 619 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:08,120 Speaker 1: that's a different question. But it's still our job to 620 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 1: to pass the laws to fix the problems that have 621 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 1: been created by this administration. When we had the sheriff 622 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:16,160 Speaker 1: in front of our committee two weeks ago, he said, 623 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 1: in his twenty eight years in law enforcement, the best 624 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 1: that border situation has ever been with two years ago 625 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 1: under President Tromp and the worst it's ever been, is 626 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:26,360 Speaker 1: right now? So that changed that that has all happened 627 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: in two years. We went from the best to the 628 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:33,439 Speaker 1: worst in two years. That tells you everything. I also 629 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 1: wanted to ask a little bit um. I know that 630 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: the Committee is obviously looking into Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, 631 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: and that he has recently sort of begun pushing against 632 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 1: some of the investigations and the probes that the Committee 633 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: has had. In the defense that Hunter Biden has put forward. Uh, 634 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:54,320 Speaker 1: he says that there's no legislative purpose behind these investigations. 635 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: Is that accurate? And if not, what legislation do you 636 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:01,319 Speaker 1: think could come out of these investigations. Well, there's there's 637 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: all kinds of reforms we could have for the FBI, 638 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 1: all kinds of reforms we could have Department Justice. Here's 639 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: one reform that I think maybe uh comes from our 640 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:11,960 Speaker 1: investigative work. And I understand first of all, most of 641 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 1: the investigative work on the Hunter Biden issue, I think 642 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: is gonna happen in the Oversight Committee under Chairman Comber. 643 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,759 Speaker 1: We're looking at the how how it crosses over and 644 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 1: gets into the Department of Justice and what impact with 645 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:24,520 Speaker 1: you know what what actions Department Justice may have had 646 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 1: relative to that investigation that need to be dealt with. 647 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: But um, one of the things that I think is 648 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:32,360 Speaker 1: important is my guess is those fifty one former Intel 649 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:35,560 Speaker 1: officials who signed that letter that we know to be false, 650 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,360 Speaker 1: that became the sort of the basis for suppressing the 651 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:41,760 Speaker 1: Hunter Biden story just days before the most important election 652 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:44,440 Speaker 1: we have election for President of the United States. I 653 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 1: my guess is those fifty one, all of them probably 654 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:50,120 Speaker 1: have their security clearer. Well, why is that still the case? Why? 655 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:52,719 Speaker 1: Why why do people when they leave government years and 656 00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: years later still keep their security clearer, So that that 657 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 1: could be some simple thing we take a look at 658 00:35:58,160 --> 00:35:59,640 Speaker 1: and a host of other things that we think are 659 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: importan uh relative to the FBI, excuse me, and the 660 00:36:04,320 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 1: and the concentrated power now, um, in the Washington field office, 661 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:10,560 Speaker 1: in the in the headquarters in d C. Versus how 662 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 1: it used to be where the field offices ran things 663 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 1: and you were much more focused on solving crime and 664 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:20,440 Speaker 1: not all this this focus on intelligence matters. And as 665 00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: you're looking into some of these investigations, do you have 666 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:26,000 Speaker 1: a sense of how many Americans actually think that it 667 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:29,600 Speaker 1: is important to look into say Hunter Biden's laptop or 668 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: some of of these other things that are kind of 669 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,800 Speaker 1: within Biden's personal family. I mean, I know that Americans 670 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 1: have an interest in things like what's going on at 671 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: the border, hyperscription drug prices, but I've seen polls that 672 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 1: have showed that it doesn't seem like that many Americans 673 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:47,520 Speaker 1: are actually interested in in some of things like Hunter 674 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:52,160 Speaker 1: Biden's laptop. Yeah, well, look, I think what's going to 675 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 1: drive our investigation. What is driving our investigation or what 676 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 1: the whistleblowers are coming and telling us. We think we 677 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:02,640 Speaker 1: from they're targeting very people are supposed to serve. So 678 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:05,920 Speaker 1: I think our investigations gonna be driven by the FBI 679 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:07,920 Speaker 1: agents who have taken what's the blower status and come 680 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:10,399 Speaker 1: talk to our committee. We've now interviewed two of them 681 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 1: in a in a transcribed interview. Our third one happens 682 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,440 Speaker 1: later this week. They're telling us things that are not 683 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:18,319 Speaker 1: supposed to happen. They're talking about the political nature at 684 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 1: the Department legal Law, and that doesn't seem to be 685 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 1: what's happening. We see example after example that you see that, Congressman. 686 00:37:29,760 --> 00:37:32,080 Speaker 1: I'm so sorry, Congressman. It sounds like we've lost to 687 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 1: a little bit. Uh. Well, there was Congressman Jim Jordan's 688 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:38,880 Speaker 1: unfortunately before we lost him, a very interesting conversation just 689 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:41,919 Speaker 1: really covering the range of what he is doing as 690 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:44,759 Speaker 1: the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, just so many 691 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 1: different things that he is looking into. Their want to 692 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:50,360 Speaker 1: bring back our panel. Bloomberg Politics contributor Genie che and 693 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:54,319 Speaker 1: Zano and John hart uh co founder of C three Solutions. 694 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:56,719 Speaker 1: I mean, I just wanted to ask you guys, and 695 00:37:57,120 --> 00:38:00,239 Speaker 1: Genie in particular, I mean, what is your sense as 696 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:03,480 Speaker 1: far as how many Americans are really watching everything with 697 00:38:03,560 --> 00:38:06,799 Speaker 1: Hunter Biden with bated breath? Is there a sense that 698 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:09,080 Speaker 1: this could really wind up shaping that a lot of 699 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,960 Speaker 1: Americans are going to be paying attention um Or is 700 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,640 Speaker 1: this something where it's just not a priority because it's 701 00:38:14,719 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 1: not a kitchen table issue. Yeah, I mean, I think 702 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:19,000 Speaker 1: you hit the nail on the head when you talked 703 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: about those polls, Emily. It's really not a kitchen table issue. 704 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:24,400 Speaker 1: It's not something that Americans are going to focus on. 705 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: They will focus on the border. I think that's important, 706 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 1: the first issue you talked about that is important to Americans. 707 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 1: We see that in the polls. The latest pupole showed, 708 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:38,040 Speaker 1: you know, concern about defending our our our country security 709 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:41,160 Speaker 1: is number three after healthcare in the economy, So that 710 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 1: is something. But in terms of Hunter Biden's laptop or 711 00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:46,799 Speaker 1: if you flip the focus and say this investigation, a 712 00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: lot of talk in the media lately of the money 713 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:51,799 Speaker 1: that Jared Kushner and the President received from, say, the 714 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: Saudi Arabian government. Um, you know that it's stuff that 715 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,200 Speaker 1: I think Americans they you know, not all Americans are 716 00:38:58,200 --> 00:39:00,760 Speaker 1: going to focus on because it doesn't concern them directly. 717 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:03,359 Speaker 1: I do think if they were to expand it and 718 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:07,120 Speaker 1: talk about ways to have ethics reform or something along 719 00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:10,520 Speaker 1: those lines that crossed you know, crossed both parties, it 720 00:39:10,600 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 1: might have more interest. But still it's not a kitchen 721 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: table issue that people are going to vote on in 722 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:17,799 Speaker 1: the next election. John, I learned to get your perspective 723 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:20,960 Speaker 1: on this too. I mean, if you see the Judiciary 724 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:23,880 Speaker 1: Committee as well, some of these other committees like Oversight 725 00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:27,600 Speaker 1: really focus on these topics that could be directly related 726 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,839 Speaker 1: to Biden and detrimental to him. Could that have an 727 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:36,239 Speaker 1: impact on Biden should he decide to run in Well, 728 00:39:36,239 --> 00:39:38,399 Speaker 1: it could but you know, frankly, I'm skeptical. I think 729 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:41,880 Speaker 1: you know, as your your question pointed out accurately, is 730 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,120 Speaker 1: that these are not from burner issues but people are 731 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:46,640 Speaker 1: focused on right now. Is inflation, the cost of food, 732 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:49,400 Speaker 1: the cost of gas. I think I think the energy 733 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:51,839 Speaker 1: policy is is a much more potent issue to talk 734 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,319 Speaker 1: about where the GUP I think has a has a 735 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 1: comparative advantage in terms of actual solutions and policy. The 736 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:01,759 Speaker 1: issue of the delement we touched on before. Uh, those 737 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:03,359 Speaker 1: are the issues that I think are going to drive 738 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:07,160 Speaker 1: people into the Republican camp. In border security as well, 739 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that the border in immigration is 740 00:40:10,280 --> 00:40:13,319 Speaker 1: an open wound in American politics, and I think it's 741 00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:16,400 Speaker 1: a fasting wound. And I think the sooner people of 742 00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:18,960 Speaker 1: people have good things on both sides coming together and 743 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:22,279 Speaker 1: realize we've got to have a coherent immigration policy, I 744 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:25,720 Speaker 1: think that'll be a tremendously helpful thing for our country 745 00:40:25,719 --> 00:40:28,239 Speaker 1: long term. And Johnny did want to ask you more 746 00:40:28,400 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 1: about immigration, because you're right, that is an issue that 747 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:33,920 Speaker 1: a lot of Americans tend to care about. UM. Certainly 748 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,440 Speaker 1: plenty of folks who do feel like they are directly 749 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 1: impacted by it. I mean, when it comes to addressing 750 00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:42,239 Speaker 1: some of these issues that we've seen both at the 751 00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 1: border as well as with just the process to legally 752 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: immigrate to the United States, is that something that you know, 753 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,839 Speaker 1: getting rid of Alejandro Americas is going to fix or 754 00:40:52,920 --> 00:40:55,960 Speaker 1: is this something that's going to actually require sort of 755 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,319 Speaker 1: a deeper dive into the nuts and bolts of our 756 00:40:58,320 --> 00:41:03,520 Speaker 1: immigration system. Well, look, I'm frankly pretty sympathetic to Jim 757 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:05,799 Speaker 1: Jordan's concerns with my artist. I think I think he's 758 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,880 Speaker 1: not He's not the finest the government official we have, 759 00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:12,359 Speaker 1: So I do think I do think changing personnel can 760 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:14,200 Speaker 1: have a big impact on policy. You know, the old 761 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:16,520 Speaker 1: the old state of the personnelist policy is there's a 762 00:41:16,520 --> 00:41:19,040 Speaker 1: lot of truth in that. But but there are deeper 763 00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 1: systemic issues happening within immigration and and and they've been 764 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:25,319 Speaker 1: in place for a long time where look by you know, 765 00:41:25,400 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 1: by former Boss Coburn, you know, strong on border security, 766 00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:31,480 Speaker 1: but he was in the Senate during a lot of 767 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:33,759 Speaker 1: the so called gangs that were coming together trying to 768 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 1: come up with an immigration reform plan that was extremely 769 00:41:37,760 --> 00:41:41,399 Speaker 1: uh difficult to do. Uh And in fact, the mishandling 770 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,600 Speaker 1: of immigration by the Bush administration is one reason why 771 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:47,640 Speaker 1: we saw the rise of Trump with the GOP. So 772 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:50,719 Speaker 1: I think Reagan had it right when we talked about 773 00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:53,000 Speaker 1: the shining city on a hill and that that the 774 00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:56,120 Speaker 1: city had walls, but it had doors that were opened 775 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:58,320 Speaker 1: with people with the will and heart to come here legally, 776 00:41:58,560 --> 00:42:01,120 Speaker 1: and and that is it's not it's not rocket science, 777 00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:04,680 Speaker 1: and strike that balance between law and order and compassion 778 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:07,520 Speaker 1: and being a recognizing that we're a nation of immigrants. 779 00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:11,200 Speaker 1: But those voices have to be more servants in the debate. 780 00:42:11,760 --> 00:42:16,400 Speaker 1: But Democrats, there are too many Democrats that capitalize on 781 00:42:16,440 --> 00:42:19,799 Speaker 1: the politics of division within immigration, and they could do 782 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:23,280 Speaker 1: a lot to reach across the aisle and empower people 783 00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:27,080 Speaker 1: who yes, prioritize border security, but also understand that we 784 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:31,400 Speaker 1: have to have a legal system that gives us addresses 785 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:33,799 Speaker 1: the labor shortages we have all over the all over 786 00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:38,880 Speaker 1: the economy, particularly in agriculture, where there's there's a very nuanced, 787 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:41,400 Speaker 1: complicated debate within the GOP about how do we make 788 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:45,000 Speaker 1: sure we need labor shortages and lower food prices, by 789 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:48,080 Speaker 1: the way, by having enough people working in those sectors 790 00:42:48,680 --> 00:42:52,200 Speaker 1: to benefit the entire economy, and and those are solutions 791 00:42:52,239 --> 00:42:54,960 Speaker 1: that are out there, but it requires people to have 792 00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:57,880 Speaker 1: the political courage to stick their neck out and tackle 793 00:42:57,920 --> 00:43:01,000 Speaker 1: those issues. Ten tens, like it's one through ten. How 794 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:03,799 Speaker 1: likely is it we're going to see any immigration legislation 795 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:09,520 Speaker 1: this Congress? Zero? Well there, I mean, it would just 796 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:13,120 Speaker 1: be very similar unfortunately to some of the other congresses 797 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:16,120 Speaker 1: that we've seen. Well, when we come back, we're going 798 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:19,040 Speaker 1: to be discussing the nuances of the balloons. This is Bloomberg. 799 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:22,960 Speaker 1: This is Emily Wilkins in today for Joe Matthew. Oh. Bloomberg. 800 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:26,239 Speaker 1: Sound On is brought to you by Innovation Refunds. This 801 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:29,160 Speaker 1: is your daily reminder from Innovation Refunds to see if 802 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:32,400 Speaker 1: you're small to medium sized business qualifies for a payroll 803 00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:36,000 Speaker 1: tax refund if your business was impacted by the pandemic. 804 00:43:36,280 --> 00:43:39,800 Speaker 1: This is your opportunity to take control of your businesses future. 805 00:43:40,360 --> 00:43:46,040 Speaker 1: Learn more at get Refunds dot calm. Well, we are 806 00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:50,840 Speaker 1: poised to learn more eventually about what the three objects 807 00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:55,560 Speaker 1: in US and Canada airspace over the weekend were. But 808 00:43:55,880 --> 00:43:59,839 Speaker 1: while they are being called objects, while we have limited information, 809 00:44:00,719 --> 00:44:04,239 Speaker 1: perhaps it was at least somewhat inevitable that someone would 810 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:08,920 Speaker 1: start asking about aliens, a White House Press Secretary Karine 811 00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:12,120 Speaker 1: Jean Pierre had to feel the question about that today. 812 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:15,480 Speaker 1: I know there have been questions and concerns about this, 813 00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:19,360 Speaker 1: but there is no again, no indication of aliens or 814 00:44:19,480 --> 00:44:24,480 Speaker 1: extra terrestrial activity with these recent takedowns. Again, there is 815 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:28,880 Speaker 1: no indication of aliens or terrestrial activity with these recent takedowns. 816 00:44:29,080 --> 00:44:31,440 Speaker 1: Wanted to make sure that the American people knew that. 817 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:34,040 Speaker 1: All of you knew that, and it was important for 818 00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:36,040 Speaker 1: us to say that from here because we've been hearing 819 00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:38,880 Speaker 1: a lot about it. You think that would be the 820 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:41,760 Speaker 1: end of it, but no, you'd be wrong. A reporter 821 00:44:41,960 --> 00:44:47,000 Speaker 1: then asked National Security Council John Kirby about it. The 822 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:51,239 Speaker 1: top officials of the Pentagon, when asked explicitly if they 823 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:54,920 Speaker 1: were ruling out any kind of extra restural presence, said 824 00:44:54,920 --> 00:44:56,960 Speaker 1: they weren't ruling anything out. And yet, at the beginning 825 00:44:56,960 --> 00:45:00,839 Speaker 1: of today's briefing, albeit with her usual winning smile, um 826 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:04,480 Speaker 1: Miss Jean Pierre seemed to rule out any extra restrial activity. 827 00:45:04,520 --> 00:45:06,520 Speaker 1: I don't think the American people need to worry about 828 00:45:06,680 --> 00:45:09,920 Speaker 1: aliens with respect of these craft period. I don't think 829 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:13,439 Speaker 1: there's any more that needs to be said there not 830 00:45:13,600 --> 00:45:17,839 Speaker 1: ruling anything out. Also, we don't need to worry, which, look, 831 00:45:17,880 --> 00:45:21,000 Speaker 1: I'm just saying I've seen the movies with the alien invasions. 832 00:45:21,040 --> 00:45:24,160 Speaker 1: It always seems to begin with someone official telling you 833 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:30,240 Speaker 1: that you don't need to worry. Uh. Bloomberg Politics contributor Genichienzano, 834 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:34,920 Speaker 1: as well as John Hart, co founder of C three Solutions. Uh, Genie, 835 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:36,960 Speaker 1: how how worried are you at this point about an 836 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:40,480 Speaker 1: alien invasion? I'm trying not to be worried. Emily, I 837 00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:43,600 Speaker 1: have to give your fellow reporters, the one who shouted 838 00:45:43,640 --> 00:45:45,600 Speaker 1: from the back of the room the truth is out 839 00:45:45,600 --> 00:45:48,920 Speaker 1: there corene props for being very, very funny and a 840 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:51,799 Speaker 1: good reference there to eat. But you know, part of 841 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:54,440 Speaker 1: this is because they say things like I don't think 842 00:45:54,600 --> 00:45:57,280 Speaker 1: you need to be worried. John Kirby say we don't 843 00:45:57,320 --> 00:45:59,200 Speaker 1: need to be worried. Don't say you don't think we 844 00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:01,560 Speaker 1: need to be worried. That's what I would like to hear. 845 00:46:02,920 --> 00:46:05,040 Speaker 1: I mean, John, how do you do you think that 846 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:08,120 Speaker 1: this kind of just funnels into the idea that because 847 00:46:08,239 --> 00:46:11,440 Speaker 1: the Biden administration hasn't told us very much yet, that 848 00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:13,720 Speaker 1: we are now in a position that we are talking 849 00:46:13,719 --> 00:46:17,520 Speaker 1: about aliens. Yeah, look, I'm terrified and I've got to 850 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:22,880 Speaker 1: con set. No. You know, what's one thing that's funny 851 00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:26,640 Speaker 1: about this is we're we're far more likely to find quote, 852 00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:29,719 Speaker 1: the truth about extraterrestrial life through the James Web Space 853 00:46:29,800 --> 00:46:33,879 Speaker 1: Telescope then we are through this balloon incident. So we're 854 00:46:33,920 --> 00:46:38,399 Speaker 1: we're gonna be able to look at the visual signatures 855 00:46:38,440 --> 00:46:41,560 Speaker 1: of exoplanets and and have a good gases to their 856 00:46:41,640 --> 00:46:45,160 Speaker 1: chemical composition. That's going to give us far more insight 857 00:46:45,239 --> 00:46:49,000 Speaker 1: into whether there's life outside our Solar system than what 858 00:46:49,080 --> 00:46:50,799 Speaker 1: we're happening, what we're seeing right now with these with 859 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:52,920 Speaker 1: these balloon incidents. You know, I'm not I'm not particularly 860 00:46:52,960 --> 00:46:55,480 Speaker 1: worried about it. So so you want to believe you 861 00:46:55,560 --> 00:46:59,080 Speaker 1: just don't think. I don't think it's I don't think. 862 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:02,000 Speaker 1: I don't think we're gonna learn anything based on based 863 00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:05,880 Speaker 1: on these briefings that are gonna come. They are out there, maybe, 864 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:08,720 Speaker 1: but at least they were not. They were not here busy. 865 00:47:08,760 --> 00:47:10,880 Speaker 1: They didn't they didn't come for the Super Bowl, which 866 00:47:10,920 --> 00:47:13,000 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. I don't know if you 867 00:47:13,000 --> 00:47:17,680 Speaker 1: guys are are eagles are chief stands, but uh definitely. Yeah, 868 00:47:17,719 --> 00:47:19,720 Speaker 1: it was a bit of a heartbreaker for the Eagles 869 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:23,480 Speaker 1: out there. Um. Maybe maybe they'll come back for for 870 00:47:23,480 --> 00:47:27,799 Speaker 1: for more intense Super Bowl. Um. And I guess of first. 871 00:47:27,840 --> 00:47:30,520 Speaker 1: The other thing here is that you know, is part 872 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:31,880 Speaker 1: of what we're seeing right now. And I know we 873 00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:33,920 Speaker 1: only have a few seconds left, but it's part of 874 00:47:33,920 --> 00:47:37,080 Speaker 1: what we're seeing, Genie, just because we're on such high 875 00:47:37,120 --> 00:47:40,600 Speaker 1: alert right now that everything seems to be suspicious. Yes, 876 00:47:40,640 --> 00:47:42,520 Speaker 1: and I want to ask John if the web telescope 877 00:47:42,520 --> 00:47:44,080 Speaker 1: can tell us that, why can't they tell us what 878 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:48,759 Speaker 1: these three objects are? Emily please, Oh my gosh. Well, 879 00:47:48,840 --> 00:47:51,400 Speaker 1: Jennie CHANZYO, John Hart, thank you guys so much for 880 00:47:51,440 --> 00:47:53,960 Speaker 1: being with us, as well as Congressman Dusty Johnson and 881 00:47:54,040 --> 00:47:57,239 Speaker 1: Jim Jordan's. I'm Emily Wilkins. And for Joe Matthew, this 882 00:47:57,280 --> 00:47:59,200 Speaker 1: is sound On and this is Bloomberg.