1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: Can'f I am six forty. You're listening to the John 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: Coblt podcast on the iHeartRadio app. 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 2: Is the John Coblt Show. 4 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 3: John has the day off, Mark Thompson sitting into for 5 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 3: a few hours. 6 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 2: It's been a wild night. 7 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 3: I know that they kept talking about this storm as 8 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:21,440 Speaker 3: a mild storm week storm, but if you were out 9 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 3: traveling last night, it was anything but I mean what 10 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 3: it was. And I understand why they say it was weak, 11 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 3: because there wasn't any real heavy precipitation. It was generally lighter, 12 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 3: but it was unrelenting. I mean it just continued. And 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 3: I drove back from Pasadena last night co It's about 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: about eleven o'clock. There were massive pools of water everywhere, 15 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,239 Speaker 3: all over the freeways, surface streets. I mean it was. 16 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 3: There were a bunch of cars pulled over to the 17 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 3: side of the road. It was very serious. The car 18 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 3: I was driving is into an electric car, you know, 19 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 3: so they have this regenerative braking thing, and I guess 20 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 3: when the brakes get wet, it doesn't regenerate anymore. So 21 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 3: it tells you that constantly, Like if that was supposed 22 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 3: to be the most important thing that I was thinking 23 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 3: about at that moment, I was going to constantly be 24 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 3: reminded that we're not regenerating. The brakes are not regenerating, right, Like, 25 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 3: it's like, guys, I got it. You don't have to 26 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:31,399 Speaker 3: send off like a The dashboard lit up as though 27 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 3: it was the Space Shuttle or something, and then it 28 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 3: told me, by the way, also your ABS system, you know, 29 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 3: the other breaking system is effected. So that's how much 30 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 3: water was in the breaks. It was constantly bonging and binging, 31 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 3: and then the lights are going off constantly. I mentioned 32 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 3: this because in morning weather reports they were kind of 33 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 3: talking about it like it was a weak storm. And 34 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 3: meanwhile I was white knuckling back from Pasadena all the 35 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 3: way back over to Studio City, which shouldn't be a 36 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 3: particularly you know, tough route, but as I say, there 37 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 3: were major bits of pooling across the freeways. So as 38 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 3: we dry out a bit, they're already looking to next 39 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 3: week for perhaps a more potent storm. 40 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: Right. 41 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 4: We have another major story today, which is the weather, 42 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 4: and that of course has an effect on the burnscar areas. 43 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 5: Yeah, and you know, we're seeing some decent amounts that 44 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 5: have pushed through, especially with the second wave a little 45 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 5: bit more, and so obviously there's some concern there. 46 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 3: And by the way, it's clearly the burnscare areas that 47 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 3: are the primary concern. But I'm just saying, even if 48 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 3: you're trying to get from here to there, the weather 49 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 3: has changed markedly and it may be a tougher ride. 50 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 5: Overall, these were two at least as far as you 51 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,919 Speaker 5: know storms are concerned. You know, they're kind of mild, 52 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 5: almost weak storms, and thank goodness for that. We also 53 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 5: heard Mayor Maass talking about the weather looking ahead towards 54 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 5: the future, hoping there's not an abundance of rain. Certainly 55 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 5: we hope that is the case. But I have been 56 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 5: saying this and I will continue to say it. We 57 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 5: have rain next week. Been talking about this storm since 58 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 5: last week, saying, hey, look we're going to have a 59 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 5: storm on Valentine's Day or at least close to it, 60 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 5: and you can see the rain developing. I think the 61 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 5: rain coming up the end of next week. We're going 62 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 5: to look at higher numbers and what's being reported right now, 63 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 5: and the reason for that is we look at computer models. 64 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 5: But there are some things in there that suggest that 65 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 5: I think we're going to see an inch to two 66 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 5: inches of rain possible. 67 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 3: So wow, that will produce issues. You will see ground 68 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 3: movement with that kind of rain. 69 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 5: This is not to cause alarm. This is just to 70 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 5: give you an idea that this weekend a big weekend. 71 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 5: I know for many reasons. For many people, They'll be sunshine, 72 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 5: they'll be dry conditions, yes, a little cool, but I 73 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 5: would anticipate that next week we're going to be talking 74 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 5: about some pretty decent storms moving through, and that of 75 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 5: course would pose a major threat. 76 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 2: To those burn areas. 77 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 5: Don't want to alarm, just want to keep you updated. 78 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: This is the guy who I'd like to get bad 79 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: news from. 80 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: Oh I don't know who this guy is, but like 81 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 3: he just sort of takes this long, circuitous way up 82 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 3: to telling me that I'm going to wash away next 83 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: to it. 84 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 5: And that of course would pose a major threat to 85 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 5: those burn areas. Don't want alarm, just want to keep 86 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 5: you updated. I do think the numbers for next week 87 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 5: storms will be pumped up a little bit. I think 88 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 5: they're a little undervalued. I think we're looking at some 89 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 5: decent rain, some snow. You may have noticed the Mountain forecast. 90 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 2: He said. 91 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 3: I don't want to alarm, like four times, which absolutely 92 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 3: means I'm here to alarm colder temperatures. 93 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 5: This will be more of a classic cold winter storm 94 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 5: for next week, Ginger, which means snow for the mountains 95 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 5: and some pretty good runoff with some rain coming into 96 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 5: the forecast. 97 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 3: So obviously the key here is the movement that will 98 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 3: likely follow terrain will move when a significant storm comes 99 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 3: into the area, which is likely next week. I mean 100 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: two to four inches in the foothill areas that is Altadena, 101 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: And when you look at across the region one to 102 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 3: two inches of rain and varying amounts that like sort 103 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 3: of at minimum and inch of rain, there really might 104 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: be some problems in those burnscarred areas. And so we 105 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 3: watch with anticipation and with I think preparation, you know, 106 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 3: as that stuff happens. By the way, speaking of the 107 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 3: fires and speaking of the burn areas, there's some pretty 108 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 3: big news when it comes to so Cal Edison's report 109 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 3: on their own equipment having been behind the Eaten fires 110 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 3: and the Hearst fires. 111 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 2: I mean it's a. 112 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 3: Well, I'll say it's something that we talked about and 113 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,280 Speaker 3: something we pointed to, I mean even in the hours 114 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 3: following it, you know, with so much surveillance video, so 115 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 3: much evidence. It was clear that so Cal Edison was 116 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 3: going to to likely bear some responsibility. They've been hit 117 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 3: with multiple lawsuits, right and those lawsuits came, as they 118 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 3: say right away, their equipment being behind the start of 119 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 3: the eaton fired Alta Dina and then the Hearst fire 120 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 3: in Silmar. That looks to be something that now there 121 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 3: is a true cause of relationship being pointed to. I 122 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 3: have more details on that and what will happen in 123 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 3: terms of these lawsuits. Also what's happening in terms of 124 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 3: insurance rates that are getting approval, jacking up our rates 125 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 3: even as they're falling out of the state of California. 126 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 3: We'll get to that a month after the LA fires. 127 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 3: A lot of questions still linger, all that still to come. 128 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 3: It's the coll belt Joe Mark Thompson sitting in for John. 129 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:01,359 Speaker 3: Yes we will get to Washington. Yes, we'll get to 130 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 3: musk Yes we'll get to Doge. All of that as 131 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 3: we continue. We're KFI AM six forty live everywhere in 132 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 3: the iHeartRadio app. 133 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 6: You're listening to John Cobelt on demand from KFI AM. 134 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: Sixty Dayline NBC. It's a juggernaut. 135 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 3: You know, when they put out the podcast for Dateline NBC, 136 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 3: the true crime, you know, murder oriented show, it goes 137 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 3: right to number one every new epithet, I mean, the 138 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 3: most listened to podcasts in the country, Deborah. 139 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: I'm sure you you love your date Line. I do. 140 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: I watch it on the weekend. 141 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: Yes, and it is watchable in like five different places. 142 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 3: There is a new episode tonight, and in a moment, 143 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 3: Josh Mankowitz thirty years he's been at Dateline NBC, will 144 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 3: join us. 145 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: But here's the episode for tonight from Paul. 146 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 4: Came in around two thirty am. The man never gave 147 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 4: his name. He had only one desperate plea. 148 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 7: I realized I had missed calls. 149 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 8: It was San Francisco General Hospital. 150 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 4: People may have thought they knew what happened, Well, this 151 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 4: was no ordinary crime. 152 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 2: I think murder is always the last thing you expect, and. 153 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 4: That man on the ground was no ordinary victim. Police 154 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 4: were about to learn what the tech world already knew. 155 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 4: Bob Lee was a big deal. 156 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 2: He was building some of the best tools on the planet. 157 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 7: He loved the opportunity to make the world a better place. 158 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 4: So what brought him to that lonely block on the 159 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 4: streets of San Francisco. 160 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 3: Wow, tonight it all happens. The yarn is told by 161 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 3: this guy, josh Mankowitch. Welcome to KFI. Yeah, so this 162 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 3: was a celebrated case because, as I recall, it was 163 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 3: wrapped down into sort of the image of San Francisco 164 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 3: as this decaying city where people are getting you know, 165 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 3: killed on the street. 166 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 2: And it fits the narrative. 167 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 7: Yeah, yeah, I mean it's said a very popular narrative, 168 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 7: which is that San Francisco has deteriorated and you know, 169 00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:17,840 Speaker 7: not even the not even the big names in tech 170 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 7: are safe. Anybody can be killed on the street at 171 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 7: any moment. Of course, Uh, that turned out to be 172 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 7: absolutely nothing to do with the case. It had nothing 173 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 7: to do with that, But that was a that was 174 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 7: the thing that a lot of people, Elon Musk included, 175 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 7: sort of jumped on, and many people assumed that they 176 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 7: knew what happened, and it turned out, of course, that 177 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 7: wasn't what happened at all. Now, police, San Francisco police 178 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 7: knew from the get go that this almost certainly was 179 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 7: not a robbery. This guy had his wallet, his very 180 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 7: expensive watch, and it's phone on him when they found him, 181 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 7: and he was almost dead when they found him, stabbed 182 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 7: underneath the Bay Bridge in downtown San Francisco. But you know, 183 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 7: police sort of let that robbery story sit out there 184 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 7: for a while while they looked at the people who 185 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 7: were who were ultimately responsible for this, and nine days 186 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 7: later they made an the rest, and last month there 187 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:12,679 Speaker 7: was a conviction. 188 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 3: It's interesting that they did let it sit out there. 189 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 3: That was a strategic move on the part of the cops. 190 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 7: You're saying, I think they wanted to lull the actual 191 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 7: suspect into a feeling that the cops were going off 192 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 7: in the wrong direction. 193 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 2: Interesting, And so, I mean, I don't. 194 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 7: Think they put that out there, but I think they 195 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 7: I think they I think they thought to themselves. I 196 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,839 Speaker 7: know they thought to themselves, great, let's let everybody believe this. 197 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 7: It's fine. 198 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 3: I mean, it's so clear, as you suggest here that 199 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 3: if he still had his expensive watch and his wallet, 200 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 3: et cetera, that it wasn't a robbery. But the fact 201 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 3: is that narrative did carry the day. So how long 202 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 3: from start to finish did cops take to actually get 203 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 3: the perpetrator they made They made. 204 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 7: An arrest nine days later, and the trial was in 205 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 7: late twenty twenty four. And the Centain thing is coming 206 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 7: up pretty quickly now. 207 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 2: So tonight is the episode nine o'clock? Is it? 208 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 7: Tonight is the episode nine o'clock nine o'clock West Coast time, 209 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 7: also nine o'clock East Coast time called Under the Bay 210 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 7: Bridge on Dayline. 211 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 3: No, you have, literally, I think in the last week 212 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 3: celebrated thirty years at Dayline NBC. 213 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 2: Is that right now? 214 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 7: I know I have. I started in nineteen ninety five, 215 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 7: it was earlier this week, and it was not I 216 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 7: will say it did go by very quickly. 217 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 2: It was not a true crime show when you started. 218 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 7: No, No, not at all. We were sort of the 219 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 7: faster moving sixty minutes. When we started. We were doing 220 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 7: five or six stories within an hour. They were not 221 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 7: related to one another, and they were all over the map. 222 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 7: I mean, I did celebrity profiles, I did investigative stories, 223 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 7: I did tech stories, I did stories about I did 224 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 7: a story of an this school of thought that you should 225 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 7: give your kids ice cream in the morning because it's 226 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 7: got as much it's got as many calories at eight 227 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 7: am as it does at eight pm, but don't burn 228 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 7: it off. All day long, which was at the times 229 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 7: very controversial. We did all kinds of stories, and then 230 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 7: after I'd been there about ten years, like Times two 231 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 7: thousand and six, we started making the turn to true crime, which, 232 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:26,839 Speaker 7: as you know, because you and I have known each 233 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 7: other forever, was something that always interested in me anyway, 234 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 7: and it worked out. It's been a fun ride. 235 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 3: And just to double back for a second, they made 236 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 3: that transition from the magazine show that you've described to 237 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 3: true crime because why lastic the. 238 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 7: Audience was getting bored with the traditional magazine show. And 239 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 7: I also think I think our boss at the time, 240 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 7: a guy named David Corbo, figured out that nobody was 241 00:12:55,720 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 7: covering that part of American life that you know. And 242 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 7: this is still largely true. I mean, maybe not crimes 243 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 7: like Bob Lee, which are the murder of Bob Lee, 244 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 7: which is a very well known crime, but the most 245 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 7: of the stuff we cover on Dateline, those are people 246 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 7: you've never heard of, in a lot of cases in 247 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:17,199 Speaker 7: towns you've never heard of. And what we say to 248 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 7: people to try to get them to come on Dateline 249 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 7: is one hundred percent true, which is this story is 250 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 7: not going to get this kind of treatment. Anywhere else. 251 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,239 Speaker 7: You might get five or six inches in your local newspaper, 252 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 7: you might get forty seconds or a minute on your 253 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 7: local TV news, but you're not going to get what's 254 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 7: essentially a two hour documentary about not just the crime, 255 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 7: but the relationship of killer and victim and the life 256 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 7: that that person led. Before they got adlines, nobody was 257 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 7: doing that, and we started doing that and it took off. 258 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 2: And it's that relationship. 259 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 3: It's that yarn that you've described, the relationships between killer 260 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 3: and victim, etc. And maybe even these small towns that 261 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 3: we don't know. The sort of texture of the story 262 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 3: is added with all of the descriptive elements associated with that. 263 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 2: You think that's what's made it so popular. 264 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 7: Yeah, I do, because you know, most people in their 265 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 7: life will not be the victim of violent crime. Most 266 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 7: people will never experience that, but everybody has been in 267 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 7: a relationship that didn't work out the way you wanted 268 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 7: it to. Dayline is more about relationships than it is 269 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 7: about murders. It's but the choices people make, frequently astonishing 270 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 7: hard to believe, choices like the one to kill somebody 271 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 7: who might be the mother or father of their kids. 272 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 7: Those are the things we do. You know, we don't 273 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 7: do a lot of stories about serial killers. We're not 274 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 7: doing random crimes. We're doing stories in which killer and 275 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 7: victim almost always have a relationship. And that was true 276 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 7: about Bobby and the man to the victim of murdering him. 277 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 7: They had a relationship. 278 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, that story tonight. I can't wait to see because 279 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 3: it is it's all a twisted series of relationships. It's 280 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 3: not just killer and victim, it's also it is. Yeah, 281 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 3: it's a deep dive, so great stuff, Josh, look forward 282 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 3: to it. 283 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 7: Yeah, but you know, next time I come on, I 284 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 7: want to spend some more time talking about that mail 285 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 7: enhancement drugs that you were talking about earlier. Because of 286 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 7: all the stuff I've hever on KFI, including this interview 287 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 7: that actually interested me the most. 288 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 3: Well you look, look, those people wanted to get the 289 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 3: word out, so they bought time on the station, and 290 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 3: I say bravo to them all right now too. 291 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 7: Yeah, if you can hook me up with them, then 292 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 7: this friendship will finally have delivered something. 293 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 3: Worthwhile I had no idea. I will look into it. 294 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 3: Josh mccowitz, dateline nine o'clock to I. Congratulations on thirty years, sir, 295 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 3: good stuff, Thanks Bud, Thank you. When we come back, 296 00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 3: so Cal Edison saying that its equipment may have caused 297 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 3: the Eaton and Hurst fires. Lawsuits abound, we'll discuss it next. 298 00:15:57,480 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 3: It is the Cobalt Show, Thompson sitting in for Josh 299 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 3: ONFI AM six forty live everywhere in the iHeartRadio app. 300 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 6: You're listening to John Cobels on demand from KFI AM 301 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 6: six forty. 302 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 3: Yes, it's been an active week or three weeks in Washington. 303 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 3: We'll get to a lot of the DC news a 304 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 3: little bit later, but Southern California, we're really trying to 305 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 3: piece together a lot of aspects of what we've been 306 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 3: through with the fires. I mean cause of the fires, 307 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 3: degree to which any of the damage could have been 308 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 3: mitigated with strategies and attackling the fires and ultimately evacuations, 309 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 3: I mean, could that have been done better? All of 310 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 3: the alert systems are being looked at, so you know, 311 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 3: this is a truly extensive and multifaceted kind of investigation. 312 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 2: But when it comes to the cause of. 313 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 3: The fire, you're talking about what talking about? Lawsuits? Lots 314 00:16:57,560 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 3: of them and now this word out of SOCO. 315 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 2: We're learning that Southern California. 316 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,440 Speaker 8: Edison says it is its equipment likely sparked the Hurst 317 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 8: wildfire that broke out on January seventh. So this is 318 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 8: all according to a filing with state utility regulators. The 319 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 8: hearst fire for nearly eight hundred acres around the Silmar 320 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 8: neighborhood in La. It did not destroy any structures, will 321 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 8: result in any deaths. Meantime, so Cal Edison is also 322 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 8: investigating whether an idle transmission line in the Eaton fire 323 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,919 Speaker 8: became energized and possibly sparked the devastation. 324 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 5: That happened in Altadena. 325 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 2: Let's take a look at this. 326 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 9: This is footage from a gas station security camera. Attorney 327 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 9: j Edelson alleges this real time video is the strongest 328 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 9: evidence yet showing sparks falling, then ten minutes later the 329 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 9: entire hillside is on fire. 330 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,119 Speaker 3: That was one of the one He's a video that 331 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 3: we saw early on that really did point to so 332 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 3: Cal Edison involvement. There's no question that that video is 333 00:17:57,960 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 3: damning this morning. 334 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 9: So Cal Edison maintains there is no evidence that its 335 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 9: equipment is responsible for starting the Eating fire, which burned 336 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 9: fourteen thousand acres. 337 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 8: Of course, as that investigation continues, will keep you posted 338 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 8: on any updates there. 339 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, and there's no wonder that they are pushing back 340 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 3: on it because that is an insane liability. I mean, 341 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 3: we don't need to discuss further what happened to Altadena 342 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 3: and those communities around that area devastated. So when you 343 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 3: talk about a fire torching fourteen thousand acres, you're talking 344 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 3: about a responsibility legally that will be excruciating crippling, right, So, 345 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 3: so cal Edison is pushing back on that, but it 346 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 3: does appear and look, there are major investigations going on. 347 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 3: FEDS are here atf IS here and these guys are, 348 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 3: you know, top of the game when it comes to 349 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 3: investigations around fires and the cause and so the Eaton fire, 350 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 3: they will make a decision and a determination as to 351 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 3: how that fire started. But they've been hit with multiple lawsuits, 352 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 3: has so cal Edison, and those lawsuits alleged that their 353 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 3: equipment started the Eaton fire, And they say, again, this 354 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 3: is how we got here, that their equipment did likely 355 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 3: start the Hurst fire in Silmour, in Silmar, but in 356 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 3: Silmar there wasn't the damage that you found in Altadena. 357 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 3: So their equipment very much a part of this investigation. 358 00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 3: But as I say, it's not just how the fire starts, 359 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 3: it's what happened once the fire began. And it's not 360 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 3: just those fires, right, the Palisades fire with this bizarre 361 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 3: origin story of the fire breaking out on that hiking trail, 362 00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:00,600 Speaker 3: and it was likely embers that were left over from 363 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 3: a New Year's Eve celebration and fireworks display that was 364 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 3: just kind of a one off that had been done 365 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 3: by a bunch of people celebrating or hanging out. And 366 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 3: even though those fires and that small fire on that 367 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:21,439 Speaker 3: hiking trail was put out, those embers lived on and 368 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 3: on January seventh, they were re animated by the winds 369 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 3: and spread into the Palisades in Malibu. So again you've 370 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 3: got ATF on the scene, and they're going to determine 371 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 3: without question, I would think there'll be some sort of 372 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 3: essentially determinative decision that they'll make as to, you know, 373 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:48,359 Speaker 3: what their investigation yields. But these fires and their cause 374 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 3: is just part of it all. I mean, fire preparations. 375 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:56,120 Speaker 3: Could there have been more done to you know, forego 376 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 3: all of this damage. Could you have strategically placed manpower 377 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 3: sets around the area. I think that's a tough argument 378 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,959 Speaker 3: to make, and I think that there were failings. Without question, 379 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 3: there were failings. I mean, I've told you before, I 380 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:17,199 Speaker 3: don't see the mayor surviving it. Mayor bass out of 381 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 3: the country during this whole thing that was anticipated, talked 382 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 3: about record winds were coming into an area that was 383 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 3: tender dry, and she's not around. I just don't see 384 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 3: her surviving that. I mean, I get why she's not resigning. 385 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 3: I mean from a political standpoint, I understand what she's 386 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 3: trying to do now right the ship, but I just 387 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 3: think it's reputationally too harmful. But in any case, I 388 00:21:44,119 --> 00:21:48,439 Speaker 3: don't know, having said that, that you could have with 389 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 3: any sort of certainty, anticipated where the fire was going. 390 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 2: To break out. 391 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 3: I was having dinner last night in Pasadena. We're talking 392 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 3: about these people with people who evacuated from the Altade fires, 393 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 3: and they were saying the same thing, say, gosh, you know, 394 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 3: we are just a general anxiety when the Santa Ana 395 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 3: wins start. We don't know where those embers are going 396 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 3: to blow and where there will be a fire breaking out, 397 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:17,439 Speaker 3: and neither do firefighters. They did have on some level 398 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 3: assets ready, but they had no way to beat back 399 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 3: flames being driven by eighty mile an hour winds. I mean, 400 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 3: should there be local water infrastructure? Should there be you know, 401 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 3: storage tanks that should be expanded. I mean, these are 402 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 3: questions that are being asked. I mean to what extent 403 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 3: should additional assets be brought in, additional manpower. These are 404 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 3: all questions that are not just local. I mean, this 405 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 3: isn't just LA. These are being asked statewide. It's a 406 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 3: statewide issue. I mean, Northern California has had their own 407 00:22:54,800 --> 00:23:00,359 Speaker 3: degree of pain through Sonoma, through Paradise. So this is 408 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:05,159 Speaker 3: a contemporary consideration for all Californians. And this is a 409 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 3: horrible way to have to come to grips with it 410 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,919 Speaker 3: what we've just been through. But these investigations continue, and 411 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 3: then these lawsuits continue. When we come back a federal 412 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 3: judge halting Trump's buyout program, there are legal challenges to 413 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 3: the Fed buyout program where they're saying, hey, we're cutting 414 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 3: back on government, but good news for you, eight months 415 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 3: of pay and you don't even have to come into 416 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 3: the office anymore. A judge says, not so fast. We'll 417 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 3: get to that next John Cobelt Show, Mark Thompson sitting in. 418 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 3: I'm KFI AM six forty. We're live everywhere on the 419 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 3: iHeartRadio app. 420 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:51,600 Speaker 6: You're listening to John cobelts on demand from KFI AM sixty. 421 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 3: Is the John cobelt Show. Mark Thompson sitting in. And 422 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 3: there is stuff going on in Washington, d C. I mean, 423 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 3: this is an extraordinary thing in virtually every agency of government. 424 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 3: But let's just talk about one thing that's happening, and 425 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 3: that is the buyout. Now, the way government works, as 426 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 3: you know, is associated with an appropriation. Congress appropriates money 427 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 3: for something and then the money is spent. So much 428 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:30,119 Speaker 3: as we'd like to just come in and declare something like, 429 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 3: in this case, a buyout offer if you're trying to 430 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 3: trim government. Let's leave aside the whether it's smart to 431 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 3: trim government, whether it's you know, ham fisted to go 432 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 3: in so hot and just like offer everybody a buyout, like, 433 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 3: you know, not to even figure out, well, does this 434 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 3: agency require more of a trimming than that agency. Let's 435 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 3: just leave that all aside now, it's just about the 436 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 3: reality of the buyout. What struck me when I saw 437 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 3: the buyout was, wait a minute, where does that money 438 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 3: come from? Again, there's an appropriations process that is stipulated constitutionally, 439 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:19,639 Speaker 3: so you need Congress to appropriate money. So be that 440 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:21,679 Speaker 3: as it may. I mean, these guys totally have their 441 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 3: own thing. When I say these guys, it's really you 442 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:28,199 Speaker 3: know Musk and his view of government alongside those that 443 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 3: you know share, giving him sort of free reign. So 444 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 3: this is a very draconian proposal, we get it. But 445 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 3: the thing that's happened now is a people have taken 446 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 3: that buyout. In fact, not an incidental number. It looks 447 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 3: like sixty five thousand government workers have now taken that buyout. 448 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:55,400 Speaker 3: That's about three percent of the two million people who 449 00:25:55,400 --> 00:26:00,959 Speaker 3: were given the offer. So they will resign and that 450 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 3: will reduce the bureaucracy, is the argument. Okay, and they'll 451 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 3: be paid out. Now again I'm leaving aside whether that's 452 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 3: smart policy. I just an unclear eyes to whether the 453 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 3: money is there to pay for them. But now there 454 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 3: is a judge halting this buyout completely, which brings an 455 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 3: entirely new element to this that hadn't existed before, which 456 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 3: is the legal element. 457 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 4: Elon Musk, We've got a message for you. 458 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,160 Speaker 2: You will be fired. 459 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 10: Democrats are ramping up their pushback against Elon Musk and 460 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:40,920 Speaker 10: his Department of Government Efficiency. The efforts by DOGE to 461 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:44,880 Speaker 10: downsize government have led to access to multiple sensitive systems 462 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:48,560 Speaker 10: in various government agencies and an attempted purge of civilian 463 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 10: federal workers. More than sixty thousand federal employees had reportedly 464 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 10: taken a deferred resignation offer allowing them to resign with 465 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 10: pay through September. A majority of the more than two 466 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 10: million and civilian federal workers were eligible, and they were 467 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 10: up against a Thursday night deadline to take it or 468 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 10: leave it and possibly face layoffs in the near future. 469 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 10: A judge's order could now temporarily delay that decision. Many 470 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 10: Republicans have cheered on the breakneck speed Doze is working at. 471 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 11: We certainly are always concerned when there's a bull in 472 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,640 Speaker 11: the china shop, and that's certainly something that we're seeing here. 473 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,960 Speaker 11: This is going to be a messy and sloppy and 474 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 11: not pretty, but it's not going to be illegal. 475 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 10: But at least one Senate Republican isn't so sure about 476 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,880 Speaker 10: Musk's power. Main Senator Susan Collins told reporters this week 477 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,640 Speaker 10: that President Trump appears to have empowered Elon Musk far 478 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 10: beyond what I think is appropriate, and that she thought 479 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 10: a lot of what Musk and Doze are doing is 480 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 10: going to end up in court. Musk's team reportedly now 481 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,960 Speaker 10: has access to Medicare and Medicaid records, two areas that 482 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 10: had more than one hundred billion dollars of improper payments 483 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 10: in twenty twenty three, according to the Government Accountability Office. 484 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 10: The White House has defended the Doze work to try 485 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 10: and streamline the government. 486 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 12: We encourage that all workers in this city to accept 487 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 12: the very generous offer. If they don't want to show 488 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 12: up to the office, if they want to rip the 489 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 12: American people off, then they're welcome to take this buyout 490 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 12: and we'll find highly competent individuals who want to fill 491 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:14,960 Speaker 12: these rules. 492 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,360 Speaker 3: One potential what was the what was that they want 493 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 3: to if they want to rip the American people off? 494 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 2: What was that quote? 495 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:22,120 Speaker 12: If they want to rip the American people off, then 496 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 12: they're welcome to take this buyout, and we'll find highly 497 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 12: competent individuals who want to. 498 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:29,479 Speaker 3: Fill these rus I think the idea is hey, and 499 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 3: this is really the way it has played out. Apparently 500 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 3: in follow up memos, if you don't want to take 501 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,119 Speaker 3: this buyout. You should be aware of the fact that 502 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 3: we're going to be making some big changes to your agency, 503 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:46,360 Speaker 3: including adding AI into many positions, such that you may 504 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 3: not have a job here anyway. So we strongly recommend 505 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 3: you take the buyout. These are the messages being communicated 506 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 3: to staffers. 507 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 13: Now, one potentially huge hurdle for the so called buyouts 508 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 13: is this the government is currently funded through mid March 509 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 13: and workers taking buyouts or being promised money through September, 510 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 13: but that could all hinge on what Congress is willing 511 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 13: to appropriate for the rest of the year. 512 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 3: So that's what I'm talking about. That there's not money there, 513 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 3: So there might be money there, but Congress has to 514 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 3: appropriate the money. 515 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 2: Whis interesting to me. 516 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 3: Also, just speaking of Congress, is it's interesting that Congress 517 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 3: is so willing to surrender their power. Their power all 518 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 3: comes in their ability to appropriate money. I mean, I 519 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 3: understand that the House also is an investigative body, they 520 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 3: have other powers, but my god, the biggest power they 521 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 3: have is the power of appropriations. And that you all 522 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 3: of a sudden go yeah, I think it's a good idea. 523 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 3: This guy comes in no history in Washington, hasn't been 524 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 3: elected by anybody, but he's yeah, he's he's changing things up, 525 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,280 Speaker 3: shaking up the snow globe. It just seems as though 526 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:56,320 Speaker 3: it's a it's a kind of surrendering of power that 527 00:29:56,360 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 3: you don't see in Washington much so. DOGE has estimated 528 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 3: that between five and ten percent of government workers will 529 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 3: take that offer, and they estimate that it'll save one 530 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 3: hundred billion dollars a year. Now, again, there may be 531 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 3: people listening right now will go, yeah, it'll save money, 532 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 3: but the government will collapse. Obviously, there are a lot 533 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 3: of aspects of government that are fat, that are bureaucracy, 534 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:29,360 Speaker 3: that are the administrative state that is needless. But there 535 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 3: are also many parts of government that are critical that 536 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 3: must continue. And there is a slash and burn quality 537 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 3: to the way Musk and the uh, you know, the 538 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 3: youngsters he has with him there between eighteen and twenty six. 539 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:52,320 Speaker 3: I think there is a slash and burn, aggressive quality 540 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:57,959 Speaker 3: that may not really take stock of those distinctions between 541 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 3: those things that are just bureaucratic mess and waste and 542 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 3: those things that are critical. And the other thing about 543 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 3: Musk is that a lot of this is personal. He 544 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 3: is being investigated, as you may be aware, by the 545 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 3: very organizations within government that he's shutting down. So when 546 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 3: you look at his EPA jihad that's associated with finds 547 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 3: that he's received from the EPA for the rocket launches. 548 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 3: The FAA they find him and began an investigation as 549 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 3: a result of him having rocket launches that went bad 550 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,920 Speaker 3: and they had to re plot a bunch of aviation 551 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 3: traffic because the rocket launches went bad. So he did 552 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 3: what he got rid of the head of the FAA 553 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 3: and he wiped away that whole incident with his rocket 554 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 3: launch and then finally USAID he's closing that down. He's 555 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:01,080 Speaker 3: reduced the workforce to three percent. I think because it 556 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:07,479 Speaker 3: suggested that USAID was investigating him for Starlink and the 557 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 3: fact that he shut down starlink at the behest of 558 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 3: the Russians during the Ukraine Russia conflict, the Ukrainians were 559 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 3: using starlink and musk shut it down. Again, this is 560 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 3: all out there. There are a lot of different interpretations 561 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 3: as to what's happening, but it is definitely a wild 562 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 3: time in Washington, and might there be a cleanup on 563 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 3: Aisle five because of the mess that's made. Yeah, both 564 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 3: legally and governmentally, but we'll see how it all shakes out. 565 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 3: There was a huge back and forth with Democrats trying 566 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 3: to get into the Department of Education. We may get 567 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 3: to that a little bit later in the show, but 568 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 3: that's a snapshot of what's happening with the Musk buyout 569 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 3: and beyond. John Cobalt Show, Mark Thompson sitting in on 570 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 3: KFI AM six forty. We're live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. 571 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,240 Speaker 1: Hey, you've been listening to the John Cobalt Show podcast. 572 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 1: You can always hear the show live on KFI AM 573 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:11,800 Speaker 1: six forty from one to four pm every Monday through Friday, 574 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 1: and of course anytime on demand on the iHeartRadio app.