1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:01,600 Speaker 1: Welcome. 2 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:04,440 Speaker 2: It is Verdict with Ted Cruz, the week in Review, 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 2: Ben Ferguson with you, and here are some big stories 4 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 2: that you may have missed that we talked about. First up, 5 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 2: the killing of Christians in Nigeria is happening at a 6 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 2: shocking rate. The media and the world not talking about it. 7 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 2: We're going to shine a light on it and make 8 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 2: sure that you know what you can do to help. Also, 9 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: there is a crackdown on Christians in China. Why is 10 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 2: this happening around the world. We'll give you the details 11 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 2: on that and how we can also use our US 12 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: government to help stop it. And finally, we now know 13 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: what the Biden administration was doing when it comes as 14 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 2: spying on conservatives, including even more members of Congress. This 15 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 2: time they ask for the phone records and text messages 16 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 2: of Senator Ted Cruz. 17 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 1: It's the Weekend Review and it starts right now. 18 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 2: And I want to move now center to something that 19 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 2: you've been spearheading and leading on. It's certainly not getting 20 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 2: attention media, but you're wanting to hold Nigeria accountable for 21 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 2: the fifty thousand Let me see that number again, fifty 22 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 2: thousand Christians that have been killed there, explain why this 23 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: story is so important and what you're trying to do, 24 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 2: and also why is no one covering this? 25 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: Does this been described to me? 26 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 3: Look, it is truly horrific. The numbers are stunning. The 27 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: numbers are staggering. Here are the top line numbers of 28 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 3: what we're seeing. We have seen over fifty thousand Christians killed. 29 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 3: We have seen over eighteen thousand churches and at least 30 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 3: two thousand schools burned. And the response to this, the 31 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 3: Nigerian government is fighting back ferociously saying this is not happening, 32 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 3: this is not true. 33 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 4: There's a battle. 34 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 3: The Nigerian government officials are getting very angry that I'm 35 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 3: calling them out. I want to read to you from 36 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 3: the executive summary of the U S State Department's twenty 37 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 3: twenty four Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Nigeria, 38 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 3: and here's what it says. 39 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 4: Quote. 40 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 3: Significant human rights issues included credible reports of arbitrary and 41 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 3: unlawful killings, disappearances, torture or cruel inhuman or degrading treatment 42 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 3: or punishment, arbitrary arrest or attention, serious abuses in a conflict, 43 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 3: Serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom. Including 44 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 3: violence or threats of violence against journalists, violence or threats 45 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 3: against labor activists or union members, and significant presence of 46 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 3: any of the worst forms of child labor. Non state 47 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 3: actors committed arbitrary and unlawful killings, disappearances, physical abuse, and 48 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 3: other mistreatments. Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West 49 00:02:55,480 --> 00:03:02,959 Speaker 3: Africa continued attacks on civilians, military, police, humanitarian and religious targets, 50 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 3: unlawfully recruited and forcibly conscripted child soldiers, and carried out 51 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 3: scores of attacks on population centers in the North East regions. 52 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 3: Abductions by Bukoharram and the Islamic State in West Africa continued. 53 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 3: Both groups subjected many women and girls to gender based violence, 54 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 3: including forced marriage, sexual slavery, and rape. This is what's 55 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 3: going on in Nigeria right now, and it is going 56 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 3: on far too often with the acquiescence of the elected 57 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: government officials. Far too often and in some instances, you 58 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 3: have provinces in Nigeria that have on the books blasphemy 59 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 3: law and Sharia law, and they will secute Christians for blasphemy. 60 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 3: They will plot prosecute Christians for violating Sharia law in 61 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 3: which case, the government becomes a tool of the persecution 62 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 3: of Christians. And look it is, it is devastating. It 63 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 3: is the most Christians being murdered anywhere on the face 64 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 3: of the planet is happening in Nigeria. And so I 65 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 3: introduce legislation to require the Secretary of State to designate 66 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 3: Nigeria as a country of particular concern and to impose sanctions, 67 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 3: including in particular sanctioning the individual government officials. So if 68 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 3: you're a local official and you're enforcing blasphemy laws in 69 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 3: Sharia laws, and you're persecuting Christians, or you're turning the 70 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 3: other way and turning a blind eye to Christians being 71 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 3: murdered at in mass numbers, the result of my legislation 72 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 3: would be each of those individual government officials would face sanctions. 73 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 3: And I got to say, the Nigerian government has been 74 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 3: pushing back ferociously. For example, the Chairman of the House 75 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 3: Committee on Foreign Affairs, Olke said the Cruse Bill is 76 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 3: quote a deliberate attempt to damage the Nigerian image, and 77 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 3: he insists Nigeria is a very tolerant country. Well other 78 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 3: than murdering fifty thousand Christians, very tolerant other than that. Likewise, 79 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 3: the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, rejected 80 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 3: the suggestion that quote any Nigerian officials will willingly deliberately 81 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 3: indulge in the act of siding with violent extremists to 82 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 3: target any particular religion in the country. Likewise, Presidential spokesperson 83 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 3: on Anungo demanded that Cruz stop his quote malicious and 84 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 3: contrived lies against quote my country. And finally, Senate President 85 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 3: God's Will Akpabillo cautioned against framing the crisis quote along 86 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 3: religious lines since quote terrorists and bandits target Nigerians indiscriminately, 87 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 3: regardless of faith. Now listen, it is certainly true that 88 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,799 Speaker 3: Bukoharam and other religious radicals in Nigeria are killing Muslims 89 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 3: as well. They're killing both. But they are systematically targeting 90 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 3: Christians for mass murder. When you've got fifty thousand Christians 91 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 3: being murdered, that is not accidental, that is not random. 92 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 3: And the over eighteen thousand churches and the over two 93 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 3: thousand schools, they're singling out and targeting Christian churches and 94 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 3: Christian schools and burning them to the ground. And the 95 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 3: Government of Nigeria's not acting with any vigor at all 96 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 3: to defend and to defend the Christians or just to 97 00:06:59,240 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 3: keep them alive. 98 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, to keep them alive. 99 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 2: And so now obviously this is about letting it shining 100 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 2: a light on this, and then you go back to 101 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 2: the policy aspect of this, what happens next and for 102 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 2: people specifically that are listening, what do they need to 103 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: be doing and advocating for to make sure that we 104 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 2: can move this forward. 105 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 3: Look, the next step needs to be that I'm pushing 106 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 3: for the Congress to pass my legislation. I'm on the 107 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 3: Senate Foreign Relations Committee, so I'm pressing for the Senate 108 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:34,080 Speaker 3: Foreign Relations Committee to take it up that would designate 109 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 3: Nigeria as a country of particular concern. Now, I would 110 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 3: note the Trump administration can do so on its own, 111 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 3: and this is often the case in foreign policy areas, 112 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 3: where I'll introduce legislation and I'll push for action. So, 113 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 3: for example, I've introduced legislation to designate the Muslim Brotherhood 114 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 3: is a terrorist organization. I've done so repeatedly in multiple congresses. 115 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 3: I think it is unequivocally a terrorist organization. In fact, 116 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 3: Hamas is a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood hamas Is 117 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 3: is the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine is what they call themselves, 118 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 3: and that has not yet happened. But I would like 119 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,119 Speaker 3: to see Congress pass my legislation. But the most likely 120 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 3: way we'll get the Muslim Brotherhood designated is that I 121 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 3: will succeed in convincing President Trump and the Trump administration 122 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 3: to do so. And I've been making that case vigorously. 123 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 3: With respect to Nigeria, the same thing is true. I'm 124 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 3: going to try to pass the legislation, but I'm also 125 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 3: very much making the case to the Trump administration. They 126 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 3: have the authority to do it now. And look, I 127 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 3: want to point out you asked what people can do. 128 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: Speak out highlight fifty thousand Christians massacred since two thousand 129 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,599 Speaker 3: and nine, the single greatest mass slaughter of Christians anywhere 130 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 3: in the world. And look here's how Fox News put it. 131 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 3: Quote a diplomatic battle as being waged between leading Republican 132 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 3: Senator Ted Cruz and Nigerian government officials. The Texas senators 133 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 3: has warned he will hold them accountable for the reported 134 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 3: mass slaughter of tens of things thousands of Christians in Nigeria. 135 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 3: The official SA Cruz is lying with one claiming that 136 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 3: despite even the Pope publicly calling out the killings, there 137 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 3: is religious harmony in the country. But you know what, 138 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 3: maybe you don't believe me, Maybe you don't believe the Pope. 139 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: So if the Pope and I are both wrong, how 140 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 3: about this, maybe maybe you'll believe Bill Maher. You have 141 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 3: a listen to what Bill Maher had to say on 142 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 3: this topic. 143 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 5: If you don't know what's going on in Nigeria, your 144 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 5: media sources suck. You are in a bubble. And again, 145 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,719 Speaker 5: I'm not a Christian, but they are systematically killing the 146 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 5: Christians in Nigeria. They've killed over one hundred thousand since 147 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 5: two thousand and nine. They've burned eighteen thousand churches. This 148 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 5: is so much more. These are the Islamis Fokoha ram. 149 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 5: This is so much more of a genocide attempt than 150 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 5: what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting 151 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 5: to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country. 152 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: Where are the kids protesting this? 153 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 5: Very Still. 154 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 4: No one will talk about it, so thank you. 155 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely it's Africa. 156 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 5: That's what no one's talking about it and they should be. 157 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 6: You can't read about it on mainstream media it's sad. 158 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 4: So thank you for bringing the. 159 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,559 Speaker 5: Jews aren't involved. That's why what's the Christians and the. 160 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 3: Muslims two players? He is exactly right, and I appreciate 161 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 3: Bill Maher calling it out and shining a light on it. 162 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 3: He's right that that that that the corporate media does 163 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 3: not want to cover it. And by the way, on 164 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 3: that same show, uh, someone you know, well, Van Jones 165 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 3: from CNN. He was on that show. And Van Jones 166 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 3: is a very left wing guy and he's on CNN regularly. 167 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 3: But but but he commented and and and he chimed 168 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 3: in agreeing with Bill Maher. Here give a listen to 169 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 3: Van Jones talking talking about the slaughter of Christians in Nigeria. 170 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 5: You're talking about young people. A lot of them seem 171 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 5: to know one thing. White people did some very bad 172 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,679 Speaker 5: things in this world, and they certainly did. But there 173 00:10:58,679 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 5: are other things. 174 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 6: To know, and including the fact that in Sudan right now, 175 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 6: which nobody is talking about, you have Arab militia murdering 176 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 6: people by the wheelbarrow, including the fact that Africa right 177 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 6: now is being overrun by Islamis terrasts including look, Rob 178 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 6: with no conversation about that at all. 179 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 5: I did it last week. Nigeria. 180 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean this is an. 181 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 5: Actual planned genocide. Yes, I mean they really want to 182 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 5: kill all the Christians in that country and they are 183 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,319 Speaker 5: systematically doing it. 184 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 6: And the fact that there's almost no response from the 185 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 6: global left and no attention from mainstream media is a 186 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 6: crime against African people, black people, and human rights. I 187 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 6: agree with that one hundred percent. It turns out that 188 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 6: there's a double standard for Jews. That is true. No Jews, 189 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 6: no news. As long as you can put the Jewish 190 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 6: state in the conversation, it's going to be a big conversation. 191 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 6: If you can't, you get no attention at all. This 192 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 6: is a big problem. It is a big problem. I 193 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 6: mean you hear Van Jones saying it. Yep, he is correct. 194 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 6: It is a huge problem. No use, no news. I mean, 195 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 6: it's amazing that this is happening. 196 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 3: Look, we see the protest on college campuses. We see 197 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 3: these angry leftists who are completely enraged about Gaza. The 198 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 3: instant President Trump negotiates a peace deal, they go away. 199 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 3: Now Hamas is executing Palestinians on the street, lighting up 200 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,920 Speaker 3: Palestinians on their knees, shooting them in the back of 201 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 3: the head, and not a peep. These leftist radicals, they 202 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 3: are perfectly fine with Palestinians being systematically murdered as long 203 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 3: as it's Palestinians. As long as Hamas doing the murder. 204 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 3: You don't see a protest, you don't see and he 205 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 3: calls a genocide. Their protest is about one thing, which 206 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 3: is they hate Israel and they hate Jews. And I 207 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 3: got to say, where is ABC, where is CBS, Where 208 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 3: is NBC? Where's CNN and MSNBC, Where's the New York Times? 209 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 3: Where's the Washington Post? About the mass murder of over 210 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 3: fifty thousand Christians in Nigeria. 211 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,319 Speaker 2: Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, 212 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 2: you can go back and listen to the full podcast 213 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 2: from earlier this week. Now onto story number two center. 214 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 2: It's time for us to talk about China. And a 215 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 2: lot of people are talking about the economic issues with China, 216 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 2: sanctions and tariffs. The subject we're about to talk about 217 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 2: is what I hope people share everywhere on social media. 218 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: This is why we do this show, and it's so important, 219 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 2: and this is what's happening in China, cracking down on Christianity, 220 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 2: right now and is not being talked about enough well. 221 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 3: Communist China has a terrible record when it comes to 222 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 3: religious liberty and religious persecution, and in particular the persecution 223 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 3: of Christians, and China has for decades persecuted Christians in China, 224 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 3: but recently they've been cracking down and it's been getting 225 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 3: worth So here's how I put it to Fox News 226 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 3: this week. The Chinese Communist Party is conducting yet another 227 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 3: sweeping crackdown on Christians, and they're again targeting Pastor Jin 228 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:07,080 Speaker 3: and the Zion Church. The CCP fears anything it cannot 229 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 3: directly control, perhaps most of all faith. The United States 230 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 3: has powerful tools to provide protection and relief to people 231 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 3: facing persecution and violence, and we should use those tools 232 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 3: unless and until China releases the members of the Zion Church. 233 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 3: And what has happened is is China arrested several Christian leaders, 234 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 3: including the pastor of one of the country's biggest underground 235 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 3: evangelical church churches, and that's Pastor Jin Mingry, whose children 236 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 3: are US citizens. Grace Jin, who is Mingri's daughter, was 237 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 3: very kind but went out of her way to thank 238 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 3: me for fighting to release her father from prison and 239 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 3: here's what Grace Jen said. She said quote his efforts 240 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 3: demonstrate that the world is watching on as the Chinese 241 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 3: government unjustly imprisons pastors and church leaders for the peaceful 242 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 3: exercise of their faith. Thank you to the leaders here 243 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 3: and abroad for all the support and solidarity and CENTATR. 244 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 2: This is I think the part that's so frustrating for 245 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 2: me and so many listening is this has been happening 246 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 2: for so long, and because so many countries do business 247 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 2: with China, they have deliberately looked the other way because 248 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 2: they're basically saying, Hey, we'd rather just get along and 249 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 2: do trade and get cheap Chinese goods and actually hold 250 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 2: them account for what they're doing to Christians. 251 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 4: Well, that's happening far too often. 252 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 3: And we've discussed before on this podcast the persecution the 253 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 3: mass murder of Christians in Nigeria. Nigeria the most Christians 254 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 3: are murdered for their faith of any country on earth, 255 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 3: and I've been leading the effort to hold Nigeria do 256 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 3: account while in China. Likewise, for my entire time in 257 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 3: the Senate, I've been vocal speaking out for Christians being 258 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 3: persecuted in China and and this crackdown. Actually, next week 259 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 3: President Trump is is going to Asia and is gonna 260 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 3: gonna meet with with President She of China. And and so, 261 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 3: just this past week I introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning 262 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 3: China's persecution of Christians in particular and Pastor gen and 263 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 3: and and I was joined by Chris Coons. Chris is 264 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 3: a Democrat, uh and and and Chris is someone who 265 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 3: cares deeply about religious liberty. And so we joined together 266 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 3: with a bipartisan resolution calling on China to release Pastor Jin, 267 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 3: to stop targeting the Zion Church, to release the pastors 268 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 3: and the Christians who've been imprisoned, and and and to 269 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 3: cease engaging in persecution of religious liberty writ broadly, and 270 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 3: and of Christians in particular. 271 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 2: It really is one of those it's that is frustrating. 272 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 2: And now this comes back to the issue of leverage. 273 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 2: Is this going to be enough leverage to poss We 274 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 2: see a change here, because one thing that we've learned 275 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 2: is China only responds when their pocketbook gets hurt. And 276 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 2: if they don't think we have the political will to 277 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 2: stand up for Christians, then they're going to continue to 278 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 2: persecute them. 279 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: No matter what, that's just their mo. 280 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 4: They are. 281 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 3: But they respond to pressure. They respond to pressure in 282 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:23,879 Speaker 3: two forms. Number one to being publicly called out, to 283 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 3: having light shine on their oppression. And number two, they 284 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 3: respond to economic leverage. And President Trump is very effective 285 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 3: at employing economic leverage. I think we should do both. 286 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 3: Our bipartisan resolution is aimed at quote, expressing condemnation of 287 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 3: the Chinese Communist parties persecution of Christians and reaffirming the 288 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 3: United States's global commitment to promote religious freedom and tolerance. 289 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 3: And it also includes a demand that the Chinese Communist 290 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:55,199 Speaker 3: Party respect the human right to freedom of religion and 291 00:17:55,480 --> 00:18:00,400 Speaker 3: end all forms of violence and discrimination against religious minorities. 292 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:06,440 Speaker 3: And the resolution notes the CCP's actions mark the largest 293 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 3: coordinated nationwide crackdown against a Christian urban house church in 294 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 3: more than forty years. 295 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 4: It also notes that. 296 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 3: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom designated China as 297 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 3: a country of quote particular concern for religious freedom every 298 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 3: single year since nineteen ninety eight, and Pastor Jin of 299 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 3: the Zion Church was detained by Chinese authorities, and indeed 300 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 3: that came as nearly thirty Zion Church pastors and workers 301 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 3: were likewise detained or went missing across Beijing, Senjing, Shanghai, Chendo, Behai, Jingshing, 302 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 3: and huang Do. And I apologize for my Chinese pronunciation. 303 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 1: I'll forgive you. 304 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 3: But here's here's what Grace Jen said about this, and 305 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 3: she's Pastor Jen's daughter. One after another they were also 306 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 3: taken detained like they were saying that they were people 307 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 3: outside the doors. Then one at a time they were 308 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 3: taken into custody. 309 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 4: This is wrong. 310 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 3: And President Trump has an opportunity when he is in Asia, 311 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 3: when he is with President She, to call on President 312 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 3: She to release these pastors, release Pastor Jen, release the 313 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 3: Christians who are being persecuted, and stop persecuting people of faith. 314 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 3: And I think the United States has a responsibility to 315 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 3: be a voice for religious liberty across the country, to 316 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 3: defend Christians when they're persecuted, to defend Jews when they're persecuted, 317 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 3: to defend people of faith all across the world. You know, 318 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 3: you look at radical Islamic terrorists, many of them target 319 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 3: and persecute other Muslims who are not violent. And I 320 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:03,440 Speaker 3: think religious persecut is wrong, regardless of who the victims are, 321 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 3: and we should be a voice for religious liberty. Now, 322 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 3: that doesn't mean that America should go and invade China 323 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 3: to try to break the pastor out of jail. But 324 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 3: there are lots of tools that the president can use, 325 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 3: including the bully pulpit of the presidency, including shining a light, 326 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 3: and including also economic leverage to try to stop this persecution. 327 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,719 Speaker 3: And I very much hope President Trump will do so 328 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 3: in the coming week. 329 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, you and I both hope that final question on this. 330 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 2: As you watch President Trump with pressure not just on 331 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 2: China but other countries, it does seem to be that 332 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 2: his foreign policy now is if there is a wrong 333 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 2: that needs to be discussed, it's going to be on 334 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 2: the table, front and center. That is pretty different from 335 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 2: what we've seen in past administrations where they're like, well, 336 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 2: maybe it's not the time to bring that up. Right now, 337 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 2: he seems to be willing to bring it all up. 338 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 3: You're absolutely right, and strong American leadership can stand up 339 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 3: to tyrannies. The Soviet Union was terrified of Ronald Reagan. 340 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 3: That's how we won the Cold War without firing a shot, 341 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,359 Speaker 3: and Communist China and our enemies across the globe are 342 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:14,400 Speaker 3: terrified of Donald Trump and that's why we're seeing such 343 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 3: major national security improvements right. 344 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: Now as before. 345 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 2: If you want to hear the rest of this conversation 346 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 2: on this topic, you can go back and dow the 347 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 2: podcasts from earlier this week to hear the entire thing. 348 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 2: I want to get back to the big story, number 349 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 2: three of the week. You may have missed, all right, senator, 350 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 2: So let's start with the big news. Where were you 351 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 2: when you found out that you respied on as part 352 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 2: of Jacksmith's investigation into Donald Trump. This clearly is a 353 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:46,120 Speaker 2: fishing expedition. And what were you told? Have you been 354 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 2: briefed on this or are you just getting to say 355 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 2: mentel we are from reading it in the news. 356 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 4: So I found out about this last week. Last Thursday. 357 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 3: I got the information. And let's back up a couple 358 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 3: of weeks ago. A couple of weeks ago, the news 359 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 3: broke that x Smith, the prosecutor and the Biden DOJ 360 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,840 Speaker 3: that was going after January sixth, that was going after 361 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 3: President Trump had subpoenaed eight senators and one Republican house 362 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 3: member and had gotten their cell phone records. And the 363 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:18,120 Speaker 3: eight senators who had been subpoena were Marsha Blackburn, Ron Johnson, 364 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 3: Bill Haggerty, Josh Holly, Cynthia Lummis, Lindsey Graham, Dan Sullivan, 365 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 3: and Tommy Tuberville. And then Mike Kelly, a Republican House 366 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:31,120 Speaker 3: member from Pennsylvania, was also subpoenaed. All nine of them 367 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 3: had their cell phone records handed over to the Biden 368 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,680 Speaker 3: Department of Justice. Now, I got to admit just over 369 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,679 Speaker 3: a week ago, Sean Hannity was in town and I 370 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 3: had dinner with Sean and with several of the senators 371 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 3: on that list as well, and I was laughing with Sean. 372 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 3: I was saying, I'm actually kind of offended, like how. 373 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 4: Did I get lift out of this list? Like what 374 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 4: did I have to do? You know? 375 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 3: I was literally standing on the Senate floor on January sixth, 376 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 3: objecting and leading the fight, and I had brought together 377 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 3: eleven senators to stand together in fighting for an election 378 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 3: commission to assess the evidence of voter fraud, and including 379 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 3: many of the senators who were subpoena were in the 380 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 3: group that I'd brought together. So I was joking with Sean, 381 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 3: but I wasn't entirely joking. Well, it turns out the 382 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 3: reason I was not on the list is apparently all 383 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 3: eight of those senators. Their cell phones are with Verizon, 384 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 3: and the evidence had come out that Verizon had handed 385 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 3: over their cell phone information. Well, my cell phone is 386 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 3: with AT and T and I didn't know it at 387 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:42,199 Speaker 3: the time, but I found out late last week that 388 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 3: Jack Smith sent a subpoena at AT and T demanding my 389 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,200 Speaker 3: cell phone records, and AT and T told him to 390 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:53,639 Speaker 3: go jump in lake. AT and T did not give 391 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 3: my cell phone records. I really look AT and T 392 00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 3: is based in Texas. I'm proud of them. They did 393 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 3: the right thing. I appreciate that, and and they assessed it. 394 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 3: They had a subpoena from Jack Smith. By the way, 395 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 3: the subpoena called for quote, detailed records for inbound and 396 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 3: outbound calls, text messages, direct connect and voicemail messages, among 397 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 3: other things. So they were seeking that. There was an 398 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 3: also an order from Judge Boseburg, who was you know this, 399 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 3: This left wing judge has been presiding against over much 400 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 3: of the litigation against against Trump, had an order from 401 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 3: Judge Boseburg ordering AT and T you cannot disclose to 402 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 3: Cruise that we're seeking his cell phone information for a year. 403 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 2: Isn't that amazing, By the way, and you're sitting unin 404 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 2: State Center, don't tell him, we don't want him to know. 405 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 3: Yes, And so AT and T examined it, and they 406 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 3: actually they came to the conclusion. Now, the way it works, 407 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 3: so the subpoena just comes and and they get a 408 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 3: cell phone number. So so so the Biden DOJ didn't 409 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 3: identify who they were seeking. And and by the way, look, 410 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:09,040 Speaker 3: the telecom companies typically if they get a subpoena for 411 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 3: for phone records on a number, they typically hand it 412 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 3: over because it's usually a drug dealer or a criminal. 413 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 3: You have a subpoena that's issued from a grand jury, 414 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:20,199 Speaker 3: so so it it they will routinely in a criminal 415 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 3: proceeding hand over. 416 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 5: Uh. 417 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,400 Speaker 3: Well, it's so happened that that AT and T even 418 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 3: though they just asked for the number, they looked and 419 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 3: realized whose number it was, and and and that they 420 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 3: talked with their legal team and and and they said, listen, 421 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 3: what what Cruz is saying is it and any member 422 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 3: of Congress, what they're saying is protected by the Speech 423 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 3: and Debate Clause of the Constitution. The Constitution uh protects 424 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 3: the ability of of of Senators and House members to 425 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 3: engage in debate to to do our jobs. Article one 426 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 3: of the Constitution vests all legislative power in the Congress. 427 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 3: And and in fact, we you know on January it 428 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,159 Speaker 3: was very literally speech in debate. As I said, I 429 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,679 Speaker 3: was standing on the Senate floor, Yeah, giving a speech 430 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 3: and raising an objection. So it's literally the heart of 431 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 3: what one does as an elected member of Congress. And 432 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:17,199 Speaker 3: so at and T concluded, listen there, we're not going 433 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,639 Speaker 3: to comply. As I said, I'm grateful for At and 434 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 3: T doing that, but that now makes it nine senators 435 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 3: that we know of and one House. 436 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 2: So I'm guessing there might be other senators that were 437 00:26:28,119 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 2: also at At and T and they probably said no, we're 438 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 2: not going to do that either. Right, it would be 439 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,680 Speaker 2: Verizon just caved instantly and said, sure, here's everybody you're 440 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 2: asking for. There could be easily, I would say, another four, five, 441 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 2: six others. Who knows how many outside the Senate right 442 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:42,800 Speaker 2: that they could have asked for that they could have 443 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 2: said no to as well. And I would assume there 444 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 2: was a lot of people on At and. 445 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 3: T well, And look the Biden doj also after the 446 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 3: Republican Attorney General's Association. It went after Turning Point USA. 447 00:26:55,880 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 3: This was a massive fishing expedition and this was a 448 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 3: political persecution. 449 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 4: Understand. 450 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,880 Speaker 3: Jack Smith was appointed Special Counsel to investigate and prosecute 451 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:13,160 Speaker 3: January sixth, three days after Donald Trump announced his campaign 452 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 3: for reelection in twenty twenty four, literally three days later, 453 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 3: so it was twenty twenty two, So it was two 454 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 3: years after January sixth. They had not appointed anyone, and 455 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:25,159 Speaker 3: yet suddenly when Trump announces his campaign, they rushed to 456 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 3: appoint Jack Smith to say, go after Donald Trump because 457 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 3: we want to stop the voters from. 458 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 4: Voting for him. 459 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 3: Sure, but nine senators, that is twenty percent of the 460 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 3: Republicans in the United States Senate. And I got to 461 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:45,080 Speaker 3: say for the executive branch to engage in wholesale spying 462 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 3: on their political opponents and spying with let's be clear, 463 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,919 Speaker 3: none of us engaged in criminal conduct. None of us 464 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 3: can engage in anything remotely criminal, arguably criminal. This was 465 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 3: political persecution. This was snooping. This is hoping. Someone said something. 466 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,159 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you, what were they hoping 467 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: to find? 468 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 4: Right? 469 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 1: Like you go fishing and what what is this smoking gun? 470 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 2: In that scenario they were they were just, hey, we'll 471 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 2: just go after all these conservatives and maybe we get lucky. 472 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 3: Look, I don't know what they were hoping to find, 473 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 3: but but but they were asking for the cell phone 474 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:26,120 Speaker 3: records from from January fourth to January seventh, so all 475 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:30,640 Speaker 3: surrounding January sixth. I assumed they were looking for some 476 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 3: some modicum of coordination, uh with with with those who 477 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 3: engage in active violence on that day. Part of their 478 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:42,520 Speaker 3: theory was was the alternate electors that were being sent 479 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 3: from various states. So I assumed they were looking for 480 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 3: some modicum of coordination there. But this was a political 481 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 3: prosecution because they did not have evidence. And so they said, well, 482 00:28:54,680 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 3: let's let's go through their cell phone records and see 483 00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 3: if we can find something. And by the way, who 484 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:03,959 Speaker 3: knows if if somebody had sent something stupid a text, 485 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 3: had a voicemail, had you know, I mean people when 486 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 3: you go through someone's emails, when you go through someone's 487 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 3: cell phones, when prosecutors go looking for a crime, the 488 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 3: nature of a fishing expedition is, let's go look around. 489 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 3: You know, there's a book that was written decades ago. 490 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 3: Uh that that that that's called three felonies a day, 491 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 3: and and it talks about how the average American commits 492 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 3: three felonies a day, that that in our regulatory state, 493 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:36,800 Speaker 3: things are so complicated, things are so mired in complexity 494 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 3: that that that you can violate you know, you you 495 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 3: step on a wetland in your backyard. And and and 496 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 3: you know there's an old line that a prosecutor can 497 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 3: indict a ham sandwich. Yeah, that that a prosecutor goes 498 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 3: in front of a grand jury. When a prosecutor goes 499 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 3: in front of a grand jury, you know, there's no 500 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 3: defense attorney there. It's just the prosecutor and members of 501 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 3: the grand jury. And so I don't know what they 502 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,320 Speaker 3: were looking for. I think they were looking for anything 503 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 3: that could stick because this was a political prosecution. Let 504 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 3: me ask you this if and so Ben, I just 505 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 3: want to say, I'm really grateful they did not find 506 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 3: the pictures you send to me of you in a 507 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 3: pink too too, because I just think that it's not criminal. 508 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,719 Speaker 2: All the league jokes that I send you about the 509 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 2: Ivy League snobs. I mean, Jack Smith probably ended up 510 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 2: going to one of those places that could have been 511 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 2: very bad for me. 512 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 4: I it you know it would have been. 513 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 3: And I got to say, just the typos and misspellings 514 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 3: that that that you have in your text, that that 515 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 3: alone would. 516 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 4: Have been a little bit embarrassing too. So I'm glad 517 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 4: none of that game. 518 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,960 Speaker 2: News is they're very hard to decipher when you're if there, 519 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 2: if it's in front of you know, Congress, like it's 520 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 2: what was been really trying to say, And I'm like, 521 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 2: you're welcome. 522 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:52,280 Speaker 4: I will tell you bet. 523 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 3: I think I talked to AT and T today and 524 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 3: I said, look, you guys got to start a marketing 525 00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 3: campaign of shift to AT and T. 526 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 4: We'll we'll protect your Yeah, we're like to them. 527 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 3: Look, I I don't have a good answer to that. 528 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:08,360 Speaker 4: But but but but I did. Uh. 529 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 3: And I didn't know about this until just a few 530 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 3: days ago. So this was when the first news broke. 531 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,120 Speaker 3: I like, I was joking that I felt excluded, but 532 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 3: it wasn't entirely a joke. And and then I was like, oh, okay, 533 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 3: that makes sense, and uh, and here. 534 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 2: We are, all right if I don't question on this, 535 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:28,800 Speaker 2: what is gonna be the response from Congress? Will there 536 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 2: be any to this or is this just old administration 537 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 2: abuse of power? 538 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:33,479 Speaker 1: It is what it is. 539 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 2: We're going to move on or is there going to 540 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 2: be a way to make sure like we have standards 541 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 2: of this is not allowed to happen and that people 542 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 2: are held accountable for this. 543 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 3: Look, I think we're going to see hearings. I think 544 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 3: we've we've we've got hearings coming in the House. I 545 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 3: think we'll see hearings in the Senate. I will tell 546 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 3: you the nine of us who were targeted, we're we're 547 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:53,959 Speaker 3: talking to each other because we want to prevent this. 548 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 3: We want to prevent a subsequent DOJ from doing this, 549 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 3: from spying on their political opponents, particularly in in Congress. 550 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 3: The executive doesn't have the ability to go engage in 551 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 3: spying on on members of the opposing party in Congress. 552 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 4: That is an. 553 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 3: Abuse of power. It is it is politicization. 554 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 4: Uh. 555 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 3: And and this that this entire effort, So so this 556 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 3: prosecution was called Arctic Frost. And and I think this 557 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:26,480 Speaker 3: is going to be the watergate of the Biden d 558 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 3: o J. I think it is a demonstration that Jack 559 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 3: Smith was a partisan prosecutor who was drunk on power 560 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 3: and and and and I don't believe Jack Smith made 561 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 3: this decision on his own. I think the decision making 562 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:43,200 Speaker 3: goes all the way up. I think it goes up 563 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 3: to the Attorney General. I think it goes up to 564 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 3: the White House. And and so I expect number one 565 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 3: some some real investigation and hopefully transparency in terms of 566 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:54,960 Speaker 3: who approved let's go spy on members of Congress and 567 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 3: and and and and that that I think we're going 568 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 3: to work to have some real transparent and on and 569 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 3: that I think we're gonna look at real and concrete 570 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,680 Speaker 3: steps we can take to make sure this never happens again, 571 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 3: because this kind of there is there a. 572 00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 2: Part of you that just thinks like maybe this has 573 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 2: just been going on and never really stopped. After after 574 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 2: you know, the the the famous FBI director that had 575 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 2: you know, files on everybody, and and people said, well, 576 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 2: we won't have that again, after after Jagger, and and 577 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:26,440 Speaker 2: now it's like they're just like they wild West. You 578 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 2: can do what the hell you want to if you're 579 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 2: a Democrat and you're in charge, Like we can spawn 580 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 2: in the present, we can spy the campaigns. We can 581 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 2: go after people in the situation room and the trap them. 582 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 2: We can try to go after their business associates and 583 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:38,760 Speaker 2: their kids and get them to turn against them, like 584 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 2: Eric Trump was talking about that on our. 585 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 1: Show the day. 586 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:42,720 Speaker 2: If you missed that show, people should go back and 587 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,840 Speaker 2: listen to He's like they were literally trying to turn 588 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 2: Donald Trump's own children against him, threatening that your life's 589 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 2: gonna be over and you're gonna be in jail, so 590 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 2: you better get a get out of jail free card. 591 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 2: And now it's like yeah, and we were also spaying 592 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 2: on senators. I'm assuming some congressmen will come out like 593 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 2: who knows who's there? We I mean, Charlie Kirk said 594 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 2: recently before assassination. It came out that he said during 595 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 2: the campaign, we either win the campaign or I may 596 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:12,399 Speaker 2: go to jail. I actually believe now witnessing what we've 597 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 2: seen that that's not far off from reality at all. 598 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 3: Look, the left was willing to weaponize the Department of 599 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 3: Justice and the FBI. As you know, I wrote an 600 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:25,240 Speaker 3: entire book entitled Justice Corrupted, How the Left is weaponized 601 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 3: our legal system, and it talked about it actually started 602 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,800 Speaker 3: with Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon tried to do that and 603 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:33,080 Speaker 3: and you look at some of the some of the 604 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:36,640 Speaker 3: hair brain schemes that the Nixon Justice Department came up with, 605 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:43,640 Speaker 3: including creating underground stings to to get people, to get 606 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:47,480 Speaker 3: people on film taking drugs and with prostitutes to use 607 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:50,920 Speaker 3: to essentially blackmail them and to go after their political opponents. 608 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 3: I mean, it was grotesque abuse of power. And when 609 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,799 Speaker 3: that came to light, we actually saw an improvement. And 610 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,839 Speaker 3: there were a couple of decades where I think this 611 00:34:59,840 --> 00:35:05,720 Speaker 3: this receded and occurred far less. And then what Richard 612 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 3: Nixon tried to do to the justice system, Barack Obama 613 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 3: succeeded in doing. He came in as this this almost 614 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:18,000 Speaker 3: messiah figure and and and do o j Eric Holders 615 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,399 Speaker 3: Attorney General. You had Lois Learner at the IRS. They 616 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:26,040 Speaker 3: began targeting their political opponents, targeting targeting anyone that they 617 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:29,600 Speaker 3: disagreed with, and also protecting their friends. During the Trump 618 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 3: administration the first term, they went underground, but they waged 619 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 3: war on the president. These are the people that created 620 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,640 Speaker 3: fraudulent documents submitted to the FISA Court in order to 621 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,440 Speaker 3: in order to try to go after President Trump. They 622 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:46,400 Speaker 3: wanted to reverse the results of the twenty sixteen election 623 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 3: because they were furious that the American people elected Trump. 624 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,280 Speaker 3: And then during Biden they were opened, they were flagrant, 625 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 3: they were out in the open, and they were abusing 626 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,239 Speaker 3: their power. And I think they felt that the ends 627 00:35:57,400 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 3: justified the means and and anything was acceptable, And so 628 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:05,920 Speaker 3: I think we need to take real steps. Do I 629 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:07,520 Speaker 3: think this has been going on forever? 630 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:09,719 Speaker 4: And ever? I don't. I certainly hope not. I'm not 631 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 4: aware that it has. 632 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,920 Speaker 3: There is there, there's ancient history, but it took really 633 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:19,919 Speaker 3: I think, under Biden to make it just as as 634 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,560 Speaker 3: viciously partisan as. 635 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: Well as Imma. 636 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, it will's came off and no one cared 637 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:26,720 Speaker 2: about the rules anymore. 638 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:28,200 Speaker 1: Clearly, it's incredible. 639 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,920 Speaker 2: As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Center 640 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:34,359 Speaker 2: Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you don't forget to deal 641 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 2: with my podcast and you can listen to my podcast 642 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 2: every other day you're not listening to Verdict or each 643 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 2: day when you. 644 00:36:39,160 --> 00:36:39,840 Speaker 1: Listen to Verdict. 645 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:42,319 Speaker 2: Afterwards, I'd love to have you as a listener to 646 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 2: again the Ben Ferguson podcasts, and we will see you 647 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:46,840 Speaker 2: back here on Monday morning.