1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Welcome at his verdict of Senator Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: with you as well, and Senator, you just got out 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: of classified briefings that deal with something the President refused 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:13,319 Speaker 1: to bring up during the State of the Union, and 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: that is the Chinese government and their balloons and the 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: fact that they went all the way across our country 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: and then finally he said sorry, I'll deal with it 8 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: after they pretty much got anything they wanted. What did 9 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: you learn today that the American people need to know about? Well, 10 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: I spent two hours today in a classified briefing in 11 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: the skiff down in the basement of the Capitol. And 12 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: by the way, I'll point out that when I left 13 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: the classified briefing, I didn't bring any classified materials with 14 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: me because you can't bring it out of the skiff, 15 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: and so I don't have any at home with me. 16 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: I don't have many any anywhere else. That seems to 17 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: be very unlike Joe Biden, who seems to have classified 18 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: materials everywhere he goes. But the two hour briefing was 19 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: entirely on the Chinese spy balloon, and it was a 20 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: detailed briefing. It included senior official from the Department of 21 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: Defense and the Department of State and the intelligence community 22 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: walking through what happened, and they revealed quite a lot 23 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: because it was classified. I'm not going to repeat anything 24 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: that was said there, but I can characterize the administration's 25 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: position is they are spinning mightily. Number One, They're trying 26 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: to diminish the seriousness of the damage to national security 27 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 1: that happened from the espionage that China was allowed to 28 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: undertake in the United States. I did not find their 29 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: spinning credible. Number two, they were presenting highly legalistic arguments 30 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: as to why they didn't shoot down the balloon when 31 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 1: it first entered US airspace. And mind you, they did 32 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: shoot down the balloon a week later, after it had 33 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: spent a week in US airspace, after it had been 34 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: able to hover over sensitive military facilities and other facilities 35 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: that that implicate national security, and after it had traversed 36 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: the entire United States of America. Was only when it 37 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: crossed out into the Atlantic off the coast of South 38 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: Carolina that more than a week later, they finally shut 39 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,959 Speaker 1: it down. You know, I have to say it was 40 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 1: really striking listening to the administration give these these over 41 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: lawyered answers suggesting that there were impediments to they're shooting 42 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 1: it down in Alaska. Apparently you can shoot it down 43 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: off of South Carolina, but not Alaska, which is assinine it. 44 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: I practiced law for a lot of years. It was 45 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: it reeked of after the fact, rationalization and trying to 46 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: find a justification for impotently doing nothing for the entire 47 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: week it was over the United States. And just from 48 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: the public time line, there's one thing that is critically 49 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: important that I don't think many people have focused on. 50 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 1: So the public timeline, it was Saturday, January twenty eighth 51 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: when the balloon began entering American territory, entering Alaskan airspace 52 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: near the Aleutian Islands. And that was on the twenty eighth. 53 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: By the thirtieth, two days later it left American territorium, 54 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: was over Canada. Did we warn Canada? By the way? 55 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 1: I mean, is that something that we would have done? 56 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: And I know when we say we found the same 57 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: coming over Alaska, but that's when the public noticed it. 58 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: Do we even know if our military noticed it before then? 59 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: So I know the answers to both of those questions 60 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: I'm not able to answer what I will say is 61 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: is that NORAAD and Northcom operates in close coordination with Canada, 62 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: and so our military is in frequent consultation and discussion 63 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: with their Canadian counterparts. That's as much as I can say. 64 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: But here's the other piece that we know, again from 65 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 1: public reports, not from the briefing. Today, Tuesday, January thirty first, 66 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: was the first day President Biden was briefed, which means 67 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: the Chinese spy balloon was over Alaska for two days, 68 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: over US soil, conducting surveillance, and yet Joe Biden had 69 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 1: not been brought in the loop. Joe Biden had not 70 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: been briefed, and so a lot of us, myself included, 71 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 1: have asked why the hell didn't they shoot it down 72 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: when it first entered Alaska. And just from the public record, 73 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 1: one of the facts that's there is when it entered Alaska, 74 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: Joe Biden had no idea because the commander in chief 75 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 1: had not been informed at that point. That that's a 76 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 1: what is the chain of command? Because you just you 77 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: just giving that information immediately brings up the question does 78 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: the military get to make the decision when it's over 79 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: a lask if the president doesn't notice shoot it down 80 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: or does it go to the commander in chief every time? 81 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: And they just said, ah, we don't need to inform 82 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,679 Speaker 1: him of this. I mean that that's a either way. 83 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: That is a shocking reality that there could be this 84 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: much of a disconnect. So that there is existing statute 85 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: that governs this, that that that if if if there 86 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: is an airship, an unmanned airshift with with with hostile intent, 87 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: with hostile capacity, that our military commanders have the legal 88 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: authority to engage and to take it out. Uh And 89 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: and so the northcom commander has the authority to do that. 90 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: They also have the authority to engage and take it 91 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: out if it if it is engaged in hostile intelligence gathering, 92 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,479 Speaker 1: which which I think in this instance it plainly was. 93 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: It is to some extent a judgment call when and 94 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: to what extent it is reported up the chain of 95 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: command to the commander in chief. So you know, in 96 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 1: a hypothetical where where suddenly you see something that has 97 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: say a bomb payload, that could do harm in an 98 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: immediate circumstances, our military can engage and take it out 99 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: in the instance to protect the American homeland. Well, let's 100 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: talk about that you're going in a skiff for this 101 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:38,919 Speaker 1: classified briefing. Who gets invited to this is that? And 102 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: what qualifies you to get this briefing? Can any senator 103 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: ask to be a part of this, to be a 104 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: part of this briefiefing or just based on the committees 105 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: that you are appointed to that you serve on. So 106 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: there are often classified briefings that are committee based, and 107 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: so I serve on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. We 108 00:06:55,720 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: have many classified briefings on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 109 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 1: Previously served on the Senate Arm Services Committee. We had 110 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: many classified briefings on the Senate Arm Services Committee. So 111 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 1: there are committee specific reasons that you'll go to classified briefings. 112 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: There are also periodically all senator briefings. That's what this was. 113 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: So every senator was invited. If you are a US senator, 114 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: you that this was at TSSCI, so at a high 115 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: level of clearance, and all senators have that clearance by 116 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: virtue of being elected senators. And virtually all the senators 117 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: were there. I didn't notice anyone missing, but it was 118 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: certainly was a full room and there was a lot 119 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: of interest. I stayed until the very end, and and 120 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: I'm going to point out something else that is striking 121 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: and yet not a lot of people have noticed and 122 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 1: focused on, which is on February fourth, the same day 123 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:54,559 Speaker 1: that the Biden administration shot down the balloon. The Biden 124 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: administration was getting a lot of criticism, obviously for having 125 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: allowed this balloon to stay in US airspace and conduct 126 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: surveillance for over a week. On the day on that day, 127 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: on February fourth, the Biden administration arranged a briefing with 128 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 1: the media with a quote senior defense official. And one 129 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: of the things that I asked about in the briefing 130 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: today was who that senior defense official was. And I 131 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: got an answer to that, but I can't tell you 132 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: the answer to that. But the transcript of the briefing 133 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 1: from the unnamed senior defense official included the following paragraph 134 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: that that individual told the reporters on the day the 135 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 1: balloon was shut down. Quote PRC Government surveillance balloons transited 136 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: the continental United States briefly at least three times during 137 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: the prior administration, and once that we know of at 138 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 1: the beginning of this administration, but never for this duration 139 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 1: of time. And so you'll recall when the balloon was 140 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: shot down. This paragraph suddenly became a major talking point 141 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: that the defenders of the Biden White House began using, saying, well, 142 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: three times there were balloons during the Trump administration. And 143 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: you'll recall, as it played out, we then had a 144 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: series of senior officials from the Trump administration, like the 145 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: Secretary of State, like the Director of National Intelligence publicly 146 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: say I don't know what these guys are talking about. 147 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: That didn't happen. We don't know anything about it. In 148 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 1: other words, they weren't briefed on it, and they see 149 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: they were held in the dark. Well, it turns out 150 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 1: that at the time the Biden administration was telling reporters 151 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: that this happened three times during the Trump administration, the 152 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: Biden administration knew full well that nobody in the Trump 153 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: administration was aware of this. They knew that, and so 154 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: they were deliberately misleading the reporters by saying, well, happened 155 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: three times out under Trump. And they were speaking the 156 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: truth technically, but they were omitting a major part because 157 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: the obvious inference when you hear that is, oh, and 158 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: Trump didn't do anything about it, And they know full 159 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: well that Trump didn't know about it. The Secretary of 160 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 1: State didn't know about it. Secretary Defense didn't know about it. 161 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: And so the Biden administration was perfectly happy to spend 162 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 1: the reporters, and the reporters were perfectly happy to be 163 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: spun and to midsly the American public on purpose to 164 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: cover their rear end political spin. And it was deliberate 165 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: on a matter of really important national security. I want 166 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: to ask you about another public report that's come out 167 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: that the Chinese by balloon passing over Sense of Sites 168 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,079 Speaker 1: quote could have collected communications. The State Department has now 169 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 1: revealed that. Before I ask you about that aspect of this, 170 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: I want to tell you about our friends over at 171 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 1: Patriot Mobile. 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The State Department is 195 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: admitted that the Chinese spy balloon that floated over the 196 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: United States America for these eight days, including floating over 197 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: vital national security sites, was equipped they now say, with 198 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: intendas that likely could collect our communications. How concerns of 199 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: the American people be about that aspect of the spy balloon, Well, 200 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: I think we should be very concerned. It was a 201 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 1: balloon that was launched for the purpose of espionage, for 202 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: the purpose of presumably taking photographs, perhaps using infrared or 203 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: other technology, and attempting to intercept communications, attempting to gather 204 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: information that can be used to undermine the national security 205 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: of the United States. And if you look at the 206 00:12:56,120 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: flight path of this balloon, it was very liberate that 207 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: it went over sensitive sites. It went over sites, the 208 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 1: military sites. It went over sites that are extremely sensitive 209 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: from a national security perspective. And by the way that 210 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 1: you and I, if we were in a private plane, 211 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 1: are not allowed to fly over and if we did, 212 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: it would probably be shot down. That's how secure these 213 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: sites are. Well I'm not sure we'd be shot down, 214 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: but they are sites that are highly secure. And the 215 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: Biden administration made a decision to allow this to happen. 216 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: They could have shot it down in Alaska. Mind you, 217 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: no one even bothered to tell Joe Biden about it 218 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: when it was over Alaska. But they could have shot 219 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: it down there. They could have shot it down in 220 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: the wilderness of Canada. They could have shot it down 221 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: in Idaho or Montana, and they didn't. They allowed it 222 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:55,599 Speaker 1: to spend a week collecting intelligence. That intelligence presumably was 223 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: sent up via satellite back to Beijing, so that Beijing 224 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:04,560 Speaker 1: has what ever information they gathered and stole. Presumably the 225 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 1: Chinese Communist government has that information now, and it was 226 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: only after the mission was complete, after the espionage was done, 227 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:17,079 Speaker 1: that they shot it down in the Atlantic Ocean. I 228 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 1: think that was a reckless decision, but I also think 229 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: it was a dangerous decision because it projected weakness. It 230 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: projected weakness to the Chinese Communist government and to every 231 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: other enemy of America because it told them that they 232 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:37,680 Speaker 1: could brazenly enter American airspace conduct espionage on sensitive military secrets. 233 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: And this president, this commander in chief would not act 234 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 1: to prevent that. Last question on this, I want to 235 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: ask you, and this is something I just think that 236 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: we should debunk very quickly. I've actually seen commentators and 237 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: people on social media saying, well, you don't have to 238 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: worry about what information China got, because we shot this 239 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: thing down. They didn't get their balloon back. That to 240 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: me maybe one of the biggest lies that I've seen 241 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: that has kind of happened over the last several days. 242 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: This information that they were stealing was going back up 243 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:10,160 Speaker 1: to their satellites in real time at what they didn't 244 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: need to get their balloon back to basically get all 245 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: the intel In all likelihood, that's exactly how this operated, 246 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: was that it was sending the information back to China 247 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: real time so that it doesn't have to go back 248 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: to China for them to get the data. Senator, before 249 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: we get to some other big news things happening on 250 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: Commerce and Judiciary, which you're a member of, and I 251 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: know you want to give an important update on what's 252 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: happening in DC this week on that on those committees, 253 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: I want to talk to guys out there listening about 254 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 1: something that's really important, and that's about being a real 255 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: American man. Look in the midst of the relentless war 256 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: masculinity in America today, I want you to know that 257 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: there is something that can help you with strength and 258 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: vitality over weakness and complacency. 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Chalk is a natural herbal supplement that are 268 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: clinically proven to have game changing effects on your energy, 269 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: your focus, your mood, and your libido. So maximize your 270 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: masculinity today at Chalk cchoq dot com. That's chalkhoq dot com. 271 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 1: Use the promo code verdict for thirty five percent off 272 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: any Chalk subscriptions for life Chalk dot com Code verdict 273 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: for thirty five percent off. Senator, I want you to 274 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: give us some updates on what you're working on right 275 00:16:56,720 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: now on these important committees, because you've had a lot 276 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: of meetings over the last twenty four forty hours. Well, 277 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 1: today was a busy day. In addition to the classified 278 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,919 Speaker 1: briefing on the Chinese by balloon, we also had hearings 279 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 1: in both the Commerce Committee and the Judiciary Committee. The 280 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 1: morning started in Judiciary with the Senate Democrats taking up 281 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 1: twenty nine judicial nominees who were who had been nominated 282 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: last year and had not gotten confirmed, and they were 283 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: moving moving them forward out of committee. Now these were 284 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:32,719 Speaker 1: these included many of the most extreme and radical nominees. 285 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:37,239 Speaker 1: These include the judicial nominee who, at a conference at 286 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: actually my alma mater, Princeton University, reportedly said that police 287 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,159 Speaker 1: kill unarmed black men every single day. And she reportedly 288 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 1: agreed with that statement. When she was questioned about it 289 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: at her confirmation hearing, she said, well, I said that 290 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: as an advocate. Now, mind you, that statement is wildly 291 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: blatantly false. It's not remotely true as a factual matter, 292 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 1: and it's an incredibly harmful statement because if people believe it, 293 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: it is a lie that has real consequences and that 294 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: endangers the lives of police officers. And three times she said, well, 295 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,680 Speaker 1: it was as an advocate, so you know, apparently, look, 296 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of years practicing law as an advocate. 297 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,400 Speaker 1: You're not entitled to lie either that It's not like 298 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:26,120 Speaker 1: you have the ability when you're just being an advocate 299 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: to lie. She subsequently, after a confirmation hearing, tried to 300 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 1: say in a letter, oh no, I don't think I 301 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: said this after all, But she did it after the 302 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: hearing when there was no opportunity to ask her questions. 303 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: She was one of the judges. They were moving forward 304 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: another judge, another district court nominee, as a judge who 305 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:49,440 Speaker 1: described himself as a wild eyed liberal and described how 306 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: he is motivated every morning to get out of bed 307 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:58,439 Speaker 1: by his hatred for conservatives. And I asked the Democrats 308 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,160 Speaker 1: on the committee, I said, look, this is who's been 309 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 1: nominated to be a district judge in New York. How 310 00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 1: would you feel if you were a Republican, you were 311 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: a conservative in New York, there are some and you 312 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: found yourself in front of a federal judge who has 313 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: said he gets up every morning motivated by his hatred 314 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: for you. That's a person obviously unfit and without a 315 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 1: judicial temperament suitable to be a judge. And then I 316 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: also asked about the district court nominee that we talked 317 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: about on a previous podcast, who went under questioning from 318 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: John Kennedy didn't know what Article five of the Constitution was, 319 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: didn't know, which is not a trick question. If you 320 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 1: miss that in our pod, go back and listen to 321 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: that podcast that we did, because you explained how basic 322 00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 1: that that question is to any legal scholar, any anybody 323 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:57,160 Speaker 1: that's a lawyer, especially if you are looking to serve 324 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: at this level, you would be prepared to know about 325 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: this well. And the follow up, John Kennedy asked, he 326 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: asked about what's an Article two of the Constitution, and 327 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 1: she said she didn't know, she couldn't remember. Now that 328 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 1: that is not a gotcha question, that is not obscure. 329 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:18,000 Speaker 1: That is a question that any first year law student 330 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: could answer. And if you couldn't answer it, you would 331 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: flunk constitutional law. It is very simple. So the first 332 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: three articles of the Constitution. Article one establishes the Congress, 333 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 1: the legislative branch of our government. Article two establishes the 334 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,479 Speaker 1: President of the United States, and the executive branch. An 335 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: Article three establishes the judiciary. This person is nominated to 336 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:44,640 Speaker 1: be what is called an Article three judge. And yet 337 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: apparently she doesn't even know what that is. She didn't 338 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 1: know what Article two was. And I pointed out at 339 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: the hearing that Dick Durban, the Democrat chairman of the committee, 340 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: said after that hearing, well, there are probably a lot 341 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: of members of our committee that couldn't answer those questions either, 342 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: And so I brought that up, and I said, I 343 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: thought that was really an astonishing statement. And I said, 344 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 1: I'm confident that everyone on the Republican side of the 345 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:13,360 Speaker 1: aisle could answer the question what's article too? But but 346 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: I find it stunning to the Democrats here that your 347 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: chairman is saying you have no idea what Article two 348 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: of the Constitution is it? And I had said I 349 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: would do this on the podcast, so I followed through it. 350 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: I said, does anyone here what who admit right now 351 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: you don't know what Article two is? And they all 352 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: stared away and stared at their phones, and stared at 353 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: their shoes and did everything to avoid eye contact. And 354 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: it's a ridiculous point, as I said, listen, it's real simple. 355 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: Anyone who doesn't know what Article two of the Constitution 356 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: is has no business serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee, 357 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,959 Speaker 1: and certainly has no business serving as a federal judge. 358 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: And and I made a plea to my Democrat colleagues. 359 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: I said, look, what is wrong with you people. You 360 00:21:55,800 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: have rubber stamped every single Biden judiciariinee, one hundred percent 361 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 1: of them in the last two years. You have voted 362 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 1: for every single nominee, no matter how bad, no matter 363 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: how extreme. And by the way, every other Senate Democrat 364 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 1: has as well. All of the judicial nominees when they 365 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:14,920 Speaker 1: went to the floor. One hundred percent of the Democrats 366 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: have voted for all of them. And I put it out. 367 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: I said, look, during the Trump administration, Trump nominated some 368 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 1: fantastic judges. We confirmed some fantastic judges, but there were 369 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: several nominees that were not fantastic nominees that had problems. 370 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 1: And as Republican Senators who actually take seriously the quality 371 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: and caliber and qualifications of the judiciary, we push back 372 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 1: and made clear to the Trump White House those nominees 373 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 1: would not get confirmed. And I looked at my colleagues 374 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: and said, are none of you willing to stand up 375 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,399 Speaker 1: for anything? Will you at least admit a judge should 376 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 1: know what Article two of the Constitution is? Will you 377 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,679 Speaker 1: at least admit a judge shouldn't have a record of 378 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: saying he has motivated by hatred for conservatives each and 379 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 1: every day. Not a single Democrats said a word. The 380 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: only substance of response I got as I said, look, 381 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:17,919 Speaker 1: your behavior suggests that if Joe Biden nominated a ham sandwich, 382 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 1: you would vote to confirm the ham Sandwich is a judge. 383 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 1: And the only substant of response I got is Corey 384 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,360 Speaker 1: Booker chimed in afterwards and he said, I just want 385 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: to clarify one thing. He said, I'm a vegan, so 386 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 1: I would not vote to confirm a ham sandwich, which 387 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: he was pretty funny. Yeah that, And actually Corey Booker 388 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:42,920 Speaker 1: is a pretty good guy. He and I are get 389 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 1: along well and are often kidding each other back and forth. 390 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 1: But it spoke volume that neither Durban nor anyone else 391 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: engaged in any of the substance. And then, like the 392 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: Politburo in the Soviet Union, they all voted dah and 393 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 1: moved on the nominees and they do not care. They'll 394 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: fill the judiciary with left wing zealots and they don't 395 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: even feel, as far as I can tell, a twinge 396 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 1: of remorse or guilt. What scares me more than liberal 397 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: is an ignorant liberal. And if you have these types 398 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: of individuals on our court system, it terrifies me what 399 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 1: it means when you walk into their courtroom knowing that 400 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 1: this is who they're putting there. And I think every 401 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 1: Americans should care about this, especially if you're listening and 402 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: you have a senator that is a democratic liberal. You 403 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: should be calling them and telling them that this is unacceptable. 404 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 1: I want to move to something else, and that deals 405 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:38,159 Speaker 1: with the Twitter files. And before we get to that, 406 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:40,840 Speaker 1: there's also a new senator that's actually got banned from 407 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 1: Twitter and now he's getting reinstated. We're going to tell 408 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:45,719 Speaker 1: that story in a moment, but first, let me tell 409 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,880 Speaker 1: you about Augusta's Precious Metals. If you have been saving 410 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:52,639 Speaker 1: for retirement, then you understand how important it is to 411 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: protect your money. One way you can do that is 412 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: with a gold Ira. 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You look at the Twitter files that has 432 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,400 Speaker 1: hit the outside this week, and I want to play 433 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,679 Speaker 1: just one of the examples of all these former executives 434 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: have been fired by Elon Musk Center had to come 435 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: before the House, before the House Oversight Committee, Jim Jordan 436 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: talked about when what made them decide to get rid 437 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: of the Hunter Biden story, to get rid of the 438 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: New York Posts article, to treat it even if you 439 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: try to share it in private messages like child pornography sharing, 440 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 1: to make sure this story got shut down and it 441 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: wouldn't impact or minimize the impact to the presidential election. 442 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 1: And this was a very interesting viral moment from Jim 443 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: Jordan talking to all these fired leaders. Some of them 444 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: former FBI officials who then went to work at Twitter. 445 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: So the FBI didn't tell you that it was faked 446 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,920 Speaker 1: and tell you that it was hacked, And mister Roth, 447 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,920 Speaker 1: did did the story violate your policies? In my judgment 448 00:26:57,960 --> 00:26:59,760 Speaker 1: at the time, No, it did not. Yeah, that's why 449 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: you said, said what I would propose. Excuse me, as 450 00:27:02,080 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: you said, it isn't clearly a violation of our hack 451 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: materials policy, nor is it clearly the violation of anything else. 452 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: So I think what a lot of people are wondering is, 453 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,200 Speaker 1: if it didn't violate your policies, and they didn't tell 454 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 1: you it was fake, didn't tell you it was hacked, 455 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: why'd you take it down? The company made a decision 456 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: that found that it did violate the policy. It wasn't 457 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: my personal judgment at the time that it did, but 458 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: the decision was communicated to me by my direct supervisor, 459 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: and ultimately I didn't disagree with it enough to object 460 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:33,919 Speaker 1: to you know, you know what, you know what I 461 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: think happened, mister Roth. I think I think you guys 462 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: got played. I think you guys wanted to wanted to 463 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: take it deep down. We saw it, but the chairman 464 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,359 Speaker 1: put up where you said, you know everyone in the 465 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: White House is as a fascist. I think you guys 466 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: wanted it to be taken down. I think you meet 467 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: with these guys every week. We know that's been established 468 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:53,880 Speaker 1: in the Twitter foles. You had weekly meetings with mister 469 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,240 Speaker 1: Chan and the run up to the election, they send 470 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: you all kinds of emails. They send you documents on 471 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: the super secret James Bond tell reporter you get information 472 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: on that. I think you guys wanted to take it down. 473 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,679 Speaker 1: I think you guys got played by the FBI. I 474 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: think that's a brilliant assessment of this. It was either 475 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:13,919 Speaker 1: you got played by the FBI or you knew you 476 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: were getting played and you went along with it because 477 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: you didn't want Donald Trump to have a chance to 478 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:22,399 Speaker 1: become the president again. Yeah, I think that's right. The 479 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: only thing about there getting played by the FBI is 480 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 1: they were so willing to get played that I think 481 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: they were eager to jump in that bed along with 482 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,919 Speaker 1: them that it was. They hated Donald Trump, they wanted 483 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 1: him to lose, they wanted Biden to win, and they 484 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: were going to use the power they had to silence 485 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 1: any story that was politically problematic for Joe Biden, and 486 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: it was naked politics. You know, the fact that the 487 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: FBI was being political and was urging them to do 488 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 1: it made it all the worse because they were essentially 489 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: conspiring with the FBI. And we've talked a lot on 490 00:28:58,880 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: this podcast about the fact that Elon Musk has gone 491 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: in and bought Twitter and fired these these left wing 492 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: petty authoritarians who believe they had blanket authority to influence 493 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: and steal elections, to silence and censor anyone they disagreed with, 494 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 1: to coordinate and act as henchmen on behalf of the 495 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: federal government, silencing their political enemies. Elon Musk coming in 496 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: and firing them was a big deal. But I'll tell you, 497 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: even with and Elon's fired, I think up to two 498 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 1: thirds of the employees at Twitter and he is running 499 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 1: Twitter day in, day out. But even so that they 500 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 1: are still fighting him. It is It's reminiscent of the 501 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: deep state in government, where during the Trump administration, there'd 502 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: be good people in a political position and the deep 503 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: state would fight them a rearguard action. Well, this week, 504 00:29:56,840 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: one of the things that happened is Twitter spended a 505 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 1: US senator suspended Steve Danes. Steve Danes as Senator from Montana, 506 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: a good friend of mine. Steve Danes had posted on 507 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: his profile picture a beautiful picture of Steve and his wife, 508 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 1: Cindy and an antelope that they had just shot on 509 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: a hunting trip. And it's it's a gorgeous picture, and 510 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 1: he had it on his profile picture. And he woke 511 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 1: up Monday morning to find that he was blocked on Twitter. 512 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: They had shut down his senatorial account, and the message 513 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 1: they had given was delete profile image. That he was 514 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: not going to be allowed to use Twitter until he 515 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: deleted that image, and it was deleted because Twitter said 516 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: you may not include graphic violence or adult content in 517 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:50,520 Speaker 1: your profile header image, and and we consider graphic violence 518 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: to be any form of gory media related to death, 519 00:30:53,760 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: serious injury, violence, or surgical procedures. So apparently hunting qualified, 520 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: and so Steve. Tuesday morning, as I was flying to 521 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 1: DC for the State of the Union, Steve texted me 522 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: and told me he had been banned from Twitter. And 523 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 1: so I jumped on Twitter to speak up for my friend. 524 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 1: I sent out a tweet. I said, ridiculous, my friend 525 00:31:18,760 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: Steve Danes is in Twitter. Jail for posting this pick 526 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: with his wife, Cindy. If you don't like hunting, fine, 527 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: don't go, but don't censor others who disagree. And I'm 528 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:36,360 Speaker 1: pretty sure this is a formal job responsibility for a 529 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: senator from Montana. Yeah, if you don't, If you don't 530 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: hunt in Montana, it's pretty hard to get elected statewide. 531 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: It is. And I'll tell you, actually, I did a 532 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 1: follow up, which is I put a comment on it. 533 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 1: I said, Steve also told me that he was aiming 534 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 1: for the balloon, but he had an antelope instead. Well, 535 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: that took you a minute. Ben, don't go back and 536 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,400 Speaker 1: editing and take that pause out. That that pause that 537 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 1: there is a lengthy pause there is, Ben's processing. What 538 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:10,120 Speaker 1: I will give you, well played. When you make a 539 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: joke that's a good one, I'll give you the golf 540 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: clap for that one. I'll give you the golf clap. 541 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:18,239 Speaker 1: There we go. I'll take it. Um. But thankfully I 542 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: began tweeting about it. Mike Lee began tweeting about it, 543 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: and interestingly enough, Elon Musk had to get personally involved. 544 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 1: He reached out directly to Steve Danes. The two of 545 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: them talked on the phone and Elon number one reinstated 546 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: Steve Danes on Twitter, but he had to do it personally. 547 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:39,720 Speaker 1: And number two he changed the policy so it is 548 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: no longer their policy to ban you if you put 549 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:46,840 Speaker 1: up a picture of of of you hunting, and it 550 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:50,960 Speaker 1: was it number one, it was the right thing to do. 551 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 1: I'm very glad Elon did it. But it speaks volumes 552 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 1: that you think of the thousands of decisions he has 553 00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: to make every day that he had to get involved 554 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:03,520 Speaker 1: at that La granularity to reverse the decision that was 555 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: baked into the Twitter operations. It also tells you I 556 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:10,479 Speaker 1: think about the mindset, lastly, of those working at Twitter 557 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: who are just obsessed with their power to silence and 558 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 1: censor and to shadow band people that they just don't 559 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 1: like their life. And they're willing to do it to 560 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,400 Speaker 1: United States senator, which means they're obviously more than willing 561 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: to do it to others. And imagine if you're not 562 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 1: a US senator and they find you. And we've seen 563 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:30,800 Speaker 1: this through the Twitter files, and I think this is 564 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: the part that Elon Musk is up against. It's almost 565 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: like he has people within Twitter that are willing to 566 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:38,040 Speaker 1: have the come be destroyed and be a part destroying 567 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:42,240 Speaker 1: the company, hoping that he runs it into the ground. Actively, 568 00:33:42,240 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 1: I would argue working against him just so they can 569 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: at least make sure that conservatives or people that they 570 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 1: disagree with how they live their lives, that they're not 571 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 1: a vegan, that they actually go out and hunt and 572 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: fish and do other things. They're willing to go all 573 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 1: in because they had to know there was going to 574 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: be a story written about this. I can't imagine they're 575 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:05,240 Speaker 1: dominant to think that elon'sco isn't going to hear about it. 576 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,920 Speaker 1: I just think there's a culture of arrogance that they 577 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 1: have the ability to silence. Look, these are the same 578 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:16,480 Speaker 1: people that ban Donald Trump. If you think, okay, former 579 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:19,640 Speaker 1: President of the United States doesn't matter, I can decide 580 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 1: to silence them. If they can ban the President, they 581 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 1: can ban anybody. And the level of arrogance if you 582 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:31,280 Speaker 1: disagree with what someone says. Look, I think AOC says 583 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 1: lots of things that are idiotic. I think Bernie Sanders 584 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: says lots of things that are idiotic. I wouldn't ban them, 585 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: I wouldn't silence them. Heck, I might even want them 586 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:42,399 Speaker 1: to get more people hearing what they say. I think 587 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: it actually helps the cause of common sense when people 588 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 1: hear the ridiculous things they're saying. But there is a culture, 589 00:34:51,400 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: and it's not just Look what is so significant about 590 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,840 Speaker 1: what Elon is doing at Twitter, as Twitter wasn't acting alone. 591 00:34:57,480 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: Facebook's doing the same thing. Google's doing the same thing, 592 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: YouTube's doing the same thing. They're all engaged in it. 593 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:06,480 Speaker 1: It's just Elon is airing the dirty laundry. I'll tell 594 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 1: you I spent more than a half hour this week 595 00:35:08,760 --> 00:35:12,359 Speaker 1: on the phone with Elon talking about the challenges he's 596 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:15,200 Speaker 1: facing at Twitter. And I'm now the ranking member, the 597 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:17,879 Speaker 1: senior Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, and we are 598 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: going to be focusing very directly and vigorously on big 599 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:26,279 Speaker 1: tech censorship. And I think what Elon is doing at 600 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:31,440 Speaker 1: Twitter is enormously, enormously consequential. Yeah, not just for freedom 601 00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 1: of speech, but also to see what happens in the 602 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 1: future with big tech. Senator, It's always a pleasure to 603 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,320 Speaker 1: get to chat, especially on a busy week in Washington. 604 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 1: This is why I think so many people love listening 605 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:43,680 Speaker 1: to Verdict. You get to see behind the scenes here. 606 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 1: Don't forget to make sure you hit that subscribe button, 607 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 1: our auto download button wherever you're listening to the show, 608 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,040 Speaker 1: so you get the show three days a week. We 609 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,880 Speaker 1: do this Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We also do a 610 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:57,960 Speaker 1: video version, so you can see that on YouTube and 611 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 1: on Facebook, so make sure you follow this UNDERS page 612 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,359 Speaker 1: there on Facebook and on YouTube, the Verdict channel there, 613 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: and we will see you guys back here in a 614 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 1: couple of days.