1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Last Thursday night, in this incredible term for the Supreme Court, 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: we had just gotten a major ruling on the Second Amendment. 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: So Senator Cruz and I sat down middle of the night. 4 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: He had just come from the Senate, from the Capitol, 5 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: and we were discussing this issue from the Court, what's 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: going on with the legislators trying to pass gun control. 7 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,479 Speaker 1: And the very next morning we got the ruling in Dabbs, 8 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: the most important Supreme Court decision, certainly of my lifetime, 9 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: one of the most important ever in the history of 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: the United States. And so we came out emergency episode, 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: breaking news, Verdict episode. But we still want to bring 12 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 1: this to you. This is still incredible news. While Dabbs 13 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: is the big headline, there are so many other great 14 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: things that have come out of this Court term. So 15 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: without further ado, here is our discussion of the Second Amendment. 16 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: A major loss for Second Amendment rights and a major 17 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: win for Second Amendment rights, all in the same day, 18 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: and in true Verdict style. It is the middle of 19 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: the night. Senator Cruz is coming straight off the Senate floor. 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: This is Verdict with Ted Cruise. This episode, a Verdict 21 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: with Ted Cruise is brought to you by American Hartford Gold. Now, 22 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: the new inflation numbers are out, and I think we 23 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: can all agree they are incredibly depressing. The price of 24 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: gas is way up, the price of housing is up, 25 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:25,839 Speaker 1: the US national debt is way way way up. And unfortunately, 26 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: given the way that our current administration prints money and 27 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: spends money, experts don't see this going away, this inflation 28 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,959 Speaker 1: going away anytime soon. 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I'm Michael Knowles, and 71 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: I am totally cheating this time because it is Thursday 72 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: evening right now when we are filming this, and it 73 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: is a lovely nine thirty pm where I am here 74 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: in California, Senator. For you, it is after midnight, you've 75 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: just come off the Senate floor and we're about to 76 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 1: start a show. You know, it really feels like we're 77 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: reliving our past, our origin story. I think all verdicts 78 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: ought to be filmed after midnight, and the show would 79 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: get much better if we did a tequila shot after 80 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: every topic. Well, I did want to take some tequila 81 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: shots after I saw the machinations, and the Senate today 82 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: and the Democrats and the squishes pushing gun control. You 83 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: saw it a lot closer than I did. What happened, 84 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 1: you know, today was a really frustrating day. Today the 85 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,119 Speaker 1: United States Senate passed the most significant gun control bill 86 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 1: since nineteen ninety four. And it's even more frustrating. So 87 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,160 Speaker 1: in the last podcast, we talked about the broader issues. 88 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: But I told you then that I would have more 89 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: to say in the hours and days coming forward. Well 90 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: earlier this week, in fact, right after the last podcast, 91 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: I introduced my own legislation, and my own legislation. I 92 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: teamed up with John Barrasso, who is the number three 93 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: Republican in the in the conference leadership. He is the 94 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: senator from Wyoming. Great guy, great friend, great conservative. Actually 95 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: we've had John Barrasso on the show, That's right, a 96 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: former guest on Verdict. Yes, So we teamed up and 97 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: introduced legislation that was called Cruz Barrasso. By any measure, 98 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: the legislation I introduced and I fought for, would do 99 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: much much more, would be much more effective, was much 100 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: more serious in stopping mass murders and stopping mass shootings 101 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,719 Speaker 1: and keeping our kids safe, and yet every single Democrat 102 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: lined up against it, and they said, we don't want 103 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,080 Speaker 1: to double the number of cops in schools, We don't 104 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: want to prosecute gun criminals. Instead, our objective is to 105 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: meet our political priorities of restricting the Second Amendment rights 106 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: of law abiding citizens. It's really frustrating and it's maddening. 107 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,919 Speaker 1: So you come up with the legislation with John Barosso, 108 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: and you you bring it in, you introduce it into 109 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 1: the Senate, and then while you're waiting for Chuck Schumer 110 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: to come sign on as a co sponsor, because this 111 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: basic stuff. If Democrats really wanted to solve this, then 112 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: they would they would do it. Meanwhile, the Democrats are 113 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: picking off fourteen Republicans to support their legislation, which, whatever 114 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: you think about gun control, is just far less relevant 115 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: to these actual shootings than legislation like yours would be. 116 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: And then the legislation that the Democrats proposed passes the Senate. 117 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 1: So it's done, right, it's it's over. It's going to 118 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: go to Biden's desk, and then it's going to go 119 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 1: It has to go to the House next, but the 120 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: House is expected to take it up in the House, 121 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: I will pass it, so it will go to Biden's desk, 122 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: but the House has to pass it first, and the 123 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: Democrats there are going to support it. And look, the 124 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: Democrats understand, this is the camel's nose under the tent. 125 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 1: The provision in this bill that is the most problematic 126 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: is the red flag provision. So this this bill provides 127 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 1: significant federal funding for states to pass so called red 128 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: flag laws. And the problem is red flag laws really 129 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: can invite abuse because they're a mechanism to take away 130 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: the guns from law abiding citizens. And it varies state 131 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: by states, but we've seen some blue states enact red 132 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: flag laws where they can take away your guns with 133 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: little to no due process, with to know judicial protection. Now, 134 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: the Second Amendment is not just some sort of privilege 135 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 1: that various political communities have decided to pass. The Second 136 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: Amendment is a constitutional right. The right to keep in 137 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: bear arms. No matter what you think of it is 138 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,280 Speaker 1: a basic civil right. So my question is, how can 139 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: the Democrats and these fourteen Republicans lower the threshold so 140 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: much to deprive someone of their basic civil rights? And 141 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: will this if it's challenged in court, would would this 142 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: kind of legislation be overruled. So it depends the Democrats 143 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: by and large don't care. And more and more Congressional 144 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: Democrats are becoming quite candid that their objective is gun confiscation, 145 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,679 Speaker 1: that they want to take guns away from the American people. 146 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: They used to hide that. More and more Democrats are 147 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: being very open. Beto O'Rourke famously said, hell, yes, we're 148 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: going to take your R. Fifteen. I mean, they're yes, 149 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: embracing it. Justice John Paul Stevens, a lion of the left, 150 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: wrote an op ed saying we should repeal the Second Amendment. 151 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: That is more and more becoming The position of the 152 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: hard left is, screw the Second Amendment, we want your guns. 153 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: With Republicans, it's more complicated a number of Republicans. So 154 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: we had at lunch today with the Senate Republicans. We 155 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: had a hot lunch. It's it's as hot as an 156 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: AI can remember in years. People were angry and yelling 157 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: at each other. This this this look. It's an emotional issue. 158 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 1: It's a divisive issue on the question of red flag laws. 159 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: What the defenders of this bill we're saying as well, gosh, 160 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: no courts have struck down the state laws as being unconstitutional. 161 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: No courts have concluded that they don't adequately protect due process. Well, look, 162 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: there are lots of things that are unconstitutional that have 163 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,160 Speaker 1: yet to be adjudicated. And if your standard is whatever 164 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: New York or Connecticut does is just oki doki by me, 165 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: unlessen until a court structs it strikes it down, you're 166 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: on pretty dangerous territory. So I found that argument particularly unpersuasive. 167 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: We heard, we have heard in the Judiciary Committee significant 168 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 1: testimony about how these laws have been abused. And one 169 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: of the things I said on the Senate floor is, 170 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: as a consequence of this bill tonight, we will see 171 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 1: people assaulted and lose their life. So we had a 172 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 1: big argument today at lunch over my amendment. So we 173 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: started the day with me being told by multiple senators, Oh, 174 00:09:56,559 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: Chuck Schumer is going to schedule a vote on your amendment. 175 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: He's agreed. We're gonna have one amendment. It's your amendment. 176 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: It's the cruise barosso amend. We're gonna vote on that 177 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: and then we'll be done. And at lunch several of 178 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,199 Speaker 1: my colleagues asked, Okay, is your amendment? Is it simply 179 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: an addition to this bill adding new provisions, or is 180 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: it a substitute. A substitute is delete what you got 181 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: and replace it with this right, And I said, guys, 182 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: it's a substitute. I don't like what you're doing. What 183 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: you're doing is bad. It's a bad bill. It undermines 184 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: the Second Amendment. So I don't want to add my 185 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: bill to yours and undermine the Second Amendment and do 186 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,559 Speaker 1: something good. I'd just like to do something good. I'd 187 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: like us actually to pass a straight up bill going 188 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: after criminals and keeping people safe. I will tell you 189 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: my Republican colleagues who are in support of this bill 190 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: were furious. That was the cause of much of the 191 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: fireworks at lunch, as they're like, we don't want to substitute. 192 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: We want you just to just add our bill, add 193 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: your bill ours, and we'll be fine with it. In 194 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: your estimation, Senator, I don't want to make you play 195 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: psychobabble or anything like that. But is your read from 196 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: your squishier colleagues who backed the DEM's gun control bill. 197 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: Is your read that they did it for political reasons 198 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: to appease their purple or blue constituencies, or did they 199 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: do it because of conviction, because they think it's actually 200 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: good to take away guns from more Americans. Oh look, 201 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:28,440 Speaker 1: there were a number of them from pretty red states 202 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: that weren't from blue or purple states. I don't know. 203 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 1: I'm not an armchair shrink. I think it is consistently 204 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: the case that when a Republican compromises with the Democrats 205 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: and does what the Democrats want, that the press will 206 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: praise them. It's an easy path. If you want the 207 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: press to call you a statesman, just do what the 208 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: Democrats want, and as a Republican, it's simple. One hundred 209 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: percent of the time you give into the Democrats, the 210 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: press says, oh, you're so wise, you're so enlightened. And 211 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,640 Speaker 1: it's a pattern we see over and over again. You know, 212 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:04,599 Speaker 1: you think about this bill. This is a bill that 213 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: united all the Democrats. Every Democrat voter for this bill, 214 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: the most left wing Democrats happily voted for this bill, 215 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: and less than a third of the Republicans voted for 216 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,239 Speaker 1: this bill. More than a few of us were asking 217 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: of our leadership, why are we teeing up a bill 218 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: that unites all the Democrats and divides the Republicans and 219 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: makes us fight with each other. I get by this 220 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: makes sense for Chuck Schumer, Why does this make sense 221 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: for us? But when I said my amendment is going 222 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 1: to be a substitute, I'm not willing to just rubber 223 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: stamp what you're doing. It made the proponents of the 224 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: bill pretty angry, and Schuber ended up saying no amendments 225 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: at all, and so he blocked amendments. Now, the way 226 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: you block amendments, and let's get into a little bit 227 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: of our kne Senate procedure. When you have a bill 228 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: pending on the floor, there is what's called the amendment tree, 229 00:12:56,760 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: which is there are open slots for amendments. And what 230 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: Schumer did is what's called filling the tree, which is 231 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: he brings up the bill, then he files an amendment, 232 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: he files another amend and he fills the legs on 233 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: the tree. And typically the blocking amendment is something really 234 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: minor and inconsequential. It's something like changing a date from 235 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: September first to September second. I mean, it doesn't matter 236 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,040 Speaker 1: what it is. It's just an amendment to block that 237 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 1: slot so no one else can file an amendment. So 238 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: because Schumer refused to allow any amendments, what I did 239 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: tonight is I exercised the prerogatives of a senator to 240 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:42,400 Speaker 1: move to table a pending amendment, and in particular, I 241 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: moved to table Schumer's amendment that was filling the tree, 242 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: that was blocking the tribe. And under Senate rules, a 243 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: motion to table an amendment is a privileged motion with 244 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: no debate, that forces a vote. So it was a 245 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: way for me to force a vote. And I stood 246 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 1: up and said, look, I moved to table this in 247 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: order to force a vote on Cruiz Barosso. And this 248 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 1: is a chance for everyone here to decide which one 249 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: you want. Do you want to pass a bill that 250 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: is serious about going after violent criminals, about locking up 251 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: gun criminals, and that provides much much more funds and 252 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 1: resources to make schools safe, to double the number of 253 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: cops in schools to protect our kids. Or do you 254 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: want to pass a political bill that satisfies the partisan 255 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: urges of the Democrats. That's your choice. That's what we 256 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: voted on tonight, and unfortunately that vote failed. We got 257 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: a total of thirty nine votes to table the amendment, 258 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: which meant all the Democrats and eight Republicans voted to 259 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: block any more amendments to prevent consideration of the serious 260 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: legislation that actually would put real resources on the table 261 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: to stop violent crime. So that means that six Republicans 262 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: backed the Democrats gun control bill but also didn't didn't 263 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 1: try to shoot down your amendment. Correct a way to 264 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: sort of split the baby there, But I guess we'll 265 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: take what we can get. Yeah, we picked off about 266 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 1: half the Republicans who were supporting this, and so that 267 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: was that was an incremental benefit. And by the way, look, 268 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: I'll also say we were working with gun rights groups 269 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: so that the NRA actively supported my amendment and publicly 270 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: urged Senators to vote for it. Why because it targets 271 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: the bad guys, it targets criminals. It actually focuses on 272 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: how you stop gun crimes rather than disarming law abiding citizens. 273 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: But unfortunately, a majority of the Senate wanted to go 274 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 1: down a political road instead. So the Democrats run the Senate, 275 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: so the Democrats get their way on their gun bill. 276 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: The Democrats do generally do not run the Supreme Court. 277 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: We have a vaguely conservative, vague majority on the Court, 278 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: and the Court handed down a major victory for the 279 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: Second Amendment today. That was the New York Rifle and 280 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: Pistol Association versus Bruin, And it was a case that 281 00:16:21,560 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 1: decided whether and how New Yorkers are allowed to keep 282 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: and bear arms. Could you describe a little bit about 283 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: the case. Sure, it's a big case. It is a 284 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: big victory, and it is caused for celebration. So New 285 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 1: York has in place a law that severely restricts the 286 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: ability of New Yorkers to carry a firearm outside the home. So, 287 00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: if you want to conceal carry a handgun, New York 288 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: had a handful of very narrow circumstances in which you 289 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: were allowed to do it, but as a practical matter, 290 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:56,119 Speaker 1: you couldn't. It was illegal to carry a firearm outside 291 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: your home. So if you're on the subway, if you 292 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: want to protect yourself, New York made it illegal to 293 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 1: do that. This was a lawsuit saying, look, making it 294 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: illegal to protect yourself, it's contrary to the Second Amendment, 295 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: which says the right to keeping bear arms shall not 296 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:16,359 Speaker 1: be infringed. The Supreme Court agreed. The decision is six three, 297 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: so it was a big majority decision. Justice Clarence Thomas 298 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: wrote the majority, it's a fantastic majority opinion, and it 299 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: vigorously gave life to the Second Amendment, and it said, look, 300 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: you've got a right to protect your own life. The 301 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: Second Amendment. It's not about hunting, it's not about skeet shooting, 302 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,880 Speaker 1: it's not about recreational use of firearms. The Second Amendment 303 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: is about the fundamental right you have, you, Michael Knowles, 304 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: to defend your life, to protect your life, and to 305 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 1: defend your family. And that right of life and self defense, 306 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: the ability to both keep and to bear arms, to 307 00:17:55,960 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: carry them with you to protect yourself is fundamental. And 308 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court said restrictions that are not in the 309 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: tradition of what has been allowed with the right to 310 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: keep in bear arms are beyond what is allowed under 311 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: the Constitution. It was a big, big victory. I remember 312 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: when I was living in New York, I did a 313 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: little research to see what it would take to allow 314 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 1: me to carry a weapon. Even just to have a 315 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: weapon in my apartment. It was difficult enough, but to 316 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 1: carry a weapon outside of my apartment, and it was 317 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 1: it was virtually impossible. And in the law at issue here, 318 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: New York decided that you had to prove that you 319 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,560 Speaker 1: had a cause to have to keep in bear this weapon, 320 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: and it would it would seem to me that the 321 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: cause would be the government's trying to take away my 322 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: Second Amendment rights. That would seem to be a sufficient 323 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: cause to exercise my Second Amendment rights. Will this have 324 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: ripple effects around the rest of the country, So it will. 325 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: I think you will see litigation against other significant constraints 326 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: the right to keep in bare arms. And I think 327 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 1: you will see gun grabbing restriction struck down. The left 328 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: wants to make it hard, if not impossible, for you 329 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: to protect yourself. And I think this decision, this decision 330 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:19,160 Speaker 1: is the biggest Second Amendment decision since Heller versus District Columbia, which, 331 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 1: as you know, I led a coalition of states in 332 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: Heller defending the Second Amendment right to keep in bear arms. 333 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: That was a landmark five four decision. Antonin Scalia wrote 334 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: the opinion. It's probably the finest majority opinion. Justice Scalia 335 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: ever wrote. In this case, I led an amicus brief 336 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: for twenty four senators defending the Second Amendment right to 337 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 1: keep in bare arms. So we filed a brief of 338 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: the court, and the court agreed with us. The Court 339 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: agreed with us down the line that the right to 340 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: keeping bare arms is real, it's significant, it's meaningful, it 341 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: needs to be protected. And you know, the Bill of 342 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: Rights is not optional. It's not a recommendation. If you 343 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: don't agree with it, who cares? It is in the Constitution. 344 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: If you don't agree with it, try to amend the Constitution. 345 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 1: But you don't get to ignore it just because you'd 346 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:10,439 Speaker 1: like to ignore it. And so I think this was 347 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: a big decision and a really important long term victory 348 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: for the Second Amendment. I will tell you something amazing. 349 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: So imagine for a second, Michael, that you're the lawyer 350 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: who argues the New York case wins a six three 351 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:34,160 Speaker 1: landmark case defending a constitutional right. Imagine you are also 352 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: a partner at a law firm who's just one a 353 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: landmark victory at the Supreme Court. What do you think 354 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: the reward and the response from your law firm would 355 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: be and should be. I would imagine I should get 356 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: a big, fat, gigantic bonus. I think I should get 357 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: an upgrade to my office if I'm in some little 358 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: kind of I'd like that corner office now, maybe a 359 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 1: nice leather chair into coco bolo desk, that's what I 360 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: would expect. Look, all of that makes sense, and you 361 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:08,439 Speaker 1: got it almost exactly right. What happened in this case 362 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,119 Speaker 1: is the lawyer who argued the case was Paul Clement. 363 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: He was the former Solicitor General of the United States. Paul, 364 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,760 Speaker 1: someone I know very well, is an incredibly talented advocate. 365 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: He won six to three. He was a partner at 366 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: Kirkland and Ellis, and immediately after the decision came down, 367 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 1: Kirkland fired he was fired. They fired him, and they 368 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,280 Speaker 1: fired Aaron Murphy, who was also his partner. What the 369 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: law firm said is, we have decided we are no 370 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: longer willing to defend the Second Amendment. So you, Paul 371 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: and you Aaron, have a choice. Fire your client, who 372 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: is a long standing client, tell him you will no 373 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: longer represent them, or get the hell out of the firm. 374 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,880 Speaker 1: And Paul and Aaron, God bless them, said nice knowing 375 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 1: you guys, see you later. We won't let the door 376 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: hit us on the ass on the way out. And 377 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: they left the firm today, literally within hours of winning 378 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: this landmark decision. Do you want to know something even 379 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: more amazing? I can't imagine what would be more amazing 380 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: than that. But sure, this is not the first time 381 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: this has happened to Paul Clement, So more than a decade, 382 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: you're going to say, this is not the first time 383 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:23,160 Speaker 1: that this has happened in the history of the court. 384 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 1: This poor man, this has happened to multiple times. So 385 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: over a decade ago. Paul was a partner at King 386 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:31,359 Speaker 1: and Spaulding, one of the top Supreme Court litigators on 387 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:35,439 Speaker 1: the planet, and the US House of Representatives, controlled by 388 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: Republicans at the time, hired Paul to defend the Defensive 389 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 1: Marriage Act, a law passed by Congress that Barack Obama 390 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: refused to defend and so the Republican House wanted somebody 391 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: to defend it in the Supreme Court. They hired Paul. 392 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 1: King and Spalding said either refused to represent the United 393 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 1: States House of Representatives or leave the firm, and Paul 394 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: left the firm. He formed his own firm. That particular 395 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: case he lost five four, so he didn't he didn't 396 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: win it, but he got four votes at the court. 397 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 1: It was it was a very important case. He went 398 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: to a little litigation boutique, practiced there for years and 399 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: then twenty sixteen Kirkland and Ellis, which is a big 400 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 1: whiteshoe firm based in Chicago, one of the most profitable 401 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: firms in America, brought him in and brought his team in. 402 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 1: He was representing the New York State Rifle Association. He 403 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 1: had these clients. He was doing the Second Amendment representation 404 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: at the time, and Kirkland agreed at the time, you 405 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 1: can keep these clients. We know who your clients are. 406 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: You can keep your clients. It's all good with us. 407 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: And the thing to understand about this, Michael, this is 408 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 1: woke corporate America. Law firms are the handmaidens for the 409 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: giant companies, and this is woke general counsels saying our 410 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: politics matters more to us than anything else. And this 411 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 1: is law firms being cowards and saying, okay, then we've 412 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: decided certain parts of the Bill of Rights we don't 413 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 1: care about. If their clients that are unpopular, we don't 414 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 1: care about. And they literally are chasing away. They're marquee 415 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: like like Paul is their top Supreme Court litigator. So 416 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,440 Speaker 1: by the way, they're also telling all the corporate clients, 417 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 1: if you have a Supreme Court case, oh well, we 418 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 1: can't do it anymore. We don't have the big dog 419 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: anymore because our politics is more important than actually representing 420 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: your interests. It really is shameful what's happened to law 421 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 1: firms and what has happened to corporate America that is, 422 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: you know, I guess it's a mark of honor for 423 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: Paul in the sense that the guy is obviously very 424 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 1: very effective, very very successful, and the soft power that 425 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: has a lot of power in this country. Corporate power 426 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,239 Speaker 1: really doesn't like him and is punishing him. Good on him. 427 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: He should he should fire the pink slip that he received. 428 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: All in all, especially as as we're looking at these 429 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 1: big wins and big potential wins from the Supreme Court, 430 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 1: you're seeing that rise in the vitriol from the left 431 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,439 Speaker 1: and danger as well. We will have to leave it 432 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: there on that sort of ominous cliffhanger with lots of 433 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: big decisions awaiting their final conclusion. But that's it for 434 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:30,919 Speaker 1: right now. It's it's one o'clock. I know that's an 435 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: early night for you, senator, but we will let you 436 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: get the sleep. I'm Michael Knowles. This is Verdict with 437 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:48,439 Speaker 1: Ted Cruz. This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz is 438 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: being brought to you by Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack, 439 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: a political action committee dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organizations, 440 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: and candidates across the country. In twenty twenty two, Jobs 441 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: Freedom and Security Pack plans to donate to conservative candidates 442 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 1: running for Congress and help the Republican Party across the nation.