1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Truth with Lisa Booth, where we 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: get to the heart of the issues that matter to you. Today, 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: we're joined by congress Woman Elise Staphonic. She is the 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: author of the new book Poisoned, ives the inside account 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: of the academic and moral wrought at America's elite universities, 6 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: from her viral confrontation with Ivy League presidents over anti 7 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: Semitism to the deeper ideological capture of higher education. She 8 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: pulls back the curtain on how America's most prestigious campuses 9 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: have abandoned truth, merit, and basic moral clarity. We're also 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: going to dive into some of the current headlines, including 11 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: early pulling on the Iran strikes. Also her decisions to 12 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,639 Speaker 1: step away from both the New York gubernatorial race and 13 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 1: her congressional reelection. What does that signal for this November? 14 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: Should that bring concern? Also, we're going to talk about 15 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: the exodus of higher earners from New York City and 16 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: state under Governor Kathy Hochel and mayor of Mom Donnie. Also, 17 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 1: what does she think about the recent controversy surroundings are 18 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: run Mom Donnie's wife, New York City's first Lady about 19 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: some of these crazy tweets that she has liked. She's 20 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: used the N word a lot of anti Semitism. She's 21 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: like posts saying that October seventh was a hoax and 22 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: things like that. 23 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: So what does she think about that. 24 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for all of that and more with Congressoman 25 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: at Least Staphonic. Well, Congresswoman Atlas Stefanic, first time on 26 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: the show. 27 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 2: Really appreciate you making the time. 28 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: We ran into each other recently and I was like, 29 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: I've got to get you on, So I appreciate you 30 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: making the time for me. 31 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 3: This was great to connect with you, Lisa and excited 32 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 3: to be on your podcast. 33 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 1: Well, thank you so much. You know, Congresson, I wanted 34 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: to start off before. We definitely want to talk about 35 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: your book. It's very important, but I want to start 36 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: off on Iran right now. So so far, at least 37 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: early polling shows that the war is not popular. 38 00:01:58,080 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: You know, why do you think the public. 39 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: Bad is weaker than we've seen at the start of 40 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: past conflicts like uh, you know, Brock or even Korea 41 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: and some of these other wars. 42 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, I don't think the president or 43 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 3: the Congress should be making national security decisions based upon polling, 44 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 3: they should be focused on national security threats. And if 45 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 3: you look at Iran's record not only of the past 46 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 3: few months, but frankly over decades, this is the largest 47 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: state sponsor of terrorism. It has led to the deaths 48 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 3: directly of Americans over the past decades. You know, I 49 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 3: represent Fort drum Home in the tenth Mountain Division, the 50 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 3: most deployed division in the US Army. Since when you 51 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 3: think about the Iranian backed militias in Iraq and the 52 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 3: targeting of American soldiers, that's an example of Iran as 53 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 3: a national security threat, that continued pursuit of nuclear weapons, 54 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 3: capability ballistic missiles. As someone who sits on two national 55 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 3: security committees, this is an area where I speak directly 56 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 3: to my constituents about a lot because it impacts the 57 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 3: military families in my district. And we've seen broad support 58 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 3: not only for the President but also for protecting our 59 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,639 Speaker 3: national securities. You know, I think the President Trump was 60 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 3: correct when he said some things are this is more 61 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 3: important than polling. And I also really have faith and 62 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 3: confidence in President Trump in he took the correct action 63 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 3: and it's been militarily extremely successful. And you've seen some 64 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 3: of the public reporting Lisa in terms of looking to 65 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 3: bring this to a close while also focusing on domestic 66 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,079 Speaker 3: issues like lowering energy prices, and that's something that both 67 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 3: the Secretary of Energy and frankly, Secretary of Treasury and 68 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 3: the entire administration is focused on. If you look among 69 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 3: Republican voters, there is extremely strong support for this. But again, 70 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 3: national security should not be decided by polling, and you 71 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 3: know that's always been my position in Congress. 72 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 2: No, I agree with you, and I think that he 73 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: made the right call. 74 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: But you know, voters want him to turn around the economy, 75 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: and there's concern that this, you know, it's going to 76 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: drive up energy costs ahead of the midterm elections. Does 77 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: this sort of move the Republican Party further away from 78 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: solving the affordability concerns of America? 79 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 3: You know, absolutely not. If you look at where we 80 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 3: were a year ago in terms of or even more 81 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 3: than a year ago when President Trump took office, look 82 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 3: at the economic disaster that he inherited. And right now 83 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 3: we're at a very important time. Americans are filing their taxes. 84 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,239 Speaker 3: It's tax season, and they're about to see the largest 85 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 3: tax cut in history. Particularly when I consider my constituents 86 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 3: in New York who faced historically high taxes, and we 87 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 3: raised that state and local tax deduction. That is incredibly 88 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 3: important to put more money in hard working families pockets. 89 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 3: And the overall economic confidence right now is very high 90 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 3: compared to where it was during the Biden administration. I 91 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 3: mean the digging out of the inflation crisis. President Trump 92 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 3: has been very successful at that. Look at the historically 93 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 3: low energy prices, Yes, they have spiked in the past 94 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 3: two weeks, but with the all of the above energy approach, 95 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 3: we're going to see those energy prices come down, particularly 96 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 3: as there's such a focus from the administration to make 97 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 3: sure that people aren't feeling the pain in the pockets. 98 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 3: It's over the long term. 99 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 2: You know you had mentioned taxes. 100 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: I'm sure you saw Governor Kathy Hochel begging wealthy individuals 101 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: to return to New York to do their patriotic to 102 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: the pay taxes for I guess the illegal immigrants they've 103 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: allowed into the state and city Mayor'szuranmum Donnie is intent 104 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: on continuing to raise taxes. What does this like continued 105 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: exodus of higher earners mean for New Yorkers. 106 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 3: It's not just high earners that are leaving, Lisa. I mean, 107 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:51,159 Speaker 3: I represent a district where the median income for family 108 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 3: is about forty five thousand to fifty thousand dollars, and 109 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 3: these high taxes are extraordinarily painful. They hurt the working 110 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 3: class in New York, and you're going to continue to 111 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 3: see a mass exodus. If you compare our state's budget 112 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 3: to the state of Florida, it is abysmal. That Medicaid alone, 113 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 3: which is a totally poorly run program in New York 114 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,039 Speaker 3: State that's not serving the people who it should be 115 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 3: serving well, Let alone the tens of billions that are 116 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 3: going towards illegals. That's larger than the entire budget of Florida, 117 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 3: and Florida has a larger population than New York. Every day, Lisa, 118 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 3: I get texts or calls from New Yorker's whether they're 119 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 3: constituents or people across to New York that they are 120 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 3: leaving because of the policies. It's not because of the weather, 121 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 3: it's not because they don't love New York. It's because 122 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 3: of the economic policies that are running them out of 123 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 3: the state. And you're going to continue to see a 124 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 3: brain drain not only of our entrepreneurs and our businesses 125 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 3: and our young people, but seniors are leaving as well. 126 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 3: And the fact that the only solution from whether it's 127 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 3: Governor Kathy Hochel or zorn mom Dambi, is to continue 128 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 3: to raise taxes. It's only going to further exacts masturbate 129 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:05,679 Speaker 3: that mass exodus. And the impact federally is that means 130 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 3: over time you lose congressional representation. You know, New York 131 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 3: used to be one of the biggest delegations in the nation, 132 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 3: and over the past few decades that has winnowed down. 133 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 3: We lost a congressional seat in the last round of redistricting. 134 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 3: That's going to happen again, unfortunately, because people are leaving. 135 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: And then I want to switch into anti semitism just 136 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 1: one moment, but soon you have now exited the covenatorial 137 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: race for New York as well as your congressional election. 138 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: Should we as voters read into that about you know, 139 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: the writing on the wall for Republicans this November? 140 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 3: No. You know, when I first ran Lisa, I was 141 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 3: very clear that I don't think these positions were imagined 142 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 3: by the founders to be lifelong, you know, running for 143 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 3: the next office constantly, and I made a decision, as 144 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 3: you know, personally, professionally and politically. For me, I've been 145 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 3: proud to keep my promises to my constituents to deliver 146 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 3: significant results. But I also have a four year old 147 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 3: and those are critical years, and as a mom, I 148 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 3: made that decision. I also, you know, I do think 149 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: politically the midterms are going to be very challenging, and 150 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 3: in a blue state, traditionally like New York, you have 151 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 3: to have a pitch perfect situation politically in order to 152 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 3: have a very strong path. I certainly know that we 153 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 3: had the strongest path and certainly would have put the 154 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 3: primary away. But I think that given the single party 155 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 3: Democrat rule and the entrenchment and even the law fair 156 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 3: that is conducted against Republicans, I made a decision that 157 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 3: it was not the right time for my family. And 158 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 3: I'm very happy with the decision for us. I know 159 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 3: that many New Yorkers have reached out and what they'll 160 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 3: say to me, Lease is we're happy for you as 161 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 3: a family, and we you know, are so We're going 162 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 3: to miss you so much, Lease as a member of Congress, 163 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 3: but you know, we understand, and unfortunately, I think there's 164 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 3: frustration broadly among New York Republicans that there's just a 165 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 3: lack of apparatus. And we you know, I had a seat. 166 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,079 Speaker 3: People forget Lisa. I flipped my seat. It was a 167 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 3: seat that was held by a Democrat, and we put 168 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 3: up some of the largest margins in the Northeast. It 169 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 3: was the right time for my family, and I'm very 170 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 3: grateful for my constituents for their encouragement and support as 171 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 3: we've made this decision. And I'm going to continue speaking 172 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 3: out and leading on issues that are important to me 173 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 3: and important to New York. 174 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:26,439 Speaker 1: No, of course, no, I mean, You've got to do 175 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:28,439 Speaker 1: what's best for your family. It's just it's, you know, 176 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: tough loss for the Republican Party to lose, you know, 177 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 1: someone so young and promising in politics. But there's there's 178 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: more to life than it. Got to take a quick 179 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: commercial break more with Congresswoman Elise Stefanek. You know, so 180 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 1: I want to get to your book about poison and 181 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: ives the inside account of the academic and moral road 182 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: at America's elite institutions. How challenging is it to push 183 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:57,200 Speaker 1: for change within these institutions? When you look at places 184 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: like New York City and you've got mom Donnie's own wife, 185 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: who has you know, liked things about October seventh and 186 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,599 Speaker 1: either described the hamas attacks as you know, breaking the 187 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 1: walls apart apartheid or collective liberation, or who has reportedly 188 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: like content characterizing the reports of sexual violence during October 189 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: seventh and rapes as a hoax, or has used the 190 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,439 Speaker 1: N word like it's how how do we get change 191 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: of these institutions when you've got you know, the rat 192 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: is also within these politicians and at the top. 193 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 3: Yes, well, first of all, isn't it very just disturbing 194 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,680 Speaker 3: that the mainstream media refuses to even ask mom Domi 195 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 3: about his spouses, his wife's horrific comments. It's just a 196 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:48,319 Speaker 3: very poor reflection of the state of affairs of the media, 197 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 3: you know, the quote unquote elite media in New York 198 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 3: that is just so out of touch and just is 199 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 3: so biased in favor of these radical socialists. So, first 200 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 3: of all, you don't get a Zora mom Domi without 201 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 3: what happened at Colombia, literally the same individuals. Mahmood Khalil 202 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 3: is an example. He was one of the foreign leaders 203 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 3: on campus who led these pro Hamas encampments, and he 204 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 3: was just in Gracie Manchin having dinner with Mam Dami 205 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 3: and his wife. So literally there is a direct correlation. 206 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,959 Speaker 3: I also go in depth in one of the chapters 207 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 3: where I do a deep dive on Colombia. Momdami really 208 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 3: came out of the Petri dish of this far left, 209 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 3: radical anti American academia. The fact that his father has 210 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 3: been an apologist for suicide bombers, that has a record 211 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 3: of anti Semitism, anti Americanism, compared Abraham Lincoln to Hitler. 212 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 3: It is inexcusable. And you know, Mamdami has said that 213 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 3: he has been shaped by his parents, that that the 214 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 3: most important guidepost, and we can look at what that 215 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 3: record of academic work was for his father at Columbia. 216 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 3: So the book, it's interesting, this was the hearing heard 217 00:11:58,040 --> 00:11:59,719 Speaker 3: around the world. I've been in a lot of high 218 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 3: profile file congressional hearings. I've been an impeachment hearings. I've 219 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 3: had cabinet secretary's major CEOs in front of me under 220 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 3: oath at Congress. I've never been in a hearing that 221 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 3: resonated and really captured the public's attention like this one. 222 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,840 Speaker 3: And it was because it was so clear that these institutions, 223 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 3: it was Harvard, Penn, and MIT at first were so 224 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 3: out of touch when I asked them the direct question, 225 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 3: just calling for the genocide of Jews violate university's code 226 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 3: of conduct, and they all said about you know, it 227 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,319 Speaker 3: depends on the context. And in a week it was 228 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 3: a billion views. It set off an earthquake and higher 229 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 3: education that continues to roil through. We saw the Department 230 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 3: of Justice in the Trump administration just correctly sued Harvard 231 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 3: for their failure to protect civil rights protections for Jewish 232 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 3: students on campus. And there's just a litany of examples, 233 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 3: and the book does a deep dive. This didn't happen overnight. 234 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 3: This has been a long downward slide and slide to 235 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 3: the left in academia. It goes into Harvard, it goes 236 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 3: into Penn, there's a Columbia chapter, chapter on sort of 237 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 3: other schools like Northwestern, Brown, Yale, MIT, and then it 238 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 3: importantly puts forth schools that are getting it right, so 239 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 3: that are going in the right direction in terms of 240 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: showing moral leadership, really focusing on academic exceptionalism and not 241 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 3: political indoctrination. Some of those examples are Vanderbilt, University of Florida. 242 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 3: Dartmouth is really the sole IVY that has not followed 243 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 3: the crowd the herd on this and then it puts 244 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 3: forth policy solutions. But it's a watershed moment. And in 245 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:35,079 Speaker 3: order to understand what's happening with these anti American socialists 246 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,319 Speaker 3: that are pro hamas pro terrorists, you need to look 247 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 3: at what's happening at the schools. 248 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 1: You know, you'd mentioned the exchange with IVY League presidents, 249 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: though when viral your shirt questioning of them, why was 250 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: it so hard for them to just call. 251 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 2: Out anti Semitism? What's behind that? 252 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 3: You know, Lisa, I that wasn't even a prepared question, 253 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 3: and that was the last question of the hearing. I thought, 254 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 3: how can I ask this in the most straightforward, non 255 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 3: political way to force them to answer yes? And I 256 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 3: was planning my follow up was going to be about 257 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 3: what disciplinary action they had taken against students or faculty 258 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 3: that violated the rules, And to my astonishment, they I 259 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 3: couldn't even get to the follow up because they answered 260 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,960 Speaker 3: the first question that was very direct, is calling for 261 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 3: the genocide of Jews? Violate your university's rules. That should 262 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 3: have been a yes answer without hesitation. You ask a 263 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 3: constituent of mine, they know how to answer that question. 264 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 3: You ask sort of a typical working American, they know 265 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 3: how to answer that question correctly. And the fact that 266 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 3: these university presidents were so out of touch, I think 267 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 3: it encapsulated just what's so wrong with higher education. And 268 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 3: of course, if you add on to that the fact 269 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 3: that tuition is sky high prices, graduates are struggling to 270 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 3: get jobs in today's workforce. We really need to do 271 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 3: a deep dive, go back to the founding mission of 272 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 3: these schools and return to the founding mission. I mean, 273 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 3: I'm a big believer in going back and studying history. 274 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 3: These schools were founded on amazing principles, very toss truth, 275 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 3: moral truth at Harvard, and it was part of the 276 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 3: inspiration for the American Revolution. A lot of these schools 277 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 3: predated the founding of our country. Yet they've strayed so 278 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 3: far away. But people are voting with their feet. Parents 279 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 3: and students are voting with their feet and their tuition dollars, 280 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 3: and they're going elsewhere. If you look at the matriculation rates. 281 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 1: What do you think is the driving force behind the 282 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: anti semitism on college campuses. 283 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 2: Is it these. 284 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: University presidents or are they responding to pressure from faculty 285 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: and students or kind of like, what's driving it? 286 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 2: Do you think? 287 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 3: So the book talks about this. It's multifaceted. So Number one, 288 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 3: if you look at the faculty ideological bent and the 289 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 3: faculty tenure, it is a self selection process that continues 290 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 3: to move further and further to the left. It's something 291 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 3: like eighty to one at these schools now in the 292 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 3: humanities departments of those that identify as extremely liberal. You know, 293 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 3: for every eighty there's one if there is one who 294 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:17,680 Speaker 3: is a faculty member that self describes as a conservative. 295 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 3: That didn't used to be the case if you look 296 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 3: decades ago. Surprisingly, it was one to one at some 297 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 3: of these schools. So that's how much that has shifted. 298 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 3: So the faculty tenure, we have to figure out a 299 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 3: way to address that academic laziness, I say, in academic 300 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 3: monoculture and group think. The second piece is the foreign dollars. 301 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 3: I think the American people are surprised when you consider 302 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 3: the amount of foreign dollars flowing to these universities last 303 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 3: year alone, Qatar had one point two billion dollars going 304 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 3: to US highre ed institutions. And we've seen in the 305 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 3: case in Northwestern for example, where they have a formal agreement, 306 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 3: they limited the school in terms of how they talked 307 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 3: about October seventh because of that financial agreement. That needs 308 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 3: to stop. These are American institutions. They should not be 309 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 3: propped up by foreign dollars. Katara's number one. China is 310 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 3: number two. If you look at the record of China 311 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 3: investing in Confucius institutes, which we banned a few years ago, 312 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 3: but you know, China has tried to find loopholes. That's 313 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 3: a piece as well. Also the percentage of foreign students. 314 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 3: People would be surprised that, for example, in the case 315 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 3: of Colombia, you have upwards of forty percent of students 316 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 3: who are foreign. Again, these are American institutions. They should 317 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 3: be focused on giving those coveted slots to American students 318 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 3: who are well more than well qualified to apply and 319 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 3: get accepted to these universities. And if you look at 320 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 3: many of the kind of leaders of the Prohamas encampment 321 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 3: and riots in the case of Columbia, many of them 322 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 3: were those foreign students on foreign visas, so you have 323 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 3: to address that as well. In these universities, you also 324 00:17:57,119 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 3: have the growing administrative states through the Office of Dei, 325 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 3: which are inherently anti Semitic. We saw that in the 326 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 3: case of Harvard that the Office of DEI refused to 327 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 3: even respond when Jewish students reached out raising issues of 328 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 3: anti Semitism. So the book goes into not only what 329 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 3: is driving this, but also potential solutions. It has been 330 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 3: a sea change dealing with and working with the Trump administration, 331 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 3: which took this seriously, not only on the campaign trail. 332 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 3: It was a major focus of President Trump. It's an 333 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,400 Speaker 3: issue that I've worked with him directly on. I mean, 334 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 3: I don't know if people realize how closely he'd watch 335 00:18:30,680 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 3: the hearings, but he would always be the first caller 336 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 3: text after the hearing or as these college president resignations happened. 337 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 3: I knew without fail, as my phone was bringing or 338 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 3: the text sound went off, it was typically President Trump. 339 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 3: The executive actions on day one, as well as these 340 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 3: important investigations from the Department of Education, those have been 341 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 3: incredibly important to create this shift that's going to take 342 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 3: a long time to dig out of. 343 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: Now, I'm glad you mentioned the foreign money. That's something 344 00:18:57,920 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: I've been concerned with as well. But why don't we 345 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: hear about it as much? Because you would think that 346 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: that would be like an obvious point of concern for 347 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: Americans that were importing. 348 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: These students who hate the West too. 349 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:10,879 Speaker 1: You know, we'll get educated here, but they hate our 350 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: country and they hate our values, or that we're taking 351 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: money from, you know, countries that house terras if your 352 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 1: guitar or China an enemy, right like, It's like you 353 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: would think that would be more concerning, But we don't 354 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: hear about it very often. 355 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,680 Speaker 3: We didn't hear about it because there were loopholes in 356 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 3: the law, so one part of the hearing that did 357 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 3: not get as much media coverage. But I knew in 358 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 3: the moment was an important question because I can see 359 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 3: the witnesses sort of body language and how they responded. 360 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:41,160 Speaker 3: I actually asked the president of Harvard, former President Claudine Gay, 361 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,439 Speaker 3: about the sources of FOURIGN dollars, and she sort of 362 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 3: clammed up in the hearing and said, you know, we 363 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 3: have generous donors from all over the world. She wouldn't 364 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 3: say countries. I knew at that moment I was hit 365 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:55,200 Speaker 3: on something because these schools number one, were finding loopholes 366 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:58,159 Speaker 3: and not being fully transparent. So what we did in 367 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 3: Congress was we passed what's called the turrn To Act. Previously, 368 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:05,199 Speaker 3: fourign dollars could flow into centers and not directly to 369 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 3: the university or professors, and not directly to the university 370 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 3: writ large, those were not disclosed as part of the 371 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 3: requirement for four dollars. That loophole has now been closed up. 372 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 3: And that's why you saw this recent report from the 373 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 3: Department of Education was so jaw dropping because it included 374 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 3: all those dollars together. And this is an area where 375 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 3: my office has led. This book focuses on this, and 376 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 3: the more we talk about that bringing this transparency is 377 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 3: going to wake up the American people and policymakers to 378 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 3: say we should not allow this to be happening. 379 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: You know, and you've mentioned this, but the Trump administration 380 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: has tied federal funding to some accountability. 381 00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 2: How successful has he been with that? 382 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:55,120 Speaker 1: And then do we worry that the next Democrat president 383 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: will you know, do the same in terms of trying 384 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 1: to shape some of these universities and campuses. 385 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 3: Well, it's what I found is after the here, these 386 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 3: schools had an opportunity to fix themselves, and they completely 387 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,879 Speaker 3: failed to do that. They just continued to dig deeper 388 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 3: and deeper. So to me, the biggest tool we have 389 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,879 Speaker 3: is taxpayer dollars. These schools rely on, in some cases 390 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 3: over a billion dollars annually hard earned US taxpayer dollars. 391 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 3: They are not entitled to those funds. If they are 392 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 3: not complying with civil rights laws, then they need to 393 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 3: be defunded. 394 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 2: And that, you know. 395 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 3: I know there's been some criticism from the media and 396 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 3: from these institutions to President Trump, but he made the 397 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 3: correct decision with my office's encouragement that you have to 398 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 3: use the federal dollars. That's the only way these schools 399 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 3: are going to respond. And if you dig down to 400 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 3: what these requirements are, Lisa, it's pretty straightforward. Focus on 401 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 3: academic excellence, comply with civil rights loss, protect Jewish students 402 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 3: on campus, focus on academic integrity. I mean, the book 403 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 3: also goes into this moral rot, but let's talk about 404 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 3: the academic rod as well. The former president of Harvard 405 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 3: is a known plagiarist in terms of the plagiarism that 406 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 3: came out as a result of the hearing and then 407 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 3: increased scrutiny and transparency, any student would be kicked out 408 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 3: of campus, but somehow the Harvard Corporation Board kept the 409 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 3: president of the university. So you know, the Trump administration 410 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,920 Speaker 3: has been correct. My fear is the next administration, if 411 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:27,719 Speaker 3: it is a Democrat administration, whenever that happens down the 412 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 3: line is they can wipe those executive actions away. That's 413 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 3: why it's very important for Congress to codify as many 414 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 3: of these eos as possible. We were able to do 415 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 3: some of this in the Reconciliation bill that we passed 416 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,679 Speaker 3: last year, but there needs to be more work on 417 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 3: this issue. 418 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: But what are we giving some of these elite institutions 419 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: federal money? Like? 420 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 2: Period? 421 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: I mean some of them are completely or I think 422 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: most of them are self sufficient financially. They have big endowments, 423 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: so it's like, why are they even getting federal taxpayer dollars? 424 00:22:57,880 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 2: Period. 425 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 3: It's a great point. It's something that I believe we 426 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 3: should absolutely consider clawing that back. These schools have some 427 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 3: of the largest endowments, I mean tens of billions of 428 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 3: dollars in many cases. The interesting thing, and I talk 429 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 3: about how they sort of put American students last while 430 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 3: they have these massive endowments, and on top of that 431 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 3: they're getting federal funds. The tuition rates continue to keep 432 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 3: going up. I mean, the tuition rates are much much 433 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 3: higher than the median income for an entire family in 434 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 3: my district. That is not only unaffordable, but they're focused 435 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 3: on recruiting these foreign students who pay full ticket price, 436 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 3: which puts American students at a disadvantage. So I think 437 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 3: that is something that should be considered, is not only 438 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 3: in the short term clawing back those federal dollars, but 439 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,679 Speaker 3: really looking at what these endowments are. And also by 440 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 3: the way, they get special tax provisions, and because in 441 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:53,919 Speaker 3: the case of Colombia and most of these schools they're nonprofits, 442 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 3: they don't pay property to taxes and become the largest 443 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,040 Speaker 3: landowners in key areas. That's the case for Harvard in 444 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 3: the greater Boston area. Columbia is one of the largest 445 00:24:03,040 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 3: landowners in terms of New York City. Something is not right. 446 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 3: Many things are not right when you consider where higher 447 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 3: education institutions are, what their endowments are, and yet they 448 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 3: continue to you know, screw the American tax payers got. 449 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:18,359 Speaker 2: To take a quick break. 450 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 1: If you like what you're hearing, please you're in social 451 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: media or send it to your family and friends. You know, 452 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: a lot of these universities, you know they preach inclusion, 453 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 1: but it seems to be like inclusion except for Jewish. 454 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 3: Students, except for Jewish students, or conservative students, or again 455 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 3: common sense. You don't even have to be conservative to 456 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 3: be out of the norm. Now it's like if you're 457 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 3: common sense and independent and not a socialist, that makes 458 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 3: you out of the norm at some of these institutions. 459 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 3: And the only time they've very vociferously defended free speech, Lisa, 460 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 3: was when it came to calling for the genocide of Jews. 461 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 3: And I pointed out in Harvard's case, I was purged 462 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:05,680 Speaker 3: from Harvard's board of the Institute of Politics after January 463 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,640 Speaker 3: sixth based upon my floor speech. My floor speech, which 464 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 3: talked about constitutional issues, condemned the violence on January sixth, 465 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 3: and I stand by the floor speech. It was immediate 466 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 3: and swift, and they got rid of the only person 467 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 3: that voted for Trump not once, not twice, but three times, 468 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 3: both in sixteen, twenty and twenty four. Not acceptable on 469 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 3: a quote unquote bipartisan board. So you know, these schools 470 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 3: to say, now we support freedom of speech. Look at 471 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 3: the conservative professors they've run out. Look at the conservative 472 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,280 Speaker 3: speakers they've silenced, Look at the conservative leaders. I mean, 473 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 3: in Harvard's case, they were actually considering revoking degrees from 474 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 3: Ted Cruz Ron DeSantis and myself and Tom Cotton. That 475 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 3: is insane. They actually like, that's what the faculty was 476 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,640 Speaker 3: pressing the president of the university to do. Something is deeply, 477 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 3: deeply amiss. But I will tell you parents and students 478 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 3: are very smart. They're going to schools like Vanderbilt University 479 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 3: of Florida. They are looking elsewhere this new school at 480 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 3: University at Austin, which was founded in twenty twenty one, 481 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 3: or they're looking at not going to the traditional four 482 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 3: year college and going right into the workplace. I mean, 483 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 3: I've been inspired in the past couple of years, in 484 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 3: particular the number of entrepreneurs that are starting billion dollar 485 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 3: companies solving major national security issues who were freshman at 486 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 3: MIT and said, you know what, this is not worth 487 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 3: my time. I'd rather get to work build an amazing 488 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 3: American company. That's inspiring to me. And the Teal Fellowship 489 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,479 Speaker 3: program is an example of a program that has been 490 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:43,440 Speaker 3: quite successful. But I think people are really scrutinizing their 491 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 3: decisions now when it comes to education. And as my 492 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 3: son is beginning his educational journey, I mean, he's only 493 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 3: in pre K four. We're very proud of him. He's 494 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 3: doing great in school. We're going to think outside of 495 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 3: the box to make sure that it is focused on 496 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 3: academic excellence and not this politicization. 497 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:04,880 Speaker 1: What role has d I played in shaping these universities 498 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:08,119 Speaker 1: and how they know, they hire, they teach, and they discipline. 499 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 3: A huge role. And if you look at the case, 500 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 3: I mean, this is one of the driving issues that 501 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 3: has led to the skyrocket ADVANTI semitism in the DEI regime, 502 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 3: which frankly is unconstitutional, and when it comes to equal 503 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 3: protection under the law, there is a prioritization of sort 504 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 3: of checking the DEI boxes rather than the merit of 505 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 3: the student. I think one of the bigger scandals, not 506 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 3: just one of what happened at these schools post October seventh, 507 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 3: which was a huge scandal, is when we do a 508 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 3: deep dive in the admissions office. We've seen a little 509 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 3: bit of this in recent years with the Supreme Court 510 00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 3: ruling against Harvard because of their admissions processes. But if 511 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 3: you look at the percentage of not only American students, 512 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:53,679 Speaker 3: but specifically American Jewish students that has fallen off a 513 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 3: cliff at these most quote unquote elite universities, I believe 514 00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 3: the admissions offices of some of these schools are not 515 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 3: abiding by the Supreme Court decision again and sort of 516 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:10,919 Speaker 3: the race blind admissions process to have equal access and 517 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 3: equal you know, equality of opportunity, which is quintessentially American, 518 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 3: but it's fallen so far away from that. And I 519 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 3: go through examples in the book of how the offices 520 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 3: of DEI would not respond to Jewish students because they 521 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 3: didn't fit into the DEI regime. I believe DEI at 522 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 3: its core is anti Semitic, it's anti American, and it's 523 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 3: led to this shift away from merit based opportunities. 524 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:40,120 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 525 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: And then before we go, is there anything else you'd 526 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: like to leave us with about your new book, poison Ives. 527 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 3: It comes out April fourteenth. You can pre order it 528 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,479 Speaker 3: at a least stephonic dot com. It's available at your 529 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 3: local bookseller. It's my first book. Again, I look forward 530 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 3: to writing books in the future. But if you watch 531 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 3: that hearing, if you're concerned about American education, if you're 532 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 3: a student, if you're a parent, this book really lays 533 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 3: out what is happening at these again elite schools, and 534 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 3: I went to one of them. It was not like 535 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 3: this when I was an undergraduate at Harvard. But this 536 00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:11,280 Speaker 3: slide over the past two decades, this needs to be fixed. 537 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 3: It needs to be addressed, and it's very much tied 538 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 3: into not only a domestic politics but also the national 539 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 3: security issues we're facing. 540 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: Is today congress Woman Elise Staphonic Poisoned ivy's interesting stuff. 541 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: Look forward to seeing on what you do next. Really, 542 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: appreciate you making the time for the show. Thank you, 543 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 1: Lise foe Is congress Woman Elise Staphonic on her new book, 544 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: Poisoned IVS. Appreciate her for making the time for the show. 545 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: Appreciate you guys at home for listening every Tuesday and Thursday, 546 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: but we can listen throughout the week. Also, one of 547 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: the things John Cassie and my producer were putting the 548 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: show together until next time