1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: A lot went down on Capitol Hill today, a lot 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: of which you probably didn't hear about. But one man 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: was there to do the job of many. He refuted 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: the Democrats arguments for upending our election system, he shot 5 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: down the Democrats arguments for taking all of our guns, 6 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: and most impressively of all, he tweeted the whole time. 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: I'm Michael Knowles, this is verdict with Ted Cruz. Senator Cruz, 8 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: I want to hear everything that happened today. It seemed 9 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: as if you were in multiple places at once, hearings 10 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: on guns, hearings on the Corrupt Politicians Act. And there 11 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: was a charge that while you were tweeting during all 12 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: of this, that it was just your staff sort of 13 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: tweeting on your behalf while you were in the Senate. 14 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:51,599 Speaker 1: I have to ask, I know, you'll shoot straight here. 15 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: Were you the one tweeting? Oh yeah, that was me. 16 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: I was live tweeting. The look when you're in a 17 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: room with senator who are droning on and on and on, 18 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: particularly when they're reading from like staff has written a 19 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: couple of pages of like text for them to read. 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: It's a little bit like the student and Charlie Brown 21 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: listening to the teacher, and the teacher goes wa wah wah, 22 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 1: wah wah. And the truth of the matter is, like 23 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: most senators are on their phones and are scrolling through 24 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: email or text or this, being the social media world 25 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: that it is, I was on Twitter, and then of 26 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: course some lefty publications saw me on Twitter on c 27 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: SPAN and so tweeted about me being on Twitter on 28 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: c SPAN, and so I promptly retweeted them and said, yep, 29 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 1: that's exactly right, and they were sort of surprised, going, 30 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 1: holy crap, is he retweeting us. It's like, yes, I am, 31 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: and uh. And in fact that they made fun of 32 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: me because Amy Klobuchar was giving some long, long speech 33 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: that I suppose somebody somewhere listened to, but but nobody 34 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: in the room did, and they were shocked that I 35 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: was on my phone for that, and I just said, well, 36 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: she's still reading her statement even after your tweet. Well, 37 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: you obviously wear many hats. You're a senator, you're a 38 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: podcast host, you are often the booking producer on this show. 39 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: So I'm not at all surprised to hear that it 40 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: was actually you on Twitter. So you were covering it. Actually, 41 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: I mean, we're joking about the Twitter of it all, 42 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: but it is important that you were communicating this and 43 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,679 Speaker 1: shedding light on what was going on. You were in 44 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: multiple places. Yeah, look, and there's value to that. I was. 45 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,399 Speaker 1: So the day started off, I went to a TV 46 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: studio and did did Fox News in the morning to 47 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 1: talk about the markup that was coming on HR one 48 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: or S one, which is the big election federal takeover 49 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: of elections bill that is the top priority for Democrats. 50 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: And what we had today was what's called the markup. 51 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: The markup is when you actually take the bill and 52 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: you consider amendments to it, and the rules could comte 53 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: in the Senate as the committee that has jurisdiction. I'm 54 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: on the Rules Committee. Actually, interesting bit of trivia. I 55 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: was put on the Rules Committee as a brand new 56 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: baby freshman, which is relatively unusual for newly elected senators 57 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: in my case nine years ago, to be put on it. 58 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,119 Speaker 1: And actually the reason Mitch McConnell asked me to serve 59 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 1: on the committee is that the Rules Committee has jurisdiction 60 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: over campaign finance reform legislation. And he asked me at 61 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: the time, he said, look, when the Democrats come with 62 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: some horrible campaign finance legislation, Ted, I'd like you to 63 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: lead the fight against this, and that's sort of like, 64 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: you know, throw me in that briar patch. I am 65 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: eager to defend the first Amendment to stop the Democrats' 66 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: efforts to undermine democracy, and so I was happy to 67 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: do it then. And this is the most dramatic time. 68 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: And so the markup started at ten am and it 69 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: wrapped up about seven pm. So it went about nine 70 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: hours straight and during the course of it, we had, oh, 71 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: I don't know thirty or forty different amendments. I filed 72 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: forty six amendments, and so we brought up amendment after 73 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: amendment debating the bill. The bill is a really bad bill, 74 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: and I do hope and think that the markup today 75 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: highlighted just how extreme, just how partisan the bill is, 76 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: and I think the Democrats ended up casting some really 77 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: bad votes today that underscores their top priority is staying 78 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: in power. What this bill is all about is keeping 79 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: Democrats in power for the next hundred years, and they're 80 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: really trying to rig the game to do that. And 81 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: I think the most important function of the markup today 82 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: was to highlight how they're doing it. So you you 83 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: mentioned here the campaign finance angle. It actually sort of 84 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 1: surprised me because I had forgotten how broad this bill is. 85 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: When I think of S one HR one, we're calling 86 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: it the Corrupt Politicians Act. The In my mind, this 87 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: was about changing the rules for congressional elections and federalizing 88 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: those those rules that would ordinarily be made by the states. 89 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: But then you're reminding me there's a campaign finance aspect 90 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: to it. There. Could you just take us through a 91 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 1: little bit of specifically that portion, but but sort of 92 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: all the all the pieces of this legislation. Sure. So 93 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: this thing is nearly nine hundred pages long, and it 94 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 1: is every bad idea every left wing advocacy group has 95 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: had over the last twenty years to try to change 96 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: elections to make sure that Democrats always win. So what 97 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: does the bill do? Well, let's start with what does 98 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 1: it mean? HR one or S one. Nobody knows what 99 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,679 Speaker 1: that means. HR one means it is the very first 100 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 1: bill filed by Democratic leadership in the House. S one 101 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,679 Speaker 1: means it's the first bill filed by Democratic leader leadership 102 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: in the Senate. It means it's their number one priority. Yeah, 103 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: and so just pause for a second and think about 104 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: what the Democrats are telling you. Their top priority isn't COVID, 105 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 1: it's not back nations, it's not jobs, it's not reopening schools. 106 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: Their top priority is staying in power, and that trumps 107 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: everything else. Now, what does this bill do. Well, it 108 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: federalizes elections. It puts the federal government in charge of 109 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: elections across this country. One of the things it does is, look, 110 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 1: we've got fifty states. States generally administer of elections and 111 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: they pass laws governing how elections are handled. This bill, 112 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: which many of us are calling, as you noted, the 113 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: Corrupt Politicians Act, what it does is it essentially repeals 114 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: virtually every state voter integrity law. Now what does that mean. Here, 115 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: here's some examples. Voter ID twenty nine states require some 116 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: form of identification to vote. You think about it, it's 117 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: a common sense provision. Seventy five percent of Americans support 118 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: photoid for voting. By the way, that's true, sixty percent 119 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 1: of Democrats support photo for voting. Seventy seven percent of 120 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: Independence support photoid for voting. Sixty percent of African Americans 121 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: support photo ID for voting. What does the Corrupt Politicians 122 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: Act do It repeals every one of those laws. It 123 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: makes it illegal for a state to require voter id Likewise, 124 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: ballot harvesting, all right, what is ballot harvesting? It is 125 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: a particularly corrupt practice where you send in a paid 126 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 1: political operative to collect the ballots of other peoples. Why 127 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: is that corrupt? Well, because let's say you have an 128 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: operative from the DNC, the Democratic National Committee, who goes 129 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: into a nursing home where you have a bunch of 130 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: people who are elderly, some of whom may not even 131 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: be capable of making decisions. With ballot harvesting, these operatives 132 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: help them fill out their ballots, including people that may 133 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: not be competent to make those decisions. And it invites 134 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: voter fraud because number one, they can prompt the people 135 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: to vote the way the operative wants them to. Number Two, 136 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: if the operative sees how they vote, Let's suppose you 137 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: have a senior who stubbornly votes for Donald Trump instead 138 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: of Joe Biden, the corrupt operative can take that ballot 139 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: and throw it in the trash. It is dangerous when 140 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: you have an employee of a political campaign handling the 141 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: ballots of other people. That's why thirty one states either 142 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: prohibit or restrict ballot harvesting. What does the Corrupt Politicians 143 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: Act do? It repeals every one of those restrictions, and 144 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 1: it mandates ballot harvesting. Likewise, this bill mandates universal mail 145 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: in ballots, It mandates drop boxes everywhere, both of which 146 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: are very susceptible to fraud. It also provides for welfare 147 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: for politicians. Is this one of the more egregious elements 148 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: of it? That it provides for a six to one 149 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: federal government match for money raised in increments under two 150 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 1: hundred dollars. So if you raise two hundred dollars, the 151 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,839 Speaker 1: federal government gives you twelve hundred dollars to match that. 152 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: That is a particularly idiotic proposal, as I observed at 153 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: the hearing today. If you think of all of the 154 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: populations in need of welfare and need of subsidies, in 155 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: need of supports, politicians are really near the bottom of 156 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,599 Speaker 1: that list. Yeah. And I'll tell you, Michael, the provision 157 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: that I think is most naked, that makes most obvious 158 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: what the Democrats are doing is the Federal Election Commission. 159 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 1: It was established after Watergates. So Watergate was a big scandal, 160 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: campaign finance scandal. They created the Federal Elections Commission in 161 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:39,439 Speaker 1: the nineteen seventies. It's a bipartisan commission. There are three 162 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: Democratic commissioners, three Republican commissioners. The reason they did that 163 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: is they wanted it to be for the FEC to act, 164 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,839 Speaker 1: it had to be bipartisan agreement. You had to get 165 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: at least four commissioners, meaning you had to get at 166 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: least one from the opposing party. What does the Corrupt 167 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: Politicians Act do. It turns it into a partisan organization. 168 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: It leaves it with three Democratic commissioners and only two 169 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: Republican commissioners, which means the FEC becomes essentially the attack 170 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: dog for Chuck Schumer. And it's designed. What the intention 171 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: of this would be is to use it to target, 172 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: to persecute, to investigate Republicans, and by the way, to 173 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: do it in all likelihood a month or two before 174 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: the election, right when they're vulnerable, to have an October 175 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: surprise of guess what, every Republican in a close race, 176 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 1: the Chuck Schumer Federal Election Commission is going to announce 177 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 1: an investigation into some scandalous aspect of them. It's a 178 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: really bad idea, and that's what this bill does. So 179 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: it's amazing because I've been reading the headlines on this bill, 180 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: but when you see it all laid out all of 181 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: these things, it's it's such a major bill. And yet 182 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: that's not all you were doing today. There was another 183 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: major issue. So while the Democrats are trying to ram 184 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: down which I think you put it very well, the 185 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: most radical legislation you've seen in your time, there perhaps 186 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,599 Speaker 1: perhaps rivaled only by the Equality Act or something like that. 187 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: And Michael, it's much more dangerous than the Equality Act 188 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: because it's designed to rig the system. So two of 189 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: the provisions that are most dangerous in the Corrupt Politicians Act. 190 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:22,199 Speaker 1: So one is automatic voter registration. So any individual that 191 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,079 Speaker 1: has any interaction with the government. So if you get 192 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: a welfare check, get an unemployment check, if you get 193 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: a driver's license, if you go to a state college 194 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:37,079 Speaker 1: or university, you're automatically registered to vote. Now, that is 195 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: intended to and will, in fact, if it's enacted, register 196 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 1: millions of illegal aliens to vote, because there are anywhere 197 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 1: from eleven to twenty million illegal aliens in the country. 198 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: The estimates vary a large a significant percentage of that group. 199 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 1: We don't have an exact estimate, but it is in 200 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: the millions by any way you assess it is interacting 201 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: with the government. And all of these who are interacting 202 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: with the government, this bill is designed to automatically register them. 203 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,199 Speaker 1: Not only that a number of states have very reasonable 204 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: provisions that provide that criminals can lose their right to vote. 205 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,959 Speaker 1: That if you commit a horrific crime, a number of 206 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: states have said you can forfeit your right to vote. 207 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: What does the Corrupt Politicians Act do. It strikes down 208 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: every one of those laws. It says criminals the instant 209 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 1: they're released from jail can vote. And the reason for 210 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: this is Democrats have decided, and I think quite reasonably, 211 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,839 Speaker 1: that having millions of illegal aliens vote, and thousands or 212 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: hundreds of thousands or millions of criminals and felons vote, 213 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 1: that those individuals are likely to vote for Democrats and 214 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: it will benefit Democrats. This is all about keeping Democrats 215 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: in power. So during the course of the day, in 216 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:01,320 Speaker 1: the markup, as I said, I had forty six amendments. 217 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: I introduced an amendment to provide that before anyone is 218 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,599 Speaker 1: automatically registered to vote, you have to verify citizenship, that 219 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: you're not registering someone illegal. Of course, every Democrat voter 220 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: know that amendment was voted down. I introduced another amendment, 221 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 1: so a portion of this law grants amnesty, grants immunity 222 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: to any illegal alien who's illegally registered to vote because 223 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 1: of the automatic registration. Look at the bill anticipates millions 224 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 1: of illegal aliens are registered to vote, and so it 225 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: grants amnesty. It says they're not liable. There's no criminal liability, 226 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:38,760 Speaker 1: no civil liability. They're completely immune from any exposure for 227 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: being illegally registered to vote. I introduced it amendments to 228 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: just strip that. That is so radical, and I feel 229 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: people may not appreciate that. On the one hand, Democrats 230 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 1: are saying this bill absolutely will not register illegal aliens 231 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: to vote, and also when they are, they'll get amnesty 232 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 1: for it. That's in the same bill. It is the 233 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 1: same bill. The Democrats argued, no illegal aliens will be 234 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 1: registered to vote. I said, great, then you should vote 235 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: for my amendments. If it's not registering anyone, then you 236 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: ought to welcome these amendments. They're like, no, no, no, no, 237 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 1: we can't have that. Have the amendments so I introduced 238 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: a narrow amendment, just say, let's get rid of the amnesty. 239 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 1: If nobody's registered illegally to vote, what's the value of 240 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: creating a special amnesty for people who are illegally registered 241 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: to vote. Every Democrat voted no. They voted it down 242 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: on the criminals. All right, here's a very funny thing. 243 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: So I had a whole series of amendments allowing states 244 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: to prevent criminals from voting. The first amendment that got 245 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: called up was from Senator Hyde Smith, and it was 246 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: an amendment focused on child molesters, and it said, people 247 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: that commit crimes against children, states can prevent them from voting. 248 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 1: And one of the things I did going into this meeting, 249 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: I sat down before the markup with Mitch McConnell. I said, 250 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: down with Roy Blonde, who's the ranking Republican on the committee, 251 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: and we lay it out a strategy for fighting this. 252 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: And so I drafted a whole bunch of amendments. And 253 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: one of the things I did is gave a number 254 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: of amendments to other Republican senators for them to drive forward. 255 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: So Cindy Hide Smith, Senator from Mississippi, introduced this amendment 256 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: that said, if you've committed a crime against children, states 257 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: can prevent you from voting. Miraculously, Michael, this amendment passed, 258 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: and Angus King, who is an independent from Maine, although 259 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: he votes exactly like a Democrat, he voted yes. He said, 260 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: I'm a parent, and so if you commit a crime 261 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: against kids, states can say you can't vote. And I argued, forcefully, like, 262 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 1: why is it Democrats think our democracy would be better 263 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: if child molesters were voting. When I think of what 264 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: the country needs, the enlightened views of child molesters is 265 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: not high on the list. So once Angus voted for that, 266 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: and he's like, well, you're not going to have a 267 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: whole bunch of other amendments onto other crimes. And I said, well, yeah, 268 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: I do have a whole bunch of others, but I'll 269 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 1: just do one. So I pulled up mine, which was murderers. 270 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: I said, okay, you've agreed child molesters. States can say 271 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: they can't vote. How up murders people convicted of the 272 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: felony a murder. Angus King voted, noted that the Democrats 273 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: voted it down. So every Democrat of the committee voted 274 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: that it should be illegal. For states to say murderers 275 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: can't vote. That that's how radical these guys are. Well, 276 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: and it's not even to say, because people will you 277 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 1: confuse the federalism of it all. All you're suggesting here 278 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: is that states should have the right to determine whether 279 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: or not murderers can vote. That even that was too 280 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: much for the Democrats. Yeah, to be clear, my amendments 281 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 1: were not requiring a standard, whether it is photoid for voting, 282 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: whether it is barring criminals from voting. Under the Constitution, 283 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: the principal responsibility for those decisions of the states. Now, 284 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: I will say this in discussing it, there is an 285 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: argument that some on the writer making, which is that 286 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: this whole bill is on constitution. I actually think that 287 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: argument is probably not right. That the way the Constitution 288 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: is drafted, the states have significant responsibility for structuring elections, 289 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 1: but Congress also has the authority to promulgate standards, and 290 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: so it's a concurrent jurisdiction. So I think it is. 291 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: I don't think it's a valid argument to say Congress 292 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: can't legislate here. What I do think is a valid 293 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: argument is that Congress shouldn't be repealing the laws of 294 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: twenty nine states when it comes to voter ID thirty 295 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: one states when it comes to restricting ballot harvesting, that 296 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 1: Congress should respect the state laws that in turn reflect 297 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 1: the values of their citizens. This is an important point 298 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: because there are a lot of conservatives, I think, who 299 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: just want to say, oh, well, we don't need to 300 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: worry too much, because because the courts will strike it down, 301 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: and so you're making the point, actually that might not 302 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: be a bulletproof argument. But then there's also the practical 303 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: political reality here, which is that when we rely on 304 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,440 Speaker 1: the courts very often we're disappointed. So probably we're gonna 305 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: want to fight against this now. Well, and it's worse 306 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 1: than that. I don't think the courts will strike this down. 307 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: And here's why. If the Corrupt Politicians Act passes into law, 308 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: it will be because the Democrats have ended the filibuster, 309 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: because they have rammed it through on fifty votes. It 310 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: will be because Joe Manchin and Christen Cinema gave in. 311 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: If that happens, the Democrats will also pack the US 312 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: Supreme Court. They'll put four left wing justices on the court, 313 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 1: and a packed Supreme Court with four left wing justices 314 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: will uphold the Corrupt Politicians Act. So the current Supreme 315 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: Court would certainly strike down significant elements of this bill, 316 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: but a packed Supreme Court with four new left wing 317 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: justices will rub or stamp this. And so the filibuster 318 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 1: is the whole ball of wax in terms of stopping this. 319 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: And this is really about, you know, Michael, if you 320 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: look at what the Democrats are trying to do, I'd 321 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: really break it into two baskets. What is bad policy? 322 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: They want to do things that are just bad policy. 323 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:21,719 Speaker 1: Massively high taxes, massively high regulations, open borders, massive trillions 324 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: of dollars in spending. All of that is bad, it's harmful. Yeah, 325 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 1: but all of that can be undone. If Republicans take 326 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,360 Speaker 1: majorities again. We can cut taxes again, we can cut regulations, 327 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: we can try to cut spending all the Historically that's 328 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: harder to do. But bad policy can be undone. There's 329 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: a whole separate, separate category that the Democrats are trying 330 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: to do that is rigging the game, that is changing 331 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: the rules. And what falls into that HR one the 332 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:53,360 Speaker 1: Corrupt Politicians Act, making DC a state to get two 333 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,680 Speaker 1: new Democratic senators and packing the US Supreme Court, and 334 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: those are designed to change the rule because I think 335 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,640 Speaker 1: Democrats believe if they enact those, they stay in power 336 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 1: the next hundred years. That Republicans can't win if millions 337 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 1: of illegal aliens and millions of criminals are voting. And 338 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:13,399 Speaker 1: that's why they want to do it, particularly if you 339 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: have a partisan federal election commission that is a political 340 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: weapon going after Republicans at the behest of Chuck Schumer. 341 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: They believe, I think quite reasonably, that that will ensure 342 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: they win for a long time to come. That's why 343 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: this is the whole edgelata. Senator, you've sufficiently depressed me 344 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: about the corrupt politicians act. So now, because a wise 345 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: man once said that it is always darkest before it 346 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: goes totally pitch black, we have to address the other 347 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: topic that you were working on today, which is the 348 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:50,400 Speaker 1: gun grab. Democrats are trying to pass big gun control. 349 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 1: You were there, you were in the room. What's it 350 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: look like and how do we stop it? Well, it's 351 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: the Constitution Subcommittee, the Senate Judiciary Committee. I've been the 352 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: chairman of that committee for a number of years. I'm 353 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 1: now the ranking member because we're in the minority, so 354 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: center Richard Bloomenthal from Connecticut is now the chairman. He 355 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: had a hearing on so called ghost guns. I mean 356 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: you said it's always darkest before it goes pitch black. 357 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: I guess it's fitting that pitch black is when the 358 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 1: ghosts come out. I showed up. Irritatingly enough, this hearing 359 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: was at the exact same time as the markup for 360 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: the Corrupt Politicians Act. So what I talked about on 361 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,479 Speaker 1: the hearing unquote ghost guns and what is a ghost gun? 362 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: I mean, to be honest, who the hell has heard 363 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: of a ghost gun? I mean, you want to talk 364 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: about a made up phenomenon, and it's designed to be 365 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: really scary, like, oh, ghost guns? What? What? What the 366 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: heck are those? They're handmade guns. They're they're people, they're 367 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: hobbyists who make handmade guns. They make guns from kits. 368 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 1: They order different kits online and they assemble them. And 369 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 1: the reason this is a made up problem is there 370 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: is zero evidence, like, like nothing, nada, that handmade guns 371 00:21:57,040 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: are producing any violent crime at all. Like it It's 372 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 1: a totally made up And so I kind of unloaded 373 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: on the Democrats this morning, and I said, look, you've 374 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 1: got a hearing on a totally bogus threat, but it's 375 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: designed to be scary and frankly, they're taking advantage of 376 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 1: ignorant liberals who don't really know anything about guns and 377 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 1: a ghost gun that they want to use a term 378 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: that sounds really frightening. Yeah, but I said, what are 379 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: you next going to hold a hearing on civil war 380 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: replica canons? I mean, they're not being used in crimes. 381 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: You want a hearing, You want a hearing on gun crime. 382 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: Gun crime is a serious problem. How about have a 383 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,640 Speaker 1: hearing on Chicago and New York and Philadelphia and how 384 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: left wing gun control laws aren't working. That's actually a 385 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:45,159 Speaker 1: real hearing. But they don't want to do that. And 386 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: what I talked about also in my opening comments, I said, listen, 387 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: why is it the Democrats are trying to do this? 388 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:53,919 Speaker 1: Because number one, their objective is not going after actual 389 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: gun crime. It is stripping the Second Amendment rights from 390 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,399 Speaker 1: law abiding citizens. That the people that build homemade guns 391 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 1: are collectors. Frankly, if you're a gang banger in Chicago, 392 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 1: you're not making a homemade gun. You're buying an illegal 393 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: gun on the black market that you're murdering people with. 394 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 1: I mean that's where the guns come from. But here's 395 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 1: what this is all about. And it was interesting Bloomenthal 396 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 1: at his opening statement, he said, look, these are untraceable, 397 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: and untraceable is meant to be scary. They want to 398 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: be able to trace every firearm in America because they 399 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: want a registry of every firearm in America. And I 400 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: put it out. I said, listen, Heidi and I own 401 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: a number of firearms. There is no government list of 402 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 1: the firearms we own. It's none of your damn business 403 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 1: what firearms we own. You want to find out what 404 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: firearms we own. Come into our house at night, you'll 405 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: find out what firearms we own. Look like it is. 406 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: And for the big government liberals, they want a registry. 407 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: And the reason they want a registry is if you 408 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: look at countries throughout history that have confiscated firearms, it 409 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: always starts with a registry, a list of what guns 410 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:03,880 Speaker 1: does Michael Knowles own, so that when they come knock 411 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: on the door, they say, okay, mister Knowles, you've got 412 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 1: a rifle, you've got a shotgun, and you've got a 413 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: thirty eight revolver. Produced the guns now we're seizing them. 414 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: And so I am fighting tooth and nail against a registry. 415 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 1: This whole ghost guns thing is a made up bass topic. Yeah, 416 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,360 Speaker 1: because what they want is a registry of every gun 417 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: to be able to confiscate. Before we go. We're as 418 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,639 Speaker 1: always pressed for time before we go, We've got to 419 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: touch on this Israel issue. We have to touch on 420 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,879 Speaker 1: it because I don't understand anything about it, and I 421 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: think most people, frankly, are looking at this conflict, the 422 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: Israel Palestine conflict. It seemed to have been fine. Everything 423 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: seemed to be going pretty well for the past four years. 424 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: You had lots of new peace treaties. We happened to 425 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: be doing episodes. We were in DC during those peace treaties. 426 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,440 Speaker 1: You were there at the signing of them. And now 427 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 1: everything's gone to hell in a handbasket. What went wrong? 428 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: Weakness causes violence and aggression. Terrorists like weakness. They're encouraged 429 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 1: by weakness. You know, I had dinner, I think week 430 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: before last, with David Friedman, who was the former US 431 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: Ambassador to Israel under President Trump. David is a good friend. 432 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: Four years of President Trump, you saw the Palestinian attacks 433 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: on the Israelis on Americans dropped dramatically and it was 434 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 1: because I believe President Trump drew a line in the 435 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 1: SANUS as we stand with Israel. There was no ambiguity 436 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: about it. What did Joe Biden do when he came 437 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 1: in immediately put ambiguity about it. Immediately. One of the 438 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,919 Speaker 1: things Biden started to doing is he sent over one 439 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: hundred million dollars to the Palestinian Authority. Now, the Palestinian 440 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: Authority is the quasi government of the Palestinians within Israel. 441 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 1: It is in what's called a unity government with Hamas. 442 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: Hamas is a terrorist organization. It's explicitly a terrorist organization. 443 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: Hamas and the Palestinian Authority they pay bounties to terrorists. 444 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: So if you're a Palestinian terrorist and you strapped dynamite 445 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: on a vest and you walk into a mall and 446 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:12,000 Speaker 1: you detonate the dynamite and you murder women and children 447 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,439 Speaker 1: a moss and the Palestinian Authority will pay your family 448 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: a ongoing stipend for the rest of their lives. And 449 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: it's a major budget item that they want to encourage. 450 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 1: So it's the government spending money to pay the families 451 00:26:30,200 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: of terrorists as rewards for them murdering Israelis. And murdering Americans. Yeah, 452 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago, Congress passed a law called 453 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: the Taylor Forsac. Taylor Force was a Texan. He was 454 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 1: a veteran who was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in Israel. 455 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,400 Speaker 1: And the Taylor Forsack says, US tax collet dollars will 456 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: not go to any organization that rewards terrorists, that pays 457 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 1: the families of terrorists as a reward for them committing 458 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 1: terror What did Joe Biden do in the first couple 459 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: of months in office. Base basically ignored the Tailor Force 460 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 1: Act and started paying hundreds of millions of dollars to 461 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: the Palestinian authorities. So Joe Biden is sending your tax dollars, 462 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:11,880 Speaker 1: my tax dollars to fund hamas in their payments to terrorists. 463 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: And you know what, the terrorists see that and say, Okay, 464 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: this Biden administration is weak. They won't stand with Israel. 465 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:22,360 Speaker 1: So let's start firing rockets. And they're firing rockets. They're 466 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: firing hundreds of rockets at Jerusalem, at Tel Aviv, all 467 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: up and down Israel. And by the way, not only 468 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:31,399 Speaker 1: is the Biden administration not doing anything meaningfully about it. 469 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 1: But you've got democrats like Ilhan Omar and Rashid Tali. 470 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: Omar accused Israel of carrying out acts of terrorism because 471 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 1: it's trying to defend itself against rocket attacks aimed at 472 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: civilians and it's trying to take out the terrorists. And listen, 473 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: I tweeted this week, why is a member of Congress 474 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 1: acting as the press secretary for Hamas? And this is 475 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 1: contrast at six months ago, we were seeing historic peace 476 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 1: in the Middle East. Why because the President of the 477 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: United States and the US government was clear and unequivocal, 478 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: We stand with Israel, and no one wanted to screw 479 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 1: with us. Now because Biden is not able to be 480 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: clear and unequivocal, suddenly they want to screw with Israel 481 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:16,040 Speaker 1: and they want to screw with us. And this is 482 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,919 Speaker 1: it's a manifestation of the failures of Biden's foreign policy. 483 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:23,760 Speaker 1: It's night and day. I remember when John Kerry, but 484 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: before he was trapesing all over the world stopping the 485 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 1: sun monster. When John Kerry was the Secretary of State, 486 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: he said that it is not possible to solve the 487 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 1: Israel Palestine conflict. It is not possible. Rather, to solve 488 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: the Middle Eastern conflict more broadly, without first dealing with 489 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 1: the Palestinian conflict. And the Trump administration comes in and says, 490 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 1: you know, I don't think that's true. I think we're 491 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 1: going to just deal with all of these other Arab 492 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: states and we're gonna get peace deals with those separate states. 493 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: And the Democrats said that was not possible. What happened 494 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: for the last several years, we've seen lots and lots 495 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: of peace. Three now that seems to be falling apart. 496 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 1: I have to tell you, Senator, a bit of a 497 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: depressing show on the voting rights, on the guns, on 498 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: the international diplomacies. Is there any glimmer of hope here? 499 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: I think the markup today on the Corrupt Politicians Act 500 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 1: was very beneficial in one since it showed just how 501 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: radical and extreme the Democrats were. I mean, when every 502 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: Democrat on the committee voted to allow murderers to vote, 503 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: that's a pretty extreme vote. When every Democrat on the 504 00:29:28,400 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: committee voted to allow millions of illegal aliens to vote, 505 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: that's an extreme vote. When every Democrat voted to maintain 506 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: the amnesty for millions of illegal aliens voting illegally, that's 507 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: an extreme vote. You know, there's another provision we talked about, 508 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: the six to one match of federal funds, which is, 509 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: you know, welfare for politicians. One of the things I 510 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: did at the markup today I went through what every 511 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: Democrat on the committee had raised in Q one in 512 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: the first quarter of this year, and I went through 513 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: how much they would get under the match, and some 514 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 1: would get a million. Angus King I think would get 515 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: like seven hundred fifty dollars, he got virtually nothing. The 516 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: Democrat who got the most was John assaf who was 517 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,560 Speaker 1: just elected out of Georgia, and he would get a 518 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:15,959 Speaker 1: little over eleven million dollars in federal funds. I mean, 519 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: that's a bunch of money, eleven million dollars. So the 520 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: senator who would get the most on the committee was 521 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 1: yours truly. And last quarter in Q one of this year, 522 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 1: I raised five point three million dollars five point three 523 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,520 Speaker 1: million dollars. Ninety eight percent of that came from contributions 524 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: under one hundred dollars. I think the average contribution, if 525 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: I remember Wright, it was either forty one or forty 526 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: seven dollars. I forget which one it was, but it 527 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: was forty something five point three million dollars six to 528 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,240 Speaker 1: one match. Now there's a cap. So what it would 529 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: have meant is I would have gotten twenty four million 530 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 1: dollars from the federal government. And I asked the Democrats, 531 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: I said, why do my Democratic colleagues want to give 532 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: my campaign twenty four million dollars in federal funds? This 533 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,040 Speaker 1: is asinine. I don't want the funds. I'd like to 534 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: go raise the funds. By the way, if you're watching this, 535 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 1: go to Ted Cruz dot org and make contribution. I 536 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 1: welcome those funds, but I'm not interested in taking federal 537 00:31:15,400 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: taxpayer money. And every Democrat voted to give my campaign 538 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: twenty four million dollars in federal funds. I mean it's 539 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:28,880 Speaker 1: asinine because their priority is staying in power, and so 540 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:34,280 Speaker 1: they want billions of dollars of federal funds going to 541 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 1: their campaign. So as incumbents, they have massive amounts of 542 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 1: money and they can crush any challenger. And I gotta say, 543 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 1: Chuck Schumer began the hearing by the markup by giving 544 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 1: this this sanctimonious speech, and it was a speech about 545 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: Jim Crow. And I responded shortly thereafter, and I said, look, 546 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: Chuck Schumer rightly talked about Jim Crow. Jim Crow was shameful, 547 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: it was racist, it was big. Jim Crow laws were 548 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: written by Democrats, they were implemented by Democrats, and the 549 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: purpose of Jim Crow laws was to keep Democrats in 550 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:15,640 Speaker 1: power forever. Now I recognize today's Democrats and the corrupt media. 551 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: Their narrative was, well, that was the Democrats of a 552 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: long time ago, but not today. I said, listen, this 553 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: bill today is Jim Crow two point zero. This is 554 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,200 Speaker 1: designed for the same purpose, which is to prevent the 555 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: voters from throwing the bumbs out, to prevent the voters 556 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 1: from voting Democrats out when they embrace socialism, when they 557 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,680 Speaker 1: embrace open borders, when they pack the Supreme Court, when 558 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 1: they advocate abolishing the police. The Democrats want the voters 559 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 1: not to have the power to vote them out. And 560 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 1: how do they do that. They do that by registering 561 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:53,760 Speaker 1: millions of illel aliens, allowing criminals to vote, and making 562 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 1: the Federal Election Commission a partisan weapon to target Republicans. 563 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: This is all about disenfranchising voters, just like Jim Crow. 564 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,240 Speaker 1: And I gotta admit to say Democrats didn't like that 565 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: would be something of an understatement, and I think there 566 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: is value just shining the light and explaining what it 567 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 1: is they're trying to do. I think that's true. And 568 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:17,600 Speaker 1: you know, a guy who's going to turn down twenty 569 00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:20,320 Speaker 1: four million bucks probably doesn't care what the Democrats say 570 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:23,560 Speaker 1: about him on the committee. Twenty four million bucks. You know. 571 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 1: I guess there is the glimmern thing. I guess the 572 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:28,720 Speaker 1: glimmer of hope is no matter. If they'd upped it 573 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:31,000 Speaker 1: to twenty five, I might have been up open to it, 574 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 1: That's exactly. And I suppose there's got to be a 575 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: number somewhere. But if you think you're having a bad day, 576 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 1: you're looking at the politics all around the world, you 577 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 1: say everything's going to hell in a hand basket. At 578 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: least you didn't have to turn down twenty four million 579 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: dollars today like Senator Cruz did. We have to leave 580 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: it their senator. But we will be back soon. I'm 581 00:33:48,280 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 1: Michael Knowles. This is Verdict with Ted Cruz. This episode 582 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 1: of Verdict with Ted Cruz is being brought to you 583 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 1: by Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack, a political action committee 584 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:11,480 Speaker 1: dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organizations, and candidates across the 585 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: country in twenty twenty two. Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack 586 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 1: plans to donate to conservative candidates running for Congress and 587 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: help the Republican Party across the nation.